James Dain
Cover of Blood on the Mountain by James Dain — Hard Knocks book 3
Hard Knocks · Book 3

A young skier is dead on the slopes. Her fiancé knows it was no accident.

Blue-collar heroes fight for their lives in the school of hard knocks.

Paperback · $18.95
Ebook · $4.99
Best Novel, L.A. Neo-Noir Festival · BookLife Prize · Readers' Favorite · Amazon bestseller in crime fiction · Member, Mystery Writers of America
The series

Hard Knocks

See the series →
Cover of The Body in the Alley by James Dain — Hard Knocks book 1
Hard Knocks · Book 1 · Novella

The Body in the Alley

There's a body in the alley, and Keith Gainey is going to prison—unless he can beat the gangster who's trying to frame him.

Paperback · $9.95
Ebook · $3.49
Twisted

For readers who like it darker.

  1. Cover of Leaving Venice by James Dain — Twisted book 1
    Darkness 2/5
  2. Cover of You Always Kill the One You Love by James Dain — Twisted book 3
    Darkness 4/5
  3. Cover of The Invisible Worm That Flies in the Night by James Dain — Twisted book 2
    Darkness 5/5
Author James Dain outdoors in front of autumn hills
A word from the author

Hi, I'm James Dain. I write fast-moving crime fiction that cuts to the heart of family secrets, small-town lies, and the darkness we all carry—with hard settings and characters facing no easy answers. When I'm not writing, I teach college in Palm Springs and snowboarding at Bear Mountain.

— James Dain

Cover of Leaving Venice by James Dain — Twisted book 1
Free short story

Read Leaving Venice free

A Hitchcock-style short story. Love and death in the city of canals.

Arrives in your inbox in a few minutes. Occasional newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime.

Real Readers Love James Dain

Real readers leave real reviews. See what they have to say and discover if James Dain is for you, too.

Midwest Book ReviewProfessional review
The Invisible Worm That Flies in the Night
“An impressive level of literary excellence... A compelling, compulsive page-turner.”
ACAmazon Customer

Bizarre and entertaining

I found this new Dain book satisfying on many levels. A genuinely interesting read, both bizarre and entertaining.
LRLisa Reynolds

Dan, Sandra, the end of the Universe...?

This book kept me LOCKED in! Each page had me rethinking what I knew must be the answer. The journey is worth every twist and turn.
GGoldie

Modern day Sisyphus

This one kept me guessing till the very end. There were so many twists I didn't know whether I was coming or going.