Books by John Shepphird

Nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Novella Life can turn on a dime against the jagged cliffs of California's Central Coast... Bruised, battered, but determined, Jane Innes must navigate a tangled web of deception, depravity and murder, and turn the tables on cunning swindlers. Using the art of deception, this out-of-work actress embarks on a daring caper-her last chance to take down a deadly adversary. Following THE SHILL and KILL THE SHILL, BEWARE THE SHILL concludes this thrilling trilogy from Shamus Award-winning author John Shepphird. Praise for the Shill books: "Sly, sexy and surprising, THE SHILL is a darkly comic Hollywood tale of a not-so-innocent out-of-work actress being groomed for larceny." -Wallace Stroby, author of The Devil's Share, Shoot the Woman First, and Cold Shot to the Heart "[THE SHILL is] a fast-paced heist story filled with colorful characters and interesting plot twists." -S.W. Lauden, author of Crosswise "[KILL THE SHILL is] a fast and hard ride into a con trick. Told by a writer who pulls no punches this does not disappoint." -Richard Godwin, author of Wrong Crowd "Hell hath no fury like an actress duped. Revenge is the motivation, deception the means to get even in this exciting crime thriller." -Scott Adlerberg, author of Spiders and Flies and Jungle Horses, on KILL THE SHILL Meet the Author: John Shepphird is a Shamus Award-winning author and writer/director of TV movies. His three "Shill" novellas were inspired by noir master James M. Cain; it is a terse, tense, and twist-filled trilogy with a cast of characters immersed in the art of deception, depravity, and murder. Author's website: JohnShepphird.com.

Her role in the con game was to be the shill before the scam exploded in bloody violence. Discarded, sacrificed like a pawn, Jane's left holding the bag. The swindlers left a murderous trail and millions of dollars are missing. The problem; Jane knows too much. She's a liability they can't afford to keep around. But the con artists underestimated Jane. They miscalculated her tenacity and will-to-survive. Not one to be crossed, her plan is to use their own weapon, the "art of deception," against them. Facing insurmountable odds Jane sets out to settle the score with fierce determination, and a few tricks up her sleeve. THE SHILL is part two of a trilogy from Shamus Award winning author, John Shepphird. "Hell hath no fury like an actress duped. Revenge is the motivation, deception the means to get even in this exciting crime thriller." -Scott Adlerberg, author of Spiders and Flies and Jungle Horses

Struggling actress Jane Innes is seduced by a handsome new arrival in her acting class. He makes a proposition. He admits he's a con man and needs Jane to pose as a rich, carefree heiress to fulfill her part in his intricate scam. Would you agree? Or run the other way? All goes as planned until Jane's true identity threatens to surface and their scheme begins to crack at the seams. It all leads to a tangled maze of deception, depravity and murder. THE SHILL is part one of a trilogy from Shamus Award winning author, John Shepphird.