As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
About Pura Vida by Jim Utsler
Title: Pura Vida
Author: Jim Utsler
Genre: Mystery
Detroit homicide detective Jacob Miller has been accused of many things, but being smart isn’t one of them. The murder of drug dealer Willy is proof enough, but not covering it up is even worse. So why would he think that stealing a fellow inmate’s hidden fortune is any wiser, especially when an ex-mafia family head is after the same thing?
But even the stupidest people have occasional flashes of brilliance, and Jacob is no exception. After being released from prison and moving to sunny Costa Rica, he solves an international murder mystery involving the usual suspects: love, lust, and murder.
Despite that mildly brainiac feather in his cap, he still has to deal with the beef between him, his fellow inmate, and the mob boss…and the violent fallout that ensues.
Excerpt from Pura Vida
© 2022
Jim Utsler
He was dressed in casual slacks and shirt—and just as casually entered the room. He was probably thinking, An electrical glitch of some sort. I was sure he hadn’t thought that someone had broken into his house to do—well, whatever. He walked over to the stereo
and hit the power button.
The music died. He looked around the room but didn’t see me behind the desk, even though I wasn’t hiding. He didn’t see Bob behind the door either, probably because he was hiding. As he was about to leave, I turned on the banker’s lamp. Pusser blinked at the sudden light.
“What—” he said, probably meaning to tack “—the hell?” on the end of that. And then he saw me, blinked a few more times, and simply muttered, “Son of a bitch.”
“Hey, you remember me,” I said.
Pusser turned as I motioned for Bob to close the door.
“I suppose you know why I’m here,” I said.
“I have no fucking clue,” he replied. “And you better get the fuck out. I’m sure the police are on their way right now.”
“What? The alarm system? Your back door was open.”
He just stood there, staring at me, not so casual now. “So why are you here?” he finally said. “And who’s this?” he added, throwing a thumb over his shoulder toward Bob.
“He’s no one. No offense, Bob.” Bob didn’t say anything.
“And why am I here?” I continued.
“Yeah.”
“Because…” I paused. “Bob, would you mind stepping out for a minute?”
Bob shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever.” He closed the door behind himself.
“So, like I was saying—”
“Look, you and your sister and your friend, you already bled me dry. There’s no more.”
I looked around his room, office, study, and all the expensive baubles here and there. I thought about the trophy car his trophy wife drove, the gate that opened and closed automatically, the everyday maid, the pool and hot tub out back. “Looks like you don’t
have it so bad.”
“This, this is all my wife’s. I don’t own a damn thing. Between what you and Patari did, you left me nothing.”
“Oh, c’mon,” I said. “It might be in your wife’s name, but it’s yours. I’m sure you, your accountant and attorney Condon took good care of that.”
“And what you did?”
I shook my head. “That’s kind of off the table right now.”
“Is it?” He stood a little straighter now, more forcefully. He was going into offensive, CXO mode.
I had to get the advantage back.
“Yep,” I said. “We have other things to discuss.”
“Such as?”
“A couple of premature deaths.”
Pick Up Your Copy Today
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
