Bob Ainsworth, author of the Harry Bartlett fraud detective series

BLOG #1 MY WRITING JOURNEY: INTRODUCTION AND HOW I GOT HERE

Who I am and how I became a writer

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$INNED

FLEECED

A SMALL, IDYLLIC MASSACHSUETTS TOWN FACES A DEVASTATING FINANCIAL THREAT.

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PENNY WISE

A store owner asks Harry Bartlett to find his missing profits.

THE VOLUNTEER

Harry finds neither bravery nor clever wits have age limits as he follows an unlikely trail.

OH, MOOSE

Harry finds that a moose can damage lots of things besides a car.

VALUATION

Questions raised during a company acquisition threaten to slash the agreed-upon price by $10,000,000.

On the B Deck

Harry's spur of the moment limerick while sitting with Ian Bradford at the Boston Orphanage Fundraiser

Surviving on Nantucket Bay

Harry's limerick after being tossed overboard in Nantucket Bay

Yesac limerick to Harry

Yesac Trebor's limerick to Harry after escaping

Payback Limerick

Harry's limerick after capturing Mike Hancock

Essex Successex

A commentary on unwise investing

Brother Paul of the Orphanage

Harry's recalls his accounting mentor

Ode to Megan

Harry's quick-thinking response to Megan Webster's challenge

Karma Payback

Harry reflects on finding his daughter

The Headmaster

Harry's view of a prep school headmaster

HAROLD A. BARTLETT III

This Summer, Polpis Road, Nantucket Island, MA

PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE

Meaningful use of financial skills and high intelligence in retirement

EXPERIENCE

Chief Financial Officer for Big Companies for Many Years

Head Numbers and Money Guy
Worked in Artificial Intelligence, Data Security and Identification Industries

Staff Beancounter to Controller in Five Few Years

Worked 15 hours per day, 7 Days per Week
Never Saw Family

EDUCATION

Harvard Full Scholarship, Summa Cum Laude
Andover Preppie School Full Scholarship, Summa Cum Laude
Boston Orphanage Full Scholarship, Summa Cum Laude

PERSONAL

One Friend Ian Bradford
One Relative Uncle Louie
New Girlfriend Yvette Truque'
One Estranged Family Ex-wife and daughter

HOBBIES

Gambling
Writing Limericks
Shooting Cannons
Fund-raising for Boston Orphanage

OTHER

Orphaned due to Family Financial Destruction by Charles Ponzi
Hates Bullies
Great Public Speaker, Shy One-on-One
6’ 2”, 230 Pounds, Big Smile

I’m Bob Ainsworth, Harry Bartlett’s parent.
The idea for Harry’s stories sprang from my Accounting students' reactions to fraud anecdotes and from thinking about my retirement. I considered speaking about avoiding fraud, but writing mystery fiction seemed to be more fun.
I wrote my first story while commuting and that became SCAMMED, a soon-to-be-published story pitting Harry against intricate and ruthless con artists. The 2nd story I wrote and the 1st one I published was CONNED, about Harry’s journey from a financial executive to a fraud detective while tracking down scams on Nantucket. The 2nd story published was DUPED, a fictional account involving Harry and his Uncle Louie's efforts to beat a ransom deadline and find the $500 million in art stolen from the Isabella Gardner Museum. My 4th book will be about Harry’s grandparent's interactions with Charles Ponzi in 1920s Boston.
As for me, I settled in Boston after meeting my wife at Boston College. I earned my CPA and worked as a CFO and Controller. I uncovered several embezzlement schemes in my career.
I live with my family in a Boston suburb.
I hope you enjoy the stories. I had fun writing them.

Massachusetts, United States

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a true story of a con victim

ROMANCE SCAMS

Love means "Send me money" to romance scammers.

BILLION $$ PONZI SCHEMES STILL BEING RUN IN 2020

Big money makes you a big target.

RELIGOUS- BASED FINANCIAL FRAUD IS RAMPANT

No one should be more trust-worthy than a person of the cloth, but it just isn't so.

SCAMWATCH FROM DOWN UNDER

FRAUD OF THE DAY published by Lexis Nexus

Five days a week, “Fraud of the Day” shines a light – through daily articles – on these egregious fraudsters and the dedicated work by federal, state and local government agencies to stop their unlawful activities and make sure justice is served.