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Jimmy Ray Conner was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, but grew up in the San Joaquin Valley in central California when his parents, seeking greater opportunities, moved there with his two sisters. After high school, he attended undergraduate engineering school and then law school in Sacramento, California. He began his professional career working for large multinational conglomerate, ultimately rising to the position of Manager of a European division, based in London, England.
Seeking a more creative outlet in his next career position, he left corporate life and started an independent production company, producing and distributing hundreds of hours of television and video programming. His documentary programs won numerous industry awards and the author personally won a prestigious Emmy Award as Executive Producer of a three-hour documentary series appearing on The Disney Channel.
After writing, editing and publishing a media industry newsletter for a few years, the author decided to try his hand at writing fiction. That was the genesis of this first book, Murder and a Midnight Swim. The author’s immediate family includes two beautiful daughters - both educators - and four adoring grandchildren. He lives in California’s Coachella Valley, happily married to fellow author, Roberta Conner who graciously spent many hours proofreading early manuscripts - and providing invaluable insights to the development of the characters. In addition to writing books, Roberta hosts a very entertaining website: www.RobertaRaves.com.
Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite
Murder and a Midnight Swim (A Marriage of Greed, Deceit, and Murder) by Jimmy Ray Conner is a murder mystery that would appeal to adult mystery lovers who enjoy romances that feature an older character. Madelyn is a wealthy widow searching for a new love to mend her heart after losing her husband. While Madelyn searches for love, the famous car racer JT Iverson is searching for the fortune he needs to revitalize his racing enterprise. When the two meet, they think they have found what they are searching for, yet after their marriage, Madelyn begins to suspect that JT’s different behavior is due to his cheating. Will a surprise trip to Arizona be their making or undoing?
Murder and a Midnight Swim by Jimmy Ray Conner is a well-written mystery with an intriguing cover that drew my interest as soon as I saw it. I liked that Madelyn was an older character, as too many romance books focus on teen romances. I felt for Madelyn, who was seeking a new love to fill her empty heart after her loss, and I could not help but dislike JT and his intentions toward her. I liked the murder aspect of the book as the mystery element kept me questioning everything and wondering how it would all turn out for Madelyn. Overall, this book was a great read, and I hope the author decides to write more romance mystery books in the future as he has a talent for it.
