Kevin Donovan – författare

Maynard Brennan, the first CEO in the colorful history of Alta to come from outside the ranks, is a catalyst for dramatic change within the corporation. He cleans house, removing Altas incumbent executives, unaware that he is sowing the seeds of his own demise.

Through the eyes of Caroline Woodson - a long-time flight attendant and Alta veteran - we follow Maynards progression to the top and the circumstances that lead to his murder, including the jockeying of his newly appointed leadership team: Rex Wright, a flamboyant and charismatic personality with a long airline pedigree; Bernice Anthony, a financial genius who is determined to become the first woman CEO of a major airline; and Trey Sperling, a young consulting wizard whose idea for an airline within an airline is given the green light to save the stodgy operation from further financial bleeding.

At the moment of Maynards death, the story takes a leap backward, to the life of the founder, Marty Willman, and his shepherding of the airline through the turmoil of the jet age, the civil rights era in the south and Altas bold growth into a global airline. Marty maintains Altas humble family culture through the end of his reign, but it is a stark contrast to the present-day enterprise - one in which pay cuts and layoffs bankroll the bonuses of Altas elite executives.

The story resumes with the investigation of the murder. Caroline, who has risen to a high-ranking position, is front and center as Altas ambitious leaders reveal themselves and the murderer among them at the climactic finale of the story.

Four years ago, Jack Temple was a homicide detective. He asked one too many questions and found himself out of a job. Now he is a reporter for the Garden City Times, writing about cops and still asking too many questions.

When the mutilated body of Temples former girlfriend - the Mayors daughter - is found frozen in a local park, Temple dusts off his detective skills to uncover the truth behind the grisly murder. As he digs for clues, Temple finds himself drawn into the most difficult and dangerous investigation of his career.

As an FBI serial killer investigation team takes an interest in the case, Temple taps old friends and bitter enemies to pierce the mystery - why does the FBI believe so many cases are connected? In what becomes an international manhunt he questions whether murder suspects arrested are guilty or just a cover for the truth.

In the Dead Times, Temple must use his wits and his fists to save himself and get the story of a lifetime.