Frank Wheeler Jr.

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About Frank Wheeler Jr.

Frank Wheeler Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a preacher. Thirty-three years old, he has lived in Minnesota, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Maryland, and Nebraska, where he earned his B.A. and M.A. in English studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and his wife, Marie, do their best to stay in one place these days, living in Nebraska where Frank teaches at a community college in Lincoln. Inspired by the stories his Arkansas uncles used to tell, The Wowzer is Frank Wheeler's first novel.

You can contact him at his website: frankwheelerjr.com

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Milwaukee Noir (Akashic Noir) May 7, 2019

by Jane Hamilton, Reed Farrel Coleman, Nick Petrie, Jennifer Morales, Larry Watson, Valerie Laken, Tim Hennessy, Shauna Singh Baldwin, James E. Causey, Christi Clancy, Reed Farrel Coweman, Vida Cross, Derrick Harriell, Matthew J. Prigge, Mary Thorson, Frank Wheeler Jr.

( 23 )

$9.99

In this gritty anthology, fourteen mystery stories show the seedier side of the Wisconsin city beyond beer, butter burgers, and Laverne & Shirley.

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respect city. Now, fourteen authors who’ve experienced life in the Cream City share its mysteries in Milwaukee Noir.

With stories from: Jane Hamilton, Reed Farrel Coleman, Valerie Laken, Matthew J. Prigge, Shauna Singh Baldwin, Vida Cross, Larry Watson, Frank Wheeler Jr., Derrick Harriell, Christi Clancy, James E. Causey, Mary Thorson, Nick Petrie, and Jennifer Morales.

Praise for Milwaukee Noir

“Luxuriate in the seedy, wallow in the angry and shiver at the horrors that surely await you around the corner . . . The sheer localness of Milwaukee Noir is superb, and the seediness of many characters here would qualify them for membership in a Tom Waits song.” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“A very strong collection of short fiction. . . . A richly textured collection that is, by turns, gripping, thought provoking, and simply entertaining.” —Booklist

“The violent, dark stories in this anthology fit the bill perfectly with the intention, as editor Hennessy writes, to be social commentary . . . . Tales by Jane Hamilton and Christi Clancy stand out, evidence that ordinary people can get swept up in hatred, even if they did not start out living with violence, drunkenness, or poverty.” —Library Journal

“Milwaukee bookseller and writer Hennessy does justice to the harsher aspects of his hometown in this fine anthology . . . The 14 contributors show that violence is not a prerequisite to crafting a haunting depiction of despair . . . The selections make the different neighborhoods, seedy or otherwise, come to life, even for those who have never set foot in them.” —Publishers Weekly

“Fourteen free-wheeling stories document the grit and glory of Milwaukee . . . A nod to Milwaukee’s blue-collar heritage, a frank look at racial disharmony, and a peek at the future make Hennessy’s collection a find for fans of urban noir.” —Kirkus Reviews

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

The Wowzer May 1, 2012

by Frank Wheeler Jr.

( 82 )

$1.99

In the Arkansas Ozarks, old-timers spin tales of the Wowzer, a giant panther-like creature that decapitates those who wander too far into the woods. County sheriff’s deputy Jerry was raised on Wowzer stories, but they aren’t enough to stop him from carrying out his own business in the remote hills. Jerry’s more than a sheriff’s deputy; he moonlights as muscle for local drug traffickers, who sometimes need people to get hurt—or get dead. Fortunately, Jerry’s pretty good at his job. And since Tom Haskell runs the sheriff’s office and the drug-protection racket, Jerry doesn’t see much of a moral dilemma. That is, until he starts thinking about getting out of the trade, and then things get complicated fast. For starters, Jerry’s girl Maggie flees the state after learning about a disturbing diagnosis tucked inside Jerry’s psych report. And now Sheriff Haskell is dragging his feet paying Jerry his cut of the drug money. Is Haskell just reluctant to lose his top muscle? Or is he plotting to take out the man who knows his dirtiest secrets? Fans of hardboiled, “country noir” fiction will love gnashing on Frank Wheeler’s violent and darkly comic debut, sneaking a glimpse into the mind of a killer whose inner monster is about to be unleashed.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

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