Thanks for stopping by! I’m Terry Ambrose, a former skip tracer and bill collector who traded chasing deadbeats for chasing plot twists. These days, I write mysteries packed with surprises, memorable characters, and enough twists to keep readers guessing. I call them Mysteries with Character.
There’s a long version of my story and a short one. Trust me, you want the short one.
My career began with tracking down people who owed money and discovering that liars come in all shapes, sizes, and income brackets. I never actually stole a car, but when negotiations failed, I occasionally hired big guys with tow trucks and a penchant for working in the dark to help “persuade” people to reconsider their options.
Let’s just say I learned a thing or two about human nature.
Those experiences helped shape McKenna, the skip-tracing protagonist of my Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mysteries. They also planted the seeds for the two main characters in my License to Lie thriller series. How I went from chasing deadbeats to writing the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries? Honestly, that’s still a mystery to me.
Life has its own plot twists, of course. I live in Southern California and enjoy hitting the road with my wife to explore the country’s national parks. There’s nothing quite like discovering a new place, taking a few photos, and coming home with fresh ideas. If you want to stay in the loop, sign up for my newsletter.
And remember. Years of tracking down deadbeats taught me many valuable lessons. The most important? Always keep your car in the garage.