78 Degrees and Bloody

A young woman stabbed to death, her boyfriend tortured and shot, a Craigslist seller burned alive in his car, and the most disturbing killer LA has seen in years is just getting started. Recipient of the Kirkus Reviews “Get it!” award.Los Angeles homicide detective Casey Stafford is under pressure. The murdered girl was a popular, and pretty, influencer. The news media are demanding that the police stop this killer. Casey’s bosses are threatening to take the case away—which would kill his career.And the disturbed killer desperately murders more people to cover his tracks.The investigation leads Casey and his partner, Banchet Suwan, to a Chinese gang, a Mexican hitman, the FBI, a million dollars in stolen gold, and a leak in the LAPD itself. And with each murder, media interest in the case grows until the entire nation is watching.With Prior’s “crackling prose and relentless pacing,” each book in the Casey Stafford Series is filled with action, uniquely frightening criminals, and authentic LAPD police procedural details.Casey’s no hero—but he’s a good cop, smart, and deadly determined. You’ll share his enthusiasm to get justice for his victims.If you enjoy crime thrillers like Michael Connelly’s Bosch Series or John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers, you’ll love Detective Casey Stafford.REVIEWS“Terrifying. Brooks is one of the most disturbing villains I’ve encountered in crime fiction.” — Amazon Reviewer“George Prior’s debut novel is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling. …a high-octane pace… a triumph of suspense and thriller writing.” — NetGalley“If you like John Sandford, you’ll like this. I’ve read all the Prey and Virgil Flowers books. Finally found a series in the same vein.” — Amazon Reviewer“Michael Connelly, look out - Pacy, up-to-the-minute LA police procedural with slick dialogue and wry humour. Move over Harry Bosch, there’s a new sheriff in town.” — Amazon Reviewer“An exhilarating thriller. Get it.” — Kirkus Reviews“Adrenaline rush,” “Thrilling,” “The best crime I have read,” “Non-stop action,” “A total page-turner,” “When is George Prior going to release another book?” — Amazon ReviewersCRITICAL PRAISE FOR DEAD SAFE, Book 2 in the Casey Stafford Series“I love a solid police procedural, and George Prior’s DEAD SAFE delivers. Sunny Beverly Hills, brutal murders, and Detectives Casey Stafford and Banchet Suwan on the case? Cop a squat, bring a snack, and enjoy! It’s a wild, gritty ride … don’t let the palm trees fool ya.” — Tracy Clark, award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery Series and the Det. Harriet Foster series“A razor-sharp procedural that’s also a vivid portrait of contemporary Los Angeles, as riveting as it is authentic. DEAD SAFE is a crime novel you won’t want to miss. Superb.” — Lou Berney, Edgar Award–winning author of DARK RIDE“By turns harrowing, gripping, and surprisingly empathetic, DEAD SAFE is the most original, thrilling, and richly told heist novel I’ve encountered since Michael Connelly’s The Black Echo. The Casey Stafford series just keeps getting better and better—don’t miss this one.” — Wes Miller, former Executive Editor at Grand Central PublishingBite Back, Book 3 in the series, arrives April 27, 2026.Start reading Book 1 now!