Great Books—Thriller Books—Mystery Stories

 

 

HARRY'S BIO

 

Haroldas Grouch, known as Harry, is a bit of a curmudgeon (which, as you know, is a synonym for "grouch"). His home territory is the Detroit Metropolitan Area, although his cases often drag him all over the globe. He has a fast, dry, biting sense of humor and little patience for liars or fools. He will do anything for someone he believes in. He's been a private detective for about 15 years and has a degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University. He worked for the Michigan State Police for a few years after graduation, but was too independent to thrive in such a structured setting.

 

His wife, Cindy's, death caused him to rethink his future. She was killed by a bullet meant for him by a mafia don that he was close to exposing at a trial. They had no children. Harry carries a lot of guilt and remorse about Cindy. During a recent project, the Polly Marlowe case, he overcame his fixation on Cindy to embrace his distant cousin and childhood friend, Judy Pacas, as a full-fledged detective associate and as his live-in lover. This relationship is working out very well. It might lead to marriage.

 

Harry's grandfather, Augustas, a WW1 Lithuanian immigrant to Detroit shortened the family surname from Gruzauskas to Grouch.  Harry doubts granddad knew the meaning of the word in English. Harry's Dad, Filip, an autoworker until he retired, got a kick out of the kidding the name caused and decided to keep it. Like his dad, Harry enjoys the play on words engendered by his name and wouldn't change it for the world. In fact, he consciously tries to project a grouchy presence. It is a mask and not the real Harry, but it suits the professional image he desires. Underneath the gruff exterior lives a marshmallow of a softie.

 

 

JUDY'S BIO

 

Judita (Judy) Pacas is actually a distant cousin to Harry Grouch. She's distant enough for them to have a serious relationship, but close enough to have a long history together. She was more like a kid sister until their romantic relationship emerged. Their families go back to Lithuania and they immigrated to Detroit around the same time.

 

Harry and Judy lived near each other, and they went to the same neighborhood elementary and high schools. When married, they socialized together with their spouses. Judy is amicably divorced from her husband, an autoworker. She was a secretary in Dearborn for the Ford Motor Company until she quit to join up with Harry. She and Harry are now living together in a true love relationship as well as working together on cases. Judy wants to marry the guy (stay tuned, it may happen). She adds an important woman's perspective to the investigations. She also adds a romantic diversion from the seriousness of the detective work.