Jessica Mathews - news@whmi.com


A local author recently released his debut mystery novel – the first in a forthcoming series.

Tony Coln of Fowlerville brings a background in law enforcement and real estate. His new book - “The House That Wasn’t for Sale” - draws from his experience in both. It’s the first installment in Coln’s planned “Sean Emerson Mystery Series”.

The new book introduces Sean Emerson, a former police chief turned real estate agent, who is asked to make a cash offer on a house that is not for sale. When the man behind the request is found dead, Sean is pulled into a dangerous mystery involving a secret hidden inside the home.


The official book description is as follows:

“SOME OFFERS ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

SOME HOUSES SHOULD STAY OFF THE MARKET.

Sean Emerson thought life after police work would be simpler. As a real estate agent, he expects inspections, closings, and the occasional difficult client, not a cash buyer obsessed with a farmhouse that is not for sale.

The owners want to be left alone. The buyer will not take no for an answer.

What starts as an unusual request quickly turns darker. The house has a history. The buyer has secrets. And the deeper Sean digs, the clearer it becomes that someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried.

Now Sean is caught in a web of greed, deception, and buried motives, where the wrong question can get someone killed.

Because some houses hold more than memories.

And some secrets are worth killing for”.


Coln is a retired law enforcement professional who spent nearly twenty years in policing. That includes retiring from the Fowlerville Police Department in 2004 and also serving as police chief for a small town in Michigan’s Thumb area. His professional background also includes licensed real estate work. Coln’s experience in criminal investigations, public safety, and real estate helped inspire the characters and story.

WHMI had the opportunity to chat with Coln about his debut novel, which is based in Michigan. It has everything from shady dealings to kidnappings and murder, gun fights, and even some humor.

Coln said there’s “a little bit of something for everyone, no matter what you like in your stories”. He said the book is not based on him but it does have elements from his life and there are similarities in their backgrounds but that’s so the writing feels authentic – adding “you want to write about things you know”.

Coln’s planning a series of five, possibly six books, and he’s currently working on the second one that’s anticipated to be out February.

Coln penned his first story back in second grade, and has been writing ever since but hasn’t published anything until now – joking “the writing process is a lot more fun than the publishing process” but he enjoys learning.

“The House That Wasn’t for Sale” is available in paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited. The Amazon book link is provided.

The book will also be available starting this week at the Torch 180’s new Corner Shoppes Retail Training Center at 102 East Grand River, by the main four corners in Fowlerville.