Caffeine Can Kill

This Jim West mystery/thriller, the sixth in the series, finds Jim traveling to the Texas Hill Country to attend the grand opening of a friend's winery and vineyard. Upon arriving in Fredericksburg, Jim witnesses a brutal kidnapping at a local coffee shop. The next morning while driving down an unpaved country road to the grand opening, he comes across an active crime scene barely a quarter mile from his friend's winery. A Fredericksburg policeman who talked to Jim the day before at the kidnapping scene recognizes Jim and asks him to identify the body of a dead young woman as the woman who was kidnapped. Jim does, and as a result of this unwelcome relationship with the police is asked the next morning to identify the body of another murdered person as the man who had kidnapped the young woman. A third murder throws Jim's vacation into complete disarray and draws Jim and a female friend into the sights of one of the killers.


Doerr does it again. This time the vineyards and rustic beauty of Texas Hill Country mask the sleazy underbelly of sexual trafficking. The kidnapping/murder of a young woman thrusts Jim West into the heart of an investigation that could very easily claim his own life.

-- David Harry, author of Padre Puzzle and other thrillers set on South Padre Island


A fast-paced read for the whole family. Caffeine Can Kill touches on all the vices: murder, theft, prostitution, and jealousy. Bob Doerr weaves the tale in such a way that other than some blood and a rattlesnake bite, the reader can enjoy the ride without the swearing and violence some novels use in place of great writing.

-- Bill Wetterman, author of The Peacock Trilogy


Award winning author Bob Doerr grew up in a military family, graduated from the Air Force Academy, and had a career of his own in the Air Force. Bob specialized in criminal investigations and counterintelligence gaining significant insight to the worlds of crime, espionage, and terrorism. His work brought him into close coordination with the security agencies of many different countries.


His education credits include a Masters in International Relations from Creighton University. A full time author, this is his seventh mystery/thriller. He has also authored two novellas for middle grade readers. Among his various book awards, Bob was selected by the Military Writers Society of America as its Author of the Year in 2013. He lives in Garden Ridge, Texas, with Leigh, his wife of 41 years.