READER'S FAVORITE FIVE STAR REVIEW

This novel is the first book in A.J. Lape’s hilarious and heart-pounding new Darcy Walker Investigations series—an evolution of teenage heroine to pizza delivery driver to police officer on the streets of LA.

Darcy Walker is a rookie police officer working the nightshift in the Los Angeles Police Department. A job tailor-made for adrenaline junkie Darcy, but one thing her new position entails is following the rules. Barely thirty days in and she fights the itch to go rogue when a Vegas mobster named Fat Tony sends someone to kidnap her and a reality television star winds up dead on her watch. 

Against orders, Darcy bloodhounds Fat Tony behind her sergeant’s back and secretly runs her own vice op inside a TV series to find a murderer. But what she sees as going above and beyond the call of duty, detectives take as interference in their cases. She’s on thin ice, and they let her know she's about to get wet. 

Can Darcy stay in her lane and leave investigations to those in the suits, or will Fat Tony kidnap her and it won’t even matter?

For fans of Stephanie Plum, Veronica Mars, Fortune Redding, and other mystery-thriller heroines, Ride or Die will leave you laughing one minute…then hiding under your bed the next.

★★★★★ "I love the Stephanie Plum series and this book put me right back there." - Reader's Favorite Reviewer

★★★★★ "The humor. The fun plots. The emotional angst. The colorful, fun characters. I will always be in the front of the line cheering for more Darcy Walker." - Up All Night Book Addict, Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer

After surviving an attempt on her life, Darcy’s summer break brings more of the same crazy. Can she solve a kidnapping case that’s been dead for six months?

Two weeks before junior year, Darcy Walker hops a plane to Florida for a little R&R with her best friend, Dylan Taylor, and his family. Even before her feet hit Orlando soil, the disappearance of a five-year-old boy catches her in its snare. Convinced she can bring him home, she joins forces with a local reporter, but they soon discover those closest to the boy are hiding something. 

With Darcy’s inner-verb in beast mode, she’s determined to ferret out the lies, but the more she follows the clues, the more secrets she uncovers. Add a separate murder investigation, a severed head, and a mysterious businessman who seems to know everything, and it’s one too many mysteries to unravel. Thing is, as the cloak-and-dagger heats up, Darcy’s shocked to find Dylan and their boiling flirtationship just might hold more secrets than anything.

As confusion charges from all angles, can she sort things out or will she drown in the sea of lies?

NO BRAINER is the second novel in the Darcy Walker Mystery Series, high school years. If you enjoy laugh-out-loud humor, nail-biting suspense, with a touch of are-they-or-aren’t-they romance, then you’ll love A.J. Lape’s story. 

One-click this fast-paced, humorous #1 Amazon bestseller readers call Veronica Mars meets Stephanie Plum meets Pretty Little Liars today!

An action-packed series starter: Ruthless criminals. Sordid covers. And a vice operative who's very good at being bad.

Ruby Rivera has come a long way from running guns for a motorcycle club in Las Vegas. She’s now a vice detective in the LAPD, spearheading an op to dismantle a sex trafficking ring led by Chauncey Ford. With her cover as Crush, Rivera’s mission is to capture Ford’s attention and snag a job as a prostitute in his organization. Besides a stubborn will to never fail, she’s got two things going for her—great legs and she’s a great liar.

Alejandro Gutierrez is haunted by demons—one tattooed on his back and the memory of the young woman he couldn’t save. As a leader to an organized crime syndicate, he’s supposed to be all-machine. But he can’t convince his heart to stop feeling. When a chance encounter with Ruby Rivera draws him into the middle of a sting, he finds himself attracted and offering his expertise. 

Problem is, their day-jobs put them on opposing sides of the law. 

When stakes are high and bullets start flying, will they work together as a team? Or will that opposites-attract thing blow up in their faces? 

For fans of James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Willow Rose, and more thrillers with strong female leads, Ruby Rivera and her missions are keep-you-up-at-night action-fiction that will make you get up and lock your doors.

Join Darcy Walker in season one of SIDE HUSTLE, a three-part serial where she leaves the Cincinnati, Ohio, area for the bright lights and bustling action of Los Angeles, California. Crimes are darker, people are more colorful, but one thing remains the same—Darcy Walker solves crime one way: living life like a verb.

Darcy Walker excels at lies, deception, and outthinking the bad guys. She has the résumé to prove it. While waiting to attend the police academy, she takes her talents into pizza delivery. Little does she know, life as a delivery driver isn’t all pizza and wings.

On a late-night run to a customer’s home, Darcy’s delivery turns deadly. She stumbles into a murder mystery straight out of a Hollywood script—a blood-soaked crime scene with no known witnesses except a suspicious man with a Mona Lisa smile. To compound the trifecta, the victim appears to have a past he’s been trying to outrun. Uncovering his secret-filled life leads Darcy and some new friends on a high-voltage journey, intersecting with a former adversary.

When shadows of this old enemy surface, Darcy realizes black and white are an absolute as sure as the sun’s rotation. One wrong move could keep her from the academy, and one screw up could mean a friend of hers breathes his last breath. 

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Veronica Mars meets Stephanie Plum meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

Grab this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

In season two of SIDE HUSTLE, Darcy Walker is back delivering pizzas, fighting Los Angeles crime, and attending the police academy. And one thing still rings true—living life like a verb comes with a price.

Clyde Sargent is rude. Egotistical. And a bad tipper. Delivering a fourteen-inch Rollo’s Revenge pizza should be an in-and-out job. Until he drops a bombshell he might’ve committed murder. Then Darcy Walker can’t let it go.

Days from the police academy, Darcy’s conscience reminds her it’s not her job to solve the mystery. No matter how appealing the challenge may be. 

Struggling with coloring between the lines, the more she tries to conform, the more crime the universe throws her way. A dead body appears. A hit is placed on her friends. And someone from the academy has a Star Wars moment and goes to the dark side.

A new day is on the horizon in season two of Side Hustle. Darcy’s dream is within reach. Will she pump the brakes on her personality and let others take her cases? Or will she get kicked out of the program before she even earns her badge?

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Stephanie Plum meets Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

One-click this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

Join Darcy Walker in season one of SIDE HUSTLE, a three-part serial where she leaves the Cincinnati, Ohio, area for the bright lights and bustling action of Los Angeles, California. Crimes are darker, people are more colorful, but one thing remains the same—Darcy Walker solves crime one way: living life like a verb.

Darcy Walker excels at lies, deception, and outthinking the bad guys. She has the résumé to prove it. While waiting to attend the police academy, she takes her talents into pizza delivery. Little does she know, life as a delivery driver isn’t all pizza and wings.

On a late-night run to a customer’s home, Darcy’s delivery turns deadly. She stumbles into a murder mystery straight out of a Hollywood script—a blood-soaked crime scene with no known witnesses except a suspicious man with a Mona Lisa smile. To compound the trifecta, the victim appears to have a past he’s been trying to outrun. Uncovering his secret-filled life leads Darcy and some new friends on a high-voltage journey, intersecting with a former adversary.

When shadows of this old enemy surface, Darcy realizes black and white are an absolute as sure as the sun’s rotation. One wrong move could keep her from the academy, and one screw up could mean a friend of hers breathes his last breath. 

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Veronica Mars meets Stephanie Plum meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

Grab this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

Join Darcy Walker in season one of SIDE HUSTLE, a three-part serial where she leaves the Cincinnati, Ohio, area for the bright lights and bustling action of Los Angeles, California. Crimes are darker, people are more colorful, but one thing remains the same—Darcy Walker solves crime one way: living life like a verb.

Darcy Walker excels at lies, deception, and outthinking the bad guys. She has the résumé to prove it. While waiting to attend the police academy, she takes her talents into pizza delivery. Little does she know, life as a delivery driver isn’t all pizza and wings.

On a late-night run to a customer’s home, Darcy’s delivery turns deadly. She stumbles into a murder mystery straight out of a Hollywood script—a blood-soaked crime scene with no known witnesses except a suspicious man with a Mona Lisa smile. To compound the trifecta, the victim appears to have a past he’s been trying to outrun. Uncovering his secret-filled life leads Darcy and some new friends on a high-voltage journey, intersecting with a former adversary.

When shadows of this old enemy surface, Darcy realizes black and white are an absolute as sure as the sun’s rotation. One wrong move could keep her from the academy, and one screw up could mean a friend of hers breathes his last breath. 

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Veronica Mars meets Stephanie Plum meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

Grab this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

In season two of SIDE HUSTLE, Darcy Walker is back delivering pizzas, fighting Los Angeles crime, and attending the police academy. And one thing still rings true—living life like a verb comes with a price.

Clyde Sargent is rude. Egotistical. And a bad tipper. Delivering a fourteen-inch Rollo’s Revenge pizza should be an in-and-out job. Until he drops a bombshell he might’ve committed murder. Then Darcy Walker can’t let it go.

Days from the police academy, Darcy’s conscience reminds her it’s not her job to solve the mystery. No matter how appealing the challenge may be. 

Struggling with coloring between the lines, the more she tries to conform, the more crime the universe throws her way. A dead body appears. A hit is placed on her friends. And someone from the academy has a Star Wars moment and goes to the dark side.

A new day is on the horizon in season two of Side Hustle. Darcy’s dream is within reach. Will she pump the brakes on her personality and let others take her cases? Or will she get kicked out of the program before she even earns her badge?

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Stephanie Plum meets Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

One-click this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

In season two of SIDE HUSTLE, Darcy Walker is back delivering pizzas, fighting Los Angeles crime, and attending the police academy. And one thing still rings true—living life like a verb comes with a price.

Clyde Sargent is rude. Egotistical. And a bad tipper. Delivering a fourteen-inch Rollo’s Revenge pizza should be an in-and-out job. Until he drops a bombshell he might’ve committed murder. Then Darcy Walker can’t let it go.

Days from the police academy, Darcy’s conscience reminds her it’s not her job to solve the mystery. No matter how appealing the challenge may be. 

Struggling with coloring between the lines, the more she tries to conform, the more crime the universe throws her way. A dead body appears. A hit is placed on her friends. And someone from the academy has a Star Wars moment and goes to the dark side.

A new day is on the horizon in season two of Side Hustle. Darcy’s dream is within reach. Will she pump the brakes on her personality and let others take her cases? Or will she get kicked out of the program before she even earns her badge?

Readers call the Darcy Walker Series Stephanie Plum meets Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars.

Note from the author: This is a serial, so episodes end on a cliffhanger with the third installment of each season being the conclusion to the story.

One-click this humorous, nail-biting mystery today!

A murderer thinks it was the perfect kill. A teenage sleuth vows to have the last word.

Meet Darcy Walker: Practical joker. Adrenaline junkie. With an allergic reaction to schoolwork. In Darcy’s world, the best parts of the day are lunch, staring at good butts, and when the final bell rings. But everything changes when she discovers a dead body near Valley High. It jumpstarts her inner-sleuth, and she vows to catch the murderer.

Teaming up with an out of shape jock and the school bad boy to unravel the clues, Darcy soon realizes chasing the sins of a killer can come with a price. Danger spikes the deeper she digs as she uncovers a startling connection between the corpse, a fellow nerd, and a gang infiltrating the school. When a stalker begins to shadow her every move, threatening torture and death if she doesn’t stand down, Darcy has a decision to make: concede defeat or go Mach-1 at the truth and pray she comes out alive.

GRADE A STUPID is the first novel in the action-packed Darcy Walker Mystery Series. If you enjoy humorous dialogue, twisty plots, and gritty heroines who are verbs in a world full of nouns, then you’ll love this novel where the underdog saves the day. 

Dive into this #1 Amazon bestselling teen mystery readers call Stephanie Plum meets Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars today!

There were times I laughed...times I shuddered. A fantastic read! ... PR Babe, Vine Reviewer

I laughed so much throughout this book. It is pure genius! ... Up All Night Book Addict, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

Top Rated in Teens, Mysteries & Thrillers, Spies and Detective Stories (based on Amazon Customer Reviews)

One hormonal teenage guy + speed dating x Darcy Walker = murder

Jon Bradshaw needs a girlfriend stat. When he convinces Darcy Walker to be his wingman at a speed-dating event, one debacle leads to another, and before you know it, they're the proud new owners of a dead body. Problem is, the body has a tie to Darcy...making her a person of interest in the murder.

Things quickly jump from bad to worse when someone hijacks the name of Darcy's alter ego, framing "Jester" in a Hitchcock-like blend of crimes that leaves her head spinning. Darcy battles an adversary who tests her IQ while she navigates the daunting worries of a high school senior. Add on the emotional fallout of her latest caper, a cop breathing down her neck, and a hot but stubborn boyfriend, and she's at her wit's end.

Can she find her zen and unmask the real murderer? Or get used to a life of prison orange?

FOOLPROOF is the fifth novel in the Darcy Walker Mystery Series, high school years. If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat thrills in a coming of age story that hits all high school seniors, then you’ll love A.J. Lape’s conclusion to Darcy Walker's high school years.

Grab this jaw-dropping, laugh-out-loud mystery with one click!