Medium Well Done

Medium Well Done (Dry Bones Publishing, 2022)

On a stormy evening in a cemetery Nick learns that dabbling in the occult can leave you chasing spooks in the night. Nick Caden is no stranger to solving weird mysteries—especially those of a supernatural type. By looking at the facts and dismissing the myths surrounding ghosts, vampires, zombies and the like, he relies on his favorite cop and detective shows to reveal who the most likely culprit might be. But what he witnesses in Bonaventure Cemetery leaves Nick stumped.

When a “ghost” accuses his neighbor of murder—and minutes later Keisha goes missing—Nick is forced into an unlikely partnership with Jaz, a teen with a gift for knowing the thoughts of the dead: or so she claims. As the pair work to find Keisha, they must rely on the word of “Sistah Séance,” a Gullah woman on Georgia’s Sea islands, who seems able to “bring up the dead.”

In Savanah’s Bonaventure Cemetery, Nick must find his neighbor and prove that Keisha and her brother are innocent. Problem is, the only eye witness is the victim . . . a ghost.

“This time Nick doesn’t have all the answers, but he asks the right questions. And what he learns is worse than any lies a fake fortuneteller might pass off as truth. I highly recommend Medium Well Done.” – Kim Childress, Book Editor, Girls’ Life Magazine

Parents can trust the Caden Chronicles. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language — only a wee bit of humor. 🙂

A Stand-Alone Middle Grade Mystery!

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Dead Low Tide—Do the Dead Stay Dead?

Dead Low Tide (Illuminate YA, 2019)

On vacation with his parents in Savannah, Georgia, Nick Caden is eager to investigate the mystery surrounding Heidi May Laveau, a girl who supposedly died years ago but whose body just washed up on the shore. Once again, Nick’s curiosity gets the better of him, only this time he brings his sister, Wendy, along to investigate—and she’s taken by what appears to be a zombie of the dead girl!

Of course, no one believes Nick when he claims a member of the living dead pulled his sister away in a canoe, even after she proves impossible to find. But this “zombie” has a message for Nick from “beyond the grave.” Now he faces the difficult task of sorting fact from fiction before his worst fears come true. It’s a race against the clock to discover where the true danger lies. And the answer might be right under Nick’s nose.

Who knows what horrors will be found when the tide recedes?

★ Shortlisted as a Selah Winner for Middle Grade Fiction ★

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Skull Creek Stakeout vampire running loose

Skull Creek Stakeout (2018)

Nick Caden has a “supernatural” knack for finding trouble, and his relentless search for truth leads him into worlds of darkness with grave consequences and really creepy mysteries. After solving the Deadwood ghost story, Nick lands a job as a roving reporter for The Cool Ghoul Gazette, a website on paranormal disturbances. When the editor sends Nick to Transylvania, North Carolina, Nick finds a body on a golf course with fangs, bite marks, and a gaping hole in its chest, courtesy of a wooden stake. Is the victim a real vampire or is this a hoax?

Will Nick solve the case before his new job sucks the life out of him?

Complete the “Official Criminal Inquiry” to see if you have the makings of a super sleuth. With questions at the back of the book, you can fill in the answers while you read. When finished, your book report should be thorough enough to catch a crook! Parents can trust the Caden Chronicles. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language, only a wee bit of humor. 🙂

★ Purple Dragonfly Award Winner for Middle Grade Fiction ★

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Is There a "Ghost Killer" Running Loose

Dead Man’s Hand (Dry Bones Publishing, 2020)

Nick Caden’s vacation in Deadwood Ghost Town becomes a chilling mystery when the fifteen-year-old finds himself trapped in a livery stable with the infamous outlaw Jesse James. The shooter whirls, aims and… vanishes. Great theatrics, Nick thinks. Except now he’s alone in the hayloft with the bullet-riddled body of Billy the Kid. And by the time the sheriff arrives, the body disappears. Soon Nick is on the hunt for the truth—from an abandoned gold mine, through forbidden buffalo hunting grounds, across Rattlesnake Gulch, and around every turn Nick finds another suspect. If Nick plays his cards right, the dead man’s hand might be the clue he needs to solve the case.

Complete the “Official Criminal Inquiry” to see if you can solve the case before Nick. With questions at the back of the book, you can fill in the answers while you read. When finished, your book report should be thorough enough to catch a crook! Parents can trust this clean, middle grade mystery novel to be a fun, short, humorous read.

★ Selah Award Winner for Middle Grade Fiction ★

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No Good Stede Goes Unpunished By Eddie Jones

No Good Stede Goes Unpunished (Raleigh: Dry Bones Publishing, December 1, 2020)

It is 1717 and Ricky finds himself aboard a ship owned by Stede Bonnet, a rich sugar plantation owner who thought becoming a pirate might be a fun way to live out the rest of his life. Bonnet, in the midsts of a midlife crisis, decides to abandon his cushy-life, kids, and wife, to become a pirate. It does not go well. As they set sail from Barbados and slant west towards the North American coast, Bonnet’s crew runs afoul of the British Royal Navy and is put to the test when they encounter a heavily-armed warship.

Based on the true events of Bonnet’s adventures, No Good Stede Goes Unpunished blends adventure, humor, and historical accuracy into a lively pirate yarn.

Recent Reader Comments

“A story about pirates and going back in time. The book is well written and engaging, with a good bit of humor. The book is the fourth in the series, but can be read as a standalone as well.” – WH808

“Jones is an excellent writer because he moves the story at a quick clip and nailed the language, terminology, and lingo of the pirating era. It feels like we are on the deck of a multi-cannon schooner. The setup and return to the present bother me: I did not enjoy the time-traveling premise in which the protagonist used his mind to travel hundreds of years into the past. A time machine would have worked just fine. I think kids will find this story entertaining, provided they have an extensive vocabulary of sailing terminology and pirate jargon.” – James

“Like the others in this series this is a fun, witty piratical adventure as the main character Ricky meets fictional pirates and real historical people. It’s quite the page turner with just a little bit more depth mixed in with the fun.” – David

“If you’re a pirate fan like me then this is your book! The characteristic for each character is an original of its own. Great pictures to guide me through the story line. Our kids enjoyed it and so have I. It’s a recommend book in the end!” – Wayne

“Great book for a young boy or girl. I loved the pirates and adventure and, most importantly, the historical accuracy.”- James

“In an earlier story, I hadn’t considered the main character’s talent as a way to change the past. It’s not unlike the shenanigans Q gets up to with Picard. Despite paradoxes, I like the idea of trying to game results in the present by projecting consciousness back into the past. Instead of “go back into the past so that you can prevent the end of the world,” however, the problem in this case is that a girl needs the bio of an ancestor scrubbed so that a member of the DAR will write her a good letter of recommendation for college. That is so off the wall, how can it not be lovable? The little biology lessons are also lovable (crocodiles this time instead of wood-eating clams). The narrative advances like the old joke about someone jumping out of an airplane. Oh, no! The parachute broke! But there’s a haystack. Oh, no! There’s a pitchfork in the haystack. I looked forward to each inflection. “Right, marooned. What next?” It’s an easy, single-sitting read – and great fun.” – Matthew

Parents can trust the Caribbean Chronicles Series. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language, only positive moral values… and a wee bit of humor.

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The End of Calico Jack By Eddie Jones

The End of Calico Jack (Raleigh, NC: Dry Bones Publishing, September 9, 2019)

2020 Selah Award Winner for YA Literature – In this YA pirate tale, award-winning author Eddie Jones blends action, adventure, and humor into a fictional retelling of the pirate exploits of Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read.

While searching for rumored treasure in a cave on Coffin Cay, a small island off the southwestern tip of Haiti (Hispaniola), Ricky suffers an absence seizure. During his last trance-like episode, Ricky uncovered a treasure from the Nuestra Señora de Riqueza, a vessel in an armada of ships sailing the Spanish Main. Now back on Coffin Cay with his parents, Ricky hunts for the treasure he found in the cave over three hundred years earlier during his trip back to pirate land.

The End of Calico Jack is a fictional retelling of the pirate escapades of Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. The story is based on historical research of the life of “Calico Jack” John Rackham. Some liberties have been taken in the telling of the story, but many of the events reflect what historians believed happened to Jack, Mary, and Anne. Also, in real life those who suffer absence seizures may appear to be in a trance but cannot recall what happens during their episode. The book includes a PIRATE MAP of Calico Jack’s sailing routes and the ports he visited.

 

Recent Reader Comments

“I would highly recommend this story for anyone who loves a good pirate story! The author does a good job with the main characters and the storyline overall. I would buy one for my nephew since he loves pirates!” – Whitener

“This is a fast and action-packed adventure. I love pirate stories and also enjoy YA novels. This reminded me a little of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.” – Joan

Parents can trust the Caribbean Chronicles Series. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language, only positive moral values and a wee little bit of humor. 🙂

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