Fate Prevails: A Gothic Mystery

Winston Cooper is a man of unfulfilled dreams. His plans to forge a career in the realm of fine art were curtailed by a war injury he suffered in Afghanistan. A lengthy recuperation restored the use of his legs, but PTSD continued to dominate his life. Nothing had eased his persistent anxiety, his tormenting self-doubt.

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Winston Cooper’s years of military service as an M.P. opened the door to a career in law enforcement. He became a detective with the New York City police force. His past continued to plague him. Would he be reliable, unflinching, and dependable in critical situations? Could his brothers in blue rely on him? His self-doubt eventually prompted him to resign his position with the police force.

At this stage, Winston despaired of finding a career that entailed real responsibility, that imposed serious consequences for error: in short, a grown up job. A personal inventory proposed a plan. He would start his own business. His education had prepared him for a career in the arts and his life experience had groomed him as an investigator. He would create his own niche: a private investigator specializing in the recovery of stolen art.

He would provide his expertise to the police, to insurance companies, and to private collectors. He was finally in his comfort zone.

About the Author

P. Schaeffer

P. Schaeffer, the creator of the Detective Winston Cooper mysteries, lives in Minneapolis, Mn. with his wife of 57 years (2024,) Bethel. He began his career as a as a geneticist at the University of Wisconsin.

In 1980, the Shaeffer family (which now included two daughters, Christine & Stephanie)) relocated to the University of Minnesota, where Schaeffer established a laboratory implementing cutting edged technology to enhance scientists’ ability to study diseases in the search for cures.

Since retiring from that interesting work, at the age of 72, he began writing tales of his detective, Winston Cooper.

What Readers Have Thought

"Fate Prevails" is an exceptional debut mystery novel, introducing us to the captivating world of Winston Cooper, a detective whose prescient investigative abilities and battle with PTSD create a compelling and multifaceted character. Schaeffer has skillfully built a story that weaves suspense, intricate character dynamics, and a well-paced mystery that will keep readers enthralled from start to finish. The atmospheric setting of Dyke Huis, a grand but decaying mansion, adds layers of intrigue and tension to the plot, setting the stage for a suspenseful journey.

P. Schaeffer’s debut novel, "Fate Prevails," introduces us to Winston Cooper, a detective whose brilliance and vulnerabilities make for a gripping character study amidst an absorbing murder mystery. Schaeffer excels at crafting a richly atmospheric tale, with Dyke Huis serving not just as a setting but as a character in its own right, echoing secrets and hidden motives that parallel the plot’s complexities. The narrative is layered with suspense and psychological depth, skillfully blending a classic murder mystery with emotional and psychological exploration.

Other Books

Family, First

First, Family is the inaugural story of the chronicles of Winston Cooper’s exploits as a detective. In this novel Winston is a New York city police detective investigating a case that has him butting heads with Felix Wolf, a powerful real estate developer with a high rise in Manhattan, and whose latest triumph was winning the election for the U.S. presidency.

Cooper, with fellow detective, Austen Beauchamp, is investigating the murders of two young men. The sleuths believe the murders are linked because both victims had dated Wolff’s daughter, Marguerite. The haughty President-elect is contemptuous of the detectives and refuses to cooperate with their investigation.

Cooper is rankled by Wolf’s intransigence and lets his feelings override his better judgement. He has only weak, circumstantial evidence to support his suspicions, so he takes great risks to bolster his case. His hazardous ventures awaken fears that are inflamed by the PTSD that has tormented him since his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, Cooper and Beauchamp eventually reveal a sordid Wolff family secret that leads to the solution of their case.