James D. Brewer

James D. Brewer is a retired US Army officer, writer, musician and teacher who lives with his wife, Jan, in central Florida. A former professor at the US Military Academy and past editor of Armor magazine, he has over a forty-year writing career authored five novels, three non-fiction books, numerous magazine articles and a two-act play. Brewer's Blood on the Crossties: The Florida Chautauqua Murders -- first in the three-book Choctaw Parker Historical Mystery series set in Florida during the Gilded Age -- appeared in April 2023 from TouchPoint Press. The second book in the series, Blood on the Trestle: Murder in Florida's Ancient City, is set in St. Augustine and Palatka and will debut in the Fall/Winter of 2023. Brewer is currently writing the third volume -- Blood at the Whistlestop: Murder on Florida's Peace River -- which is set in Ybor City and Arcadia, FL. It will be released in Spring/Summer 2024.The series features a half-White/half-Choctaw Indian railroad investigator, Jimmy Lee "Choctaw" Parker who works for the three great railroad barons (Chipley, Flagler and Plant) of Florida to solve all manner of murder-most-foul during the Victorian era.

Brewer is also author of the five-volume Masey Baldridge/Luke Williamson Mystery Series set along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers during the golden age of steamboats. In addition, he has published two books on Civil War history and one book on self-defense and personal protection. Brewer currently teaches writing as an adjunct faculty member at Polk State College in central Florida.