Hard Aground

A Lewis Cole Mystery

Brendan DuBois

With echoes of Rear Window, award-winning Brendan DuBois’ new thriller finds defense analyst Lewis Cole trapped and under siege in his beachfront home.

In this, his eleventh outing, Lewis Cole—former Department of Defense research analyst—is “hard aground” at his beachfront home, recovering from major surgery, when threats and danger come right to his front door.

Alone at night, he’s convinced he’s hearing someone breaking and entering into his historical home, and during the day, he’s being harassed by genealogy researchers, and then, a local gang involved in the highly lucrative and dangerous heroin business brutally make their appearance known.

The unexplained murder of an older woman (who was an antiques dealer and a local historian) then kicks off a long, bloody trail of old history and feuds, bringing Lewis and his historical home right into the center of the violent opioid epidemic, where no one is safe—and no one will be spared.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"Unpretentious but thoroughly satisfying. A tight, lively package that’s the epitome of superior storytelling." Publishers Weekly (starred)

"There’s mystification and action aplenty, but what lingers when the book is closed is DuBois’ graceful writing and Lewis Cole’s understated humor—and don’t forget the sweet sadness that flows from him when you least expect it" Booklist

"Readers will have trouble putting down this self-contained, claustrophobic read populated with quirky characters and an unusual mystery at its core. Neat little surprises abound with a genuinely scary and surprising finale as the proverbial cherry on top. Don’t miss this one!" Criminal Element

"A riveting Rear Window–type drama of a man trapped in a menacing environment, forced to rely on his wits, rather than brawn, to solve a crime." Library Journal

"Lewis Cole at his best. DuBois displays his expertise at balancing action and introspection, providing plenty of tense confrontations, clever reversals and surprising reveals, as well as many more compelling scenes." Portland Press Herald [Praise for the Lewis Cole Mystery Series]