Lagniappe

Former military sniper Brock Beckett arrives in Destiny, Arkansas, to interview for a high school teaching job and finds his daughter, 16-year-old Cissy Nelson, whom he believed to be dead for 14 years. The murder of Nelson ranch foreman Frederico Mendez in a sniper shooting shatters the harmony of Destiny and resurrects a foreboding in Beckett.

The discovery of a “sniper’s nest” on the Nelson property leads Beckett and Destiny Mayor Lloyd Nelson to believe Mendez was “collateral damage” to an assassination plot as retired Chinese army General Huang Do-Lin announces plans for a new industrial project in Destiny. Soon, Beckett realizes Huang was never a target and he and Nelson have been deceived.

Beckett begins to look over his shoulder believing that he is the target of another sniper. When Beckett realizes how Mendez’s murder was orchestrated, he confronts his former commander, retired General Pierpont Maxwell, to learn the truth. As Beckett speeds back into Destiny, dodging bullets in his Jeep Cherokee, he has one chance… one shot. But, Beckett must risk a “lagniappe,” something extra, to save an innocent life.

Author Biography

K. D. McLemore retired from a 30-year career in newspaper journalism in 2022 but never retired from writing. Capping an award-winning tenure as editor of the Hope Star with investigative work that mattered and extensive courts and trial coverage, McLemore lives in Hope, Ar., with his wife of 50 years, Carolyn, an avid mystery reader. A native of Texas, graduate of Baylor University, and dedicated “classic rock and roll” fan, McLemore is known for his attention to detail in work that reflects life as people live it and its sometimes -fantastic consequences. Lagniappe is McLemore’s debut novel, which introduces The Destiny Arkansas Series of eight works that arise from the response of Destiny’s residents to a corrupting evil that threatens the soul of the small, rural Arkansas community. Randi Gammons is a freelance graphic designer from Northeast Texas. She has a passion for layout, typography, branding, and all things print. She specializes in book cover design and loves working with selfpublished authors, bringing their works to life. Since graduating in 2019 from Southern Arkansas University with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and starting her freelance business, Randi has worked with a variety of clients from all over the world and has designed over 120 book covers. Some of her works include the Mountain Man’s Substitute Bride multiauthor collection, The Underground Book Readers series, and The Journeys Of Braven series. As a designer, she is very self-driven, and strives to do everything to the best of her abilities, even in small tasks. One of the things she loves most about design is there is always something new to learn whether it’s in the design field or doing research for a project. When not creating, Randi enjoys spending time with her family, watching T.V., or curling up with a good book.