You crave a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page. You want the grit of authentic police work mixed with the tension of a killer on the loose.

Welcome to the streets of Tampa, Florida.

Homicide detective Mike Ash misses nothing. But his latest crime scene is a puzzle missing half its pieces. A local man is dead. The alibis are rock-solid. There is zero physical evidence. The only witness to the crime is the family dog.

Ash's gut tells him it is foul play. The evidence tells him he is chasing ghosts.

When a second widow is left grieving in a nearby neighborhood under eerily similar circumstances, the whispers start. A multiple murderer is operating in the Florida heat. Ash is now racing against the clock, fighting dead-end leads, and trying to outsmart a killer who leaves no trace.

Can the relentless investigator crack the case, or is body bag number three already waiting?

Why Readers Cannot Put This Book Down

• Authentic Police Procedures: Experience the gritty reality of homicide investigations. This book is heavily researched to ensure law enforcement tactics are accurate and believable, a staple of a great detective story.
• Local Tampa Flavor: Immerse yourself in a crime fiction novel inspired by real cities, deeply rooted in the authentic neighborhoods, climate, and atmosphere of the Tampa Bay area.
• Gripping Suspense: Follow a dogged hero through a complex web of air-tight alibis, moral ambiguity, and eye-opening revelations.
• No Outlines, Just Pure Instinct: Written organically without strict outlines, allowing the characters' true thoughts, emotions, and actions to drive the suspenseful narrative forward.

Continue the Mike Ash Crime Series 

Unfinished Business is the page-turning first book in the suspenseful Mike Ash crime series collection. Once you finish, the hunt continues. Explore the rest of the Florida mystery series:

• Book 2: Business As Usual | Buy on Amazon
• Book 3: Taking Care of Business | Buy on Amazon
• Book 4: Ugly Business | Buy on Amazon
• Book 5: Out of Business | Buy on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book based on real crimes in Tampa, Florida?

While the story is a work of fiction, the setting is incredibly authentic. D.L. Ashmore writes from his local knowledge of Tampa and the surrounding Florida areas to build a realistic, immersive backdrop for Detective Mike Ash's investigations.

What makes this different from other police procedural books?

Unfinished Business focuses on strict verisimilitude. The law enforcement tactics are heavily researched to ensure accuracy—earning praise from real veteran law enforcement officers. It blends classical detective story elements with modern psychological suspense, avoiding the overused clichés found in many mystery books.

Do I need to read the Mike Ash series in order?

While each novel tackles a distinct homicide case that is resolved by the end of the book, reading them in order starting with Unfinished Business helps you fully experience the character development of Detective Ash and his evolving life in Tampa.