The Blacktop Blues by Richard Levesque

Jed Strait made it through the war unscathed. Or at least, that’s what he thought. But now that he’s home, he’s not so sure, because he’s plagued by horrifying flashbacks. Only, they’re visions of events that never occurred.

All he wants is to reconnect with the woman he left behind and get on with his life, but according to the visions, that’s the worst thing he could do. If he follows Annabelle to LA, his nightmares could actually become real, but staying in New York with no Annabelle and no explanations will surely drive him mad.

Damned if he goes and damned if he stays, the only path forward is the one leading west, to the final crescendo of either marriage, misery or madness waiting for him at the end of a road that’s paved with The Blacktop Blues.

Category: Science Fiction – Steampunk

When a strangler stalks the city, a stranger must take him down. But will catching the killer cost his life?

A chance encounter with a burlesque dancer drags Jed Strait into the sleazy alleys of Los Angeles, where he finds the police following a string of murders. Soon he realizes that the cops are on a path that will lead them straight back to Jed’s robot assistant. Now he’s torn between loyalty to Carmelita and the need to prevent future killings.

Jed’s efforts to unravel the truth and clear Carmelita’s name are frustrated when his witnesses keep turning up dead. He worries that the killer may be onto him or that Carmelita is playing him for a fool. It’s all on the line as Jed races to find the killer–whoever it is–before he himself becomes the sour note at the end of The Double-Time Slide.