Beneath the sun-drenched opulence of Cairns' French consulate, where gossip bubbles like champagne and secrets swim deeper than the Great Coral Sea, a shocking tableau unfolds. Madame Monet, the captivating Honorary Consul, lies strangled in her silk-swathed bedroom, a pair of Givenchy stockings twisted around her elegant throat.
Canberra dispatches their finest: Inspectors, Harry Chin a whirlwind of Savile Row tailoring and razor-sharp deductions, and at his side stands Ash Friday, an aboriginal tracker whose eyes can pierce through the darkest shadows lurking beneath. As they navigate the labyrinthine world of Cairns, they uncover a web of deceit woven from forbidden love, and family legacies stained by blood. Their pursuit of the truth takes them from the bustling streets of the city to the secluded beaches of the coast, as they piece together the events leading up to the murder and identify the killer.
With its intricate plot, compelling characters, and suspenseful atmosphere, "Le Chateau: A Harry Chin Murder Mystery" is a must-read for fans of detective fiction. Griffith's engaging storytelling will keep you captivated from the first page to the last, as you unravel the mysteries of Le Chateau.
"A gripping read from start to finish. I couldn't put it down!" - Amazon reviewer
"A well-written and suspenseful mystery. I highly recommend it!" - Goodreads reviewer
"A must-read for fans of detective fiction!" - Barnes & Noble reviewer
Ralph Griffith: A Life Lived in Ink
Ralph Griffith is an intriguing American author with a life story that reads like a gripping novel itself. Born in 1951 during the Cold War, his childhood antennae were acutely tuned to the dissonance between reality and government narratives. This skepticism blossomed into a rebellious spirit, finding its zenith during the electrifying Summer of Love. Imagine Ralph’s heart pulsing to the rhythm of the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead, his soul resonating with the counterculture’s whirlwind in the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco, where he had escaped to.
Destiny, however, had other plans. A brush with LSD at 16 landed Ralph in the Nevada Youth Authority—a crucible he promptly escaped--his restless spirit yearning for new adventures. This escape coincided with the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, events that indelibly marked the canvas of his youth. Ralph became an unwitting witness to history, his life forever intertwined with these pivotal moments.
Fast forward to his thirties, and a different kind of confinement beckoned. Ralph’s foray into bank robbing led to over 30 years navigating the stark realities of incarceration. Yet, even within those prison walls, his spirit refused to be caged. It was there, amidst the clanging of cell doors and the harsh hum of fluorescent lights, that he discovered a new path--writing. His final 14-year stretch became a literary genesis.
Fueled by a desire to reclaim his narrative, Ralph poured his experiences onto the page. Seven years spent alongside Bernie Madoff at FCI Butner became the raw material for a gripping exposé. Titles like “Monkey House” and “The Real Bernie Madoff” offered scathing indictments of financial corruption. But Ralph’s imaginative prowess also shines through in various series, including “The Harry Chin Murder Mysteries,” “The Johnny Walker Detective Novels,” “The Clyde Thomas Novels,” “The Too-Sweet Sagas,” and “The Big Huna Novels.”
Today, Ralph resides in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by the tranquil beauty of Washington state’s landscapes. Yet, the ink coursing through his veins still carries the vibrancy of those early days in San Francisco. His life’s adventures, as unconventional as they may be, have endowed him with a wealth of stories yet to be told. And Ralph with his relentless spirit and boundless creativity, is just beginning to weave these tales into the rich tapestry of his burgeoning literary legacy.
www.ralphgriffith.net