Author B.T. Polcari
B.T. Polcari is a graduate of Rutgers College of Rutgers University, an award-winning mystery author, and a proud father of two wonderful children. He’s a champion of rescue pups (Mauzzy is a rescue), craves watching football and basketball, and, of course, loves reading mysteries. Among his favorite authors are Richard Osman, D.P. Lyle, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly. He is also an unapologetic fantasy football addict. He lives with his wife in scenic Chattanooga, Tennessee.
A little bit about Author B.T. Polcari…
I am a retired President/CEO of an international multi-division government contractor specializing in design-build construction and aviation maintenance/training/logistics. I retired early in 2013 and began writing soon thereafter. My first book wasn’t published until 2020, and it has since won several awards, which are listed later in this section.
WRITING AWARDS
Against My Better Judgment
2021 Eric Hoffer Awards—Honorable Mention, Mystery/Crime; Grand Prize Finalist (2500 entries); First Horizon Award Finalist
2022 Readers’ Favorite Awards—Silver Medalist
2022 American Fiction Awards—Finalist, Cozy Mystery
2022 Best Book Awards—Finalist, Humor/Comedy/Satire
2023 Mystery and Mayhem Awards—Finalist, Amateur Sleuth
Fire & Ice
2023 Eric Hoffer Awards—Finalist, Mystery/Crime
2022 American Fiction Awards—Double Finalist, Cozy Mystery and Humor/Comedy
This is Author B.T. Polcari’s writing and publication journey in his own words…
Inspiration to start writing…
The spark came during a road trip with my wife, talking about our daughter’s clever dachshund, Mauzzy. That funny conversation turned into a story idea, and soon we were collaborating on an app called Catch Notes. I wrote a blog post on my website about how I got started writing: https://btpolcari.com/blogs/news/against-my-better-judgment-the-origin-story The first book (Against My Better Judgment) grew out of that shared enthusiasm, followed by extensive research into antiquities, heists, and more. Fire and Ice and my latest release, Lucky Secrets, followed similar paths—with brainstorming, false starts, and lots of research shaping each plot. Real events often inspire my stories, even if subtly.
My preferred genre to write in is Mystery because there are two basic types of mystery readers: 1) the solvers; and 2) those who want to be entertained. Writing for these readers is so much fun, and difficult at the same time, to create a mystery that is compelling and entertaining for both types of reader but also provides the challenge to the solvers to try and solve the crime(s). I enjoy trying to stump these readers, but I always play fair and put the clues out there, albeit buried, along with red herrings. And since I work hard on pacing and developing fun interesting different characters, this works well for those readers who don’t necessarily care about solving the mystery but want to be entertained. I try and have the plot and pacing pull them along. Reading should be fun, not work.
B.T. Polcari’s works…
I have 3 published books in the Mauzzy & Me Mystery Series and 2 unpublished (a police/crime/detective book and a historical thriller). Below are the three published books, which are all available in print and e-book on Amazon and all the other major retailers.
Lucky Secrets (just released on 23 June 2025)
Lucky Secrets Blurb
College student Sara Donovan is in the homestretch of graduating when a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive contest. One that will drastically change the winner’s life. Included are unsettling photographs from forgettable chapters in her life and a threatening note strongly suggesting she participate.
With no good options, Sara enters the contest and finds herself at a fabulous mansion up against eight formidable opponents, each with a dark secret and all racing to solve seven levels of riddles and puzzles.
After a contestant’s body is discovered, Sara contemplates dropping out when another package arrives, its chilling contents making clear she’s at the center of a dangerous game with deadly consequences if she quits. But what it doesn’t say is—what happens if she wins?
One of B.T. Polcari’s favourite scenes from Lucky Secrets…
There are so many paragraphs and scenes fromLucky Secrets that I ABSOLUTELY love. However, the below excerpt explains the title:
The white-haired man, holding a blue folder, addressed everybody from the same open end of the seating arrangement as Percy had ten minutes earlier. “Thank you for coming. I am Creighton Winston, attorney for the contest’s founder, whose name shall remain confidential. However, rest assured, this person is a generous philanthropist, scholar, and respected citizen.” The attorney’s gaze traveled along the occupied sofas and chairs. “Has everybody brought their envelopes per the instructions?”
Some nodded their assent, others held up letter and manila envelopes, all looking daggers at the man. I pulled my envelopes out and held them up.
“Very good,” Winston said. “Full disclosure, my firm only prepared the invitation. The founder provided me with the sealed envelopes to go with each specific invite. Only you and the founder know the contents of your second envelope.”
That statement confirmed the so-called founder was the blackmailer. And assuming he owned El Sueño, he was also extremely wealthy. It made sense. With wealth comes power. I studied the attorney. The man oozed money. Could he be the person behind all this? Was he just pretending to be the founder’s attorney and in fact, I was staring at my blackmailer?
A smallish middle-aged woman with toned arms and perfect makeup raised a manila envelope like the one I received. Small dark-brown eyes that appeared even smaller behind oversized black-framed glasses glared at the attorney. “Are you telling me you had nothing to do with this sordid envelope and the despicable allegations it contains?”
“That is correct, Ms. Fantucci. All I know is, the founder believed some of you might have needed a little—push—to attend this meeting. And hence, your second envelopes.”
“More like a swift kick in the britches,” Scooter complained.
Mumbles and grumbles rolled through the room.
Winston forced a smile. “The founder imparted to me that every contestant was personally selected because each of you has a secret that absolutely must remain—a secret. Especially from law enforcement.” He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. “Since the winner of the contest will become fabulously wealthy, it would seem, everyone is here because of a potentially—lucky secret.”
Zoe’s head whipped toward me. With eyes wide, she mouthed law enforcement. I threw her a little headshake, even as my body exploded in tingles. I have no such secrets—anymore. I think. A picture popped in my head of the open safe-deposit box with the gold artifact, gold bar, and emeralds. With my name on the signature card. Somebody obviously manufactured a secret for me. But why? And is it the same for all the contestants? Were they also blackmailed into coming for something they didn’t do? Or were they…
Connect with Author B.T. Polcari
www.btpolcari.com
Instagram and X – @btpolcari
https://www.facebook.com/btpolcari
