Goodreads asked Vishal Reddy:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Vishal Reddy The basic idea for my most recent (and first) book, HIGHER GROUND, originated several years ago. As a fan of crime novels and police procedural TV programs, I was always fascinated by the whole cop/criminal dynamic. But one thing that struck me about these books and shows was the relative lack of attention paid to the victims.

It was then that I hit upon the idea of a murder victim's story being told in tandem with the investigation of that victim's murder. I knew that the first 48 hours of a murder investigation is very important, so I came up with the idea of alternating between the first 48 hours of the murder investigation and the last 48 hours of the victim's life. This concept is the key to not only humanizing the murder victim, warts and all, but also serves as a unique way to entertain the reader as they piece the clues together. And thus, the EQUINOX mystery series -- of which HIGHER GROUND is Book 1 -- was born.

The idea for HIGHER GROUND was partly inspired by current events. The murder victim, Bruce Jalopnik, is an unemployed automotive worker in Detroit who can't keep up with the modern world and is estranged from his family. The main detective, Amy Delvecchio, is a tough woman with a kind heart who has to deal with her own family issues while solving Bruce's murder.

Forthcoming books in the series will feature the same concept -- the last 48 hours of the victim's life and the first 48 hours of the murder investigation -- but will have different characters and settings. Therefore, each book can be read as a stand-alone. TAKE FIVE, Book 2 of the series (set in Silicon Valley), will be released in Late 2017/Early 2018.

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