Those Who Shall Die
The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.
A collective of mystery writers, known as the Society of Fibbers, has captivated thousands with their addictive podcast-catapulting each member into the limelight. But when one of their own is found dead under chilling circumstances, the remaining Fibbers realize their newfound fame may have painted a target on their backs.
Rebecca Stanchion, one of the group's co-founders, is convinced her friend's murder is a tragic case of domestic violence-until a sinister attempt on her own life shatters that theory and threatens her family. Meanwhile, Zach Hargrove, a fellow writer, becomes obsessed with the cryptic black cards left at both crime scenes. Each card seems to whisper a warning: the killer is watching.
Is this the work of a fan driven to madness, or has betrayal seeped into the heart of the Society itself? As an annual writers' conference approaches, Zach and Rebecca race against time to unmask the killer before the Society of Fibbers' headline appearance turns into a deadly final act.
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Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley is an award-winning author who was born and raised in southern New Jersey. His earliest exposure to mystery stories came from within the pages of the Encyclopedia Brown book series. But that spark for the genre didn't turn into a flame until he watched Jeremy Brett play Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes on television. From there, he devoured every Holmes novel and short story written by Doyle, and as many pastiches featuring Doyle's detective as he could get his hands on.
In his teens, Michael made a discovery while browsing a used bookstore that would forever change his love of the mystery genre. Amongst the shelves, he found a beat-up paperback of M. K. Wren's Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat. This novel, Michael's first introduction to modern day amateur detectives, ignited a lifelong love affair with amateur crime fighters that still influences his writing today.
He started his professional life as a radio disc jockey, working at stations in New Jersey and West Virginia. He has been up and down the dial, working as an on-air personality, promotions director, and even program director. His time in radio has provided him with a wealth of fond, enduring, and sometimes scandalous memories that he hopes to one day commit to paper.
After spending eight years “on-the-air,” he realized that he needed to get a real job. He spent the next twenty or so years working in Information Technology as a consultant. And yes, he has said “try turning it off and on again” more times than he wants to admit.
Michael achieved a lifelong dream when his first novel, SIRENS IN THE NIGHT, was published in 2015. Although he enjoyed writing the supernatural thriller, Michael realized that what he wanted more than anything was to write mystery novels.
Never one to waste an experience, he used his familiarity with life on the radio for some of his novels. His third novel, DEAD AIR (2020), won a 2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award and an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award. The novel has been called "absorbing and filled with shocking twists."
His latest novel, NONE WITHOUT SIN (2022) is the first in his new First State Mystery series, and is "loaded with twists" and a "fast-paced mystery." Publisher's Weekly has called it "a well-paced series launch."
Michael now calls Delaware his home, where he lives with his wife and their two furry four-legged “kids,” Preaya and Willie.
The First State Mysteries
The First State Mysteries consists of one primary book, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
