August and September were busy months, so I’ll get right to it. It was a dry winter, spring, and summer, so our backyard has been trampled by our dogs and is nothing but dirt and weeds. A section at a time, we’re trying to bring back grass and keep the dogs off it for now. We used some sod from the front yard, which was removed, to get one section growing, with okay results. Now we started another section using organic soil and seed, hoping we can get grass growing.
Then I had a pathway that had large weeds growing. I pulled out all the stepping stones and gravel, removed the old weed barrier, which the weeds had either grown through or on top of, replaced it, and put it all back together again. It looks great, though we’ll see how long it holds up since the weeds here in Colorado are persistent as hell!!
Kim and I had a great time on our trip to Nashville. We spent time in Franklin, followed by downtown Nashville, walking the streets with all the Honky Tonk bars, and then took a riverboat ride down the Cumberland River. Here are a few pictures, and more are posted on my website.
Besides seeing the town, I was there for the Killer Nashville Awards Banquet. Justice For The Forgotten was nominated for Best PI book, but didn’t win. But we sat at a table of big winners. Traci Abramson won the Silver Falchion for Best Short Story/Anthology, and J.T. Ellison won the Silver Falchion for Best Suspense and also won for Best Book of 2025. Congratulations to them and all the other winners on this enjoyable night.
Here are a few other pictures from the Award Show, with many more you can find on my website.
Even though I didn’t win an award at Killer Nashville, I did receive news about an award for Mayhem In Music City. It won the Gold Medal for Best Thrillers-Assassination book of 2026 from the Global Book Awards. Quite an honor for one of my favorite Jarvis Mann PI books. You can find the eBook on Amazon and can purchase a signed paperback from my website. I’ve discounted the paperback of Mayhem In Music City on the website to $15 plus shipping for a limited time. This deal is only good on my website. So take advantage of this pricing while it lasts.
Today is release day for Justice For The Accused. Book 2 in the Steel Wheels Cold Mystery series. Donnie Steel and Kogel ride again, traveling to Minnesota to visit family and work a cold-case murder. Here is the final synopsis for the book. And you can read the First Two Chapters here.
In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, former Army Ranger Von Oliver is struggling. PTSD, affecting the medal award-winning vet. A person of interest in his girlfriend Brie’s murder, adding to his stress. A Deputy Sheriff with no other suspects in the year-old case. Retired police officer Donnie Steel and his K9 companion Kogel arrive in Minnesota. Recruited to investigate the murder by Von’s lawyer.
The mystery of Brie’s past life, leaving little in the way of clues about her death. Until mysterious evidence is uncovered, leading Donnie to deeply hidden answers. A complicated and secretive prior life the woman had fled from. Brutal men in pursuit with no qualms about using violence to bury those secrets.
Donnie and Kogel, on the hunt for answers, while being hunted themselves. No matter the risk or the cost, both in search of Justice for the Accused.
Here are three early reviews for Justice For The Accused, including an editorial review from Readers’ Favorite.
In R. Weir’s Justice For The Accused, retired Colorado detective Donnie Steel arrives at his family’s Minnesota resort expecting time with his parents until lawyer Ann Myles asks him to investigate the unsolved murder of Brie Ivory. Nearly a year after Brie was found beaten to death in the woods, police still suspect her former boyfriend, Army veteran Von Oliver, despite having no evidence to charge him. Donnie agrees to examine the case and soon finds that Brie’s life in Minnesota began years earlier, with almost nothing linking her to a past. As he searches for the identity she left behind, the investigation draws attention from people determined to keep that history buried. Donnie must discover why Brie was hiding before the people protecting that secret decide he has learned too much. R. Weir’s Justice For The Accused is first-class investigative crime storytelling, and Weir keeps us guessing with retired detective Donnie Steel giving it a seasoned voice from the outset. Weir balances Donnie’s human eye through his partnership with Kogel, the police Malinois whose instincts fit naturally beside Donnie’s experience. Minnesota becomes part of the mystery itself, and the spaces are textured to near cinematic, like a rented house with its yearlong lease paid in cash and the strong smell of bleach. Weir makes sure that each discovery sends Donnie toward another possibility, and the investigation moves quickly and naturally. Suspense is built right in and is hair-raising. I recommend it to readers who enjoy procedural crime featuring a retired detective beside a canine partner. Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite
R. Weir brings his signature style to another Donnie Steel mystery. Donnie Steel just wants to visit his parents and have some R&R. But his mom “Volunteers” his expertise on a cold case and away we go. Donnie ends up juggling the cold case, helping a family of small-time criminals, and fielding messages from someone who may be a serial killer, all while really bad guys are circling his investigation. This is a more personal and introspective Donnie Steel than we’ve seen before with a positive message about destigmatizing mental health issues like PTSD for veterans and first responders. Great characters, a secret identity, a few twists, and a heroic Belgian Malinois. What more could you want? – Reviewed by Sandra
This is Book #2 in the series. The main character, Donnie Steel is a retired police officer who travels the country in his RV with his K9 partner, Kogel. He writes a blog as a form of therapy. He suffers PTSD from an old case that has remained unsolved. This next adventure takes place at the family campground where Donnie spent his youth. Donnie is looking for some time spent with family and fishing with his grandfather. Before he can fully settle into his camping space, his mother suggests he help a local lawyer with a case. The case involves a man who has his own past trauma and the lawyer is someone from Donnie’s past. This is how the author draws you into the story. I was constantly turning pages to see what would happen next. There were several plots within the story and other characters which added to the twist and turns. I enjoyed the different plots. I was glad to see the return of a previous character from the first book and hope the character will continue to show up in future books. I hope there will be future books because I want the blog stalker uncovered, Donnie to find love again and the unsolved case from his past solved. Is that asking too much? Did I mention, I like suspense and mystery and this book delivers both criteria – Charlie
My first batch of paperbacks for Justice For The Accused arrived last week. A box of new books is always a pleasure to open, so long as Amazon packed them properly, which they did this time. Those who pre-ordered a paperback have been contacted via email, and the books have been mailed out and delivered.
You can still get the pre-order pricing for Justice For The Accused through the end of September. The eBook on Amazon is $3.99, a $3 savings, which you can purchase here. Signed paperbacks can be bought here for $15 plus shipping through the end of the month, a $5 savings. Plus, you can purchase Book 1, the award-winning Justice For The Forgotten. For a limited time, the eBook on Amazon is $2.99, a $4 savings. Or purchase a signed paperback for $15 plus shipping through my Book Store. Signed paperback pricing is only available through my website. Event pricing for both books will be $20 each, though you can buy through the website for the lower price and pick it up at one of my events or my home in Westminster to save the shipping cost.
Over the past 3 years and 79 shows, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing wonderful authors on my vodcast, Bringing Life To Characters. When the guests and nominations for Killer Nashville were announced, I was amazed at how many of those authors I’ve interviewed on the show, several of whom were winners last Saturday. Here is the list of those nominated and the winners:
Jodi Bowersox (Silver Falchion nominated for Best Action Adventure and Silver Falchion nominated for Best Historical)
Jim Nesbitt (Silver Falchion nominated for Best Action Adventure)
Gregory N. Whitis (Second runner-up Silver Falchion winner for Best Action Adventure)
Elizabeth Crowens (Silver Falchion nominated for Best Comedy)
Bruce Robert Coffin (Best Book for Attending Author)
Reed Farrel Coleman (Guest of Honor)
Chris Underwood (Silver Falchion Winner for Best Mainstream/Commercial)
Phil Kushner (Claymore Award Winner for Best Mainstream/Commercial)
Traci Abramson (Silver Falchion Winner for Best Short Story Collection/Anthology)
J.T. Ellison (Silver Falchion Winner for Best Suspense and Best Book of 2025)
Caitlin Rother (Silver Falchion Winner for Best True Crime)
Clay Stafford (Founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference)
I hope you’ll check out these wonderful authors and many others on Bringing Life To Characters to learn more about them. All shows are available on my YouTube Channel, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts.
This month I have the Goodguys Classic Car Event in Loveland, Colorado, which is held on September 11th, 12th, and 13th. This will be the fifth year I’ve been a vendor, and it’s always been a fun event. If you attend, be sure to stop by the McKee 4-H building where I will have a table set up, along with many other crafters. I will have copies of Justice For The Accused, as well as all my other books for sale. All can be pre-ordered for pickup through my Store website.
I have another event tentatively added for December 12th. Here is the current list of events through the end of the year, which is always subject to change.
9/11-9/13 Goodguys Car Show (Loveland)
10/17-10/18 Mollie McGee Fall Craft Market (Boulder County Fairgrounds)
10/24 Dakota Ridge High School (Littleton)
11/7 The Mac Craft Fair (Westminster)
11/14-11/15 County Christmas Craft Show (Adams County Fairgrounds Brighton)
11/21-11/22 Xmas in Windsor
12/5 Bear Creek HS Craft Fair (Lakewood)
12/12 Summit Ridge MS School Craft Fair (Littleton)
I have quite a few Book Funnel links to share with you this month. Be sure to take advantage of these free, discounted, and Kindle Unlimited reads.
Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Freebies ~ September Edition has 147 free eBooks to peruse through until Sept 30th via this link.
Dodging Death has 109 free eBooks to check out until Sept 30th via this link.
September Crime Stories Sales has 46 discounted or Kindle Unlimited books until Sept 30th via this link.
MAYHEM & MOTIVES: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads – September Edition has 96 books to check out, many on Kindle Unlimited until Sept 30th via this link.
Thriller / Crimes in the City has 37 free ebooks to add to your eReader until Sept 22nd via this link.
Detectives Investigations BOX SET has 15 box set books at great prices until Sept 30th via this link.
Past Present Future Crime Noir has 23 great books until Sept 30th via this link.
Crime Thrillers – September has 34 great crime thriller books to check out until Sept 30th via this link.
I will wrap up this newsletter with one final plug for my new release, Justice For The Accused. If you read the book, I’d love to hear what you thought of Donnie and Kogel’s latest adventure.
Read in Good Health!!
R. Weir