Why I’m Taking a Break from My Series

I’m not taking a break from writing—but I am taking a break from my current series.

Marty and Bo aren’t going anywhere. Their story will continue after Book 3. But for now, I’ve stepped sideways into something different. I’ve wanted to write a standalone murder mystery for a while, and this felt like the right moment to do it.

After three books in the same series, it’s healthy to stretch creatively. New characters. New dynamics. New stakes.

That’s exactly what this project offers.

From Coffee Shop Brainstorms to a Breakthrough Idea

Last fall, I began tossing around ideas with my usual creative sounding board—my good buddies at the coffee shop.

At various points, I considered a story about a table of assassins. Another idea involved a group of people in witness protection. Interesting concepts. Plenty of potential. But neither one quite clicked.

Then Ted asked a simple question:

What if the central characters were veterans who had served together in the Vietnam War?

That idea stuck.

A few days later, during a long drive with my wife, I mentioned it again. She reminded me of a novel I had started nearly twenty years ago but never finished—one inspired in part by my own experiences as an air traffic controller during the war.

That conversation opened a door.

Before the drive was over, we had the bones of a story that felt right immediately.

A Murder Mystery in Two Timelines

This new book leans more toward murder mystery than thriller—though there will be plenty of twists and turns.

Early in the present-day timeline, a member of a group of friends is murdered. His fellow veterans—men who served together decades ago—find themselves among the suspects, along with others. Old loyalties resurface. Old tensions simmer. At times, they begin to suspect one another.

At the same time, a second story unfolds during the Vietnam War era.

There is a murder in that timeline as well.

The events of the past are not simply backstory; they are deeply entangled with the present-day crime. Secrets carried for decades have a way of demanding payment.

Returning to the Vietnam War Era

A significant portion of this novel will take place during the war years, centered at Udorn Air Base in Thailand, where I was stationed.

That period of history has never fully left me. Exploring it in fiction—while weaving it into a modern mystery—adds both emotional depth and narrative complexity.

The Vietnam-era storyline won’t just provide atmosphere. It will shape motives, relationships, and long-buried truths that reverberate into the present.

The Challenge of Weaving Past and Present

I wrote the first words of this novel in mid-January 2026.

Since then, I’ve been outlining, researching, and mapping a plot that is both compelling and complicated. The real challenge lies in weaving together two timelines so that clues are revealed in exactly the right order—so each chapter leaves readers wanting just one more.

It’s a structural puzzle. But it’s the kind of puzzle I enjoy.

There’s a great deal of work ahead. But I’m energized by this story in a way that reminds me why I began writing fiction in the first place.

I’ll share occasional updates here in Thriller Writer’s Journal as the process unfolds—without giving too much away.

Continue the Journey

If you’re new here and want to learn more about my writing, you can:

• Visit my Home Page to learn more about me and my work.
• Explore my Books Page to discover the Marty & Bo crime thriller series.
• Read more entries in Thriller Writer’s Journal to follow the behind-the-scenes process of writing my books.

More soon.