Welcome to the Blog Tour for Magic City Murder by Bruce Hammack, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
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
My Review of Magic City Murder
Of the 16 full-length books in the Smiley and McBlythe Series by Bruce Hammack, I’ve read 12, and they’ve all been 5 star reads. Magic City Murder is the 16th, and it absolutely is another 5 star read for me! As with the other books in this series, you don’t have to have read the others to really enjoy the mystery; though, as you can tell, I highly recommend all I’ve read. They are all clean (“no gore, violence, or explicit content”) private detective murder mysteries with a cozy, found-family feel that I absolutely love!
Magic City Murder takes place in Miami, which apparently has the nickname “magic city.” I never knew that little tidbit, and you’ll find out why when you read this. It begins when Kate, Steve’s publisher and former girlfriend, calls about her estranged missing husband. She wants Steve’s help in locating him, so she can have him served with divorce papers. This should be fairly simple, but of course, it’s not! It wouldn’t be a murder mystery without a murder. When a body is found, it turns out to be an investigative journalist with whom Kate’s husband was living. And so it begins…
As I’ve said before, I adore this series! The mysteries are always tightly plotted and moves at a pace that keeps you flipping the pages. Magic City Murder has this same quality. It’s got quite a few twists that I did not see coming, and I was constantly changing my mind about who the killer was. You’ve got to pay close attention; and, like any good detective, follow the clues. Without giving any spoilers, I was REALLY crying while reading the very ending of this book! Good tears! I LOVED this ending. (No, it’s not the end of the series!)
The characters are my favorite part of this series, and they’re the reason I kept reading after book one. Many characters have been added since then, and when you’ve got the time, I highly recommend going back and reading the previous books. The characters have really evolved since then. In addition to Steve and Heather, my favorite character is Rasheed. He’s a newer character who adds a lot of humor to the books. That’s saying a lot because they’re already filled with Steve’s dry wit. Bella is another of my favorites. I won’t say much about her since her entrance to the series is a book unto itself! The cat, the dogs…they add a lot too!
If you love detective novels, I think you’ll really enjoy Magic City Murder. I highly recommend it!
I’ve also read all of his Fen Maguire Mystery Series, and it has the same found family feel to it. I highly recommend those as well!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
More in This Series
About the Author
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.
Tour Giveaway
(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!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 23, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
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