Elena Hartwell's Blog, page 7

You Are Fatally Invited: A Debut Thriller

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

 

Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.You Are Fatally Invited

An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered.

“Twisty and fabulously fun . . . This debut is not to be missed!”—Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie

“Deliciously twisted . . . perfect for thriller fans hungry for a fresh spin on a locked-room murder mystery.”—Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance—particularly since she has an axe to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.

Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.

Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two—the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead—and it’s not the murder she planned—Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.

One by one, you’ll lose your turn.

With a storm isolating the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.

Until only one of us remains . . .

To purchase your copy of You Are Fatally Invited click the following link: Penguin Random House.

Interview with You Are Fatally Invited Author Ande Pliego

You Are Fatally Invited is basically a locked-room mystery, using an island instead of a room. What drew you to that scenario for your debut?

Awkwardly (creepily?) enough, I’m fascinated by what people do under duress when they’re cut off from help, the societal safeguards are removed, and they must fend for themselves.

I’ve always been drawn to Lord of the Flies type stories exploring this kind of mind game, and Agatha Christie’s Cards on the Table is one of my all-time favorites; it tells the story of a murder that happens in one room, under the noses of the suspects. The only thing the detective can use is psychology to determine who did it and why. And Then There Were None is another classic, but here, there is no true detective—or rather, every character is both detective, victim, and potential murderer.

That fascinates me—so I sought to do something similar with You Are Fatally Invited.

 

You Are Fatally Invited has a fabulous plan of a house at the beginning. Was that your idea? How did that lovely graphic come about?

I’m thrilled you asked about the map!

I had the idea for it when I was drafting the Clue scene; for those of you new, You Are Fatally Invited has a number of trope-inspired games the authors must play on the island, and one of those is a twisted game of Clue.

They receive a game board that’s a map of the house they are in (complete with passageways they didn’t know existed), and cards with them as the characters, and sins. To find out which one of them is their murderous anonymous host is, they must match their character cards to their sins (i.e. confess). 

When we started talking cover for the book, I pitched the idea of including the map of the house—my publishing team was excited about the idea, and let me run with it. I drew it over many (many) late nights (and before-dawn mornings), and thankfully, everyone loved it and wanted it in the book. 

 

Tell us about the publishing journey for your debut, You are Fatally Invited : 

My agent and I actually had another book (different audience, different genre) out on submission to publishers while I drafted You Are Fatally Invited, which is the fifth book I’ve written. With the rejections pouring in on that first book—which was, to borrow the sentimental term, the book of my heart—I channeled a lot of my messy feelings of frustration, want, and hopelessness into You Are Fatally Invited, and gave it a hopeful twist that would become very cathartic for me.

And when the book was finished, I honestly expected we would send it out into the void to diminish and go into the West (disappear). Plot twist: less than two weeks from sending the book out, we’d sold in the UK, US, Italy, and Germany, and I landed an incredible film agent (!).

But the most important thing for anyone to know is that I nearly put down my pen half a dozen times the year before YAFI sold—the last time being the week before we sent it out to publishers. If I had, none of this would have ever happened. That’s a terrifying thought. And so my mantra has become: you never, ever know what’s around the corner, and the only failed writer is the one who gave up. Never give up, never surrender, etcetera.

 

What is your favorite aspect of You Are Fatally Invited ?

Throughout the book, there are snippets of a book on how to write fear, written by the legendary anonymous author who invites all the thriller authors to his island for the writing retreat.

The book’s called The Ink In Your Veins, and is part dissection of the mechanics of thrillers, and part musing on the fear genres and why we are drawn to them, all wrapped up in an eerie, progressively unhinged voice; it’s easily the most fun I’ve ever had writing.

 

A world traveler, you now live in the Pacific Northwest (an area I also call home). What do you love most about our area?

As someone who was cut their teeth on big cities by the coast, moving to a land-locked tiny town in the middle of wheat fields has been a bit of a, ahem, shock to my system, but I do love how many stunning outdoor areas are within driving distance. Coeur d’Alene is a gorgeous lakeside town fairly close to us, and I absolutely adore Seattle whenever I can get over that way.

 

What are you working on now?

Adult Thriller 2, coming your way from my publishers in April 2026! And man, authors aren’t kidding when they said the sophomore novel is the hardest to write.

It’s the sixth book I’ve written, so you’d think I’d have this down, but it’s been a huge adjustment adding in all the other voices of my team from the very inception of an idea. I am halfway through rewrite (redraft?) number five, and think I’m only just now landing on what this story’s meant to be, and I’m psyched.

As a teaser: if you love the locked-room vibe of YAFI, multi-POV stories, and books about books, you might enjoy this one.

 

Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:

Believe me, I could go on with things I’d recommend, but I’ll keep it short here: never stop reading, writing, trying to better your craft, and learning all you can about the industry. (And pop over to the “For Writers” page on my website (www.andepliego.com) for an alarming amount of writing/publishing talk from yours truly!)

Great Advice!Author Pet Corner!Fable and Rune!

 

I have the sweetest feline familiars, who have shattered all negative connotations about cats:

Fable, who is my very orange but scary-intelligent cuddler who just wants to be loved (and get into mischief), and his littermate Rune, my little gray girl who likes a bit of space but is often overwhelmed with adoration for me (and only me, ha).

Together we make up the Tortured Writer’s Department (it’s me, I’m the department, they’re the emotional support).

 

 

 

Ande Pliego

 

Ande began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good.

A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humor, general murder and mayhem, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark.

You Are Fatally Invited is her debut novel, releasing February 11th, 2025, from Bantam.

Stay up to date with Ande by clicking the link here: Website.

 

Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor

 

The post You Are Fatally Invited: A Debut Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

What He Left Behind: A Police Procedural

What He Left Behind by Benjamin Bradley

Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any Author Interviews! Click the link here.What He Left Behind

In this town, everyone has a secret they’d kill to keep.

Oak Hill, North Carolina is a sleepy community where nothing exciting ever happens, a town so tiny it has no room for secrets. So when a stranger is found murdered in a cornfield, Detective Grace Bingham is forced to partner with Jacob Sawyer―a big city detective who broke her heart and fled the town years prior―in order to uncover the explosive truth.

As Grace ID’s the Jane Doe, her identity points toward their tragic case from fifteen years ago and the powerful Dockery family. Grace and Sawyer race to piece together their case, armed with new evidence for the first time in decades, even if the town has turned against them. After all, everybody has a secret they’d kill to keep.

“Bradley’s latest is a good pick for readers who enjoy in small-town police procedurals.” —Library Journal​

“This whodunnit expertly weaves the dangerous secrets of past and present in small-town Appalachia, delivering a jaw-dropping conclusion that’s well worth your time. Bradley has the goods, and I can’t wait to see what he cooks up next.” —Scott Blackburn, author of It Dies with You

To purchase What He Left Behind, click the following link: ComCat Books.What He Left Behind Author Interview With Benjamin Bradley

 

What He Left Behind is set in Oak Hill, North Carolina. Tell us about the town and why you chose it for your latest release.

Oak Hill is a fictional town that is an amalgamation of many small towns across North Carolina, particularly out west.

I wanted to create an environment where there was an insular community that’s forced to grapple with the idea of outsiders among their citizens. One reason that I chose to base it in a fake town rather than a real one was just to avoid the possibility of getting details wrong, like road names and directions, which can often get muddied as the edits pile up.

 

What He Left Behind centers on Detective Grace Bingham and Detective Jacob Sawyer. What would you like readers to know about them and their dynamic?

Grace, in all of her thirty-plus years of life, has never moved out of Oak Hill. Sawyer left when he was eighteen, only to return almost twenty years later.

I wanted to put those opposing experiences in contrast and force them to work together, and it doesn’t hurt to add in that they were high school sweethearts that didn’t work out. At least initially…

 

Tell us about your road to publication with What He Left Behind:

It was a journey, but it always is. I wrote the first draft a few years ago and after letting it sit for a bit, dove into edits.

It was a big manuscript sitting at over 110k words, but I thought that with the right partner, it could shine. I spent about 18 months in the query trenches and had some great conversations with feedback and a few revise & resubmit requests that didn’t pan out.

Eventually, I submitted to CamCat and found an incredible champion for the manuscript in Helga Schier. She saw the potential, gave me incredibly insightful edits, and the rest is history!

 

What’s one thing you learned in the editing process for What He Left Behind that will stick with you for future manuscripts?

Trusting the reader. It’s a common one, but it took multiple rounds of edits for it to really hit home.

We want so badly for our readers to “get” the story that we can over-explain or make hints obvious, but in reality, readers are wildly smart. Often, they’ll put together pieces before you even realize and instead they’re ten steps ahead of you. I think that makes our job as a writers even easier, because we can test the limits!

 

How did working with AmeriCorps impact your writing?

AmeriCorps gave me such a unique glimpse into different parts of the country, both in the people I worked alongside and those that I met in our service projects.

As much as I thought I knew the world prior to AmeriCorps, I really saw how unique everybody’s experiences are and how that can really change how we see the world. The other perk is that I have a great database of names to pull from when I need a character!

 

What are you working on now?

I’ve been exploring what it would look like to bring the world of What He left Behind into a series, with Grace as the central character.

I have a draft of a second in the series and an outline for the third, which I plan to discuss with my team later this spring.

 

Words of Wisdom for aspiring writers:

The rush is self-imposed. There is such a strong wave of advice for writers out there that is all about publishing as much as you can and as quickly as you can. There’s an impatience with the process and instead a drive to hit publish as much as possible.

I think that only applies to you if you want it to. As urgent as your story might feel, it will find people when the time is right, and if it’s not getting love from publishers or agents, that doesn’t mean it’s done forever or that your story isn’t good. We writers can beat ourselves up for every little thing, timing shouldn’t be one of them.

Great Advice!Author Pet Corner!Harper and Fox!

 

 

 

Harper the dog, and Fox the cat.

What He Left Behind Author Benjamin Bradley

Benjamin Bradley is a member of both Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.

He’s the author of the Shepard & Kelly Mystery series through Indies United Publishing House and his short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Reckon Review and Flash Fiction Magazine.

He works in public health and homelessness and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, their cat Fox, and their dog Harper.

 

Learn more about Benjamin by clicking any of the following links: Instagram // Facebook // SubstackElena Hartwell/Elena Taylor

The post What He Left Behind: A Police Procedural appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

See How They Fall: A Debut Thriller

See How They Fall by Rachel Paris

Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.See How They Fall

In this compelling debut thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty, one detective’s investigation into a family tragedy threatens to collapse a powerful dynasty. . . .

When Skye married into the wealthy Turner family, she thought she was entering paradise. But now, several years later, she remains uneasy amid the opulence of her husband’s world, struggling with her own secrets and working to maintain a normal life for their young daughter, Tilly.

Skye’s delicate balance is undone when the family patriarch, Sir Campbell Turner, dies suddenly and an illegitimate heir comes forward to stake his claim in the luxury goods empire the old man leaves behind. Reluctantly, the Turners receive the newcomer at an intimate weekend retreat at Yallambee, the family seaside estate, but tempers flare and egos clash within their first few hours together and the night ends in a tragedy that leaves one dead and another fighting for life.

Sergeant Mei O’Connor is assigned to investigate the incident and though her superiors are keen to close the case as swiftly as possible, the evidence just isn’t lining up. Convinced that there’s more to the suspicious death than a simple accident, Mei continues to search for answers. But pulling at these threads may just tear down the Turner empire.

To purchase your copy of See How They Fall click any of the following links:  Amazon, B&N, and Bookshop.org.Interview with See How They Fall Author Rachel Paris

 

See How They Fall centers on Skye Turner. What would you like readers to know about her?

Skye Turner  has married into the super-wealthy Turner family — the owners of a global luxury goods empire — and she and her husband Duncan are parents to a six-year-old daughter, Tilly. However, Skye comes from a very different background to her husband, so she still feels like an outsider, walking on eggshells around her in-laws.

When a shocking tragedy occurs at the start of the book, Skye’s sense of reality begins to disintegrate as she questions whether or not she can trust her husband while doing everything in her power to protect her young daughter. Skye is definitely a complex character with flaws and secrets, but she is also strong and courageous, and her love for Tilly is at the heart of the story.

 

See How They Fall brings Seargent Mei O’Connor into the picture to investigate an incident at the Turner family retreat. What would you like readers to know about Mei?

Mei O’Connor is a detective whose life is in freefall when we meet her: her partner has left her for his colleague, her mother is terminally ill, and she’s dealing with challenging coworkers. To top it all off, Mei is drawn into the high-profile Turner homicide which is a media feeding frenzy.

When Mei starts investigating, she quickly realises that there is more to the Turners than meets the eye, but she faces blowback from her senior colleagues who are under pressure to solve the case quickly. Mei is sassy and stubborn and has a maverick streak, but she is also a woman of huge integrity. And she’s a lot fo fun. If I could go out for a drink with any of my characters, I’d definitely choose Mei!

 

See How They Fall digs into family dynamics in a wealthy dynasty. What drew you to that kind of conflict for your debut novel? 

Where there is extreme wealth, there is often also extreme power, and power tends to corrupt. The collision of pots of money, power and corruption makes the world of the super-rich a juicy setting for a high-stakes drama. It’s also a reminder that appearances can be deceiving, and that a perfect façade often masks a grubby underbelly.

So loads of interesting territory for a writer.

 

Tell us about your road to publication with See How They Fall :

I had a very lucky and quite unusual road to publication. I began writing the book during my MFA, and my lecturer shared a sample of my manuscript with some publishers. I was extremely lucky that I received multiple direct publication offers off the back of that process and was spared the agony of the querying and submission process.

Hachette bought the world rights to the book and licensed the US rights to Penzler Publisher’s Scarlet imprint. I went through three rounds of combined edits with my Australian, New Zealand and US editors over the course of about 8 months and now my Word document is an actual book which is still super hard to believe!

 

In your previous career, you were a finance lawyer. How did that career set you up for writing twisty suspense?

My legal background definitely helped me with the research, and it gave me the discipline to finish the manuscript at points in the process that I might otherwise have been tempted to abandon it. And, although most of the people I worked with during my international career as a finance lawyer were wonderful, I definitely encountered some powerful and wealthy individuals who inspired the less savory characters in See How They Fall.

 

What are you working on now?

Another murder-mystery involving toxic rich people, but this time the main characters are three sisters in their forties. I want to really explore the pressures on women in midlife, female friendships and the sisterhood bond. The working title is Triumph & Disaster.

 

Words of Wisdom for aspiring writers:

I have three tips:

First, it’s never too late to begin. Ever. 

Second, do not give up! The writing process can be difficult, lonely and riddled with self-doubt, but if it is something you are compelled to do, then you must persevere. Over time, you will learn to love the agony and the ecstasy of the process. 

Third, read, read and read some more. The best way to improve your craft is to pay attention to how others tell their stories so you can learn what works and avoid what does not.

Great advice! Congratulations on your debut.

 

Author Pet Corner!Arthur, Max, and Coco!

I am the proud mama of Arthur, a rescue cat, who is about to celebrate his 20th birthday. Arthur was our first child and has learned to cope with three human children and two dogs in his household.

He has lived at least nine lives and had an ear amputated last year (due to skin cancer) and still rules the roost.

 

We also have Max and Coco, our inseparable cavoodles. They are my constant shadows and I adore them. Max is 8 years old, emotionally complex  and a very good boy. Coco is 5 years old, full of mischief and obsessed with Arthur the cat — an obsession which is sadly unrequited.

See How They Fall Author Rachel Paris

Rachel Paris’s debut novel, See How They Fall, was published by Hachette in Australasia in April 2025 and was an instant #1 bestseller.

It will be published by Penzler Publishers in the United States in May 2025, and a Hollywood production company is developing the work for a returning series. In 2024, Rachel graduated with a Master of Creative Writing (First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland and received the Phoenix Prize for the best creative portfolio.

Rachel came to writing after an international legal career. She holds a Master of Laws from Harvard, and practised law in London for many years before returning to her native New Zealand.

For almost a decade, she was a banking and finance partner at a major law firm and received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award for her advocacy work for the advancement of female lawyers.

Rachel also served for 10 years as a trustee of a contemporary theatre company. She currently lives in Auckland with her family. 

To learn more about Rachel, click any of the following links: Website, Instagram, and Facebook.Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor

The post See How They Fall: A Debut Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

The Ratcatcher of Berlin: A Cold War Thriller

The Ratcatcher of Berlin by James Stejskal

Author Guest Post + Book and Author Info!Don’t miss any new books! Click the link here.

 

The Ratcatcher of Berlin

Berlin 1957. In a Cold War city awash in intrigue, tension builds between the Soviet and the Allied occupation forces. Amid this conflict, two Americans, a CIA officer and a Special Forces soldier, make an uneasy pact to find a killer together, a pact that requires them to play a deadly game in the grim shadows of communist East Berlin. It’s a tale of “gunpowder, treason, and plot” in a city of uncertain and deceptive alliances, a cast of flawed and dangerous characters, and its own share of red herrings.

“In this electrifying prequel to Dead Hand and the fifth installment in The Snake Eater Chronicles, James Stejskal plunges readers into the shadowy origins of a clandestine American Special Forces unit operating behind enemy lines at the height of the Cold War.”

Berlin, 1957. A city split in two, teetering on the edge of conflict. Soviet and Allied forces glare at each other across barbed wire and crumbling streets, while spies, traitors, and assassins move unseen in the murky half-light. When a brutal murder threatens to ignite an international crisis, an uneasy alliance is forged: a hardened CIA officer and a Special Forces operative, each with his own secrets, must track the killer through the deadliest streets in Europe—those of communist East Berlin.

In a world where trust is a commodity and betrayal is currency, the hunt will force them into a high-stakes game of deception, where every move could be their last. Gunpowder, treason, and plot—in a city where no one is innocent.

The Ratcatcher of Berlin delivers a pulse-pounding blend of espionage, danger, and betrayal, cementing Stejskal’s reputation as a master of the espionage thriller.”

To purchase a copy of The Ratcatcher of Berlin, click the following link: Amazon

 

Praise for The Ratcatcher of Berlin:

“I love the way James Stejskal found a way to write about Berlin that is new, even as we’re reading about events 70 years ago. It’s a real joy for people who love a proper espionage story.”

— Charles Beaumont, former MI6 operative, author of A Spy Alone and A Spy at War.

 

“I smell the soot, the cigarettes, taste the beer, and I feel the sweat on the back of my neck as I hear footsteps behind me in the dark cobbled passages as Stejskal effortlessly transports me to Soviet East Berlin, the fall of 1958.”

— Michael Frost Beckner, screenwriter of “Spy Game” and creator of the TV series “The Agency,” author of the Spy Game Aiken Trilogy and Kaleidoscope serial.

 

“Ratcatcher brings to life Cold War Berlin as only a former intelligence officer, military historian, and espionage novelist can.”

— Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times best selling author, Horse Soldiers and In Harms Way

 

“The inclusion of the legendary East German spymaster Markus Wolf in a conclusion worthy of an East-West Casablanca caught my breath and played out like a cinematic pastiche of the very best spy dramas.”  

—  James C. Lawler, former Senior CIA Operations Officer; Author of Living Lies, In the Twinkling of an Eye, and The Traitor’s Tale

 

“Taut, gripping, and packed with intrigue, all of James Stejskal’s trademark authenticity is on full display.” 

— Stephen England, author of the bestselling Shadow Warriors thriller series

 

“Gripping suspense, appealing characters, and an insider’s familiarity with clandestine operations make his realistic novels first rate spy fiction.”

— Paul Vidich, NYT bestselling author of Beirut Station and Matchmaker

 

Praise for a Question of Time:

 

“The definitive novel on Special Forces operations behind the Wall. Stejskal succeeds in conveying the urgency, stakes, machinations, and intrigue of the Cold War.”

— I.S. Berry, author, The Peacock and the Sparrow

The Ratcatcher of Berlin by James Stejskal

 

As a historian, I find the benefit of research is that it opens up rabbit holes which lead to new and interesting stories. Those stories often find their way into my books but occasionally, a tale might just be too good to be true. A comrade told me of an incident that allegedly took place in late-1950s Berlin, but I couldn’t corroborate his story, so it wasn’t included in my history of Special Forces Berlin.

Several years later, tidbits I had pulled from the basement file vault of the East German Ministry of State Security aka the “Stasi” in Berlin gave me such a live-wire shock of realization that my friend’s story was one that needed to be told. 

My latest espionage thriller takes those leads and runs with them, not as history — as fiction. It remains mostly true to the story I heard long ago and is aided by the secret files from the “other side.” 

The Ratcatcher of Berlin is a tale of “gunpowder, treason, and plot” in a city of uncertain and deceptive alliances, a cast of flawed and dangerous characters, and good bit of Cold War action.

Here’s a short preview:  

Berlin, 1957. A city split in two, teetering on the edge of conflict. Soviet and Allied forces glare at each other across barbed wire and crumbling streets, while spies, traitors, and assassins move unseen in the murky half-light. When a brutal murder threatens to ignite an international crisis, an uneasy alliance is forged: a hardened CIA officer and a Special Forces operative, each with his own secrets, must track the killer through the deadliest streets in Europe—those of communist East Berlin.

In a world where trust is a commodity and betrayal is currency, the hunt will force them into a high-stakes game of deception, where every move could be their last. Gunpowder, treason, and plot—in a city where no one is innocent.

The Ratcatcher of Berlin will be published by Double Dagger on April 29, 2025.

The Ratcatcher of Berlin Author James Stejskal

James Stejskal spent 35 years as a “Green Beret” and CIA case officer living and conducting operations around the world during the Cold War and after 9/11. 

He has written five military history books, along with numerous articles, and received accolades for his book Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz.

His historical-fiction “Snake Eater Chronicles” espionage/spec ops books center on intelligence and special operations, including A Question of Time, Appointment in Tehran, Direct Legacy, Dead Hand and, now, The Ratcatcher of Berlin.

 

To learn more about James, click any of the following links: Amazon, Facebook, and his Website. Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor

Header image from Pixabay

 

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Tell Me What You Did: A New Thriller

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

Author Interview + My Thoughts on the Book + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here.Tell Me What You Did

MOST ANTICIPATED THRILLERS OF 2025 – SheReads

“A brilliant thriller…I didn’t just read this book, I devoured it in an adrenaline fueled frenzy!”
—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling suspense author

She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she’s hiding a terrible secret. It’s time for the truth to come out…

Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they’ve committed to her audience. She can’t guarantee the police won’t come after her “guests,” but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that’s proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.

But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother’s murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother’s murderer is dead.

Poe killed him.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

To purchase a copy of Tell Me What You Did, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and BookshopMy Thoughts on Tell Me What You Did

Carter Wilson knows how to write suspense. This book kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. It’s filled with twists and turns, but not at the expense of character development. We see how each person grapples with loss, danger, and obsession, and what lengths they will go to for revenge, even if it could cost them everything.

The novel has a fascinating structure. With multiple time lines, and transcripts of podcasts, Wilson allows us to experience the story through different lenses, adding to the pace and mystery. We watch events unfold forward and backward, and even get to watch them on video through the use of QR codes (read down for more on that in our interview).

Protagonist Poe Webb won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but even readers who don’t like her will find her compelling. Her relationships with her father and her dog soften her, which adds to her complexity, because she is also one of the toughest, most kick-ass characters that I’ve come across in a long time—she reminds me of Chelsea Cain’s character Kick.

Fast-paced and dynamic in its use of language, Tell Me What You Did is perfect for anyone who loves a good thriller and likes to go dark, dark, dark.

One of my favorite books so far in 2025.

Author Interview with Carter WilsonTell Me What You Did centers on podcaster Poe Webb. What would you like readers to know about her?

She’s tough. Flawed. VERY angry. Poe is a 30-year-old true-crime podcaster with a traumatic past, and her way to deal with trauma is to run face-first into it. Her therapy is revenge, her comfort is her boyfriend, Kip, and her dog, Bailey, and the relationship she must save at all costs is with her father. And, boy, does she like to drink.

 

Tell Me What You Did includes QR codes, which readers can access to view videos. Tell us about the process of coming up with that concept and how you chose what to include:

First, here’s some context:

The protagonist, Poe Webb, hosts a successful true-crime podcast. She interviews everyday callers who have something to confess, and while she records the online conversations, she always deletes the recordings a week later to preserve the guests’ anonymity. But, unknown to her callers, Poe always records video of her side of the conversation on her iPhone.

I decided I wanted to see what those recordings might look like, so I hired the wonderful actor Rebekah Kennedy to play the role of Poe and recreate those recorded scenes. She did an amazing job, and I get goosebumps every time I watch these short scenes. The three videos are linked by QR codes in the book, so all the reader has to do is scan the code with their phone to watch. Even my acknowledgements are done by video.

Inserting multimedia into novels is just like writing the novel itself: I do it for me. I tell the story I want to tell, and if that story is best serviced with some multimedia, I’ll add it in. If I’ve learned anything from over two decades of writing, it’s that if I’m not finding joy in the process, it’s not worth doing at all.

 

Tell Me What You Did uses more than one timeline, which adds to the suspense. What was your process for writing it that way?

 I love multiple timelines because it adds so much more depth to the story. And I hate exposition, so if I need to tell the reader what happened, say, four years ago, I’d rather go back and SHOW them rather than just have one character awkwardly discuss it with another.

In addition to have flashbacks in this book, I also intersperse a podcast transcript throughout the chapters.

Because I don’t outline, I write everything in order that it appears in the book, even if there are multiple time-jumps. So it can be a bit tricky, but that’s what editing’s for.

 

What are you working on now?

I just finished another standalone thriller that we’ll be submitting to the publisher soon, and I co-wrote a YA thriller that we’re trying to figure out what to do with.

 

Words of Wisdom for new writers:

Trust the story. Don’t take classes that insist there’s only one way to take a novel but rather read everything and anything about the writing process and then let your organic process lead the way. Your story is in you, trust that it’s great, and find the way to tell it that’s true to who you are as a storyteller.

 

Great Advice!Author Pet Corner!

 

Guff!Scully!

Guff is a 10-year-old Bengal, who in a previous life, was some kind of sun god that insisted on daily human sacrifices.

Scully is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever who’s as dumb as rocks but good at snuggling.

Adorable!

 

 

 

Tell Me What You Did Author Carter Wilson

Carter Wilson is the Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestselling author of ten award-winning psychological thrillers.

His works have earned starred reviews from all major trade publications, have been optioned for television and film, and his 2025 release Tell Me What You Did was selected by Barnes & Noble as a national monthly pick.

Carter is also the host of the Making It Up podcast and founder of the Unbound Writer company, which provides coaching services, writing retreats, and online classes.

He lives in Erie, Colorado.

To learn more about Carter, click on any of the following links: Website, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTokElena Hartwell | Elena Taylor

The post Tell Me What You Did: A New Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

The Pyramid Code: A Debut Thriller

The Pyramid Code, A Marc O’Hara Thriller by Richard Bradley

Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.The Pyramid Code

An ancient secret. A terrorist cell. The truth will change everything.

Former soldier Marc O’Hara is acting as a reader for an intelligence service in London when the call comes in. He’s to be re-activated as a field agent and assigned to solve a 13th century alchemical riddle.

A terrorist cell called the Red Death has the same goal. If the terrorists solve the clues first, they will unleash an ancient flesh-eating toxin. Even more alarming, they will possess the key to the most shrouded secret in history.

O’Hara and his partner, Kim Shahrokh, must follow obscure clues from Paris, to Egypt and Syria. Along the way, they discover hidden chambers full of lost ancient books, medieval automatons and moldering creatures, some not as dead as they should be.

The more they uncover, the more O’Hara isn’t sure who to trust in this quest. Is history a myth? Or has he simply ventured into a world populated by murderous madmen and fanatics.

Join agent O’Hara in this exhilarating Archeological Thriller from debut author Richard Bradley, where the past, present, and future all collide in a web of intrigue and deception.

Purchase your copy of The Pyramid Code at Amazon.Interview with The Pyramid Code Author Richard Bradley

 

The Pyramid Code follows Marc O’Hara from Paris to Egypt to Syria.  You love to travel.  How much did you rely on your own experiences and how much did you research for all the exotic locations in your debut? 

 While young, I visited England frequently and spent many summer vacations traveling throughout Europe and the Middle East.  Of course, for the novel, I still had to research specific locations even if I had traveled there.  I immersed myself in travel blogs, photographs and Google Maps to get the feel of the locations.  I even purchased scale models of some of the buildings.

I had many adventures during my travels, kidnapped briefly by a radical Turkish group, detained by the Spanish police for suspicion of running guns to Basque separatists and I once had to sneak past two border posts because of a passport mishap.  All good fodder for a future espionage thriller writer.   

 

The Pyramid Code is an archaeological thriller, tell us what that subgenre means to you:

The genre obviously has architecture as a central feature, best if ancient and spooky.  Missing relics or artifacts or manuscripts must be found to answer an historic puzzle. 

The thriller genre conventions apply.  The stakes are high with an evil antagonist racing  to beat the hero to the ultimate goal. 

The pace is fast with chases, fights and flying body parts, all leavened with pathos and dark humor. The story culminates in a dynamite dénouement (often using real dynamite).

 

The Pyramid Code includes both Marc O’Hara and his partner Kim Shahrokh.  Tell us about their dynamic. 

Marc is an agent for a private intelligence service and Kim works for an even more secret organization that retains Marc to find a stolen book.  He is a Brit, ex-military, ex-priest, deeply troubled by his past yet adept at solving puzzles.  Kim is a brilliant Iranian American academic, with an encyclopedic knowledge of history.  She is athletic and fearless. 

They are assigned to work together, which they do very well until Marc is forced to make Hobson’s Choice, changing everything.  Does their working partnership turn into romance?  Perhaps.

 

Tell us about the road to publishing your debut novel, The Pyramid Code:

I enthusiastically (and innocently) wrote my first version of this novel several years ago and started sending it to agents.  I received a ton of rejections along with a few helpful comments and realized I needed guidance. 

I contracted with a London based editor to review the novel for structure and content.  I was lucky to have picked an amazing editor and she introduced me to show not tell, pinch points, character/story arcs and a many other esoteric and mystical literati concepts.  Despite knowing she was 100% correct in all her suggestions,  I resisted rewriting (killing my darlings) and procrastinated by joining writer groups, reading advice books, blogs, etc.  Criticism by others was sometimes helpful, sometimes crushing.  I gave up the struggle and put the book aside for several more years. 

But then I forced myself to do a rewrite, cutting a 120,000-word draft to 80,000 words and I realized that editing, polishing and revising had its own delights.  I also realized that out of all that study, criticism and advice that I had endured, I had absorbed what really worked for me by osmosis and I had discovered that elusive quality, my own unique voice. 

When I arrived at the point when I was genuinely satisfied with my MS, I started resubmitting it to agents and legitimate publishers.  I was accepted by Aethon Books for their Aethon Thrills imprint and they have been great to work with.

 

What can we find you doing when you aren’t reading and penning twisty thrillers?  

My wife and I purchased a vintage, 4,000 sq. ft. Italian Villa style home.  It requires extensive repairs.  I always carry a hammer in one hand and a pen in the other, sometimes confusing the two.  I also have long been a genealogy enthusiast and I weave that pursuit into the novels.

 

What are you working on now? 

I am working on the second book in the series which takes place in France, Italy and various islands in the Mediterranean.  It concerns a search for ancient Roman lost gold financed by a mysterious billionaire.  What is he really searching for? 

The terrorist group in the first book have regrouped and grown even stronger.  We find out more about Marc’s ancestor who was an agent for the assassinated Czar Paul of Russia.  Ancient secrets and modern intrigue await to be uncovered by Marc and Kim.   

 

Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:

I believe everyone’s journey is different, but for me, learning how to write a thriller novel was a lengthy process as I described in my earlier answer.  

So, my advice would be, don’t give up.  Give yourself time to absorb the craft and learn what works for you.  Consider the opinions and criticism of others but don’t be dictated by them.  Find your own way.

One piece of advice, especially pertinent to thrillers, came from Donald Maas’ book, The Breakout Novel, and it really resonated with me.  It was that you need to go big.  The plot needs to be big, the hero big, etc.  It was advice that emboldened me to stretch the scope and themes and even the genre of my novel.  The novel has some gothic, supernatural and even medieval science fiction elements.

Great Advice!

 

Author Pet Corner!Mena!

We adopted Mena, a stray, when she was about two months old. 

She is a mix of Boxer, Chihuahua, Pit Bull, Weimaraner and Chow Chow (yes, we had her DNA tested).  We call her a “Pit Chihuahua.”  She is now ten years old. 

Her unique traits are hopping like a rabbit and sitting very still in a Sphynx like pose, while she calmly surveys her realm with a “sneer of cold command.” 

We had a scare a few months ago when she started having trouble walking.  We went to a veterinarian specialist who initially suspected she had a spinal injury or cancer.  But, after extensive tests, she was found to have an autoimmune meningitis-like disease. 

It was treated with medicine and she has made a full recovery, much to our relief.

Wonderful to know she’s doing well! Such an adorable dog.Author of The Pyramid Code Richard Bradley

Author Richard Bradley crafts dark and twisty international thrillers, incorporating his love of exotic locales and historic puzzles.

Richard read Classics in college. Upon graduation, he traveled the globe, working under the table jobs, while studying art, architecture and archeology.

Afterwards, he worked in California as an executive in the real estate industry.

A member of ITW (International Thriller Writers), Richard lives in Georgia with his wife Candelaria and stoic dog Mena.

Follow Richard on his author journey by visiting him at his website and on Facebook. Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor

The post The Pyramid Code: A Debut Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

Karma Never Sleeps: New Psychological Thriller

Karma Never Sleeps by R. John Dingle

ITW Debut Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet CornerDon’t miss any ITW Debut Author Interviews! Click the link here.Karma Never Sleeps

In a small town, the truth can’t always set you free…

When a second woman from a group of friends known as “the posse” is murdered in the woods near the New England enclave of Kendalton, FBI agent and profiler Gus Wheeler and his partner are called in to determine if this is a serial killing. He’s intrigued by a clue hidden on the body: a memorial picture of a teen who died 25 years ago.

Instead of helping with the investigation, the long-term friends stonewall the agents. But Gus can smell fear beneath their calm masks, fake smiles, and politely vague answers. Digging deeper, he discovers they are being terrorized by cyberstalking, spying, threats and mysterious break-ins. When a third member is hospitalized after a brutal attack, Gus suspects someone in the posse is the hunter instead of the hunted.

Is it the alpha leader Jules, her best friend Maria—married to the chief of police—outsider Mel, or weak link Lizzy? Or someone else bent on revenge? Time’s running out, and Gus’s life depends on his skill at determining who’s the best liar in town.

To purchase Karma Never Sleeps click the following link for all your favorite outlets! Tule PublishingR. John Dingle — Author InterviewKarma Never Sleeps centers on FBI agent and profiler Gus Wheeler. What would you like readers to know about him?

It took me a long time to get Gus “just right” as a character. There have been so many mysteries written with FBI and other law enforcement protagonists that it’s very difficult to come up with something different or unique. And I wish I could take all the credit but my wife came up with the idea to have Gus be a jazz player aspiring to become a professional musician.

Gus toiled in that world for a while, living hand to mouth, when his friend and former college roommate who works at the FBI recruited Gus with the allure of a steady income, health benefits (for once!) and sabbaticals when important music opportunities arose. Our son is a professional jazz musician so I had lots of source material to bring Gus to life from there. Then I thought of coupling Gus with a different side-kick, one that broke the FBI mold in every way, and Vanessa was born.

 

Karma Never Sleeps takes place in a rural area of New England. Tell us about the location and why you set your debut there?

Kendalton is an amalgamation of a number of small towns. I’ve lived in small towns for most of my life so that type of setting just seemed natural. For a mystery / thriller, I love a closed setting. I feel that type of environment sort of tightens the tension around the story and has the characters act and react in interesting ways.

In an early draft of the book, Kendalton was a downtrodden, poor community but I soon struggled with why the members of the ‘posse’ would remain there once adults. So Kendalton then blossomed into a tourist destination which brought with it its own elements to the story.

 

What kind of research did you do for Karma Never Sleeps?

I was amazed at how much research is involved in writing a commercial thriller / mystery novel. Someone told me early on it’s the details that matter and, oh how she was right.

For Karma Never Sleeps, I had research to do in so many areas it was both exciting and daunting. The story revolves around a group of women being targeted and psychologically tormented, someone anonymously providing the investigators with clues along the way, and the FBI investigating it all.

So, for starters, I needed to research the FBI on several fronts – how their profilers operate in real life, how their investigative process works and even when they are / are not called into a town to investigate. I read articles, blogs and official documents released from the FBI to tie it all together. I then had to dive into crime scenes and how they’re processed and for that I relied on everything from ‘Crime Scenes for Dummies’ to forensic articles on blood splatter and where and how a fingerprint could be lifted.

Next, as the story progresses the FBI begins to get anonymous messages they cannot trace providing them clues. Fortunately, I was able to find an expert in cyber security that helped me with the details in so many areas – encryption methods, computer servers and bouncing connections among them, etc.

And, finally, I wanted the suspect to be able to paralyze their victims while also allowing them to still feel pain. I’ve always been intrigued with the concept of creating medicines from nature – a younger me watching The Serpent and the Rainbow and being fascinated by the concept has always stuck in my mind. So I researched medicines created from nature, pain blockers, etc. and honed in on what I wanted.

So, with all of that, I had to temper what I included in the story to provide the right balance of details, while also propelling the story along at a fast pace to keep it engaging. And, once that was accomplished, Karma Never Sleeps was born.

 

Karma Never Sleeps is considered a psychological thriller. What does that subgenre mean to you?

Interestingly, an early criticism I received when shopping Karma Never Sleeps to agents was that it was both a mystery and a psychological thriller. It seemed they needed to put it in a box, pick a lane for it.

More interestingly (to me) is that much of the early feedback and reviews has been very positive and many have highlighted how it’s a bit different in that it gives you the procedural elements of a mystery while also weaving it all into a psychological thriller.

The customary definition of a thriller is a story where the reader learns of things or knows things before the protagonist and I generally agree with that. I try to write stories that have a cat and mouse element to it which inevitably has the reader knowing things the protagonist does not.

 

You live on a small island off the coast of Maine. Tell us about your two-hundred-year old “not” haunted home:

We absolutely love our old home. We bought it in 2005 and, as the story goes, my wife said one day “what if we just move this one wall to make the room a little bigger?” Five years later, a full studs-up restoration done, we had our dream home. And during that process we found all sorts of items in the walls – very old young children’s shoes, glass jars, coins, etc.

But one of the best stories involves clocks.

When we began furnishing it, my wife brought in some small clocks to hang and put in different places. And every time she would, the clock would stop working days or a week or so thereafter. And each clock would stop at the same time – 10:25. She repeated this pattern for a while, each time to the same result. She then told our elderly neighbor about it and they puzzled on it but came up with no ideas. Then the next day, our neighbor came running over to tell us that she relayed the story to her husband and he reminded her that the prior owner who had owned the house for 70-80 years had a passionate hobby: he fixed clocks.

My wife then went around the house, speaking to the former owner to tell him we loved the house, thought of it as home, and would take care of it as such. New clocks brought in after that worked just fine.

 

What are you working on now?

Karma Never Sleeps is the 1st in the Gus Wheeler FBI Thriller series. The 2nd book is due out in November 2025 and is based in a small city so has a very urban vibe.

That story revolves around a series of women being abducted from a section of the city dubbed Music Row (think a small, less attractive version of The Quarter in New Orleans) and a suspect who is experiencing severe psychological issues as he’s overtaken by psychosis.

That book is in the editing process now. And I just finished editing a stand-alone thriller about a group of true crime junkies that stumble on a series of murders and work to solve it with other true crime junkies online. I wrote that novel while Karma Never Sleeps was being shopped to publishers so we’ll be finding that a home soon. And, lastly, I’ve just begun writing the 3rd book in the Gus Wheeler series which has a hardcore religious element to it and takes place in the vast rural areas of northern Maine.

 

Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:

The best advice I’ve ever gotten regarding writing is just sit your butt in a chair and write. I wrote for years and probably wrote 5-6 entire books in all the drafts I tossed in the proverbial garbage. So, my journey to getting published – like so many others – was anything but a straight line. But all that writing was invaluable practice and really helped me find my own style and voice. So, I’d say to anyone that wants to be a writer: practice, practice, practice. You’ll be happy you did.

Great Advice!Author Pet Corner!Belle!

We have a dog – currently only one which is rare. She’s a hound and her name is Belle.

Belle was found trapped in a home in Oklahoma, having been alone for several days after her owner passed away. And Oklahoma, like many states sadly, has an over-population of homeless animals so the rescue service that ended up with Belle has a program to transport homeless dogs north to Maine.

My wife, who had been searching for “her dawg” for years, saw a Facebook post from a dear friend with a photo of Belle and she just knew.

Flash forward a few days and my wife was at the shelter in Portland before sunrise – hours before it opened – on the day Belle was due to arrive to make sure she was 1st on the list. We’ve had Belle for about six years now and spoil her every chance we get.

Karma Never Sleeps Author R. John Dingle

John Dingle is the author of mysteries and psychological thrillers set in New England.

He and his wife currently call a small island in Mid-Coast Maine ‘home’, both living, writing and boating from their restored 200-year old house.

The psychological thriller, Karma Never Sleeps, is John’s first novel and the first in the Gus Wheeler FBI Thriller series. It will be published in April 2025.

To learn more about John, click any of the following links: Website & InstagramElena Hartwell | Elena Taylor

The post Karma Never Sleeps: New Psychological Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

Love & The Divorce Lawyer: A New Mystery

Love & the Divorce Lawyer by Barbara [image error]

 
Giveaway + an Excerpt + Book & Author Info!
 
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.

Love & the Divorce Lawyer


If you love mystery, with a hint of humor and romance, you’ll want to read Love & the Divorce Lawyer

Josephina Jensen, a feisty, justice-seeking divorce lawyer, reluctantly returns to the courtroom after a four-year absence, to help a woman collect an award worth several million dollars from her unscrupulous ex-husband. This decision forces her to cross swords with the brilliant, infuriating, yet ever-so-charming attorney, Richard Diamond, and the ex-husband who will stop at nothing to prevent the dismantling of his empire. Little does anyone know that someone from Josephina’s past is also at work, intent on taking care of unfinished business by stopping her permanently.

Praise for Love & the Divorce Lawyer:

“From its slam-bang opening to its unexpected yet inevitable conclusion, Love and the Divorce Lawyer is a twisty, suspenseful, romantic legal thriller. Author Newhart’s legal background serves her well as she leads the reader through the fascinating strategies that high-end practitioners of family law employ to protect and reap the best possible benefits for their clients. But it is the mystery of who is sending increasingly ominous threats to Attorney Josie Jensen that drives the action of the novel. Filled with complex and genuine characters with understandable but conflicting motives, Newhart masterfully creates tension scene after scene. Attorney Jensen’s growing attraction to her opponent in an important divorce case unfolds naturally as she anticipates her crafty adversary’s next move and what she must do to counter it, all the while finding herself drawn to him on a personal level. Superbly written and expertly plotted, Love and the Divorce Lawyer is a winner.”
~ Brian Anderson, author of Yule Tide and the Lyle Dahms Mysteries

“Josie Jensen is back. Four years ago, a client’s bullet shattered her pelvis and nearly ended her legal career. Now, against her better judgment, she’s reluctantly agreed to represent Amy Castle, a woman entangled in a bitter financial battle with her ex-husband.
But the case isn’t as simple as it seems. Josie’s ongoing divorce is a constant reminder of the pain she’s endured, and her physical limitations make the courtroom a challenging arena. To complicate matters, she’s locked in a legal duel with Richard Diamond, a brilliant and undeniably attractive attorney.
Danger lurks around every corner as Josie digs deeper into the case. A near-miss on the road, a sinister floral delivery, and a persistent sense of being followed signal that her troubles are far from over.
Barbara Newhart has crafted a complex cast of characters and a captivating narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is one for the keeper shelves. 5 out of 5 stars”
~ Kate Damon author of Jury Duty is Murder

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, with a hint of humor, romance, and family
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: December 11, 2024
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 978-1-5092-5925-0

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | The Wild Rose Press | Waterstones

Read an excerpt of Love & the Divorce Lawyer:

Chapter One
Anne Compton, Almost Four Years Ago

Anne placed the empty gun carefully on the table, then folded her hands next to it. Moments earlier, to prevent the judge from granting their divorce, she fired it at her husband. She and Peter had shared such wonderful dreams of their lives together. But that was a long time ago—before he broke their vows. For that, there could be no forgiveness. And yet, he escaped his sentence.

All because of her interfering lawyer.

Anne peered down at the floor at Attorney Josephina Jensen, the woman she hired to prevent the divorce, and who had failed her. To add to her treachery, Jensen stepped in front of the bullets meant for Peter. Now, the divorce would go forward, thrusting Anne with him into eternal damnation for his sins.

In the hallway outside, footsteps pounded the marble floors. The courtroom’s double doors burst open, shattering glass and splitting wood.

Anne met the panicked eyes of her former fiancé, followed by the first responders. She smiled as a single tear dropped to her cheek.

Chapter Two
Present Day, Josie Jensen, Thursday Afternoon

 

“Face it, Josephina Jensen. You’re a divorce lawyer.”

“No, brother dear,” the almost forty-one-year-old corrected as she twirled the stem of her wine glass on the bar. “I have a shattered pelvis and an assortment of scars from a couple bullet wounds to prove I was a divorce lawyer.” She held her cane up in the air. “I am now a law school professor.”

Reaching for his beer mug, Dan Jensen flashed his perfect bachelor-of-the-year grin. “I’ve got a great case for you. The divorce part is over. Judge Myers awarded the wife six million, plus a few million more in assets that are all in the husband’s name.”

“Let me guess,” Josie interrupted, concentrating on opening the package of oyster crackers that arrived with her fish chowder. “The husband refuses to authorize the transfers.”

“Correct. All you have to do is help the wife, now the ex-wife, collect.”

Out of patience, Josie yanked the cellophane hard, spewing the contents in all directions. “Oh, good grief.”

Dan swallowed a forkful of baked scrod and rice pilaf as she retrieved the crackers. “The couple has a chain of high-end grocery stores. They made a ton of money over the years. Plus, the stores are still operating.”

When Josie didn’t respond, he stilled her hand with his and gave it a squeeze. “You got this. You’re a bloodhound when it comes to cases like this. It’s easy money for you.”

She glowered at him over her gold-rimmed glasses. “I remember you flying around the house in superhero costumes.” She removed her hand. “Those gorgeous eyes and that infamous charm get you nowhere with me.”

Deadpan serious now, Dan leaned in close, speaking fast. “The wife is Amy Castle. She’s a cousin on my mom’s side. Two years ago, I referred her to Barry Woodward because you were still recovering from your injuries. Barry did a fantastic job on the divorce. Sadly, he also put the moves on Amy, and they had an affair.” Dan shook his head. “Really poor form. She learned over the weekend that he was married, and she fired him. So, would you please help her?”

Josie sat back and tackled one piece of information at a time. First, their family tree. She and Dan shared the same father but had different mothers. Yes, that could result in unknown cousins. Next, she considered the aforementioned lawyer. “Isn’t Barry on his third wife?”

Dan resumed eating. “The fourth. She knows about the affair too. It’s a disaster.”

Josie balanced a piece of salmon on her soup spoon. “So, I’d really be doing this for you, right? To help ease your guilt over referring a family member to a brilliant, sex-addicted lawyer with commitment issues?”

He tilted his head. “Well, yes. And for Amy, an innocent victim of love, taken advantage of by her now ex-husband and deceived by her lover.” When Josie didn’t respond, he added, “She’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars, upfront, and you can bill her a c-note an hour. There’s plenty more after that if you need it.”

As if on automatic pilot, Josie’s mind started listing each step of the process needed to hang the ex-husband. Then the sane, less greedy side of her brain kicked in.

Stop. You don’t do that kind of work anymore.

Dan squeezed her hand again. “Please?”

Her resolve wavered. This not-so-humble, lawyer-of-the-year-type guy who just offered her a case other lawyers would beg for, was her life-long best friend and confidant. He also rarely said please. Twice. She pushed aside the chowder and swiveled in the bar stool to face him. “I hate you.”

His broad smile beamed. “You love me.” He picked up his cell. “Can I call her? She’s waiting in the parking lot to meet with you.”

Josie grabbed his hand. “I’m making no promises.”

“Agreed. Just speak with her.”

She scratched the scar on her chest. “Who’s representing the ex-husband?”

Dan’s cheeks and neck blotched red. “Oh yeah. About that.” He rose and tossed a bunch of bills on the bar.

Warning bells erupted in Josie’s brain. She grabbed the hem of his designer suit jacket. “Daniel Gabriel Jensen. Who is it?”

“Um, do you remember Richard Diamond?”

Chapter Three
Richard Diamond, Thursday Afternoon

 

“Mr. Castle is holding on line two.”

“Thank you, Dana.” Attorney Richard Diamond ended the intercom connection and drained a bottle of water.

Divorce caused even the most reasonable people to act unreasonably. And yet, Richard suspected his client, Malcolm Castle, displayed his “unique” form of unreasonableness long before his divorce commenced. To date, he held the record for the longest divorce case in the county, and the pandemic had nothing to do with the delay.

Richard didn’t need to review Castle’s file to recall the judge’s final decision when he granted the divorce. With millions of dollars up for grabs, Mr. Castle was ordered to transfer six of them in investments, plus a beach cottage, a boat, and a car, to his former wife within thirty days. And here they were, a hundred days or so later, and no transfers. Richard wondered if his client intended to break the record for this post judgment phase of the divorce as well.

Was Richard ruffled? Not at all. Malcolm already paid him close to two million in legal fees for the divorce. And he said he would commit to spending another two million for Richard to run circles around his ex-wife and her lawyer in order to hold on to his fortune until the last possible moment. And then, only then, would he direct Richard to make a deal. He was not going to pay anything close to six million and it was up to Richard to make sure of it.

Richard inhaled a deep breath and held it for five seconds. Then he released a slow exhale. It had been a long day, and it was about to get longer. After another second, he pushed the phone’s button for line two. “This is Attorney Diamond. How may I help you?”

“Hey there, Dickie Baby. It’s me, Mal. I hear Amy’s getting a new lawyer. A broad this time. She must have figured out, with some help, that this last one, who she was screwing, Wood something or other, was married. She gave him the boot Tuesday night.”

Richard never asked why or how his client always had up-to-date details about his ex-wife’s life. He didn’t want to know. Malcolm Castle may be slick, but more important, his skewed beliefs about how the world should operate, including his marriage and his divorce, created the type of no-holds-barred challenge that Richard relished.

And Malcolm, along with Richard’s other character-flawed clients, often expressed many prejudices, but they were not stupid. They ignored Richard’s dark skin because of the favorable results he produced. As for being Jewish, the topic never came up. Black Jews were not common in this country. Black Jewish lawyers of Ethiopian descent were even less common.

Richard gave his well-appointed office an appreciative glance. Mal wouldn’t pay his ex-wife, but he always paid his legal bills without question or delay. And the instant he didn’t, Richard would fire him.

“What’s the lawyer’s name?” he asked, disappointed that Barry Woodward couldn’t keep his pants zipped, or at least avoid getting caught.

There were few other lawyers left in the state who could handle a case of this magnitude. Like him, they treated the law as a game. The goal was to define the rules in each case, then be the best at figuring out how to enforce them or bend them. Which strategy depended on whose side you were on and how much money your client was willing to pay you.

“Some fat bimbo named Josephina Jensen,” Castle answered. “I already checked her out. She teaches at the damned law school. She quit going to court a couple years ago after her wacko client, the wife, mind you, got a gun into the courthouse. Jensen tried to stop her from shooting it off and she got hit pretty bad. If she represents Amy, it will be her first time back in court, in the same building. With all that emotional garbage and you in my corner, I doubt she’ll last a week. What do you think?”

Castle kept talking as Richard’s memory replayed the nightmarish scenes that came to be known as the Compton Catastrophe around Hartford’s Hall of Justice. He’d been down the hall when he heard the shots.

“Hey, Dickie, answer my question,” Castle demanded, drawing Richard back to the present.

Richard typed Jensen’s name into the attorney directory located on the state’s judicial website, confirming what he already suspected. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Malcolm.” He noted the calendar hanging on the wall and changed topics. “Are you all set for next Thursday?”

“You mean when I become unavailable?”

Richard cleared his throat. “Court starts at ten. It is my obligation to tell you to be there and on time.”

“Consider me told. Just be sure to cover my ass at all costs.”

“Consider your ass covered, Malcolm.” Richard hung up and jotted down the time spent during the call and its content. Next, he returned his attention to Josephina Jensen.

Holding his chin between his forefinger and thumb, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He recalled her body, wrapped in a white sheet and packed onto a gurney with an oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. Two silent paramedics, ignoring the media’s flashing cameras and shouted questions, wheeled the stretcher out of the courthouse and down the ramp near the steps. They lifted her into the waiting ambulance and raced off, lights and sirens blaring at full blast.

The image, along with one other, never left Richard’s mind. Over time, they had faded, but now they reemerged fresh as the day they happened.

Could Castle be right? Was she back?

Chapter Four
Josie

 

“Sit back down,” Josie insisted, tugging at Dan’s jacket.

The waiter returned just as her brother reclaimed his bar stool, interrupting the rant Josie was about to launch. “Shall I wrap your meal, madam?”

She looked at her barely eaten chowder and sandwich. “Do you want it?” she asked Dan.

He crinkled his nose. “After you played with it for the past half hour? No thanks.”

When the waiter left, Josie reduced her voice to a near-threatening level. “Richard Diamond is a monster, Daniel. Thirteen years ago, he roasted us alive in that Masterson case. Do you remember what happened when the judge read his decision, after that awful eight-day trial? Our client burst out of the courtroom and howled through the halls like a mama orangutang searching for her missing babies. And what did Diamond do? He stood there in his thousand-dollar suit, preening like a peacock, his feathers spread in full bloom.”

Straight faced, Dan pretended to study the dessert menu. “It’s not that we lost. The judge just didn’t give our client everything she wanted, the way she wanted it. Over time, the parents settled down and worked things out. And keep in mind, the playing field between you and Diamond is even now. You can take him. In fact, consider it your opportunity for payback.”

“We lost, Daniel,” Josie spat back. “And I don’t want payback. I haven’t handled a divorce case or any case for almost four years, and I don’t want to, ever again.” She hated that her voice started to crack mid-sentence.

Dan clutched her forearm and sought her tear-filled eyes. “Stop letting Anne Compton ruin your life. You’re an amazing lawyer and Amy needs you.”

Josie darted her attention to the nautical paraphernalia covering the bar’s walls. Even if he was right, she didn’t want to do it. “I doubt very much Richard Diamond has mellowed over the years. He’s like a clump of Roquefort cheese, its blue and green moldy disgustingness growing more and more pungent over time.”

Dan laughed. “That just makes it more challenging.”

Picturing Diamond in his element, Josie curled her upper lip. “He only represents wealthy, evil, greedy husbands and vengeful, spoiled, gold-digging wives. Their divorce proceedings last for years and always end with a trial. And for the rare times he loses, he files an appeal. There’s no end.”

“I agree.” He hugged her. “That’s why Amy’s divorce took so long.”

“And you want me to join that circus?”

He showed her his calendar on his phone. “Did I mention the contempt hearing against the ex-husband is scheduled for next Thursday?”

Josie straightened. “Are you listening to me at all? You act like we’re discussing a sale on one of your fancy suits.” She tapped her watch. “Luke and I are leaving for the Bahamas at eleven-fifty tonight. It’s his birthday present to me. We won’t be back until late Monday night.”

Dan’s grin and his eyes widened. “Then you’d better get started.”

Before she could stop him, he sent a text.

“I’m not doing it, Dan. I’m not stepping one foot into any courtroom with that fiend.”

Ignoring her, he stood and drained his beer mug. “You’re gonna love Amy.”

“I’m only agreeing to talk with her, Daniel.”

He waved. “There she is.”

Josie followed his gaze to the bar’s entrance.

A pretty, well-endowed and well-dressed older brunette stood in the doorway. With a worried smile, she waved back.

Perfect. Just perfect.

***

Excerpt from Love & the Divorce Lawyer by Barbara Newhart. Copyright 2025 by Barbara Newhart. Reproduced with permission from Barbara Newhart. All rights reserved.

 

Author of Love & the Divorce Lawyer Barbara Newhart

Barbara Newhart enjoys reading and writing stories that contain at least a sprinkle of romance, tossed into a great mystery or thriller where the characters dodge and weave their way through this crazy adventure we call life. In addition to Love & the Divorce Lawyer, Barbara has written Legally Yours and Finally Yours as Kimberly Whitmore.

To learn more about Barbara, click any of the following links:

www.BarbaraNewhart.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Instagram – @barbara.newhart.mysteries

 

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The post Love & The Divorce Lawyer: A New Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.

Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder Author Spotlight!!

Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder by Brandi Bradley

Author Spotlight + Book & Author InfoDon’t miss any new books! Click the link here.Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder by Brandi Bradley

When a young entrepreneur is killed, everyone in town points fingers at his New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting smokeshow of an ex-girlfriend, Gabbi-including the victim’s best friend, Jenna.

As detective Lindy D’Arnaud and her partner, Boggs, search for a motive, they begin to wonder if this go-getter was chasing after more than he could handle.

In Lindy’s personal life, things aren’t much clearer. When Lindy’s wife’s ex-boyfriend-and sperm donor to their baby-decides to move back to town, she finds herself competing for her wife’s affection.

Can they be postmodern in western Kentucky, where living as a queer person is tenuous enough already?

 

To purchase Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder, click either of the following links: Amazon, Bookshop.Praise For Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder

“Nothing in Bradley’s absorbing novel is simple; indeed, the plot is as complex and as unpredictable as life itself, though it never feels convoluted. Instead, the author renders the mystery, and the everyday lives that surround it, with admirable clarity.” — Kirkus Reviews

“…a fresh, dynamic take on Southern noir that offers readers both a riveting murder mystery and a sharply observed commentary on small-town dynamics, gender roles, and the struggles of queer life in conservative settings. Bradley’s novel crackles with tension and wit, diving into the duality of Kentucky’s charm with an equal mix of affection and critique, crafting a story that’s as suspenseful as it is socially insightful.” -Hina Kempen

“…full of twists and turns. The author did an excellent job of building the characters in the book…great for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers. I felt like I was visualizing my favorite crime show series. This story will have you guessing till the end.” – Ashley Meyer, Goodreads reviewer

“This book has a strong, engaging plot with plenty of options to consider when trying to work out “whodunnit.” There are some absolutely infuriating characters here, which is always a good sign that the author has hit the mark in making them credible. I loved seeing how they responded to different situations and where they all ended up.” – Louise Gray, NetGalley reviewer

“Great read!! I loved reading about Kentucky princesses! It had great suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery, a fantastic who done it…crazy twists and turns! I highly recommend reading this book!” -Debbie Brogan, NetGalley reviewer

Author Brandi Bradley

 

Brandi Bradley is an indie author and educator who lives in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia.

She writes short stories and novels about crime, family drama, flea markets, cowboys, rowdy girls, and gossip.

She has had short stories and essays published in Juked, Louisiana Literature, Carve, and Nashville Review.

She teaches writing at Kennesaw State University. “Mothers of the Missing Mermaid” (2023) is her debut novel of secrets by the sea in Destin, Florida. Bradley’s second book, “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” will be released in March 2025.

Learn more about Brandi by following her on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram.Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell

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The Organ Broker: Psychological Suspense

The Organ Broker by Deven Greene
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Giveaway + an Excerpt + Book & Author Info!
 
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The Organ Broker


A devoted wife and mother faces the unimaginable as her life crumbles.

Crystal Rigler seems to have a perfect marriage. Derek, her handsome and charismatic husband, and their adult daughter, Cordelia, are her whole world. In addition to her already busy life, Crystal supports the volunteer organization she and Derek started: STOP (Stop Transplants of Organs from Prisoners).

STOP aims to end a new government policy of harvesting organs from executed prisoners. They learn that these organs are not distributed by the national transplant list, established to allocate organs fairly. Instead, a shadowy figure known as Broker Al pulls the strings. He expedites the execution of young and healthy prisoners and sells their organs at a high price to the rich and well-connected.

After Crystal learns a disturbing secret, events are set in motion that will potentially dismantle STOP, change her life, and cost her everything. Unless she is willing to do the unthinkable…

Praise for The Organ Broker:

“The Organ Broker by Deven Greene was intricate and captivated my attention from the first page. The story was fast-paced with not a single dull moment.”
~ Readers’ Favorite

“If you enjoy moral dilemmas, complex characters, and a plot that feels uncomfortably plausible, this book will leave you thinking long after the ending.”
~ Literary Titan

“…electrifyingly intense… Introspective and entertaining, The Organ Broker navigates the delicate balance between principles and priorities.”
~ Indies Today

“The Organ Broker … teeters between thriller, novel, a story of medical and social challenge, and more. It stands out from others about organ harvesting simply because it evolves a complex plot that engages characters and readers in a moral and ethical dance spiced with intrigue and the unexpected.”
~ D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

THE ORGAN BROKER Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Suspense
Published by: Panthera Publishing
Publication Date: April 2025
Number of Pages: 321
ISBN: 9781964620060 (ISBN10: 1964620066)

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Google Books | Apple Books | Kobo | Goodreads

Read an excerpt of The Organ Broker:

Chapter 1

The East Texas sun was hotter than usual for September, the few clouds high above providing no relief. A half-hour earlier, overcome by heat and exhaustion, Crystal had let her sign reading “Save Kwami” slip to the ground. Standing near the front of the crowd, Crystal pushed up the visor on her baseball cap to get a better look at her surroundings. She was pleased with the impressive turnout which she estimated to be close to one thousand people. It was the largest they’d ever had. Most of the other protestors continue to hold their placards high, displaying myriad slogans such as “Justice for Kwami,” “Let Kwami Live,” “Impeach Gov. Percy,” and the most popular, “STOP.” She took a deep breath and lifted her sign again, fighting the pain in her fingers as she held it as high as she could.

The crowd of protestors was comprised of a cross-section of the community— young, old, couples, families, Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian. A colorful array of baseball caps, bucket hats, visors, straw hats, and cowboy hats protected most of the heads from the constant flood of the sun’s rays.

The makeshift podium and public address system were rudimentary, and there was the usual milling around often seen in large gatherings, but the audience, for the most part, was paying attention to the pudgy young man with a man bun speaking to them. At times, the crowd burst out in synchronous claps and hoots of approval. The assembly was peaceful, with only a few skirmishes breaking out at the edges where police stood watch.

Still thirsty after having finished her bottle of water, Crystal let her mind wander as the speaker droned on about the immorality of what was about to take place. Her clothes clung to her sweaty body, and despite wearing sunglasses with polarized lenses, the bright sun hurt her eyes. Looking down, she swatted away a bug that landed on her arm. Uncomfortable and impatient, she was eagerly awaiting the next speaker.

Finally, the man at the podium looked up and announced, “And now, the man you’ve all been waiting to hear, the leader of our organization, Mr. Derek Rigler.”

The mood of the crowd changed, and participants started chanting “STOP” in unison as they raised and lowered their signs. A tall, muscular man with tan skin and wavy blond hair, took to the stage next to the previous speaker and scanned the crowd with his magnetic blue eyes. Crystal looked up and smiled. His handsome, chiseled features gave him the look of a confident leader. Although he was nearly fifty years old, he looked at least ten years younger. He hasn’t lost the ability to attract attention whenever he enters a room.

Derek took his place on the podium and held out his arms as if to give a benediction. After almost a full minute of roaring applause, he raised and lowered his hands several times to quiet the crowd.

Crystal looked around, energized by the enthusiasm bubbling over. She noted more press vans set up around the perimeter than in the previous protest. Their organization, STOP, was gaining traction.

She wondered if Derek had picked her out of the crowd. If she were taller, he’d probably see her—she wasn’t far from the front—but she imagined her five-foot two-inch frame made her visage difficult to identify in the sea of people. From what she could glean, Derek hadn’t spotted her. After all, she was just another brunette under a baseball cap, surrounded by many others. Even so, Crystal smiled widely, wondering if anyone nearby recognized her. After all, she was notable as Derek’s wife and the mother of his child, Cordelia.

As Derek started his familiar diatribe against the Texas death penalty laws, Crystal tried to lock eyes with him, but his eyes never found her. Instead, he focused on members of the audience near and far, concentrating his gaze on one person for several seconds before moving on to the next pair of waiting eyes.

Crystal recognized the usual arguments against the event that was scheduled to take place momentarily—the uneven death penalty sentencing, the ugliness of exacting revenge, and the irreversibility of the punishment once meted out. The speech was powerful, and she agreed with everything Derek said. She could recite the words by heart, not only because she had heard them during Derek’s practice sessions, but because she had written them herself. Every time the crowd reacted with hollers and claps, she felt taller, each breath a bit more satisfying. She’d been to over six of these rallies in the past year, each protesting the execution of a prisoner found guilty of a crime deemed fitting for capital punishment.

The death penalty had never sat well with Crystal, but over the past two years, the practice had escalated, with four more executions scheduled over the next six months in Texas alone. Not only was the ultimate punishment meted out more often, but the evidence leading to convictions was frequently less convincing. She’d made up her mind to do something to stop the injustice and had established STOP almost a year earlier. A small, grass-roots collection of like-minded people, it was taking hold, thanks to her speech writing, community outreach, and organizational skills, bolstered by her husband’s charisma. He was the face of the organization.

Derek’s address was interrupted by a loud commotion as the officers stationed around the perimeter began to forcefully clear a path through the protestors to the entryway of the large building looming behind the speaker. Despite shouting and resistance from the crowd, with the most passionate demonstrators being handcuffed and dragged away, the police were able to open a wide berth.

“We are nearing the time,” Derek shouted above the commotion, “the time when our brother Kwami will be taken from us in an act that can only be described as state-sponsored murder. Let all those who have participated in this mockery of justice one day pay for their crimes, and let all those who directly benefit from this violent act realize the wrong they have participated in.”

A police transport moved through the clearing in the crowd as demonstrators chanted “Kwami, Kwami” in unison. Although the windows of the vehicle were covered, all knew who was inside—Kwami McKinney, sentenced to be executed that day. The van didn’t stop until it was a mere five feet from the door to the building. A massive construction of cement and glass six stories high, the structure dwarfed the trees and other buildings nearby. Derek was silent as he turned to watch the Black prisoner, his head shaved, exit the van’s side door.

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit accessorized with ankle and wrist shackles, Kwami was escorted by two armed guards, each holding onto one of his arms. Two more prison officers took up the rear. As the party of five walked towards the glass doors of the building, a Black woman around fifty years old ran towards them screaming. She was forcibly stopped by police, who grabbed onto her arms long before she could interfere.

Everyone there knew the woman was Sally McKinney, Kwami’s mother. She yelled and cried hysterically, flailing against those restraining her as her son was led through the automated doors that opened before him and the guards. They disappeared inside the structure as the glass doors shut.

People in the crowd yelled and cried, drowning out Ms. McKinney’s wails. Frustrated tears filled Crystal’s eyes; their protest had done nothing to dissuade the authorities from carrying out their sentence. She hadn’t expected the proceedings to be halted, but held onto a glimmer of hope until now, irrational as it was.

She looked to Derek for comfort, hoping they might finally lock gazes and convey their sadness to each other, but Crystal’s thoughts were interrupted by a female acquaintance. “Fantastic speech,” the woman said.

“I can’t disagree,” Crystal answered, buoyed momentarily by the woman’s words.

“You must be very proud, being his wife. He’s so handsome, and brilliant to boot. You two are the perfect couple. I’d sure like to be a fly on the wall at your dinner table to hear about all his great ideas.”

The words stung slightly, as Crystal chuckled politely. She was accustomed to being thought of as a mere appendage of her charismatic husband, but, she’d tried to convince herself that a successful protest, with Derek delivering a resounding speech, was all that was important. She didn’t need the admiration of others like he did. “Our dinners aren’t as interesting as you might think. Mostly, we talk about how we’re going to pay our bills.”

Members of the press, who until now had been scattered amongst the protestors while taking notes and silently recording videos, were now talking and interviewing people on camera. The crowd thinned, but Crystal didn’t want to leave. She’d have liked to remain until she knew Kwami had taken his last breath, but that moment was hours away.

She listened as a nearby male telecaster spoke into a camera. “Emotions are again high as another execution is about to take place. While many people feel that the crimes Kwami McKinney was convicted of, armed robbery and hostage-taking, justify the death sentence, some feel the punishment is too severe for the crimes the prisoner was convicted of. Still others believe he is innocent of the charges against him.”

The reporter turned to a middle-aged female bystander and asked, “What do you think of today’s events? Do you think justice is being carried out today?” After posing the question, he shoved the microphone close to the woman’s mouth.

“This is a travesty of justice,” she answered. “The real criminal was wearing a ski mask during the robbery, and escaped capture immediately following the crime. That was made clear during the trial. We also learned that Mr. McKinney was picked out in a lineup by two unreliable witnesses days later. There was a boatload of evidence that the so-called witnesses had drug charges against them dropped shortly after identifying Mr. McKinney. What kind of justice is that?”

The telecaster quickly turned to the camera and continued his reporting. “Despite the controversy, Kwami McKinney is still scheduled to be executed here and now at New Lake Hospital. While we are happy for the families of the six unnamed individuals who will be the recipients of much-needed organs, many are questioning the legality and morality of what is now becoming a common method of organ procurement. The objections are being led by the organization STOP, which stands for Stop Transplants of Organs from Prisoners.”

***

Excerpt from The Organ Broker by Deven Greene. Copyright 2025 by Deven Greene. Reproduced with permission from Deven Greene. All rights reserved.

 

The Organ Broker Author Deven Greene
 

Deven Greene lives in Northern California, where she enjoys writing fiction, most of which involves science or medicine. She has degrees in biochemistry (PhD) and medicine (MD), and practiced pathology for over twenty years.

She has previously published the The Erica Rosen MD Trilogy (Unnatural, Unwitting, and Unforeseen), and Ties That Kill, as well as several short stories.

To learn more about Deven, click on any of the following links:

www.DevenGreene.com
Subscribe to Deven’s Blog
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub @Deven_G1
Facebook @DevenGreeneFiction

 

 

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