My book
Gray Matter, the first of the PJ Gray series of suspense thrillers, is available now for the Kindle for
$.99! The Nook and iPad versions will follow soon. I originally published this series in print form under the name of Shirley Kennett.
About Gray Matter
A celebrated pianist has been found dead,
decapitated by a sharp instrument, possibly a meat cleaver. His head is
missing. The skin on his back has been carved into the bas-relief of a mongrel
dog. It is a savage, seemingly senseless slaying. But it is only the first.
Penelope Jennifer Gray, known as PJ, is a newly divorced psychologist making a
fresh start with her twelve-year-old son in St. Louis. A pioneer in the field
of computer simulation studies, she has been hired to set up a new division
within the St. Louis Police Department. Through cutting-edge techniques of
virtual reality, the Computerized Homicide Investigations Project, or CHIP,
recreates real-life crimes by placing the investigator in the mind of the perpetrator.
PJ teams up with Leo Schultz, a veteran cop fast approaching burnout, to
investigate the case that has St. Louis is a death-grip.
He's a face in the crowd. A figure in the shadows. The guy
standing behind you at the street corner, waiting for the light to change. With
each fresh killing, Pauley Mac adds another victim to his "guest"
list. They are the voices in his head. The coveted talents he hopes to one day
possess. The furies he can no longer control.
For PJ Gray, at the mercy of a cunning monster with none to give,
it will take all of her instincts as a psychologist and as a woman to beat
Pauley Mac at his own game. To survive, she must enter the mind of a killer.
"Kennett is a writer of rare skill, and Gray Matter is a deftly plotted novel bristling with suspense. Its
characters are real and contemporary, and its premise is gripping and unique.
Not since Red Dragon has a more menacing serial killer roamed metropolitan St.
Louis. A rip-roaring good read. Let's see more of PJ Gray!"
- John Lutz, author of Single
White Female and Serial
"Fans of Patricia Cornwell's work will be hooked on his
heart-stopping and harrowing thriller. The finely drawn characters in Gray Matter are both complex and
terrifyingly convincing."
- Romantic Times
“Kennett’s devious creativity and bloodcurdling, realistic
descriptive passages result in a terrifying and explosive thriller.”
- Booklist
“Shirley Kennett is a polished and poised addition to the ranks
of contemporary mystery writers. You’re going to enjoy her books.”
- Mystery Scene
“A sleek and cunning read, with enough plot turns to keep the
pages flying by.”
- Ed Gorman, author of
Bad Moon Rising and Blindside
“May leave some readers sleepless.”
- Kirkus Reviews
“Kennett’s storytelling talents win out. Solid entertainment.”
- Publishers Weekly
