“Out of Bounds,” by John Corrigan; University Press of New England; 321 pages; $24.95 in hardcover.

Golfers whose in-flight entertainment on trips to Myrtle Beach and points south takes the form of murder mysteries will find “Out of Bounds” a great combination of golf and murder.

Ever since John Corrigan introduced Jack Austin in “Cut Shot,” mystery reading golfers have enjoyed following this dyslexic golf pro as he fights to maintain his tour card while solving murders that happen around him.

Those who have discovered the series will find the latest an intriguing tale of murder surrounding the use of steroids by aging golfers who can no longer keep up off the tee with young bucks who pound the ball past the 300-yard mark with ease. Golfers being introduced to the series will find a price drop as University Press of New England has brought out three of the series, “Snap Hook,” “Center Cut” and “Bad Lie” in paperback.

Some background is appropriate. John Corrigan teaches English at Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle. He overcame the challenges of dyslexia to achieve an education and seven years ago set out to write a series focusing on two of his passions: golf and murder mysteries. As a fan of Robert Parker and John D. MacDonald, he wanted to create a Spenser-type hero and present an accurate picture of life on the PGA tour.

The result is Jack Austin, a PGA touring pro from Maine. Like the author, Austin is dyslexic and the series educates the reader about the challenges of the condition as the hero tries to combine solving murders with successfully competing at golf’s highest level. While living in the Southwest, Corrigan became friends with touring pro J.D. Hayes and consults with him regularly to make sure his books accurately portray life on the tour.

In his fifth book, Corrigan takes on a subject associated with many other sports but not connected with golf. “Corrigan exposes the dark side of professional sports today. He accurately portrays the pressure faced by athletes when you combine intense competition with the seductive powers of big money and performance enhancing drugs. Oh, by the way – it was one hell of a good read,” said Dr. Charles E. Yesalis, author of “Anaabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise,” who offered expert testimony during the Major League Baseball Congressional Hearings in 2005.

Having read all five, I concur with Yesalis’ last statement. The first four were good reads, and this is the best.

I caught up with Corrigan by e-mail and phone to get his thoughts on the latest Jack Austin mystery and the future. “Why steroids?” I asked. “I wanted to see if I could write a book about an ethical dilemma. I don’t agree with steroid use, but I understand it,” Corrigan replied.

He makes the characters and their plights very real. Austin empathizes with his aging friends who are trying to maintain a lifestyle for their families – and in the end, he winds up trying to solve their murders. And through this distraction, he has to play well enough to maintain his own place on the tour.

Right now, we have five Jack Austin novels to enjoy, but we’ll have to wait awhile for the next one. Corrigan is taking a hiatus. After working on the series for seven years, he has started a book about a female border patrol agent. His life in El Paso for three years and now in Presque Isle, Maine, gives him some insight into border problems.

In his fourth book, a key part of the mystery takes place at Aroostook Valley Country Club in Fairfield, where you park in Maine, but play in Canada. Golfers in New England will find the many references to places near home an interesting feature of the series. And those of us who have become fans hope it’s a brief hiatus, because soon we’ll be looking for a mystery for that next flight.

“Out of Bounds” is available in bookstores, independents and chains, and online at upne.com.