Three hours before the Chief of Hill Side arrives on Wallace Street, Derrick Jones is arrested for the murder of Paul Katore. He is discovered in a compromising position beside the body, hands stained, weapon nearby, and no one else in sight. Every piece of evidence points directly to him, too perfectly, as though someone wanted the police to find him there.

Desperate and cornered, Derrick immediately enlists the help of his two closest allies:

Charles Penton, his level-headed best friend and a meticulous architect known for noticing details everyone else overlooks.

Alicia Michaels, his sharp-witted neighbor and a determined detective with a reputation for solving the impossible.


Together, the three have only three hours to untangle the truth before the Chief arrives ,because once he does, Derrick will be transferred, tried, and likely convicted within days.

But this isn't just a murder.
It's a puzzle deliberately constructed.

Paul Katore was the most despised man in Hill Side. Everyone hated him. Everyone wanted him dead. Which means the suspect pool is endless, and the real killer is hiding behind the chaos, counting on Derrick being the perfect scapegoat.

As Charles deciphers the layout of the crime scene like a blueprint, and Alicia digs into Katore's enemies and hidden dealings, they begin to uncover a pattern.

And with the clock ticking down, the truth may be more shocking and dangerous than any of them imagined.

I am the author of 3 Hours, and I want to sincerely thank you for reading this book and following it all the way to this point. I started writing 3 Hours back in 2023, and now here we are in 2026, almost at the end of the journey ,finally closing in on the answer everyone has been waiting for: Who murdered Paul Katore?


To be clear, 3 Hours is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and locations are entirely imaginary and not based on any real individuals.


The story opens with Charles, who wakes up to the sound of screaming. When he rushes outside, he sees the police dragging away his best friend, Derrick. Before Derrick is taken away, he begs Charles to find someone named Alicia.


Charles eventually tracks Alicia down, but she refuses to help him. Upset and feeling betrayed, Charles decides to investigate the murder alone. However, when he sneaks back to the crime scene, he unexpectedly finds Alicia already there. Realizing that neither of them can solve this mystery alone, the two finally agree to work together.


After examining the crime scene and gathering early clues, Charles and Alicia interview Paul's girlfriend, Candice Adams. Candice shares her version of events, but nearly slips up hinting that she knows more than she's willing to say.


From there, Alicia decides it's time to speak with the neighbors. But there's a major problem: everyone hated Paul. In fact, every neighbor had a motive. Meaning anyone could be the killer.


Was it Derrick? Candice? The Willows? Alicia herself? Or one of the neighbors from across the street?


Here's a reminder of the other suspects:


They all had reasons. They all had something to gain. And they all had secrets.


Feel free to comment your theories, suspect someone bold, or even make predictions on how you want the story to end. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas, and your engagement means so much to me.


Thank you again for reading, for supporting this story, and for joining this mystery.


Chapter 6 - AUTHORS NOTE