Magic City Murder
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Magic City Murder
by Bruce Hammack
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book Magic City Murder
Title: Magic City Murder
Series: Smiley and McBlythe Mystery Series #16
Author: Bruce Hammack
Publisher: Jubilee Publishing
Release Date: August 6, 2026
Genre: Mystery / Private Detective
A missing husband. A murdered journalist. A city where everyone has something to hide.
Blind former Houston homicide detective Steve Smiley and his partner Heather McBlythe take on what looks like a straightforward case: track down a missing husband so his estranged wife can finally file for divorce.
The simple case turns deadly when the body of the woman the husband has been living with is found in a Miami canal. She wasn’t just the missing man’s companion — she was an investigative journalist silenced before her story could see the light of day.
As Smiley and McBlythe dig deeper, they uncover a trail of political corruption and cartel money that someone powerful is determined to keep hidden. With a growing list of suspects, a city full of secrets, and a killer working in the shadows, Smiley must sort through the tangle of lies before whoever is cleaning up loose ends decides Smiley’s next.
Pick up your copy of Magic City Murder today and follow Smiley and McBlythe from Houston to Miami as they chase down a missing husband and a killer who’s running out of places to hide. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie-style whodunits who love clever plots, professional detective work, and clean reads without the gore, violence, or explicit content.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | BruceHammack.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub
More in This Series
About the Author of Magic City Murder
Bruce Hammack, a native Texan, began his professional writing career in the tenth grade when the local Rotary Club sponsored a writing contest for students in civics class. To the amazement of students and teachers alike, he won the prize of a twenty-five-dollar savings bond.
After retiring from a career in criminal justice, Bruce picked up the proverbial pen again. He now draws on his extensive background with law enforcement (and criminals) to write contemporary, clean-read detective and crime mysteries.
An avid Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes fan, Bruce firmly believes the world can’t have enough whodunits. When not writing, he enjoys travel, classic whodunits and a quiver full of children and grandchildren. Having lived in eighteen cities around the US and the world, he now makes his home in the Texas Hill Country with his wife of thirty-plus years.
Connect with Bruce by visiting brucehammack.com to follow him on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Thoughts on Magic City Murder
Magic City Murder is a wonderful and fun fast-paced suspense novel where you’re racing to solve the mystery before it twists again. This is the latest in a long line of novels. I think the series is at 16 books right now. Yes, you’re going to want to read them all. Also, yes, you can read this novel without reading the entire series. But why would you? I always advocate reading more books vs less!
In this novel, we follow Smiley and McBlythe, who are detectives. This case is a little more personal for them because it involves Steve’s publisher/editor, who is a friend. She needs help finding her missing husband so she can serve him divorce papers. So when Steve talks to Heather, they jet off to become part of the case.
The case quickly ramps up with a dead woman found. And of course, she’s the mistress of Kate’s husband. Things don’t look the best for Kate. She’s one of the top suspects after all.
Oh, and fun fact. Steve is blind. He has his own methods though, and they’re incredibly successful. He’s also a widow. And could be in danger from this case.
I think Rasheed is one of my favorite characters.
He’s quirky. I love how he misuses common phrases as well. And he’s so good at helping, plus the dogs.
Oh yes, the dogs. Both Steve and Heather have special dogs. They’re police trained but also serve special purposes. And they get them kicked out of a hotel that says it allows dogs, so that’s interesting.
We’ve got the murder. We’ve got the missing husband. Add in some cartels and thugs. Oh, and of course, Heather’s dad is popping down for an in-person discussion too.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Tour Giveaway for Magic City Murder
(3) winners will each receive a signed paperback copy of Magic City Murder, a Smiley And McBlythe bookmark, a Reading Log, and book lover stickers!
Find the full tour schedule linked below.
The giveaway begins at midnight on September 23, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2026.
Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize.
Open to the US only.
Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Leave a Reply