My, how Tempus does Fugit...
If this is your first visit to my website, WELCOME! For more information about my books, including synopses, reviews and info on how to order signed paperbacks, eBooks or audiobooks, please scroll down.
If you're one of the unfortunate souls who have been waiting patiently for the upcoming novel, Tex Murphy and the Romanov Enigma (or at least an update on how much frickin' longer you'll have to wait for it), my sincerest apologies. I am the WORST at meeting my own deadlines, which I chalk up to a combination of agonizingly slow writing and relentless optimism. I do believe it will be worth the wait, but I don't yet have a date for the release. I expect it will be around the end of summer. BOO!
While it's no consolation (or a decent excuse), I will say I've had a lot of distractions, including several Tex Murphy-related projects, starting with the remastered Pandora Directive video game being developed by Big Finish Games. We're very excited about it! And if this is news to you, go to https://bigfinishgames.com/image-processing-completed-now-begins-the-hard-part/ to see the most recent update.
Secondly, as I mentioned in the last update here, I've been finishing up Tex Murphy Radio Theater, Part 2, which I guarantee Tex fans are going to love! We anticipate announcing a release date for the new episodes sometime this summer.
Finally, I'm designing a brand-new interactive experience that tells the story of Tex's "stakeout outside a steakhouse" (serious Tex fans will know what I'm talking about). Stay tuned for more details!
I've also been approached to do a couple fun things. First, the guys from The Retro Hour podcast invited me to join them and talk about my work on the Tex Murphy video games. You can listen to the podcast here: theretrohour.com/tex-murphy-history-aaron-conners-ep317/ The entire episode is a great listen; my interview starts at 41:20.
I was also invited to do a feature on a new website called Shepherd. It's a great place to get book recommendations, with a twist. Shepherd invites authors to write about a particular literary theme and recommend five books that exemplify the theme. My feature can be found here:
https://shepherd.com/best-books/combining-science-fiction-and-detective-stories/
As a reminder, there are AUDIOBOOKS available for all four Tex Murphy novels. For those who are curious, I do the narration and they've gotten some wonderful reviews from customers. If you'd like to try before you buy, I'm happy to send a sample chapter. Just email me at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
To order Trade Paperback, eBook or Audio Book versions of the Tex Murphy novels, please email me at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com. Scroll to the bottom of this page for prices. The paperbacks can be signed or dedicated, if you like.
For those who don't know me, I've published four novels chronicling the adventures of Tex Murphy, P.I. I've also written one non-fiction book (The Secret Corporate Zodiac, an oddly entertaining business book that I hope to make available on this site sometime in the future). For my day job, I've worked as a Creative Director, Story Director, Lead Designer and/or User Experience Lead on dozens of video games, from classic adventures to casual puzzle games to sports titles to The Sims 3. Two of my games have been named "Adventure Game of the Year", with seven of them earning "Best Story" nominations and awards. In addition to writing books, I do contract writing and design through my company, WordPlay, LLC, working with clients in game development, marketing, gamification and education.
Questions? Comments? Just want to say hi? Send me an email at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
If you're one of the unfortunate souls who have been waiting patiently for the upcoming novel, Tex Murphy and the Romanov Enigma (or at least an update on how much frickin' longer you'll have to wait for it), my sincerest apologies. I am the WORST at meeting my own deadlines, which I chalk up to a combination of agonizingly slow writing and relentless optimism. I do believe it will be worth the wait, but I don't yet have a date for the release. I expect it will be around the end of summer. BOO!
While it's no consolation (or a decent excuse), I will say I've had a lot of distractions, including several Tex Murphy-related projects, starting with the remastered Pandora Directive video game being developed by Big Finish Games. We're very excited about it! And if this is news to you, go to https://bigfinishgames.com/image-processing-completed-now-begins-the-hard-part/ to see the most recent update.
Secondly, as I mentioned in the last update here, I've been finishing up Tex Murphy Radio Theater, Part 2, which I guarantee Tex fans are going to love! We anticipate announcing a release date for the new episodes sometime this summer.
Finally, I'm designing a brand-new interactive experience that tells the story of Tex's "stakeout outside a steakhouse" (serious Tex fans will know what I'm talking about). Stay tuned for more details!
I've also been approached to do a couple fun things. First, the guys from The Retro Hour podcast invited me to join them and talk about my work on the Tex Murphy video games. You can listen to the podcast here: theretrohour.com/tex-murphy-history-aaron-conners-ep317/ The entire episode is a great listen; my interview starts at 41:20.
I was also invited to do a feature on a new website called Shepherd. It's a great place to get book recommendations, with a twist. Shepherd invites authors to write about a particular literary theme and recommend five books that exemplify the theme. My feature can be found here:
https://shepherd.com/best-books/combining-science-fiction-and-detective-stories/
As a reminder, there are AUDIOBOOKS available for all four Tex Murphy novels. For those who are curious, I do the narration and they've gotten some wonderful reviews from customers. If you'd like to try before you buy, I'm happy to send a sample chapter. Just email me at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
To order Trade Paperback, eBook or Audio Book versions of the Tex Murphy novels, please email me at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com. Scroll to the bottom of this page for prices. The paperbacks can be signed or dedicated, if you like.
For those who don't know me, I've published four novels chronicling the adventures of Tex Murphy, P.I. I've also written one non-fiction book (The Secret Corporate Zodiac, an oddly entertaining business book that I hope to make available on this site sometime in the future). For my day job, I've worked as a Creative Director, Story Director, Lead Designer and/or User Experience Lead on dozens of video games, from classic adventures to casual puzzle games to sports titles to The Sims 3. Two of my games have been named "Adventure Game of the Year", with seven of them earning "Best Story" nominations and awards. In addition to writing books, I do contract writing and design through my company, WordPlay, LLC, working with clients in game development, marketing, gamification and education.
Questions? Comments? Just want to say hi? Send me an email at wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
Upcoming Releases:
Tex Murphy and the Romanov Enigma
This story begins just after the events of Tex Murphy and the Pandora Directive. It's June, 2043 and Tex has just started a new case, when he and his lady love Chelsee are abducted. After escaping his captors and finding out weeks have passed, Tex begins a search for Chelsee that leads around the world and a hundred years into the past. A missing Faberge Egg, a dangerous Enigma Machine message and a bizarre connection to a detective from the 1940s all lead Tex on a hunt for a "lost treasure of the Czars" and the biggest adventure of his life.
Q4 2021
Tex Murphy: Trance (Working Title)
This will be the final novel in the series. It will be awesome.
Release date TBA
Tex Murphy and the Romanov Enigma
This story begins just after the events of Tex Murphy and the Pandora Directive. It's June, 2043 and Tex has just started a new case, when he and his lady love Chelsee are abducted. After escaping his captors and finding out weeks have passed, Tex begins a search for Chelsee that leads around the world and a hundred years into the past. A missing Faberge Egg, a dangerous Enigma Machine message and a bizarre connection to a detective from the 1940s all lead Tex on a hunt for a "lost treasure of the Czars" and the biggest adventure of his life.
Q4 2021
Tex Murphy: Trance (Working Title)
This will be the final novel in the series. It will be awesome.
Release date TBA
The Tex Murphy Novels: Synopses & Review Quotes
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon (2014 Edition)
Evil awakens. One man stumbles into its headlights.
It’s December 2042 and Tex Murphy, the last of the old-style PIs, has hit rock bottom. A run of tough luck forced him to relocate to the seedy side of town. Then his wife ran off with the guy Tex hired to reupholster his furniture. Now he’s left with no money, no prospects and no dignity…just some nicely-reupholstered office chairs and one last bottle of cheap bourbon.
When Tex is hired out of the blue by a rich dowager, it seems too good to be true. A priceless statuette has been stolen from her. Getting paid to recover it may be just what Tex needs to get back on his feet. And it does…until the rug gets pulled out from under him. Tex’s search for the missing statuette leads him through the shadowy back streets of post-apocalyptic San Francisco and into a labyrinth of deceit, manipulation and murder.
The world needs a hero. Unfortunately, it will have to make do with Tex Murphy. And he’ll need all his P.I. instincts and every ounce of Murphy savoir faire to stop the forces of evil before their dark visions become a terrifying reality…and rob him of his next unemployment check.
"Another excellent piece of work from Conners...most of all, it is his sense of atmosphere that impressed me; I felt like I could hear, smell and even taste each richly-described location. Anyone who reads this will agree; Aaron Conners deserves far wider recognition for his work than he currently receives." --GoodReads
"Probably the best book ever written about a science fiction post-apocalyptic hard-boiled sarcastic noir detective." --LibraryThing
This is a new edition of the original novel, featuring new artwork, expanded story content, author's notes and a foreword by Chris Jones.
Evil awakens. One man stumbles into its headlights.
It’s December 2042 and Tex Murphy, the last of the old-style PIs, has hit rock bottom. A run of tough luck forced him to relocate to the seedy side of town. Then his wife ran off with the guy Tex hired to reupholster his furniture. Now he’s left with no money, no prospects and no dignity…just some nicely-reupholstered office chairs and one last bottle of cheap bourbon.
When Tex is hired out of the blue by a rich dowager, it seems too good to be true. A priceless statuette has been stolen from her. Getting paid to recover it may be just what Tex needs to get back on his feet. And it does…until the rug gets pulled out from under him. Tex’s search for the missing statuette leads him through the shadowy back streets of post-apocalyptic San Francisco and into a labyrinth of deceit, manipulation and murder.
The world needs a hero. Unfortunately, it will have to make do with Tex Murphy. And he’ll need all his P.I. instincts and every ounce of Murphy savoir faire to stop the forces of evil before their dark visions become a terrifying reality…and rob him of his next unemployment check.
"Another excellent piece of work from Conners...most of all, it is his sense of atmosphere that impressed me; I felt like I could hear, smell and even taste each richly-described location. Anyone who reads this will agree; Aaron Conners deserves far wider recognition for his work than he currently receives." --GoodReads
"Probably the best book ever written about a science fiction post-apocalyptic hard-boiled sarcastic noir detective." --LibraryThing
This is a new edition of the original novel, featuring new artwork, expanded story content, author's notes and a foreword by Chris Jones.
Tex Murphy and the Pandora Directive (2014 Edition)
Danger is like jello...there's always room for a little more.
It’s April 2043 and the seedy side of post-World War III San Francisco is a radioactive dive, but P.I. Tex Murphy calls it home. With business slow, money tight and the women in Tex’s life shipping out, this private dick is singing the lonesome gumshoe blues. Until one night at the Brew & Stew diner…
A mysterious old gent hires Tex to find a friend who’s gone missing. It doesn’t seem like much of a case at first, but with a generous retainer of cash and Cubana cigars, that’s fine by Tex. Unfortunately, he’s never been very good at staying out of trouble and it doesn’t take long for him to find some. There’s a drop-dead gorgeous nightclub singer who may end up just plain dead…a serial killer who supposedly committed suicide a year earlier…and a package sent from the missing man, containing a Chinese puzzle box that no one can seem to open.
Tex finds himself in the middle of one of history’s greatest conspiracies. Secrets that have been locked away for almost a century are about to be revealed. Why now, after so many years? What does the puzzle box contain? Why is the most powerful agency in the U.S. government hunting down the missing man? And can Tex find him before they do?
The stakes are high, the deck is stacked and, as always, Tex Murphy is low on chips. But with his excellent bluffing skills and occasional lucky streaks, he just might have a fighting chance. Pandora’s Box has been reopened. Can Tex close it before it’s too late?
"A superb throwback to the PI noir genre. It's funny, dramatic, witty and engaging and the characters truly shine. The mix of laconic wit and all-out sarcasm make Tex a humorous character, yet his sense of honor and loyalty also makes him surprisingly heroic. Conners' style makes the story flow superbly, and really is a treat. Highly recommended reading." --GoodReads
This is a new edition of the original novel, featuring new artwork, expanded story content, author's notes and a foreword by Chris Jones.
Danger is like jello...there's always room for a little more.
It’s April 2043 and the seedy side of post-World War III San Francisco is a radioactive dive, but P.I. Tex Murphy calls it home. With business slow, money tight and the women in Tex’s life shipping out, this private dick is singing the lonesome gumshoe blues. Until one night at the Brew & Stew diner…
A mysterious old gent hires Tex to find a friend who’s gone missing. It doesn’t seem like much of a case at first, but with a generous retainer of cash and Cubana cigars, that’s fine by Tex. Unfortunately, he’s never been very good at staying out of trouble and it doesn’t take long for him to find some. There’s a drop-dead gorgeous nightclub singer who may end up just plain dead…a serial killer who supposedly committed suicide a year earlier…and a package sent from the missing man, containing a Chinese puzzle box that no one can seem to open.
Tex finds himself in the middle of one of history’s greatest conspiracies. Secrets that have been locked away for almost a century are about to be revealed. Why now, after so many years? What does the puzzle box contain? Why is the most powerful agency in the U.S. government hunting down the missing man? And can Tex find him before they do?
The stakes are high, the deck is stacked and, as always, Tex Murphy is low on chips. But with his excellent bluffing skills and occasional lucky streaks, he just might have a fighting chance. Pandora’s Box has been reopened. Can Tex close it before it’s too late?
"A superb throwback to the PI noir genre. It's funny, dramatic, witty and engaging and the characters truly shine. The mix of laconic wit and all-out sarcasm make Tex a humorous character, yet his sense of honor and loyalty also makes him surprisingly heroic. Conners' style makes the story flow superbly, and really is a treat. Highly recommended reading." --GoodReads
This is a new edition of the original novel, featuring new artwork, expanded story content, author's notes and a foreword by Chris Jones.
Tex Murphy and the Tesla Effect
It’s June 2043 and things are finally looking up for Tex Murphy, P.I. He just solved the biggest case of his life (so far) and actually got paid for it. After a romantic dinner with the lovely Chelsee Bando, Tex is in love, out of debt and on top of the world. What could possibly go wrong?
Then Tex wakes up, disoriented and head pounding, on the fire escape outside his office/apartment at the Ritz Hotel. Soon after, he discovers that all his memories since that night with Chelsee have been erased. Years have passed and everything in Tex’s life has changed. Old friends are hostile. Former enemies are now allies. And Chelsee is gone…maybe forever.
Whoever did this could have given Tex a one-way ticket to zombie land by wiping his memory completely…but they didn’t. There was something specific they wanted him to forget. But what? And who was behind it? The rival P.I. who was doing surveillance on Tex’s office and turns up murdered? One of the mysterious characters racing to find a priceless collection of Nikola Tesla’s documents and lost inventions? Or the shadowy organization that’s made a fortune in cryonics – freezing (and, rumor has it, reanimating) dead bodies?
Tex Murphy, the last of the old-school gumshoes, is on the case for himself this time. Motivated by lost love, revenge and the world’s strongest coffee blend, Tex will need every bit of his questionable social skills, relatively quick thinking, blind luck and the ol’ Murphy charm. Only by investigating his own past can Tex hope to regain his memory in time to solve the mysteries of the past and present and prevent a devastating future.
"The novel's story is continually inviting and beguiling. Just when you think you've figured something out, Conners throws another twist at you that's guaranteed to send you reeling. The book combines this old-school detective mystery style with a science fiction element that makes for an atmosphere genuinely unlike anything I've ever read before. Fans of either genre will find something to love here." --Amazon Review
It’s June 2043 and things are finally looking up for Tex Murphy, P.I. He just solved the biggest case of his life (so far) and actually got paid for it. After a romantic dinner with the lovely Chelsee Bando, Tex is in love, out of debt and on top of the world. What could possibly go wrong?
Then Tex wakes up, disoriented and head pounding, on the fire escape outside his office/apartment at the Ritz Hotel. Soon after, he discovers that all his memories since that night with Chelsee have been erased. Years have passed and everything in Tex’s life has changed. Old friends are hostile. Former enemies are now allies. And Chelsee is gone…maybe forever.
Whoever did this could have given Tex a one-way ticket to zombie land by wiping his memory completely…but they didn’t. There was something specific they wanted him to forget. But what? And who was behind it? The rival P.I. who was doing surveillance on Tex’s office and turns up murdered? One of the mysterious characters racing to find a priceless collection of Nikola Tesla’s documents and lost inventions? Or the shadowy organization that’s made a fortune in cryonics – freezing (and, rumor has it, reanimating) dead bodies?
Tex Murphy, the last of the old-school gumshoes, is on the case for himself this time. Motivated by lost love, revenge and the world’s strongest coffee blend, Tex will need every bit of his questionable social skills, relatively quick thinking, blind luck and the ol’ Murphy charm. Only by investigating his own past can Tex hope to regain his memory in time to solve the mysteries of the past and present and prevent a devastating future.
"The novel's story is continually inviting and beguiling. Just when you think you've figured something out, Conners throws another twist at you that's guaranteed to send you reeling. The book combines this old-school detective mystery style with a science fiction element that makes for an atmosphere genuinely unlike anything I've ever read before. Fans of either genre will find something to love here." --Amazon Review
Tex Murphy and the Poisoned Pawn
It’s November 2050 and Tex Murphy has just returned to New San Francisco after wrapping up his previous case, Tex Murphy and the Tesla Effect, where he gets a rude welcome. Apparently, someone wants him dead...for no apparent reason. The question is who? Count St. Germain, a mysterious traveler who Tex met in his previous case, is certain it’s someone from Tex’s past.
Over Tex’s thirteen-year career, this low-profile, perpetually-destitute detective has played a crucial role in several potentially world-changing events. St. Germain suspects that this hasn’t happened by accident; a “Man Behind the Curtain” has made Tex an unwitting pawn in an unknown game. And it all goes back to his very first case.
Together, they return to the events of 2037: Carl Linsky had just taken a dive off the Golden Gate Bridge…an apparent suicide. His daughter was sure he’d been murdered and would do anything to prove it. Tex would do anything to make rent. At first, the case seems like a literal dead end. But it soon leads Tex into the heart of a dark secret, created by a shadowy group of people who are all turning up dead under mysterious circumstances.
With St. Germain’s unique assistance, Tex digs deep into his past, recounting the story of his first case, remembering details that were forgotten or seemed unimportant at the time, and searching for the thread that connects all his cases, in hopes of revealing the identity of his most dangerous adversary.
A shocking discovery awaits about what happened all those years ago…and how those events are about to change Tex’s future.
It’s November 2050 and Tex Murphy has just returned to New San Francisco after wrapping up his previous case, Tex Murphy and the Tesla Effect, where he gets a rude welcome. Apparently, someone wants him dead...for no apparent reason. The question is who? Count St. Germain, a mysterious traveler who Tex met in his previous case, is certain it’s someone from Tex’s past.
Over Tex’s thirteen-year career, this low-profile, perpetually-destitute detective has played a crucial role in several potentially world-changing events. St. Germain suspects that this hasn’t happened by accident; a “Man Behind the Curtain” has made Tex an unwitting pawn in an unknown game. And it all goes back to his very first case.
Together, they return to the events of 2037: Carl Linsky had just taken a dive off the Golden Gate Bridge…an apparent suicide. His daughter was sure he’d been murdered and would do anything to prove it. Tex would do anything to make rent. At first, the case seems like a literal dead end. But it soon leads Tex into the heart of a dark secret, created by a shadowy group of people who are all turning up dead under mysterious circumstances.
With St. Germain’s unique assistance, Tex digs deep into his past, recounting the story of his first case, remembering details that were forgotten or seemed unimportant at the time, and searching for the thread that connects all his cases, in hopes of revealing the identity of his most dangerous adversary.
A shocking discovery awaits about what happened all those years ago…and how those events are about to change Tex’s future.
To order:
1. Send an email to wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
2. Include the following information in the email:
3. I will reply to confirm your information and provide the total cost of your order (books + shipping, if applicable).
1. Send an email to wordplay.llc.assistance@gmail.com.
2. Include the following information in the email:
- Your name
- Your shipping address (Important! If you provide an old or incorrect address, we may have to re-charge for shipping!)
- Which paperbacks, audiobooks or eBooks you want to buy and how many of each
- If you're ordering the trade paperback(s), do you want them signed or dedicated?
- Include any specific dedication you would like in the book
- If you're ordering the eBook(s), do you want an EPUB or MOBI file?
3. I will reply to confirm your information and provide the total cost of your order (books + shipping, if applicable).
- Tex Murphy and the Poisoned Pawn [NEW!] (6" x 9" Trade Paperback): $16.95
- Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon (6" x 9" Trade Paperback): $14.95
- Tex Murphy and the Pandora Directive (6" x 9" Trade Paperback): $14.95
- Tex Murphy and the Tesla Effect (6" x 9" Trade Paperback): $16.95
- eBook (any title): $6.95 (download, no shipping)
- Audio Book MP3 (any title): $14.95 (download, no shipping)
- U.S. shipping (2-Day Priority): $8.55 (1-4 books)
- International: TBD. Shipping time and exact cost depends on where you live.