Local Author Wins Grand Prize for Mystery Novel

West Windsor, NJ

Local resident Kevin G. Chapman’s new mystery novel, The Other Murder, was awarded the Grand Prize in its division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards at a recent ceremony in Bellingham, WA. The CLUE Award includes novels in the categories of (i) Detective/Crime, (ii) Suspense/Thriller, (iii) Private Eye/Noir, (iv) Legal/Medical/Police Procedural, (v) US Political Thriller, (vi) Spy/Espionage/Undercover, and (vii) True Crime/Investigations. The Grand Prize signifies that Chapman's novel is the best of all submissions in the seven categories.

The Other Murder blends a police procedural with the captivating story of two journalists investigating a pair of Manhattan murders. Chapman also weaves in the very real-world issue of how the news media covers the two murders and how that media attention influences public opinion and even the police investigation. As Kirkus Reviews noted: “With intelligent characters and believable dialogue, Chapman has managed to create a riveting whodunit that also speaks volumes about social issues plaguing the justice system.”

This is Mr. Chapman’s ninth novel and his second stand-alone story since completing the first five books in his award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series. A corporate in-house attorney by day, writing mysteries is a side gig, for now. “I’m about three years away from retirement,” Chapman says. “I’ve been able to publish about one book per year for the past seven years while working full-time. Being a full-time writer is my retirement plan.” When people ask where he finds the time to write novels, Kevin says, “We have three grown children. Since the youngest left home, all the hours I used to spend with the kids became time for writing.”

The Other Murder contains all the mystery and thriller elements that keep readers frantically turning pages, but what makes this novel unique is how the story forces readers to confront and consider the impact of modern media coverage and how perception affects facts. The two journalist characters have very different approaches, philosophies and goals. When their joint investigation uncovers information that runs contrary to the public narrative, disclosing the truth may have unintended consequences. Both the reporters and their bosses – along with readers – must assess whether reporting the whole truth is always the best option. As the book’s tagline says, “Sometimes, the most dangerous thing . . . is the truth.” And that’s assuming that you know what the truth really is. By the end of this book, readers may question everything they thought they knew.

The format of this story is also unusual in that each set of characters – the two journalists and two homicide detectives investigating the same two murders – have only some pieces of the puzzle. The reader has all the information, even as the reader depends on the two investigating pairs to uncover the next fact or clue. In the end, the characters and the reader all try to make sense of things, making the story a delicious and thought-provoking experience.

Mr. Chapman’s earlier books also have garnered high praise and awards. He is the winner of the 2021 Kindle Book Award (for book #3 in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series, Lethal Voyage) and has twice won CLUE category awards, once for best Police Procedural (Fatal Infraction, Mike Stoneman #4), and once for best Suspense/Thriller for his 2022 stand-alone Dead Winner. His newest, The Other Murder, was released in January and is available at the Barnes & Noble Marketfair on Route One South in Princeton and via Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores, and via Amazon. The book is also available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. Readers can learn more about Kevin and his books by visiting his website at www.KevinGChapman.com.