The Maltese Mustache

By Jerald P. Knuckells

The Maltese Mustache
A Jerald P. Knuckells Presentation

Private eye Jerald Knuckells is used to getting ghosted by dames, double-crossed by clients, and shushed by bartenders. But when a woman walks into his office wearing nothing but trouble and a faint scent of vanilla bourbon, he's forced to confront the one case that might finally break him... or make him shave.

The job? Recover a priceless artifact known only as The Maltese Mustache-an object shrouded in myth, betrayal, and a suspicious amount of pomade.
The suspects? Everyone from a mustache-twirling ex-mime to a retired romance novelist with unusually strong forearms.
The odds? Somewhere between unlikely and "don't bet the house."

Set in a city that smells faintly of ashtrays and regret, this spoof-noir mystery wraps pulp fiction tropes in velvet sarcasm, delivering a full-bodied sip of mystery, innuendo, and absurdity. Think The Maltese Falcon if it drank too much, forgot the plot, and woke up in a trench coat that didn't belong to it.

If you like your fiction pulpy, your protagonists confused, and your dialogue dripping with double meaning-this one's for you. Perfect for fans of offbeat noir, absurdist comedy, and stories that take themselves just seriously enough to pull it off.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FK4KZQCS
• ISBN13: 9798294363482
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 66 Pages
• Weight: 0.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"