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

What is your full name?
Jax Turner

How old are you?
Most of the time, I try not to think about it, but I’ll admit to being in my mid-50s.

What is your profession?
Sheriff of Misty Pines, Oregon

Do you have a significant other?
Not officially, but I’m hoping that we can get there.

What is their name and profession?
Abby Kanekoa is my ex-wife. Life has come at us pretty hard, and we didn’t make it through our first attempt to stay together. But I’ve never stopped loving her, and now that we’ve learned how to live beyond our grief, we might have another chance.

Do you have any children?
We had a daughter, Lulu, but lost her to cancer when she was five.

Do you have any siblings?
No.

Are your parents nearby?
My father died years ago. My mother left us years before that. She remarried and created another family, clearly having no time for the one she left in the rearview. So I suppose she’s out there, somewhere, but I haven’t felt compelled to look. Unfortunate for her since I think she would have adored Lulu.

Who is your best friend?
For better or worse, I’ve always been a lone wolf, but my ex-partner, Jameson, could be counted as one of my better friends. We’ve had a few differences recently, namely over my hiring his daughter as my deputy, and he’s revealed a few personality issues I had not been aware of. But he’s been there when I needed him, and I know underneath he’s a good guy.

Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I don’t, although my deputy’s dog, Koa, has adopted me as one of her pack, and I rather like that.

What town do you live in?
Misty Pines, Oregon

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I own a small 2-bedroom house that Abby and I bought when we first moved to town. After the divorce, she decided to get out of Misty Pines and she now lives further south, but I still call the place my home.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Kitchen. It’s where the coffee pot’s located, and it was the hub of our home when Lulu was alive. Even before, Abby and I would share the events of our day across from each other at the dinette. While at the end of our marriage, those conversations weren’t so pleasant, there’s mostly good memories there.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
Contrary to the fact that Marie Callender’s frozen dinners have become a staple, Abby’s Luau stew, or most anything she makes, is my favorite. I’m not much of a sweets guy. More meat and potatoes.

Do you have any hobbies?
Running, though I do that off and on, and only because a therapist suggested it. Keeping tabs on Misty Pines keeps me plenty busy in between.

What music do you listen to?
I’m a classic rock guy. The Eagles, Van Halen and Aerosmith are among my favorites.

What is your favorite color?
Twilight Turquoise. It’s the color of the ’64 Ford Mustang my dad owned and let me drive on a rare occasion until he sold it. While we didn’t agree on much, cars were a common ground. One day I’d like to find that car and get it back.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Put me in nature 99% of the time and anywhere near the beach. Suppose that’s why I love Misty Pines—it’s the best of all worlds.

Are you a morning or night person?
Night, I suppose, but in law enforcement, I’ve had to be ready to go at all hours.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Any time spent with Abby and at one time my daughter, Lulu, always counted as a fun time.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
How he burned it all down and found his way back.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Professional sleuth, and my team of deputies are those I work with. There’s my newest hire, and right-hand, Deputy Rachel Killian. She’s proved invaluable in what recently unfolded in Misty Pines, and I wouldn’t be speaking with you if not for her and her dog, Koa. Koa’s search and rescue skills has made her an invaluable part of the team and she’s family now. There’re also my other deputies: Garrett, who’s always interviewing for a full-time law enforcement position outside of Misty Pines, Brody, who some days I think would rather sell car parts at the supply store, and Matt, who’s more often called to stock the shelves at the IGA grocery store in West Shore. Understaffing is everywhere and puts a strain on us when a big case hits our small town, but we get by. I also can’t forget Trudy, queen of the office, who keeps us all in line.

What is a typical day in your life like?
I’m not sure there is such a thing in law enforcement. Any day can start out one way and do a 180 based on one call. Those calls can range from a fender bender to a serial killer with an eye on Misty Pines and its fine residents. It’s happened before, and I fear it’s happening again. How it ends, I’m not quite sure and that has me concerned. While feeling concerned is part of a typical day, this time around there’s more at stake. Keeping Abby and I safe is imperative. Not only for the future of Misty Pines, but if we hope to ever find our way back to each other.

KILLER TRACKS – A Misty Pines Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: September 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

A peaceful retreat. A maze of smoke and murder. Is their remote getaway about to become a death trap?

Sheriff Jax Turner is worried about going off-grid and leaving his young team of deputies behind. But while his getaway with his ex is meant to help them reconnect, Jax is distracted by signs of a break-in at their rented lookout.

After a string of unsettling events and an approaching wildfire turn their isolated retreat into a danger zone, he’s stunned to find a dead body with marks tying it to a killer he put away a decade ago.

Terrified his attempt at reconciliation has led them both into a fatal setup, Jax rushes back to his estranged wife before she joins the list of victims. But his dedication to serving and protecting could become an Achilles heel as other players join them among the darkening trees.

Can he fight his way out of the woods before the flames of revenge consume everything?

About the author
Eighteen years in the legal field, and an over-active imagination, led Mary Keliikoa to plot murder—novels that is. She is the author of the domestic thriller DON’T ASK, DON’T FOLLOW, the upcoming KILLER TRACKS, the third book in the Misty Pines mystery series which is an IPPY Silver and Bronze Award winner, Silver Falchion finalist, and a Foreword Indies award finalist, and the Shamus and CLUE Finalist, and Lefty, Agatha and Anthony nominated “PI Kelly Pruett” mystery series. Her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World and the anthology Peace, Love and Crime.