Local Author Publishes Mystery Featuring Parts of Royal Oak

A Royal Oak Patch blogger just published his first novel, a sleuthing tale set in south Oakland County that revolves around a murder and a real estate deal on a well-traveled road in Troy.

, a Royal Oak resident for more than 35 years, penned Big Beaver Road after kicking around the idea for a few years. Having written what he calls a “practice book,” Ripinski’s wife, Dawne, encouraged him to buckle down and publish his work.

“I was driving to Chicago last October and I saw a sign for 2 Moon Press in Marshall,” said Ripinski. “I had this rough idea for in my head and I decided to go for it.” In March, Ripinski had a box of his novel arrive on his doorstep.

Drawing on his imagination and his real-life experience in real estate sales for , Ripinski created the character of retired Detroit cop Dick Hagen, who moves to a quiet condo in Troy only to find himself pulled into murder investigation involving a major commercial real estate deal and a high level politician.

“The story takes place in a lot of local settings,” said Ripinski. “I drew on places I know, for example there is a car chase that takes place on Woodward."

and the are both featured in the fictional work. Ripinski said readers have told him the book’s local connections make it exciting to read.

“It was a labor of love,” Ripinski said. “I really enjoyed working on it.”

Big Beaver Road is available on Amazon or through 2 Moon Press.