Portrait Series by J.P. Bowie

When Peter Brandon, a gifted young artist awakens from a coma of three years, he learns that his lover, Phillip, was brutally murdered and no one brought to justice for the crime. With the help of Andrew Connor, his physical therapist, he slowly regains his strength, but it is not until he visits Phllip's graveside and receives an affirmation that his dead lover is somehow guiding him to the truth, that he feels the need to get on with his life... moreWhen Peter Brandon, a gifted young artist awakens from a coma of three years, he learns that his lover, Phillip, was brutally murdered and no one brought to justice for the crime. With the help of Andrew Connor, his physical therapist, he slowly regains his strength, but it is not until he visits Phllip's graveside and receives an affirmation that his dead lover is somehow guiding him to the truth, that he feels the need to get on with his life. Through mutual friends, he meets Jeff Stevens, an ex-cop now a PI, and together they discover that Phillip was not the victim of a random gay-bashing, but of a deliberate act to silence him. They unravel a web of lies, deceit and a friend's treachery. During their investigation, Peter and Jeff find a mutual attraction for each other, a situation that is thrown into jeopardy in their final face off with Phillip's killer. In his first novel, J.P. Bowie turns in a fast paced page turner filled with a likeable community of characters that will delight readers and keep then entertained till the last page. less

When Peter Brandon is commissioned to paint Emily Hastings' portrait, his keen psychic awareness unlocks the dark secret that has haunted her since childhood. Now on the brink of at last finding happiness in the arms of the man she loves, she is faced with her father's resolute desire to destroy her life. When her father, Charles Hastings, is found murdered, Emily is suspected of the crime, and it falls to Jeff Stevens, Peter's lover, to try and clear her name... moreWhen Peter Brandon is commissioned to paint Emily Hastings' portrait, his keen psychic awareness unlocks the dark secret that has haunted her since childhood. Now on the brink of at last finding happiness in the arms of the man she loves, she is faced with her father's resolute desire to destroy her life. When her father, Charles Hastings, is found murdered, Emily is suspected of the crime, and it falls to Jeff Stevens, Peter's lover, to try and clear her name. His investigation turns personal when his ex-lover is also found murdered and he finds himself tracking two killers - at considerable risk to himself. His discovery that Hastings was involved in using the services of a child prostitution ring enrages Jeff and he agrees to be the bait in a police 'sting' operation...but when that goes wrong, Jeff's life is suddenly, once again, in danger. less

The old axiom of 'What you see is what you get" cannot be said to apply to Olivia Winters, the seemingly gracious and vivacious daytime television host whom Peter Brandon is commissioned to paint after he and his partner, Jeff Stevens, appear on her popular show. Peter quickly discovers that underneath the veneer of warmth and sophistication, is a bitter and vindictive woman-with an ego bigger than the lavish Beverly Hills penthouse she owns... moreThe old axiom of 'What you see is what you get" cannot be said to apply to Olivia Winters, the seemingly gracious and vivacious daytime television host whom Peter Brandon is commissioned to paint after he and his partner, Jeff Stevens, appear on her popular show. Peter quickly discovers that underneath the veneer of warmth and sophistication, is a bitter and vindictive woman-with an ego bigger than the lavish Beverly Hills penthouse she owns. Her perfect world, however, starts to unravel when she receives threatening letters from a religious fanatic, and when her blackmailing ex-boyfriend attempts to reenter her life. Jeff, hired to investigate the source of the threats, is convinced that Patricia Hastings, the mother of their close friends, Emily and Anthony, may very well be the perpetrator. Patricia is particularly incensed when her son and daughter are interviewed by Olivia on the subject of child abuse-something Patricia has long denied her children suffered. Challenged by Olivia to counter her children's stories, an enraged Patricia physically attacks Olivia in front of a studio audience. Olivia seeks to benefit from the resulting media frenzy, but a murder and a suicide deflate her plans. She turns her fury on those around her, but is silenced when confronted by a vengeful killer-with only Peter's erratic psychic ability to prevent another murder. "A Portrait of Olivia," the fifth in the "Portrait" series, is another entertaining mix of mystery, thrills, chills and the complexity of love and friendship. less

When Peter and Jeff accept an invitation from their longtime friends Rod and 'A' to spend Christmas in London, they don't expect murder and mayhem to be part of the festivities! A Christmas pantomime a British tradition, when families flock to the theatre for ribald entertainment, gender bending roles and thinly veiled innuendo... moreWhen Peter and Jeff accept an invitation from their longtime friends Rod and 'A' to spend Christmas in London, they don't expect murder and mayhem to be part of the festivities! A Christmas pantomime a British tradition, when families flock to the theatre for ribald entertainment, gender bending roles and thinly veiled innuendo. But jealousy, hate, murder? Surely that's not part of the entertainment? Or so Peter and Jeff think when they accept an invitation to spend Christmas in London from their longtime friends Rod and 'A' (short for Arthur). 'A' is making his return to the stage in Cinderella, playing one of the ugly sisters. Things get really ugly when Ken Blackwell, the other sister, tries to shake up Arthur's self-esteem by calling him a washed up old has-been, then goes on a rampage when the show's director falls ill and Rod is asked to replace him. Peter's psychic intuition helps him see past the pantomime's gaudy glitter and into the dark secrets some people are desperate to conceal. less