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A stranger rides into town... In the tradition oIn the tradition of the classic lone private investigators who right wrongs wherever they go, Mike Donohue is writing the Max Strong series.f the classic lone private investigators who right wrongs wherever they go, Mike Donohue is writing the Max Strong series. Mike reads to us from book 5 in the series, Burn the Night, and we talk about the research he does in the various locations Max goes to and why he finds himself circling back to Max's origins in the next book in the series that he's writing now. If you love Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, or the Spenser series from the late-great Robert B. Parker, you're going to love Max Strong. A reviewer described Max as 'the guy who doesn't have to help, but needs to' and I think that's the perfect summation of this type of hero. Mike has generously offered It's a Mystery podcast listeners a free audio called How to Buy a Shovel. It's a stand-alone short mystery story. Click here to get your copy. If you're looking for new books and authors I've got a treat for you. There are over 70 mystery novels available for you to try - for free! - when you go to:alexandraamor.com/march21 (This offer expires March 31, 2021 so head over there today to take advantage.) Today's show is supported by my patrons at Patreon. Thank you! When you become a patron for as little as $1 a month you receive a short mystery story each and every month. And the rewards for those who love mystery stories go up from there! Learn more and become a part of my community of readers at www.Patreon.com/alexandraamor This week's mystery author Mike Donohue writes crime fiction and suspense novels. His latest release, Burn the Night, is the fifth book in the popular Max Strong thriller series. Born in New Jersey but raised in New England, Mike now lives outside Boston with his wife, two kids, and Dashiell Hammett. Dash is the family dog. When he’s not writing, Mike enjoys triathlons, making pizza, and reading. To learn more about Mike and all his books visit MikeDonohueBooks.com Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher, Android, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and Spotify. Excerpt from Burn the Night Max had merged onto the highway, headed back downtown, when he realized what had happened. He sighed, checked his mirrors, and got off at the next exit. He’d dropped the three women off at an old Victorian in Manayunk. It was clear the three were drunk when he picked them up outside the bar, but only one of the three seemed very drunk. The fare from Center City was high enough that Max thought it was worth the risk that he’d be cleaning up vomit before he made the address. All three also seemed very young and it was getting late. He let them in the car. The drunkest girl had been predictably obnoxious and, given the increasingly sour faces of her friends as the trip progressed, Max guessed she was getting on their nerves, too. But, by the time he pulled up outside the slightly dilapidated, pink and white gingerbread on Carson, she’d kept down whatever she ate and drank that night. If it came up again, it would soon be someone else’s problem. He’d stayed and watched as her friends supported the woman up the steep set of stairs onto the house’s sagging front porch and navigated her inside. It was only now, approaching the city again from the northwest on 76E, with the green expanse of treetops from Fairmont Park to his right, that he realized she hadn’t kept it all in. She’d urinated all over the back seat. Max could almost see the statue of old Billy Penn shaking his head from atop City Hall at Max’s naivete. It explained the friends’ demeanors. With the drunk girl sandwiched in the middle, it must have gotten on both of them. At least he had their address, their actual address,