“Murder. Spies. Assassins. Follow the tale of mitigation specialist Liv as she tries to get a young man off of death row and finds trouble. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It was one of the most thrilling mystery books I have read in a while, and Jon Hebert does an excellent job of weaving the story together from a multitude of perspectives. Each character is very well formed and the book kept my attention the entire time. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a really well-written spy thriller. Only pick it up if you have plenty of time though—once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down!”
~ Kelsey Cashman, Reedsy Discovery
The Gemstone Peridot
Liv Baird faces the one legal challenge she can’t control—a Russian assassin at the heart of her final death row case in this ‘ripped from the headlines’ international thriller.
Liv advocates for countless death row cases, but none as dangerous as Ned Baker’s. She thought the case would be cut and dry, then she uncovers evidence he may have been framed. When her investigation unearths a covert operative named Amethyst, it threatens to expose the high-ranking intelligence officer who’ll do anything to keep his agent’s whereabouts a secret—including putting her life at risk.
With a crooked cop army on her tail, Liv must navigate the rural town of Atwar, Alabama, to trap Amethyst and extract the truth: did he frame Ned? And if not, who did? But Amethyst’s motives aren’t easily discerned; he may be the real killer; he may be her savior; and she may have to partner with him to prove her client’s innocence.
As she closes in on the shocking truth, Moscow dispatches an assassin to kill Amethyst, putting Liv in the way of his dragon-like blade. With the pressure mounting, the scene is set for a fiery, bloody showdown. Gripping and darkly fun, The Gemstone Peridot’s slow-burning plot and action-filled twists push an expansive cast of characters toward a blistering, unforgettable finale.
(Seeking Representation)
Hold On, Let Me Get The Phone… A Comedic Memoir of Horrific Hearing Problems
by Jon Dumaine (aka Jon Hébert)
New Orleans musician Jon Dumaine faces the ultimate threat to his sanity—an extreme case of sound sensitivity in this hilarious, heartfelt, and humor-filled memoir.
Reflecting Dumaine’s newly fractured state of mind, Hold On, Let Me Get The Phone’s narrative unfolds through a collection of absurdist adventures: a Heavenly battle between good and evil; a top-secret operation to steal a government tinnitus curing device; his failed attempt at stand-up comedy; and a family forced to burn his book to keep warm on a cold winter’s night.
Health issues have plagued Dumaine in the past, but none as dangerous as hyperacusis and tinnitus, a thieving combination of extreme sound sensitivity and ungodly ringing in the ears. Friends, family, and doctors all thought the conditions would heal on their own. Yet they stick around for over a year without improving, and no medical professional can offer a diagnosis or effective treatment.
When an audiologist unearths the mystery diagnosis of hyperacusis, Dumaine begins a long, expensive, and frustrating healing journey, set to face the head demon in his quest for mental quietude: his own mind. Among the many therapies he undergoes, mindfulness-based meditation is the most promising. But to reap the benefits, he has to go through—not around—his conditions, delving into the heart of the hearing problems that nearly destroyed his relationship, sanity, and career.
Earnest and ridiculously fun, this genre-bending memoir explores what it means to live with—and push through—chronic pain, and to find healing on the other side of impossibility. Join Dumaine as he invites you to experience what it’s like to have the sound of sizzling food cause you intense pain, to have a child’s laughter make you run away in fear, and to have ringing in your ears so loud and insistent that you’re constantly telling everyone, Hold On, Let Me Get The Phone!