Below the Fold

R. G. Belsky

May 2019 · Oceanview Publishing

About this ebook

Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Gold Winner for Mystery

When the murder of a "nobody" triggers an avalanche

Every human life is supposed to be important. Everyone should matter. But that's not the case in the cutthroat TV news-rating world where Clare Carlson works. Sex, money, and power sell. Only murder victims of the right social strata are considered worth covering. Not the murder of a "nobody."

So, when the battered body of a homeless woman named Dora Gayle is found on the streets of New York City, her murder barely gets a mention in the media. But Clare—a TV news director who still has a reporter's instincts—decides to dig deeper into the seemingly meaningless death. She uncovers mysterious links between Gayle and a number of wealthy and influential figures.

There is a prominent female defense attorney; a scandal-ridden ex-congressman; a decorated NYPD detective; and—most shocking of all—a wealthy media mogul who owns the TV station where Clare works.

Soon there are more murders, more victims, more questions. As the bodies pile up, Clare realizes that her job, her career, and maybe even her life are at stake as she chases after her biggest story ever.

Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Robert Crais

While all of the novels in the Clare Carlson Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:

Yesterday's News
Below the Fold
The Last Scoop
Beyond the Headlines
It's News to Me
Broadcast Blues (coming 2024)

Ratings and reviews

Meet Clare Carlson. She has 3 failed marriages, uncertain about her role as a mother, and her personal life is in constant confusion. She's also a terrific reporter, having won the Pulitzer Prize some years ago. She is now a TV News Director. BELOW THE FOLD -- ‘below the fold’ was coined when there was an actual physical fold in the middle of the newspaper. ‘Above the fold’ was anything on the top half, and ‘below the fold’ was anything underneath. The content that was deemed less important was traditionally placed below the fold, since it was mostly invisible when displayed on a newsstand. It all starts with the beating death of a homeless woman who called herself Cinderella. Her real name was Dora Gayle. Although her death was meaningless to most, Clare's gut instincts told her to dig deeper. What she finds are strange links to very prominent people .... a female defense attorney, a scandal-ridden ex-Congressman, a NYPD Detective (one of Clare's ex-husbands), a stockbroker, and the man who owns the TV station where Clare works. Book Blurb -- Soon there are more murders, more victims, more questions. As the bodies pile up, Clare realizes that her career, and maybe even her life are at stake as she chases after her biggest story ever. What a sensational novel! The author's background ensures this story, these characters are indeed, credible. Clare and her colleagues are fascinating to watch as they begin their investigation by questioning and filming the people who knew the dead woman. Their promotion of this death brings it to the forefront of the news. It's captivating, leaving me riveted to each and every well-written page. Although this is Book 2 of this series, it is easily read as a stand alone. However, I do recommend starting at the beginning and that's just what I'm going to do. Many thanks to the author / Oceanview Publishing / Edelweiss for the digital copy of BELOW THE FOLD. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

About the author

R. G. Belsky is an author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. He has been a top editor at the New York Post, NY Daily News, Star Magazine, and NBC News. Below the Fold is the second in his award-winning Clare Carlson Mystery Series, following Yesterday's News, and is followed by The Last Scoop and Beyond the Headlines. Belsky resides in New York City.