When worlds collide, few are spared the collateral damage - least of all crime reporter Jack McMorrow, who has learned the hard way that trouble often blooms in the cracks of human relationships. “Straw Man,” the latest installment of the Jack McMorrow mystery series by veteran author Gerry Boyle, was released in May from Islandport Press.

In this 11th Jack McMorrow novel, Boyle takes his readers into territory all-too-familiar from the daily headlines: illegal gun sales, culture clashes between old and new, cyberbullying, and the random acts of violence that pose a real threat to even the closest of communities. Prosperity, Maine, is no longer the refuge from the real world that it once was, and Jack, and his wife, Roxanne, will be forced to face their most destructive enemies yet––each other.

Publishers Weekly said, “Deftly drawn characters and a strong sense of place add texture and depth to this gritty tale of rural crime and vigilante justice.”

Boyle will give presentations and signing books at several events this summer. The closest to the Boothbay region will be on Friday, June 25 from 4-5 p.m. at the Maine Lighthouse Museum, 1 Park Drive in Rockland. For more information call 207-594-3301.

Gerry Boyle began his writing career in newspapers, which he considers to be the best training ground. His first reporting job was in the paper mill town of Rumford, Maine. After a few months, he moved on to the (Waterville) Morning Sentinel, where he learned that the line between upstanding citizen and outlaw is a fine one, indeed. His experiences as a reporter inspired his first novel, Deadline, published in 1993. He continues to write gritty, authentic mysteries featuring his signature character, Jack McMorrow.

“Straw Man” can be purchased at bookstores nationally, or online at www.islandportpress.com.