Don't Shoot the Drummer

The "Tent Gang" a three-man crew that robs houses all over Los Angeles that have been tented off for fumigation has the L.A.P.D. chasing their tails. When a private neighborhood security guard happens on the crew and tries to play hero it doesn't go well for him. The mother of the slain security guard wants justice. Enter Lou Crasher, the rock n roll drummer and part time amateur P.I. Normally Lou wouldn't go near a case this large but when Jake Strickland, his half brother, asks for Lou's help, Lou agrees before Jake has finished asking. Lou's been pulled out of many fires by Jake-it's long overdue for Lou to lend his brother a hand. Lou has now essentially volunteered to do what the cops have failed to do: catch the tent gang, which are believed to be the killers and solve the murder. Lou follows the clues where they lead and winds up in the crosshairs Disruptor, a lethal underground anit-society group. The group not only disrupts the statues quo, they maim and murder for no apparent rhyme or reason. While running down the crooks and dodging bullets from the sub-group Crasher fights to maintain his rock n roll life of gigs, booze, sex, drums and his day job managing the L.A. Practice Joint- a rehearsal studio for local bands. Lou still hangs with his crazy-maker buddy Bobby Coldwater and must make sure he doesn't slip back into his cocaine addiction. If Lou manages to keep the drumsticks twirling and escape the attempts by Disruptor to end his life he hopes that all parties involved respect his personal golden rule: Don't Shoot The Drummer! Praise for DON'T SHOOT THE DRUMMER: "With its hard-hitting prose and smooth groove, Jonathan Brown's Don't Shoot the Drummer is tight, man. It goes down like a chilled bourbon after a long day of Crashing." -Tim O'Mara, author of the Raymond Donne series and editor of Down to the River "Lou Crasher is back! In a virtuoso performance, Don't Shoot the Drummer pulses with relentless action and heart as Crasher rolls through the streets of L.A. in search of the killer (or killers) of a popular student and football player. A modern-day Archer or Spenser, Crasher puts it all on the line to get to the truth, and deliver justice to those the system has left behind." -Shawn Reilly Simmons, author of the Red Carpet Catering Mysteries "Come for the extraordinary characters, stay for the kick-ass fights; come for the back-stage rock scene, stay for the sandwiches; come for the voice, stay for the coolest set of images this side of the wise-cracking heroes of '30's movies. Whatever brings you into Lou Crasher's world, you'll be glad you came." -SJ Rozan, bestselling author of Paper Son