Mysteries at the Heart of Noir The acclaimed Spencer Manning Mysteries take readers through he gritty underbelly of Chicago's power, politics, and history.

 chevron_right chevron_left Change Of Address SPENCER MANNING DECIDES NOT TO FOLLOW IN HIS DAD'S POLICE FOOTSTEPS AND INSTEAD GETS A PI LICENSE. TRACKING DOWN AN UNKNOWN FATHER INVOLVES HIM IN MURDER AND DRUGS AS HIS FIRST CASE LEADS HIM TO A CHICAGO RACETRACK AND THE MAYOR'S HOUSE. Read More Available on Amazon Change Of Address chevron_right chevron_left Dark Alleys HISTORY IS BEING REPEATED AS WOMEN ARE BEING KILLED IN THE STREETS OF CHICAGO. SPENCER MANNING IS DRAWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF IT BY A FRIEND WHO ASKS FOR A SIMPLE FAVOR. Read More Available on Amazon Dark Alleys chevron_right chevron_left Harbor Nights WHEN P.I. SPENCER MANNING'S OLD GIRLFRIEND IS ACCUSED OF STEALING HER OWN PAINTING FROM AN ART GALLERY AND THEN VANISHES WITHOUT A TRACE, SPENCER SUSPECTS SOMETHING MORE SINISTER THAN AN ART THEFT. THAT'S WHEN THE MURDERS BEGIN. Read More Available on Amazon Harbor Nights chevron_right chevron_left Missing Boy IN THIS FOURTH INSTALLMENT OF THE ENTERTAINING SPENCER MANNING MYSTERY SERIES, AUTHOR RICK POLAD FOCUSES ON THE FAMOUS RIVERVIEW AMUSEMENT PARK IN CHICAGO. SET IN THE EARLY 1980S, SPENCER IS A LIKEABLE, NICE-GUY P.I IN THE MOLD OF HIS NAMESAKE FROM THE ROBERT PARKER DETECTIVE SERIES "SPENCER".
IN THIS TALE, A 16-YEAR-OLD AMUSEMENT PARK WORKER FAILS TO COME HOME FROM WORK ONE DAY, AND SPENCER SETS OUT TO TRACK HIM DOWN. Read More Available on Amazon Missing Boy chevron_right chevron_left Cold Justice IF IT'S A FRAME, IT'S A GOOD ONE. JUSTICE IS A STRANGE ANIMAL-SOMETIMES IT COMES LATE, SOMETIMES IT NEVER COMES AT ALL, AND SOMETIMES IT COMES FOR THE WRONG CRIME SPENCER IS OFFERED THE HIGHEST PROFILE CASE OF HIS CAREER, BUT IS CONFLICTED ABOUT HELPING THE PERSON MAKING THE OFFER AND HE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF, THIS TIME JUSTICE HAS CAUGHT UP... BUT FOR THE WRONG CRIME. AND MAYBE THAT'S OKAY TWO MURDERS LEAVE SPENCER TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE AND REMEMBERING A TIME WHEN CHICAGO STREETS WERE RULED BY AL CAPONE AND BUGS MORAN, AND TOMMY GUNS LEFT CHICAGO STREETS BATHED IN BLOOD. Read More Available on Amazon Cold Justice chevron_right chevron_left Death's Door Dealing with death is never easy, especially when it’s murder—especially for Chicago P.I. Spencer Manning when he can’t directly help. As a distraction, he heads to Green Bay, Wisconsin, on a case involving some perplexing letters, or so he thinks. In this twisty tale of revenge and fraud, the letters lead him back to the murder and a race to solve a puzzle before the murderer strikes again. Read More Available on Amazon Death's Door chevron_right chevron_left Drug Affair Not all murders get solved—unless you’re PI Spencer Manning. Until now, perhaps. Spencer has two problems. The first is trying to ignore his upcoming birthday… his thirtieth. He’d like to disappear to his cabin and wait for that milestone to pass. But the case he is trying to walk away from suddenly draws him back when a simple favor leads to murder. Read More Available on Amazon Drug Affair chevron_right chevron_left A Grave Matter A CEMETERY IS A PEACEFUL PLACE... USUALLY. BUT A CRYPTIC PHONE CALL LEADS P.I. SPENCER MANNING TO A CEMETERY THAT APPEARS TO BE ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL. SPENCER INVESTIGATES A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISAPPEARED AND A GRAVEYARD WHERE THE BODIES MAY NOT MATCH THE NAMES ON THE MARKERS.
IF SPENCER CAN FIND A CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE TWO MYSTERIES, IT COULD EXPOSE A SCANDAL THAT REACHES HIGHER THAN ANYONE COULD IMAGINE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THIS PUZZLE IS TO SET A TRAP WITH HIMSELF AS BAIT. Read More Available on Amazon A Grave Matter chevron_right chevron_left Rick Polad

Series

A series of mysteries connected through each other.

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E-versions are easily available and accessible on Amazon & Kindle.

About Rick Polad

A retired geologist and college instructor of Earth Science, Rick plays jazz trumpet, and is an educator at Fermilab, the country's largest particle accelerator and one of the world's leading facilities in neutrino research. Rick has worked as an editor for Calumet Editions and edited the English version of Living With Nuclei, the memoirs of Japanese physicist, Motoharu Kimura.
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Featured Releases

Embark on a thrilling journey with Spencer Manning, the private investigator whose cases range from the dark alleys of Chicago to the mysterious corners of Green Bay. With eight captivating books, author Rick Polad delivers tales of murder, mystery, and intrigue, each filled with unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Discover the world of Spencer Manning and redefine your mystery genre experience.
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Change of Address

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Dark Alleys

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Harbor Nights

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Missing Boy

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Cold Justice

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Death’s Door

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Drug Affair

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A Grave Matter

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Bestsellers

A Grave Matter

A cemetery is a peaceful place… usually. But a cryptic phone call leads P.I. Spencer Manning to a cemetery that appears to be anything but peaceful. Spencer investigates a growing number of people who have disappeared and a graveyard where the bodies may not match the names on the markers.

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Author's Recommendation

Change of Address

Spencer Manning decides not to follow in his Dad's police footsteps and instead gets a PI license. Tracking down an unknown father involves him in murder and drugs as his first case leads him to a Chicago racetrack and the mayor's house.

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About Author

Rick Polad

With 8 novels under his belt, Rick Polad is quickly becoming one of the mystery genre’s rising stars. His series of mystery novels leads readers through an entangled web of murder, greed, and intrigue.
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Upcoming Books

Trying to find Rosie's shooter leads Spencer on an unexpected and dangerous path. And after being banned from the police station, he's on his own. But that may be a good thing because the only rules he has to follow are his own.

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