The Trailer Park Murder: A Twisty Hardboiled Mystery

Federal investigator Bernadette Becker is officially following up on a suicide in the middle of nowhere, using the open-and-shut case to dig deeper into a long-cold mystery. But the minute she steps onto the scene, something doesn’t add up.

The victim, a retiree and birdwatcher shot at in his home, seems to have died from something far more sinister: poison.

With local law enforcement eager to close the case and call the death self-inflicted, Becker and her partner, brilliant but impossible toxicologist Dr. Kep Woodhead, push deeper. What they find leads them far beyond a dusty trailer and into the heart of a growing battle over land, power, and protected wildlife. From a shady mining company to a secretive scientist, and from backcountry deals to federal land rights, nothing is as straightforward as it seems.

And someone doesn’t want them asking questions.

As Becker and Woodhead close in on the truth, threats escalate—from intimidation to an explosive attempt on their lives. With their evidence vanishing and their list of allies shrinking, the duo must navigate tangled motives, local resistance, and national implications before the killer strikes again.

Smart, tense, and layered with real-world stakes, The Trailer Park Murder is a gripping installment in the acclaimed Becker & Woodhead series. Perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, and Lisa Gardner, this forensic mystery combines sharp dialogue, investigative depth, and high-stakes tension in a story you won’t be able to put down.

"The Trailer Mark Murder is another compelling, well-plotted mystery with unforgettable characters by Paul Austin Ardoin."

—Nicole Prewitt, Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color award winner

"Fraught, authentic, and fun, The Trailer Park Murder is a clever, compelling novel."

—G.B. Ralph, author of The Milverton Mysteries