Arbor Day Can Be Deadly cover: a startled man dangles upside down from a tree branch above a small Texas town

The Bucket List Mysteries · Prequel novella

Arbor Day Can Be Deadly

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He came to stay out of trouble. But when a new friendship pulls him deep into danger, can he make it out alive?

Sho Tanaka is running from his problems. Placed on extended leave after a traumatizing incident led to his prescription drug addiction, the once-successful ICU nurse flees to his estranged sister in Texas. But when the tiny town’s Arbor Day Festival ends with him getting accidentally punched in the face, he makes an unexpected friend in the man who comes to his aid.

Former tween TV detective Levi Blue plans to never be forgotten. Fearing his father’s fate of an early death, he returns home to check in on his fan museum’s progress when a fight between the mayor and police chief takes out an innocent bystander. So turning on the fading celebrity charm, he ropes the new guy into his mission of hunting down his missing construction manager.

Still feeling like a fish out of water, Sho reluctantly helps his benefactor question the mayor, who claims to be afraid for her life. And Levi’s “experience” tells him they’ve stumbled onto a crazy conspiracy full of corruption, fraud… and sudden threats to their lives.

Can these newfound partners-in-crime-solving puzzle out the truth before they’re the next to vanish?

Next in reading order
Aerobics Can Be Deadly: When this odd couple signs up to be extras in a fitness video, it’s lights, camera… murder.

Illustration: Ryan writing at his desk beside his sleeping son, Texas wildflowers outside the window