Archie Baxter sits down for a Q&A with dru’s book musings responding to twenty or more questions so that we can learn more about him. Are you ready? Let’s get to know Archie.

What is your full name?
Archibald Marion Baxter the third. Please don’t tell anyone that.

How old are you?
58

What is your profession?
I’m a Texas Ranger. Yes, they still have those.

Do you have a significant other?
Not in a very long time.

Do you have any children?
One I sure wish was mine. I think she counts. Her name is Faith.

Do you have any siblings?
The best big sister anyone could ever wish for. She was an army trauma surgeon. She died in Iraq.

Are your parents nearby?
They’re both gone now.

Who is your best friend?
My dog. He’s a German Shepherd, I’ve loved the breed since my early days in law enforcement as a K9 officer.

Do you have any pets?
He’s not a pet. He’s family.

What town do you live in?
Austin, Texas.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
It’s a big, loud, diverse city with wide blue Texas skies. I love it here.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I bought a 1980s rancher near the city limits so long ago it’s paid for now.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
My living room. I have a leather sectional and a decent TV with an outstanding sound system. Most nights I sleep there.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Gotta go with brisket and potato salad or I’ll lose my Texan card. And homemade banana pudding.

Do you have any hobbies?
Target practice, the occasional fishing trip. I do enjoy a long walk with my dog.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Anywhere I can see or be in the mountains.

What music do you listen to?
Classic to about 90s country is my favorite.

Do you have a favorite book?
John Grisham’s An Innocent Man. It reminds me to be thorough in my work and mindful of the power that comes with the badge I wear.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
A chilly fall night, a backyard firepit, good bourbon and good conversation.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Ha! I’m sure I couldn’t say. But Faith would call it “The Last of the Cowboy Cops.”

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I usually wake up with the daylight coming through the patio doors, or the window if I actually made it to my bed, get coffee, roll to headquarters about eight. When I’m working a regular case I get back home about six, take Tyler for a walk, heat something up for dinner and settle in to watch whatever sport is in season. When I’m working a tight case, like the ones Faith tends to get into, all bets for typical are off, and poor old Tyler makes good use of his dog door and his automatic feeders.

What does a typical day look like when you are on a case?
Long. Especially when Faith is involved—that girl has a stubborn streak I haven’t seen in an officer since I was her age. She doesn’t know what “unsolved” means. We work eighteen hour days until there’s an answer, because she won’t have it any other way, and I can’t leave her to figure it out alone.

No Sin Unpunished, A Faith McClellan Mystery #3
Genre: Traditional
Release: March 2021
Purchase Link

While on special assignment to the bank fraud unit, Texas Ranger Faith McClellan accidentally stumbles upon a raging fire consuming the back of a nearby house. When partially-cremated remains are pulled from the ruins, she finds herself back on homicide-and on the trail of a ruthless killer.

As she races to identify the victims, the sadistic murderer strikes again-this time against state politicians with ties to Faith’s father, a former governor of Texas. Faith is forced to face shocking and long-buried family secrets as she questions her confidence in the justice system-and those she thinks she knows best.

Soon, Faith and her colleagues realize they’re hunting a killer with a personal vendetta, whose ferocious methods of murder are punishment for unimaginable sins of the past.

Everyone is a suspect. The pressure is on. Now Faith must piece together clues from the ashes. . .before her whole life goes up in flames.

About the Author
LynDee Walker is the national bestselling author of two crime fiction series featuring strong heroines and “twisty, absorbing” mysteries. Her first Nichelle Clarke crime thriller, Front Page Fatality, was nominated for the Agatha Award for best first novel and is an Amazon Charts Bestseller. In 2018 she introduced readers to Texas Ranger Faith McClellan in Fear No Truth. Reviews have praised her work as “well-crafted, compelling, and fast-paced,” and “an edge-of-your-seat ride” with “a spider web of twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end.”

All comments are welcomed.