In The Bleak Midwinter: A Special Agent Constance Mandalay Nov...

In 1975 the small town of Hulis was ground zero in a frantic search for 10 year-old Merrie Frances Callahan, as well as an intense manhunt for her abductor. 35 years later, it seems the FBI would like to pretend it never happened. Special Agent Constance Mandalay didn’t get that memo… THE SMALL TOWN OF HULIS IS HIDING A KILLER SECRET… IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is based on the short teaser novella MERRIE AXEMAS: A Killer Holiday Tale, but it tells the whole story of ten-year-old Merrie Frances Callahan’s 1975 abduction, and the present day murders that are somehow intricately linked to that event. SA Constance Mandalay is assigned what appears to be a 7-year-old cold case that echos the events of the 35-year-old child abduction. Unfortunately for all involved, the case heats up for a short time each year with a brutal murder that appears eerily staged, and occurs under impossible circumstances. Undaunted, she faces the task with no backup, a mysteriously redacted case file, and the inevitable murder fast approaching. Mandalay’s experience as the handler for an FBI occult/paranormal expert makes her the perfect choice for this investigation. However, even her brushes with the unexplained still cannot prepare her for the answer she was not supposed to discover… IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is based on MERRIE AXEMAS: A Killer Holiday Tale, but it tells the WHOLE story of ten-year-old Merrie Frances Callahan's 1975 abduction, and the present day murders that are somehow intricately connected. SA Mandalay is assigned what appears to be a 7-year-old cold case that echos the events of the 35-year-old child abduction. Unfortunately for all involved, the case heats up for a short time each year with a brutal murder that appears almost staged, and occurs under impossibly eerie circumstances. Mandalay's experience as the handler for an FBI occult/paranormal expert makes her the perfect choice for this investigation. However, she must face this task alone, and even her brushes with the unexplained still cannot prepare her for what she uncovers with each twisted lead she follows. "I am in awe of M.R. Sellars. This is a riveting read..." - A Book Vacation "IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is a well written mystery with a paranormal slant. The gruesome murders and child-abuse back story will keep the attention of any fan of dark fiction." - Horror Fiction Review "A superbly creepy supernatural thriller that sucks you in from the very first line and doesn't let you go until long after you close the covers...reads like old-school M. Night Shyamalan with a dash of John Connolly police procedural. Good stuff!" - J. T. Ellison, Author of the Taylor Jackson Novels "I'm always pleased to have a book exceed my expectations; this one exploded them." - Freeman's Reviews "M. R. Sellars has written an exhilarating supernatural mystery..." - Alternative Worlds

From the Back Cover

The small town of Hulis is hiding a killer secret, and FBI Special Agent Constance Mandalay is determined to find out what it is... IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is based on MERRIE AXEMAS: A Killer Holiday Tale, but it tells the WHOLE story of ten-year-old Merrie Frances Callahan's 1975 abduction, and the present day murders that are somehow intricately connected. SA Constance Mandalay is assigned what appears to be a 7-year-old cold case that echos the events of the 35-year-old child abduction. Unfortunately for all involved, the case heats up for a short time each year with a brutal murder that appears almost staged, and occurs under impossibly eerie circumstances. Mandalay's experience as the handler for an FBI occult/paranormal expert makes her the perfect choice for this investigation. However, she must face this task alone, and even her brushes with the unexplained still cannot prepare her for what she uncovers with each twisted lead she follows. FOR THE PEOPLE OF HULIS, MISSOURI, THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS ARE HELL...On December 22nd, 1975, something unthinkable happened in the small, northern Midwest town of Hulis, Missouri - something so heinous that it turned the holidays into a waking nightmare.Now, 35 years later, it's happening all over again, and for those involved, Christmas will never be the same...IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER marks the first full-length novel spin-off from the Rowan Gant Investigation series. Featuring FBI Special Agent Constance Mandalay - a recurring character from the RGI books - IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER explores a thirty-five-year-old case that has literally come back to haunt a small town.

About the Author

A member of the ITW (International Thriller Writers), M. R. Sellars is a relatively unassuming homebody who, in his own words, considers himself just a "guy with a lot of nightmares and a word processing program." He is the author of the award-winning Rowan Gant Investigations series, and recently launched the Special Agent Constance Mandalay series.

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