Charles A. Ray's Books
May.01.2013
Sergeant Ben Carter is given what seems like an impossible mission: track down a band of renegade Apache and return them to the reservation - but, he's assigned a group of untrained recruits to do it because his men are almost all absent on leave after their last mission. Ben also has to cope with the settlers who have no love for the Buffalo Soldiers of the Ninth Cavalry. Another...
Mar.03.2013
The country of Dagastan is an insignificant, landlocked pimple surrounded by the Russians who ignore it because it has nothing of value to offer. When, however, something of value is found there, it turns out to be something worth killing for, placing the staff of the American Embassy in the capital, Kazbektun, in grave danger.
Halfway around the world, in Washington...
Feb.04.2013
Al Pennyback mystery series. Al is hired to investigate a suspicious death in a retirement community. His efforts are complicated by the fact that the deceased has been cremated, erasing all traces of the crime. Show more Show less
Dec.14.2012
Another Al Pennyback mystery. Al is asked by a young woman to find out why her fiance, supposedly dead for six months, answered his phone. As he investigates, a ghost from his past - a military operation gone terribly wrong - comes back looking for revenge. To make matters worse, he discovers that the dead man might actually be alive, and a murderer. The clock is ticking for...
Oct.17.2012
Al, Sandra, and Quincy are invited to a secluded island for a weekend of fun. When one of their fellow revelers ends up dead, and a storm makes it impossible for the police to come to their aid, Al must find the killer before more people end up dead.
Sep.16.2012
Ben Carter and his men are sent to the West Texas town of Cactus Junction in response to a plea for help. A gang of rustlers, led by the notorious outlaw, Black Jack, is stealing their cattle, putting them at risk of losing their land. Once there, though, Ben has to deal with the town's prejudice as much as he has to worry about the outlaws.
Sep.04.2012
A book on how learning to take risks can lead to a more successful and fulfilled life, with anecdotes from the author's life and his observations after a 50-year career in government service around the world.
Sep.03.2012
A nonfiction work on the values of taking risks for people who want to be successful and fulfilled.
Sep.01.2012
Al Pennyback learns that a cousin he hardly knew has died and left him property in his will. The problem is, he has to go to Houston, Texas, near where he grew up, to settle the matter. Along with the trauma of going back to a place he swore he'd never return to, he has to deal with the dead man's two greedy sons who want the property. As if he didn't have enough...
Jan.21.2012
After the Civil War, Ben Carter walked from east Texas to New Orleans to enlist in the 9th (Colored) Cavalry Regiment. A good field soldier, he gets into trouble when he can't deal with the prejudice of white settlers. His commander gives him a last chance to save his army career when he puts him in charge of a detachment that must protect settlers from marauding Comanche warriors...
Dec.20.2011
Al and Buster Mayweather are visiting their friend, Lum Kellum, Sheriff of Middleboro, WV, when a local businessman is killed, and the wrong man is blamed. After they get caught up in Kellum's investigation, a new militia group, with plans for a deadly attack, springs up, and Al finds himself racing against time to prevent a catastrophe and an injustice.
Sep.12.2011
The author's photographic journey through Zimbabwe and southern Africa from 2009 to 2011, with photos of people, animals, and places that are unforgettable. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all included.
Sep.12.2011
The author's photographic journey through Zimbabwe and southern Africa from 2009 to 2011, with photos of people, animals, and places that are unforgettable. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all included.
Aug.10.2011
Wallace in Underland is a contemporary urban fantasy; Wallace Johnson is a lonely, scared little boy whose life is changed the day he meets a talking rat who helps him escape from the clutches of the neighborhood bullies. Ralph the rat takes him to Underland, a strange place inhabited by talking animals, where a frog in king. The king sends Wallace on a quest, where he learns...
Jun.30.2011
The Reverend Vincent Neville, head of the Church of Holy Redemption, was successful and admired. When he's found face down in his bath tub the police call it an accident, but his daughter disagrees and hires Al to investigate. He quickly finds himself knee deep in jealous husbands, ambitious assistants, and deadly rivals. He discovers that the victim had a secret life that could...
The writer must write what he has to say, not speak it.”
—Ernest Hemingway
About Charles
A native of East Texas, I have been involved in leading organizations (particularly those in trouble) for over 40 years. I have written a number of articles on history, culture and leadership, and have written three books on leadership in addition to my...
Connections
Causes Charles Ray Supports
The Nature Conservancy
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Charles’s Favorite Books
Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie, the Kinsey Milhone series of PI novels
Charles is a fan of
