Running out of Luck, Running out of Time…
Meet Marko – not his real name by the way. He lives a double life; one life is lived under the radar as the leader of BRATVA (a Russian Mafia gang), and the other as an Oligarch who has the ear of the Kremlin…but for how long?

Marko eyed her from the bed as she gathered her clothes and prepared to shower and dress. He didn’t trust her anymore, she seemed nervous and remote these days and his gut didn’t feel right; she didn’t feel right. For a long time, he’d had suspicions. She seemed to be softening towards the girls under her control and he was debating whether to remove her from her role as Madam of the main whore house which she’d run so successfully.
Too many things had been going wrong lately. Too many shipments had been discovered and although he had managed to remain more-or-less anonymous and untouchable, he knew his luck would run out unless he acted soon. Was it her? He hoped it wasn’t, but he would soon know; the trap was set. If the latest consignment of girls was discovered and raided; he would know.

I hope you enjoy my teaser from the last story in my crime collection, Undercover: Crime Shorts.
It is an extract from my series, Ms. Birdsong Investigates, featuring a former MI5 Intelligence Officer who was given the option – accept ‘voluntary’ retirement and retain her pension after 20 years of service to Queen and country, or face dismissal and all the humiliation and reputational damage that would incur, not to mention the loss of her pension, following a botched joint MI6/MI5 operation in Moscow.

Lavinia chose retirement, vowing to inveigle her way back into MI5 one way or another…
To find out more about Lavinia Birdsong and her series, as well as the background to my writing, my inspiration, and experiences working for Government departments, and in the International Music Industry, pop over to the global The Authors Show network podcast, by clicking the link to channel 4 below.
I’m in conversation with my host, Linda Thompson, chatting about Undercover: Crime Shorts, and I read a chapter from one of the stories included in my collection.
Lavinia Birdsong is in with my agent at the present time and – fingers crossed – she will launch herself onto an unsuspecting world very soon.
Meanwhile, I hope you will enjoy Undercover: Crime Shorts and the variety of short stories I’ve put together.
Western Kentucky University, KT, USA, 2nd-year students, have been using Undercover: Crime Shorts in their Introduction to Literature classes since October 2021.
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The Author Show, Channel 4, Undercover: Crime Shorts: https://wnbnetworkwest.com/channel/4

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Thanks for dropping by. I hope you come again. Do leave a comment and let’s have a natter. Jane xx
Categories: Blog