Stephen Carpenter Author
For fans of Robert Parker's smart but tough-as-nails heroes, screenwriter Stephen Carpenter introduces a new character to the mystery genre, Jack Rhodes. Jack is an author and former boxer who was on his way to literary success when his life was blown apart by the horrific suicide of his fiancee.
Devastated, Jack went on a fifteen-month alcoholic spiral into near-oblivion before eventually working past his demons to become a best-selling crime novelist. But just as Jack is finishing his fourth book about a vicious serial killer, the LAPD interrupts his quiet routine with news of what appears to be a copycat murder from his first book. There's just one problem--the murder took place before Jack's book was published.
Jack begins to investigate, using techniques he learned through his meticulous research with police and FBI investigators. To his horror, Jack discovers that each of the murders he has imagined are all real...down to the most harrowing details. And Jack is Suspect Number One.
Jack winds up on the run, a fugitive haunted by his past and hunted by the very cops and FBI agents he has learned from and befriended. Jack must use every resource he has to prevent the murder of a woman he knows will be next in his series of novels. He must piece together shattered memories from the fragments he recalls during his drunken fifteen-month blackout.
Fast-paced and utterly unpredictable, KILLER reads like a rapid-fire crime thriller, with hairpin twists and turns and edge-of-your seat psychological horror. KILLER eludes easy answers to the impossible puzzle Jack must solve, and takes the reader on a journey unlike any other.
Devastated, Jack went on a fifteen-month alcoholic spiral into near-oblivion before eventually working past his demons to become a best-selling crime novelist. But just as Jack is finishing his fourth book about a vicious serial killer, the LAPD interrupts his quiet routine with news of what appears to be a copycat murder from his first book. There's just one problem--the murder took place before Jack's book was published.
Jack begins to investigate, using techniques he learned through his meticulous research with police and FBI investigators. To his horror, Jack discovers that each of the murders he has imagined are all real...down to the most harrowing details. And Jack is Suspect Number One.
Jack winds up on the run, a fugitive haunted by his past and hunted by the very cops and FBI agents he has learned from and befriended. Jack must use every resource he has to prevent the murder of a woman he knows will be next in his series of novels. He must piece together shattered memories from the fragments he recalls during his drunken fifteen-month blackout.
Fast-paced and utterly unpredictable, KILLER reads like a rapid-fire crime thriller, with hairpin twists and turns and edge-of-your seat psychological horror. KILLER eludes easy answers to the impossible puzzle Jack must solve, and takes the reader on a journey unlike any other.
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Praise for Killer:“AMAZING TALENT! SURE TO BE A BESTSELLER!”
“There are many good writers out there but to find a great one is like finding that needle in the haystack. This book does truly take you for one wild ride! Stephen Carpenter is without a doubt an up and coming bestselling author. I would put his writing with the likes of Phillip Margolin and Baldacci at their best. The book takes you from 0 to 100 in the first few pages and leaves you breathless all the way to the end. I can’t wait for the next installment. Please Mr. Carpenter, do not keep us waiting with bated breath!” Amazon Review
“WOW! A PAGE-TURNER!”
“I can't remember the last time I stayed up to finish an entire novel. If you want a real thriller and a fresh take on the genre you HAVE to buy this. Bravo!” Todd Miliner, Executive Producer, Hot In Cleveland.
“A MUST-READ MYSTERY!”
I literally could not put this book down. I'm a huge Stephen King fan, but this is even better, I swear! This guy is amazing. The ending is fantastic!” Amazon Review
“LOVED IT!”
“After I read the first couple of pages I was hooked. This book blew me away. I was up all night reading it and I still can't get the characters and the story out of my head. It's like Stephen King meets John Grisham, but it's even darker and weirder than that. I can usually tell how a book is going to end up, but not this time. A definite read! You won't be disappointed!” John Hopkins, author of Shrek: From the Swamp to the Screen, and Torment.
“GRABBED ME LIKE A VISE GRIP!”
“Grabbed my attention like a vise grip from beginning to end. This who-dun-it will have you on the edge of your seat throughout! This book whets my appetite for more from this talented author!” Yale R. Jaffe, author of Advantage/Disadvantage.
“HOOKED!”
“KILLER will infiltrate your psyche. This is a must read. I can't wait to see what comes next. I think we've just been introduced to a new brand of serial suspense thrillers!” Amazon Review
“COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN!”
“I love Stephen King, and I'm now a huge Stephen Carpenter fan. Can't wait for his next work!” Amazon Review.
Amazing book! Could not put it down! Stephen Carpenter has done it again! Amazing movie-maker and now amazing author! Cannot wait to see what comes next!
(NY Times, Publishers Weekly Writer/Author)
AMW: Before we get to your debut novel, “Killer,” my last author Q & A was with Steve Martin. I understand you have adapted his book, “The Pleasure of My Company” for the big screen.
SC: Yes, I finished the screenplay just before writing “Killer.”
AMW: How did you like working with Mr. Martin?
SC: Loved it. They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes because you’ll be disappointed, but I definitely wasn’t. He was the greatest. It was such a thrill to work with someone whom I have admired since I was a kid. And the book was a gift, as far as source material goes. It’s wonderfully written, with a fascinating character at its heart. And Steve was incredibly generous with it. He liked what I did and it was a great experience. It was especially good to have that kind of experience in order to build up the courage to write my first novel.
AMW: “Killer” is a departure from your work as a screenwriter, even though you’ve written several thrillers in the past, for the screen.
SC: Yeah, in a way “Killer” was a return to my roots. I started out in the film business as a writer/director, doing movies like “The Dorm That Dripped Blood.” My last scary movie was an adaptation of Dean Koontz’s “Servants of Twilight.” After that I needed a break from terrifying people, so I started writing comedies. That’s how “Blue Streak” came about, then “Ocean’s 11,” and “The Man.” But even when I was writing comedies, I was reading Stephen King and Robert Parker. I’ll probably always gravitate toward the mystery/thriller genre. Seems to be in my bones.
AMW: What made you choose epublishing over traditional publishing?
SC: I’m not a very patient person. I like to see results right away. I like being able to control the content and the release of the book, and to do my own marketing. That said, I credit Amazon’s amazing promotion machine for the success of the book so far.
AMW: What was the hardest thing about the transition from writing screenplays to writing a novel?
SC: The amount of detail. A screenplay is extremely economical—it’s all about story, story, story. Most of the detail is in the hands of the actors and the director. With a novel, you’re the actor, director, production designer, cinematographer, etc. It’s a blank canvas and you’re all alone. That’s tough.
AMW: So, after years of writing movies, what was the best thing about writing a novel?
SC: The same thing that makes writing a novel so difficult. With a novel, you have the final say. I don’t have to worry if an actor is going to change the dialogue, or if a director wants to change the ending, or if a studio executive cuts my favorite scene because it’s too expensive. I loved that about it. The most important difference, though, was the opportunity to finally write an inner voice for my characters. I’ve always wished I could do it in a screenplay, but narration is tricky and, with few exceptions, it’s not very effective. It’s seen as kind of an easy out for a screenwriter.
AMW: Any plans for making “Killer” into a major motion picture?
SC: There have been some preliminary conversations, but I’m still more focused on writing the next book, for now.
AMW: What are your plans for the next book?
SC: The second in the “Killer” series is going to be about Hollywood. In the meantime, I’m finishing a short YA novel. Stay tuned.