Read more
In "A Trace of Gold" (formerly published as "Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold"), forensic scientist Sean McKinney embarks on a dangerous mission to catch a serial killer targeting associates of the Barker-Karpis gang from the 1930s. With his determination to exonerate an innocent man, McKinney puts his own life in jeopardy and must navigate a corrupt system to bring the true killer to justice.
The novel takes readers on a journey through two eras of Chicago crime, from the gritty underworld of the 1930s gangsters and gun molls to modern-day Chicago. Blending crime fiction with historical fiction, "A Trace of Gold" offers a vivid portrayal of the city's criminal past and present, with a thrilling plot full of twists and turns. As the body count rises, McKinney risks becoming the next victim in the killer's deadly game.
About the author
Tim Chapman is a former forensic scientist for the Chicago Police Department and writing instructor at Malcolm X College. He holds a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Northwestern University. His fiction has been published in The Southeast Review, the Chicago Reader, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Palooka, and the anthology, The Rich and the Dead. His first novel, A Trace of Gold (originally published as Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold) was a finalist in Shelf Unbound's 2013 Best Indie Book competition. His short stories have been collected under the title Kiddieland and other misfortunes. His latest novel is The Blue Silence. When he's not writing he's editing the journal Litbop: Art and Literature in the Groove, teaching martial arts or painting pretty pictures.
