Martin J. Smith
The Crime Novels












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I have written three thematically linked crime novels known as "The Memory Series," featuring psychologist and memory expert Jim Christensen. Two of the books were nominated for national crime fiction awards, which is the nicest possible way of saying that they didn't actually win these awards. The fourth series book, HYPERLINK, is finished but has not yet been published. You can preview the first two chapters here.



























Time Release (1997)
 
International bestseller James Ellroy:
"Time Release is a spellbindingly accomplished first novel."
 
     A deadly puzzle's missing piece lies buried in the darkest corner of a young man's mind. Until memory expert Jim Christensen can find it, a city remains hostage to a killer of infinite creativity.

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Nominated for a 1998 Anthony Award.

Shadow Image (1998)
 
New York Times bestselling crime author Michael Connelly:
"Shadow Image hooks you... right through to the last page."
 
     From within the labyrinth of Alzheimer's, an old woman remembers a buried secret that could topple a political dynasty. And only Jim Christensen understands what she's trying to say.

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Nominated for nothing whatsoever. Still, a pretty decent book hobbled by a downright awful cover.






Straw Men (2001)

Straw Men (2001)
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Nominated for the 2002 Edgar Award, the highest honor in American crime fiction.

Edgar Award-winning author Laura Lippman: 
"The creepiest good time I've had in ages... a genuine page-turner."
 
     Teresa Harnett identified her attacker as the frightening young man known as The Scarecrow. Now, eight years later, DNA tests have proven her wrong and plunged memory expert Jim Christensen into a harrowing search for the truth.




























































































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