Curveball

No gun. No mob connections. Just a mean pitching arm and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the works of Charles Dickens. Can pitcher turned professor turned PI Ben Barklee save a senator's daughter from an out-of-control mob operator on Chicago's North Shore? Baseball pitcher turned English professor Ben Barklee now leads a quiet life teaching at Ridgehaven College, a.k.a. Dropout U, on Chicago's wealthy North Shore. When the rebellious Jane Macalester, daughter of a senator, enrols in his introductory Dickens class, Barklee has no idea that life is about to throw him a curveball. After Jane is kidnapped, Barklee becomes an accidental hero, saving her from her captors - but the college has another agenda, and he's dismissed, leaving him to support his family as a new-age PI, or 'Confidential Consultant'. Barklee will need every one of his new-found sleuthing skills when Jane disappears again and he discovers he's now become the target of a madman bent on vengeance, who hates the Senator and will happily remove anyone who gets in the way. With Jane's help and determination not to meet her end like a Dickensian woman, Barklee must succeed in outwitting and defeating the nasty characters chasing him through Chicago. But without a gun or mob connections, and with a suspicious cop longing to find something to charge him with, will his signature pitching skills be enough to save the day? No gun. No mob connections. Just an encyclopaedic knowledge of the works of Charles Dickens and a mean pitching arm - can pitcher turned professor turned PI Ben Barklee save a senator's daughter from an out-of-control mob operator on Chicago's North Shore? Baseball pitcher turned English professor Ben Barklee now leads a quiet life teaching at Ridgehaven College, a.k.a. Dropout U, on Chicago's wealthy North Shore. When the rebellious Jane Macalester, daughter of a senator, enrols in his introductory Dickens class, Barklee has no idea that life is about to throw him a curveball. After Jane is kidnapped, Barklee becomes an accidental hero, saving her from her captors - but the college has another agenda, and he's dismissed, leaving him to support his family as a new-age PI, or 'Confidential Consultant'. Barklee will need every one of his new-found sleuthing skills when Jane disappears again and he discovers he's now become the target of a madman bent on vengeance, who hates the Senator and will happily remove anyone who gets in the way. With Jane's help and determination not to meet her end like a Dickensian woman, Barklee must succeed in outwitting and defeating the nasty characters chasing him through Chicago. But without a gun or mob connections, and with a suspicious cop longing to find something to charge him with, will his signature pitching skills be enough to save the day? "Baseball pitcher turned English professor Ben Barklee now leads a quiet life teaching at Ridgehaven College, a.k.a. Dropout U, on Chicago's wealthy North Shore. When the rebellious Jane Macalester, daughter of a senator, enrolls in his introductory Dickens class, Barklee has no idea that life is about to throw him a curveball. After Jane is kidnapped, Barklee becomes an accidental hero, saving her from her captors--but the college has another agenda, and he's dismissed, leaving him to support his family as a new-age PI, or 'confidential consultant'. Barklee will need every one of his new-found sleuthing skills when Jane disappears again and he discovers he's now become the target of a madman bent on vengeance, who hates the Senator and will happily remove anyone who gets in the way"--Page 4 of cover