Chris Culver

Hello,
I’m very happy to finally share that the newest Homer Watson novel, Deemed Accidental, is officially out in the world. I had hoped to post this earlier, but I wanted to approve a proof copy of the paperback before I sent anything out. That proof copy got lost in the mail, apparently, and took several weeks to arrive. I finally got it, and it looks good.

This book combines a lot of different things I’m interested in. It’s about housing and the ways governmental bureaucracy can be manipulated to cover up crimes.

It’s a really good mystery, and I’m delighted with it. If you’ve followed Homer for a while, you’re going to like this one.

You can find Deemed Accidental at the following links:

My Direct store [get a $3 discount on the eBook until March 2]
https://store.chrisculver.com/products/deemed-accidental-ebook

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Deemed-Accidental-Homer-Watson-Book-ebook/dp/B0GNNTZKQT

Amazon US - Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Deemed-Accidental-Homer-Watson-Culver/dp/196353803X

Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deemed-accidental-chris-culver/1149491564?ean=2940184967103

[It’s available outside the US at Amazon UK, Australia, etc., as well. I will NOT carry paperbacks in my own store. You’ll have to purchase from Amazon. Sorry!]

I also wanted to give you a quick update on what I’m working on next.
My original plan was to dive straight into another Homer Watson book. But as I outlined the story and started pulling on the threads, it became clear that the case belonged somewhere else. The voice, the setting, and the kind of pressure the story needed all pointed toward Joe Court instead.

So I’ve shifted gears and am currently writing Joe Court #14. If all goes as planned, it should be out this summer.

As always, thank you for reading, for recommending the books to others, and for sticking with these characters as they evolve. I don’t take that lightly, and I hope Deemed Accidental keeps you up a little later than you meant to stay awake.

There are two things going in this post. First, you’re going to get an amusing anecdote. Then you’re going to get a update about 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, book #13 in my Joe Court series. The release date is coming up sooner you probably think.

I’m writing this in mid-November, that magical time of year when my phone reminds me—over and over—that I can look back on my year with a video montage of pictures. This year's highlight reel was just dozens of photos of my dog. Most aren't even very good pictures.

Algorithms are going to do what algorithms are going to do, so I figured it liked the dog and thought this was a great way to generate interest. Then I looked through my pictures, and the evidence was conclusive: I’ve documented every trip Frodo and I have taken to the park, but I forgot to take pictures of my wife of 20 years. Or my children. Or anyone else. For a year.

Oops.

It’s kind of funny, but mostly kind of tragic. I’m telling you this story because it illustrates something important. I get a lot of questions about my characters, none more so than Joe Court. People want her to be happy long-term [and she will be], but they also ask whether she’ll ever have a partner.

The short answer, without revealing too much: maybe, but it’s never going to be a focus of the books. If you’re looking for sweeping love stories or candlelit dinners, I’m not your best bet to provide them. I can promise mysteries that involve dogs, but I can’t be trusted with people—even those I care about.

And here’s the big news about book #13. My goal in 2025 was to publish 3 books. 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴, book #3 in my Homer Watson series, came out on March 20th. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦, book #12 in my Joe Court series came out on September 30th. Since then, I’ve been working 16 hour days to finish up 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.

Now, it’s done, and I can go back to taking pictures of my dog.

It’s coming out on December 8th, 2025, and it’s brilliant. Since my oldest son was born, I’ve had at least one child near my desk every day while I work. Now, they’re all in school for at least 7 hours a day. For those who don’t have kids—or whose kids are older—this means I could work without interruption for the first time in 12 years. It shows in the prose. I’m really delighted with this book, and I hope you will be, too.

You can find more information—including pre-order information—about 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 at the following links:

My Direct Store: https://store.chrisculver.com/products/in-the-company-of-wolves-ebook

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Company-Wolves-Joe-Court-Book-ebook/dp/B0FTGNRMCL

Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-company-of-wolves-chris-culver/1148431514?ean=2940184395647

Paperbacks will be available at Amazon on release day.

I'm not such a fan of the snow, but Frodo's having a great time.

On a related note, if you order paperbacks from my store, I'm getting them out, but expect delays due to the weather. Our beleaguered postal carriers are doing the best they can in trucks that often lack heat.