Lendle

Dark Horse takes place in Huntington Beach, California. Surf City, USA. Written in the tradition of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, Dark Horse introduces a new hard-hitting, wise-cracking hero with a modern twist.

When high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn’t take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone’s hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case.

As the investigation continues, Knighthorse’s personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother’s unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice.


Acclaim for the Novels of J.R. Rain

“I read Dark Horse by J.R. Rain. He’s the author of Moon Dance, that I reviewed last column. The author is a private investigator, and it shows; this is another fast moving and entertaining detective story. It is the first of a series, published by Lulu. Rain is surely destined for larger success, if he can get the right break; his fiction is fun reading.”
—PIERS ANTHONY, New York Times bestselling author of A Spell for Chameleon and On A Pale Horse

“I finished Dark Horse late last night. I enjoyed it immensely—very good story, J.R.! I really liked your dialogue, which kept me chuckling each time I sat down to read the book. Add great character and scene descriptions and a well-paced plot, and you’ve got a gripping story indeed. I can honestly say your book was as entertaining as anything I’ve ever read from Patricia Cornwell. I can easily see Dark Horse moving to the big screen!”
—AIDEN JAMES, author of Plague of Coins and Deadly Night

“Dark Horse is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time! A great classic detective story with a modern twist. Unique and interesting characters (I think I’m half in love with Jim Knighthorse now!), a great plot that kept me guessing until the end, and some of the funniest lines I’ve read anywhere. Rain does an amazing job of blending suspense, mystery and humor in this fantastic debut novel destined for the keeper shelf.”
—GEMMA HALLIDAY, author of Deadly Cool and Play Dead

“I love Jim Knighthorse! Please write faster, Mr. Rain!”
—ELAINE BABICH, author of You Never Called Me Princess and Relatively Normal

“Gripping, adventurous, and romantic—J.R. Rain’s The Lost Ark is a breakneck thriller that traces the thread of history from Biblical stories to current-day headlines. Be prepared to lose sleep!”
—JAMES ROLLINS, international bestselling author of Altar of Eden and The Devil’s Colony

“Impossible to put down. J.R. Rain’s Moon Dance is a fabulous urban fantasy.”
—APRIL VINE, author of The Midnight Rose and Blindfolded by Lust

“Moon Dance is absolutely brilliant!”
—LISA TENZIN-DOLMA, author of Understanding the Planetary Myths and The Dolphin Experience

“Moon Dance is a must read. If you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, be prepared to love J.R. Rain’s Samantha Moon, vampire private investigator.”
—EVE PALUDAN, author of Letters from David and The Romance Writer’s Pink Pages