Melton’s Mettle introduces police detective Daniel Melton who pays dearly incurring a disabling injury yet demonstrates the mettle to find his shooter and stop a plague of arsons terrorizing the city. Reedsy editor Jo Lane calls Melton’s Mettle an “entertaining and well-constructed thriller,” that is “very gripping and the twist at the end is outstanding.” Daniel Melton is a police detective who has built his reputation as a tough cop getting results solving crimes on the streets and capturing the charms of the ladies like police recruit Mandy, while competing with fellow detective Tommy Rosetti for top honors on and off the job. A rash of burglaries, and then a string of arsons hit Middleton Indiana. Melton catches and flips a thief called Skunk to become an informant, and then gets a hot tip at midnight pulling him from a cozy love-nest directing him to a burned-out retail site. The detective is shot by an unknown assailant, surviving with a disabling spinal injury that leaves him incapacitated. Melton struggles through PTSD dreams and demanding physical therapy regimens adapting to his new wheelchair bound reality, re-connecting with a former girlfriend EMT Michelle. The city recognizes Melton with an Award of Valor yet the refuses to reinstate the disabled detective and his job loss lawsuit is defeated. The determined Melton hangs a shingle as a private investigator and continues to pursue the investigation into finding his shooter. Melton chases one lead after another, embarrassing the city’s ineffective investigation. The trail of fires and dead bodies exposes hidden unscrupulous relationships in the highest echelons of city hall. Amid flying bullets and a mega-explosion, Melton finally identifies his shooter and solves the case of the string of arsons.