When a grave at the Pioneer Cemetery is robbed, Melisende Dulac sets out to track down the perpetrator and, in the process, solve a century-old mystery.
The Kadash Chronology
The Life and Times of Skin Kadash
October 12, 1953
Happy Birthday
Thomas "Skin" Kadash arrives in Portland, Oregon.
September 1970
Heat Death
In 1970 just before he ships out to Vietnam, Skin has his first real encounter with crime in "Heat Death." It’s his origin story, but without radioactive spiders or toxic waste.
February 1973
Back from Vietnam
Back from Vietnam, Skin serves 2½ years as a US Army MP.
October 1975
Civilian Again
Skin leaves the US Army with an honorable discharge.
June 1980
College Graduate
Skin graduates from Portland State University with a bachelor's degree in criminology.
September 1980
Portland Cop
After college, Skin attends the police academy, then joins the Portland Police Bureau.
February 1999
Homicide Detective
Skin spends thirteen years as a patrol officer, and four more investigating property crimes before finally advancing to Homicide.
February 2001
A New Partner
Begins his partnership on Homicide with Susan Mulvaney.
November 2004
Day One (2004)
Both during Skin’s days as a homicide detective and after he retires, Skin finds himself entangled in a crime with roots going back years.
December 2006
Lost Dog
Detective Skin Kadash makes his first appearance in print as one of two detectives investigating a series of murders in which troubled Portlander Peter McKrall has become implicated.
Spring 2007
The Big C
Skin is diagnosed with bladder cancer. During his treatment, he takes medical leave of absence from the Portland Police Bureau.
July 2007
Chasing Smoke
Skin Kadash’s first solo outing, with appearances by Ruby Jane Whittaker as well as his partner, Detective Susan Mulvaney.
September 2007
The Missus
Skin investigates the death of a woman, allegedly at the hands of her foster son, Joey Getchie.
October 2007
Retirement
Skin exits the Portland Police Bureau after 27 years.
October 31, 2007
Sunlight Nocturne
Skin spends the day with his neighbor and her young son as police pursue home invaders in a dramatic citywide chase.
November 2007
Day One (2007)
The later events of Day One.
March 2008
The Last Ship
Skin travels to the Oregon Coast to recover from the events of Day One and finds himself embroiled in strange local doings.
April–May 2008
County Line
Skin seeks out the missing Ruby Jane, whose disappearance is tied to events which transpired twenty years previously. Peter McKrall returns to help in the search.
Summer 2008
Coffee, Black
Now retired, Skin investigates vandalism at a Portland coffee shop with the help of Ruby Jane, and finds more than he bargained for.
2011
Barista
Skin is working as a barista at Uncommon Cup, Ruby Jane Whittaker's coffee house.
2012
Daisy and the Desperado
Skin investigates the whacky goings-on at the house of co-worker Marcy’s grandmother.
September 2013
Property of the State
Skin has an unnamed cameo in Joey Getchie's print debut.
September 2023
Coda
Quiescent for fifteen years, Skin's cancer returns with a vengeance. Traveling to Seattle with Ruby Jane, he arrives mere hours after the world-renowned oncologist he was scheduled to see is murdered.
August 1971
- Heat Death, appears in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
In 1970 just before he ships out to Vietnam, Skin has his first real encounter with crime. It’s his origin story, but without radioactive spiders or toxic waste.
November 2004
- Day One (early events)
Set both during Skin’s days as a homicide detective and in the period after he retires, Skin finds himself entangled in a crime with roots going back years. Ruby Jane and Susan Mulvaney are part of the tale.
December 2006
- Lost Dog
While the focus of this story is Peter McKrall and his developing relationship with Ruby Jane Whittaker, Detective Skin Kadash makes his first appearance as in print one of two detectives investigating the series of murders in which Peter has become implicated.
Spring 2007
- Bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment
July 2007
- Chasing Smoke
Skin Kadash’s first solo outing, with appearances by Ruby Jane Whittaker as well as his partner, Detective Susan Mulvaney.
August 2007
- Cancer in remission
September 2007
- The Missus (standalone short story featuring both Skin and Joey Getchie)
Skin investigates the death of a woman at the hands of her foster son.
October 2007
- Retires from the Portland Police Bureau
October 31, 2007
- Sunlight Nocturne, appears in Deadly Treats
Skin spends the day with his neighbor and her little boy as police pursue home invaders in a dramatic citywide chase.
November 2007
- Day One (later events)
March 2008
- The Last Ship, appears in West Coast Crime Wave
Skin travels to the Oregon Coast to recover from the events of Day One and finds himself embroiled in strange local doings.
April-May 2008
- County Line
Skin seeks out the missing Ruby Jane, whose disappearance is tied to events which transpired twenty years previously. Peter McKrall returns to help in the search.
Summer 2008
- Coffee, Black, appears in Portland Noir
Now retired, Skin investigates vandalism at a Portland coffee shop with the help of Ruby Jane, and finds more than he bargained for.
2012
- Daisy and the Desperado, appears in Murder at the Beach: Bouchercon Anthology
A comic tale of Skin Kadash’s investigation into the whacky goings-on at the house of a co-worker’s grandmother.
2013
- Property of the State (unnamed cameo)
About BCMystery
When not tending his chickens, BCMystery shapes unruly words into captivating people caught in harrowing situations. As Bill Cameron, his work includes the critically-acclaimed Skin Kadash mysteries and, as W.H. Cameron, the high desert mystery Crossroad. He’s presently at work on a historical mystery set on the Oregon coast. 