R.G. Belsky's Blog, page 5
May 6, 2019
Terrific Review From NY Journal of Books
". . . an engrossing, mind boggling mystery."
This book is a mystery reader favorite—a puzzle. There's a murder, a murder list and, eventually, numerous suspects.
The protagonist is a mystery reader favorite, too. A mature, savvy single woman with a professional career, thrice married, so she's been around; damaged from the past but hopeful about the future; born without a filter on her mouth, but has a seriously flawed screening process when it comes to the men she has relationships with.
Meet Clare Carlson, former newspaper reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner, now news director at Channel 10 in NYC. She makes a point of saying she's not an on-air TV reporter, but a real journalist who came up through a now-defunct print newspaper.
She's also innately decent, which is why when a homeless woman named Dora Gayle is found murdered on the street, she sees it as news unlike others around her who would rather ignore it, favoring instead stories about beautiful, wealthy, high profile murder victims. Or as it was known in the Channel 10 wheelhouse, the Blonde White Female Syndrome story.
So when Dora's body is discovered, the news team feels it's not important enough for the evening news.
". . . They have no idea who killed her or why, and they probably never will. She's just another forgotten homeless person dead on the streets. . . ."
But Clare takes a stand. She wants to know who Dora Gayle was, and why she called herself Cinderella. Where was she and what was she doing before she started living on the street?
". . . The real story I still wanted to tell was how she went from the young girl who liked to read poetry and write love sonnets to become the homeless woman who died alone in that bank vestibule."
Then the news team gets the kind of story they prefer—a beautiful, high profile murder victim with a history of numerous boyfriends, ex-lovers, and scandal. A Wall Street hotshot named Grace Mancuso:
"A woman stockbroker . . . found beaten to death in her Upper East Side apartment . . . very pretty, very successful. The crime scene was really bad. There was blood everywhere in the apartment—bedroom, living room and kitchen. The Medical Examiner's office says the killer kept beating her even after she must have been long dead . . ."
But that's not all.
Police find a note at the crime scene containing a surprising list of names. Homeless murder victim Dora Gayle's name is on the list, along with:
Brendan Kaiser—media mogul who also owns Channel 10 where Clare works. As a young man he was a screw up. Picked up for drinking and smoking pot, expelled from schools, a drifter until his father died and he inherited the family business empire.
Bill Atwood—former U.S. Congressman and current college president, golden boy of American politics, Rhodes scholar, successful businessman. Then it all fell apart when an intern in his Congressional office filed a sexual harassment complaint.
Emily Lehrman—high-profile defense attorney, the kind who gives lawyers a bad name: "I don't care whether my client is guilty, innocent or somewhere in between. I represent anyone that wants to pay me . . ."
Scott Manning—NYPD homicide detective, graduated top of his class in the academy later earned commendations while on duty, steadfast homelife with wife and kids, volunteer fireman, Little League coach. An all-around good guy. Or was he?
Could there be a more disparate group of people? It's doubtful they ran in the same circles or even knew each other by name or face. How could their lives be intertwined?
Clare is assigned to find the connection between those names and their connection to the murder victim. She bushwhacks through a tangle of embezzlement, blackmail, promiscuity, love affairs, adultery, secret daughters, and youthful indiscretions to finally find the truth.
Author Belsky brings years of experience in the print, digital, and TV news business to his books, giving readers a realistic view of life behind the printing presses and the TV screens.
The result is an engrossing, mind boggling mystery.
This book is a mystery reader favorite—a puzzle. There's a murder, a murder list and, eventually, numerous suspects.
The protagonist is a mystery reader favorite, too. A mature, savvy single woman with a professional career, thrice married, so she's been around; damaged from the past but hopeful about the future; born without a filter on her mouth, but has a seriously flawed screening process when it comes to the men she has relationships with.
Meet Clare Carlson, former newspaper reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner, now news director at Channel 10 in NYC. She makes a point of saying she's not an on-air TV reporter, but a real journalist who came up through a now-defunct print newspaper.
She's also innately decent, which is why when a homeless woman named Dora Gayle is found murdered on the street, she sees it as news unlike others around her who would rather ignore it, favoring instead stories about beautiful, wealthy, high profile murder victims. Or as it was known in the Channel 10 wheelhouse, the Blonde White Female Syndrome story.
So when Dora's body is discovered, the news team feels it's not important enough for the evening news.
". . . They have no idea who killed her or why, and they probably never will. She's just another forgotten homeless person dead on the streets. . . ."
But Clare takes a stand. She wants to know who Dora Gayle was, and why she called herself Cinderella. Where was she and what was she doing before she started living on the street?
". . . The real story I still wanted to tell was how she went from the young girl who liked to read poetry and write love sonnets to become the homeless woman who died alone in that bank vestibule."
Then the news team gets the kind of story they prefer—a beautiful, high profile murder victim with a history of numerous boyfriends, ex-lovers, and scandal. A Wall Street hotshot named Grace Mancuso:
"A woman stockbroker . . . found beaten to death in her Upper East Side apartment . . . very pretty, very successful. The crime scene was really bad. There was blood everywhere in the apartment—bedroom, living room and kitchen. The Medical Examiner's office says the killer kept beating her even after she must have been long dead . . ."
But that's not all.
Police find a note at the crime scene containing a surprising list of names. Homeless murder victim Dora Gayle's name is on the list, along with:
Brendan Kaiser—media mogul who also owns Channel 10 where Clare works. As a young man he was a screw up. Picked up for drinking and smoking pot, expelled from schools, a drifter until his father died and he inherited the family business empire.
Bill Atwood—former U.S. Congressman and current college president, golden boy of American politics, Rhodes scholar, successful businessman. Then it all fell apart when an intern in his Congressional office filed a sexual harassment complaint.
Emily Lehrman—high-profile defense attorney, the kind who gives lawyers a bad name: "I don't care whether my client is guilty, innocent or somewhere in between. I represent anyone that wants to pay me . . ."
Scott Manning—NYPD homicide detective, graduated top of his class in the academy later earned commendations while on duty, steadfast homelife with wife and kids, volunteer fireman, Little League coach. An all-around good guy. Or was he?
Could there be a more disparate group of people? It's doubtful they ran in the same circles or even knew each other by name or face. How could their lives be intertwined?
Clare is assigned to find the connection between those names and their connection to the murder victim. She bushwhacks through a tangle of embezzlement, blackmail, promiscuity, love affairs, adultery, secret daughters, and youthful indiscretions to finally find the truth.
Author Belsky brings years of experience in the print, digital, and TV news business to his books, giving readers a realistic view of life behind the printing presses and the TV screens.
The result is an engrossing, mind boggling mystery.
May 1, 2019
5-Star Review for Below The Fold
"An exciting narrative with lifelike characters that was hard to put down! A heart pounding read with so many moving parts! A frantic story that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can! KUDOS Mr. Belsky!!! I’m hooked!!!"- CMashLovesToRead.com
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March 16, 2019
Terrific review coming from Booklist
Just found out I'm getting a terrific review from Booklist on BELOW THE FOLD. They say: "It's all about breaking news, and the book's pace keeps up. Belsky's background as a reporter shines through, but he's also earned his place as a writer of memorable characters and intricate plots." Full review will run in Booklist's April 1 issue.
February 27, 2019
FIRST COPIES OF MY NEW BOOK HERE...
The first copies of my new book just arrived! Even though it won't go on sale until May 7. Still pretty exciting though.....
January 27, 2019
Ad in Suspense magazine
Love this ad for my next book that will be in the February issue of Suspense Magazine. And I’m in some pretty impressive company here with DP Lyle, Joe Clifford and TJ Turner....
January 9, 2019
Early Praise for BELOW THE FOLD
I'm thrilled to get this early praise from some pretty great authors for my next Clare Carlson mystery....which will be out in May.
“Below the Fold takes readers on a whiplash ride through a New York murder case. The television news investigation provides a fascinating lens for the story. Heroine Clare Carlson is formidable, human, and thoroughly authentic. R.G. Belsky knows his stuff.”―Meg Gardiner, author of Into the Black Nowhere
“Below the Fold is a gripping and intelligent thriller that rips open the dark underbelly of TV news, written by a former television and print journalist himself. Fast-moving and full of colorful, down-and-dirty characters, this terrific novel is the second in a series starring the compelling and engaging TV journalist Clare Carlson. I highly recommend it.”―Douglas Preston, New York Times best-selling author
“Below the Fold is what journalism is all about . . . crackling with the kind of authenticity only an experienced reporter could capture.”―Lee Goldberg, New York Times best-selling author
“Below the Fold is a terrific mystery, written with a veteran journalist's eye. The pacing and plotting are everything you want, but it's R. G. Belsky's insider knowledge that adds a wonderful layer to this story of media and murder.”―Michael Koryta, New York Times best-selling author
“Below the Fold takes readers on a whiplash ride through a New York murder case. The television news investigation provides a fascinating lens for the story. Heroine Clare Carlson is formidable, human, and thoroughly authentic. R.G. Belsky knows his stuff.”―Meg Gardiner, author of Into the Black Nowhere
“Below the Fold is a gripping and intelligent thriller that rips open the dark underbelly of TV news, written by a former television and print journalist himself. Fast-moving and full of colorful, down-and-dirty characters, this terrific novel is the second in a series starring the compelling and engaging TV journalist Clare Carlson. I highly recommend it.”―Douglas Preston, New York Times best-selling author
“Below the Fold is what journalism is all about . . . crackling with the kind of authenticity only an experienced reporter could capture.”―Lee Goldberg, New York Times best-selling author
“Below the Fold is a terrific mystery, written with a veteran journalist's eye. The pacing and plotting are everything you want, but it's R. G. Belsky's insider knowledge that adds a wonderful layer to this story of media and murder.”―Michael Koryta, New York Times best-selling author
November 30, 2018
YESTERDAY'S NEWS NAMED AS AN OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR
Excited to announced that YESTERDAY'S NEWS has been named an Outstanding Book of 2018 by Just Reviews. It won as Best Crime/News-Based Novel.
June 9, 2018
Love this review!
"The explosive ending blindsided me. So much so that after reading the last word, it took several more hours to process and digest what I had just read! A riveting and thrilling book that held me captive! No question, this novel will be on my 2018 Top Ten Reads!" - CMashReads
read more....
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May 14, 2018
5-Star Reader Review for YESTERDAY'S NEWS
Wow, love this terrific new 5-star reader review on Amazon for YESTERDAY'S NEWS!
"Where has this author been hiding out? Why am I just discovering him now - who knows? But I can enthusiastically say that I haven’t been this entertained, intrigued and surprised by a book like this one in an extremely long time. And I read 1-2 books a week.
"I don’t want to give you a synopsis cause I’m lousy at it and also terrified I will say/write too much. But please, please believe me if you are looking a mystery, suspense story with twists and turns that makes the pages jump from screen to screen (I use a Kindle) faster than you could imagine - than this is the one for you.
"Mr. Belsky may I thank you for providing me with one of the most insane 24 hours of trying to conduct my life and finish this book concurrently. It was worth every minute." - Linda Dalton
"Where has this author been hiding out? Why am I just discovering him now - who knows? But I can enthusiastically say that I haven’t been this entertained, intrigued and surprised by a book like this one in an extremely long time. And I read 1-2 books a week.
"I don’t want to give you a synopsis cause I’m lousy at it and also terrified I will say/write too much. But please, please believe me if you are looking a mystery, suspense story with twists and turns that makes the pages jump from screen to screen (I use a Kindle) faster than you could imagine - than this is the one for you.
"Mr. Belsky may I thank you for providing me with one of the most insane 24 hours of trying to conduct my life and finish this book concurrently. It was worth every minute." - Linda Dalton
April 21, 2018
Book Tour for YESTERDAY'S NEWS.....
Getting ready for the May 1 launch of YESTERDAY'S NEWS, my new mystery and the start of the Clare Carlson series. Here's what I have planned so far:
April 26 – Featured article about me will appear in Town & Village, local Manhattan newspaper.
April 27-29 – Attending Malice Domestic mystery conference in Bethesda, Md.
Will speak on panel called “Stop the Presses” – about real life news stories which inspire mystery fiction.
Also, will participate as “Author Speed Dating” event, pitching YESTERDAY’S NEWS to up to 200 readers.
May 1 – Interview with me in The Big Thrill magazine. This stays up on line all month with heavy social media promotion by International Thriller Writers.
May 1 - Featured interview on the Kiss and Thrill website www.kissandthrill.com
May 1 – on Fran Lewis blog radio show talking about Yesterday’s News http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fran-lewis
May 1 – Fresh Fiction: Will be promoted with banners and other materials on FrechFiction.com for the first week of May – with some materials staying up on site through the month
May TBA – I’m scheduled to be the featured post on the Killer Nashville blog – writing about Clare Carlson and Yesterday’s News in “The Joys and Heartbreaks of Changing Series Characters.”
May 4 – Will appear for an hour on Internet radio show out of Pittsburgh that I've done in the past. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lcs
May 5 – At Mystery Bookshop in Mechanicsburg, Pa. as part of “Before They Were Authors” event – talking about my career as a tabloid journalist and how it inspires my mystery writing.
May 7 – - Will appear for an hour on the Peter Moses radio show in Westchester County, WVOX White Plains.
May 8 – Book launch party for Yesterday’s News at Mysterious Bookshop in NYC.
May 25 – Featured blog post on Jungle Red (women mystery writers website): “Honest, I’m Telling You the Truth…Just Not All of It.”
May TBA – I’m scheduled to be the featured post on the Killer Nashville blog – writing about Clare Carlson and Yesterday’s News in “The Joys and Heartbreaks of Changing Series Characters.”
May TBA – Will be featured blog post for a week on Mystery Writers of America-NY site.
“ I Do a Lot of Research for My Mystery Novels…Well, Sort Of.”
May TBA – will do blog for Poisened Press (Ariz) bookstore website – on turning real life news stories into mystery fiction plots.
May TBA – Featured interview on Richard Ehisen mystery writers website: https://www.richehisen.com/
May TBA – will participate for full week in May as part of International Thriller Writers online author roundtable
May TBA – Feature article about me will appear in Princeton Packet, local New jersey newspaper.
May TBA – will sign stock copies of book at Cloak and Dagger bookstore in Princeton NJ
May 30 – Speak to Killer Coffee Club at Barnes & Noble in Ithaca NY
June 1-2 – Speak at Maine Crime Wave mystery convention in Portland, Maine.
June 1-30 Participate in Partners in Crime blog tour – consisting of 22 blog posts, reviews, interviews over 30 days.
June 9 - Speak to Coffee and Crime Book Club at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, Pa.
July 13-14 – Will attend ThrillerFest in NYC
August 10-12 Will attend Deadly Ink mystery conference in New Brunswick, NJ
August 23-26 – Will attend Killer Nashville mystery writers conference.
Sept. 6-9 – Will attend Bouchercon mystery conference in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Sept. 26 – Will speak and sign books at Book in a Bar sponsored by Learned Owl Bookstore in Hudson, Ohio.
April 26 – Featured article about me will appear in Town & Village, local Manhattan newspaper.
April 27-29 – Attending Malice Domestic mystery conference in Bethesda, Md.
Will speak on panel called “Stop the Presses” – about real life news stories which inspire mystery fiction.
Also, will participate as “Author Speed Dating” event, pitching YESTERDAY’S NEWS to up to 200 readers.
May 1 – Interview with me in The Big Thrill magazine. This stays up on line all month with heavy social media promotion by International Thriller Writers.
May 1 - Featured interview on the Kiss and Thrill website www.kissandthrill.com
May 1 – on Fran Lewis blog radio show talking about Yesterday’s News http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fran-lewis
May 1 – Fresh Fiction: Will be promoted with banners and other materials on FrechFiction.com for the first week of May – with some materials staying up on site through the month
May TBA – I’m scheduled to be the featured post on the Killer Nashville blog – writing about Clare Carlson and Yesterday’s News in “The Joys and Heartbreaks of Changing Series Characters.”
May 4 – Will appear for an hour on Internet radio show out of Pittsburgh that I've done in the past. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lcs
May 5 – At Mystery Bookshop in Mechanicsburg, Pa. as part of “Before They Were Authors” event – talking about my career as a tabloid journalist and how it inspires my mystery writing.
May 7 – - Will appear for an hour on the Peter Moses radio show in Westchester County, WVOX White Plains.
May 8 – Book launch party for Yesterday’s News at Mysterious Bookshop in NYC.
May 25 – Featured blog post on Jungle Red (women mystery writers website): “Honest, I’m Telling You the Truth…Just Not All of It.”
May TBA – I’m scheduled to be the featured post on the Killer Nashville blog – writing about Clare Carlson and Yesterday’s News in “The Joys and Heartbreaks of Changing Series Characters.”
May TBA – Will be featured blog post for a week on Mystery Writers of America-NY site.
“ I Do a Lot of Research for My Mystery Novels…Well, Sort Of.”
May TBA – will do blog for Poisened Press (Ariz) bookstore website – on turning real life news stories into mystery fiction plots.
May TBA – Featured interview on Richard Ehisen mystery writers website: https://www.richehisen.com/
May TBA – will participate for full week in May as part of International Thriller Writers online author roundtable
May TBA – Feature article about me will appear in Princeton Packet, local New jersey newspaper.
May TBA – will sign stock copies of book at Cloak and Dagger bookstore in Princeton NJ
May 30 – Speak to Killer Coffee Club at Barnes & Noble in Ithaca NY
June 1-2 – Speak at Maine Crime Wave mystery convention in Portland, Maine.
June 1-30 Participate in Partners in Crime blog tour – consisting of 22 blog posts, reviews, interviews over 30 days.
June 9 - Speak to Coffee and Crime Book Club at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, Pa.
July 13-14 – Will attend ThrillerFest in NYC
August 10-12 Will attend Deadly Ink mystery conference in New Brunswick, NJ
August 23-26 – Will attend Killer Nashville mystery writers conference.
Sept. 6-9 – Will attend Bouchercon mystery conference in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Sept. 26 – Will speak and sign books at Book in a Bar sponsored by Learned Owl Bookstore in Hudson, Ohio.
