Jay Crowley Books

"Drum of Hope" is about the famous Sutro Tunnel, the mining experience in Virginia City, and sex trafficking.

"Maggie" This is a fun, action-packed story of airmail arrows, horse poaching, and a quilting club that helps solve the mystery. Enjoy.

"Laura" A vicious murder in the Lamoille Canyon outside of Elko, Nevada. The death triggers a series of events that scares people in the area for different reasons. First, is the killer in the mist? And worst yet, is it, someone they all know?

"Opal" is A Nevada adventure...The story takes place in the rugged Virgin Valley area. Opal grew up in Denio, Nevada, the opal mining area of the state. Opal always dreamed of being a paleontologist and discovering that great find of the century. Little did she know that together with her dog, Pickles, and her friend, Jake, they would find more than they bargained for.

"Ship in the Desert" There is a cement ship in the desert by Hawthorne, Nevada. Brad Benson had always wanted to see the ship. His uncle used to dry bomb it during World War II. So Brad, his wife Angela, and their dog Macks hike into the Nevada desert to see it. They never suspected what was about to happen and its effect on Brad's PTSD. Because of the experience, their lives go through many twists and turns, and nothing will ever be the same.

"Cabin in the Meadow"(A Novella) Megan has always wanted to live the pioneer adventure in Hope Valley, Nevada, for a year alone with her dog, Jasper. Her experience of living out her dream may be more than she expected. That dream might turn out to be more of a nightmare.

"Natalie's Adventures" is a series of three short stories about a 14-year-old girl's adventures. Natalie lives in Jacks Valley, outside of Carson City, Nevada. "All for One" involves murder. "A Treasure Hunt" is just that, and "The Vacation to Great Basin National Park" consists in solving a mystery about a 130-year-old lost rifle. Natalie's Adventures is a series of three short stories about a 14-year-old girl's adventures.  

"Lahonton City"  deals with ghost towns, mining,  a ghost, a little love story, and a little mystery. As always, I give you "Nevada History with a mystery."

"Topaz"  A body is found floating in the Walker River, outside Lake Topaz, and the adventure starts. Maggie and Nan with the "Wild Stitchers" quilting club are back.

Around 1885, a Wells Fargo Stagecoach was robbed of sixty thousand dollars in gold bullion on the way to the Carson City Mint in Nevada. After the theft, a posse was organized, leading to a shootout, and three robbers were killed. However, they never found the gold, and the survivor wouldn't tell them where it was hidden. Instead, he bragged that he could see where the gold was buried from his prison cell window. Even today, the gold has never been found! So the Wild Stitchers, Maggie, and Nan are out to solve the mystery and find the gold.

Four young children are faced with this dilemma. What if a killer has kidnaped you? He is a deranged killer that wants to make you rich, by what means no one knows. After escaping from the killer, they flee to a line shack in rural Nevada as a snowstorm cuts them off. They must attempt to survive the storm until the authorities and not the killer finds them. However, no one knows where they are. The adventure begins with Maggie, Nan, and the Wild Stitchers getting involved. Learn a little about rural Nevada that is off the beaten track while they try to locate the children in time.

Native American children from different tribes were forced to attend Indian schools in different states. The Stewart Indian School was open from 1890 to 1980. For fifty years children were forced to attend. The deep wounds boarding schools created are called “Soul Wounds” as the family bonds were broken.
This story follows a young girl from childhood to adulthood, and how she was taught to feel unworthy and how she got her revenge.

The following is a selection of stories that I picked due to readers' comments. Many of the stories were published over the years in the different anthology genre. I added a few new stories for your enjoyment. Remembering I enjoy writing about everyday people – good or bad.

Two short mysteries in one. In Jack's Place, learn a little history of a portion of Nevada with murders. In Blood Moon, a unusual murder story. Both stories are intense.