Dark Horse: A Private Investigator Mystery (Jim Knighthorse Book 1)

Name: Dark Horse: A Private Investigator Mystery (Jim Knighthorse Book 1)
Price: 5.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (1346 reviews)
Author: Rain, J.R.

by Rain, J.R.

Contemporary Fiction Mystery Thriller

4.4 (1,346)

4.4 stars from 1,346 reviews. Top 87% of Contemporary Fiction books we track.

345 pages~5.8 hr readPublished by Rain Press

$5.99KU14% off peak

Last checked: Apr 24, 2026

Read free with Kindle Unlimited

Price history: Free – $6.99Last free: 2026-01-14

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: Free – $6.99

Buy on Amazon - $5.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

Robert B. Parker
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Fans of these books will like this...

The Long Goodbye
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Perfect for you if...

You love smart-talking detectives who crack wise between solving brutal crimes, like readers of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series.
You want a mystery that tackles race and class without preaching, grounded in real stakes and institutional corruption.
You appreciate dry humour mixed with genuine stakes, where the protagonist is wounded but capable, and the case spirals into something far bigger.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer your crime fiction dark and gritty with no levity. Knighthorse's wit undercuts the tension throughout.
You need fast-paced, plot-heavy narratives. This one lingers in character moments and builds slowly.
You're looking for a standalone. This is book one of a series, so the ending sets up future cases.

About this book

Jim Knighthorse, an ex-college football hero turned private investigator, is hired to investigate the murder of a white student at Huntington High School in Orange County. The accused is Derrick Booker, the school's only black student. As Knighthorse digs deeper, he uncovers corruption within the school, including a band director who preys on students and a vice-principal with hidden motives. Someone has also hired a professional killer to stop his investigation. During the case, Knighthorse discovers new evidence connected to his mother's unsolved murder from twenty years earlier. This personal revelation drives him to pursue justice in both cases. The novel combines crime investigation with dialogue and character development.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Free – $6.99· Last free: 2026-01-14

Price has dropped 39 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 58 days. Typically stays discounted for 18 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #219K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Climbing the charts — 67% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.4★ from 1,346 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has climbed from 4.3 to 4.4. Recent readers are rating it higher.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

Based on past patterns, a price drop could happen soon. It typically goes on sale every 58 days and the last drop was 53 days ago. It has gone completely free in the past.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.