Split City

“Split City is a contemporary Christian mystery set in the Catskills and tells of an ex-pro bowler and owner of bowling alley Split City Lanes, Billy Gills, who is charged with identifying his twin brother Bo at a morgue. From there, he becomes determined to uncover the truth about his brother’s life…In the typical whodunit mystery environment, investigators are supported by a cast of friends and professionals who augment their abilities. Here, Billy is drawn to investigate the Christian community, powered by the “Jesus Spares” church service environment. This spiritual component to the investigative process will delight Christian readers who enjoy mysteries and social examinations that move into religious realms—a relatively rare combination…Split City creates a powerful story of bowling, adversity, small-town politics, and Billy’s search for truth and community. Its blend of mystery and social inspection will delight readers seeking solid psychological stories of self and community ties, tempered by surprising twists and turns.” —Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer Midwest Book Review“This twisting and rewarding story is one that readers will turn the pages until the delightful denouement, a tale of a man’s search for truth and what politics can do to a small town. While Split City: A Jesus Spares Mystery is character-driven, it explores the dynamics of a small community and presents characters that are believable and fully drawn. The premise is compelling and written with a huge dose of humor, and the persistent humor elevates the amount of entertainment that readers get following Andy Straka’s characters. I love stories in which the settings come to life like characters of their own rights, and this novel is one of them. The twisty plot and the incredible writing, sprinkled with sparkling dialogues and unrelenting drama, will drive readers on. It is, indeed, a work of beauty, as suspenseful as it is engaging.”—Bertin Drizller, Reviewer for The Book Commentary

The first hint of Andy Straka’s future writing career came at the age of four when he appeared at his small-town neighbor’s back door carrying a butcher’s knife. Thankfully, the neighbor called Andy’s mother instead of social services.

Featured by Publishers Weekly among a group of “rising stars” in crime fiction, Andy is a past finalist for the Agatha Award and the Anthony Award and the author of the Shamus Award-winning Frank Pavlicek private eye series. His books have sold over 400,000 copies, including the #1 bestselling A Witness Above.

Andy is a former college basketball player, a licensed falconer, and longtime husband and father. Rumor also has it that he hails from upstate New York, where he often spent Sunday afternoons, growing up, bowling with his parents and identical twin brother.