All three are Bradley Jackson New Brunswick Murder Mystery
Covers designed by Laurie Fraser Manifold
Volume 1: Death in a One-Room Schoolhouse
Quality Trade
Paperback,
166 pp.
ISBN 978-1-55497-349-1 $20.00
Volume 2: Reunion With Murder
Volume 3: Three Cases for Bradley
Fred Cook was born and raised in southern New Brunswick. Following high school graduation, he moved to Ottawa where he attended the Eastern Ontario Institute of Technology and Carleton University. He was employed by the federal government in the computer (information) management field for 34 years. Retired, he lives with his wife in eastern Ontario close to his grandchildren. In addition to writing fiction, he enjoys birding and composing songs. He is the author of Memoirs of An Army Brat, a humorous look at a special time in his childhood, published by Heronwood Enterprises.
About the books: In the spring of 1958 in rural New Brunswick, three murders occur involving a high school science class. In each case, every suspect has an alibi. An influential member of the school board uses her political clout to ensure her friend, Bradley Jackson, represents the school board on this case.
An experienced RCMP detective inspector and a young, go-getting detective sergeant, utilize their by-the-book approach while Bradley ignores motive and concentrates on method and opportunity. Following a trail of clues and red herrings the two investigations merge to seemingly solve the murders.
However, Bradley knows that the supposed murderer was only the planner while the actual murderer got off scot-free. Later the murderer apparently commits suicide. The reader is left to ponder what role Bradley may have played in the murderer’s death.
Death in a One Room Schoolhouse is the first in a series of 15 novels featuring Bradley Jackson, a small town portrait photographer and amateur sleuth. Bradley is a bachelor in his late twenties who lives in the fictitious southern New Brunswick village of Lambton in Royal County (a combination of Kings and Queens) during the late 1950's.
In addition to their "down home" New Brunswick flavour, these stories feature Bradley Jackson’s distinctive approach to deduction and justice.
Series Summary:
These are cosy mysteries that have minimal violence, no coarse language, a touch of humour and a hint of romance.
All stories feature Bradley Jackson and take place in the late 1950's in southern New Brunswick. As my father was from Kings County and my mother from Queens County, I have combined the two counties into the fictitious Royal County. I have spent much time in both, so my characters and their idiosyncrasies are taken from that background.
Most of these stories take place in Bradley’s fictitious home town of Lambton a village of approximately 800 inhabitants. Others take place in the villages and rural areas of Royal County or, in part, in Saint John, Moncton or Fredericton.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, (RCMP), as the provincial police of New Brunswick, frequently appear in the series. In Lambton there is a small detachment consisting of a senior constable and a junior constable. Two RCMP detectives from the Criminal Investigation Branch of J Division in Fredericton, are in charge of any official murder investigations although Bradley Jackson does most of the mystery solving; sometimes with the assistance of the RCMP and sometimes without.