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About the Author...
Gabriel Valjan writes historical crime fiction. He is the recipient of the Macavity Award for Best Short Story and he has been listed for the Bridport, Bath and Fish Short Story Prizes, and nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Shamus, and Silver Falchion Awards. He lives in Boston’s South End and answers to a tuxedo cat named Munchkin. |
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About the Books...
The Shane Cleary Mysteries
Dirty Old Town (2020)
Symphony Road (2021)
Hush Hush (2022)
Liar's Dice (2023)
The Big Lie (2024)
The Shane Cleary Mysteries
Dirty Old Town (2020)
Symphony Road (2021)
Hush Hush (2022)
Liar's Dice (2023)
The Big Lie (2024)
News and Reviews...
"Robert B. Parker would stand and cheer, and George V. Higgins would join the ovation. This is a terrific book--tough, smart, spare, and authentic. Gabriel Valjan is a true talent--impressive and skilled--providing knock-out prose, a fine-tuned sense of place and sleekly wry style."
– Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally bestselling author of The Murder List
“Say hello to Shane Cleary, a down-on-his luck private detective walking the streets of dirty old Boston, circa 1975. He's smart, sarcastic, and tough, despite a few cuts and bruises. And he's got a gift for describing everything he sees like a painter with a brush dipped in acid. So come for the twisting plot and suspense, stay for the style. Author Gabriel Valjan has done a terrific job bringing Shane and his world to life. You'll read it in one sitting.”
- William Martin, New York Times Bestselling Author of Back Bay and Bound for Gold
“Valjan paints the town, and all the colors are noir.”
- Tom Straw, NYT Bestselling author, as Richard Castle
"Dirty Old Town hits every pitch out of the park: it's smart, funny and consistently surprising. A great read!"
-Dennis Palumbo, author of the Daniel Rinaldi Mysteries
“The second installment in this noir series takes us on a gritty journey through mid-seventies Boston, warts and all, and presents Shane Cleary with a complex arson case that proves to be much more than our PI expected. Peppered with the right mix of period detail and sharp, spare prose, Valjan proves he’s the real deal.”
— Edwin Hill, Edgar Finalist and author of the Hester Thursby Series
“Ostracized former cop turned PI Shane Cleary navigates the mean streets of Boston’s seedy underbelly in Symphony Road. A brilliant follow up to Dirty Old Town, Valjan’s literary flair and dark humor are on full display.”
— Bruce Robert Coffin, award-winning author of the Detective Byron Mysteries
“HUSH HUSH is filled with biting wisdom, savory dialogue, and the authentic flavor of 70’s Boston.”
—Cheryl Head, author of the Charlie Mack Motown Mystery series
“Boston. Dodgy cops. Class. Race. Murder. It’s all here, and there’s enough grit on the pages to grind your teeth down. Loved it.”
—Tracy Clark, Sue Grafton Memorial Award-winning author of the highly acclaimed Chicago Mystery series
“HUSH HUSH is brutally honest, stunning and thoroughly engaging. When it comes to exciting and provocative mysteries, Valjan is the real deal!”
—Stephen Mack Jones, Hammett Prize, Nero Award-winning author of the August Snow series
“Liar’s Dice is a blast! Mobsters, Vietnam assassins, and 1970s Boston, not to mention sharp characters, witty prose, and a twisting-and-turning plot. A great read with a message that will stick with you long after you put it down. Do yourself a favor and get this fantastic novel.”
-David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Anthony and Thriller Award-winning author of Winter Counts
“Gritty, smart, sharply written, Valjan’s LIAR’S DICE is a welcome addition to the canon of fine PI fiction.” — Reed Farrel Coleman, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of SLEEPLESS CITY
“Gabriel Valjan writes like a poet but his PI Shane Cleary packs a wallop worthy of Mickey Spillane.”
Clea Simon, Boston Globe Bestselling author of HOLD ME DOWN
“Gabriel Valjan writes in a voice not heard since the golden days of the noir novel. His tough characters—good guys, bad guys, and confused folks just caught in the whirlwind—sparkle like the facets of a dark jewel, and his images linger in the mind after the book’s long over.” — SJ Rozan, best-selling author of THE MAYORS OF NEW YORK
“If Raymond Chandler were alive today, this is the story he’d write: Great characters, a noir-ish plot that never flags, writing that sizzles, and a relevant tale of the ways in which justice is, sadly, not blind.” — Mally Becker, Agatha nominated author of THE PARIS MISTRESS
“When you begin a crime novel with PI Shane Cleary getting hired by a gangster to find a stolen pooch, a standard poodle named Boo, there are several ways you can go, and most of them are downhill. Fortunately, Gabriel Valjan is at the helm of THE BIG LIE, which guarantees it heads in the right direction. Up. The dialogue is snappy, the retorts witty, and along the way we meet a host of unforgettable characters—hey, it’s Boston, what else would you expect?” — Charles Salzberg is the award-winning and Shamus Award-nominated author of SECOND STORY MAN, CANARY IN THE COAL MINE, and the Henry Swann series
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