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  • Until Proven Innocent: A Mystery

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Mark Scott Piper
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Until Proven Innocent: A Mystery Kindle Edition

by Mark Scott Piper (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars (18)
Until Proven Innocent is a mystery with strong thriller elements, memorable characters, complex relationships, and plenty of wry humor.

Recently retired English professor Mac Faulk returns to Headley University to teach one more creative writing class. Among the first batch of student stories, he comes across an anonymous dark tale describing a heinous crime. He thinks little of it—until the story's details start to come true.

When the author, who calls himself the Paladin, submits two more, even more, disturbing stories, Mac is caught up in a frustrating web of intrigue and mystery. The perpetrator has some unidentified score to settle with Mac and does everything he can to make sure all the evidence points directly to Mac. Now, on the radar of the local police, Mac becomes the chief suspect in the investigation of the crimes described in the stories. If Mac hopes to prove his innocence and try to save the next victim's life, he has to confront the Paladin himself. Not only is Mac forced well out of his comfort zone, but he also has no idea how to identify and locate the Paladin. And he only has a few hours to save the life of the latest victim and clear his name.

Amazon Categories:
“Fiction: Mystery & Detective"
“Fiction: Contemporary"
“Fiction: Literary"
“Fiction: Thrillers”
“Fiction: Humorous"
”Fiction: Satire”
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  1. Print length
    314 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    November 16, 2022
  5. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  6. File size
    1.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BMQHGQNZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blue Zebra Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 16, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1735504438
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Best Sellers Rank: #281,491 in Mysteries (Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars (18)

About the author

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Mark Scott Piper

Mark Scott Piper

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Mark Scott Piper has been writing professionally his entire adult life. He is a longtime freelance writer and video director/producer. Mark holds an MA and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Oregon, and he has taught literature and writing at the college level for several years. His debut novel, You Wish, is the 2019 American Eagle Book Awards first-place gold winner. His second novel, The Old Block, was published in 2020. His third, Until Proven Innocent was released in 2022.

Mark’s bookshelves are overflowing. Among his favorites are Christopher Moore, John Irving, Barbara Kingsolver, Stephen Crane, William Faulkner, Tony Hillerman, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anne Lamott—all of whom successfully conspire to keep him humble.

His stories have appeared in Short Story America, The California Writers Club Literary Review, and online literary magazines, including, Scrutiny, Writing Raw, Fabula Argentea, Animal, Slurve, and others. In addition, two of his short stories have been Honorable Mention selections in Short Story America Prize for Short Fiction contests. See more of his work at www.markpiper.net.

You can email him at mark@markpiper.net

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
18 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's plot carefully crafted and page-turning, with one review describing it as an intricate epistolary tale. Moreover, the writing style receives positive feedback, and customers appreciate the author's work.
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10 customers mention plot, 8 positive, 2 negative
Customers enjoy the carefully crafted plot of this mystery novel, describing it as a page-turner with an intriguing premise.
Definitely a good read. A page turning mystery with well developed characters. Love this author and his way of spinning a tale.Read more
...Like the town, this is a nice enough story and pleasant read....Read more
...You'll have to read to find out. This story is chilling and intense, and the psychological tension increases the further you read until you...Read more
...for their first assignment, he’s taken aback by a chilling, perverted story of revenge over a long-ago, seemingly inconsequential insult....Read more
6 customers mention engaging, 6 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book engaging, with one describing it as a suspenseful ride and another noting how it hooks the reader immediately.
Another gem by this wonderful author! Grabbed me from the get-go! Kept me intrigued and interested throughout....Read more
...Until Proven Innocent is an engaging thriller from the get-go....Read more
...It was an unpredictable, well written, and suspenseful ride. Even the title had me hooked! The settings and characters were vividly brought to life!...Read more
...It’s well done by a craftsman with a bountiful imagination and holds the reader if not super tight snug to the end.Read more
5 customers mention author, 4 positive, 1 negative
Customers describe the author as wonderful, with one noting their demonic writing style.
...Mr. Piper is an excellent author and I highly recommend “Until Proven Innocent”, you will not be disappointed!Read more
...A page turning mystery with well developed characters. Love this author and his way of spinning a tale.Read more
Another gem by this wonderful author! Grabbed me from the get-go! Kept me intrigued and interested throughout....Read more
...The protagonist calls himself Paladin and the writer does not identify himself. Mac wonders which of his students submitted it....Read more
5 customers mention writing style, 5 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book.
...It was an unpredictable, well written, and suspenseful ride. Even the title had me hooked! The settings and characters were vividly brought to life!...Read more
...This book is very well written, and the plot is carefully crafted to propel the reader eagerly forward page by page....Read more
...Author Mark Scott Piper delivers crisp writing, sharp twists, and climatic suspense....Read more
...With his exquisitely apt prose, and sense of humor, the author executes a demonic and intricate epistolatory tale that kept me turning pages into...Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Bryan Conway
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read mystery from an excellent author!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A great slow-burn mystery! This is the second novel I’ve read from Mr. Piper and definitely not the last.

    The premise is creative and hooks the reader immediately: Mac Faulk, a creative writing professor, receives a paper from an unknown student detailing a deadly crime. To the professor’s horror, the paper proves to be a work of nonfiction!

    Written from the professor’s point of view, the reader gets an unfiltered view of his witty, sarcastic, and self-deprecating thoughts throughout. I would love to have Faulk as a professor, neighbor, or coffee shop acquaintance! When he becomes personally entwined in the unfolding mystery, the tension rises as the reader becomes more and more invested in his increasing jeopardy

    This book is very well written, and the plot is carefully crafted to propel the reader eagerly forward page by page. Mr. Piper is an excellent author and I highly recommend “Until Proven Innocent”, you will not be disappointed!
    One person found this helpful
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  • by MJ LaBeff
    5.0 out of 5 stars Buckle up for this thriller!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Get ready for the hunt as college English professor Mac Faulk tracks a killer after a writer who calls himself the Paladin submits stories about the people who have wronged him and their future demise. Faulk’s determined to uncover who the Paladin is and risks it all in the process. The Paladin’s stories are compelling and at times even made me wince. My heart was in my throat and pounding rapidly right along with Faulk’s. The clock is ticking to get to the next victim and the circuitous route Mac embarks on is riveting until the end. I couldn’t wait for the big reveal! Who is the Paladin? Why is he engaging Mac Faulk? Will the last victim survive?

    Author Mark Scott Piper delivers crisp writing, sharp twists, and climatic suspense. The clouds of suspicion around the characters will keep you guessing and praying Mac makes it out alive. Everything you want in a thriller is here in Until Proven Innocent.

    Hey, Mr. Piper, we want more, please!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Marilyn Walton
    3.0 out of 5 stars Cannot put it down!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Definitely a good read. A page turning mystery with well developed characters. Love this author and his way of spinning a tale.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jack the Knife
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Dawson McIntyre Faulk - “Mac” - is a recently retired English professor at a northern California university, hoping to at last write the novel he thinks has always been in him. But then a sudden vacancy occurs in his old department, and he’s cajoled into filling in short-term. It’s a community college-ish Creative Writing course offered to townies for no credit but at nominal cost. Mac finds himself teaching an eclectic class of students ranging in age from the twenties to middle-age. When he reads the short stories submitted for their first assignment, he’s taken aback by a chilling, perverted story of revenge over a long-ago, seemingly inconsequential insult. The protagonist calls himself Paladin and the writer does not identify himself. Mac wonders which of his students submitted it.

    When the events told in the story actually occur, and Paladin suggests Mac himself is personally involved in some way, the real mystery begins and is exacerbated when a subsequent Paladin submission points to the planned murder of one of Mac’s students. He feels compelled to find the sicko before that story comes true, all the while the police suspect him as the perpetrator and Mac thinks Paladin is stalking him.

    Mac’s character is well-developed, but his frequent introspections is a bit overdone in my view, though they do serve to bring the reader into his mindset. What I found frustrating - and this is likely author Piper’s intent - is Mac’s inability to make himself understood by the police, his estranged family, and even Paladin’s target. Mac comes out on the short end of his verbal confrontations, as he is constantly being interrupted when trying to explain what is happening, and he gives up. This nebbish quality is in contrast to the steely resolve he exhibits elsewhere in the novel. Heroic at times, tongue-tied bumbler at others,

    That said, Piper has written a well-crafted plot leading to a resolution complete with a surprising twist. Several literary and music allusions along the way, coupled with Mac’s amusing can’t-help-it grammar comments add spice to the narrative. It was an enjoyable read, and I recommend it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • David LaRoche
    5.0 out of 5 stars Accelerating Tension
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    "Until Proven Innocent" is an easy read, well written, tension building mystery starring Mac Fault, a likeable nerd of a man who is unexpectedly caught in a horrific situation. It’s an imaginative story that stretches credulity without breaking it beyond believable. and there’s a bit of fluff that tends to make the scenes familiar, and bring the reader in close the action.
    Mac is a creative writing teacher—retired but filling in part time with a class of adult learners. They, half a dozen or so, write short stories handed in for his critique on a weekly basis. A story appears that forecasts the details of a particular death. It is not only persuasive, it actually happens. This and the questions of what to do, and the following weeks that bring in more of the same put Mac in a strange and uncomfortable position.
    I liked this story. It’s well done by a craftsman with a bountiful imagination and holds the reader if not super tight snug to the end.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Anne Simone
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing story premise
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    It’s so gratifying to pick up a mystery novel and become engrossed in it immediately.

    Mark Scott Piper’s book, Until Proven Innocent, is a narrative I can relate to easily having been a literature professor and creative writing workshop instructor. But you needn’t have taught school to become immersed in this exciting plot! The premise is intriguing—one that led me on a thriller trail to discover who the perpetrator is. With his exquisitely apt prose, and sense of humor, the author executes a demonic and intricate epistolatory tale that kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the night.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kevin
    5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing psycho-mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This intriguing mystery thriller is written from the POV of “Mac” Faulk, a genial English professor with rapidly-thinning hair, who is persuaded to step out of retirement in order to teach a creative writing class. It becomes clear that Mac is a gentle-mannered, unassuming guy who has long ago settled into a life of pacification and moderation, and so we instinctively sense that something destructive is about to enter his orbit.
    Soon enough, among his students’ written submissions, an anonymous story presents itself; a sickening, twisted composition penned by someone who imagines himself a 16th-century knight rather than the narcissistic crackpot that he really is.
    This mystery writer threatens violent retribution against an imperious old lady who once looked down on him and Faulk wonders which of his group could be capable of such a degree of irrational vindictiveness. Then, proving the adage that life is often stranger than fiction, the old lady in question is found dead in her home.

    Frustrated by the local police department’s nonchalance towards the woman’s sudden death, Faulk turns amateur sleuth and, despite being the last person who should be going after a crazed killer, gamely goes it alone, driven by an incorruptible sense of righteousness.

    To keep things interesting there are more suspects here than you could shake a stick at: Faulk’s diverse class includes an S&M wannabe, a marine combat vet, a bookish hottie, two Asian sisters obsessed with sexy hist-fic, and a self-styled gangsta.

    Mark Scott Piper’s writing is well-groomed and uncluttered, and there were plenty of slick metaphorical touches to satisfy my love of wordplay. The author brings us a suspenseful cat-and-mouse story of Machiavellian plans and festering grudges, wherein the mouse hopes to triumph against the cat.
    Oh, and Faulk’s golden retriever is named Tolstoy. What’s not to love about a dog called Tolstoy?

    This was an absorbing read from start to finish. Great stuff!
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  • Yorkshire lass
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling Mystery/Suspense
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    If, like me, you are a fan of well-conceived mysteries, look no further than Mark Scott-Piper’s latest novel ‘Until Proven Innocent’.

    When a colleague of retired English professor, Mac Faulk, leaves Headley University at short notice, he is pressured into taking over her creative writing class - straightforward, or so it seems, particularly as only eight students have enrolled for the course. As Mac soon discovers, nothing could be further from the truth.

    We get our first inkling of the mystery that’s about to unfold in the opening pages, as Mac settles down at home to read the first batch of student assignments. Amongst them he finds an anonymous story, detailing an odious crime. To his horror, the story comes true several days later. Since the victim’s death has been attributed to natural causes, the police are not interested and even suggest that Mac could have written the story himself. The real author calls himself the Paladin and makes it clear to Mac that this is only the beginning. The idea that there could be worse to come unsettles Mac deeply, however, he manages to persuade himself that it’s the work of a sick prankster and the connection between the story and the actual event is purely coincidental.

    His optimism is short-lived. When faced with another sinister story, it becomes clear that the Paladin has old scores to settle but, more alarmingly, he’s cleverly implicated Mac as the perpetrator of the crimes. It is here that the real nightmare begins. Mac struggles to prevent the prophesies from coming to fruition and find a way to point the finger away from himself.

    As with any engrossing mystery/suspense, the secret is to pace it well and Mark Scott-Piper has adeptly achieved this. Though ‘Until Proven Innocent’ starts as a slow burn, its constant surprises hike up the tension and erupt into an exciting finale that makes it impossible to relinquish until the final page.

    I liked Mac’s character from the word go. The women in his life are not so endearing and I was wishing that he would be more assertive. His thoughts were conveyed through the conversations he had with his beloved dog, Tolstoy, which I thought was a clever touch, enabling the author to introduce some subtle humour that gives warmth to the story.

    Having read other books from Mark Scott-Piper, I was interested to see how he handled the mystery/suspense genre and I was pleasantly surprised by the innovative plot and breath-taking episodes. As expected, the book was beautifully written with perfect editing. I highly recommend that you treat yourself to a copy. You won’t be disappointed. 5*
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  • Martin Jackson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Colourful characters and an outstanding storyline...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Mac Faulk finds it difficult to refuse the women in his life, who tend to run rings around his good nature. Newly retired from his post as an English Professor, he takes part-time employment teaching on a writer’s program for the local college. After his mature students deliver their first assignment, a short story, one of the horrific tales comes true. Seemingly a perfect murder, but the author remains anonymous using an alias, the Paladin. When Mac reports it to the police, they begin to think that he is the perpetrator.
    The Paladin then pens another gruesome tale, and fearing for the safety of one of the students, Mac Faulk takes matters into his own hands, assisted by a promiscuous acquaintance. During his efforts, he catches the attention of his grown-up children who become convinced he is a womaniser.
    UNTIL PROVED INNOCENT is beautifully written with colourful characters and outstanding storyline packed with humour mystery and intrigue. Mark Scott Piper builds tension with such skill, I found myself totally engrossed and talking aloud to the novel, “Don’t do it Mac!” Highly recommended five-star reading.
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