The First Rule of Ten

Book excerpt: A Tibetan monastic-turned-LAPD cop-turned private investigator lands his first big case in this riveting opening installment in a Buddhism-inspired mystery series “Don't ignore intuitive tickles lest they reappear as sledgehammers.” —The first rule of Ten Tenzing Norbu (“Ten” for short), an ex-monk and soon-to-be ex-cop, is a protagonist unique to our times. In The First Rule of Ten, we meet this spiritual warrior who is singularly equipped, if not occasionally ill-equipped, as he takes on his first case as a private investigator in Los Angeles. Growing up in a Tibetan Monastery, Ten dreamed of becoming a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. So when he was sent to Los Angeles to teach meditation, he joined the LAPD instead. But as the Buddha says, change is inevitable; and ten years later, everything is about to change—big-time—for Ten. One resignation from the police force, two bullet-wounds, three suspicious deaths, and a beautiful woman later, he quickly learns that whenever he breaks his first rule, mayhem follows. Set in the modern-day streets and canyons of Los Angeles, The First Rule of Ten is at turns humorous, insightful, and riveting-a gripping mystery as well as a reflective, character-driven story with intriguing life-lessons for us all.