# 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year, Rock & Roll Rip-Off - $2.99



## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off, the second novel in my Rock & Roll Mystery Series, was selected 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year by Premier Book Awards. A letter that accompanied the award stated: "The competition was fierce and it was a difficult decision choosing from so many deserving books entered into this year's contest. However, the judges were unanimous in their selection of _Rock & Roll Rip-Off_ as the winner."

Following is a brief description:

Jason Duffy thought he had accepted a routine burglary case when a career studio musician hired him to recover a memorabilia collection featuring unusual treasures from some of the top performers in the music industry. But Jason quickly finds himself at the top of a hit list that has nothing to do with The Top 40 and everything to do with a table for one at the San Diego Coroner's Office.

While the facts of the case point to an emo band that the victim was helping at the time of the theft, the lethal force that Jason encounters in his investigation feels more like death metal. He finds himself imperiled by a hitman known as The Heartbreaker, due to his signature of shooting his victims through the heart at close range. With danger also threatening his staff and girlfriend, Jason must continue to mend fences with his retired police detective father, in spite of a recent riff that caused a major setback to their relationship.

Everyone thought The Tactile Tattoo was a "can't miss" band. The pre-release buzz for their first CD was tremendous. But a bad review from a key industry critic, who didn't care for their lyrics, left the album stillborn at record stores across the country. The group soon learned that second chances in the current state of the music business are practically nonexistent. One band member discovered that money talks in an industry strapped for cash, and a bribe was entirely possible. However, funding that bribe meant getting involved with all of the wrong people.

In the midst of this action whodunit, the reader is treated to an insider's view of the music industry that captures the new obstacles that today's bands must overcome in order to succeed. Some musicians handle the pressures, opportunities, and disappointments more effectively than others. Some still succumb to the mesmerizing allure of sex and drugs and rock & roll.

Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the second novel in RJ McDonnell's Rock & Roll Mystery Series. Like the critically acclaimed Rock & Roll Homicide, McDonnell once again mixes humor, music, and a cast of unique characters to unfold a memorable mystery that shows Jason and a loved one "knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door."

A two chapter excerpt may be found on Kindle. My author website, listed below, also includes reviews, media coverage and an author bio.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome to KindleBoards, RJ, and congratulations on your book!

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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks, Ann. I appreciate the welcome. I'm looking forward to making lots of new friends here on KB.


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## jbkirkpat (Jan 30, 2011)

Good to see you here RJ.  Be sure to throw this link up at BsB so members can come over.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks, Joel. I'll definitely follow up on your suggestion.


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## stacyjuba (Jul 12, 2010)

Very catchy title and sounds like a great concept. How did you get the idea for a rock and roll mystery series? Are you a big music fan?


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## Maria Savva (Sep 14, 2010)

Congrats on the book award, RJ!
This sounds like an interesting read.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Yes, Stacy, I've been a music fan my whole life. I played in a couple of bands during my college years, but suffered an injury that kept me from gripping a guitar for over 20 years. Four years ago I discovered I could play for about an hour without problems. Now I play between six and twelve songs at my book signings and library events. I usually work classic rock songs into the context of my topics.

It was nice to hear from you, Maria.


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## KristieCook (Jan 25, 2011)

Congrats on the award! Mystery and rock-and-roll - I enjoy them both, but no good at writing either of them. lol Sounds like a fun combo, though. I know a couple people I'll be recommending your books to.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks, Kristie. I'll look forward to hearing from them.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)

Congratulations RJ. Good luck with this book!


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## Mark Feggeler (Feb 7, 2011)

Congratulations!  Keep up the great work and best of luck with sales!


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks, Mark, and good luck to you as well.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)

Interesting. I'll have to check these out.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks Mark. This is the second novel in the series. The victim is a career studio musician who worked with many big names throughout his career. I'm fortunate to have a musician friend who has a similar background and provided a lot of insight into the lifestyle of a back-up musician.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)

Yes, it always seems better to have a 'living' resource rather than gathering background by just researching via magazines and books.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

You're absolutely right about having access to living resources. I have a scene in this novel where my PI makes a late night visit to a band practice facility, and looks through the contents of the band members foot lockers. A few years ago my nephew gave me a tour of such a facility that housed about a dozen bands. A few of them were fairly stark, but most reflected the bands' genre and unique tastes. That experience helped to set the scene. But the contents of the foot lockers came from surveying musicians I know locally and through Facebook. Some of the items would never have occurred to me.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)




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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Mark, another great resource was my father. He was a detective with the PA State Police. He handled high profile murder investigations in our area. At night we watched crime dramas and movies together on television. He'd always critique them for authenticity.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Here’s what a few of the critics said about Rock & Roll Rip-Off:

"Rock & Roll Rip-Off is a fascinating adventure on the darker side of the music industry and the criminal underworld that lies within it." – Midwest Book Review

"The plot is well considered and developed, and Jason Duffy an appealing PI. A musician himself, the author clearly knows the world in which he sets his mysteries, providing an insider look at not only what the public sees on stage, but also what it takes behind-the-scenes to get it there. Finally, the rocky relationship Duffy has with his father, introduced in the first book of the series, takes a step forward here ... a nice touch." – Mysterious Reviews

“Don't stop believin'! RJ McDonnell's Irish-American PI Jason Duffy leads a series that is hard rockin' good fun. Add Rock & Roll Rip-Off to your stacks!” – Critical Mick

“Congratulations for your novel, Rock & Roll Rip-Off, being selected by the 2010 Premier Book Awards as the Best Book of the Year in the Mystery/Thriller category! The competition was fierce and it was a difficult decision choosing from so many deserving books entered into this year's contest. However, the judges were unanimous in their selection of Rock & Roll Rip-Off as the winner.” – James R. Olson

“RJ McDonnell combines a well-plotted mystery with a music-industry backdrop to create a book that should appeal to mystery fans and music fans alike. ... He also provides laughs along the way, and it is a hard-hearted reader indeed that doesn't enjoy the final chapter.” - Tim Chamberlain, KAZI Radio


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Most of the critics mention the humor in Rock & Roll Rip-Off and Rock & Roll Homicide, which comes from my PI, Jason Duffy's two employees. Prior to becoming a PI, Jason worked for two years as a counselor at an outpatient mental health center. Both of his employees were patients at the clinic. Here's how his administrative assistant, Jeannine, was introduced in Rock & Roll Rip-Off:

"Jason's office looked as neat and clean as humanly possible. That's one advantage to having an assistant who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. He once saw her cleaning the _Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law_tag under his desk chair."

Jason's part-time stake out specialist and photographer suffers from Tourette's Syndrome. He's rarely quoted in the text.

In spite of the fact that they provide a fair amount of humor, both of these characters are very good at their jobs and are treated as valued employees. A mental health professional wrote a customer review on Amazon and said: "I liked the way that the author portrayed his assistants. He addresses their illnesses and idiosyncratic behaviors with dignity, respect and humor."

While most of the reviews mention the humor, my Rock & Roll Mysteries are primarily action crime mysteries. The humor usually happens in the breathers between action scenes. A two chapter excerpt may be found at: http://tiny.cc/v4rtr


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## WestofMars (Sep 16, 2009)

Hey, RJ, someone's giving you a bit of love...

http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/trevors-song-susan-helene-gottfried.html


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks for mentioning me in your blog Q&A Susan. It was an interesting interview.


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## Michael Scott Miller (Sep 2, 2010)

I just started reading Rock & Roll Rip-Off a few days ago and it's great so far!  I'll report back when I finish it.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off just received a new review this morning on Teens Read Too. Although my novel wasn't written specifically for a YA audience, I suspect that the CS Monitor article on how my series is being used by parents to get their adult children interested in books, has filtered into the YA age group. Here's the review: http://www.teensreadtoo.com/RockRollRipOff.html


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## WestofMars (Sep 16, 2009)

RJMcDonnell said:


> Thanks for mentioning me in your blog Q&A Susan. It was an interesting interview.


No probs, RJ. It was my pleasure.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

I recently spoke with a book club about the theme of Rock & Roll Rip-Off. Some of them were surprised to learn that the catalyst driving my 21-year-old female antagonist, Leandra, was entitlement issues. This is because Leandra grew up as one of the few poor kids in a rich neighborhood. But her behavior suggests that she expected fate to compensate her for the hard work she endured while her classmates enjoyed the benefits of wealth. When Karma didn't level the playing field, Leandra felt justified in acting outside of the law to compensate for her trying teen years. But moral compromises can lead to a dangerous path for a young woman who feels entitled to a better fate.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

My novels are being featured on DailyCheapReads.com today. If you get a chance, stop by.


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## Michael Scott Miller (Sep 2, 2010)

I just finished reading Rock & Roll Rip-Off which I thoroughly enjoyed. Here's my review:

*...a little bit mystery...a little bit rock and roll*
_Rock & Roll Rip-Off_ by RJ McDonnell is a well-crafted mystery/detective story with a rock music backdrop. When his multi-million dollar music memorabilia collection is stolen, studio musician Max Varner calls upon Private Investigator Jason Duffy to locate it. Suspicion begins to fall on the members of The Tactile Tattoo, the band with whom Max has been working, as they struggle to bounce back from their critically panned first album.

While the reader is drawn into the detective work in the story and the fascinating behind the scenes look at the rock music industry, the true strength of the novel lies in the characters that McDonnell paints. We engage with Jason Duffy as we are brought into his personal world, including his confrontational relationship with his retired police detective father, and the strain of his girlfriend Kelly moving in with him, adding several additonal layers of worry to his life. Add in the members of the band, Jason's OCD assistant, his Tourette's suffering photographer, and the colorful members of the San Diego police community, and you have an outstanding cast of characters.

Fans of the detective genre, and especially those with a bit of rock music in their veins, should grab themselves a copy of this book. And at just $2.99 for the digital version, Rock & Roll Rip-Off is anything but.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

The first 12 chapters of Rock & Roll Rip-Off were just posted on fReado. Here's the link: http://www.freado.com/read/10160/rock-roll-rip-off


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Last week I was the guest blogger on the Barnes & Noble Mystery Forum. The blog was called, "Cops & Rockers." I talk about how the son of a police detective came to write the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. If you're interested in giving it a read, you'll have to scroll through my bio and descriptions of my two novels to read the half-page blog. Also, there were quite a few interesting comments at the end. http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Mystery/Guest-Blog-by-Author-R-J-McDonnell/m-p/1030020/highlight/false#M37952


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Last Monday I did my first television interview ever. It was on a show called The Morning Mix, which is the Poconos version of Regis and Kelly. They had a Rock & Roll theme day. I was the first guest and talked about my R&R Mystery series. An incredible guitarist named Dale Stephens followed me and performed a cut from his new CD.

At first I thought I'd be nervous, but the local Kelly, Kristen Brooks, was very funny and kept the conversation light and fun. I'll drop a link after the show airs later this month.


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## Michael Scott Miller (Sep 2, 2010)

RJMcDonnell said:


> Last Monday I did my first television interview ever. It was on a show called The Morning Mix, which is the Poconos version of Regis and Kelly. They had a Rock & Roll theme day. I was the first guest and talked about my R&R Mystery series. An incredible guitarist named Dale Stephens followed me and performed a cut from his new CD.
> 
> At first I thought I'd be nervous, but the local Kelly, Kristen Brooks, was very funny and kept the conversation light and fun. I'll drop a link after the show airs later this month.


I can't wait to see it, RJ!


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Last week my first television interview aired on a show called The Morning Mix, which is the Poconos version of Regis and Kelly. They had a Rock & Roll theme day. I was the first guest and talked about my R&R Mystery series. An incredible guitarist named Dale Stephens followed me and performed a cut from his new CD.

At first I thought I'd be nervous, but the local Kelly, Kristen Brooks, was very funny and kept the conversation light and fun. My six minute segment starts five minutes into the show. If you get a chance to watch it please let me know your thoughts. Here's the link: http://tiny.cc/y0ao7


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

A brief description of my next novel, The Concert Killer, was just added to my website www.rjmcdonnell.com. The cover is posted there as well. It portrays a very common picture that The Concert Killer uses to keep score of his kills. You almost certainly have one of these pictures in your home. If you get a chance, check out the picture and description and tell me what you think.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

I recently had a reader ask me to clarify whether my Rock & Roll Mystery Series is considered to be in the Mystery or Humor genre. The answer is that I write them as mysteries and use humor for breathers in between action scenes. But, since so many of the media critics and reader reviewers focus on the humor I tend to discuss the humor aspect frequently in forums. 

The subject of this thread, Rock & Roll Rip-Off, won a Mystery/Thriller of the Year Award. Yet many readers continue to ask about my private investigator's employees, who were clients of his when he worked as a counselor at a San Diego outpatient mental health clinic. They do an excellent job for him, but do so in a very offbeat manner. One of my favorite reader reviews came from a mental health professional who said the characters were presented in a realistic manner that made them appear approachable. Considering the number of positive responses I get about Jeannine and Corey, I think she was right. Be sure to let me know how you feel.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

I wrote an original song that serves as soundtrack for my novel's trailer. I do the vocals and perform on acoustic guitar. On lead guitar is Robbie Walsh, who toured extensively with Noel Redding of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Let me know what you think. http://tiny.cc/flupz


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

I recently met with a book club that had an interesting take on Rock & Roll Rip-Off. One of the members was a fan of the television program Breaking Bad. She pointed out that the star of the show is a high school teacher who would normally be expected to fill a positive supporting role. Instead he is the antagonist. She told her book club that she got a similar unexpected jolt when band member girlfriend, Leandra, was portrayed on the moral down slope from the first chapter.

I told her that most of the best musicians that I know have somewhat of a one track mind when it comes music. They get so completely engrossed in their art that they ignore other aspects of life that most of us take for granted. The "what if" that led to me creating Leandra's character was this: What if a fully focused musician fell in love with a manipulative woman with a broken moral gyroscope and a "what's in it for me" attitude? The resulting conversation made for a lively book club meeting.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Of the three novels currently in my Rock & Roll Mystery Series I get the most feedback from working musicians about Rock & Roll Rip-Off. They enjoy the behind the scenes action, such as scenes at a multi-band practice facility. They also comment on the band member girlfriends dynamic, as well as the negative influence if one of the band members hooks up with a bad influence.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the 2nd novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. Earlier this month the 1st novel, Rock & Roll Homicide, climbed to #1 on Kindle in the Music category, and #3 in Hard-boiled Mysteries. Since then, Rock & Roll Rip-Off has seen a significant increase in sales. Readers appear to enjoy the series and are in the process of moving on to the second offering.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Series PI Jason Duffy gets drawn into the Rock & Roll Rip-Off case when a career studio musician's house is burglarized of a music memorabilia collection that was supposed to finance college for his five children.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the 2nd novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. If you are the type of person who likes to read a series in order you can pick up a copy of the series starter, Rock & Roll Homicide, for free on 4/14/12. http://tiny.cc/des64


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off has outsold Rock & Roll Homicide this month in spite of the fact that Homicide has been on the Kindle Top 10 Mysteries list twice in the past two months.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Two new reviews of Rock & Roll Rip-Off posted this week: "If you're looking for a series that will keep you laughing as well as guessing this is for you!" http://amzn.to/ImgbML


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year award winner Rock & Roll Rip-Off is being offered free on Kindle for the first time ever today, May 30th through June 1st. This is the 2nd novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series and follow-up to Kindle #1 hit Rock & Roll Homicide. http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Rip-Off-Mystery-Series-ebook/dp/B0042JTPBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336152473&sr=8-1


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Following a weekend where the 1st novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series was the Top Hard-Boiled Free Mystery on Kindle for 3 days, sales of the 2nd novel, Rock & Roll Rip-Off, have spiked.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year award winner Rock & Roll Rip-Off is free on Kindle 10/2/12 through 10/4/12.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off now has a 4.5 star average on 20 Amazon Customer Reviews.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

The followup to the 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year, Rock & Roll Rip-Off, is The Concert Killer. It is FREE on Kindle Nov. 9 and 10, and is currently ranked #1 on Kindle's Top 100 Free Hard-boiled Mysteries List. If you'd like to give it a read, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Concert-Killer-Rock-Mystery-ebook/dp/B005K94PB6/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1352380494&sr=8-1&keywords=the+concert+killer


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

2012 Rock & Roll Mystery Series Holiday Promotion: Do you have a mystery novel reader on your shopping list? Give an autographed book, naming you and the gift recipient in the inscription. Special pricing on Cyber Monday. http://www.rjmcdonnell.com


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off FREE on Kindle today. If you enjoy a bit of #humor with your murder mystery try Rock & Roll Rip-Off. http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Rip-Off-Mystery-Series-book/dp/B0042JTPBK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349182930&sr=8-2&keywords=rock+%26+roll+rip-off


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off is the second novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. The first, Rock & Roll Homicide, is free on Kindle today and tomorrow (12/28 - 12/29). http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Homicide-Mystery-Series-ebook/dp/B002E19JLY/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1346415567&sr=8-1


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off now has a universal link that will take US and international readers to the Amazon store affiliated with their specific countries. Now readers in Canada, Japan, Spain, France, UK, India, and Italy will be directed to this novel by clicking viewBook.at/B0042JTPBK.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

Rock & Roll Rip-Off, named 2010 Mystery/Thriller of the Year by Premier Book Awards, is free 4/23/13 through 4/25/13 on Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Rip-Off-Mystery-Series-book/dp/B0042JTPBK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349182930&sr=8-2&keywords=rock+%26+roll+rip-off


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