The Citizen's Voice
🔗 http://citizensvoice.com/arts-living/local-author-promotes-books-programs-with-acoustic-guitar-1.1059783
I am the author of the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. My first novel, Rock & Roll Homicide, has been two Kindle Top 100 lists from June 2014 through October 2014. My second novel, Rock & Roll Rip-Off won the Premier Book Awards 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year. The third book in the series, The Concert Killer, was voted "Fan Favorite" by my readers. The 4th novel, The Classic Rockers Reunion with Death, opened with a TV interview on NBC and a very fun launch party with live rock music. Diamonds, Clubs, and Rock & Roll has been described as the "most imaginative" novel in the series, taking place in an undersea club on the floor of La Jolla Cove.
<p style="margin:0px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>"A somber, disturbing mystery fused with a scathing look at the fashion industry. </strong><strong>Mangin writes in a confident, razor-edged style."</strong><strong> - Kirkus Reviews</strong></p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>Condom dresses and space helmets have debuted on fashion runways.</strong></p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">A dead body becomes the trend when a coat made of human skin saunters down fashion's biggest stage. The body is identified as Annabelle Leigh, the teenager who famously disappeared over a decade ago from her boyfriend's New York City mansion.</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">This new evidence casts suspicion back on the former boyfriend, Cecil LeClaire. Now a monk, he is forced to return to his dark and absurd childhood home to clear his name. He teams up with Ava Germaine, a renegade ex-model. And together, they investigate the depraved and lawless modeling industry behind Cecil's family fortune.</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">They find erotic canes, pet rats living in crystal castles, and dresses made of crushed butterfly wings. But Cecil finds more truth in the luxury goods than in the people themselves. Everyone he meets seems to be wearing a person-suit. Terrified of showing their true selves, the glitterati put on flamboyant public personas to make money and friends. Can Cecil find truth in a world built on lies?</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>In high fashion modeling, selling bodies is organized crime.</strong></p>
Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the second novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series, featuring private investigator Jason Duffy. It was selected Premier Book Awards 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year.
<font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><strong><font color="#808000" size="5">King's River Life Magazine</font></strong></p> <p><font color="#000000" size="3">2/12/11</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">"Not only is the reader treated to an inside view of how crimes are solved, but they get to see an insider’s view of the music industry, and the problems bands run into. Full of twists and turns, McDonnell shows what a real murder mystery is." - Marilyn Meredith</font></p> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">For an author interview and the full review click:</span></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://kingsriverlife.com/02/12/robert-mcdonnell/"><font color="#0000ff">http://kingsriverlife.com/02/12/robert-mcdonnell/</font></a></p> <br /><p><strong><font color="#808000" size="5">KAZI Radio Book Review</font></strong></p> <p><font color="#000000" size="3">12/5/10</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">RJ McDonnell combines a well-plotted mystery with a music-industry backdrop to create a book that should appeal to mystery fans and music fans alike. ... He also provides laughs along the way, and it is a hard-hearted reader indeed that doesn't enjoy the final chapter. - reviewed by Tim Chamberlain</font></p> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">For the full review click:</span></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://kazibookreview.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/review-of-rock-roll-rip-off-by-rj-mcdonnell/"><font color="#0000ff">http://kazibookreview.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/review-of-rock-roll-rip-off-by-rj-mcdonnell/</font></a></p> <p><strong><font color="#808000" size="5">Premier Book Awards - 2010 Mystery/Thriller Novel of the Year</font><font color="#ff0000" size="5"> </font></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">9/10/10</span></p> <p><font face="Georgia">Congratulations for your novel, <em>Rock & Roll Rip-Off</em>, being selected by the 2010 Premier Book Awards as the Best Book of the Year in the Mystery/Thriller category!</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">The competition was fierce and it was a difficult decision choosing from so many deserving books entered into this year's contest. However, the judges were unanimous in their selection of <em>Rock & Roll Rip-Off</em> as the winner.</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">You should be justifiably proud to have written such a wonderful, award winning novel. We are proud to send you the enclosed certificate in recognition of your achievement.</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">All of us at Premier Book Awards sincerely hope your commercial success equals your literary achievement.</font></p> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">To Your Future Success,</span></p> <p><font face="Georgia">James R. Olson<br /> Premier Book Awards</font></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://premierbookawards.com/2010%20Winners.htm"><font color="#0000ff">http://premierbookawards.com/2010%20Winners.htm</font></a></p> <h3><font color="#666600"><font color="#808000" size="4"><strong>Critical Mick</strong></font></font></h3> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">8/12/10</span></p> <p><font face="Georgia">"Critical Mick says: Don't stop believin'! RJ McDonnell's Irish-American PI Jason Duffy leads a series that is hard rockin' good fun. Add Rock & Roll Rip-Off to your stacks! No suitcase full of money is required for this one to become a hit."</font></p> <p><span style="color:#333333;"><font face="Georgia">For the full review click:</font></span></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://www.criticalmick.com/criticalmick_rock_roll_rip-off.htm"><font color="#0000ff">http://www.criticalmick.com/criticalmick_rock_roll_rip-off.htm</font></a></p> <h3><font color="#666600"><font color="#808000" size="4"><strong>The Midwest Book Review</strong></font></font></h3> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;">6/9/10</span></p> <p><font face="Georgia">"Rock & Roll Rip-Off is a fascinating adventure on the darker side of the music industry and the criminal underworld that lies within it."</font></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/jun_10.htm"><font color="#0000ff">http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/jun_10.htm</font></a></p> <p><strong><font color="#808000" size="4">Darcia Helle - Thriller Author</font></strong></p> <p><font size="3">5/22/10</font></p> <p><font face="Georgia">"Nonstop, edge-of-your-seat action! Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the second book in McDonnell's Rock & Roll Mystery Series. Jason Duffy is a P.I.-ex-musician, with a psyche degree and experience as a mental health counselor. His employees are past patients. His clients are from the world of rock & roll. The characters draw you into their world and the plot keeps you turning pages.<br /><br /> McDonnell's writing is full of suspense, mystery, and humor. A unique and fun series that had me hooked from the start!"</font></p> <font face="Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times"></font><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Roll-Rip-Off-RJ-McDonnell/dp/0981491421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274798736&sr=8-1"><font color="#0000ff">http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Roll-Rip-Off-RJ-McDonnell/dp/0981491421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274798736&sr=8-1</font></a></p> <br /><p><strong><font color="#808000" size="4">Mysterious Reviews</font></strong></p> <p><font size="3">5/15/10</font></p> <p><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><font size="3">"</font></span><span style="color:#333333;">The plot is well considered and developed, and Jason Duffy an appealing PI. A musician himself, the author clearly knows the world in which he sets his mysteries, providing an insider look at not only what the public sees on stage, but also what it takes behind-the-scenes to get it there. Finally, the rocky relationship Duffy has with his father, introduced in the first book of the series, takes a step forward here ... a nice touch." </span></p>