BooksChatter: ☀ No Reason for Insanity: The Haszard Narratives [6]

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for No Reason for Insanity, a Crime Mystery by Kevin E. Hatt (1 February 2016, Koehler Books, 280 pages).

This is the sixth book in The Haszard Narratives series.

PREVIEW: Check out the book's synopsis and excerpt below. Read the first two chapters with Amazon Look Inside.

Synopsis | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Tour Stops

Synopsis

No Reason For Insanity is a tale of intrigue, concentrating on the thoughts and actions of Haszard, the narrator. It is a whodunit with dark, and occasionally light humour, using lateral thinking as Haszard works through the bizarre murders to discover links. There is tension and danger throughout, plus a desperate fight for survival.

Intrigued by the bizarre events surrounding the murder of a friend, Haszard is asked by the family to look in to the matter. Against the advice of his friends, he begins making enquiries, and is disturbed when he realizes that it may well be someone he knows.

As progress is made, further events occur, endangering the life of Haszard and his friends, and he is forced to delve into the deepest recesses of his resourcefulness . . .

Teaser: Excerpt

     Walking away from the house I said nothing but had a feeling something sinister was afoot. Gerry, a non-swimmer who was terrified of water, would never go near a swimming pool, yet he’d been found in one. Wrong. Everything about this was wrong. Gerry used to joke that he only ever showered because the water in the bath was too deep, therefore him being found in a swimming pool bordered on the surreal.
     Why, though, would someone want to murder a man like Gerry? He was probably the nicest man I’d ever met, never having a bad word to say about anyone. I’d never heard of him being involved in any kind of conflict—nothing at all. In fact, the same went for the entire family. Sylvia was a church-going lady who involved herself with charity work, raising money for disadvantaged children, seldom going out to restaurants or the like, choosing to remain at home where she organized dinner parties for friends.
     Alec’s only confrontation was on the rugby field, the young man spending the majority of his time with fiancée, Loretta, the couple enjoying their weekends in the great outdoors, rock-climbing, canoeing, and pony-trekking.
     Donna, who’d not long turned twenty-one, was probably the more outgoing member of the family, although she seldom frequented nightclubs, preferring to see live bands instead. I knew that she’d recently split with a long-standing boyfriend; nevertheless, that was an amicable parting and therefore couldn’t be put forward as a motive for anyone to wish harm on the family, especially her gentle father.
     The way that I saw it, there was no reason anyone should want to harm Gerry, and certainly not his loving wife Sylvia or their children, Alec and Donna.
      “Haz, are you all right?” Sabrina asked as we entered the car.
     I shrugged. “I’m just bothered about what Loretta said. Something’s not right about all this. We’re seeing Vicky tomorrow night, so I’ll ask her what she thinks and if there’s anything she can tell us.”

No Reason for Insanity
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The Series: The Haszard Narratives

|| [1] || [2] || [3] || [4] || [5] ||

Click on the book cover to Look Inside the book on Amazon and read an excerpt.

A Light n the Darkness [1]

A Light in the Darkness is the first in a series of black comedy/crime/mystery narratives. In this story, Haszard (quintessentially English and rather mysterious) is shocked at the death of a friend, and is intrigued by the circumstances. Known for becoming involved in such matters, his friends attempt to talk him out of it, but he doesn’t listen.

As he progresses, his love-life improves dramatically when he meets the woman of his dreams, and his chances of discovering the identity of the perpetrator are boosted when he befriends a local businessman who has many resources at his fingertips.

As inroads are made, life becomes dangerous for Haszard, and attempts on his life are made, yet he pushes on regardless, firmly convinced that it’s someone he knows . . .

Although this is the darkest of the tales, it contains a good deal of humour, along with Haszard’s cynical view of the world. It’s also a tale of relationships, friendship and everyday life. Basically, it’s different to most crime novels in that it isn’t police based; it involves Haszard and his group of friends. It’s been written to entertain, providing intrigue, action, excitement, humour and a little light romance.

[Published 15 January 2014, 337 pages]

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Maps, Legends and Misdemeanours [2]

When asked to frame an old map, Haszard discovers that it's linked to valuables from the past. Intrigued, he begins to look into the matter, but soon realises that he isn't the only person who's interested.

With other matters also to look into, Haszard makes inroads, but as the danger escalates he realises that the other party will stop at nothing, and events culminate in a desperate struggle for survival . . .

This is the second of the Haszard narratives, and is considerably lighter than the first. In this tale, Haszard's problem-solving skills are displayed, as he has to decipher age-old clues as to the whereabouts of hidden valuables which are worth an absolute fortune.

In addition to the main storyline, Haszard also has other matters to attend to (including a supposedly haunted house), one of which dovetails with the main plot. This is the "Misdemeanours" in the title.

For anyone who hasn't read the first story, you really don't need to. Although it carries on from the first, it is a completely separate story, and the characters are introduced individually. Also, it gives a further insight into a forthcoming regular character - Grace - who makes her proper debut in the next tale. In brief, Maps, Legends and Misdemeanours is a tale of life, including intrigue, action, adventure, mystery, humour and light romance, along with Haszard's views on the world we live in.

[Published 14 April 2014, 388 pages]

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Phoenix from the Flame [3]

When told by a friend that she saw her dead husband alive and well, and walking around a market town, Haszard agrees to look into the matter. As he makes progress, he realises that there is more to it than merely someone supposedly coming back from the dead.

With another matter also to look into, life becomes full, yet utilising the help of his friends, he discovers a dark secret, but there are people who will stop at nothing and aren't afraid of resorting to murder . . .

This is the third in the Haszard series of crime/mystery/black comedy narratives. Although they run in sequence, it isn't necessary to read them in order.

This story sees the growing relationship between Haszard and Sabrina, along with their friend Ed Loughmann, whose cynical outlook provides much of the humour. It also sees the first proper appearance of Grace, who delivers humour of a lighter nature. Cricket playing, and tea and ale drinking Haszard is quintessentially English non-hero-type character, and although seemingly clever, tends to bumble his way through, often relying on his friends.

As with the second Haszard tale, there is more than one problem for Haszard to deal with, and his problem-solving skills are at their best.

Phoenix from the Flame isn't a whodunit as such; it's a case of Haszard unearthing the truth behind events, and discovering the truth of what's been going on, and attempting to deliver a solution and some justice. The aim of the series is to provide intrigue, suspense and humour, with the reader getting to know the characters.

The Haszard series isn't a traditional crime or detective series, and has been described as refreshing by several critics.

[Published 2 September 2014, 386 pages]

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The Heirloom Repository [4]

When asked to look for a missing family inheritance, Haszard isn't discouraged by the lack of information available. With his typical tenacity, he endeavours, yet the scale of the task is overwhelming. Overcoming other obstacles, he makes progress, but there is someone else who isn't afraid to resort to murderous means.

Aided by a clairvoyant and government operatives, along with a mysterious character who seems to disappear without trace, Haszard discovers that if he is to achieve his goal, he must undertake the most hazardous journey of his life . . .

This is the 4th Haszard narrative, and continues the series with a lighter tone, yet with the hallmarks of its predecessors - namely intrigue, suspense, mystery and danger for the characters. Including mysticism, this story gets close to the edge, and sets the bar for the stories which follow.

As with the previous Haszard narratives, it is not necessary to read those which preceded, as each story is individual.

[Published 15 December 2014, 430 pages]

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Race for the Prize [5]

This is the fifth in the series of Haszard mystery/crime/black comedies.

When on holiday with his friends, Haszard sees a girl who went missing a number of weeks previous. Fuelled with his usual determination, he sets about looking into the matter, although all is not as it appears, and it isn't long before matters become eventful.

Having befriended a local artist, Haszard moves closer to an answer, yet the odds are stacked heavily against him. In order to win through, he must endure his most arduous and perilous challenge yet . . .

[Published 7 August 2015, 392 pages]

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About the Author

Kevin E. Hatt is a registered medical professional and advanced life support provider at one of his local hospitals.

His love of writing began at school, and continued on into his twenties.

In nineteen eighty-four he began his medical training, and in nineteen eighty-seven began writing what is now the Haszard Narratives. They were, though, shelved when he pursued another love, that of art, and he left the medical profession in two-thousand to become a freelance art consultant, teacher, demonstrator, framer and retailer.

In twenty-ten he returned to the medical profession, and also resurrected the Haszard series.

He now lives in the north east of England with his wife of twenty-five years and his daughter of twenty-three.

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