Fish Out of Water Series by Amy Lane

Fische auf dem Trockenen: Buch Eins Privatdetektiv Jackson Rivers wuchs auf den rauen Straßen von Del Paso Heights auf und traut Polizisten nicht – obwohl er einer war. Als der Mann, den er als seinen Bruder betrachtet, des Mordes an einem Polizisten beschuldigt wird, bei dem es eindeutig nicht mit rechten Dingen zuging, setzt er Himmel und Hölle in Bewegung, um Kaden und seiner Familie zu helfen... moreFische auf dem Trockenen: Buch Eins Privatdetektiv Jackson Rivers wuchs auf den rauen Straßen von Del Paso Heights auf und traut Polizisten nicht – obwohl er einer war. Als der Mann, den er als seinen Bruder betrachtet, des Mordes an einem Polizisten beschuldigt wird, bei dem es eindeutig nicht mit rechten Dingen zuging, setzt er Himmel und Hölle in Bewegung, um Kaden und seiner Familie zu helfen. Strafverteidiger Ellery Cramer stammt aus einer reichen Familie, was ihn nicht daran hindert, sich bereits seit sechs Jahren zum straßenerfahrenen, selbstbewussten Detektiv Jackson Rivers hingezogen zu fühlen. Doch als Jackson ihn um Hilfe bei der Verteidigung von Kaden Cameron bittet, ist er bald überfordert – und das nicht nur in Bezug auf den verschlossenen, unwirschen Detektiv. Kaden wurde nicht nur ein Mord angehängt, sondern er wurde ihm von korrupten Polizisten angehängt, wobei die Verschwörung weiter reicht, als Ellery sich vorwagt – und bis in Jacksons unschöne Vergangenheit. Bald sind beide Männer tief in das Rätsel um den in der Tankstelle ermordeten Polizisten verstrickt und befinden sich in einem Wettlauf gegen die Zeit, um Kadens Unschuld zu beweisen. Doch abseits der Ermittlungen und der fliegenden Kugeln müssen sie mit persönlichen Komplikationen umgehen … und einer gegenseitigen Anziehungskraft, die außer Kontrolle geraten ist. less

Fish Out of Water: Book Two They must work together to stop a psychopath—and save each other. Two months ago Jackson Rivers got shot while trying to save Ellery Cramer’s life. Not only is Jackson still suffering from his wounds, the triggerman remains at large—and the body count is mounting. Jackson and Ellery have been trying to track down Tim Owens since Jackson got out of the hospital, but Owens’s time as a member of the department makes the DA reluctant to turn over any stones... moreFish Out of Water: Book Two They must work together to stop a psychopath—and save each other. Two months ago Jackson Rivers got shot while trying to save Ellery Cramer’s life. Not only is Jackson still suffering from his wounds, the triggerman remains at large—and the body count is mounting. Jackson and Ellery have been trying to track down Tim Owens since Jackson got out of the hospital, but Owens’s time as a member of the department makes the DA reluctant to turn over any stones. When Owens starts going after people Jackson knows, Ellery’s instincts hit red alert. Hurt in a scuffle with drug-dealing squatters and trying damned hard not to grieve for a childhood spent in hell, Jackson is weak and vulnerable when Owens strikes. Jackson gets away, but the fallout from the encounter might kill him. It’s not doing Ellery any favors either. When a police detective is abducted—and Jackson and Ellery hold the key to finding her—Ellery finds out exactly what he’s made of. He’s not the corporate shark who believes in winning at all costs; he’s the frightened lover trying to keep the man he cares for from self-destructing in his own valor. less

Fish Out of Water: Book Five Jackson Rivers has always bucked the rules—and bucking the rules of recovery is no exception. Now that he and Ellery are starting their own law firm, there’s no reason he can’t rush into trouble and take the same risks as always, right? Maybe not. Their first case is a doozy, involving porn stars, drug empires, and daddy issues, and their client, Henry Worrall, wants to be an active participant in his own defense... moreFish Out of Water: Book Five Jackson Rivers has always bucked the rules—and bucking the rules of recovery is no exception. Now that he and Ellery are starting their own law firm, there’s no reason he can’t rush into trouble and take the same risks as always, right? Maybe not. Their first case is a doozy, involving porn stars, drug empires, and daddy issues, and their client, Henry Worrall, wants to be an active participant in his own defense. As Henry and Jackson fight the bad guys and each other to find out who dumped the porn star in the trash can, Jackson must reexamine his assumptions that four months of rest and a few good conversations have made him all better inside.  Jackson keeps crashing his bicycle of self-care and a successful relationship, and Ellery wonders what’s going to give out first—Jackson’s health or Ellery’s patience. Jackson’s body hasn’t forgiven him for past crimes. Can Ellery forgive him for his current sins? And can they keep Henry from going to jail for sleeping with the wrong guy at the wrong time? Being a fish out of water is tough—but if you give a fish a bicycle, how’s he going to swim? less

Jackson Rivers has been learning how to take care of himself so he can be there for Ellery Cramer, but after eight weeks of healing, body and soul, he’s itching to get back to work. Finally Ellery gives him a simple task: pick up a file on a kid who probably didn’t commit murder but who refuses to participate in his own defense.Nothing is ever that easy... moreJackson Rivers has been learning how to take care of himself so he can be there for Ellery Cramer, but after eight weeks of healing, body and soul, he’s itching to get back to work. Finally Ellery gives him a simple task: pick up a file on a kid who probably didn’t commit murder but who refuses to participate in his own defense.Nothing is ever that easy.A horrifying game of connect-the-dots leads one case to another, to the mob, to the local high school… and a bottomless list of potential suspects and victims. The case has a lot of moving parts, and Jackson and Ellery have to work fast to make sure the machinery of the mob doesn’t mow down everyone they care about—or rip them apart.After a year of living together, Ellery is learning to accept that Jackson can’t let an injustice stand. Together they fight to keep kids out of jail while the streets of Sacramento threaten to explode. They’d better hope they’ve learned enough about each other to keep it together, because for this case, school is the most dangerous place to be. less

Jackson and Ellery face their toughest case yet—against the criminal justice system itself.Jackson Rivers and Ellery Cramer have worked difficult jobs before, but usually it’s getting the facts that’s the problem. For their newest client, the trouble isn’t finding the truth—it’s corruption at the highest levels of the justice system. It isn’t enough to find the actual perpetrator and unveil a heartless plot—not when the DA is the bad guy and he’s using cops as his goons... moreJackson and Ellery face their toughest case yet—against the criminal justice system itself.Jackson Rivers and Ellery Cramer have worked difficult jobs before, but usually it’s getting the facts that’s the problem. For their newest client, the trouble isn’t finding the truth—it’s corruption at the highest levels of the justice system. It isn’t enough to find the actual perpetrator and unveil a heartless plot—not when the DA is the bad guy and he’s using cops as his goons. Keeping their vulnerable client alive and out of jail takes blood, sweat, and tears.When one of their major antagonists is killed and the DA tries to pin the death on Jackson, he’ll need every ounce of luck and all his resources to clear his name—and to find the perpetrator before the DA can use the murder to further his own agenda. They soon find that it’s easier to spot an honest man in a field of thieves than it is to shoot fish in a barrel—and both the man and the fish will be lucky to survive…. less