James Swain Home Page

Coming May 22

Dark Magic Cover

"Dark Magic is storytelling at its finest."

Michael Connelly

“Peter Warlock is a magician with a dark secret. Every night, he amazes audiences at his private theater in New York, where he performs feats that boggle the imagination. But his day job is just a cover for his otherworldly pursuits: Peter is a member of an underground group of psychics who gaze into the future to help prevent crimes.

No one, not even his live-in girlfriend, knows the truth about Peter—until the séance when he foresees an unspeakable act of violence that will devastate the city. As Peter and his friends rush to prevent tragedy, Peter discovers that a shadowy cult of evil psychics, the Order of Astrum, know all about his abilities. They are hunting him and his fellow psychics down, one by one, determined to silence them forever.

Dark Magic is a genre-bending supernatural thriller from national bestselling novelist and real-life magician James Swain.”

Praise for Dark Magic

"Dark Magic is storytelling at its finest. James Swain has pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this big novel that mixes the sinister and the sublime, imagination and reality. It's a great ride!"

--Michael Connelly, NYT betselling author of The Drop

“A darkly brilliant story of magic and witchcraft that asks the reader to believe the unbelievable. I chose to believe, and could not put the book down. Curl up in your favorite chair and prepare yourself to be fully enthralled.”

--David Copperfield on Dark Magic

“Magicians, demons and witches . . . oh my! James Swain’s Dark Magic twists and turns in a breathless rush that keeps the reader guessing from the first magic act to the final curtain call.”

-Lisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Born to Die

"Jim Swain's books are must-reads for me. He writes non-stop nail biters that are impossible to put down. His characters are unique, and practically leap off the page. Try Dark Magic, and you'll find out what I mean."

--Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of The Affair

"DARK MAGIC is entertainment magic, a thrilling and wildly creative ride that surprised me every step of the way."

--Tess Gerritsen, NYT bestselling author of THE SILENT GIRL.

DEADLY PLEASURES MAGAZINE

Review by George Easter

I’ve been a big fan of this series since its inception with GRIFT SENSE. Swain has a natural gift for storytelling. The various scams are fascinating in their ingenuity and for the clever detection that thwarts them. And Tony Valentine and his crew are among my favorite characters in crime fiction. It’s a shame that this and JACKPOT are only available on the Kindle (or on an IPad with a free Kindle app – which is how I read them). He’s also published two other e-book originals – one a Jack Carpenter novel and the other a stand-alone (his first novel). I’d say that it’s almost worth buying a Kindle to read them, but I’ll let you make that decision.

WILD CARD by James Swain *****Rating: A

This novel takes us back to Tony Valentine’s early days as a policeman in Atlantic City, New Jersey and how he came to be an experton gambling scams and crime. It also treats the reader to his wife, the love of his life. In all the books in the series to this date, Tony is a widower and we know little about his beloved wife and Swain gives us a sweet portrait of that loving relationship. We also see the forces that shape his son, who at this time is just about to enter his teens. It’s 1979, and the Boardwalk Empire of Atlantic City is being torn down, replaced by a glitzy casino and all the crime that goes with it. Cops on the take, mobsters stealing a million dollars a day, a serial killer preying on young women, and more con men and hustlers than you can shake a stick at, define the new Atlantic City. Detective Tony Valentine uses his newly gained skills to combat this crime wave.

JACKPOT by James Swain *****Rating: A

This novel is set in modern-day with Tony Valentine’s son playing a prominentrole as his sidekick. Tony has a score to settle. Decades before, his brother-in-law was gunned down by a gang of ruthless conmen, each of whom Valentine has sworn to track down. Now, only one is left, the cold-blooded Bronco Marchese. Valentine goes to Nevada to bring Bronco to justice, while also helping the police figure out how someone is stealing hundreds of slot machine jackpots without ever touching the machines. It’s a case that only Valentine with his amazing “grift sense” can solve. Along the way, he will put his own life in peril, and risk everything that he holds dear, to bring his life-long enemy to justice.

Three New Titles

three covers

JACKPOT

From the national bestselling novelist the Houston Press calls “One of today’s best suspense writers” comes a electrifying story of murder, greed, and revenge.

Ex-cop Tony Valentine has a score to settle. Decades before, his brother-in-law was gunned down by a gang of ruthless con men, each of whom Valentine has sworn to track down. Now, only one is left, the cold-blooded Bronco Marchese.

Valentine goes to Nevada to bring Bronco to justice, while also helping the police figure out how someone is stealing hundreds of slot machine jackpots without ever touching the machines. It’s a case that only Valentine with his amazing “grift sense” can solve. Along the way, he will put his own life in peril, and risk everything that he holds dear, to bring his life-long enemy to justice.

THE PROGRAM

From the national bestselling mystery novelist the Wall Street Journal calls “One terrific writer” comes a heart-pounding thriller pitting a deadly serial killer against two determined FBI agents.

Is it possible to create a serial killer? FBI Special Agent Ken Linderman (last seen alongside Jack Carpenter in bestseller The Night Monster) is about to find out. A serial killer has kidnaped seventeen-year-old Wayne Ladd, and is putting the boy through the Program, a fiendish project designed to turn young boys into raging killers. Along with hot-headed FBI Agent Rachel Vick, Linderman must race against the clock to save Wayne before he’s turned into a monster.

With the odds against them and time running out, Linderman and Vick will stop at nothing to save Wayne, and bring a sadistic criminal to justice.

WILD CARD

From the bestselling mystery series Lee Child calls "Top class suspense ... one of my favorite series." comes a novel of murder, mobsters and a police detective who doesn't know when to say quit.

It's 1979, and the Boardwalk Empire of Atlantic City is being torn down, replaced by a glitzy casino and all the terrible crime that goes with it. Cops on the take, mobsters stealing a million dollars a day, a serial killer preying on young women, and more con men and hustlers than you can shake a stick at, define the new Atlantic City. Only one man can clean up the little city by the shore, Detective Tony Valentine.

With the mob breathing down his throat and a sadistic killer stalking him, Valentine will put his own life in peril, and risk his career, to insure that justice prevails.

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Jackpot Cover Small

The Program Cover

Wild Card Cover Small