Suspense, Mystery, Horror and Thriller Fiction

SEPTEMBER 2014

Simply Irresistible GREGG HURWITZ BRUCE DESILVA MEG GARDINER D.P. LYLE DENNIS LEHANE

SciFi with a Mysterious Twist: Anthony J. Franze KIMBERLY (K.S.) DANIELS Talks Writing With 8 Lessons Learned From Law LEE CHILD & Enforcement by JOSEPH FINDER L.J. SELLERS In this action-packed, multi-layered third book, Renegade Cajun Federal Judge Jock Boucher averts a nuclear apocalypse.

1 ST in the Jock Boucher Series!...

Available in Hard Cover, Paperback, E-book and Audiobook

2ND in the Jock Boucher Series!...

Available in Paperback and E-book

NEW RELEASE! 3 Rd in the Series!... “Jock Boucher, Cajun federal judge turned - unlikely - action hero....a protagonist cut from a different cloth.” ~ KIRKUS REVIEWS Available at your Favorite E-book Retailer! Free! Win a Kindle! Information at DavidLyonsAuthor.com From the Editor The world is moving at light speed. Mobile phones, CREDITS social media, and tablets, have put us instantly into John Raab President & Chairman a new world. The iPhone that you are holding right now, because you are holding it or it is in range to Shannon Raab pick up, is more powerful than the computers that Creative Director we spent thousands on twenty years ago. People don’t know how to stop and unplug to Romaine Reeves really take a look around them and see the beauty CFO of the ocean, the snow-capped mountains, the fall Starr Gardinier Reina foliage, and the smell of the spring rain. Everything has to be at lighting speed. Executive Editor Remember when you made a phone call and got a busy signal? You left the house and had to find a pay phone to call back home and say you would be late or left the house so Amy Lignor you didn’t have to talk on the phone. Finding twenty cents wasn’t that easy either. And Editor you better be home before the streetlights came on or you were grounded, which meant staying in your room, because that was actually a punishment. Jim Thomsen Copy Editor Now it’s where kids live, so telling them to go to there is like telling me to just go home. Remember when you had to be careful to place the needle on the right part of the Contributors album to hear that song you wanted? How about fast-forwarding that cassette tape to Mark P. Sadler find song four, because that was the best song on the album. How many times did you Susan Santangelo place that cassette tape next to the radio and tape it so you had a play list, even with DJ Weaver commercials? Yeah, the quality sucked, but that wasn’t the point. CK Webb Remember when cars just drove you from A to B? If you wanted to navigate to a Kiki Howell Kaye George destination, you had to pull out that map, which was probably screwed up from the last Weldon Burge time you pulled it out because you couldn’t fold it right. Stopping for directions? Still hard Ashley Wintters for a man to do, even with his wife or girlfriend screaming in his ear, because no matter Scott Pearson how much screaming you heard, you still knew the correct turn was just up ahead. D.P. Lyle M.D. Kathleen Heady Remember when food was something you just ate? I still don’t understand gluten- Stephen Brayton free, fat-free ice cream, vegan chocolate, or kale. What the hell is MSG, really? It made my Brian Blocker Chinese food taste awesome, but I guess it’s bad for you. Remember when peanut butter Andrew MacRae and jelly was found in 80 percent of every kid’s lunch? When I was growing up I didn’t Val Conrad Melissa Dalton know one person allergic to peanut butter, but now we have peanut-free zones. Elliott Capon Remember when people talked face to face? I don’t think my kids know any language J.M. LeDuc but LOL, OMG, TMI, LMFAO, WTF, and IDK, what the hell did I just say? Think about Holly Price it: Is Facebook really accurate? All I see are pictures of food and read posts that make me Kari Wainwright David Ingram think half of the world’s population needs to be in a mental hospital. Jodi Hanson Remember when you only had four channels to watch on TV and at midnight when Susan May the news was over, the National Anthem played showing the flag, except for Friday and Jenny Hilborne Saturday, then it would come on at two a.m. Now we have so many TV channels—Netflix, Anthony J. Franze Kristin Centorcelli Amazon Prime, Hulu etc.—that when I hear someone say, “This sucks, there is nothing on Jerry Zavada TV to watch,” I really just want to hit them over the head with a tack hammer. When my S.L. Menear family first got cable I thought my head would explode. Not just because we had twelve Sherri Nemick channels, but we had the Playboy Channel and I could rig the box to get it for free, and for Leslie Borghini Mary Lignor a 13-year-old boy, that was the greatest day of my life. Julie Whiteley Yes, life was simpler. Our imagination was our friend. We had to think of new games to play outside. We had to grab our gloves and hit the sandlot. Girls would play house with Customer Service and their dolls, and boys wouldn’t be invited because we would take the dolls and put them in Subscriptions: For 24/7 service, please use our website, the positions we saw on the Playboy Channel. www.suspensemagazine.com or write to: But there is still one-way to walk away and unplug our lives from the rat race we call SUSPENSE MAGAZINE at life now. Inside the magazine we have more than ten pages of reviews. Simply pick up a 26500 Agoura Road, #102-474 book and read it—because no matter how fast life is moving, reading is done at your own Calabasas, CA 91302 Suspense Magazine does not share our pace. magazine subscriber list to third-party companies. John Raab CEO/Publisher Rates: $24.00 (Electronic Subscrip- Suspense Magazine ■ tion) per year. All foreign subscrip- tions must be payable in U.S. funds. “Reviews within this magazine are the opinions of the individual reviewers and are provided solely to provide readers assis- tance in determining another's thoughts on the book under discussion and shall not be interpreted as professional advice or the opinion of any other than the individual reviewer. The following reviewers who may appear in this magazine are also indi- vidual clients of Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine: Mark P. Sadler, Starr Gardinier Reina, Ashley Dawn (Wintters), DJ Weaver, CK Webb, Elliott Capon, J.M. LeDuc, S.L. Menear, Leslie Borghini, Susan Santangelo, and Amy Lignor.”

SuspenseMagazine.com 1 CONTENT SUSPENSE MAGAZINE September 2014 / Vol. 059

First Rites By D.B. Toth...... 3

International Thriller Writers: Reader’s Corner By Janice Gable Bashman ������6

The Treacherous AscentBy Joseph Heithaus...... 7

From Across the Pond: Meet Amy Bird...... 11

Special Excerpt: “Deadly Bonds” By L.J. Sellers...... 13

8 Lessons From Law Enforcement Research By L.J. Sellers...... 18

SciFi with a Mysterious Twist: Kimberly (K.S.) Daniels...... 20

Copy Editor’s Corner: Don’t Press the Pause Button! By Jim Thomsen. . 22

Inside the Pages: Suspense Magazine Book Reviews...... 24

Suspense Magazine Movie Reviews...... 42

Featured Artist: Genesis Raz von Elder...... 43

Forensic Files: Time of Death By D.P. Lyle...... 48

Ambush By Jason M. Garrett ...... 49

Special Excerpt: “Don’t Look Back” By Gregg Hurwitz...... 55

America’s Favorite Suspense Authors: FaceOffBy Anthony J. Franze. . . 61

De Je Vous By James G. Piatt ...... 75 First Rites By D.B. Toth

he young priest rounded the corner at 59th Street and hurried down Seventh Avenue. It was an unusually warm day in late October and he was without hat or overcoat. His long-sleeved black shirt and pants were starched and ironed Tand his white collar looked as if it had just been taken out of its wrapper. He walked quickly and his pristine Bible swung playfully with every step. All along the busy midtown street, shopkeepers abandoned their counters and held their faces to the sun. The young priest knew which ones were Catholics, because they greeted him with a “Good Afternoon, Father” or looked away as if he had caught them in a lie and he felt ashamed because it made him feel good. Passing St. John’s, the heavy doors of the cathedral were pushed open and an old woman made her careful way down the steps. She touched the young priest on the arm and gave him a toothless smile. The priest smiled back and when he noticed her black armband, he picked up his pace. On 42nd Street, the priest descended the steps to the subway and even though the station was busy with the holiday crowd, people stepped aside when they saw him coming. When he surfaced in Brooklyn, the sky was perfectly balanced between day and dusk and the golden light spilled evenly over the street and it turned fiery when it washed over the autumn leaves. The doors of the bars and cafes were propped open and the bartenders were smoking their last cigarettes in the doorway before starting their shifts. Some of the stools were already occupied and he supposed that in a few hours most of the bars and clubs would be crowded. The thought filled him with memories of many beer-soaked nights and he smiled to no one in particular. As he continued toward the river, the bars and shops gave way to warehouses that had been turned into residential lofts. The priest remembered pictures of the neighborhood taken ten years ago that showed seedy warehouse districts with few people and lots of garbage. Today, the lofts in the same warehouses rented for four thousand a month and there was a Starbucks on the corner. That was the final damnation, the priest supposed. He was walking against the tide of a one-way street and without slowing his stride, he checked the address on his cell phone. Traffic was light and the only passerby was a boy of ten. He stood out, because this was a neighborhood of young residents and most of their children were infants or toddlers. A young woman on a bicycle whizzed past the priest and he almost yelled that she was going the wrong way on the one- way street. But he did not want to frighten her into a crash and watched her brown hair billow in the warm breeze. There was a basket fixed behind the seat and a small dog sat in it, its nose in the wind. The girl was brave, or careless, and the priest wondered if she was pretty. At the next stop sign, she turned around to check on the dog and the priest caught up with them slightly. She was not just pretty but beautiful and he felt another kind of longing that made him feel immediately ashamed. She caught his gaze and her face lit up with a smile that showed even teeth. She patted the dog on the head and pedaled on. The streets were narrow and because cars were parked on both sides, it was difficult to see cars approach the intersection. Riding a bicycle in Manhattan was safer, the priest thought, because even though traffic was heavy, you could see cars from a long way off. At the next intersection, the boy was walking slightly ahead of the cyclist and for the first time, the priest saw that he was bouncing a tennis ball against the pavement. He would bounce the ball hard, let it arc above his head and catch it in an outstretched hand. He had the movements of a natural athlete and he never missed. Then he came abreast a coffee shop with a jack-o-lantern in its window. The carved pumpkin was unusually large and the candle that burned in it threw shadows of its jagged teeth against the window. But perhaps what caught the boy’s attention

SuspenseMagazine.com 3 was the cigarette that was propped between two teeth, giving the jack-o-lantern a strangely human look. The boy could not help being transfixed by that image any more than a mosquito could help being drawn to warm blood and as the ball fell, the boy was a split second late and did not reach back far enough, and the ball touched his finger and bounced off and toward the street. The priest tracked the ball and saw that the girl on the bicycle was probably going to hit it. The next stop light was ten yards away and she had not slowed down. If anything, she was emboldened by the empty traffic and was cycling at a quicker pace. The priest hoped she would not be frightened by the tennis ball and do anything more than pull hard on her brakes. Then he saw the boy run after the ball and he felt a sinking in his chest. With two quick strides, the boy was in the street, looking neither left nor right, but locked completely on his target. “Heads up!” the priest yelled and with relief, saw the girl make a sharp swerve. The movement caught the boy’s attention and he stopped dead in his tracks, narrowly missing the turning handlebars. The priest noticed he had been holding his breath and he let out a sigh of relief. The girl kept riding, letting the momentum carry her back toward the middle of the street. When it was all over, and for long years after, the priest wondered if it would have made a difference if she had come to a full stop. She pedaled on, the edges of her hair filtering the falling sun. Beyond her, the East River was bathed in orange and it looked clean and inviting. A strange stillness hung in the air, or perhaps he imagined it afterwards, the way any life-defining moment takes on the air of the melodramatic once it’s over. Still, he would wonder into old age how he could not have heard the car before, when it came barreling over the corner at forty miles an hour. One second the street was empty save for the girl, the next moment a huge black car blocked out the sun. The girl never had a chance. The car hit her dead on, hurling her into the windshield. The force pushed her upwards and she rolled over the roof and landed on the pavement like a Barbie doll thrown in anger. The priest heard the screeching of the brakes and saw the car come to a rest about five yards up. He tried to see the driver, but the windows were tinted. All he could see (in crystal clear detail) was that it was old and dented with missing hubcaps. Frozen in place, the priest waited for the driver’s door to open. Hours dragged by, then the engine wailed, the tires spun, and the car was gone. The spell was broken. The priest realized that the boy was standing by his side. He looked incredibly young, too young to have caused all this mayhem, and despite it, the priest felt a deep anger rise up in him. You stupid child, he thought, didn’t anyone tell you to look both ways when crossing the street? Then he saw the wild fear in the boy’s eyes and he put a hand on his shoulder. “Wait here. Whatever happens, just wait, okay?” The boy nodded, the only sign that he understood. The priest ran to the girl, which was like opening the umbrella after the rain had passed. She lay not more than five yards away. As he got closer, he became aware of another sound, an atonal, rhythmic yapping and when he reached the girl, he remembered the little dog that was now barking and running circles around its owner. The priest knelt beside the girl. She lay on her back and she was dying. The priest, who had had no medical training and was afraid of needles, knew this right away. It was not the unnatural angle at which her body lay, nor the blood that was streaked across her blouse, but the way her eyes looked, as if they already belonged somewhere else. He knew he should not move her. He dropped his cell phone twice before he got his trembling under control. She’s dying, a human being is dying in front of me and I can’t even get it together to make a phone call. He punched 911 and with a trembling voice, gave the operator the address. The priest could not remember ever feeling so helpless. He took the girl’s hand, because that’s what people did in movies. They also said something reassuring, like “you’re going to be all right,” but he could not bring himself to lie. She tugged at his hand and her strength surprised him. Her eyes fluttered open and the priest understood that she was trying to say something. He leaned closer and put his ear to her mouth. “Last rite…Father.” At first the priest thought she was speaking about her father, having recalled an ancient memory, for he imagined the dying person to be like a dreamer who recalls snatches of unconnected dreams. He gave her a reassuring smile. But she repeated what she said and fixed her eyes on his collar. And lest he miss even that sign, she touched her crucifix. The priest had not noticed it before, because it was halfway tucked inside her blouse and because it was matted with blood-covered hair. It was made of silver and depicted the shape of the suffering Redeemer in minute detail. But the blood which covered it was not merely an artistic touch. Last Rites. The young priest felt the rest of his wind being sucked out of him and dissipate in the fall twilight. He looked squarely in the girl’s eyes and opened his mouth to tell her the truth, but no words came. He became aware of the little dog barking and poking its nose at the girl’s rib cage and an instinct kicked in, as if a primordial cog had turned and he knew what he had to do. He turned to the nearest bystander, an overweight young man wearing a faded Mets T-shirt.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 4 “Get this goddamned dog outta here,” the priest growled and he was surprised at the undisguised anger in his voice. The young man scooped up the dog and took a few respectful steps back. Out of the corner of his eyes, the priest saw that several more bystanders have joined the scene. He opened the Bible. The unworn pages crackled and the book opened to the Psalms. The young priest took this as a sign and started scanning the verses. As his fingers moved of their own, another part of him was aware of a distant memory of a college frat brother who prided himself on being the only English Literature major in a house of Philistines. With the perfect recollection of an irrelevant dream, he remembered Bones posing the question of the week: Who was the poet who lived before Shakespeare, but who is more often quoted than Shakespeare? There isn’t a time when his work is not being read out loud somewhere. “Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; They will go down to the depths of the earth,” the priest read. The girl’s eyes relaxed and for a second the priest thought she was gone. Then her eyes opened, very slowly as if fighting against a weight and he knew he had to hurry. He snapped the Bible shut and made the sign of the cross. “In the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, I absolve you of all your sins. In the name of the all that is holy, I cleanse you of all sin. You may enter heaven and sit at the right hand of God.” The priest’s voice trembled, but he continued. The girl looked at him and smiled, her white teeth now stained red. She gave the priest’s hand one last squeeze as if to signal she had heard him, and then her hand dropped to her side and she was still. The priest always assumed that the act of dying was like air being let out of a balloon and was surprised that it was more like a rope being cut. A dozen or so people were now gathered around the girl’s body, but the priest did not see the boy. An old man took off his trench coat and covered her. For a long time the air was empty, then the silence was shattered by the shriek of an ambulance. The priest sat down on the curb, put his head in his hands and cried. He did not know how much time has passed. Someone laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and helped him to his feet. It was a paramedic. His uniform was faintly streaked with blood. He lit a cigarette and blew smoke, like he had all the time in the world. He did have all the time in the world now, the priest thought and tears welled up in his eyes again. “She’s gone,” the paramedic said, as if he was talking about the weather. “Thank God you were here to give her the last rites,” he finished, touching the crucifix around his own neck. “Cops are on their way. They’ll take your statement. Did you see the driver?” “No. He took off,” the priest said. “Animals.” The paramedic threw away his cigarette. “All who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced,” the priest said and gave a sad laugh. The medic’s eyes softened. “Was this your first one, Father?” “Yes.” “It gets easier,” he said and clapped him on the shoulder. I doubt that very seriously, the priest thought and for the second time in the last half hour, he heard sirens. That was his cue to leave. It was the only thing he could think of doing. He thought about going home, but the vision of an empty apartment made his heart ache and he wandered on, without realizing that he was heading toward his original destination. The most famous poet in the world? King David, Bones would confide in a hushed tone after his frat brothers threatened him with bodily harm if he didn’t reveal the answer. He wrote the first 49 Psalms and his work is recited in churches all over the world. On a street facing the river, the priest stepped to the doorway of a warehouse and rang the buzzer. The only thing that spoke of urban renewal was the modern buzzer with an LCD screen attached to it. The screen blinked once and the priest knew that someone was looking at him from above and he wondered if he looked as bad as he felt. But the buzzer sounded and he was allowed to push the door open. He climbed the steps with trembling legs. The door of apartment 5E was ajar. He stepped into the foyer and nearly collided with a black-caped crusader who was on his way to the kitchen. The superhero mumbled an apology, gave him the sideways glance and a thumbs up. Through the narrow doorway of the kitchen, the priest could see the Phantom of the Opera holding a civil conversation with Richard Nixon. The priest mixed himself a gin & tonic at the table that was stacked with bottles, plastic cups, and a worn bucket of ice. An angel glided into the room. “Holy shit, Peter. You ought to win a prize for most realistic costume. Happy Halloween!” She kissed him on the lips and when Peter put his arms around her, he could feel her paper wings. ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 5 INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS READER'SCorner Recommendations by Janice Gable Bashman “Predator” is my first novel, out this month. Although I wrote a non-fiction book with Jonathan Maberry (“Wanted Undead or Alive”), writing and publishing a novel is a different kind of thrill. A bigger thrill. But not as big of a thrill as reading a great book. There’s always so many to choose from and never enough time to read them all. But every day I dive into a fantastic story. Stories like these: “THE 6TH EXTINCTION: A SIGMA FORCE NOVEL” James Rollins. Rollins grabbed my attention back when he was writing standalone thrillers such as “Amazonia” and “Sandstorm,” and he’s had it since. Rollins never disappoints. In “The 6th Extinction,” Rollin’s 10th Sigma Force novel, Sigma Force must save the world once again. A frantic distress call. Many dead. A threat from the distant past. Mysteries buried in the jungle. Can Sigma figure it all out in time to save the world? Gripping and suspenseful. How could you not read this book? “PERSONAL” Lee Child. In this thriller, Jack Reacher must stop a sniper gone rogue from assassinating the world’s leaders. It’s action-packed, fast-moving, suspenseful and, like all Jack Reacher novels, a heck of a lot of fun. Don’t read this one before bed or you might not be able to put it down to go to sleep. “BONES NEVER LIE” Kathy Reichs. This 17th novel featuring protagonist Temperance Brennan keeps you on the edge of your seat. A child murderer on the loose. Lives at stake. Twists and turns. Even if you haven’t read Reichs before, be sure to check out this book. “TOKYO KILL” Barry Lancet. An elusive group of killers. A long lost treasure. A brutal murder. Gripping and suspenseful with Chinese spies and kendo warriors, “Tokyo Kill” is filled with action and intrigue. You’ve got to love a thriller like this. “CITY OF GHOSTS” Kelli Stanley. If you like your heroines full of guts and grit, Miranda Corbie is for you. Stanley throws us back into 1940s San Francisco and Reno with vivid realism. Jump back in time with Miranda. You’ll be glad you did. “MR. MERCEDES” Stephen King. I admit it. Stephen King scares the hell out of me. I can’t read most of his books unless I’m looking to have nightmares, which I’m not. But that just goes to show how great a writer he is. “Mr. Mercedes,” like “11/22/63,” falls into that category of “I can read this one and survive.” The same doesn’t ring true for a lot of his characters though. Fortunately, I’m not one of them. Filled with suspense and a race against time, this master of horror penned another winner. Don’t miss it. ■

Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of “Predator” (Month9Books 2014) and “Wanted Undead or Alive” with New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry (Citadel Press 2010). She is editor of “The Big Thrill” (International Thriller Writers’ magazine). Her short fiction has been published in various anthologies and magazines. Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she is at work on her next novel. To connect with Janice, go to: www.janicegablebashman.com, https://www.facebook.com/JaniceGableBashmanAuthor, or Twitter: @janicebashman.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 6 The Treacherous

ASCENTBy Joseph Heithaus Staring into the yawning darkness beneath her, Veronica tried desperately to catch both her balance and breath. The cold night wind cut through her thin dress like a knife as she began to navigate her way up the next flight of stairs and away from the man who was chasing her. Sounds from the party below were barely audible over the howling wind that laced its way through the girders of the partially completed building. With her pursuer gaining ground, Veronica tried desperately to increase the pace of her ascent, her high heels clicking loudly on the metal stairway that was attached to the side of the uptown office building. She had seen construction workers trod up and down its height every day for the last few months, but until now had never appreciated the physical and mental fortitude it required. Clutching her purse with its vital contents close to her, she abandoned the stairs and entered the building’s penultimate floor. Veronica quickly picked her way through the maze of construction materials, the only illumination coming from a flickering overhead work light. Upon reaching the far corner of the building, she looked around for signs of anyone who might be working late. With the confirmation she was alone with her stalker, she began to tremble. “You’ve been a very naughty girl, making me come all the way up here,” a deep voice called out from the darkness. Veronica gripped her handbag tightly, her pulse racing. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice you sneaking out of the party?” the tall man asked as he emerged from the shadows. “The question is, did anyone see you leave?” she challenged while taking a step backwards. “As you know, I can be very sneaky when I need to be,” he replied as he sauntered forward. Veronica pointed to a bottle of vodka dangling from his hand, “Don’t you think you’ve had enough of that?” “Hell, I’m just getting started,” came his laughing reply as he took a swig from the bottle, then wiped his sweaty brow with the sleeve of his tuxedo jacket. “What am I going to do with you?” he asked as his shadow swallowed her petite frame. “As the company’s new Vice President, you can do whatever you want,” she purred while suddenly stepping forward and planting a seductive kiss on him. After several long moments, they finally broke the passionate embrace. “So why the hike all the way up here?” he asked. “I just thought you might enjoy a private celebration where the new VP’s office is going to be.” “I should have realized,” he said, gazing out at the skyline. “I’ve never been up here at night before—it’s got a hell of a view.” “So you’re not mad at me?” “Mad? Thankful is more like it. I can only take so many of the phony congratulations that those bitter losers back at the

SuspenseMagazine.com 7 party are spewing. Carstairs and O’Malley were the worst of the lot—I swear I think someone needs to take their shoe laces away, before something bad happens.” “Well, in their defense, everyone thought one of them was going to get the job.” “One of them would have gotten it, if it weren’t for you, my dear.” “Oh, don’t sell yourself short, Thomas. You’re the one who uncovered O’Malley’s somewhat creative use of company resources. He’s just lucky to still have a job after that came out.” “That jerk had been trying to put the screws to me for years. He’d been merciless and unrelenting, yet tonight he was just a shell of his former self, broken and defeated. It was pathetic. I told him that I fought to save his job. Can you believe that poor dumb sap actually thanked me?” “Sadly, yes.” “Well, if I’ve got some of O’Malley’s blood on my hands, yours are practically drenched with Carstairs’s,” he said with a grin. “Jesus, Thomas,” Veronica said with a distraught look on her face, “do you think I enjoy doing this kind of thing?” She turned away from him and began pacing. “I’m sorry, I sometimes forget how squeamish you can be.” “I just keep thinking I’m going to end up roaming the office hallways like Lady Macbeth.” The expression on her face changed to that of a frightened child. Thomas stepped in front of her. “Don’t be so dramatic, dear. It’s not like you killed anyone,” he said as he raised her slumping chin and brushed a stray blonde lock off of her face, “and don’t feel bad about Carstairs—anyone who’s stupid enough to tape himself with prostitutes for his own personal library gets what he deserves.” “I suppose you’re right,” she said, putting forth a strained smile. “By the way, how did you get your hands on those tapes?” “A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do,” Veronica said with a shrug. “You didn’t?” His tone was a mixture of concern and disgust. “Well you said you needed something to take him out of the running...” Thomas’s face went pale. “Yeah, well, I didn’t mean—” Veronica’s laughter cut him off. “Now who’s the squeamish one? Jeez, Thomas, I can’t believe you think I’d stoop to such a thing. What kind of girl do you take me for?” “Sorry, dear,” Thomas said with a sigh, “it’s just that I can’t stand the thought of that slimy little creep even looking at you that way, much less...” “Well, I don’t think you have to worry about him anymore. I heard he’s leaving soon. He knows he’s finished with the company, and is looking for a clean start elsewhere.” “I’ll drink to that,” Thomas said before downing more of the liquor. “Where are my manners?” he added, offering her the bottle. “No thanks. I don’t want to be tipsy going back down those stairs.” “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that.” When he noticed her raised eyebrow, he laughed. “I meant, you can hang on to me the whole walk down. Heck, I’ll carry you if necessary.” “The only place I want you carrying me is over a threshold.” “One thing at time, dear,” he said absently as he looked out at the night sky. “You know, coming up here really was for the best.” “How so?” “Because I’d been trying to figure out how to get you alone tonight.” “Oh, really?” she asked, nuzzling close to him. “Not for that. We need to talk. I’m afraid my new position is going to pose a problem for us.” “Normally, it’s never a problem when you talk about new positions,” she replied with a playful grin. “I’m serious,” Thomas said, his mood suddenly growing sour. “What’s wrong? Your wife’s not onto us, is she?” Veronica asked, a look of concern flashing across her face. “No, she’s as clueless as ever,” he said, taking another drink. “Then what? Oh, let me guess—now that you’ve moved up, you don’t want to cavort with a lowly junior executive anymore?” “That’s ridiculous. Besides, in case you haven’t noticed, there aren’t many members of the fairer sex at the top to cavort with.”

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 8 “I’ve noticed,” she replied darkly. “So then what’s the problem, lover?” Before he could answer, a thumping noise erupted from behind a large plastic work curtain. After sharing a worried look, Thomas grabbed a hammer from a nearby workbench and rushed over to investigate. After pulling back the sheet, Thomas let out a sigh of relief. Tossing the hammer aside, he rejoined Veronica. “Just an empty paint can being jostled by the wind.” Veronica removed her hand from her mouth. “It could’ve just as easily been a worker or security guard though.” Thomas frowned, “What the hell would we have done then?” “I didn’t see anyone when I came up here...” “Doesn’t matter. Mistakes happen,” he said in a distressed voice. “Thomas, this is your big day. You’re supposed to be happy, so what’s wrong?” “Well, now that I’ve got one of the big corner offices,” he said gesturing at the space around them, “things have gotten more complicated.” He abruptly reached over and placed the bottle of vodka on top of the work bench, then rested his large hands on her bare shoulders. “I’ll be in line for the big chair now,” he said as his gaze drifted up to the floor above them, “which means I’ll have to keep my—” “Affairs in order?” she interrupted. “Something like that,” he replied with a thin smile as his hands engulfed her neck and began to administer a gentle massage. “It’s like the old man always says: in business, if you’re not rising, you’re falling. I’ve come too far now to take any dumb chances and risk losing it all.” Looking into his dark eyes, Veronica asked quietly, “Thomas, are you getting rid of me?” He laughed wickedly. “Goodness no, dear. Do you know how hard it is to find someone to watch your back in a jungle like this? All I’m saying is that we just have to be more careful now, that’s all,” he explained as he released his grip and tenderly kissed her. “For a moment, I actually thought you were going to strangle me,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I could never hurt you, dear, but we should go back downstairs—it can be dangerous up here,” Thomas said as he turned to grab the vodka bottle. “You’re certainly right about that,” Veronica replied as she pulled a stun gun from her purse and delivered a powerful jolt to his back. Thomas immediately crumpled to the floor, his body going limp from the intense electric shock. He stared up at her, his face a mask of pain and confusion. “To think, I was actually scared you’d see this coming,” she said, shaking her head. “I guess your wife’s not the only one who doesn’t have a clue.” “What are you doing?” he managed to choke out through teeth clenched in pain. “You still don’t get it, do you? A frat boy hotshot like yourself is promoted, then gets drunk at his own party and falls out of his soon-to-be office? That’ll shake things up with the board, especially after the last VP died of a heroin overdose. That’s a nasty drug, especially when someone gives you too much,” she said with a devilish grin. “Now they’ll be forced to pick someone as far from the old boys club as possible—someone like me.” She then rolled his helpless, quivering form over to the edge. “You know what your sin was, Thomas? Thinking that ambition and ruthlessness only come with a Y chromosome. I’ve gotten used to my work accomplishments being ignored, but for you to completely overlook me as any kind of a threat was really insulting. It’s the kind of mistake that turns a rising career into a falling one, literally.” “Please don’t,” he whispered in a pained voice as he looked out at the open space before him. “Begging, Thomas, really? I’d have thought you were made of sterner stuff. You know, you really were very useful to me despite being a repulsive, lecherous twit. I doubt I could’ve cleared out all the top contenders without you. But now you’re just in my way, so be a dear and get out of my office.” She then gave a final push that sent him plummeting to the deserted construction site below. After watching his body vanish into the darkness, Veronica took a deep breath and stared out at the radiant cityscape. Thomas had been right about one thing—the view from here was spectacular. “I wonder what it looks like from the top floor?” she asked herself as a smile slowly crept across her face. ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 9 A CENTURY-OLD TALE LEADS TO A FORTUNE IN BANDIT GOLD

Jack Ferrell clutches a cryptic e-mail his brother Deacon sent days earlier when he wrote of treasure hunting and buried gold. Now Deacon’s missing. And the authorities won’t get involved. For Jack, a single objective remains. FIND HIS BROTHER. To find Deacon, Jack Ferrell joins Theresa Montero—a descendant of the California bandit Joaquin Murrieta—on a deadly quest for gold bars allegedly stolen by Murrieta in 1862, nine years after he was purportedly shot and killed. For Jack, it’s a race against time. For Theresa, it’s to set history straight. A JACK FERRELL ADVENTURE

WWW.WILLIAMNIKKEL.COM FROM ACROSS THE POND With Amy BBy Chrisird Simms I’m delighted to bring readers of Suspense Magazine a new feature from the UK’s Crime Readers’ Association. In it, an author from over here will write from a UK perspective on an aspect of crime writing.

CRIMINAL LONDON: WHY THE UK CAPITAL STILL THRILLS US London may no longer be a place of opium dens, vile alleys, and gin holes, as it was in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s day, but it is still an attractive place to a crime writer. From Robert Wilson (“Capital Punishment”) to Mark Billingham (“The Dying Hours”), and from Ben Aaronovitch (“Rivers of London”), to yours truly (“Three Steps Behind You”), writers continue to choose London as their setting for contemporary crime and thriller fiction. So why is this? Part of it is the legacy, both in terms of the literary canon and what the city itself has been through. The fiction of Conan Doyle, Dickens, and Graham Greene created such evocative pictures of a murky, corrupt, and unclean criminal society that any crime thriller set there is instantly imbued with that same atmosphere, however bright the sky or modern the setting. In terms of what the city has actually historically gone through, this is a place that witnessed the Great Fire, the Plague, the Blitz; it has seen the Krays, the IRA, and al-Qaeda. The city’s physical features include a tower for traitors, former duelling greens, and streets prowled by infamous murderers. In short, the place is rich with conflict, bloodshed, and trauma. Novelists can use those physical locations to evoke that mood in their books, to draw out that history (expressly or otherwise) in their modern work. But it’s not just the famous spots that are interesting for London thriller writers and readers. The more local, more domestic settings intrigue and thrill, too. London is big enough to allow for a real contrast in how people live and work. And where there is contrast, there is often conflict, aspiration, and envy. Crime. In “Three Steps Behind You,” I focus on three areas: North London, the City, and Soho. And by North London, I don’t just mean the stereotypical pavement cafes and yummy mummy brigade. I mean pitting the drab gray houses along the North Circular against the leafy splendour of West Hampstead—because within North London, there are those divisions in affluence that can breed the resentment and longing that lead to the most shocking acts by characters. And then see those contrasts again in the city—for some, the shiny towers can be a slick sign of success; for others, a barrier to keep out the anonymous failures. Soho can be a place of entertainment for some, and debauched danger for others. Conan Doyle sometimes used fake or invented locations in London, as many other novelists have done. And often, of course, that can be necessary. But I made the conscious decision in “Three Steps Behind You” that I would use real streets and

SuspenseMagazine.com 11 real locations. And so the very fact that this is such a familiar city, makes it all the more frightening. These may be fictitious crimes, but it’s so easy to imagine they are real, and happening in the London that we all know.

UNDERCOVER AGENT: ARE WRITERS THE NEW SPIES? We’ve heard about spies and undercover police officers forming relationships and living false lives in order to infiltrate, or research, particular groups. What about a writer becoming friends with a particular type of person, or having a love affair, in the name of research—without disclosing their author identity? Would that be ethical? And how many writers actually do that? In “Three Steps Behind You,” the protagonist is a crime writer who believes he needs to experience everything in order to write about it. That includes sexual relationships—and much darker activities. Many writers would find such ideas repugnant. Readers may find their support of authors called into question on the basis of morality. I was actually once in the lucky position of being a spy and a writer. No, this is not a disclosure of working for the intelligence services. Rather, as part of a creative writing course I attended, students were told to go out and “kidnap a character,” i.e. pick a member of the public, follow them without being detected, and observe and write down all that they do, to try to work out their wider motivations. A classic surveillance operation. Had I been a real spy, I would have been “burnt”—I got far too close to the person I was watching. I didn’t have a cover story. I just pretended I was an avid texter, whilst secretly writing notes on my mobile phone about the person I was following. Some fellow students actually introduced themselves to the people they were following and explained the task, after enough notes had been taken. I chose not to. That was partly through fear that the people I was following would get agitated. But I wanted to be free to make my own deductions about the person, rather than have those affirmed or denied if I asked for verification. It was, I suppose, also a moral choice not to disclose my author identity. My protagonist in “Three Steps Behind You” also makes this choice—but with much more chilling results, and very different motivations. So although I don’t think being a writer equips me to join MI5 tomorrow (and I wouldn’t tell you even if I did), some of those undercover techniques are clearly at a writer’s disposal. In one way, a writer is always undercover in a novel as their protagonist, trying to get the reader to buy in to the story they’ve created. Ultimately, though, it is the reader who is the ultimate spy; it is you who must decode the messages authors use, look out for false trails, and always be asking, “Is that authentic?” Only when you are totally taken in by the twists and turns of a novel has the author accomplished their mission. ■

Amy Bird’s psychological thrillers, debut “Yours Is Mine” and her second novel “Three Steps Behind You” (published by Carina UK, the digital imprint of Harlequin), are available now from Amazon and other good e-retailers. You can find more details about Amy at http://www.amybirdwrites.com and also keep her under surveillance on twitter @london_writer.

Chris Simms is the editor of Case Files, the Crime Readers’ Association’s online magazine. You can subscribe to Case Files for free at www.thecra.co.uk. Along with nominations for the Crime Writer’s Association Daggers (for his novels and short stories) and the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year award, Chris was selected by Waterstone’s as one of their ‘25 Authors For The Future’. He continues to feverishly scribble away in a small hut behind his house.

Discover more at www.chrissimms.info or at www.facebook.com/AuthorChrisSimms.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 12 DEADLY BONDS A Detective Jackson Mystery

By L.J. Sellers

The drive to the crime scene was short, as were most trips in Eugene, Oregon. The small city spread out around the Willamette River, lush with tree-lined streets and busy with bicycles. It was also the only home he’d ever had, and protecting it his only real job. Jackson parked behind one of the patrol cars already at the scene, climbed out of his city-issued sedan, and started up the walkway. The house was larger than most in the neighborhood, which had been built in the forties to house railroad workers. But the building still had the faded paint, dried-up landscaping, and dirty windows that marked it as a low-end rental. A green

Ford Focus sat in the driveway. To the left, a uniformed officer FROM L.J. SELLERS PREVIEW SPECIAL interviewed a neighbor, and a second officer stood on the cement front step. Jackson didn’t know him. “We cleared the house,” the officer said, “but I needed to come out for a minute.” “Anything I need to know?” Jackson hated surprises—like loose dogs or unexpected objects in the corpse. The officer shifted, uncertain. “No suspects or obvious weapons, but I had to bust open one of the bedroom doors because it was locked. And it was empty.” Weird. Why would someone lock an empty room? “We’ll see what that means.” Jackson reached in his carryall for peppermint gum, in case the body had started to decompose. He pulled on latex gloves and slipped a camera out of his carryall. Photos would be his first order of business. The patrol officers had likely taken some, but he needed his own set. Bracing himself, he pulled on paper booties and stepped inside. A glance at the dirty gray carpet revealed no blood and little hope of a footprint. He crossed the living room, noting it was minimally furnished: only a couch, coffee table, TV, and crate of books. Had she just moved in? Across a short hallway, the bedroom door stood open and feet hung off the end of a thin mattress. Jackson’s stomach felt heavy, and a flash of pain tweaked his intestines, surprising him. His last CAT scan had showed the fibrosis shrinking. Was it growing again? He shoved the thought aside. It was more likely an ulcer from worrying

SuspenseMagazine.com 13 about his daughter. From the foot of the bed, he snapped several photos of the body, noting the details through the buffer of the camera lens. A small lean woman, younger than twenty-five, with reddish-blonde hair and a butterfly tattoo on her left hip. A tank top covered her upper body, but her shorts were on the floor. No obvious wounds or blood. A life cut far too short. The sight of her shaved pubic area made him turn away to take photos of the room. Also minimalist: a thin foam mattress, three crates of clothes stacked against the wall, and a shelf with a few personal items. She obviously hadn’t lived here long and had traveled light. Who was she? He pocketed her cell phone from the shelf, planning to search it soon. Before he could spend time locating her ID, he had to mentally process the scene and try to visualize what had happened here, before everyone else crowded into the space. That meant getting up close and searching for bruises and obvious trace evidence. The medical examiner and evidence technicians would soon take over the detailed extraction of hairs, fibers, and fluids, so this was his chance to view the scene as the killer had left it. He reminded himself that she could have overdosed, or died of a snakebite for all he knew, but instinct—and a half- naked body—told him this girl had been victimized. His brain filled with an image of his own teenage daughter dead in some seedy hotel. Another flare of pain in his gut. He shut down the thought and knelt on the sheet-covered foam. Jackson lifted her left hand. No wedding ring and no defense wounds he could see. But her arm was stiff, so full rigor mortis had set in, and she’d been dead for at least twelve hours, possibly longer. It took up to three days for the muscles to relax again after death. But by then, her corpse would have begun to smell, so she’d probably died the night before. Taking photos as he went along, Jackson searched her body, finding no obvious abrasions. Tiny broken blood vessels under her eyes signaled his first real clue. He reached for the hair draped across her neck and pushed it aside, expecting to find bruises or red marks. They weren’t there. Footsteps in the hall made him turn. Evans had arrived. “What have we got?” She pulled on gloves as she moved toward the mattress and knelt on the other side. Her dress pants and light-blue blazer looked out of place in the dingy room with stained curtains. “I’m not sure. There are no obvious signs of trauma, except broken blood vessels under her eyes.” “You can get those from a dental appointment.” Evans reached out and touched a faint line on the victim’s hip. “A stretch mark, probably from gaining weight. But the cast-aside shorts indicate—” “What the hell are you doing with the body?” Rich Gunderson yelled from the doorway. The medical examiner was fifty-something and had barely survived a recent round of budget cuts. Barely clinging to his job hadn’t motivated him to cut off his gray ponytail or wear anything but his usual black-on-black. It hadn’t improved his crime-scene attitude either. “Just doing our job.” Evans stood and looked at Jackson. “Where do you want me to start?”

SPECIAL PREVIEW FROM L.J. SELLERS PREVIEW SPECIAL “Find her ID. I need to check out the rest of the house. Something isn’t right here.” Another glance around the bedroom told him there wasn’t an adjoining master bath, only a closet with no doors. No surprise in a rental like this. A few dresses and shirts hung in the recessed space. Jackson headed into the hallway and noticed three other doors. Likely a bathroom and two more bedrooms. Where were her roommates? The smaller bedroom gave him pause. Clothes and toys belonging to a young child, likely a boy, covered the floor, and a small foam mattress lay in a corner. Where was the kid? His pulse picked up as he rushed into the third bedroom. Empty, except for the faint smell of cigarette smoke and mold. His mind jumped from one thought to another. Why would she rent a three-bedroom house if she had so few possessions? Or had she not finished moving in? And where the hell was the kid? Maybe someone else with a child had planned to move in, then changed their mind. Or the killer had fled with the child after assaulting his new roommate. Or maybe the boy had wandered off. Jackson hurried back to the small bedroom and glanced at the closet. The doors were missing there too, and the closet was empty, including the overhead shelf. He grabbed his cell phone and called dispatch. “Detective Jackson here. Have you had any reports of a lost or found child? Maybe a boy, about three or four years old, picked up in the Bethel Trainsong area?” “Do you have a description?” Jackson looked around for a photo. “Not yet. Will you alert officers to be on the lookout?” “Right away. Call back if you get more information.” “Thanks.” Maybe there was a photo of the child somewhere. Jackson took a step toward the hallway, but a small sound caught his attention. He spun around, listening hard. Had that been a thump? A dog or something brushing against the house? Another small sound from below. A whimper? He followed it toward the closet and kicked a cardboard box of shoes out of the way. Maybe a dog or animal was stuck under the house. Or a frightened little boy. Jackson knelt in the closet doorway and spotted a seam in the carpet. A plastic handle pressed against the dirty fabric,

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 14 blending in. He lifted the access door, letting it rest against the closet’s back wall. Cool dusty air rose from the dark space below. Jackson dug in his carryall for a flashlight and softly called, “I’m a police officer. I’m here to help.” Silence for a moment, then another whimper. He shone the light into the dirt under the house. “Can you crawl toward the light? Don’t be scared. I’m here to help.” A little sob made his heart lurch. The boy was down there! “You must be hungry. Come out and I’ll get you something to eat.” Evans would have a protein bar in her shoulder bag. She prepared for everything. Something moved directly under him, so Jackson froze. The top of a small head came into view, then the boy looked up. His eyes widened and he quickly retreated out of sight. What had scared him? Jackson was a big man with a rugged face and nearly black eyes, but he’d never frightened a child before—that he knew of. “Hey. Don’t be scared. I’m a police officer.” Then it hit him. No uniform. Jackson pulled out his badge and held it down into the hole with the light on it. “Here’s my badge. I don’t wear a uniform because I’m a detective.” Should he call in one of the patrol officers? Maybe the boy would respond better to a woman. The little head came into view again and his hand reached for the badge. “I’ll let you hold it if you come out.” The boy crawled into the space under the access hole and stood, his head sticking above the opening. Tear-streaked dirt covered his sweet face, and curly ash-brown hair hung in his eyes. “I’m Jackson. What’s your name?” The boy silently reached for the badge again. Jackson reluctantly let go, and the kid clutched it like a security blanket. “I’m going to help you out of there now.” More silence. But the kid didn’t retreat, so he lifted him out of the hole. Before he could set him down on the carpet, the child threw his arms around Jackson’s neck in a tight grip. The sweetness of the gesture soon gave way to a mild sense of panic. He had a job to do. “This must be Benjie.” Evans came into the room. “Where was he? The patrol officers should have found him.” “Under the house.” Evans stayed near the door. “His mother’s name is Amanda Carter. I found this little guy’s picture in her wallet with his name on the back.” “Do you have anything to eat in your bag? I promised him something.” Jackson hoped to trade the food for his badge. “I have half a protein bar.” While Evans rummaged in her bag for it, Jackson negotiated with the boy, whose head now rested against his shoulder. “Evans is a detective too. She’s going to give you a snack, and I need you to give me my badge.”

Benjie took the snack but held firmly to the badge. FROM L.J. SELLERS PREVIEW SPECIAL “Evans, will you call social services while I try to get some information from Benjie?” Jackson wasn’t optimistic the boy would answer questions yet, but he had to try. “After you call, search the house for personal documents. A computer, family contacts, a rental agreement. Our victim hasn’t lived here long.” “I’m on it.” They both headed out of the room. “What have you got for me?” Rob Schakowski was in the hall. The barrel-shaped detective with a buzz cut had been his partner at crime scenes for two decades. Jackson was relieved to see him. “How was court?” “The usual. The defense lawyer tried to make me look incompetent.” They both hated testifying in court even more than filling out reports. “I’m glad you’re here. I need you to find out who owns this house, then search the car out there.” “Will do.” Schak headed back to the living room. His arms started to ache, so Jackson sat down against a wall, the boy still gripping him tightly. The weight of the small body, the tiny hands locked behind his neck, the absolute dependence—he couldn’t remember the last time he’d held a child this way. A decade had passed since Katie had clung to him like this after a nightmare. What had the poor boy witnessed? How long had he been under the house? “You’re safe now,” Jackson whispered against Benjie’s soft hair. “You’ll be fine.” The boy’s mother would not, but he’d leave that difficult conversation to a social worker with the right skills. The memory of having to tell Katie her mother was dead made his eyes grow warm. The worst day of his life. This one was shaping up to give it some competition. “Why don’t you sit and relax?” He encouraged the boy to loosen his grip, and the kid finally let go, sliding into Jackson’s lap. “You’re a brave boy. It must have been hard to crawl into that dark space.”

SuspenseMagazine.com 15 The boy glanced up with a tiny smile but didn’t speak. The trapdoor would have been heavy for him to lift. Or had his mother put him down there to keep him safe? “How old are you, Benjie?” The boy looked tall enough to be four, but his dimpled face made Jackson think he might be younger. The boy held up three fingers, then took a bite of the protein bar. “What made you go under the house? Did your mother tell you to?” Benjie shook his head. “Can you tell me what happened?” The boy buried his face in Jackson’s chest. He stroked Benjie’s hair and told him not to worry, that everything would be okay. Liar. His mother was dead, and his life was about to radically change. But at least he was young enough to bond with a new care provider. Losing a parent at age three was less devastating than losing a parent at fifteen. Just ask his daughter. Evans came back into the hall. “Social services can’t send anyone for a few hours. They suggested taking him to the department.” “Typical.” He wanted to curse the devastating budget cuts that had affected every office of city and state government—but he wouldn’t do it in front of the boy. Still, it was

SPECIAL PREVIEW FROM L.J. SELLERS PREVIEW SPECIAL time to do his job and process the crime scene. Jackson stood, knowing better than to ask Evans to take the child. He carried Benjie through the house, hoping to hand him over to a patrol officer. Jasmine Parker, a crime scene tech, was taking fingerprints from the front doorknob. Her work was too important to interrupt. They nodded at each other as Jackson stepped outside. The patrol officer who’d been on the porch was knocking on a door across the street. No one answered, and the officer turned and headed down the walk. Jackson gestured for him to come back over. As he waited, he tried to reassure the boy. “Another policeman will take you to our office. You’ll be safe there. I need to w or k .” Benjie whimpered and clung more tightly. Damn. This wouldn’t be easy. When the officer approached, Jackson asked his name. “Terry Valenciano. We worked a scene together about five years ago. But I was new then and we didn’t actually meet.” “I need you to take this child into the department and wait with him until a social worker shows up. His name’s Benjie and he’s pretty scared.” “Uh, okay.” The officer couldn’t hide his discomfort. Jackson pried the little fingers from their grip on his neck. “Terry is a nice policeman. He’ll let you push some buttons in his car.” He tried to hand over the boy, but Benjie let out a shriek and grabbed for him again. “Hey, you’re safe now. You’ll be fine,” Jackson pleaded. The boy cried and fought to hang on. Officer Valenciano mumbled, “I’m really not good with kids.” Jackson gave up. “Never mind. I’ll keep him with me.” Still carrying the boy, he went back inside and stopped in the hallway. About six people were in the house now, all doing their jobs, and he felt rather useless. He could still direct the investigation and process information, but he had to protect the child from hearing anything disturbing. “Benjie, I need to put you down so I can get something. You can hang onto my leg. I’m not leaving you.”

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 16 After more negotiation, he was able to set the boy on the floor, but Benjie instantly grabbed a fistful of pant leg. Jackson searched his carryall for earplugs, one of the many THE TARGET By L.J. Sellers useful items he carried on the job. After a bit of cajoling, he persuaded the boy to wear the earplugs, and in exchange, he let Benjie play with his flashlight. The boy held it with “The Target” one hand, still clutching Jackson’s pant leg with the other. is the second Jackson removed an earplug and said, “You can sit in the hall and see me no matter book in the Agent which room I’m in. I’m not leaving you. I just need to work.” Dallas series. Jamie The boy still wouldn’t let go. Jackson put the earplug back in and stroked his hair. Dallas, FBI agent, Poor kid. He vowed to find out what had happened here, no matter how challenging. is called out from He stuck his head into the bedroom, where the medical examiner was extracting the Phoenix office fluid from the victim’s vagina. to help on a case in San Diego. “Was she raped?” Agent Joe Palmer has been found “There’s swollen tissue and evidence of a sexual encounter, but we may never know dead of an infection, but his wife the exact circumstances.” Jana thinks he was murdered. Jana “Any idea how she died?” thinks his death was connected Gunderson rolled his eyes. “We usually do an autopsy before giving a finding.” to the case he was working on Jackson ignored the sarcasm. “What about when she died? Have you taken her undercover at a biomedical temperature?” laboratory. Jamie joins Agent “Most likely between eight and ten last night. Now let me do my job.” Carla Rivers in San Diego to work Jackson glanced over at Evans. She had dug through the victim’s plastic crates—a the case and goes undercover at poor person’s stackable dresser—and pulled out everything but the clothing. Now she TecLife, a biomedical firm. Jana was squatting next to a crate, glancing at a folder of papers. Just witnessing that made believes that TecLife is at war his knees hurt. He loved working with Evans, but sometimes her stamina and flexibility with ProtoCell and one of them made him feel old. More often, she kept him upbeat. Whenever he considered taking a killed her husband for getting too less-stressful job, the thought of never again seeing Evans and his other teammates made close. him want to stay. Agent Dallas finds more “Find anything?” he called from the hallway. than she bargained for when “She has immunization records for the boy, but there’s no birth certificate for either she infiltrates TecLife as a new of them.” Evans riffled through the stack of papers. “This is mostly the kid’s drawings, employee, the personal assistant recipes for gluten-free food, and coupons. No bank statements, no rental agreement, no to the president of the firm. TecLife is indeed in competition

saved mail.” FROM L.J. SELLERS PREVIEW SPECIAL That was unusual. “What about a computer?” with ProtoCell and every other “There’s a small tablet, but I haven’t looked at it yet.” pharmaceutical lab to see who “Bring it to me. It’s something I can do until the social worker gets here.” He can roll out the next weight loss remembered he had the victim’s cell phone in his pocket and hoped to find a family ‘miracle’ drug. The undercurrent contact. Someone out there would want to know what had happened to Amanda. He also of greed, ego, and office politics hoped they would take little Benjie into their lives. He hated to think the boy would end is so thick it’s hard to figure out up in foster care. the good guys from the bad, or in His cell phone rang. It was Lammers. “We’ve got the owner of the phone who called this cut-throat field, are there any in the body. Tess Gilmore. She lives right next door, on the corner.” good guys at all? “I thought the caller was male.” With “The Target,” L.J. “That’s what dispatch said. Talk to everyone in the house.” Sellers has written a high velocity, As much as he wanted to handle the questioning himself, Jackson relayed the adrenaline rush of a thriller. information to Evans and asked her to go next door. With Amanda’s tablet computer Company vs. company, person vs. person, and drug vs. drug. You in one hand and Benjie’s little fingers in the other, Jackson took a seat on the couch. He will discover along with Agent texted Lammers and asked to have Quince join the task force too. This was shaping up to Dallas that sometimes, “The end be a challenging investigation. ■ does not justify the means.” Reviewed by JM LeDuc, author Excerpted from “DEADLY BONDS” A Detective Jackson Mystery by L.J. Sellers. Copyright of “Sin,” published by Suspense 2014. Published By Thomas & Mercer. Used by permission of the publisher. Not for reprint Publishing, an imprint of without permission. Suspense Magazine ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 17 LESSONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT RESEARCH By L.J. Sellers Press Photo Credit: Provided by Publicist The most rewarding aspect of writing crime fiction is listening to police officers, FBI agents, and technicians describe their work and tell their favorite on-the-job stories. What’s even better is participating in some of their activities and getting an in-depth look at how they do their jobs. Here are eight interesting things I’ve learned:

1. WE HANDCUFF DEAD PEOPLE. That was the takeaway message from a day I spent as a volunteer at an active-shooter training. The trainers want the sessions to be high-intensity, with lots of noise and distractions. So before each drill, a siren came and started my adrenaline pumping. Then it was time to pull on my face mask—to protect against the paint-like pellets in case someone accidentally shot me. Moments later, a man in green fatigues came running straight at us civilians with an AK-47 pointed our way. Our instructor signaled the volunteers and off we ran, yelling “Help! They killed Dave! They’re shooting everyone!” When you combine the siren, the assault weapons, and the sudden barrage of uniformed officers pointing guns everywhere—it was a high-adrenaline afternoon. Also, every group of officers failed to secure the dead guy (another volunteer). Some walked past him, while others stopped to check him for weapons. But neither response was correct. So after each session, the instructor would say to the training team, “We handcuff dead people.” A lesson I’ll never forget.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 18 2. TASERS WORK BETTER FROM A DISTANCE. Stun guns release two prongs on attached wires. The farther the prongs travel—within a limit of about sixteen feet—the more space there is between them when they hit their target. The officer’s goal is to land each prong in a different large-muscle group—for example, one in the chest and one in the leg, thus temporarily paralyzing more of the whole body. If both prongs land in one arm, the suspect is likely to just keep running—or fighting. I learned that in the Eugene Citizen’s Police Academy, a riveting ten-week course. We heard from various units: patrol officers, gang prevention, SWAT, fraud, and more. We handled a variety of equipment, including weapons and Tasers—plus we had the opportunity to drive patrol cars and run through an active-shooter training—this time as the officer with a gun.

3. PATROL OFFICERS ARE ADRENALINE JUNKIES. Just being in a police car in the middle of the night watching for suspicious activity is a rush. I realized this when I went on a ride-along. Twenty minutes into the patrol, the officer spotted a drunk driver and gave chase at high speeds, with lights and sirens blazing. I thought my heart would burst with adrenaline. Later, I asked the officer what it was like for him after years on the job, and he admitted that cops are all adrenaline junkies. They live for those moments.

4. DETECTIVES HAVE LESS FUN. I once had an opportunity to attend a homicide scene and became giddy with excitement—a true “Castle” moment. But when I arrived, the detectives were standing around a car, eating pizza. (At least it wasn’t doughnuts!) The reality of processing homicide scenes is much more tedious than you’d expect. It takes about six hours to collect evidence, map coordinates, and interview witnesses. A detective told me they once spent two full days in a victim’s house, looking for clues. But they never found any, and the case is still unsolved.

5. DON’T JUDGE A SCENE BY ITS BLOOD. Another homicide detective told a story about arriving at a scene at which a man was dead on the floor in a pool of blood. In addition, blood was over the room, and they thought a horrific murder had taken place. After investigating, they learned the man had had a heart attack—and a gushing bloody nose at the same time. He’d paced the room, spraying blood everywhere, then finally collapsed. Natural causes, not murder.

6. DUSTING FOR FINGERPRINTS REQUIRES A VACUUM. Or more specifically, a downdraft table, where technicians use various colors of powder to process fingerprints. The downdraft sucks up the excess powder, which would otherwise go everywhere. I learned this during a tour of the crime lab.

7. SUPERGLUE IS A CRIME-FIGHTING ESSENTIAL. Technicians don’t really use superglue— only one of its chemical components, cyanoacetate. They put evidence into what they call the superglue chamber, then release steam and cyanoacetate to form a coating all over the object. When it hardens, the coating reveals latent fingerprints.

8. FORENSIC WORK SOMETIMES RESEMBLES HOME LIFE. The processing bay, where technicians fingerprint cars, ATM machines, and other big items, looks a lot like a homeowner’s garage, complete with a little blue kiddie swimming pool. And inside the lab, there’s a refrigerator, where they store many things, including entomology evidence (dead flies), as well as a shower for rising off chemicals. ■

L.J. Sellers writes the bestselling Detective Jackson mysteries—a two-time Readers Favorite Award winner—as well as the Agent Dallas series and provocative standalone thrillers. L.J. resides in Eugene, Ore., where many of her sixteen novels are set and is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Housing Help. When not plotting murders or doing charity work, she enjoys standup comedy, cycling, and social networking. She’s also been known to jump out of airplanes.

SuspenseMagazine.com 19 SCIENCE FICTION WITH A MYSTERIOUS TWIST Meet Kimberly (K.S.) Daniels Interview By Holly Price Press Photo Credit: Provided by Author met Kimberly (K.S.) Daniels H.P.: What are your favorite books? two years ago at the Daddy’s Girl Weekend Writer’s K.S.D.: My favorite book is “Jane Eyre.” I enjoy books that IConference sponsored by have lots of different genres combined. Carolyn Haines in Mobile, Alabama. This year, I got H.P.: Tell me about your first book. to know her better while discussing her love of old- K.S.D.: My first book started out as a different book than fashioned science fiction. Her it ended up being. I wrote three chapters before I realized mentors were Arthur C. Clarke that I was using the wrong character as the protagonist. and Isaac Asimov. Kimberly The character of Vladia just took over and when I say that, loves the great authors of the past and she pays homage in some people don’t understand how that can happen. Writers her own work. do, though. Writers understand that a character can come Kimberly was kind enough to sit down with me at this fully formed into your mind and they’re so strong that they year’s conference to talk about herself and her work. dominate the story from their point of view.

Holly Price (H.P.): Have you always written? Did you start H.P.: Do you work from an outline or are you a pantser? early? K.S.D.: I work from a general outline, but I allow the book to K.S. Daniels (K.S.D.): Yes, I started writing stories in the third develop organically as I write. As I wrote, I tied new aspects grade. I illustrated them, too! I’ve written for almost as long of the plot that I hadn’t conceived of before together in what as I can remember. When I was in high school, my friends seemed to me to be a beautiful spider web that I stumbled into. used to tease me. Instead of dating, I stayed home and wrote My characters often just appear to me. My main character, stories. Vladia, is very idealistic. The antagonist is very cold and calculating. There are aspects of my own character in each of H.P.: What were you writing at that age? them that I want to explore. It may be things about me that I don’t like and want to change. K.S.D.: I was writing Star Wars fan fiction. I used to write with a pen, but I used one that had erasable ink so that I could H.P.: How do your books differ from today’s other science edit as I wrote and correct my mistakes. fiction?

H.P.: How would you characterize your work? K.S.D.: My style is more 1950s style. I use words sparsely. I think one can get bogged down in language and say too K.S.D.: I’d call it gothic suspense science fiction. Is that even a much. I like complicated plots and classicism and feminism category? If anything, to me, it resembles Victorian fiction, but are important themes to me. I also like to include gothic and in a science fiction setting. mystery in my books. I am writing a trilogy and have just finished book two.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 20 H.P.: How long did it take you to write your first book? H.P.: What type of music do you like?

K.S.D.: It took about eight months from thesis to completion. K.S.D.: I like Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, Soundgarden, Then, I didn’t touch it for two years. When I went back to it Nirvana, and Garbage. and started editing, that took more time, so I’d say that it took about a year of actual writing. For book two, I wrote from H.P.: What’s your favorite holiday? November to January, got about 60,000 words done, and then wrote the last 30,000 in about a month. I was really pushing K.S.D.: Halloween! I love to play dress-up! I love to sew and it that last month. Now that book two is finished, I have it out make up cool costumes! with beta readers to get their comments and suggestions. H.P.: What’s another favorite book? H.P.: Where do you get the names of your characters and the titles of your books? K.S.D.: Isaac Asimov: “The Caves of Steel” and “The Stars Like Dust.” I also like “Ubik” by Philip K. Dick, and the classics: K.S.D.: I usually pull them from history. I very consciously Conan Doyle, Dickens and of course, Charlotte Bronte and choose names and they usually have a secondary meaning. “Jane Eyre.” I chose “Vladia Robespierre” as the protagonist and her half-brother is named Tolan Malthus after Thomas Robert H.P.: What’s your favorite movie? Malthus, the political economist who wrote in his treatise An Essay on the Principle of Population that population will K.S.D.: Raiders of the Lost Ark. eventually be checked by illness and famine and therefore, will never achieve a Utopian state. The time that Tolan and Vladia H.P.: What’s your favorite TV show? live in seem to echo this thinking in that the world is radically different from today’s world, where children are raised by K.S.D.: I love Firefly, The Walking Dead, and Archer. their parents in family groups. In the world Vladia and Tolan live in, children are raised by the state, with the exception H.P.: Where do you want to be in five years? of the aristocracy who still raise their own. I think my book asks questions about siblings and blood relations, as well as K.S.D.: I want to be famous for being a great storyteller! I what being human really is. There is another character, Rehel want people to love my stories and enjoy my work! (pronounced “reel”), who is a robot and his behavior explores what having artificial intelligence in our daily lives will be like It was a pleasure getting to know Kimberly and I look and will that artificial intelligence morph into “real” human forward to her second book. I have her first one and am behavior. My work also questions whether mankind is even deeply involved in reading it now and I highly recommend it worthy to be called “human” because of their actions. for a thoughtful and engrossing read. To learn more, check out her website at: www.ksdanielsauthor.com. ■ Vladia and Tolan have very different attitudes toward life and how to live it. Tolan seems to be conscience-less and Vladia worries often about how to keep her ideals alive.

H.P.: Tell us about your personal life. What would you like our readers to know about you?

K.S.D.: I am married and I have one daughter who is eleven. I have lots of pets and I love animals. I have taught at the University of South Alabama in literature for four years, but I am not teaching right now.

Now for some crazy questions, just for fun:

H.P.: What’s your favorite indulgence?

K.S.D.: That’s easy . . . salmon sushi.

SuspenseMagazine.com 21 COPY EDITOR’S CORNER Don't Press the Pause Button!

By Jim Thomsen I groaned aloud as I saw that the crime-fiction manuscript was like too many that came my way. The story started off well enough, with a woman being stalked and then pursued as she walked through midnight rain from her workplace to her home. Lots of atmosphere, good pacing, growing tension, and then . . . Boom. Suddenly, I was taken back sixteen years, to the woman’s happy early years of her marriage. She explained to me how things started to go bad. Then, boom again. I was back in a scene—a high- school football game at which the woman and her husband had their first date. Then, thud. That was the sound of my head hitting my desk, six pages of backstory and exposition later. I know, I know . . . you know. Don’t do info dumps early in your novels (or, really, ever). This isn’t Craft Essay #487B on the pitfalls of that particular problem. (James Scott Bell, my favorite writing craft guru, says it simplest and best when he says: “Act first, explain later. You will never go wrong delaying exposition.” You can marble it in as you go, but err on the side of restraint, Bell says.) We know this, right? And yet, writers still do it. I see it entirely too often. It must be some sort of irresistible impulse. So I’m thinking there’s got to be a way to firmly plant this red-flag trigger in the minds of writers before they drop the info dump. (Or at least to recognize it in the revision stage before they hand it off to me, their trusted editor. I may suggest ways around it, but no matter what, I’m going to red-flag it and throw it back in their lap. So why not help my clients preempt me—and save themselves a little time and money while they’re at it?) The answer came to me the same night as I read the opening chapter above. I decided to unwind from a hard day’s labor by watching one of my favorite movies, Goodfellas. If you’ve watched this movie at least a few times, you know that it’s heavy with voiced-over narration during freeze-frame moments. Ray Liotta, under the direction of Martin Scorsese, does a masterful job of helping us understand the context or flavor of what happened—or what’s about to happen. A lot of exposition is relayed in those small moments. But for only four or five seconds, max, at a time. Then the movie kicks on again, and tells the story of Henry Hill and his Italian mobster friends in its usual hyperkinetic rush. Four or five seconds. That’s the key. As well-written as those voice-overs are, they wouldn’t work—and they might well sink the movie—if Ray Liotta droned on and on for thirty seconds or more at a time about pasta and murder and girlfriends and helicopters. Or even ten seconds. These days, with the demands readers place on thriller novels for nonstop breathless action, that’s asking us to sit still too long. But that’s just what my client was doing. She was putting her movie on pause to give us Senate-filibuster-length voice- overs. So I put Goodfellas on pause, grabbed my laptop, and sent my client a note, using this particular metaphor. You wouldn’t want to watch a movie that was narrated while the action was on pause, right? You want to watch a movie, not listen to someone tell you what happens in the movie, right? I said. My client wrote back the next day: “I never thought of it that way. But, yeah. That would bore me to tears.” So I gave her some ideas about how to recognize when putting things in context reached the pause-button tipping point (thanks, Jim Bell!), and she roughed out some revisions in a few days that gave the story a Goodfellas level of kinetic thrust. And we all lived happily ever after. Everyone, that is, except for Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro. ■

Jim Thomsen, Suspense Magazine’s copy editor since 2011, is the owner and operator of Desolation Island Editing Services. He lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington and can be reached at [email protected].

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 22

Suspense Magazine Book Reviews INSIDE THE PAGES MADE FOR YOU BEAUTY WITH A BOMB By Melissa Marr By M.C. Grant This opens with one of the most dramatic and shocking scenes I have ever read. The first sentence, Both YA readers and folks “Heavily pregnant, the woman stands on the precipice of the parking garage,” can’t help but hook the reader. who are a ‘mite’ older will join But the opening scene is far more than a pregnant woman who is in despair over her situation. As we soon find together immediately to enjoy this out, she isn’t even pregnant. She is a victim of a horrendous ring of criminals who take trafficking in human book. lives one step further than terrible. This creepy tale centers The narrator, Dixie Flynn, is a journalist on the San Francisco crime beat who has no qualms about getting around Eva Tilling, a young girl personally involved with the victims of crimes she reports. She is soon in league with a group of fearless Polish who seems to have everything, yet unlike the ‘norm’ is not stuck women out to destroy the ring of traffickers, and especially their leader, known as Jacks, who cares nothing for up or stuck on herself in any way. the human lives he destroys to make a profit. Attending a party, Eva searches the The author tackles an issue that is more and more a concern around the world today, and while some crowd for her ex-childhood pal, of the details of the story are a bit over the top, Grant’s exploration of this issue in fiction makes it more than Nate. Nate is a bit of a rebel and a gripping story. His skill with words draws the reader in to make the characters come alive, and the book would probably not be the perfect is filled with outrageous characters, including Dixie’s personal spy Jakob and the brave but horribly scarred ‘catch’ for Eva, but she likes him all Berta. Protagonist Dixie Flynn is larger than life, a real superhero, and I was cheering her on with every page. the same, and wants nothing more Interspersed in the narrative, Dixie gives “tips” from the obvious to the outrageous, such as “Pointing out irony than to rekindle their friendship. doesn’t always endear one to others. Sometimes it’s best to pretend you’re actually being sincere.” Grant does But while Eva’s gaze longs for him, what every writer hopes to do—entertain and enlighten at the same time. I applaud this book. another watches her like a hawk. Reviewed by Kathleen Heady, author of “Hotel Saint Clare” ■ ‘The Judge’ is highly disappointed in his prey, as Eva THE SCULPTOR pays him no attention whatsoever. By Gina Fava Although her lack of interest is Gina Fava provides a fresh voice in a genre that can be predictable. Mara Silvestri, a grad benign, the boy is sure that she student in Rome, is the daughter of a glamorous tennis star and a deceased photojournalist. is deliberately ignoring him. And As she and the other grad students make their way to Rome University, RU, they hear that right then and there, he makes the The Sculptor has taken another victim. The serial killer who has been stalking the students of decision to end her life. Rome’s three major universities for the past seven years has just killed another beautiful coed Shortly after the event has with movie star looks. The killer seems to be killing these women for one reason…so he can passed, Eva finds herself at a local cast different parts of their bodies in order to build the perfect woman. café. Leaving at dusk to walk Upon arriving at the university, Mara discovers that the latest victim was to be her new roommate. At RU’s home, Eva is hit by a car and left for dead. When she wakes up in orientation, Mara meets Jesse Tonno, an Italian grad student with rock star looks and an ego as big as his smile. the hospital, she has no memory He is just the first in a long list of characters to enter her life. From students to faculty to the Italian police, it of the accident, but a new ‘talent’ seems everyone she meets could possibly be The Sculptor. has developed; if someone Gina Fava takes the reader on a ride so fast and twisted that you will be dizzy trying to figure out who to touches Eva, she can see the scene trust. You will be riveted to the page as you discover along with Mara that everything she thought was true is a of their eventual death. Believing lie. Come along as she races to uncover the truth before she becomes The Sculptor’s next victim. that the injuries she sustained in Gina Fava has a winner on her hands with “The Sculptor.” the accident are simply causing Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, author of “Sin,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ hallucinations, Eva dismisses the ability as nothing more than STALKED: THE BOY WHO SAID NO an aftereffect. However, when By Patti Sheehy she sees images of the deaths of Although the title of this book may be misleading to some, this is a truly incredible tale of a young man, friends, Eva soon realizes she Frank Mederos, who utilized his talents to get away from Cuba’s Communist system of government under has been given a horrific gift she Fidel Castro. doesn’t want. Born in Cuba, as Frank matured, he grew to dislike the things that Cuba’s government stood for; not to Eva remains completely mention the tyrant who truly wanted to destroy his own people. When he was still a Cuban citizen, Frank oblivious to the fact that ‘The was taken into the army and became a member of Castro’s Special Forces. While there, he received privileges, Judge’ is still watching. Convinced gaining access to top-secret military information. Being a member of Special Forces gave Frank a look into the they are meant for each other, her schemes and lies that ‘made’ some of the most powerful people in the world; people that the Cuban military stalker continues to kill others were not comfortable with. while insisting that he and Eva will This is a realm that Frank simply can’t stand. He cannot conform to what is expected of him under the one day be together. As his twisted Castro regime, and wants to join his girlfriend who left Cuba and is now living in America. Escape, however, is psyche meets up with some not exactly easy. Making two attempts by sea, Frank is unsuccessful, and he begins to look for another ‘seat’ on definite surprises from the newly the next available boat. Turns out that the departure of the boat he secures coincides with the ‘gifted’ girl, the games begin. date of his military exercises. The conundrum is dangerous: stay and miss the boat or run and Pick up this book for a great be hunted down by soldiers who will never stop. Do or die, Frank must make a decision that afternoon read, just finish before will put his life at risk. dark. This one is scary! This is a very moving, fictionalized version of a true story that will pull the reader into Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Frank’s courageous and dangerous tale. This is certainly a thrilling history lesson that you won’t Professional Librarian & Co- soon forget, as audiences cheer for the boy who faced Fidel and said, ‘No!’ Owner of The Write Companion Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Charlatan’s Crown,” published by Suspense ■ Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 24 WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT GOLD DIGGER By David Shafer By Frances Fyfield Part paranoid thriller and part trippy sci-fi, “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” is an entertaining read that takes our current surveillance society to an all-too-believable next level. A British story set in an The novel leisurely introduces three central characters: Leila Majnoun, a nonprofit worker English town in a house by the in Myanmar; Leo Crane, the conspiracy-minded black sheep of a wealthy family; and Mark sea. (In other words, readers can Devereaux, author of a vacuous self-help book that has inexplicably catapulted him into the name the town anything they limelight. Leo and Mark were once best friends, and a series of coincidences will tie them back want while wondering exactly together along with Leila in the mix. All three characters have reached turning points and, for where it is so they can avoid it for various reasons, are watching their lives spin out of control. Desperate to get themselves back on track, they find themselves drawn into a struggle between the Committee, a multinational corporate conspiracy taking control the rest of their lives.) This is a of private data, and Dear Diary, the radical underground movement trying to hold the line against plutocratic true psychological thriller telling overlords. the tale of Di, a seventeen-year- The book, perhaps, takes too much time developing these separate strands before pulling them together. old thief from the wrong side of Most readers won’t mind the roundabout route; the characters are well drawn, the writing clever and evocative, the tracks attempting to live in the tone balanced between serious issues and moments of levity. Still, revealing integral elements of the story this storybook village. Another that veer into science fiction late in the book is a bit jarring. The first part of the story could be happening right resident happens to be a wealthy now in the real world, so by the time some outlandish sci-fi gadgets show up halfway through, it’s a little like art collector by the name of you’ve turned the page into a different book. Thomas Porteous. Despite these speed bumps, “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” is a compelling character-driven story with plenty Di was in the collector’s of action and contemporary issues behind the plot twists. Be forewarned, however, that the book ends on a home at one time in order to cliffhanger for a follow-up which has not yet been announced. It’s a rewarding read that leaves you impatient for steal anything she could find; the sequel. caught in the act, she was sent Reviewed by Scott Pearson, author of “Star Trek: The More Things Change” and cohost of the Generations straight to prison. While she Geek podcast ■ was incarcerated, Thomas sent DIRTY TRICKS her art books, and when she was By Judith K. Ivie released back into society, they In “Dirty Tricks,” the seventh Kate Lawrence Mystery by Judith K. Ivie, Kate and her partners in Mack became close. Despite their age Realty, Margot and Strutter, investigate the sometimes adversarial relationship between authors and publishers difference, this unlikely couple and the frightening consequences of thwarted creative egos. form an unlikely alliance and When Margot’s aunt, well-known mystery writer Maybelle (May) Farnsworth, moves to town a few weeks eventually a marriage takes place. before Halloween, she soon becomes the target of a neighborhood prankster, or so she believes at first. When the dirty tricks escalate from annoying (bats loose in the house) to terrifying (all exit doors of May’s home are Thomas and Di are real soul glued shut), May’s secret sideline as the publisher of a line of sexy romance novels comes into play. mates, and the two of them soon On the real estate front, the Vista View retirement community, the mainstay of Mack Realty’s client roster, find abandoned and forgotten has a new business manager who takes an instant dislike to Margo’s Aunt May. When the two strong-willed paintings, choosing to hang women inevitably clash, will Kate and her partners lose the lucrative account? them on the walls of their seaside “Dirty Tricks” shines a light into the dark corners of today’s ultra-competitive publishing industry, including home. unethical ploys used by some misguided authors to gain readers’ attention, such as fraudulent claims of prize When a death takes place, nominations and paid-for reviews. What makes this mystery unique, however, is the peek inside the two sides of kin come from all directions in the publishing industry: authors who want to be published and publishers who reject many manuscripts. Here’s order to get their hands on the a hint: good grammar and spelling count! Not only is this mystery a good read, it’s also educational. expensive loot. Family members Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Funerals Can Be Murder,” published by Suspense Publishing, an are dissected…with a very sharp imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ straight razor. Apparently, these ONE OF US people from hell are sure there By Tawni O'Dell is a gold digger within their Danny Doyle, the boy that feared the mines growing up, is now Dr. Sheridan Doyle. A midst, and both mind games, and snappy dresser, residing in Philadelphia having made a name for himself as a psychologist, is violence commence…without now on his way back home. Sheridan’s grandfather, Tommy, is getting on in years, and Sheridan anyone giving a care in the has come to visit him. world for Di, Thomas, or their Lost Creek hasn’t changed all that much. The mines that have defined the town are still utter devotion to each other. operating. The town’s history is mired in the legend of a group a miners that dared protest and Greed is at the forefront of this ended up being hanged for their trouble. tale, with each character having When Sheridan arrives in Lost Creek, he discovers the body of man and is reunited with Rafe, a detective their own plan and making the that took Sheridan under his wing when he was a child. While investigating the death, Sheridan slowly loses his biggest mistake of them all. They big city persona—well, except for his clothing, which he was always fond of—and reverts back to being Danny Doyle. each underestimate the ‘enemy’ Wow! This is one twisted serial killer thriller. A spooky mining town that is rumored to be haunted by the they’re going up against. Irish miners who were publicly hanged and the sudden odd deaths that are more than unusual in such a small Di is a strong character that community. Danny begins to learn some old family secrets and boy, are they explosive. Danny’s voice isn’t the builds her courage throughout only one we are connected to. We also are given access to another first person perspective, but you will not the tale. Resourcefulness is the know who this is until deeper into the novel. If you are like me, the wheels will start turning in your mind. The name of her game, and for a story suspicion I had, had me in deep denial. How on earth could someone actually do all these terrible things? But that begins with a calm, easy air deny all you want, the truth will still be there. the build-up of twists and turns For Danny, a small amount of peace will come from the conclusion of the case, but he will be stinging from will have readers completely this one for a long time to come. If you like dark, twisted, thriller suspense novels you will not want to miss this enthralled. one! Reviewed by Mary Lignor, This one gets 4.5 stars Professional Librarian and Co- Reviewed by Julie Whiteley ■ Owner of The Write Companion ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 25 CRADLE TO GRAVE THE REST IS SILENCE By Eleanor Kuhns By James R. Benn This Billy Boyle World War II mystery is an exceptionally written book, taking readers back The setting of this extremely to the time of D-Day preparation. The ‘powers that be’ are gathering men and war equipment on good mystery is the bitter, the southern coast of England at a place called Slapton Sands. The reason for this is ‘Operation vicious cold of New England, Tiger,’ which will be a practice run for the coming invasion of Normandy. where private, dark characters of One morning, an unidentified corpse washes up on shore and United States Captain Billy the eighteenth century reside. Boyle and his partner, Lt. Piotr “Kaz” Kazimierz, are assigned to investigate how and why a body Will Rees is a traveling has drifted into such a highly-restricted area. Seeing as that the Army is utilizing Slapton Sands weaver, and he and his new wife, as the locale of their secret rehearsal, Billy and Kaz must find out if this particular body is one of an enemy spy. Lydia, are leaving their farm in As luck would have it, Kaz has an old school chum living nearby who agrees to give the guys a place to stay Maine and heading for Dover while their investigation is in progress. The men love it there at Ashcroft and make it their business to get to Springs, New York—a locale know the family, as well as meet up with some very interesting characters. that is even colder and more Just when the duo think that they have the problem solved, a terrible tragedy occurs during the D-Day isolated than Maine, if that’s at rehearsal that takes the lives of hundreds of men. Topping it all off, things begin to get complicated at Ashcroft all possible. The Reeses’s journey when family members turn on one another, hurling family secrets and causing pain until a person in the family is a determined one, as they set dies. It is unknown if the cause of death is a heart attack or something far worse, and both Billy and Kaz must rise out to go help their close friend, to the challenge in order to bring the truth to light. Sister Hannah, who is usually The plot and historical sights and sounds are top-notch as the author brings readers back to the time where referred to as ‘Mouse.’ Mouse is the fate of the United States was unknown. Whether a reader holds WWII books or suspense books close to living in a Shaker community, their heart, this one will be a true find. and stands accused of kidnapping Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ five children from their mother, Maggie Whitney—a crime she SHADOWS ON A MAINE CHRISTMAS swears she did not commit. By Lea Wait As the couple are on their New Jersey college professor and antique print dealer Maggie Summer finds herself way to New York, they receive wrestling with life-changing choices. Longing for a child, she is on her agency’s short list to adopt news that the accuser, Maggie, a daughter. Perhaps, even two. But there’s a catch. Her would-be fiancé, Will, has made it clear has been killed, and the prime that he has no interest in children. Perhaps she and Will aren’t destined to be together after all. suspect is Mouse. Traveling Maggie decides that she and Will need to have an “important conversation,” and accepts his faster, when they arrive in Dover invitation to spend Christmas in Waymouth, Maine, where he is now the primary caregiver for Springs, Will tries to get more his Aunt Nettie. On the surface, Waymouth is the perfect New England town. But beneath the information out of the folks surface, there are secrets—many secrets. And one of the most explosive ones involves Aunt Nettie and several of in residence, yet the more he her close friends, all of whom are now in the eighties and nineties. inquires, the more it seems that Two of Aunt Nettie’s closest friends are the wealthy Ruth Weston and her sister, Betty Hoskins. Betty is in all the residents have secrets of the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, and Ruth has hired a local woman, Carrie Folk, to help with her care. Then their very own. Mouse defends Carrie is found dead, under suspicious circumstances, just before Christmas. herself, insisting that she did Maggie’s reputation as an amateur sleuth is known to the local police, and she and Aunt Nettie are enlisted take the children for her own. to help in the investigation. With unexpected results. She simply saw that they were “Shadows on a Maine Christmas” is the seventh in Lea Wait’s Antique Print Mystery series. And like the being neglected by a drunk six previous ones, it’s an intelligent and entertaining mystery, with likeable characters and a plot that keeps the mom who did not care one iota reader guessing until the very last page. Can’t wait for number eight! about her own kids. But when Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Funerals Can Be Murder,” published by Suspense Publishing, an Maggie is found dead in an open imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ grave, doors open onto many THE DEATH OF LUCY KYTE secrets regarding the woman, By Nicola Upson and revelations about all her In her fifthJosephine Tey mystery, Nicola Upson weaves together real-life mystery writer Tey neighbors arise. with the real-life mystery known as the Red Barn Murder. Given that the novel is set in 1936 and The depth and color the the Red Barn Murder occurred in 1828, this takes some literary cleverness that, overall, Upson author gives to this small, freezing pulls off with ease. Tey is notified that Hester Larkspur, the godmother she never really knew, town in the middle of nowhere has passed away and left her a cottage in Suffolk. The cottage is near the former location of the offers a chill to the bone. And the infamous Red Barn, and was purchased by Hester because of her longtime fascination with the eighteenth century criminal acts crime; as a stage actress, she portrayed the murder victim, Maria Marten, over a thousand times are far more frightening in such in a touring melodrama. In addition to the mysterious backdrop provided by the century-old murder, there are a locale where everyone knows some contemporary mysteries as well, such as trying to find one Lucy Kyte—also named in Hester’s will—and everyone’s business…and you the odd, lonely death of Hester herself. never know if your neighbor The story is largely character driven, and the hints of a modern mystery, perhaps somehow linked to the Red happens to be carrying a grudge Barn Murders, are few and subtle. This isn’t a mystery novel, but a novel that happens to have a bit of mystery. (or a weapon), when they That isn’t meant as a criticism; Upson’s portrayal of Tey is engaging and carries the reader through a story that knock on your door. Thought doesn’t have chase scenes and shoot outs every few pages. This is a story about how Tey cleans out the secluded provoking and unforgettable,cottage of her godmother and becomes fascinated by a murder through reading old diaries and interacting with the author creates an interesting the locals who still have strong feelings about the true crime that gave their village a bad name. plot filled with historical details Upson fleshes out the story with Tey’s personal life; that Tey was notoriously private gives Upson room to and characters that readers won’t imagine her motivations, friendships, and loves, which the author does with great affection. Fans of historical soon forget. Great job! fiction will be drawn into this quiet story largely set in the English countryside, and readers returning to the Reviewed by Mary Lignor, series will enjoy the new developments in Tey’s relationships. Professional Librarian and Co- Reviewed by Scott Pearson, author of “Star Trek: The More Things Change” and cohost of theGenerations Geek Owner of The Write Companion ■ podcast ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 26 THE MARATHON CONSPIRACY HAUNTED By Gary Corby By Randy Wayne White Corby has most definitely brought to readers three amazing tales they will not soon forget. And now comes a fourth historical mystery set in Greece that, yet again, is so well-written you Hannah Smith, the inventive will feel as if you are truly part of the Ancient World. fishing guide and part-time The elections are about to be held in the city of Athens and the city’s (wise) statesman, private investigator living in Pericles, asks his inquiry agent, Nicolaos, to look into a matter that could undermine all of the Florida is back, and this third tale political elections. It seems that a skeleton has been found at a girls’ school located not too far is a whole lot of fun. from Athens. Hannah is hired by a wealthy Nico is the super sleuth, to say the least; a sleuth who has just taken time off to wed his investigating partner, Palm Beach socialite by the name Diotima. Of course, Pericles and the case put that happy occasion on hold. Especially when the remains just of Bunny. Bunny wishes the P.I. happen to be those of Hippias. This was the massive traitor to the Greeks and, in the Battle of Marathon, was to look into a real estate deal she killed and left behind in Persia. The veterans of that battle are beyond angry. They have always claimed they invested in because there are more were the men who thwarted the traitor, and they need to gain favor and political power, not stones to the head. than a few things that may stand And if this is not enough trouble, one of the girls who found the bones is dead, and the other has gone missing. in her way of making a profit. The Shocking surprises arrive to the Athenian world, as they wonder why and how the traitor is ‘back.’ There real estate in question is a very is no obvious reason behind the bones finding their home in Athens, and Nico and Pericles must solve the large bit of acreage that Bunny mystery as fast as possible before Athens becomes a bed of power hungry, angry, willing-to-do-anything tyrants. and her friends want to develop. This will have the wealth of historical mystery buffs jumping up and down for joy. As with Corby’s other But the property definitely has works, the tale is full of humor, suspense-filled plots, subplots, and characters that are unforgettable. It is no its quirks. The historical home overstatement to say that Corby most definitely knows his history backwards and forwards, providing stories of deceased cattle baron, Charles that are beyond exciting. Langford Cadence sits on the Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ land, which was once the subject THE FUHRER'S DAUGHTER of a TV ‘ghosthunter’ program. By Joshua Graham & Jack Patterson This program brought about the I have a serious issue to discuss with Joshua Graham and Jack Patterson. How dare they discovery of human bones and write the most intriguing book I’ve read in a long time in episodic fashion? several artifacts that proved a Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if Hitler and Germany won WWII? Civil War battle may have taken Well, Graham and Patterson have and what they’ve written will frighten and astound you. The place there; a historical event year is 2015. Germany, having won, has colonized the world, and the country we call home is that would definitely end all known as the Aryan States of America. development plans. Grace, the Aryan States’ Fuhrer’s daughter is about to turn eighteen, and about to be Hannah and her friend confirmed as the regent of the Third District. While toweling off after a swim, Grace finds an envelope with her decide to camp out in the old name on it. Intrigued, she opens it, only to find a clue. More follow until the last leads her to a forbidden room house, but the event is not only on the top floor of the mansion she lives in with her parents. Using her charm, she convinces a young soldier to spoiled by a horde of scorpions go into the ‘library’ with her so she can find out where the trail ends. that rain down from the ceiling Where it ends is in the shattering of everything she knows to be true. Where it ends is in the truth of the but also by the presence of a horrors of the Nazi regime and the holocaust. ghost. A dark-haired crying What would you do if everything you loved was a lie? If everyone you loved was a lie? If your own life was woman, who, rumor has it, is a lie? How would you feel if you could not trust anyone? Would you run? Irene Cadence, the wife of the That’s what Grace does—she runs for her very life—but does she make it or get captured? Stay tuned for former owner, is seen in the home episode two to find out. Episodic novels are making a comeback and have some sort of ending at the end of causing further disturbance. each episode. “The Fuhrer’s Daughter” is the first I’ve read where the ending is a true cliffhanger. Add in a blockade runner who The premise behind “The Fuhrer’s Daughter” is pure genius. Kudos to Graham and Patterson! I cannot apparently left a journal behind wait for episode two. that shows where some gold and Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, author of “Sin,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ silver coins from the Confederate payroll are located, and you THE LOW ROAD have many people who become By A.D. Scott very interested in this ghostly This is yet another engaging tale in this author’s mystery series featuring John McAllister, property. an experienced journalist working at a daily newspaper in Glasgow, Scotland. Along with all this suspense Mr. McAllister has a tough choice to make in his life: choosing the type of life he wishes to comes a fake archeologist, lead. When he’s located in the Highlands of Scotland, he lives a calm, stable life. However, while and a business that sells snake there, the passionate, thrilling life of a journalist goes out the window. It’s hard to accept that he venom called ‘Slew Vaccine may have to settle in to one life and one locale, but then…that’s life. and Herpetile’—a storefront Oddly enough for John, things seem to turn on a dime, his own problems taking a back seat that plays home to all kinds of immediately. John is faced with a missing person’s emergency; that of his good friend, Jimmy McPhee. Jimmy snakes (and a couple of free has quite a lot of secrets. In fact, he is supposedly in a horrific blood feud with a razor gang located in Glasgow. chimpanzees, as well). John is not exactly excited to be placed in the middle of this hunt, because Glasgow razor gangs are some of With all this action, it’s the most feared gangs in the world; extremely violent groups that exist in the south side of Glasgow and are so safe to say that by the end of ‘named’ for their weapon of choice. this mystery, Hannah comes in With the help of another reporter, John has success in finding Jimmy. Unfortunately, the gang finds them. contact with many odd species Lucky to escape, John soon comes to understand that he is in danger of losing everything he has in his life: from all kingdoms, which makes mom, fiancée Joanne, and basically everything he loves and has worked hard to achieve. this a superbly written book that Taking the reader through the stunning scenery of the Highlands, down through the miserable slums of readers will never forget. Glasgow, this story truly offers a uniqueness all its own. There are many references to the ‘city vs. the glen’; not Reviewed by Mary Lignor, to mention the ‘law vs. the laws of the streets,’ that hold the reader’s attention. This is a masterfully written book Professional Librarian and Co- that makes the audience feel as if they are right by the side of McAllister, just waiting for the fireworks to erupt! Owner of The Write Companion ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 27 THE GOLEM OF THE DISTANCE HOLLYWOOD By Helen Giltrow By Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse A fast-paced debut featuring an interesting duo: a London lady who has tried to put her Kellerman past behind her, and a hit man who has other ideas where her wishes are concerned. Karla is no longer Karla when it comes to her new life. Leaving behind the business Considering the authors of this of retrieving and trading secrets, Karla has now dropped that world and become Charlotte new tale, it will be no surprise when Alton. Although secrets are no longer the biz, choosing to be an elegant socialite in London is readers run to bookstores or hop not exactly ‘hiding out in a cave.’ online to read it as fast as possible. Charlotte no longer wants anyone to know that she once bought and sold information As always, the Kellermans entertain that was buried far too deep for anyone else to find. She also wants to forget about the new identities she and surprise, but with a somewhat once sold, allowing folks who wanted to disappear forever to be completely erased from existence. Trouble is, slower story than usual as they ‘Karla’ is hard to shed. She made enemies, to say the least, and when the London socialite reveals her face and name, a specific man, Simon Johanssen, comes (back) into her life. spell out a puzzle of monumental Simon is a hit man for hire. And although Charlotte has been out of the sinister world, she finds herself proportions. being offered just one more job: a newly built experimental prison must be invaded, and someone needs to A creature called a ‘golem’ be taken out. A someone who, according to prison records, isn’t even there. dates back to early Judaism. Adam With this strange scenario, Charlotte has a right to believe she’s being set up. Especially since the person was initially intended to be a Golem she has to break out of jail is the same person that the hit man is after. because apparently these creatures A bit confusing, this book is still a top-pick because it is so well written. Figuring out who is who is a look after a certain place and its complete challenge for the reader; not to mention, uncovering who is actually on the up-and-up makes for people, protecting them from harm. a fun mystery to see who is in more danger: Karla or Simon. For a debut novel, this book is a fabulous read! With that fact known, the Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian & Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ Kellermans introduce readers to Jacob Lev, a hard drinking detective SHARK FIN SOUP working with the Los Angeles By Susan Klaus Police Department who’s asked to “Shark Fin Soup,” the second book in the Christian Roberts series, is a superb thriller investigate a crime scene—a scene with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster ride. Page one begins with Christian that turns out to be a head without docking his forty-seven-foot sloop in Nassau. The boat is a bloody mess, and his wife Allie’s a body found in a vacant home murdered body is in the cabin. He claims he was scuba diving when the murder took place. in the Hollywood Hills. As Jacob Did Christian murder Allie, or was she killed by someone else? begins to unearth clues to solve this Christian becomes a person of interest with the Bahamian Police and the FBI. With vicious murder, he finds that there only circumstantial evidence, the authorities are unable to detain Christian. He leaves are related crimes being committed Nassau filled with grief and remorse, but is determined to finish the quest his wife began, stop the fin traders, all around the country that have the and save sharks from extinction. same MO. Conclusion? There is a He soon discovers the shark-fin trade is fraught with violence and greed. A blond, blue-eyed Caucasian, serial killer on the loose. Christian is unable to penetrate the Asian wall of secrecy surrounding the controversial delicacy known as Jacob finds strange information shark fin soup. Can one desperate man find a way to defeat a worldwide network bent on the extinction of in Prague, locating an ancestor of an entire species? Will Christian evade the FBI’s ever tightening net in time to honor his wife’s memory and redeem himself? his who just happened to have been Susan Klaus captured my attention on the first page and held it throughout this masterful tale of murder, a rabbi said to have ‘built’ a golem revenge, greed, honor, and redemption. Woven into her story is a real-world disaster of global proportions. It long ago to protect him. The story is my sincere hope that readers will heed the dire warning this story conveys and stand together to save our becomes muddled for the burnt- oceans. out detective, as a beautiful lady Reviewed by S.L. Menear, author of “Deadstick Dawn” published by Suspense publishing, an imprint of comes into the mix named Mai; Suspense Magazine ■ a woman who Jacob is trying to locate because he is sure that she CLOSE TO HOME has something to do with the death By Lisa Jackson he’s investigating. Not to mention, This acclaimed author is back to captivate her fans. And as always, the fans are gifted with she may just have information on a a real page-turner. Beginning at Blue Peacock Manor in October of 1924, a poor woman runs through the really ugly ancient monster that is dilapidated house and ends up falling to her death, setting up for the fact that, yes, the Manor on a mission of revenge. will certainly be haunted by a presence for a long time to come. Going back and forth between It is October of 2014, at Blue Peacock Manor, and Sarah McAdams and her two daughters this story and chapters on the first have come home to Oregon to make a fresh start. Sarah is bound and determined to renovate family. (No, not the President, the the old Victorian mansion she grew up in, but her daughters, Jade and Gracie, are not so inclined. All they see FIRST family), this crime thriller is a run-down house they have no desire to live in. presents supernatural issues that As they pull into the drive, Sarah’s memories begin their assault. Images come forth with regard to her may confuse at times. However, it mother who was never a joy to live with; not to mention, Sarah’s half-sister who disappeared, and Sarah’s own is a Kellerman tale through-and- frightening experience when she found herself on the widow’s walk alone and completely delirious. When through, which means readers are Sarah was younger, she’d always thought the Manor was haunted, and it doesn’t take long for her own, Gracie, given the chills that they’ve come to to witness a lady in white running up the stairs. rely upon from this Sarah is trying to settle the haunted figures and begin reconstruction immediately. But there is also a awesome ‘family’ of problem in the small town. Teenage girls are vanishing, and Sarah is scared for her daughters’ safety. She writers. knows that somewhere in the past, perhaps locked up in her childhood memories of the Manor, is a very real Reviewed by Mary and terrifying danger only she can stop. And if she succeeds, no girl will ever have to worry again. Lignor, Professional A ‘class-A’ writer who can combine everything from romance to suspense to a real creep fest as easily as Librarian and Co- Martha Stewart can create a killer cupcake, Jackson has made sure to invent a story where everyone will go Owner of The Write home to the ‘place’ they love and…think twice about going inside. Excellent read! Companion ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian & Co-Owner of The Write Companion■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 28 HAUNTED BURIED By Kay Hooper By Kate Watterson There is one person who writes paranormal from a place so far above everyone else in the genre: Kay Hooper. Her Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series is incredible, and Kay ups her game—if Detective Ellie MacIntosh that’s possible—with “Haunted.” is facing two extremely different There is an aura that surrounds not only the characters and agents of SCU but also this book. cases this time around, and the Kay brings some familiar faces from the unit back together to solve some serial killings along the suspense factor is off the charts! Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas and Georgia. At the same time, a unit is dispatched to A young man attempts to Sociable, a small mountain town in Georgia. The county sheriff, Trinity Nichols, calls Bishop for get out of a rain storm while help after discovering the body of a murdered friend. A death that seems “off.” out on the lake where he’s been In Sociable, we meet a close group of friends known as The Group. Almost all of them were born and raised fishing. While pulling the boat in Sociable, and decided to either stay or move back. Teir lives, hopes, and dreams are intertwined in Sociable. ashore, he just happens to fall When members of The Group start dying by odd circumstances, Bishop’s team starts to put the pieces of a into a shallow grave located frightening puzzle together. on Ellie’s grandfather’s land. We get to tag along with the members of SCU as they use their intelligence and psychic abilities to try Strangeness erupts as her and unravel and capture the dark forces at play in Sociable and the Blue Ridge Mountains. In “Haunted,” three grandfather calls her instead relationships in particular stand out: the relationship between SCU Agents Hollis and DeMarco, between Trinity of the local law to investigate. and her dog, Braden, and one between the psychic abilities that the agents and the villains are adept at. This last But not only is this out of Ellie’s relationship will shock and astound when you, along with the SCU, discover who or what is killing these people. jurisdiction, she is also put off If you are a lover of paranormal suspense, “Haunted” and Kay Hooper are your Holy Grail. If you have shied by her grandfather’s attitude away from it in the past thinking it is too ‘out there,’ this is the perfect time to dive in. Kay Hooper has raised the and thinks that he may just bar with “Haunted” to a height unreachable by authors with ‘normal’ abilities. know far more than he’s letting Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, author of “Sin,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ on—including the identity of the victim. The second case is DECEMBER PARK much closer to home for Ellie: By Ronald Malfi a killer who just happens to Ronald Malfi captures the essence of being a teenager so vividly. I felt as though I was one of the gang. Riding be spending his time shooting my bike, smoking cigarettes, and just hanging out was a way of life. “December Park” stirred up memories of a time cops in Milwaukee. when I thought that I was invincible, until the innocence of youth was shattered. The two cases fill Ellie’s Harting Farms is a quiet community, going about its everyday life. Then the Piper came and children went workload quite quickly, as she missing. Angelo “Angie” Mazzone, Peter Galloway, Scott Steeple, and Michael Sugarland are a band of friends. goes back and forth between More like brothers, they stick together. When they see the body of the dead girl, possibly the latest of the Piper’s a present-day menace and a victims, it brings the danger closer to home. Curfews are set, people are scared, and Angie’s father, a police body that was left on Grandpa’s detective, is at a loss. farm several years ago. Working When Adrian Gardiner moves in, it is Angie who accepts him into the gang first. His stature is the bullying with a new partner doesn’t size. He carries a backpack with the Incredible Hulk blazed on it. His mother bares a scary scar around her neck. help as she investigates the first But somehow, he fits in. The guys take him to their private place in Satan’s Forest. This is where they think, smoke policeman’s death, and tries pot, and contemplate all the important things in a boy’s life. to figure out why the man’s When Adrian tells the guys he has found a locket that he believes belongs to the dead girl, they decide to solve wife and son were spared. The the mystery of the Piper on their own. In the meantime, life goes on. School, fights, and teenage pains, pushes the original thought is that this Piper to the back of everyone’s mind except Adrian. He becomes obsessed. When he goes missing, the guys must is an organized crime hit, but grow up quick, stow their fears, and save their friend, before the Piper can take him away, forever. when the second cop is shot The surprising climactic ending will have the reader wondering what the Piper of their childhood was and can down in daylight as he was it still reach out and steal them away. about to give a speeding ticket Reviewed by Leslie A. Borghini, author of “Angel Heat” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense to a driver—the ‘serial cop Magazine ■ killer’ theory rises to the top of their radar. MOON IN A DEAD EYE Ellie and new partner, By Pascal Garnier Lt. Grasso, are asked to go on In this story, Martial and Odette have moved into a retirement complex; a gated village that an undercover hunt to see if provides all sorts of security, as well as companionship for the elderly. Their main reason for moving there is anyone on the force is that back at their family home in Paris, they had been truly frightened by the increasing amount who cannot be trusted, as more of crime. Not to mention, their close neighbors from the past have moved away or passed on. and more interest is placed When they try to settle into the complex, however, they are upset to learn that they’re actually on the fact that due to various the only residents, and the one bit of companionship they have is Monsieur Flesh, a grumpy circumstances, a cop could caretaker/gardener. But that’s not where the negatives end; much to their dismay, the swimming just be the one killing his/her pool, club house, and social secretary, are not even available onsite yet. fellow brothers. Martial becomes bored with his wife’s continuous shopping, and has become listless because of the daily This is definitely a page- rain showers. But things begin to look up when some new residents move in; first, Maxime and Marlene, and then turner that readers will want Lea, a single woman, comes to join them. There are now five residents and Nadine, a social secretary, is finally to finish in one sitting. And appointed, and the swimming pool is filled up and ready to go. But nothing is as good as it seems. although the characters are Life changes at the complex when some gypsy families set up camp outside the gates. Maxime is a bit under not new, these books are most the weather and Marlene is told not to go out alone, as the gypsies cannot be trusted. Marlene is scared, and she definitely standalones that are and Maxime end up fortifying their apartment, choosing to become hermits for the sake of safety. But when packed with surprises for the Martial and Odette, concerned for their neighbors, attempt to see them, the visit ends in disaster. thriller fan! This is a very good read, where the characters are extremely believable. The combination of dry humor and Reviewed by Mary Lignor, sudden fear weave together perfectly, as each new person arrives on the scene. From harmonious to horror, this Professional Librarian and Co- one offers the entire spectrum of emotions that suspense lovers crave. Owner of The Write Companion Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 29 MEAN STREAK BLOODEYE By Sandra Brown By Craig Saunders Craig Saunders has done a masterful job in creating a thrilling psychological horror novel. This amazing author is Keane Reid has been running for seven years, ever since his wife, Teresa, was brutally murdered, but he still again delivering a tale of intrigue, couldn’t outrun his wife’s voice. It spoke to him often, and he listened. adultery, and murder. Keane was a crime scene photographer, now he’s a plumber. He’s called out to the King’s Arms pub. One of Dr. Emory Charbonneau is the toilets in the restroom was smashed and flooded the area. This isn’t a job he can fix. Just shut off the mains a well-known pediatrician who and let the pub’s insurance figure it out, so he thinks until he turns around and sees her nailed to the door. He is also a marathon runner of doesn’t freak, he just stares. Her body is a grizzly display of violence. Then he sees it: a third eye carved into note; she loves it so much she her forehead. Just like what was done to his wife, except this time, the eye opens and says his name. So he runs. spends time planning marathon He thinks back about how he brought death home and the whole gruesome period. He remembers finding events. Emory is in the process a missing photograph he took at a crime scene seven years ago, in his house, in his bed, next to his wife. Had the of training for an upcoming killer followed him? marathon in a mountainous Keane comes to terms that the maniac who killed his wife is back, but he must also come to terms with region of North Carolina. her death. If he can just stay in the darkness, he can defeat him. He knows this madman lurks in the shadows. Her husband, Jeff, usually The thought-provoking ending will catch you like a flash bulb in your eyes and leave you unable to see accompanies her to the races, but straight for a while. The descent into one’s psyche is a hard pill to swallow. What you find may be more terrifying when they end up having a major than you expect. They say everyone has skeletons in their closet. The part they leave out is that those skeletons argument, he chooses to make have shadows. If the shadow of your skeleton ever decides to step out on its own, you may have to start running. other plans and spends time with Reviewed by Leslie A. Borghini, author of “Angel Heat” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of his mistress while Emory heads Suspense Magazine ■ to the hills. However, as she is practicing for the run, Emory THE WINTER GUEST is brutally attacked and left for By Pan Jenoff dead. Avoiding the Grim Reaper, One of the most imaginative writers once again delivers the harshest history in the most she wakes up to find herself in soft-spoken manner, bringing to life an unforgettable tale of romance and suspense. a cabin in the North Carolina For the Nowak twins, living in a very small community in rural Poland, WWII went from woods being tended to by a very being a bit of gossip in the marketplace to absolute fear, watching their own citizens ripped from handsome man who refuses to their homes in the middle of the night never to be seen again. Helena and Ruth Nowak are in tell her his name. He does inform charge of their siblings. With their father deceased and their mother living in a hospital with her, however, that he found hardly any chance of survival, the girls work hard to make sure that the youngest siblings are her unconscious on a trail and taken care of. brought her back to his cabin to One day a week Helena travels over the rugged mountain pass to visit their mother, and on one such recover. visit hears the moaning of a wounded soldier hidden in the forest. Trying to keep his presence silent so the Back in civilization, Jeff is enemy will not discover him, Helena gets the man into an abandoned chapel and tends to his wounds. His starting to wonder where Emory name is Sam, and he’s an American paratrooper who escaped his plane before it crashed—a plane that carried is because he never received a important information that could help the resistance beat back the Germans. call and she hasn’t come home. Although a romance commences, Helena’s frightening choice to help Sam by finding the people living in When he finally gets around to the darkness who’re readying to take on Hitler, places her in terrifying places, with twists and turns that show reporting her missing, the police the Reich in their most monstrous form. As the story progresses, Helena and Ruth must face their own issues are more than a little skeptical of survival; locating passports to flee the country before it’s too late. regarding his actions, believing The author who stunned the world with “The Kommandant’s Girl” continues book after book to create in- Jeff may have done away with depth characters with courage, bravery, and humanity. The plot is magnificent, and the ending is one that will Emory to move on to greener not be forgotten for its power. A definite keeper! pastures. Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Charlatan’s Crown,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of In the mountains, there Suspense Magazine ■ is a storm brewing; the land is covered with snow and ice MURDER ON THE MEDITERRANEAN blocking the trail, leaving Emory By Alexander Campion up on the mountain for an Lovers of this terrific French mystery series will be thrilled with this new tale featuring indeterminable number of days. Paris Commissaire Capucine Le Tellier, a young woman on the fast track to success in her field The man with her just happens of police business. to have the FBI on his trail, and Trying to get away from her overwhelming workload, Capucine goes on a well-deserved while Emory slowly discovers vacation in the form of a Mediterranean cruise. However, as anyone knows by now, the beautiful what is going on and finds sunset is not all that is waiting on the horizon for Capucine—a murder is once again going herself falling for the stranger, to end up directly in her path. But before the hubbub begins, the cruise is the most relaxing her husband is literally in his vacation that Capucine has enjoyed in some time. Others accompanying her are Capucine’s husband Alexandre, own hell under the watchful eye her cousin Jacques, and her boss, Ines, along with Ines’s husband. Everyone is enjoying life! of detectives who are working But in the middle of the cruise, Nathalie, the cook aboard the yacht, is lost to the sea, either by accident or, overtime to prove his story is more likely, by the hand of a murderer. It’s thought that a sudden storm is the culprit, until a bullet hole found bogus. in Nathalie’s jacket alters the minds of everyone. Apparently, Nathalie was fond of some of the men, particularly As readers go back and Serge who’s a member of the crew. She was not so fond of the women on board, however, but the feeling was forth from Emory to Jeff, the most definitely mutual. When a bullet is discovered that matches the gun Capucine is carrying, the one who plotlines get better and better. So stands for justice suddenly finds the tables turned as she becomes the number one suspect in the vicious crime. well-written and so entertaining, Capucine and Alexandre head to a friend’s estate instead of returning to Paris as they investigate the this is one thriller that can’t be death. Capucine knows that if she’s arrested for murder, her life as she knows and loves it will be over in a flash. missed! Searching among the idle, rich, and famous, Capucine must find a way to save herself. Reviewed by Mary Lignor, A great mystery with glorious settings and a cast that is so diverse and talented, Agatha Christie would be Professional Librarian and Co- proud! Owner of The Write Companion ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 30 DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS MIDNIGHT By Margaret Maron CROSSING It’s great to be back in Colleton County, North Carolina, with the Knott family. By Charlaine Harris Miss Rachel, in no pain and expected to pass over soon, is visited by flocks of family members, eager to see her one last time. She’s resting quietly, until she perks up and starts talking Midnight, Texas is just a dot a blue streak. Some of what she says is unintelligible, unless you know what she’s referring to. on the map. Charlaine Harris Finally, exhausted, she stops talking and the family goes to get some supper while the aide has made it a place I would love freshens up the sheets. to see, maybe even move to. She Very soon after that, Aunt Rachel is dead, but not of natural causes. Someone smothered has again created a town where her with a pillow. the people are friendly, the food It’s up to The Honorable Deborah Knott to sort through her tangled family and the other assorted people is good, and not everything is as who were at Rachel’s bedside when she was rattling on about old scandals, to see which one of them felt it seems. compelling to stop Rachel from talking. She talks with all of them, dredging up more than one old secret. She The small town waits anxiously for the arrival of and her husband, Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Bryant, look into Rachel’s minister, her neighboring doctor, and Manfred Bernardo. Having only others. She eventually finds out about the Designated Daughters, women who care for the elderly, sometimes one stoplight at the crossroads even when they aren’t family members. Rachel’s daughter was one of these. Deborah knows it’s one of Rachel’s of Witch Light Road and the final words that brought about her death, but which one? Davy highway, the traffic it sees, Great puzzler with the usual crowded cast of family members. Don’t worry, a family tree is provided. usually about three cars, stays Reviewed by Kaye George, Author of “Death in the Time of Ice” ■ long enough for a gas fill up or MURDER 101 food. Manfred is greeted by a By Faye Kellerman helping hand, Bobo, the owner Always fun to read, Faye Kellerman has written yet another page-turner featuring Decker of Midnight Pawn, and his and Lazarus, a ‘Mr. and Mrs.’ for the ages. landlord. Others soon introduce For many years, Peter Decker has been a detective lieutenant with the LAPD, and themselves. As he meets the has witnessed more horrific acts than he can count. He and his wife, Rina, are now leaving locals, Manfred realizes he the California sun and moving to upstate New York so they can be closer to their children, somehow belongs here. Being psychic, he should have seen that grandchildren, and a foster son. coming, it’s his job after all. Peter has taken a job working for the Greenbury Police Department that’s definitely not The lazy happy pace of as exciting and nowhere near as dangerous as the LAPD. Rina is enchanted with the area and has fit right into the town is fractured. At their their new town, although Peter is not too keen on his new partner, Tyler McAdams. Tyler is a trust fund baby, first annual Picnic Day up at a Harvard graduate who makes sure everyone knows it, and has a bad attitude. The frosting on the cake is when Cold Rock, they discover the Tyler starts calling this seasoned detective, ‘Old Man,’ which doesn’t make Peter too happy. However, when decomposing body of Bobo’s things change and the two detectives are finally called to a real crime, Peter is raring to go; he knows police missing girlfriend Audrey. procedure backwards and forwards, and Tyler definitely does not. Everyone thought she just left First, there has been a break-in at a local cemetery and two Tiffany panels have been replaced by forgeries. Bobo. Now it seems she was Then comes a murder at a local college where a coed is brutally killed and Peter feels as if he’s right back at home. murdered and Bobo is the prime He and Tyler head down the ivy-covered hallways, and on their way, they find secrets, unearth cold cases, and suspect. The town is determined run into people who kill others…just for the fun of it. Peter’s job is no longer boring, and Tyler is soon grateful to prove Bobo’s innocence. to be studying at the feet of a real policeman, changing his attitude completely. As Peter enlists his wife’s expert Manfred finds out his help, the group finds themselves attempting to stop a bloody rampage by an emotionless killer. neighbors and friends are more Another great Kellerman read with a full spectrum of action and surprises! than your average townies. Fiji Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ is really a witch. Bobo has a dark family past that comes right up STRONG DARKNESS to his front door. He learns why By Jon Land Lemuel only works nights. The Every lover of the thriller will agree there are books and then there are BOOKS— Reverend (the Rev) seldom adrenaline-pumping tales that grip and hold the attention from first to last page. This creation speaks, but when he does, is one of those! everyone listens. As Manfred and Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong is back, with her stiff spine, high spirit, and smart mouth friends try to protect Bobo from completely intact. As the keeper of the peace at a funeral, Caitlin tries to halt a Reverend, and his past, they find themselves his bigoted group of followers from the Beacon of Light Church, from protesting. A young boy confronted by a surprising terror is dead—a hero in Afghanistan—who has come home in a box, and all Reverend Tripp and his right in their own beloved town. moronic minions can do is chant against gays in the military. Caitlin tries to reason with the group, treating The climactic end rattles even the them like people with hearts. When that doesn’t work, she commandeers a John Deere and literally pushes the town psychic. protesters into a trench. If you ever find yourself at After being chastised by her boss, Caitlin receives horrific news from her love, Cort Wesley Masters. the “Midnight Crossroad,” you Apparently Cort’s son is in the hospital in a coma, put there by an unknown assailant. And a girl is missing who might want to stop. Look around, a vicious man is desperate to find—a man who may turn into the worst enemy Caitlin has ever come up against. grab a bite to eat, or check out the At the hospital in Rhode Island, Cort and Caitlin meet up with the detective in charge; a man who has unique shops. Then again, you already dealt with Caitlin once before, when her actions in his community left four dead from a situation, might just run the only stop light Caitlin claimed, was self-defense. The detective threatens that history will be dug up if Caitlin doesn’t leave his in town. Either way, Midnight, city, but the power this Ranger has won’t be stopped…and the investigation is one long thrill ride. Texas is no longer just an obscure Land offers a thrilling package that includes the worst sort of enemies, the best allies, and links to a period place on the map. when the frontier was run by a drunken judge and protected by a Ranger who attempted to save lives. This is a Reviewed by Leslie A. Borghini, BOOK, so read it ASAP! author of “Angel Heat” published Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “The Charlatan’s Crown,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of by Suspense Publishing, an Suspense Magazine ■ imprint of Suspense Magazine ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 31 THE STONE WIFE TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY By Peter Lovesey By Kevin O'Brien When it comes to a nail-biter, this is it. O’Brien literally presents the definition of ‘crazy’ and Chief Superintendent Peter readers will be thrilled. Diamond is back, embroiled in To begin, a fire envelops a home, and tragically a whole family is wiped out. Then, a man a mystery that offers a wealth of accused of being an embezzler also goes to his grave, but not before killing his entire family. wit, and a true puzzle linked to a Although these seem to be random acts of malice, clues soon appear that show a definitive link: historical literary genius. the first wife has died and the husband in each scenario gets married again quickly, almost before Diamond is more than a the insurance policy pays out. In addition, each holds a secret from the past that will follow them bit confused by his latest crime to their graves. scene. An auction house in Bath Main character, Stephanie, is a pilot whose family members have expired due to one problem or another, was holding a sale of a few bits yet she questions the fact that her sister has, as far as the law is concerned, committed suicide. In her heart, she and pieces of basic junk. But on finds this conclusion impossible, and when she hears about another similar murder/suicide that occurred in this particular day, a very strange another part of the country, she immediately contacts the surviving son, Ryan, and partners up with him to find slab of rock that just happens to the truth. have a picture etched/carved The victims pile up. A couple of young men are arrested for these crimes, but Stephanie does not believe into its surface, takes the stage. that they committed the murders. Found guilty of only robbery and not murder, Stephanie hires a private The carving is apparentlyinvestigator to unearth any information he can about her brother-in-law’s new wife who no one in the family has Chaucer’s Wife of Bath. met. As the tale unfolds, Stephanie and Ryan make a pact to not stop until they figure out who the real killer is. The auctioneer doesn’tThe past becomes the present, as family secrets come to life and answer the question of who, exactly, wants their assume this will be a big victims to ‘say they’re sorry’ before heading straight to hell. moneymaker, so it startles him If you want darkness, if you crave chills, this is the tale for you! and the crowd when a professor Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ starts bidding voraciously, as VISIONS if the stone is a true prize. In By Kelley Armstrong competition with an American For many readers, a new Armstrong novel is like a Christmas gift arriving early. This is no museum bidding over the exception. phone, the professor works hard The Cainsville series began with a book titled “Omens,” and brought together a slightly to win. Unfortunately, just when crooked lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, with the daughter of serial killers. Eden was this girl’s name, yet the stone is his, three masked she’s Olivia Taylor-Jones now because of her adopted family, leaving the stigma of being the child men appear in the auction house of nasty murderers behind. Oddly enough, with Gabriel, she did end up clearing her real parents’ with guns and attempt to wheel names of two killings. Not the rest, just yet, but she’s determined to figure out this ever-growing it out the door. The professor mystery. stands up to stop the robbery, In this second tale, Olivia seems happy in Cainsville. The older folk of the town take care of her and watch but gets a bullet for his efforts out for her best interests, so she always feels loved. She works at the local diner, but Gabriel wants her to become instead. his assistant fulltime. Secrets are slowly uncovered by the duo. The kind folk of the town turn into elders; Diamond and team are although not the squeaky clean elders that deserve a ton of respect. In fact, these particular people have a mission assigned the odd case, and the of their own, and are trying to keep her away from the lawyer…but why? clues are sketchy at best. No A handsome man named Ricky comes along and steals Olivia’s interest. The town seems truly happy about one in the auction house seems this new relationship, but Olivia is up in arms. She needs Gabriel, especially since the day she found a dead to have even noticed the one woman, dressed just like her, in the front seat of her car. She and Gabriel are soon facing real crimes that are man who was inside just waiting mixing with preternatural visions that may just send Olivia to an asylum. to don his mask and call in his As it has been with all Armstrong’s series, readers have been given a location that’s dark and mysterious, with other two associates. And there two extremely strong characters to hold onto as they walk through a frightening maze to get to the truth. This seems to be no plausible reason second step along the Cainsville route is so amazing that it will drive people crazy just waiting for ‘Christmas’ to why anyone in their right mind come around again. would kill over a chunk of stone. Reviewed by Amy Lignor, Author of “The Charlatan’s Crown,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Even Diamond begins to hate Suspense Magazine ■ the so-called treasure, because DEEP SHELTER when it’s placed in his office, By Oliver Harris things begin to go wrong for the Detective Nick Belsey is back in his second mystery that is extremely entertaining. This time detective, causing him to believe around, the wise guy detective is leading the reader below the streets of London, down into the that Chaucer has somehow depths where shelters were once planned to be built so that people could travel back and forth. jinxed him from the grave. Of course, the shelters were never built…or were they? Interesting facts send As the suspenseful plot begins, Belsey is on the tail of a stolen car going down Hampstead Diamond to Chaucer’s historical High Street at top speed; yet in the blink of an eye, the speeder seems to disappear into thin air. house in Somerset, and his This is where the awesome riddle begins. colleague deep undercover into Walking through the slightly eerie tunnels, Belsey does his best to find the criminal he seeks. When nothing a world of people who just may comes up, however, Belsey books, remembering that he has a date for the evening that cannot be missed. take her out before Diamond Combining the two, as any good detective would do, Belsey takes his lady friend into the tunnels, which she can solve the case. finds a lot of fun. However…when she disappears in the blink of an eye, Belsey is beyond angry, and a whole As always, this character lot confused. He knows if he reports the incident, he will be the number one suspect. So, making the difficult and his team are sharp, funny, choice, Belsey heads deeper into the tunnels to find out what the heck is going on. Determined to discover more and grab the reader’s attention about this maze that time forgot, Belsey is surprised when humans hoarding Cold War secrets are in residence from beginning to end! there, and he has to play a cat-and-mouse game that Belsey must win in order to make sure he and his girl survive. Reviewed by Mary Lignor, This is a real nail-biter and a great ride for readers, as they spend time with a very cool main character. Professional Librarian and Co- Although Belsey is not exactly the type of guy you would bring home to ‘Mom,’ his bad habits, wit, and charm, Owner of The Write Companion make him a fabulous detective and a whole lot of fun! ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 32 HARBOR ISLAND THE NIGHT By Carla Neggers SEARCHERS This is the latest book featuring Sharpe and Donovan that will thrill readers, as the author By Marcia Muller brings them on a fast and furious journey from Boston to Ireland to the rocky coast of Maine. Emma Sharpe is the granddaughter of world famous art detective, Wendell Sharpe. She is How time does fly! This is also a key member of a small Boston-based FBI team that works on putting art thieves behind book number thirty-one in the bars. Emma and her grandfather have been on the trail of one such criminal who has literally Sharon McCone Mystery series, become a ‘serial’ art thief. The first known robbery took place in Ireland, when an ancient Celtic with a plot so imaginative that cross vanished. And in a move that adds insult to injury, the Sharpe team receives replicas of the readers will have no choice but cross that are sent out after each new theft is done. These crosses are a constant reminder to them of their failure to sit down and settle in for an to catch a thief. exciting read they will not forget. Emma receives a message that takes her to a small island in Boston Harbor where she finds the dead body A young couple asks of a woman. The victim is holding a small stone inscribed with a cross that is an exact copy of the ones she has Sharon for help. The wife in this gotten from the mystery thief, who has just added murder to his list of accomplishments. Emma’s fiancé, Colin scenario, Camilla, seems to be Donovan, is also an FBI Agent, and is more than upset when she heads off to the island all alone. His plan is to suffering from either delusions wait for the thief to make a mistake, but Emma has a mind of her own. or illusions. She tells the private Together, they have their hands full with this ruthless killer who, by far, is the cleverest and most dangerous detective that she has seen they’ve been up against in a good, long time. As they begin work and the danger to their survival grows, they some really eerie things lately, have to deal with not only a crazy person but also the problems that come about when their personal lives cross including a group of people she lines with their professional ones. calls devil worshippers who Te relationships of these characters are extremely well drawn out, yet the author never lets the action are sacrificing humans. Her wane. A definite keeper! husband, Jay, listens to this tale Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ as he rolls his eyes. He basically looks like a man who wants to be AN UNWILLING ACCOMPLICE anywhere else; he is worried that By Charles Todd Sharon sees his wife as a woman Bess Crawford, the courageous and kind World War I nurse on the battlefield, returns in this in desperate need of a mental sixth incredible mystery. hospital, not a PI. On leave, Bess is enjoying her time at home when she is asked to accompany a wounded When all is said and soldier confined to a wheelchair to Buckingham Palace. This proud man is being awarded done, however, Sharon agrees a medal for his incredible gallantry and courage by the King. The visit and ceremony go off to investigate the story even without a hitch, and Bess is ready to pick the soldier up in the morning so he can be sent back if it does seem more than a to his quarters. However, when she arrives to get him, he has vanished. The Army as well as the bit odd. In addition, Sharon Nursing Services holds Bess accountable for losing the war hero, and she’s ordered to stay home until their smells something ‘fishy’ when inquiry into the matter is finished. it turns out that a few of the The following day, word comes from the police that the soldier has been spotted…and he has been accused people tied to the woman’s of killing a man in cold blood. Determined to get answers, Bess travels to the town where he was last seen only story are also embedded in a to discover that the sneaky ‘hero’ has gone AWOL yet again, and the police have no leads. case being investigated by her Paid a visit by Scotland Yard, Bess is accused of irresponsibility, seeing as how none of this would have own husband’s company. Hy happened had she not left her patient on his own. Of course, being that the soldier disappeared in the middle of is a hostage negotiator and the night, and because she’s a female and could not stay in his room, Bess actually did nothing wrong. But the when they team up, Sharon eyes of the law see women as basically second-class citizens, so Bess must enlist the aid of her good friend Simon and Hy uncover a group of to help her solve the mystery of the vanishing soldier and restore her reputation. folks calling themselves ‘The Any reader who loves the wartime era, with the vivid atmosphere and the true events of history that changed Night Searchers’—people who the course of the world, will love this story. Three novels in one—mystery, historical, and psychological—this have been prowling around the author has provided suspense readers with everything they could possibly want. streets playing a weird kind of Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ ‘game.’ Add in the fact that Hy’s company has also been called in HOW TO FALL on a supposed kidnapping of the By Jane Casey director of a political group, and A thriller should start off fast and ‘cool,’ and that is exactly what this author has managed to the plot just keeps getting juicier. provide. The wife no longer looks On page one, Freya, a young local girl, is running through the woods and heading for a crazy, as the kidnapping erupts cliff that hovers over the sea in the small town of Port Sentinel. This is not exactly an area to run into something so much through under the cover of darkness, and sure enough, poor Freya falls off the cliff onto the rocks more and Sharon ends up below. being blamed, forcing her to Sometime later, Freya’s aunt Molly, and Molly’s daughter, Jess, come to visit their relatives go undercover to direct the for the first time in many years. Jess is a bit freaked out at first, wondering why everyone she meets stares at her as investigation. if she were a ghost. Turns out, Jess is a carbon copy of the young Freya who people believed committed suicide. The action never slows Trying to find out how her cousin spent her last days on earth, Jess is working in a secondhand store when down, as the two investigators she comes upon a locket in one of the donations that’s traced back to Freya. Taking the locket to the law, Jess is and their employees find amazed when she’s immediately dismissed. Now, the tale of suicide doesn’t quite add up to Jess, and she finds themselves dead center in the herself on the hunt to discover what actually happened to her cousin that night, and makes enemies in the town middle of a truly bizarre group both young and old because of her investigation. As Jess keeps up her constant questions, she not only stirs up of folks that the reader will never reactions in the town but also within the confines of her family, and soon figures out that she may be getting forget. This is a definite keeper! herself in a dire situation where she could end up following in the brutal footsteps of Freya. Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Highly suspenseful, this is definitely a one-day read. The start is so intriguing that all readers will have to Professional Librarian and Co- know the truth about why Freya raced to death that night. For any age reader, this tale is a true mystery ‘gem’! Owner of The Write Companion ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■

SuspenseMagazine.com 33 SHOOT THE NO STONE UNTURNED WOMAN FIRST By James W. Ziskin By Wallace Stroby Elle Stone is fighting her way through life. That’s how it is for an independent young woman Crissa Stone is a in 1960. You fight with your dead, uber-professorial father, still. You fight off, most of the time, professional thief. A recent clumsy advances from men. And in Elle’s case, above all you fight to keep the job you love, working job has brought good tidings as an investigative reporter-photographer. to Crissa and her team; in Written in the samecozy-noir style as his debut novel, “Styx and Stone,” Ziskin’s writing fact, they have done very well, displays a remarkable command of words, building them into a complex and convincing set and recently getting away with a cast of characters. million dollars. The owner of The body of a local high school queen is found in a shallow grave. Elle picks up the report on her police that wealth is more than a little scanner and off she goes on another case, notebook and camera in hand, and a screw-you attitude toward any unhappy, of course. The money man who underestimates her. taken made up the proceeds that Elle lives and works in New Holland, a large town in upstate New York, a town whose roots date back to the came from selling drugs owned days of manufacturing mill-towns, of which it was one. As with any such town, there are gentry, including those by Detroit drug lord, Marquis whose ancestors founded the town, and everyone else, some so new to this country they do not speak English Jackson. The job, Crissa thinks, yet. And, as in any town, regardless of rank or pedigree, there are those who will do evil. is a triumph…but she and her Facing the perpetual presumption by others that crime reporting is no occupation for a woman, Elle works team soon find out that the all the harder. She beats her rival reporters to crime scenes and she uncovers evidence more skillfully than do triumph has ended in a mess of the police. trouble. Brick by brick, Elle Stone is constructing her career by demonstrating her skill and her determination, and Drug lord Jackson is a little occasionally, she earns the grudging respect of the men with whom she tangles. For they learn that she is willing too confident; he takes hardly to take risks, even dangerous ones, to add another brick to her wall. any precautions to keep his drug Reviewed by Andrew MacRae, author of “Murder Miscalculated” for Suspense Magazine ■ money safe, or even secret, from his fellow crooks. For example, MR. MERCEDES By Stephen King Cordell King, an underling of Jackson, shares information The title may bring about a flashback of a car that once took the reading world by storm— about the cash with Crissa, and even though this novel comes from the same amazing mind who created that ‘killing machine’ as well as with Larry Black, a decades ago—this deadly auto has nothing to do with the supernatural. colleague of hers, and Cordell’s On a drizzly, cold morning, people gather in front of an auditorium waiting for a Job Fair, cousin, Charlie Glass. Crissa when out of the fog comes a Mercedes, plowing through the crowd. People die tragically, and the and her buddies don’t have a beast in the mask seen behind the steering wheel is never caught. whole lot of time to plan the Brady Hartfield is the ‘token’ retired detective who doesn’t know what to do now that his robbery, yet it goes off without ‘cop life’ is over. His only action seems to be sitting and watching TV while he contemplates committing suicide. a hitch. But the celebration time However, Brady gets another chance to feel alive when a letter arrives from ‘Mr. Mercedes’—one of three killers is short, as Crissa must go on the that Brady was never able to catch. run with a lot more money than Pulled into the world of a young, computer-savvy man who knows how to hide in plain sight, Brady gets a she thought she would have in much needed shot of adrenaline from his ‘written’ bait. In an attempt to end the retired detective for good, the hand. killer makes huge mistakes—angering Brady and allowing him to come back with a vengeance. Unearthing the Heading for Florida to past, Brady throws himself into the unsolved case. Hired by the sister of Mr. Mercedes’s most disturbed victim, deliver half of the cash to Brady and his small crew go after the killer, hoping to bring him down before he gets the chance to make a bigger someone else, more trouble name for himself. ensues as trust becomes an Although most fans expect (and wish) for that supernatural/horrific nugget in all of King’s works, this issue. The women in thismystery involves very real people. No ghosts, firestarters, or ‘domes’ are offered up, but the references to24 scenario don’t get along well, certainly fit as time ticks away for a desperate cop to stop a screwed-up killer. Perhaps longtime readers will miss and Crissa is more than wary that shiny, self-healing Christine, but even if you do, this is most definitely a roller-coaster you’ll want to ride. of a man named Roy Mapes, a Reviewed by Amy Lignor, Author of “The Charlatan’s Crown,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of meth addict who is deep in debt. Suspense Magazine ■ Back in Detroit, Jackson INSIDE MAN is definitely not taking the By Jeff Abbott theft of his money lying down. Sam Capra is a former CIA operative who is now the proud owner of a bar in Coconut Grove, Hiring Frank Burke, an ex-cop, Florida. One evening when Sam is enjoying life, he’s visited by another former operative, Steve he makes it Burke’s job to track Robles. Steve is someone Sam used to know, but it doesn’t take long before this old acquaintance down the cash before some of upsets his calm way of life. Steve is murdered outside of Sam’s business, and Sam soon learns the other mobsters can get hold about a client his friend was working for named Cordelia. of it. The only thing is, this ex- Sam decides to avenge Steve’s murder, and in order to begin, he needs to locate the mysterious cop has a plan all his own and client and learn why she was in need of Steve’s protection. Turns out, it’s not that easy; Cordelia will do anything to make his just happens to be a member of the crime family she wants to be protected from. The situation forces Sam to go wishes come true. back into CIA mode. Getting a new identification, he becomes Sam Chevalier and heads to San Juan, Puerto Crissa is an extremely Rico. Seems that Steve was working for the woman there, and Sam must now pose as Cordelia’s boyfriend to powerful and intelligent heroine become the ‘inside man’ at the Varela family compound. and in this, the third book Upon arrival, Sam is met by one of Cordelia’s brothers—the basic hit man—and Rey Varela, Cordelia’s starring the avid thief. Readers father and head of the family. Sam is invited to attend dinner. There, he begins a path to dealing with a frightening receive a masterful plot they dad whose more than a tiny bit on the crazy side, as well as brothers who fight over what they will get once won’t soon forget! senility takes their father completely, and an extremely miserable half-sister. To solve this case, avenge his friend’s Reviewed by Mary Lignor, name, and get out of there alive, Sam must use everything he’s ever learned in his past. Professional Librarian and Co- Chases, fights, family dilemmas, and characters that are so engaging and unusual that the reader will not Owner of The Write Companion soon forget them, this author has laid it all out on the table for a truly wild ride. ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 34 TOP SECRET THE SHIELD By W.E.B. Griffin with William E. Butterworth IV By Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore A thrilling new series entitled Clandestine Operations has begun, opening doors into special ops, investigating the path to the Cold War, and unveiling clandestine connections between Sholes and Moore have Argentina and Germany during WWII. followed up “The Blade” with an In this, the first in the series, the year is 1945. The Nazi’s order the assassination of the even greater, nail-biting thriller President of Argentina, Jorge Frade. In addition, the bloody murder of two Nazi officers occur with “The Shield.” during a ‘top secret’ night beach landing that’s part of Operation Phoenix. Retired OSI agent It seems this ‘mission gone wrong’ was a plan to free an Argentine crew from a Nazi ship, and Maxine Decker’s tranquility the murder of the officers is wrapped around an extortion campaign—taking money from Jews in the Fatherland is abruptly interrupted by the and arranging for their safe passage to Argentina in return while keeping the Reich in the dark. loud thumping of a helicopter’s Cletus Frade, the young son of the former Argentine President, has returned to his homeland to take propeller. Ushered to Beowulf, over his late father’s estate. Cletus is an OSS agent; an organization of wartime spymasters that will eventually the “blackest” of facilities deep become the CIA after the war is over. Cletus meets Major Hans-Peter von Wachstein, a Nazi pilot working at the inside the wall of the Grand German Embassy, and they form a friendship: Hans-Peter relays embassy secrets to Cletus, while Cletus helps Canyon, Maxine discovers move Hans-Peter’s money and family to Argentina. Hans-Peter and his father strongly believe that the war is the truth behind the Roswell wrong and Germany has already lost. Incident. She is told that the As a result of this shady dealing, the evil Himmler starts an investigation to locate the embassy spy. And most secret of alien artifacts although Cletus protects Hans-Peter as best he can, they both must wait and watch as Juan Peron, a noted pro- have been stolen and that she is Nazi, gains power in the country. needed to recover them. They This incredible mix of intrigue, diplomacy and, of course, a bit of romance, is fantastic. The reader will note hold the knowledge of science the horror of the war, along with the massive role intelligence agents played in the eventual victory. that is thousands of years more In other words, when this story from a literary team that ignites suspense lovers everywhere comes to a advanced than our world is close, readers will be panting for the next novel. capable of…the science of Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian & Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ displacement…the ability to MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE move an object from one place By Ellery Adams to another in the blink of an eye. Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Virginia is a unique community catering to book lovers During her Beowulf orientation, of all genre—Storyton Village. At its heart is Storyton Hall, a five-star resort which provides a the facility is attacked. She is quiet place for book lovers who want to get away from it all and—what else?—read to their led through a secret tunnel by hearts’ content. the head of the facility who Storyton Hall has been in the Steward family for hundreds of years. In fact, the original is mortally wounded during building was brought to the U.S. back in the 1800s from England. The current manager is widowed their escape. His final passing Jane Steward, with the assistance of her Uncle Aloysius and Aunt Octavia. The Hall is facing a words…“Don’t trust anyone!” financial crisis, so Jane decides to host a Murder and Mayhem Week to provide mystery fans the opportunity to With no one to trust and come together for some role-playing and fantasy crime-solving. And charge them a hefty price for the privilege. with a group of Russians trying The week gets off to a promising start, and Jane has devised an ingenious schedule of events to keep the to kill her, she calls the only guests intrigued, including a scavenger hunt. The prize for the hunt is a valuable mystery book. When the winner person she can trust for help, is found dead in the Mystery Suite, and the book he won is missing, Jane realizes she’s dealing with more than her ex-husband, OSI agent she’d bargained for—one of her guests could be an actual murderer. Kenny Gates. “Murder in the Mystery Suite” is a promising first entry in the newBook Retreat mystery series by New York “The Shield” will take Times best-selling author Ellery Adams. Adams knows how to weave a cozy tale with layers of surprises and a Decker and Gates from the wonderful cast of likeable characters that will have her readers begging for more, and as soon as possible! Grand Canyon to Russia, and Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Class Reunions Can Be Murder” ■ finally to the Sudan as they try to unravel the truth and stop LAST ORDERS: THE WAR THAT CAME EARLY world destruction. Marked as By Harry Turtledove U.S. traitors, they have no one This highly-anticipated final chapter in theWar That Came Early series is truly a grand finale! to turn to except “Tennyson,” The unforgettable transformation of history is complete.… Germany invades the code name for the president, Czechoslovakia in 1938, rather than Poland in ‘39. England and France ally with Nazi Germany and even his trust is suspect. in order to do battle with Communist Russia, and history gets even more unique. By the year Sholes and Moore have 1943, Britain and France are facing Germany across the western front; in the east, the Russians written a gripping, adrenaline are pushing the Germans back. The United States is having a bit of a dust up with Japan, and after rush that combines science, the Battle of Midway, American paratroopers are left stranded, forbidden to leave Japan because conspiracy, and the realities of their active biological warfare campaign. of nuclear war. “The Shield” In Munster, Germany, a church elder protests against Nazi treatment of ‘faulty’ folks (not Jewish), which will grab you and have you spawns war-weary Germans to revolt against the Blackshirts. It seems that Hitler’s Plan A was to win quickly, screaming at the characters as striking hard and fast against France. There didn’t seem to be a Plan B, and countries remain locked in strange you become engulfed in this alliances. The Nazis are using Hungarian and Romanian troops; and England, after all the doubts surrounding the mysterious death of Churchill, is fighting back in Europe and in the North Atlantic. terrifying ride. Sholes and Jewish people are fighting on both sides, some in secret as they don German uniforms. There are new war Moore will leave you rethinking tools coming to the forefront of military inventions, and Japan is planning an attack on Hawaii using biological what you know about Roswell bombs to drop on the island paradise. Then…Hitler declares war on America, which may be too late considering and Area 51 and leave you the Fatherland is breaking into pieces. longing for the next Decker and This crazy, non-conventional, alternate look at this time period is absolutely riveting. It’s a new ‘what if?’ Gates adventure. leading readers to wonder how things could have been if Hitler had left Poland alone and the Japanese had Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, focused on others, and not solely on America. Debates are more than interesting, and the details regarding author of “Sin,” published military strategy are amazing to behold. Turtledove has produced a great ending to a great ride! by Suspense Publishing, an Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ imprint of Suspense Magazine ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 35 THE LONG NOWHERE TO TURN SHADOW By Lynette Eason By Liz Marklund Opening with the featured character, Danielle Harding, readers watch as this strong woman makes a plan to take her son and run away from her bully of a husband in order to find safety. The In the newest book of Liza escape will be extremely difficult, as her spouse makes sure to keep tabs on Danielle at all times. Marklund’s Annika Bengtzon Just when she’s about to flee, her husband sends his brother, Stuart, over to the house to pick series translated from Swedish, something up from the safe…a safe that Danielle has already emptied out for her journey. Just the intrepid investigative missing a battle, Danielle drives away to pick up her deaf son. Danielle has an angel on her side, reporter is drawn to a case on considering she manages to evade both her spouse and his brother. But irony strikes when, on the Spain’s Costa del Sol. same day she runs, her husband is found murdered. Now, she immediately turns from an abused woman running As the story starts, Annika for her very life, to a person who may be a cold-blooded murderer in many peoples’ eyes. is still dealing with fallout from With hubby out of the picture, the level of danger grows even more intense for Danielle. Stuart is now her events in earlier books. Her stalker, and will not rest until he destroys Danielle for taking the life of his brother. She must stay two steps husband has left her for another ahead, but it seems no matter where she goes, Stuart or one of his cronies shows up. woman and they’re sharing Running out of choices, Danielle turns to Operation Refuge, a government program protecting the abused. custody of their children. Annika Danielle is given a solemn promise by head man, Adam Buchanan, that he will keep her safe and stop Stuart’s is using an apartment provided gang from harming her. The odd part is, Danielle’s stalkers always seem to appear, leading her to believe that by one of her sources, since someone close to her is working for the enemy. her own place was destroyed This author is definitely gifted at creating nail-biters that cause readers to sit on the edge of their chairs until in an assassination attempt.the last page. The imagination, fast pace, creativity, plot, characters—she has them all. After this, race to the Because of a police cover-up, stores and look for her other titles as well. You will NOT be sorry! the insurance company believes Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ she’s responsible for the fire and refuses to pay for her loss. On THE LAST TOWN top of everything else, a reshuffle By Blake Crouch of leadership at her paper has left The abbies are coming through the gates in droves and nothing can be done to stop them. her working for an inexperienced “The Last Town,” the third and final book in theWayward Pines series, is a stunning ending to an electrifying editor. series by author Blake Crouch. He assigns her to cover Wayward Pines…the last bastion of civilization. Four-hundred citizens find out the secret to their existence the deaths of a retired Swedish and the horrible truth of their situation: their lives in the hands of a madman. Their small paradise is about to hockey star and his family be transformed into a Hell-on-Earth, so perilous, they will probably all die horrible deaths at the hands of the during a robbery on the Costa abbies—undead, zombie-like creatures with great strength and speed—that are now streaming into their town del Sol. The thieves used gas and eating their way through the populous. Previously held at bay by high, strong electrical fences, the gates are to incapacitate the family—a now open by their creator’s hand, and death is everywhere. Their only hope may be in the form of Ethan Burke, common tactic there—but this the ex-Secret Service agent turned sheriff of Wayward Pines. time, the type of gas was lethal, Powerfully told with break-neck pacing, this story is all action and speed, while still having an economically killing the star, his wife, his descriptive way that puts Crouch ahead of the pack. The characters are humanly flawed, but each has a story to mother-in-law, and their two tell, which adds to the realization and unimaginable horror. Crouch’s writing style is wickedly appealing and children. When she gets to the makes the entire book unique and difficult to put down. scene, Annika finds that the star’s This book gave me enough background to understand the intent of the author and story, while not weighing teenaged daughter by a previous me down with too much previous detail, a credit to Crouch’s storytelling moxie. The ability to bring a reading marriage was in the house front and center in a story like this, with only a brief hint at previous installments is a feat most authors don’t prior to the attack, but has now master easily, but Crouch is on the mark. disappeared. When the Spanish An outstanding completion to a most awesome series, “The Last Town” will put you right in the middle of police find two robbers dead in the grizzly action and absolute terror…and who would want to be anywhere else? a truck filled with loot from the Reviewed by DJ Weaver (WebbWeaver Reviews) co-author of “Collecting Innocents” published by Suspense house, they close the case, but Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ Annika wonders about evidence indicating a third person at the THE GOOD KNOW NOTHING scene. By Ken Kuhlken As she continues to Tom Hickey definitely lived an interesting life before finally becoming an LAPD detective. investigate, she finds the crime His father, Charlie, left Tom and his sister, Florence, with a very abusive mother when they were involves people from earlier only children before vanishing into thin air. The siblings ran, leaving that terrible life behind. cases on which she’s reported— Now 1936, Tom’s current job has him dealing with a police chief who’s a little on the shady cases that put her in physical side. But life turns odd when Bud Gallagher appears in Tom’s world and shows him a manuscript danger. It leads her to dig into that was written by his long-disappeared father. This document is supposed to unveil the reason the drug trade in an area that why Charlie left. You see, there are issues with this manuscript, especially seeing how a book has been nicknamed “Costa del written and published by another man is identical to what Charlie wrote. This apparent theft is all Tom needs to Cocaine.” But the key to the start looking for his father, determined to locate Charlie no matter what the cost. case lies on a farm fifty years in Surprises come from everywhere. Tom uncovers news that the presumed dead gunman, Harry Longabaugh, the past, where three girls— more commonly known as ‘The Sundance Kid,’ perhaps had a hand in the killing of his father. As the past is the Troll, the Princess, and the unearthed, Tom discovers there’s much more to this incredible story, with everything from killing to kidnapping Angel—plotted to find theirto theft and forgery, to be solved. place in the sun. As Tom and his sister get closer to the truth about their father’s eventual demise, they accept help from an Those who’ve readevangelist. And as they continue to dig deeper into whether or not an author had stolen their father’s manuscript Marklund before will findand called it his own, amazing historical characters arrive on the scene: from Betty Weaver, who was head of a “The Long Shadow” especially gangster group that included John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd; to the rich and powerful publisher, William satisfying as it wraps up threads Randolph Hearst. woven through her previous This is an amazing mystery set in the age of the Great Depression that takes readers on a thrill ride. It is also books. the first in this author’sCalifornia Century Novels that will spotlight the danger and color of the 1900s. Reviewed by David Ingram ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 36 THE KILL SWITCH THE WHITE MAGIC By James Rollins and Grant Blackwood FIVE AND DIME It’s always an adrenaline rush to hear that Rollins has another book on the shelves. But with By Steve Hockensmith with this, the start of a brand new series by Rollins and writing collaborator Blackwood, fans will not Lisa Falco only experience a ‘rush’ they will be jumping for joy! U.S. Army Ranger Tucker Wayne and his partner—an extremely intelligent Belgian Shepherd From the unique title to the named Kane—have just signed on with Sigma Force. This is a very ‘hush, hush’ unit working for cool cover, this book has it all. the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Their job is to smuggle Abram Bukolov out of Alanis McLachlan is on her Russia. Bukolov is a pharmacological expert and he needs to flee his country because of a secret way to Arizona in order to claim he owns: the key to a highly infectious life form called LUCA that can literally destroy plant life. an inheritance left to her by her General Artur Khazin of the Russian Military Intelligence Department has hired mercenary, Felice Nilsson, mother—a woman she hasn’t to prevent Mr. Bukolov’s escape. This General is looking to utilize LUCA to create an extremely powerful seen or spoken to in twenty biological weapon. years. The prize, so to speak, As the action races from Russia into South Africa, Tucker and Kane attempt to find the ‘kill switch’ for this that she now possesses is a small particular plant that apparently grows somewhere near the region of Namibia—the only biological species that shop that Alanis never knew can shut LUCA down. As the partners work to retrieve the plant and get Bukolov to the U.S., someone is telling existed, where her mother ran a the Russians where they are by keeping an eye on every move the partners make. tarot card reading business. As the clock ticks down (much like 24), Tucker and Kane do their best to achieve success, while working to Not knowing what to do discover who the mole is in their organization before the entire world ends up to be only a memory. with the shop, Alanis decides A truly exciting start to what should be an incredible series, Tucker Wayne is a perfect action hero and she will keep the place open canine Kane, shines as the only one Tucker can trust. Rollins’s collaborator on this series, Blackwood, has temporarily while she attempts worked with both Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy, and has proven to be a military suspense master right along to figure out who is responsible with the rest of them. Everyone will love it! for her mother’s demise; she Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ knows something just doesn’t add up, and she won’t stop THE SUM OF HIS WORTH until she finds out what really By Ron Argo happened, and why. Mom In today’s day and age, we don’t think about the prejudices of races. Yes, there are some who wasn’t a princess or an angel, so do not get along with others, but we don’t worry about segregation and the beatings and killings Alanis has her work cut out for associated with breaking the rules. her. Seems that Mom was a great “The Sum of his Worth” takes the reader on a journey when blacks and whites wouldn’t con artist, and Alanis thinks she think about mixing in the south. Even though laws were trying to be changed to overcome may just have tried to swindle these prejudices, there are those in the Deep South that refused to consider blacks anything but the wrong person…and ended dispensable. Lynching was part of life for the white man in Alabama and Georgia. up paying for it. Sonny Poe—a sixteen-year-old—meets Dr. Joe, and they are two white guys in the heart of the south. With the help of an Sonny already has friends from the neighboring town Ash, who are black. He doesn’t see a problem with it, but extremely good-looking cop, does understand how being seen with blacks could affect him and his friends. But Sonny is rebellious and refuses and her mom’s live-in teenage to treat blacks any differently than the whites and Dr. Joe is trying to change the way people think. And some apprentice, Alanis bones up people in the Alabama town consider that to be traitorous and go after both Sonny and Dr. Joe with killing on on her tarot skills, and runs their minds. They group together the KKK and try to murder Sonny, Dr. Joe, and any black person who thinks the business by faking her way about trying to rise above their unfortunate status. Will Sonny and Dr. Joe both die trying to do what’s right? through readings to win the Argo has woven a story that unfortunately, was a little too close to the truth to think of as fiction. This well- confidence of her mother’s written novel will have you gasping and flinching at the corruption and vileness. A very poignant novel, written clients. But as she begins, Alanis in the voice of those of the 60s. Well done, Argo. starts to believe that all the Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story,” published by Suspense answers she’s looking for are in Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■ the cards. The cop assures Alanis that THE PERFECT STRANGER her mom was killed by a burglar, By Wendy Corsi Staub but as Alanis moves forward, she Another awesome Staub story that goes above and beyond the suspense/creepy factor! finds other suspects, and asks Readers begin by meeting Meredith Heywood, a breast cancer survivor. A nice lady who the law to give her the names keeps her strength and courage; she’s created a blog that will, hopefully, give other women a place of three people who had filed to go where they can feel better and relate to someone who has gone through the same pain. complaints against her mom. Some of these ladies become very fast friends, even though they’ve never met each other Not only does she find these face-to-face. These new buddies are Landry Wells, Elena, Kay, and Jaycee. They, with the help of complaints are valid, but Alanis the internet, have become very close. At this time in their lives, discovering people who have been also discovers that some of the afflicted with the same medical condition and have lived to talk about it is a great consolation. townspeople are running scams Sadly, Meredith is murdered! The murder scene, according to authorities, looks staged, and the police are all their own. not able to figure out if this was a random killing or a far more personal one. A bit later, the online group finally This is a fun read and, (just meet when they attend Meredith’s funeral. And when they come together, they want nothing more than to solve a little tip), this author also the crime that the police don’t seem to have any leads on or know where they should go next. penned “Pride and Prejudice Landry suspects that Meredith’s death was not a random act and the killer might be hiding behind a screen and Zombies: Dawn of the name. She also thinks this someone might have hacked into their conversations, and either had something to Dreadfuls,” which will give prove, or vengeance to unleash. readers an idea of how amazing Although the calamity and trauma that can come from the online world is not a new topic, this plot is and creative this tale is. A+ extremely interesting because of the intelligence and sheer grit of the characters involved. With a motive and a across the board! killer that is unveiled over time, this fantastic wordsmith makes sure the story never stops for even a second, and Reviewed by Mary Lignor, that the creepiness factor never goes away. It’s not a surprise when Staub writes a truly unforgettable thriller, and Professional Librarian and Co- her fans will definitely not be disappointed with this one! Owner of The Write Companion Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 37 THE THE PERFECT COED HARD By Judy Alter WAY Starting with one of the best opening paragraphs in recent memory, “The Perfect Coed” by By Cathi Stoler Judy Alter takes off, and doesn’t let up through the course of the book. The central character in this academic cozy is Susan Hogan, professor of English Lit, and The famous expert on western writer Zane Grey, at a small liberal arts college in the Texas hinterlands. She Strip is being lit leads the normal life of an unmarried, professional woman warily approaching middle age, except up even more, for a penchant for landing in middle of trouble. Fortunately for Susan, she also has a talent for as a new casino solving mysteries. opens in Las Vegas. The new Neither of those traits is endearing to Jake Philips, the tall and handsome Chief of the Campus Police, owner of this lavish hotel/ though he feels her other charms make up for them, barely. Susan and Jack have been a couple just long enough casino called January, is Jimmy Scanlon, who is considered by to start to wonder where things are going. most to be the best of the best. Susan hasn’t much time to dwell on relationships when a pretty coed is murdered, and Susan is strangely Jimmy is also a longtime friend implicated, though she hasn’t a clue why. That she needs to find out, and find out fast, is made frighteningly clear of PI Helen McCorkendale, when she is attacked while zipping home on her scooter late at night. who is all set to attend the grand Aunt Jenny, Susan’s closest relative, arrives for a stay and brings her vinegar wit and salty tongue with her. opening. With her help, Susan sets out to uncover the killer. Suspects abound, menace is everywhere, yet through it all, When the festivities Susan must pay attention to what passes for real life: classes, papers, and jealous and conniving professorial come to an end, Helen returns colleagues. to her home and business in Not one to duck a challenge, Susan takes it all on, risking life and limb chasing the killer, driving poor Jack New York and asks a friend of crazy with worry, and through it all, letting readers know there’s a new detective in town, and her name is Susan hers, Laurel Imperiole—an Hogan, Professor of English Lit. editor at ‘Women Now’—to Reviewed by Andrew MacRae, author of “Murder Miscalculated” ■ run a contest in the magazine that would give the winner THE ORPHEUS DESCENT a weekend at January as the By Tom Harper grand prize. The winner, Dawn If you like Indiana Jones movies, or the Tallent & Lowery series, you will love this! High Chapman, is a jewelry store action, ancient artifacts, full-on entertainment…this is a historical thrill ride you will never forget. employee from Cincinnati Beginning in Athens in the year 389 BC, readers meet up with one of the most beloved thinkers who actually refuses the trip at of all time, Plato, who is heading to Italy seeking to be initiated into the Orphic mysteries—the first, before being persuaded by secrets to the Underworld that only the gods know about…until now. Laurel to accept. In the present, archaeologist Lily Barnes, is working on a dig in Italy when she stumbles To say the least, Dawn across a gold tablet. On it is engraved a message that holds secrets of the afterlife, including is dazzled by the grandeur of the directions, supposedly, to the pathway to Hell. Lily and two of her colleagues are quickly asked to sign a the hotel. But during her visit, nondisclosure agreement, and the strange treasure is locked up in a safe. But when Lily’s husband, Jonah, joins the annual meeting of the her at the site, he finds that his beloved wife—and the tablet—have disappeared into thin air. International Diamond Dealers The history and mystery move forward like a bullet out of a gun. Involved are wicked Greek billionaires with is being hosted at the casino. fancy yachts, as well as a slew of strange messages and flashbacks that bring the secrets of a previous era back Circumstances make Dawn uncomfortable with staying, to life. The story of Lily brings her through the same waters that Plato once traveled, searching caves that were but Jimmy pays a visit to her actually carved by ocean waves long ago. Will the pathway to Hell actually be discovered? Well…when following room and encourages her to go in the footsteps of Plato, you just never know. to the Saturday afternoon pool The storylines are very clear, allowing the reader never to get confused or mixed up with character, plot, or party, offering to send her home time period. The research of ancient Greece is stunning and in-depth, and the marvelous characters, both present on his jet the following day. day and long ago, are enticing. Plato’s views were altered on this journey, and the fun and sometimes terrifying Sadly, Dawn should have gone moments revealed will satisfy one and all. You will be salivating over this one, so enjoy! with her first instinct, as she is Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ found by the pool murdered with poison, which turns out to THE KEEPER be a very odd combination that By Luke Delaney includes diamond dust in the The awesome cover alone will spark the imagination and cause the blood to run cold when it mixture. It seems Dawn was not comes to this second killer novel featuring Detective Inspector Sean Corrigan. who she pretended to be, and To begin with, Thomas Keller is looking for a woman named Sam. This search is all about Helen and Laurel begin doing emotion; Thomas is in love with Sam and wants desperately to find her in order to keep her from all they can to clear their friend, harm. The only trouble is, he keeps finding women who look a whole lot like her; women who are Jimmy, off the suspect list by also, as far as he’s concerned, pretending to be her. Well, as all serial killers know, this is a situation solving the odd crime before it’s where Thomas is left no choice. He has to dispose of the ‘fakers’ so he can locate the ‘real’ Sam too late. because he knows she needs to be saved. The scenes in this book Into this mental mix walks Detective Inspector Sean Corrigan. He seems to have a nifty sort of gift for are colorful, taking place in Las delving into the brains of psychos, and this is yet another killer he is about to follow through a maze of death. Vegas and New York. Yet when When a lady by the name of Louise Russell comes up missing, Sean is determined to locate this latest crazy before the changes occur, the writer the woman, like others before her, turns up dead. Closer and closer Sean gets with the help, or hindrance, of a does it so easily that readers have no problem following the criminal psychologist and team members from the police force who, most of the time, don’t know what they are tale as they ‘view’ both locales talking about. leading up to a super-terrific One of those true killer thrillers, Luke Delaney has offered up a creep fest that readers love to sink their ending. Enjoy! teeth into. So intriguing, this is one quick read filled with everything from the hero to the dark and disturbing. In Reviewed by Mary Lignor, addition, readers may just look at people they’ve known for years in a different light, and make sure to bolt their Professional Librarian and Co- doors before retiring for the evening. This type of crime fiction is beloved; the type that fans will not put down Owner of The Write Companion for fear they’ll miss something. A definite keeper! ■ Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 38 THE BELLINGHAM BLOODBATH THE CITY By Gregory Harris By Dean Koontz This is a terrific story featuring Detective Colin Pendragon, and his partner, Ethan Pruitt. Set in jolly old England, readers are presented with two very different cases in this Victorian Jonah Ellington Basie mystery that will keep them on their toes until the very end. Hines Eldridge Wilson Captain Trevor Bellingham is a member of the Queen’s Life Guard. In a tragic occurrence, Hampton Armstrong Kirk, is the he and his wife are killed in their home. The authorities watching out for the Guard would like character’s name, and it flows nothing more than for Pendragon and Pruitt to solve the crime as fast as possible. Or…perhaps as beautifully off the tongue as there is a cover-up in the works that will keep the truth away from public eyes. this incredible story does inside When Colin and Ethan return home, there is a lady waiting for them. Lady Nesbitt-Normand is absolutely the mind. It’s a tale that hits the beside herself because her prize-winning dog has been kidnapped. Lady Priscilla Elizabeth Windsor Hanover soul and proves that if you own Nesbitt-Normand, is the name of the poor pedigree canine, and even though the detectives have a murder case passion for life and the particular on their hands, they still agree to do all they can to find the missing pup. Colin is absolutely sure he can solve the place you are living in, that place Guard’s case in three days and, if he can’t, he’ll simply turn the reins over to other authorities. But in the middle will return your passion tenfold of trying to fulfill his promise, he is literally stopped in his tracks at every turn by Scotland Yard, and Inspector by providing you with all the Varcoe. The duo must delve deeper in order to solve the Guard’s homicide, and as they uncover secrets, the color, vibrancy, and people pressure mounts to find a very real killer who’s on the loose. you need to make your life an Both storylines come together in perfect symmetry, making for an incredibly pleasing mystery. Colin and amazing one. Ethan have the ‘spark’ of Holmes and Watson, but Sherlock wasn’t quite the charmer (unless we’re speaking of Jonah’s telling his story the movies with Robert Downey, Jr., of course). The author nails it yet again! into a recorder for his friend Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ Malcolm; an oral history, if you will, that brings to light PARENTS WHO KILL THEIR CHILDREN everything from mystery to By RJ Parker music that sparked his boyhood I really enjoyed this read. Although I’ve read about all of the cases profiled, the way RJ lays talent and imagination. them out makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It’s beyond me how a parent could It’s 1967, and Jonah has perform such a heinous act on their own flesh and blood. moved into grandpa’s house with The book opens with a definition of filicide and the possible causes then segues into the his mom. Creativity runs in this first of ten cases highlighted in the book. What strikes me, and I’m sure all readers will notice, is family: grandpa is a piano man, that statistically speaking, more often than not, the child’s mother is the one who commits the and mom was a singer. Grandpa murder; in fact, only two instances of father’s committing filicide are included in the book. has a piano in the home and Although the highly publicized crimes of Darlie Routier and Andrea Yates are beyond comprehension, the keeps music alive by playing for particularly gruesome crime committed by Susan Eubanks is the one that haunts me. Eubanks systematically fun every day. Mom, however, shot each of her four children point blank in the head, starting with her fifteen-year-old son Brandon, then her no longer sings. Something other three sons aged seven, six, and four, while the others watched in horror waiting for their turns. I can’t begin happened in her youth that to imagine what was going through the boys’ minds. Her daughter and nephew both survived that attack and changed the course of her future, will no doubt spend the rest of their lives scarred by the experience. and made her far more cynical Throughout the book, RJ interjects his thoughts and opinions on society’s view, about mother’s pointing than she originally was. She out that society on a whole considers mothers to be the primary caregiver and nurturer. Each of the cases are works hard, pressing morals and briefly touched upon and in my opinion, it would have been a more compelling read if the cases were explored values into her son, teaching him a little further, perhaps introducing aspects of the case not previously published. It also would have been nice to to never be half-a-man. have a few current cases included. Jonah grows and explores All in all, “Parents Who Kill Their Children” is a great read for aficionados of true crime. If you are, take the his abilities and talents, yet the time to look up one of RJ’s fourteen other true crime books. city is difficult, especially when Reviewed by Jodi Ann Chapters (ChaptersandChats.com) ■ danger crosses his path. This artistic soul must fight malice, WHAT STRANGE CREATURES anger, and envy, at times, in By Emily Arsenault order to follow his mother’s This is the story of the Battle family. What you would call a very dysfunctional clan, the direction and become the good Battles dwell in Thompsonville, Massachusetts, living quiet, boring lives. However, when a cold- man she wants him to be. blooded murder happens too close to home, this dysfunctional family literally becomes their last Koontz is a name generally name—battling to save one of their own from the cellblock. linked to the genres of horror It’s Theresa Battle who is having a difficult time. She’s been struggling to write a dissertation or fantasy. His supernatural she may never finish, the way she’s going. Theresa has just offered to dog-sit for her brother’s capabilities are beloved by girlfriend, Kim Graber, who is a local waitress. Theresa already has a houseful of pets, but doing fans when it comes to the Odd this chore will not be a problem. Her daily routine includes her job, which is copywriting for a local candle Thomas series. But with this making company. Not the most exciting existence, but Theresa has always stated that the Battles are used to tale, it’s almost like the reader is disappointment. Especially when it comes to her brother Jeff. To Theresa, he is the absolute definition of a loser. spending a moment in the sun. But she must ask herself if the loser that annoys her so much could actually be a murderer. Even when the dark clouds come When Kim Graber’s body is discovered, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that points straight around, hearing Jonah’s tale is like a dream, where nothing bad to Jeff as being the killer, and he is thrown in jail and immediately charged. Although the Battles aren’t exactly will happen as long as ‘the city’ is buddies, they are blood. Using everything she can find to prove her brother’s innocence, Theresa listens to Kim’s on his side. coworkers and unravels a great many mysteries. As Theresa moves forward, her gut instinct seems to be correct. This is one that willnever be Blaming her brother was too quick an answer, and as Theresa digs, she unearths the fact that Kim was trying to forgotten. Bravo! discredit a local ‘big wig’ that she shared a history with, as well as many other suspects with some seriously dark Reviewed by Amy Lignor, secrets. Author of “The Charlatan’s This book is filled with humor, which is somewhat unusual in a mystery/thriller, but a great thing to behold. Crown,” published by Suspense The dialogue is very smartly written, and the plot is one you will stick to until the very end. Publishing, an imprint of Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion ■ Suspense Magazine ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 39 CHILDREN OF THE STONE BOY REVOLUTION By Sophie Loubiere By Peter Robinson Madame Preau has spent several years living in a convalescent home, and is now beyond happy that she is able to return to her home located just outside of Paris. But as with all time spent away, Inspector Banks is back! when she arrives back, she notes that there have been many changes made to the neighborhood. And the slew of fans, as well Where there used to be a lovely garden next door, there is now a brand new house. It is not the sight as the lover of the English of the house that’s disturbing, it is the slightly uncomfortable fact that she can literally look directly mystery, will be thrilled with into the neighbors’ windows, if she so wishes. this author’s latest. The new neighbors have two children who play in the yard most of the time when they are not To begin, a former in school. But there is another young boy that looks ill, and he spends his time tossing stones at Madame Preau’s college lecturer by the name window in order to get her attention. But what begins as only a slightly odd situation becomes a serious issue when of Gavin Miller, is discovered the family in the house looks at her strangely and tells Madame Preau that no other boy exists in the household, and on a path underneath a that she’s hallucinating. railroad bridge in the English To make up for her increasing feeling of loneliness, Madame spies on the two children at play, continuing to countryside. Right off the state that there are three, not two, even though the parents continue to deny that this ‘stone-throwing’ boy exists. bat, it is difficult to find a Madame Preau offers piano lessons to the daughter in order to grill her for more information. She will stop at motive for the crime, but they nothing to prove she’s not the requisite ‘crazy old lady,’ and even calls children’s services, and asks at the school immediately rule out robbery where she used to teach—both of which cannot find any record of another child. seeing as that the man still Madame Preau is a perfect protagonist; not willing to give up without a fight, she becomes determined to save holds £5,000 in his pocket, this supposedly non-existent boy from harm. And the readers will be more than surprised when the question of undisturbed. ‘real’ or ‘figment of the imagination’ is solved. Detective Chief Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion■ Inspector Alan Banks, is THE WEDDING SOUP MURDER heading up the investigation; By Rosie Genova an investigation that leads Mystery writer Victoria Rienzi is in the soup. Literally. Victoria comes back to her Jersey shore roots to write a into a very snooty world new book and learn the ins and outs of Casa Lido, her family’s restaurant business. Her nonna (that’s grandmother where he and his team end up for all you non-Italians) rules the restaurant with a cast-iron hand, right down to dictating that exactly five tiny questioning some very rich handmade meatballs go into each serving of the restaurant’s famous wedding soup. and powerful folks, who are When the restaurant is hired to provide the soup for a huge wedding at a swishy local beach club, it means definitely not happy about his Victoria must make 1,000 meatballs and also serve the soup at the wedding. The father of the bride, Dr. Chickie, is a intrusion into their society. As close family friend and local orthodontist, who was responsible for straightening many local kids’ teeth—including the case remains up in the air, Victoria’s—so Victoria wants everything to go perfectly. The wedding itself comes off without a hitch, despite trying to find out exactly how dueling head chefs and a tense encounter between Dr. Chickie and the beach club president. the victim died—still unsure When the body of the club president is found on the beach below a high seawall, and Dr. Chickie is the prime whether murder is actually suspect, Victoria’s family begs her to help him. After all, she writes mysteries, so she should be able to solve this the cause—the policemen one and clear Chickie, right? With the help of her sister-in-law Sofia, and the reluctant help of her nonna, Victoria must dig deeper and deeper discovers some old secrets that just may put her in the soup for good. into the dead man’s life, as well “The Wedding Soup Murder” is the second in Rosie Genova’s delightfulItalian Kitchen Mystery series. I love as his associates. The oddest the characters and the atmosphere, and the plot has more twists in it than a bowl of rotini. Yummy fun! part to Banks is the fact that Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Funerals Can Be Murder,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint a man like the victim—a man ■ who had been disgraced at his of Suspense Magazine job—would be the owner of a SAVAGE THE SKIN COLLECTOR pile of money. By Jeremy Robinson & Sean Ellis By Jeffrey Deaver Told to back off “Savage” starts off with simple questions. What really happened This is the latest book by number one because he and the police when Stanley found Livingstone? What was Livingstone doing NY Times bestselling author Jeffrey Deaver. are pressured by the rich and during all the time that he was ‘lost’? While this book is not a sequel to “The Bone famous, Banks stays himself In this latest Chess Team adventure, the team is back, but I Collector,” it does bring the reader back to and refuses to go anywhere would be hard pressed to say they are organized. King, fresh off a time when Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia until the crime is solved. His his 3,000 year adventure, isn’t sure how to relate to his friends and Donaghy first met and were chasing a killer cohorts, detectives’ Cabbot teammates. He is distant and aloof. The others are not sure what to who makes his killings very personal against and Winsome, are all very make of their leader who traveled and lived thousands of years B.C. Lincoln. bright, with just the right in the mere blink of an eye. All personal issues are placed on the Deaver does a masterful job taking the amount of attitude to plough back burner when they get a call asking for their help in rescuing reader on an emotional ride and how this new forward and get the answers the kidnapped president of the Republic of the Congo in Central killer is stirring up old memories of Richard with Banks despite any Africa. They are needed to rescue the president and help stabilize Thompson (The Bone Collector). “The roadblocks that may appear. the region. King agrees and his team follows. Skin Collector,” who is killing his victims by Moving along quite What follows in “Savage” is much more than a political thriller. tattooing them with a lethal poison, leaves quickly, this author is once Robinson and Ellis have combined technology, archeology, and clues within the art work; Lincoln is trying to again impressive with his even a little microbiology with the question they ask better than any come to terms with his own demons and being storytelling, and the plot is other authors today: what if? What if the team gets split up in three haunted by a killer called “The Watchmaker” a whole lot of fun. Banks is parts and has no idea where the other members are? What if science (“The Cold Moon”), who just died in prison. very likeable, along with his got it all wrong and ‘ancients’ still inhabit the earth? And what if It is not an easy thing for an author that fellow detectives, and readers Livingston’s discoveries would have altered science and political has had so much success to continue to raise are always hoping he hangs balance in the eyes of the world? the bar with their writing, but “The Skin around for a good, long time “Savage” will take you deep into and under the Congo, and Collector” is Deaver’s best book to date. Fans to come. even deeper into your mind and imagination. It has an ending that won’t be able to put the book down once Reviewed by Mary Lignor, will leave you gasping for air, and the only thing you may have left they pick it up. If Deaver’s goal was to deprive Professional Librarian and to breathe is carbon dioxide. “Savage” takes the Chess Team to new readers of sleep, he did that and so much Co-Owner of The Writeheights and will leave you thinking: what if? more. Reviewed by JM LeDuc, author of “Sin,” published by Suspense Companion ■ Reviewed by John Raab ■ Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 40 From the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson books: Agent Dallas — an adrenaline-junkie undercover specialist who infiltrates criminal groups.

“Sellers has once again hit it out of the park.” —Bookbitch.com “L.J. Sellers has written a high velocity, adrenaline rush of a thriller.” —Suspense magazine

A new Agent Dallas Thriller The Trap — is coming in December

This series is available in print, ebook, and audio formats. http://ljsellers.com © iStockphoto.com/Ppaule858

SUSPENSE-target-trigger-v1.indd 1 8/30/2014 12:18:59 PM Movies SIN CITY: A Dame to Kill For 2014 Genre – Crime/Thriller (R) Nine years after the original Sin City that spawned a new film noir style, co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite again to bring Miller’s Sin City graphic novels back to the screen. Don’t worry if, like me, you didn’t see the first Sin City, you will still enjoy the story and the stunning, unique, visual style, now in 3D. The effect of creating a film with the look of the graphic novel, sometimes the exact scene frame of the comic, is truly an experience to savor on the big screen. Two of the film’s four segments are based on the six-issue Sin City comic: A Dame to Kill For and the single run Just Another Saturday Night. Each story is told as a separate storyline with each intersecting and then glancing off each other in their own showcase. Dwight (Josh Brolin) is so in love with Ava (Eva Green) that he will ‘kill for the dame’ even though he knows she is not worthy of his trust, having betrayed him before. She claims that her husband will soon kill her. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Johnny, a gambling hustler, who falls foul of Senator Roark (Powers Boothe) when he wins at the table. Nancy Calahan (Jessica Alba) is emotionally struggling with the suicide of John Hartigan (Bruce Willis), and though revenge is what she seeks, she can’t seem to find the courage to act. In each, as in the comics, Marv (Mickey Rourke) becomes involved, and when you have Marv with you that means there will be blood. Sin City is filled with a dark menagerie of characters played to perfection by names such as Rozaria Dawson, Jeremy Piven, Ray Liotta, Christopher Lloyd, Stacy Keach, and even Lady GaGa. It’s hyper-violent and a crazy, wild ride, with a claustrophobic atmosphere conveying the feeling that these characters are trapped in this terrible, dangerous world from which there is no escape, only small triumphs over greater evils. As the poster says, “There is no justice without sin.” Especially when this sinning is so good to watch. Reviewed by Susan May, Author of “Back Again” ■ THE SKELETON TWINS 2014 Genre – Drama (R) Estranged twins Marv Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristin Wiig) both cheat suicide attempts on the same day in this tightly scripted mix of dark comedy and family drama. A timely film, indeed, after the untimely death of Robin Williams. The Skeleton Twins highlights beautifully the complexity of human beings and human relationships. When Milo agrees reluctantly to come back and live with Maggie and her husband after his failed suicide attempt, he be- comes the third wheel in their household. Inadvertently, he becomes the catalyst for Maggie to question why she is unhappy when she seemingly has everything going for her. Director Craig Johnson takes his time revealing why the siblings hadn’t spoken in a decade, but there is nothing slow or uninvolving in the way he leads us to this revelation. Wiig and Hader give nuanced performances, and this film might put to rest the expectation, after Bridesmaids, that Wiig can only do comedy. She does drama very well, thank you. Hader is also incredibly heartwarming and real as the gay sibling struggling with the disappointments of life. Luke Wilson, as Wiig’s ever-enthusiastic husband, adds the comic charm that his own real- life sibling, Owen Wilson, seems to have lost by over-playing the same character in every film. Ty Burrell, in a small but key role, also breaks out from the comedic expectations placed on him after his Modern Family success. This small ensemble cast has pulled together an involving, emotional journey pinned around the idea that the human condition, no matter who you are (and I’m thinking of Robin Williams again here), is complex and challenging. It reminds us that what is assured is life’s ups downs and that hanging on tight to those you love might just help. See The Skeleton Twins because it’s funny and sad and thought provoking, and because it will make you hug your sibling or your loved ones a little tighter because love shouldn’t be taken for granted. Reviewed by Susan May, Author of “Back Again” ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 42 Featured Artist Genesis Raz von Elder BEATING THE ODDS Interview by Suspense Magazine APOCALYPTIC

GENESIS RAZ VON ELDER IS A RARE TALENT. Graphic designer and digital artist, his unforgettable work is a feast for the eyes. A resident of Munich, Germany, his surroundings work like a “muse,” bringing about his inspiration. From relaxing in Englischer Garten to cheering for Bayern, he lives life to the fullest. Diagnosed with leukemia at the age of seven, Gene still struggles with the disease. But family, friends and, yes, his “muse” allow Gene to escape—into his imagination, to create art that will intrigue. The Photoshop program given to Gene by his father when he was just a teen began the love for his craft. But it’s a graphic designer he extends credit to for starting him down the path he enjoys today. Vivid. Distinct. Vibrant are some of the words used to describe his work. It is no wonder Gene has become an inspiration to other artists who wish only to learn from an authentic original. We’re excited to introduce Gene to Suspense Magazine fans.

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): When did you first realize you had a passion for art? Does the talent run in your family?

Genesis Raz von Elder (G.R.V.E.): A long time ago. I’ve been drawing in charcoal since childhood, but it was at thirteen years old, when my dad bought me Photoshop because I spent many months in the hospital because of my leukemia, and I needed distraction. Digital art became a therapy, but I didn’t dare to share my creations until two years ago. Really, I needed to expand my imagination to avoid thinking about my reality. Now, at twenty-three years old, art is my life and passion.

In visual arts, none, just me. But music, yes.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 44 GOTHIC BLOOD S. MAG.: Your work is so vivid. Can you describe your creative process?

G.R.V.E.: Well, I think I could write a book telling the whole process!

I think of the picture in my mind for a few days, and let it build until I draw the sketch on a sheet of paper. From there, I start looking for the stock needed to create my idea digitally and this is the more boring and difficult part. (Then) I begin thinking about painting the parts of the image where the stock doesn’t fit.

Once I have the stock ready, I begin to create my digital canvas and depending on their complexity, it may take me more or less time to finalize an image. Many times I don’t feel well because of my health problems and I try not to complicate things, and create simple images that end up looking POWERFUL ROSE more complex. This always amazes me.

At the end of my work, I make several tests. That is, I test the results of my image with people, I share smaller versions with them, and at the same time it helps me to polish small errors. After this phase, I upload my work to my stash and from there, (with) written credits, I publish on DeviantArt, Shadowness and share my work with everyone, even on Twitter.

S. MAG.: Of all your incredible pieces, which is your favorite and why? Does each have its own story?

G.R.V.E.: I have many that I love because my works always express a part of myself, my emotions, feelings, frustrations, fears . . . But my art Chained Angel is my favorite because it is full of deep meaning. My art expresses all my fighting against leukemia and how I feel. All of my emotions are in this work.

WHEN THE FOREST WHISPERS S. MAG.: If you had to choose a quote (or a line) to describe what motivates you day to day, what would it be?

G.R.V.E.: If you’re going to THE BLACKLIST hate something, hate the false idea that you are not capable of your dreams. (This quote motivates me very much.)

S. MAG.: What artists, if any, have influenced your work and how?

G.R.V.E.: None. My inspiration usually comes from my own emotions and experiences. Music is one of my main sources of inspiration. There are artists that I like and I like to

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 46 “. . . IT WAS AT THIRTEEN YEARS OLD, WHEN MY DAD BOUGHT ME PHOTOSHOP BECAUSE I SPENT MANY MONTHS IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF MY LEUKEMIA, AND I NEEDED DISTRACTION.” appreciate their art around a whole.

S. MAG.: Is this your full-time job?

G.R.V.E.: Yes.

S. MAG.: What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst?

G.R.V.E.: BEST: Versatility, perseverance, and I’m always inspired. WORST: I’m very demanding of myself, competitive, and obsessive about my work.

For me, every new creation is a challenge, a challenge that I impose myself, calls on 200 percent of my creative abilities.

S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring artists and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write?

G.R.V.E.: As hard as this all is, never give up.

S. MAG.: What brings you joy?

G.R.V.E.: Create art, play piano, and listen to music.

S. MAG.: Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten?

G.R.V.E.: Firstly, alive! And to keep creating art.

We’d like to thank Gene for taking the time to speak with us. To learn more about this incredibly talented man, check out his sites at http://razielmb.weebly.com, http://razielmb.deviantart.com, or http://shadowness. com/razielmb. ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 47 Forensic Files

Q&A: HOW WOULD THE TIME OF DEATH BE DETERMINED IN A

CORPSE FOUND IN SNOW? By DP Lyle, MD Photo Credit: Provided by Author Q: In my story, the body of a young woman is found by cross-country skiers in high-mountain country. (Average temps in December: 20 to 40 degrees; elevation about 9,000 ft.) If the person had been dressed in heavy clothes, and the body had been there about twenty-four hours, would it be completely frozen? Partially? Would there be any way to determine when death had occurred? —MT, Albuquerque, NM

A: The corpse would be at least partially and could be completely frozen—perhaps with some of the deeper internal organs only partially frozen. It depends on the clothing, exposure, moisture, wind, etc. Also the old rule that whatever happens, happens comes into play here. So the freezing could be either complete or partial. In these conditions, rigor and lividity would be delayed to an unpredictable degree so these would be very crude indicators and not very useful in determining the time of death (TOD). Body temperature might be more useful—emphasis on might—but this would not be very accurate either. If the core body temp had reached the ambient temperature, this determination is of no use, since once the corpse reaches the ambient temperature it will remain stable at that temperature, making body temperature useless. For example, if the corpse reached that temp after eighteen hours, then twenty-four hours would look like thirty-six or forty-eight as far as body temp is concerned. But if the corpse hasn’t reached that temperature, core body temp can be used to estimate the TOD. Not very accurately, but at least in the ballpark. Under “normal” circumstances a body loses heat at about one and a half degrees per hour, but this depends on many variables. Your scenario is definitely not “normal,” so temp would be lost more rapidly. Could be two or three or four degrees per hour if there is wind or cold rain, for example. Let’s say the ME found that the core temp was 40 with an ambient temp of 30. This means the body is still cooling since it has not yet reached ambient temperature. Let’s also say that in his experience he believes the body would lose about three degrees per hour under the circumstances he sees at the scene. If so, subtracting the measured corpse temperature (40 degrees) from the normal body temperature (98) and dividing by the rate of loss (three degrees/hour) would yield the estimated TOD. The math: 98 minus 40 = 58; 58 divided by 3 = 19 hours. Based on these calculations, your ME might conclude that the death occurred approximately nineteen hours earlier. Of course, the major flaw here is that the actual rate of temperature loss might vary from his estimate so, despite the math, his assessment remains a best guess. He would likely suggest a broad range—maybe saying the TOD was between fourteen and twenty-four hours earlier. That’s really the best he could do. So your corpse could be partially or completely frozen and the time of death could be difficult to determine. Except for one more trick: stomach contents. Let’s say the corpse is frozen so that temp, rigor, and lividity are of no help, yet it was known that the victim had eaten a certain food at a certain time prior to his disappearance. It takes the stomach two to three hours to empty after a meal so if the ME found the undigested meal in the victim’s stomach and knew the time of this final meal from witnesses, he could then more accurately place the time of death as within two to three hours after that meal. Let’s say he had lunch at noon, went skiing, and was then found dead twenty-four hours later. If the ME found that last meal still in his stomach he might suggest that the TOD was between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. the day before. This might be your best bet for narrowing down the TOD. ■

D. P. Lyle is the Macavity and Benjamin Franklin Silver Award winning and Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Scribe, and USA Best Book Award nominated author of many non-fiction books as well as numerous works of fiction, including the Samantha Cody Thriller series; the Dub Walker Thriller series, and the Royal Pains media tie-in novels. To learn more about D.P., check out his websites at http://www. dplylemd.com, http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com, or Crime and Science Radio at http://crimeandscienceradio.com.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 48 Ambush By Jason M. Garrett Chris could hardly believe his luck. Only an hour of waiting and there they were. They cut through the plowed field and entered the woods, four in a line, single file. He looked over the barrel of his .22 rifle and watched. An adult male, two adolescents, a male and female, and of course the adult female, bringing up the rear. He had seen their tracks a week ago and had guessed they might come this way again, and he was right. He lay on his belly, hidden just inside a strand of prairie grass, left untouched by the farmer to attract game. It was perfect to conceal his position. From the edge of the grass to the edge of the woods, there was a forty-yard gap where the grass had been mowed short and harvested for hay. He stole a glance down at his ammo box, lying open on a tuft of matted grass. He figured it would take two or three seconds to fire and reload for each shot. If they didn’t run, he could drop all four in about ten seconds, but of course that wasn’t going to happen. Likely he would drop one, maybe two, before the others knew what was happening. After that, they would scatter. Man oh man, he thought, trying to remain calm, this is gonna be awesome! He watched them move across the kill zone, a little deeper in the woods than he had planned. While the woods were mostly clear of underbrush, there were a lot of mature trees that would offer cover, some oaks, elm, birch, and locus. Might be trickier than I thought. He cradled the gun with his left hand, slid his thumb forward along the polished birch stock, taking pleasure in the smooth feel of the finish. He breathed deep and steady, pulled the rifle butt into his shoulder and brought the gun sights into alignment. His marksman’s eye watched his target, the adult male in the lead. He aimed at his chest, sights steady; his target seemed to move in slow motion, stately in his gate, one cautious step after another. Chris exhaled half a breath, then held it. His trigger finger slowly squeezed. ‘Pop!’ The recoil surprised him slightly and he lifted his eyes from the sights. He watched the lead male whirl about, then lunge at the others, crashing into them and bellowing so loud it echoed through the woods. Chris was amazed, and confused, he couldn’t tell if he had hit him or not. He shifted his weight onto his elbow, and with his trigger hand pulled back the bolt, ejecting the spent cartridge. He quickly grabbed a round from the box, placed it in the breech, threw the bolt forward and locked it in. The bellowing continued and he could hear the words, “Cease fire, cease fire, there’s people out here, cease fire!” Chris smiled as he looked down the barrel of his gun, sighting in his next target. Let the games begin, he thought.

***

Mike was alert. Something didn’t feel right. When he heard the buzzing sound of the bullet, he was already looking in the right direction. He saw the vapor trail coming through the woods and instantly twisted in place, the bullet missing him by mere inches, buzzing along harmlessly into the trees behind him. He turned and lunged at his kids, pushing them behind a thick tree and leaning into them, nut to butt against the rough bark of a thick elm tree and out of site of the gunman. “Don’t move,” Mike yelled, “Tracy, step back, get behind that tree, quick!” He watched his wife step back. “Mike, what was that?” she asked. Mike yelled, “Cease fire, cease fire, there’s people out here, cease fire!” The woods were silent. Mike stole a peak around the tree and looked past the edge of the woods and across the mowed

SuspenseMagazine.com 49 area. “Someone’s shooting,” he said, just loud enough for her and the kids to hear. He saw a line of tall prairie grass, waving gently in the breeze. That’s where he is, he thought. “Listen, you all stay behind these trees, hear me? Don’t move.” Mike looked down at his kids and they half turned to look up at him, nodding their agreement. They were wide-eyed with surprise. He looked at his wife, “Hear me?” he asked. She nodded. “Okay, Mike, be careful.” Mike stepped back from the kids and then out from behind the tree, opening his profile wide as a target. He stood there, weight on the balls of his feet, ready to spring. He looked along the grass line, tense, waiting for a shot. He saw a puff of smoke and a vapor mirage at the edge of the grass. He pushed off quickly with his left foot, rushing toward another tree. The bullet buzzed by, again missing by inches. Mike had played this game before, maybe not for keeps like this, but growing up with three older brothers, each with his own .22 rifle, he had seen more than a few bullets shot in his direction. While a .22 bullet can be deadly, it’s slow. As long as you had warning, were quick on your heels, and had some distance between you and the shooter, you could see it, and you could move out of its way. You didn’t have to be Neo in The Matrix to pull that off. After the second shot, Mike knew the first one was no accident, they were being deliberately targeted. He also knew exactly where the sniper was. Now it was all a matter of getting his family to safety—and taking out the sniper. He turned around, leaned his back against the thick birch that acted as cover and looked over at his family. He waved a hand to get their attention before he spoke. Eight years as a grunt in the Marine Corps and three tours in Iraq had honed his instincts and his skill for this kind of business. He fell back into old habits under fire, his family a squad of Marines that he expected to follow orders. “I want you all to look away from the shooter and find a good sized tree behind you, about fifteen to twenty feet away.” He watched as they turned to look. “It’s got to be big enough that you can hide behind it.” As he spoke, his voice was calm and reassuring. “When I say, I want you to run for that tree. Try to run away from the guy shooting at forty five degree angles; it makes it harder for him to aim. When you get to the tree, stay put and start looking for your next one. I’ll tell you when to run.” He looked at his kids, “Okay?” he asked. Both kids turned toward their mom for reassurance. She understood what was happening and nodded, “Okay, Mike.” “You keep doing that until you’re out of the woods.” Mike continued, “He’s shooting a .22, so the bullet’s slow. The further away you get, the harder it is for him. Make sense?” Everyone nodded their understanding. “Can any of you hear the buzz when the bullet’s in the air?” he asked. “I can, Dad,” his boy said. The others nodded their agreement. “Great, buddy, listen for it, okay? Don’t anyone move until you hear the bullet pass by, then get to the next tree quick. You all ready?” “Dad…” his little girl started, her voice quivering. Mike looked at her, “Don’t you worry, Missy, we’ll get through this, all of us.” He looked toward his wife, “Tracy, get the kids out. When you’re safe, find a place to make a call and get the police out here, okay?” She gave him a thumbs up, and that made him smile. We’ll get through this, damn it, he thought, all of us. Mike looked for a tree in front of his position and away from his family, finally eyeing another birch that would work. He waited a moment and then walked quickly away from cover, watching the area where the sniper was bed down. He took two steps and saw the mirage as the bullet raced at him. He lunged to safety behind the tree as the bullet passed into the woods. He whirled around, “Run!” He looked to make sure they were running and then turned back to watch for the next shot, committed to blocking the bullet if his family hadn’t reached their trees before the next shot. He was relieved when they were safely behind their trees and the sniper hadn’t fired again. This was going to be easy. Over the next fifteen minutes, Mike worked his way forward toward the shooter, while his family worked their way back, and out of range. As Mike got closer, the sniper started leading his shots, forcing Mike to get creative, faking to one direction, then another, sometimes sprinting, sometimes walking. Running toward the fifth tree, the last one at the edge of the woods, he sensed he wasn’t moving fast enough to avoid being hit. He strained to increase speed and escape the buzzing bullet when he felt a tug at his jacket. He didn’t slow until he reached the safety of the tree. He stuck out his hands and planted them on the trunk to slow his collision.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 50 Once stopped, he quickly stepped back and grabbed at his coat, worried he would find blood on his hands. He patted himself down and pulled them back…nothing. He kept searching and found a small tear in the side, near his left pocket, a cotton fluff of filler material was hanging out. Without thinking he wrapped a finger around it and pulled, pulling out more filler. Frustrated, he stopped a moment and took a steady breath, trying to calm himself. He should have pushed the filling back in the hole, not yanked on it. He knew better. He grabbed the filler with both hands and tore it off close to the opening, then pushed the remaining tuff back into the hole. He let the piece in his hand fall, watching it for a long moment as it slowly drifted toward the leaf covered ground. He cast a look back in the direction he had just run and discovered a tree limb laying on the ground. It had fallen long ago and was mostly buried under a thick matt of leaves. A lone branch was sticking up from it with the end broke off, revealing a sharp point. He gave a stifled snort of surprise and shook his head, relieved that was all that had poked him. As he stood there behind the tree catching his breath, he took a moment to think. Had he just been lucky so far or was this guy just a lousy shot? Maybe it was some kid who was having a little fun, only now was scared, realizing how much trouble he could get into. Maybe now he just wanted Mike to turn around and go away, so he could crawl out of the grass and run along home. Mike glanced around the tree; he had a good forty-yard gap between him and the sniper with no cover. It was point blank range. Stealing another, longer look, he could see the guy laying there, his dark green clothes stood out in the light green grass. Mike could even see his bright red hair, sticking out from under a camo colored ball cap. He looked back in the direction of his family and thought about following them. This wasn’t combat, he didn’t have any backup and there was a lot of risk rushing this guy across open terrain. That last shot had been way too close. But he was too excited, too determined to get this guy to turn back now. Besides, this guy had been trying to kill him, and could have killed one of his kids or his wife. Nah, he had to teach him a lesson. He took a quick look around the tree and could see the gun aimed right at him. He felt a sense of outrage, of anger. “I’m coming for you!” he yelled out, “When I get you, it’s your ass!” There was no response, the silence in the surrounding woods was deafening. The only sound he heard was the whirring sound of his heartbeat surging through his ears. Mike considered the odds and knew they were against him. It was going to take him five or six seconds to sprint to the shooter, and if he could reload in that time he might get off a second shot, and Mike couldn’t avoid getting hit. He needed a weapon to even the odds. He looked around on the ground, kicking back the damp brown carpet of leaves, hoping to find a rock or heavy stick. Nothing! Suddenly a thought occurred to him. He reached into his jacket pockets and found his blackberry. He pulled it out and checked the screen, disappointed, though not entirely surprised, that he had no signal. That’s all right, he thought as he hefted it in his hand, a weighty device incased in a heavy rubber otter box, you’ll work just fine. He looked around at the trees to either side, working out a plan. His anger quickly subsided as his mind engaged. He suddenly found himself feeling giddy with excitement. He was going to get this guy, and just knowing that he was going for it made him feel alive, just like back in the war. He couldn’t help but smile, he was going for it. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He took another deep breath and then ran. He bolted out from behind the tree, running toward a locus twenty feet to the side. The sniper shot at him, the bullet whizzing by, passing just behind him. Mike raised his hands toward the tree, then crashed into it. His arms compressed, then shoved off like springs. He rapidly changed directions and ran full tilt toward the sniper. As he sprinted across the field he saw the sniper rise up from the grass, no rifle in his hand. He was halfway across the stretch when he saw him reach into his jacket and pull out a pistol. Damn! Mike thought. He kept running, watching the sniper smoothly lift the pistol toward him. The gunman had skill, he could tell in the fluid way he drew the weapon. He also noticed it wasn’t a .22, it was much larger. Mike realized he had been set up, he had worked himself into an ambush. There was only one chance now, Mike slowed for a moment and with an overhand throw, he hurled his blackberry into the gunman’s face.

***

Tracy had led the kids through the woods, taking quick sprints from one tree to the next, just as Mike had told them to do. They had moved far enough that she was certain they were out of range of the gun. Behind a large oak tree, they squatted down to rest and wait. The kids were shaken and worried about Dad. “Don’t you worry about him,” she said, “he was dealing with stuff like this before you kids were born and he’s never got hurt. No reason to think he will now. Besides, we’re still hearing the gun, right?” As if to accentuate her statement, they heard an audible ‘pop’ from the rifle, muffled and faint through the silent woods.

SuspenseMagazine.com 51 Tracy played a good game and it worked on the kids, but she was worried sick. She knew her husband was impulsive and it sometimes got him in trouble. But she also knew he was tough as hell and it was going to take more than one of those little bullets to stop him. At least she hoped. She gathered the kids to her, and they held each other tight. As they rested, they listened for the next shot. They all jumped when they heard a loud series of shots ring out, ‘BANG, BANG, BANG! BANG…BANG…BANG…BANG!’ Seven sporadic shots echoed through the forest. They were much louder than the gun they had been running from. Tracy’s heart sank in her chest as she leaned back against the tree. She felt a horrible sense of dread. Her son leaned into her, her daughter sobbed. They both felt it, too.

***

That little bastard was right, Todd thought to himself as he looked down from his hiding place in the deer stand. They were coming, and right to him. With all the shooting he wasn’t sure there was anyone left. Todd shifted his balance slightly, from one knee to the other, fitting an arrow in the rest and raising his compound bow. He pulled the full draw to the mechanical stop and relaxed. He could hold the arrow like that all day if he needed to, and he might. He wanted to wait for the right shot, the money shot, where she finally saw him and he could see in her eyes that she understood what was happening. He crouched there, motionless and saw her look up at the sky, eyes glistening like they were brimming with tears. He even thought he could see one as it trickled down her cheek. Her kids were pulled tight in her arms. She looked like a guardian angel, offering a prayer to heaven as she kept them safe. Beautiful, he thought. Beautiful. He watched as she lowered her eyes slightly. There it was, she was looking right at him, she had to see him, his profile in the tree. Then he saw it, he saw the recognition in her eyes. He smiled as he looked deep into those blue eyes. It was like he could see into her very soul. He let out half a breath and held it for just a moment, then he relaxed his fingers and let loose the arrow. ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 52 Gregg Hurwitz takes you to the Edge— Just “Don't Look Back"

Interview by Suspense Magazine Press Photo Credit: Nancy Rose Bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz’s latest book, “Don’t Look Back,” comes on the heels of a title we listed as one of the best books of 2013: “Tell No Lies.” Gregg is also a bestselling comic-book writer, having penned stories for Marvel and DC, for the characters Wolverine, Punisher, Batman, and Penguin. Many of his fourteen books have been nominated for several awards. They include CWA’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award, nominated twice for ITW’s best book, and nominated for the Galaxy National Book Award. Here’s a sneak peak, in English, into his latest “Don’t Look Back.”

Eve Hardaway, newly single mother of one, is on a trip she’s long dreamed of—a rafting and hiking tour through the jungles and mountains of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico. Eve wanders off the trail, to a house in the distance with a menacing man in the yard beyond it, throwing machetes at a human-shaped target. Disturbed by the sight, Eve moves quickly and quietly back to her group, taking care to avoid being seen. As she creeps along, she finds a broken digital camera, marked with the name Teresa Hamilton. Later that night, in a rarely used tourist cabin, she finds a discarded prescription bottle—also with the name Teresa Hamilton. From the camera’s memory card, Eve discovers Teresa Hamilton took a photo of that same menacing- looking man in the woods. Teresa Hamilton has since disappeared. Now the man in the woods is after whoever was snooping around his house. With a violent past and deadly mission, he will do anything to avoid being discovered. A major storm wipes out the roads and all communication with the outside world. Now the tour group is trapped in the jungle with a dangerous predator with a secret to protect. With her only resource her determination to live, Eve must fight a dangerous foe and survive against incredible odds—if she’s to make it back home alive.

We are so pleased to be able to interview Gregg and take a look inside the man beyond the words. You can see the interview below.

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Can you give us a behind-the-scenes look at “Don’t Look Back”?

Gregg Hurwitz (G.H.): To​ write a book that takes place in the humidity-drenched jungles of Oaxaca, I decided I had to travel down there. My aim is always to give the reader ​a front-row seat to the action, so I shot down Class IV white-water rafting runs, hiked through ruins, chased after (large) snakes, encountered giants colonies of sweeper ants that ate everything in their path,

SuspenseMagazine.com 53 and saw everything that Eve Hardaway encounters in the course of the book.

S. MAG.: Who is your main character Eve Hardaway, and why is she the perfect person to “star” in “Don’t Look Back”?

G.H.: ​Eve is a recently divorced single mother who has lost track of herself. We’ve all felt that we’ve fallen into a rut at some point in our lives, and she’s at her low point nine months after her husband leaves her for a younger woman. To rediscover herself, she decides to go to a small remote eco-lodge way up in the m​ ountains of Mexico. And of course (because I’m me), she gets much more than she bargains for. In order to survive and get back home to her son, she’s gonna have to dig deep and find the inner strength that was there all along, but buried.

S. MAG.: What was your biggest challenge in writing “Don’t Look Back”?

G.H.: W​ riting my first female protagonist was challenging. It was also the most en​ gaging part of the process since Eve reacts to threats differently than any of my prior main characters. When she’s menaced by a strange man in the jungle, she is clearly at a disadvantage physically, so she has to connect with the parts of herself that are unbreakable to go up against him and come out alive. It was pretty emotional writing the scenes of a mother trying to survive and get home to her son.

S. MAG.: Is there one sentence or one paragraph that you feel captures the essence of the book?

G.H.: “There was nothing left to do but prevail and outlast.”

S. MAG.: Hero or villain? Which do you feel grabs the reader emotionally but which is more difficult to get right on the pages?

G.H.: ​Getting the nuances of a hero is the most difficult—finding those little beats that give readers a way in. In an “everywoman” thriller, the hero has to be accessible. We have to see some part of ourselves in her. Villains engage immediately and drive the plot. I wonder what it says about me that I find villains more easy to create!

S. MAG.: Which piece of advice did you receive early on that you pass along to new authors?

G.H.: ​Don’t write one draft of ten ​different novels. Write ten drafts of the same novel.

S. MAG.: Which one of your books would like to go back and revisit to possibly write a sequel?

G.H.: H​ mmm. None of them. But I do miss Nate Overbay from “The Survivor.” ​

S. MAG.: What is the funniest or strangest email you have received from a fan?

G.H.: P​ robably a politely worded inquiry (invitation?) as​ to whether I was interested in S&M.

S. MAG.: With social media becoming so important to authors in developing a new fan base, do you let the instant access to reviews from readers influence your writing for the next books?

G.H.: ​No. While I love hearing from my readers, I can’t let them drive the stories I tell.

S. MAG.: What does the future hold for Gregg Hurwitz?

G.H.: ​Bourbon, hiking with my Rhodesian ridgebacks, a big fat fun book tour for “Don’t Look Back” (http://gregghurwitz.net/ the-tour/) and an upcoming thriller that is vastly different from anything I’ve written before.

For more information on “Don’t Look Back” and all of Gregg’s work, check out his website at www.gregghurwitz.net. ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 54 Don't Look Back By Gregg Hurwitz

PROLOGUE Terror came as a vibration, a plucked-wire note more felt than heard, primary to the deadening heat, to the flick of unseen insects against her face, to the oppressive night humidity that pressed into her pores. There was excitement too, the familiar stomach-flipping rush of the “get,” and the piano-trill naughtiness of being where she knew she shouldn’t be. But terror was paramount. As Theresa stole up the trail leading upslope from the river into the jungle, mud caked the soles of her sneakers, making her legs wobbly with a sensation like floating. It wasn’t surreal so much as unreal. Dewy orchids wet-kissed her legs and arms as she brushed through, her silver digital camera in hand, set to night-vision mode. Appropriate, since she was on a night hunt of sorts. She broke into the clearing. At the far edge, a fallen tree trunk lay like a parapet. Beyond, the earth dipped sharply into a canyon. Breathing hard, she dropped to her stomach and army- crawled across the clearing, coarse stalks ticking her chin, insects stirring, dampness pressing through the knees of her khaki hiking pants. But she couldn’t take any chances. She reached the log and rested for a moment, hiding behind it. She thought of Grady as she most often did—laughing the GREGG HURWITZ SPECIAL PREVIEW FROM belly laugh he’d had even as a baby, the one that could spread through a room, contagious. She knew that being here had something to do with him—not just here in Mexico, but here in this clearing well past dark, away from the safety of the lodge. Readying her camera, she rose inch by inch and peered over the top of the log. Down below at the base of the canyon, a squat concrete house sat dug into the earth, the far rise spilling across its slab roof. Through the night-vision filter of her little camera, the world appeared green-tinted, an alien landscape. One window was shoved open, a winking eye. Leaves bobbed around the frame’s edge. Blackness beyond. He was inside.

SuspenseMagazine.com 55 Theresa’s head buzzed. For a moment, all she heard was “Why is that—?” the thrumming of her heartbeat and the whine of flying “We could legally vote, Rick. And she was having a My bugs. She took a picture of the black square of the window. Pretty Pony-themed birthday party.” Zoomed in. Took another. And then several more. An image swept in unannounced, her and Rick’s third One clear image. That’s all she hoped for. date, them in the car, driving up PCH to Malibu for a lazy It came as quick as the strike of a snake, a face morphing beach day. He’d guessed her favorite Beatles song on the first abruptly from the darkness, shadowed eyes oriented upslope, try—“Let It Be.” Two hundred and thirteen songs and he’d locked on her precise location. known. Staring back up at her. How far from there to here. And no bread-crumb trail For an instant, his dead gaze nailed her to the spot. And leading back. then she unclenched, a gasp escaping her lips, the camera “Remember Malibu?” she asked. Their shorthand. slipping away from her panic-sweaty face. Lurching away He gave a woeful nod. from the log, she fumbled the silver case, feeling it tumble “I wish you still looked at me like that. Like I was… through her slick fingers. Scrambling to find her feet in the special.” Her vision was blurry—she’d held out until now moist vegetation, she knew she couldn’t afford to search for but then she’d heard the words, even from her own mouth, the camera. The time for hunting was over. and that had done it. She hated herself for being such a Now she was prey. goddamned open book. He spread his hands, laced them again. “What am I supposed to say?” Chapter 1 You’re supposed to say, ‘You’re still special.’ “How many…” Her mouth was dry. “How many times?” She wiped her cheeks. “I don’t know.” Rick looked up at her from his perch on the faux-leather A burst of animation rocked him forward in the chair. chair, elbow resting on the desk they’d crammed into the “I feel like our lives have turned into this soulless, scheduled master bedroom. The computer monitor at his shoulder gave bullshit. Emails and Power Point presentations and emails his face a jaundiced pall. “Five, six. Maybe seven.” about Power Point presentations and none of it matters. Eve wet her lips, fought her breathing into some None of it. Matters.” He was talking fast, which he did when semblance of a rhythm. “Where?” he was upset, words and sentences tumbling out. “It’s like we “Her place, usually.” never stopped and looked at each other and said, ‘We don’t “Usually?” want to live like this.’” “A car. Once.” Her gaze found the airplane tickets in their optimistic “A car,” Eve said. “Jesus. A car.” Her hand had made a fist yellow sleeves on the bookshelf. Their ten-year anniversary in the bedspread, pulling the fabric into a swirl. was nine months off and just last week, she’d cashed in That strangled Inner Voice piped up: Don’t ask. Don’t— miles for a vacation package—a full week in the jungles of “What’s she look like?” Eve asked. Oaxaca. Rick thought the trip ambitious, but she’d studied She could feel the sweat beading above the neckline of biology with a minor in Spanish, so why not? Plus the state the worn nursing scrub top she slept in—Los Angeles hadn’t was the safest in Mexico, none of the narco violence that gotten the memo that it was supposed to be winter. had people going missing and decapitated corpses washing Rick rested the points of his fingers on his kneecap, as if up even in Acapulco. Just a chance to get away from all the to extract the bone. He cleared his throat. “She’s…elegant. petty distractions, the tentacles of modern communication, Does Pilates. Blonde. An accountant. From Amsterdam.” the tiny violations that chipped away at them minute after Elegant. Blonde. Pilates. Each specific, an arrow minute. A chance to clear their heads, breathe fresh air, get punching through flesh. out of range. A chance to remember who they were. Eve looked down at her stretched-out scrub top. She had Seven times. Seven. Times. the kind of plain good looks that aunts called pretty, but Rick’s cell phone chirped a text alert and she couldn’t never had she been described as elegant. help wondering. Past his sallow face, the computer glowed, That’s enough now. Trust me, you don’t want to know his Gmail open, four unread emails. The screen refreshed, anything else. another bold message ticking into the inbox. The life of a “How…how old is she?” public defender, always on call for crises most likely to occur He waved a hand. “I don’t know what that has to do at night, on weekends, in the middle of marital catastrophes. with it.” It was a half-hearted attempt, she could tell, and he “—job I hate, can barely keep us in the house,” he was relented under her skeptical glare. “Twenty-six.” saying. “I’m grinding out hours, get home, no energy, you’re Her mouth made a few attempts before she got the words there with the Home and Garden Network on—” out. “So she was eight when we were eighteen.” “I watch TV at night,” she said, “because I’m lonely.”

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 56 “I’m not a mind reader, Eve.” A car? Really? In a car? A metallic scrape of latch against strike plate announced “I feel like I always let you down, Evie.” the door’s opening. Nicolas stood in the narrow gap, door His cell phone sounded again. She looked away, her and jamb pressing either shoulder, his seven-year-old face eye again catching on the anniversary-trip tickets resting taut with concern. hopefully on the bookshelf. Behind them, Moby Dick sat In his droopy pajamas, he brought to mind John Darling dusty and unread, glaring out from beneath the price sticker from Peter Pan, with his tall, dignified forehead, the glasses it still bore from the UCLA Coop, inducing guilt with all framing oversize Disney eyes. His tufts of blond hair were 1011 pages. She was always going to read it next month. tinged faintly green from chlorine. Despite the avalanche of When she looked back, she saw that three more emails had emotions currently threatening to submerge her, she had to arrived in Rick’s inbox. She wondered how many waited be up in six hours to get him to swim practice. in her own, from the nurse manager, the swim coach, the “Why are you yelling?” Nicolas asked. orthodontist. Life cranking mercilessly onward. She forced a smile out of the black inner swamp, fought She tried to pull words from the molasses of her it onto her face. “I’m sorry we woke you, Little,” she said. thoughts, to piece them together. “We fail each other,” she “We’re having a….disagreement.” said. “That’s part of being human. No one can be perfect. But “No,” Nicolas said. “Daddy was yelling.” we try to figure it out together. Not with…” She swallowed “I wasn’t yelling,” Rick said. back the bitterness. “That’s the deal, right? We keep fighting “I think we could both stand to keep our voices down,” and fixing and trying. Which is the best anyone can ask for. she said. So many couples just…give up or give in.” Rick dipped his head remorsefully and Nicolas withdrew. “I’m tired, Evie.” The air conditioner labored ineffectively. His blond hair was shaggy, his face unshaven, the messy “I didn’t know you felt alone when you watched TV,” good looks on display that had drawn her to him their senior Rick said. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.” year at UCLA. College sweethearts. They’d been warned, His expression of vulnerability choked off her reply. but no. It was gonna be all candlelit meals and late-night Fourteen years in and still the sight of his suffering gave assignations in the Jacuzzi. And now he’d found someone her an ache beneath the ribs, no matter—evidently—the elegant. circumstances. “We were gonna be different,” she said. “I thought you were sick of me,” he said. “Last month…” “Something’s just not there,” he said. “I can’t find it His lips trembled and he pressed his knuckles to his mouth. anymore. In you.” “Last month, you purse-dialed me. You and Nicolas were The words blew a fist-sized hole right through her chest. singing in the car—‘Hey soul sister, I don’t wanna miss a Her voice, barely audible: “It’s there.” single thing ya do…’ It was magical.” He took a jerky breath. “You never show it to me anymore.” He saw her “I wished I was with you.” expression and started to cry. “I’m sorry, Evie. I’m so She wondered when they stopped telling each other goddamned sorry.” things like that. Pulling a thread in the hem of her scrub top, She wanted to tell him to go fuck his elegant Dutch she watched it neatly unravel the seam. Pilates accountant, but she thought of Nicolas beyond the “Then I thought,” he continued, “if I was with you, thin wall and bit her lip, hard. maybe you wouldn’t be singing.” She lowered her head, picked at the sheet, waiting for her She didn’t say anything because he was probably right. throat to open back up. She couldn’t push out the words, but “We never found our way back to each other after Nick her Inner Voice was there, clear as day. was born,” he said, with a slightly practiced air that made It said, When did I stop being something worth fighting her wonder if he’d made this case before, to friends, his for? shrink, maybe even to her. After Pilates. “All the craziness of a newborn, the adjustments. And when he got sick, those GREGG HURWITZ SPECIAL PREVIEW FROM sleepless nights ruling out all the scary stuff. Then the diet, Chapter 2 which grains are okay, where to find gluten-free pasta, all Eve was driving home from work when she ran herself over that attention. I wonder sometimes what we’d have to talk in her Prius. about if it wasn’t that.” It had been eight months since The Conversation She’d wondered the same but had never voiced it. She and her whole life had grown not unrecognizable, but too marveled at how Rick did that. Just stated what he was recognizable. After a cynically brief interval of “trying,” Rick feeling, bold and direct, hitting the nails on the heads, one had moved to Amsterdam with his elegant girlfriend to live after another, no matter what they pierced. And her, lost in a in an elegant apartment where they hoped to spawn elegant haze, groping for bearings. children. Eve had assumed the role of overtaxed single mom

SuspenseMagazine.com 57 always driving carpool or working her hateful better-paying couch in a shapeless sweater, purple streak in her bangs, bare new job. After a training seminar—five days in Appleton, feet propped on the coffee table next to that stack of pre-med Wisconsin during which Rick had returned to resume textbooks she dutifully lugged to the house each night. parenting duties—she’d left nursing to take a managerial Eve said, “Home in fifteen.” position with BannerCare Health Insurance, elucidating “Bated breath.” the small print for angry and despairing policy holders. This “All good?” morning she’d been reduced to tears with empathy and self- “No fires.” loathing after explaining to an elderly former schoolteacher “He there?” that he held no rider for in-home hospice. A rustling, then Nicolas said, “Mommy? Mom, so Zach? It had been that kind of day, a day that had never gotten He got the David Finch Batman figurine, you know the one bright enough to keep the existential questions at bay. with the new Batsuit?” The nagging sense that somewhere along the way, she had His voice made her smile—her first of the day, it seemed. misplaced herself. That she was plodding along like a draft “You’re such a nerd.” animal, pulling her load, managing three gym sessions a “Thanks, mom. That’s a lifetime of videogames and week, hating herself for caring so goddamned much about being smart.” firming up her body, about wanting men to want her who “You’re right. Nerds shall inherit the earth.” she had no interest in wanting back. Where did it lead? She “Can I go spend the night? At Zach’s? Can I please?” didn’t want to become one of those women—strategically The old fight. applied make-up, Trader Joe’s Syrah perennially open in “Honey, we’ve talked about this. A sleepover’s tough. the fridge, happy-hour tequila on Thursdays. Trying to get Other parents don’t get your diet.” back a glimpse of her former self, a taste of the marrow, the Wounded silence. squish of mud between her toes. Desperate to recapture “Look, I’m sorry. I just don’t want you getting a rash that lighting bolt shudder that had gone through her when again. Or cramps. I know it doesn’t seem fair.” Timmy Carpenter felt her up through her sweater behind It sure didn’t. Nicolas had been a great fat calm baby— the gym during the eighth-grade Sadie Hawkins dance, his elbows had chins—before he’d leaned out overnight in when the better part of her life was still stretched out in front his second year, save a perpetually distended abdomen. of her, undiscovered and full of promise. After a few go-arounds with various pediatricians, Eve had The night was moonless, overcast, the freeway a dark finally diagnosed him herself. Celiac disease, a huge relief river glimmering with brake lights. Fifteen more minutes to and a lifetime pain in the ass. For the past three years, he’d the new townhouse outside of Calabasas, closer to her new been largely thriving—in fact, she’d gotten home yesterday job. Every home looked the same; more than once, she found to discover that, in a single lurch, he’d outgrown all his herself pulling into her neighbor’s driveway, puzzled that the clothes—and she didn’t want to risk a setback. garage door wouldn’t lift. “When then?” he asked. She checked the clock, then spoke to her car: “Dial One.” “I’m not sure, honey. But not tonight.” Hands-free Bluetooth recognized “one” more readily A longer silence. She screwed up her face, awaiting than “home” and so she’d changed it for convenience. his reply. After the call with the elderly schoolteacher, she Home. One. When had efficiency become a priority above wasn’t sure she could withstand administering another all else? It never seemed to yield more time; the contrary, in disappointment today, no matter how small. fact, seemed true. With all the screen-tapping and speedy “Okay, mommy,” he said. downloading, her attention span had shrunk to a meager She eased out a breath. “Tuck you in soon, Little.” increment, a Tweet. She missed putting on a record, a CD “Okay, Big.” even, anything other than virtual clicking and instant She clicked off. As the Prius bounced off the exit, she gratification. She missed waiting for a favorite song to ran through the list of what she needed to take care of before come on the radio. She missed not just having patience but morning—review homework, pack lunch, do laundry. God, requiring it. In college, she was the girl who’d sneak away to she needed a vacation. She pictured those plane tickets, still read The Great Gatsby in the stacks, who showed up barefoot waiting there in front of Moby Dick on the bookshelf in their to outdoor seminars—a bit affected, sure, but still. Where cheery yellow sleeves, another promise she and Rick had had that girl gone? How had her entire life gotten reduced to failed to keep. For months, she’d been meaning to cancel the two exits on the 101? trip, and now it was three weeks off. Well—enough. She’d do Convenience had been the death of her. it now, pay the fee and reclaim her miles for another vacation Lanie, the sitter, picked up. “Hey, Mrs. H. Sorry, I mean someday. One less thing to do tomorrow, one more chore to Mizzzzz H.” cross off the list. Eve heard her shift heavily, pictured her reclining on the These things were so easy now: You asked your phone to

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 58 do something and it did it. It took a few commands to navigate AeroMexico’s menu, but she got a customer service rep on the line in short order. Eve’s explanation came DON'T LOOK BACK By Gregg Hurwitz out bumbling and she felt a flush in her cheeks and realized why she’d actually been putting off the cancellation all these months. Eve Hardaway is a superhero. I’m “Oh,” the customer service rep said, still misunderstanding. “Happy anniversary.” not sure author Gregg Hurwitz set out “No.” Eve fumbled to bring up her frequent flyer number on her iPhone. “It’s to create such a protagonist, but he not—we’re not—” definitely succeeded. Eve is a newly She didn’t see herself until it was too late. At first, a dark streak off the corner single mother who decides to make of the front bumper, and then a single flash of clarity. It wasn’t her, of course, but use of tickets she and her husband the biker looked just like her. More precisely: a better version of herself. Same build, purchased for an anniversary getaway slightly more fit. A sleeker model of her Diamondback mountain bike. Same hair— before their marriage fell apart. She same haircut, even, if more stylish, that straight fringe across the back of the neck. embarks on a long-deserved adventure Eve hit the brakes, hard, and the Prius started to skid. The iPhone tumbled from vacation in a remote jungle area in her grasp into the passenger seat. Rubber screamed. She choked on a breath, waiting Oaxaca, Mexico. When she briefly for the sickening crunch of metal grinding, for the thud of flesh against shatterproof wanders away from her tour group glass. But miraculously, the hood swept through the space the biker seemed to on a forest trail, she catches sight of occupy and the car lurched to a stop, piling Eve against the door. a frightening looking man outside a She fought the handle and tumbled out, ground scraping her palms. She stood, cabin, who is flinging a machete at a night air scouring her throat, sweat trickling cool-hot down her back. The wide human-shaped target. She also finds a residential road had no streetlights, just flares from her headlights and various broken camera on the ground bearing porches and windows. a label with the name Teresa Hamilton. Up ahead, the biker continued on, tires purring, chain clicking, spokes winking Eve is staying in the very room that in the high beams. the mysterious Ms. Hamilton used, “Hey,” Eve called out. “Hey!” and she soon discovers that Teresa The helmet didn’t rotate. The biker didn’t slow. Was she spooked and eager to get disappeared from the jungle lodge away? Or blaring an iPod, oblivious? under peculiar circumstances. “Wait!” Eve shouted after her. “I’m sorry! I just want to make sure you’re okay!” As the man in the woods becomes But the woman kept on, fading into darkness. aware that he has been seen, he uses Eve leaned heavily, hands on thighs, panting, her gorge rearing. She thought all his skills and familiarity with the she might throw up from the adrenaline. A muted squawk broke the nighttime still. jungle to create havoc for the group at “Ma’am? Ma’am?” the remote lodge. As physical injuries, The phone. On the passenger seat. tropical storms, and personality “Ma’am? Mrs. Hardaway? Are you all right?” clashes tear the little tour group apart, Eve crawled across, lifted it in a trembling hand, pressed it to her hot cheek. Eve Hardaway calls on reserves of The silky smooth voice, now in her ear. “Are you there?” strength, courage, and shrewdness, as Eve’s breaths came still in shallow puffs. A bitter taste suffused the back of her well as a survival instinct like that of a mouth. She couldn’t find her voice. Bridging the console, one hand shoved into the mother bear, to survive and return to bisque cloth of the passenger-seat to support her weight, she stared disbelievingly her young son back in the U.S. through the windshield at the spot of inky blackness into which she had just vanished Eve watches as one after another on a better model of her bike. of her tour group, their guides, and a “Mrs. Hardaway? Are you still there?” handful of natives who tried to help She thought of herself up ahead somewhere in the night, spared. She thought of them, die at the hands of the lone the cheery yellow sleeves of the airline tickets, the miles she’d planned to reclaim

terrorist in the jungle, but she never GREGG HURWITZ SPECIAL PREVIEW FROM for another trip someday if she ever found the time. She thought of Oaxaca, the gives up. This is an over-the-top, too safest state in Mexico, wild and new and set like a jewel against the Pacific, a cosmic much to be believed kind of thriller. distance from the hamster-wheel prison she’d created for herself. But it is a thoroughly enjoyable page- She slid back behind the wheel of the stalled-out Prius, angled toward the curb, turner as the reader cheers on the going nowhere. intrepid Eve Hardaway. I look forward “I don’t know,” she said. ■ to reading more of Gregg Hurwitz’s novels. Excerpted from “Don't Look Back” by Gregg Hurwitz. Copyright 2014. Published By St. Reviewed by Kathleen Heady, author Martin's Press Used by permission of the publisher. Not for reprint without permission. of “Hotel Saint Clare” ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 59

By Anthony J. Franze Press Photo Credit: Joseph Finder/Joel Benjamin, Lee Child/Sigrid Estrada In this series, author Anthony J. Franze interviews other suspense writers about their views on “the rules” of fiction. Since the January edition, Anthony has profiled the writers of “FaceOff,” an anthology of eleven short stories co-authored by some of the biggest names in suspense. Each month, the FaceOff authors have “faced off” over the rules of writing. In this last face off in the series, Lee Child and Joseph Finder go head-to-head.

Jack Reacher and Nick Heller are two of modern fiction’s most famous characters, created by two of the country’s most famous writers. So it should have been no surprise that a special kind of magic would happen when Lee Child and Joseph Finder penned a story pairing their iconic characters. In “Good and Valuable Consideration,” one of eleven stories in the New York Times bestselling anthology “FaceOff,” Reacher and Heller meet in a Boston sports bar. What starts off as just a couple of guys minding their own business watching a Yankees-Red Sox game turns into an Albanian mobster’s worst nightmare. You’ll have to check out ”FaceOff” to get the rest. Until then, Child and Finder agreed to another kind of face-off, this time over one of Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing.

SuspenseMagazine.com 61 IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT The first of Elmore Leonard’s classic rules of writing is “Never open a book with weather.” Leonard explained: “If it’s only to create atmosphere, and not a character’s reaction to the weather, you don’t want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people.” Joseph Finder disagrees. “I don’t really believe in rules in general, but I particularly disagree with this one. The point of opening a book is the hook, grabbing the reader.” The author of nearly a dozen bestsellers, including his latest blockbuster, “Suspicion,” added, “The weather can grab the reader, it can set a scene, a mood. As long as it grabs, I think it is perfectly acceptable.” Lee Child had a different take, not so much on the directive about the weather, but on all of Elmore Leonard’s rules. “I think Elmore’s rules ought to be considered in the context in which they likely arose. The New York Times probably called, asked him to write a piece, he asked ‘When do you need it?’ they said ‘Nine months from now,’ to which he said ‘No problem.’ Nine months rolled by and he said, ‘Oh shit,’ and so he sat down, thought a list would be good, people like lists, and he dashed them off. Two things then happened that I don’t think he intended: the rules became famous and widely misconceived.” The author of nineteen Reacher books, including this month’s highly anticipated, “Personal,” didn’t say so, but he may be speaking from experience given his own writing piece in the Times. In any case, his point was that “Leonard’s rules should be considered in this context.” As for the weather rule, Child said, “I think what Elmore was saying is don’t use weather as a ‘throat clearing’ device; don’t just go through the motions in the opening. That’s a good rule.” If the suspense or drama in the book is created by the weather—or if the weather serves a purpose or helps grab the reader—“it’s okay to start with the weather.” “I agree with Lee,” Finder said. He added humorously, “Can we do that for this article?” Finder said there are many examples of writers effectively using the weather. “Look at Orwell’s ‘1984’: it starts with It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. That was a terrific sentence.” Finder and Child have in fact both opened their novels with the weather, but in different ways. Finder started a book with It was a dark and stormy night. “I was playing with the old cliché, so it served a purpose.” Finder noted that Child’s novel, “Nothing to Lose,” opened with The sun was only half as hot as he had known sun to be, but it was hot enough to keep him confused and dizzy. “It was a way of integrating the reader to the character and mood; when used that way it works,” Finder said. “Sure, if you’re using the weather as a boring way to set the stage, then don’t do it. But that goes for anything in writing, not just the weather.”

TO HELL WITH THE RULES In the course of talking about the weather, both Child and Finder noted that writers need to read Leonard’s or any other writing “rules” with caution. “New writers sometimes want an ‘operator’s manual,’” Finder said, “but none exist. Lee and I often are asked the secret to getting readers to turn the page, but we can only point to what worked for us in a given book. That doesn’t mean it will work for us again or for anyone else.” Child added that “rules try to capture what worked in the past, but we’re not writing in the past. I’m not contemptuous of rules, we need some basic guidelines. But if you follow them too rigidly, you may lose originality.” So, the weather may work as small talk at a cocktail party, but not as a hard-and-fast rule of writing. If the writer is going to open a book with it, though, it better pull the reader in. ■

Anthony J. Franze is the author of the debut novel, “The Last Justice,” a tale of murder and ambition set in the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to his writing, Anthony is a lawyer in the Appellate and Supreme Court practice of a major Washington, D.C. law firm where he has represented clients in more than thirty cases in the Supreme Court. Anthony also is an adjunct professor of law, a frequent commentator for several news outlets, and the Managing Editor of the International Thriller Writers association’s The Big Thrill magazine. Learn more at http://www.anthonyfranzebooks.com.

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 62 Reporting the Truth . . . Writing the Fiction

BRUCE DESILVAInterview by Suspense Magazine Press Photo Credit: Provided by Author Award-winning author Bruce DeSilva’s “Providence Rag” is the third book in his Rhode Island-based Liam Mulligan series that started with “Rogue Island.” Bruce has won the Edgar and Macavity Awards, and was nominated for the Shamus, Anthony, and Barry awards. His short stories have appeared in Akashic Press’s award- winning noir anthologies. Bruce is also a book reviewer, being published in the New York Times and Publishers Weekly. He was a journalist for forty years, most recently as a writing coach for The Associated Press. His experience in journalism is what spawned his character Liam Mulligan. Earlier in his career, he worked as an editor and national writer for The Hartford Courant and an investigative reporter for The Providence Journal. I guess you could say that writing was in his blood from birth. Let’s take a look inside his latest book “Providence Rag.”

Liam Mulligan is an old-school investigative reporter for a dying newspaper in Providence, Rhode Island. Mulligan knows every street and alley, every priest and prostitute, every cop and street thug. He knows the mobsters and politicians—who are pretty much one and the same. Inspired by a true story, ”Providence Rag” finds Mulligan, his pal Mason, and the newspaper they both work for at an ethical crossroad. The youngest serial killer in history butchered five of his neighbors before he was old enough to drive. When he was caught eighteen years ago, Rhode Island’s antiquated criminal statutes—never intended for someone like him—required that all juveniles, no matter their crimes, be released at age twenty-one. The killer is still behind bars, serving time for crimes supposedly committed on the inside. That these charges were fabricated is an open secret, but nearly everyone is fine with it—because if the monster ever gets out more people will surely die. But Mason is not fine with it. If officials can get away with framing this killer they could do it to anybody. As Mason sets out to prove officials are perverting the justice system, Mulligan searches frantically for some legal way to keep the monster behind bars. The dueling investigations pit the friends against each other in a high-stakes race against time—and snares them in an ethical dilemma that has no right answer.

Here’s our interview with Bruce:

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Tell us about the true story that inspired you to write the book.

Bruce DeSilva (B.D.): Six years ago, when I retired from journalism to write crime novels, I vowed I would never write one about a serial killer. For one thing, it seemed to me that we already had enough of them. Ever since Thomas Harris created Hannibal Lecter, novelists and screenwriters have fallen all over each other trying to make the next monster more twisted than the last; and I didn’t want any part of that.

Besides, after I researched and wrote a long nonfiction article about Craig Price, the butcher of Warwick, I never wanted to get that close to pure evil again. But for decades, the true story haunted my dreams. Price was only thirteen years old when he began butchering his neighbors in a Providence, R.I. suburb. He was the youngest serial killer in U.S. history—and that wasn’t the interesting part. When he was caught in the 1980s, Rhode Island’s juvenile justice statutes were antiquated. When they were written, no one had ever imagined a child like Price. So the law required that all juveniles, no matter their crimes, be released at

SuspenseMagazine.com 63 age twenty-one and given a fresh start.

Today, Price remains behind bars, held on a series of offenses allegedly committed on the inside. I have long suspected that at least some of those charges were fabricated, and he obviously has been wildly over sentenced for them. For example, he was given thirty years for contempt of court because he refused to take a court-ordered psychiatric exam. I wrote the novel to explore the legal and ethical dilemma the case poses. The result is an unusual crime novel in that the murders are committed and the killer is caught in the first seventy-five pages. The rest of the book is devoted to exploring this question: What are decent people supposed to do if the only way to keep a psychopath from killing again is to fabricate charges against him? No matter which side of the question you come down on, you find yourself condoning something that is reprehensible.

S. MAG.: How difficult was it for you to explore the emotions that Liam Mulligan experiences?

B.D.: As a journalist, I often confronted difficult ethical choices. For example, what should I do when I learn that conditions in a state institution are so medieval that residents are dying of diseases rarely seen outside of third-world countries—and the only way to expose it is to gain access to the place by violating a sacred journalism rule against misrepresenting myself? (I chose to get the story by any means necessary.)

But the dilemma posed by the Price case was the most troubling I ever encountered as an investigative reporter. Exposing the truth could force the state to set a monster loose to kill again. But allowing officials to fabricate charges is incredibly dangerous, because if they can do it to him, they could do it to anyone.

My protagonist, Liam Mulligan, is also an investigative reporter for a Providence newspaper. As such, his first instinct is to report the truth. Forcing him to confront the consequences of doing that in this case tortured both of us. Sometimes, there is no right answer when matters of truth, justice, and public safety collide.

Recently, a working journalist who read the novel asked me if he should dig into the truth behind the Price case. I told him I’d decided not to long ago, but that he should be guided by his own conscience.

S. MAG.: How has Liam Mulligan grown from book to book?

B.D.: Creative writing teachers always insist that novels fail unless the main character changes in some fundamental way during the course of the narrative. They’re wrong. The late Robert B. Parker wrote forty Spenser novels, and his private-detective hero was exactly the same guy from the first book to the last. The protagonist of Lee Child’s wildly successfulJack Reacher novels never changes, either. He’s always the Lone Ranger, the mysterious stranger who drifts into town, kicks butt, and moves on to the next town.

But the things I’ve put Mulligan through have changed him. At the beginning of “Cliff Walk,” my novel about the wide-open Rhode Island sex trade, Mulligan believed that prostitution is a victimless crime—that if women want to sell their bodies and men want to buy them, it’s nobody else’s business. But as his investigation dragged him through the underbelly of sex clubs and online pornography, the things he found made him doubt everything he’d believed about both sexual morality and religion.

With each novel, Mulligan grows older, sometimes wiser, and always less cock-sure about the wavering lines between right and wrong.

S. MAG.: Is there one sentence or scene in the book that you feel captures the essence of your writing?

B.D.: In “Providence Rag,” I invented an early childhood for the killer, showing how he gradually evolved into the monster he was to become. On the first page, a little boy is torturing “I CAN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE DAMAGE THE DECLINE OF NEWSPAPERS IS DOING TO THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.”

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 64 a grasshopper with a magnifying glass. I like the contrast between the violence of the act and the poetic beauty of the language.

S. MAG.: Your first book “Rogue Island” won the Edgar Award. Do you feel pressure with each new book to match that success?

B.D.: Pressure was having the city editor stand over me screaming for copy on the brink of city-edition deadline. Pressure was bolting upright from a sound sleep in the middle of the night, terrified that I’d spelled someone’s name wrong. Pressure was having a thug warn that things would “go badly” for me if I persisted in investigating his boss. I find, now, that being free to make stuff up is liberating and pressure-free. Besides, a novelist learns something new with each book, and I’m convinced my third is both better written and more textured than the one that won the Edgar and Macavity awards.

S. MAG.: Is there a character in “Providence Rag” who ended up having a bigger voice than you originally thought he or she would?

B.D.: My first two novels were written in the first person, with the protagonist narrating his own story. But as I waded into “Providence Rag,” it became clear that its moral complexities required multiple points of view. As a result, significant portions of the story are written from the points of view of two of Mulligan’s colleagues, a one-eyed news photographer named Gloria Costa, and Edward Mason, the young son of the publisher who is learning the trade as a cub reporter. This made “Providence Rag” more of an ensemble-cast novel than I had originally envisioned.

S. MAG.: In your opinion, do you feel that a suspense/thriller fiction book should have an underlying moral?

B.D.: “Should” is too strong a word. Elmore Leonard, for example, is one of the best crime novelists of all time, but he rarely tried to do more than entertain. That said, as a reader I prefer books that use the popular form of the crime novel as a platform to address serious social issues and still have readers. I’m thinking of the work of George Pelecanos, Laura Lippman, and James Lee Burke, to name a few favorites. As a writer, I strive to be more like them. Each of my novels has a dominant theme. “Cliff Walk,” for example, explores the consequences of living in an era of ubiquitous pornography and sex-for-hire internet sites. And because Mulligan is a reporter for a dying newspaper, each novel chronicles the sad decline of the business he and I love.

S. MAG.: What scares Bruce DeSilva?

B.D.: I can’t begin to describe the damage the decline of newspapers is doing to the American democracy. Network television news, never all that good to begin with, is being eroded by the same economic forces that are destroying newspapers. Cable TV news has morphed into a sewer of irrelevant celebrity news, shrieking talking heads, and warring propaganda machines. Most online news sites are no better, and the few that try to do an honest job aggregate most of their news from dying newspapers. As a consequence, we find ourselves in an era of misinformed citizenry, paranoid conspiracy theories, and the widespread belief that political opponents are traitors. Real reporting is expensive, and investigative reporting is especially costly. I see nothing on the horizon to replace newspapers as honest brokers of information.

S. MAG.: Did you have a personal goal for yourself when you started writing fiction?

B.D.: Because my wife, Patricia Smith, is a wildly successful writer—one of the few poets able to make a very good living—I faced no economic pressure when I retired from journalism. I approached the first novel as if it were a hobby to be pursed at my leisure. But after the first novel won awards and was lavishly reviewed, my agent and publisher clamored for the next one. Suddenly the hobby became a full-time job. Now I’m in the middle of a six-figure, three-book deal; and just like when I was a reporter, I have deadlines again.

S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in the future?

B.D.: My fourth novel, “A Scourge of Vipers,” is finished and will be published next spring. In it, Mulligan explores the world of legal and illegal sports betting and the impact of big money on politics. I’m now working on the fifth. When that’s finished, my wife and I intend to write a crime novel together.

Learn more about Bruce by visiting his website at www.brucedesilva.com. ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 65 MEG BE READY TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT GARDINER Interview by Suspense Magazine Press Photo Credit: Provided by Author

Edgar Award winner Meg Gardiner’s latest book, “Phantom Instinct,” is getting some of the best reviews of the bestselling author’s career. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Meg graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law School. She practiced law in Los Angeles and taught writing at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Meg is also a three-time Jeopardy! champion. Her first book, “China Lake,” won her the Edgar Award from Mystery Writers of America for Best Paperback Original. Several of her other books have either been nominated or won awards. Last month, Meg was in Suspense Magazine giving readers her selections in the ITW Readers Corner, but now we get to focus on her and her writing. Let’s take a quick look inside “Phantom Instinct”:

When shots ring out in a crowded L.A. club, bartender Harper Flynn watches helplessly as her boyfriend, Drew, is gunned down in the crossfire. Then somebody throws a Molotov cocktail and the club is quickly engulfed in flames. L.A. Sheriff’s detective Aiden Garrison sees a gunman in a hoodie and gas mask taking aim at Harper, but before he can help

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 66 her, a wall collapses, bringing the building down and badly injuring him. A year later, Harper is trying to rebuild her life. She has quit her job and gone back to college. Meanwhile, the investigation into the shootout has been closed. The two gunmen were killed when the building collapsed. Certain that a third gunman escaped and is targeting the survivors, Harper enlists the help of Aiden Garrison, the only person willing to listen. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered has cut his career short and left him with Fregoli Syndrome, a rare type of face blindness that causes the delusion that random people are actually a single person changing disguises. As Harper and Aiden delve into the case, Harper realizes that her presence during the attack was no coincidence—and that her only ally is unstable, mistrustful of her, and seeing the same enemy everywhere he looks.

It was great to be able to slow Meg down for just a second so she could answer some questions for us. You can check out that interview below.

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Can you give us a behind-the-scenes look inside “Phantom Instinct”?

Meg Gardiner (M.G.): “Phantom Instinct” is about two survivors of a catastrophic shootout who work together to stop a killer. It’s up to them, because they can’t convince the cops he exists.

The problem? Harper is an ex-thief. The cops don’t care that she’s gone straight, or that she’s a Navy vet with security clearance. They don’t trust her. Worse, Aiden has suffered a traumatic brain injury that leaves him with Fregoli syndrome. This is a kind of face blindness that can cause him to think the person he’s looking at is actually somebody else in disguise. He can think his worst enemy is coming at him, camouflaged as a friend, family, or bystander. He can’t trust his own eyes. So the authorities no longer believe anything he says.

But the killer is back, and stalking survivors. The more Harper and Aiden learn about the shootout, the more dangerous things get. The more they’re drawn to each other. And the more each of them fears that the other might betray them. They have to choose whether to trust their hearts and their instincts. Because the killer is closing in, and wants to put Harper and Aiden—and those they love—in the line of fire.

S. MAG.: Your last three books, including “Phantom Instinct,” have been standalone thrillers. Why did you take a break from one of your series characters?

M.G.: I love my series characters, but some stories don’t fit into their worlds. In my series, Evan Delaney is a journalist, and Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist. But “Phantom Instinct” is about an injured cop who teams with an ex-thief to catch a killer before he kills again. That story needs to have the cop and the ex-thief at its heart. So Aiden Garrison and Harper Flynn are the hero and heroine in “Phantom Instinct.”

SuspenseMagazine.com 67 “EVERY TIME I SET MY FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD I WANT TO EXCEED WHAT I’VE DONE BEFORE.”

S. MAG.: What was one of your biggest challenges when writing “Phantom Instinct”?

M.G.: The story deals with trust, betrayal, and fatal secrets. A big challenge was to keep readers cheering for both Aiden and Harper, even while those two discover reasons to distrust each other. Who’s telling the truth? Who’s dangerous? Should they act on their longing for each other? Could one of them betray the other? I wanted readers to care for these characters, but to feel off- kilter. It’s a tightrope walk.

S. MAG.: Your first novel “China Lake” won the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original. Do you put extra pressure on yourself to try and match that level of success?

M.G.: Every time I set my fingers on the keyboard I want to exceed what I’ve done before. With each book I write, I learn more about how to create a taut and intriguing novel. I always want to top my previous work—for myself, and for readers. But all I can do is write the best novel I possibly can.

S. MAG.: Which character in “Phantom Instinct” surprised you with having a larger voice than you thought they would?

M.G.: Oscar Sierra, the black-hat hacker. When I outlined the novel, he appeared in one scene—and died in it. But when I wrote the first draft, he came to life as a goofy, brilliant, strangely innocent cyber-thief. He’s corrupt but lovable. And he’s Harper’s lifelong friend. When it came time for him to die, he walked into his kitchen, just like in the outline. But instead of getting shot, he opened the door, bolted down the steps, and sprinted for his life.

S. MAG.: You have said about writing that turning ideas into compelling scenes is like pulling your own teeth. Does it really hurt that much?

M.G.: It hurts my brain. Coming up with an idea—“Harper discovers the shooter’s identity”—is easy. Working that into a believable scene is hard. She discovers it. Yeah, genius… how?

S. MAG.: What one piece of advice did you receive early on that you pass along to new authors?

M.G.: Create sympathetic characters and put them in jeopardy. Mystery writer Leonard Tourney gave me that advice before I ever wrote a novel, and it sticks with me today.

S. MAG.: With publishing and marketing changing every day, how do you stay ahead of the game?

M.G.: Write the best books you possibly can. Be flexible. Seize opportunity when it presents itself, and keep your eyes open for new opportunities on the horizon. But mostly: write the best books you possibly can.

S. MAG.: What is funniest/strangest email you have received from a fan?

This summer I openly proclaimed my love for Sharknado 2. A fan Photoshopped my picture into an ad for the movie and created a poster. In it, I’m surrounded by twisters and sharks. It’s awesome.

S. MAG.: What can readers expect to see from Meg Gardiner in the future?

M.G.: More thrills, old friends, new adventures.

For more information on Meg and her works, check out her website at www.meggardiner.com. ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 68

The Wait is Over—

Samantha CodyAn isInterview Back! with D.P. Lyle

Interview by Suspense Magazine

D.P. Lyle has been an author that Suspense Magazine has followed for years. His writing is in a class by itself, which is difficult to find in the saturated thriller genre. D.P. has been able to set himself apart, using his extensive knowledge of forensics and his background as a cardiovascular doctor for over thirty years. It’s been twelve years since the world was introduced to Samantha Cody with “Devil’s Playgroud” and then with “Double Blind.” Now Doug has brought her back in “Original Sin.” During the ten-year gap between Cody books, D.P. wrote his Dub Walker books. He’s also published several non-fiction books, including “Forensics for Dummies” and “More Forensics and Fiction.” D.P. has always had his door open to any author with questions about certain aspects of forensics, or maybe that perfect poison that can’t be detected in an autopsy. Here’s our exclusive interview with D.P. Lyle.

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What is “Original Sin” about?

D.P. Lyle (D.P.L.): Well, basically is what if a female cardiovascular surgeon is confronted with a series of violent acts by some of her post-op patients, at the same time suffering various physical symptoms herself. It revolves around two protagonists—basically Samantha Cody and Doctor Lucy Wagner, who is a female cardiovascular surgeon in a small town in Tennessee. She operates on an emergency basis on the patriarch of a snake- handling fundamentalist church and during the surgery, after all attempts to save him have failed, she faints—which is something she has never done, and she can’t figure out why. The next thing she knows, several patients she operates on, after they recover, commit horrible psychotic killings. Samantha is her friend who gets involved in the whole thing, which really unfolds Lucy’s past history and family connections, a lot of things she never knew existed.

S. MAG.: How did the direction of the series change, in this third book?

D.P.L.: The first two books were written ten years ago and that was “Devil’s Playground” and “Double Blind.” The Samantha Cody series was kind of put to bed and I started writing the Dub Walker forensic thriller series, but this story kept worming its way into my brain and I realized this had to be a Sam book, not a Dub book. The change really in Sam, is that before, she was

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 70 a deputy sheriff in a small town in the high desert in southern California; in a town I created called Mercer’s Corner. But as we learn in this third book, “Original Sin,” she basically left the job because she was in line to take over as sheriff when sheriff Charlie Walker retired. It turned out that the city council bamboozled her and gave the position to someone else.

She basically wasn’t going to work for this guy and she decided to take off and see the country, and one of the places she was going to see was to visit her friend Lucy, and that’s when she gets involved in all of this. Sam is now out of the job, so to speak. Sam is also a professional boxer and she won a dozen fights, was undefeated, but finally decided that boxing wasn’t good for her health and so she kind of gave that up, too. So she’s basically a vagabond trying to decide what she’s going to do down the road when she drops into Lucy’s problems and they have to confront all this craziness.

S. MAG.: Who is Samantha Cody?

D.P.L.: Sam is tough, she’s sarcastic, she’s pragmatic, and she’s in your face. Because she is a professional boxer, she’s not afraid to hit you in the face. She was very dedicated to her job back home. Her parents had died, and she was basically on her own. She really loved her job and thought she was going to be sheriff. When that fell apart, that’s when she decided to go on the road and see the country and do some stuff and that’s when she ends up at Lucy’s place. So Sam is tough, straightforward, strawberry blonde, about five feet, ten inches, 140 pounds, lean, and can hit like a ton of bricks.

S. MAG.: Tell us about your latest adventure with your new publisher on the series, and how that change came about?

D.P.L.: I’ve had a lot of publishers and the Dub Walker series was actually published by two different companies. Medallion Press did the first two and Oceanview did the third. When I decided to do the Samantha Cody series, with the first two versions being released ten years ago, I basically self-published and this was long before self-publishing was allowed. I wanted to get these stories out there and just decided to do that and experiment and I’m glad I did because that meant I kept the rights.

So now we move forward with my agent, Kimberly Cameron, who started in publishing and then moved into becoming an agent, which she’s done for twenty years. She’s formed a company in which she publishes e-format and print-on-demand books for her clients only and with the changes in publishing I decided that instead of sending this book out and looking for a publisher why don’t we just do this.

When we got the rights back for “Murder and Mayhem,” my first question-and-answer book from St. Martin’s, it became the first book that Reputation Books and Kimberly published. It’s done very well and we’re happy with it. So when this came along I told Kimberly that I’d rather have her publish it. I’d rather go the e-route because this is not a huge book. It’s a good book, it’s fun and its one of my favorite stories, but rather than go through the traditional-publishing thing I decided I’d try this other route.

I’m always experimenting. I like to stretch and move in different directions, that’s why I wrote the “Royal Pains” books. I write both fiction and non-fiction and I don’t want to stay stagnant. So Kimberly said, why don’t we bring the other two books forward and repackage them and make this a trilogy and get them all back out at the same time, which I thought was a great idea. So “Original Sin” and the two previous Cody books “Devils Playground” and “Double Blind” are all coming out at the same time.

S. MAG.: What was your biggest challenge in writing “Original Sin”?

D.P.L.: Actually there weren’t that many. I had some surprises along the way. I kind of had the idea for the story and I kind of had the idea for evil and how evil moves from person to person. There are some woo-woo characteristics to this story just like there was in “Devil’s Playground” and “Double Blind,” even though they’re pretty noir-cop-

SuspenseMagazine.com 71 investigates-crime stories. There is a woo-woo element that’s a little metaphysical and it has to do with how things pass from person to person, how people perceive things, how people understand things, and how people can be wrong about how they understand things, and that’s always been fascinating to me from a psychological point of view.

I wanted to bring snake-handling preachers in there, too since its set in a small town in Tennessee. I found out there’s a couple hundred of these churches across the country, most of them along the Appalachian chain as you would expect, from West Virginia down to north Alabama. I heard of them when I was a kid so I knew they were out there, but I’d never been to one. My father, interestingly enough, when he was around five or six years old, went to one with his mother just to see what it was all about until a snake got loose and escaped through the window, so they took off.

As I started researching, I found out that it’s a lot more widespread than people think. They use, as a basis, Mark 16, which talks about how they will take up serpents, that they will speak in tongues and that the snakes will not hurt them and no poison will hurt them. In many of these churches they also drink strychnine, which is a deadly poison. They obviously do it in small doses because they think it helps them and they also do not believe that if a snake bites them they’re not going to die from it.

They think they will be protected because of Mark 16. However, many of them have died recently. A few months ago, a preacher died from being bit by a rattlesnake and chose not to get medical help. When I was looking through this information, I came upon a book called “Salvation on Sand Mountain,” which is a place about thirty or forty miles from where I grew up in Northern Alabama. It was very well written, nominated for a national book award. It’s about a reporter from Birmingham—he and his wife go up because this guy named Glen Somerford tried to kill his wife with a snake, and he was the patriarch of the church there and ended up getting convicted. The reporter and his wife go to research this and end up spending a year in the church.

S. MAG.: Do you find it difficult to “dumb” the forensics down to normal readers and still have it as close to real life as possible?

D.P.L.: Not really. I mean it is something you wrestle with all the time. You have to decide how much is enough and how much is too much. I always try to air on the side of giving less because I think if you write it correctly and do your due diligence and pay attention to the dialogue, and the action and how characters relate to one another, then people get a flavor for what it means even if they don’t understand the nuances of it. I think that’s more important in the story telling.

S. MAG.: What villain in any story do you find one of the best of all time and why?

D.P.L.: That’s a no-brainer: It’s Hannibal Lecter. He embodies the perfect villain. He’s not the guy that’s going to blow up a building or get in car chases or carry a handgun, which also make great villains. He’s just consummate evil. He is brilliant, he understands how people’s minds work, he is the kind of guy you would love to sit down and have dinner with if you’re not on the menu. He is a brilliant Renaissance man who just happens to like to eat people. But that’s what makes him so great. In “Silence Of The Lambs,” to show his humanity, he actually fell in love. It gave him a sliver of humanity, which was so subtle. He really is number one.

S. MAG.: What scares D.P. Lyle?

D.P.L.: Sharks and being buried alive. Those are the two! I saw Jaws; I won’t go in the ocean. I don’t even go in my swimming pool anymore. I went scuba diving a couple months after that movie came out and all I could hear was the music to the movie playing in the background.

S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in the future?

D.P.L.: Right now I’m working on a standalone actually and it’s more comedic. It’s still a murder mystery, but it’s set down along the Gulf Coast of Alabama. It’s funnier and lighter and I’ve always wanted to write a story that’s more comedic. It’s got some over the top characters, but at the end of the day, it’s still a thriller and bad stuff happens. I’ve got two or three others that I’ve outlined, another standalone, another Dub book and that’s what I’m doing.

To find out much more about Doug and his writing—including “Crime and Science Radio,” the show he co-hosts with Jan Burke—go to www.dplylemd.com. ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 72 DENNIS LEHANE DOESN'T DROP THE BALL Interview by Suspense Magazine Press Photo Credit: Gaby Gerster/Diogenes, Zurich Master storyteller Dennis Lehane is taking readers back to the site of his bestselling novel “Mystic River”—which also won two Oscar awards as a film—with “The Drop.” Dennis’s books add more than just thrills and chills; they bring a lot of emotion and depth to his plots and characters. Dennis further cemented his household-name status when “Shutter Island” became a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Exploring the story that was started in “Mystic River” is one that fans have longed for. Dennis broke onto the writing scene with his Kenzie- Gennaro detective series, though his first book was “A Drink Before the War.” There are six books in the Kenzie-Gennaro series, which ended in 2010 with “Moonlight Mile.” Here’s an inside look at “The Drop”:

Dennis Lehane returns to the streets of Mystic River with this love story wrapped in a crime story wrapped in a journey of faith—the basis for the movie directed by Michaël Roskam, with a screenplay by Lehane, and starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, and James Gandolfini. Three days after Christmas, a lonely bartender looking for a reason to live rescues an abused puppy from a trash can and meets a damaged woman looking for something to believe in. As their relationship grows, they cross paths with the Chechen mafia; a man grown dangerous with age and thwarted hopes; two hapless stick-up artists; a very curious cop; and the original owner of the puppy, who wants his dog back. . . .

Here’s our interview with Dennis:

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): “The Drop” is your latest book, can you give us a behind the scenes look inside?

Dennis Lehane (D.L.): A lonely bartender, Bob Saginowski, rescues an abused puppy from a garbage can. And that one act allows him to dare come alive again. But coming alive in Bob’s world can be a dangerous thing. And pretty soon he’s pitted against two stickup men, the Chechen mafia, the psychotic who used to own the puppy, a shifty cop, and maybe even a close friend who may or may not be trustworthy. But he’s also falling in love with a woman and daring to believe in happiness again.

S. MAG.: You are taking the reader back to Mystic River with “The Drop.” Why now after all these years?

D.L.: “The Drop” is based on a script for the movie of the same name, which was based on a short story, Animal Rescue, which was based on a failed novel, “Missing Delores,” that I started right after “Mystic River.” It was set in the same neighborhood, East Buckingham. So it was my chance to return there and see how it’s been faring since I left.

S. MAG.: When you decided to become a writer what was your goal?

SuspenseMagazine.com 73 “I think it’s a good idea for novelists to try to say something truthful about the world as they see it.”

D.L.: Get published, I guess, maybe meet women. I can’t really remember. But I know it wasn’t clearly defined. It was like that John Lee Hooker line—it was in me and it had to come out.

S. MAG.: Is there one sentence or a paragraph in “The Drop” where you feel captures the essence of the novel?

D.L.: There are a few, including the last line of the book, but I’m fond of this exchange between Bob and Nadia:

Nadia: Everyone’s bad. Bob: No, they’re not. Most people are okay. They just, I dunno, make a lotta messes and then they make more messes trying to clean those first messes up and after awhile that’s your life.

S. MAG.: Do you think it is important for a suspense/thriller novel to have an underlying moral?

D.L.: I think it’s a good idea for novelists to try to say something truthful about the world as they see it. It doesn’t have to be bloated with self-importance or brined in pretention, but I want to leave the reader with something more than just a simple jolt to the adrenals.

S. MAG.: The big debate is character vs. plot. Which side are you on?

D.L.: Is there actually a debate? That’s like asking, “The heart or the head, which do you think is most important to the body’s survival?” No one would ask such a question because we know the answer—one can’t survive without the other. Not if you want a successful body.

S. MAG.: Which character in “The Drop” ended up having a bigger role in the book than you originally thought they would?

D.L.: Cousin Marv.

S. MAG.: Was there a book or an author that flipped on your writing switch?

D.L.: Richard Price’s “The Wanderers.” Changed my life.

S. MAG.: What is still on your bucket list?

D.L.: I guess if I knew 100 percent I was going to die, I’d visit someplace that inspires awe—Nepal, maybe, or the Brazilian rainforests.

S. MAG.: What is on your DVR right now?

D.L.: So many things—Season 2 of The Americans, which I’m psyched to catch up on. My two favorite movies of this year, Snowpiercer and The Grand Budapest Hotel, because I love to watch great movies multiple times. And then, because I have two small daughters, there’s Frozen and lots of episodes of Doc McStuffins and Sophia the First.

For more information on Dennis Lehane, check out his website at www.dennislehane.com. ■

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 74 De Je Vous By James G. Piatt It was just one of those normal nights . . . until . . . something sinister slithered through the grass toward the house. It was heading toward Eleanor’s window. Something awoke Eleanor with a start. She looked out the window, the moon, partially covered with dark clouds was still high in the sky. A limb from the Sycamore tree outside her window scraped against the roof, making an eerie sound. She shivered and started to go back to sleep when she heard a soft scratching at the window. Eleanor sat up and saw a young girl standing outside her window. She put on her robe and opened the window. “What are you doing outside at this time of night?” “I am lost,” the girl said as she wiped her face with a thin hand. Eleanor paused then said, “Go to the front door and I’ll let you in the house.” When she opened the door, the girl came in and looked about the room. “It is very warm in your house.” “The house is sixty-two degrees, it is not very warm, but it is pleasant. What are you doing out in the cold?” The girl shrugged her thin shoulders. “I don’t know.” “Hum. Where did you come from?” The girl shrugged again, and said, “I don’t know that either.” “Are you hurt?” “I don’t think so. I just can’t seem to remember things.” “You look tired, would you like to sleep here for the night?” “Oh, yes I would, very much so, thank you.” “I’ll get some sheets, a blanket, and a pillow and I’ll be right back.” The girl looked around the room. She spotted a picture of Eleanor and Tom on the mantel. “Who is the man in the picture?” she asked when Eleanor came back into the room. “Oh, that is Tom, he is my fiancé.” “Are you getting married soon?” “No, not for a while. Tom will start his new job in a week. After four months on the job, we plan to get married. He is in San Francisco now and will return here in March.” “That’s good,” Jocelyn commented. Eleanor noticed that the girl was very beautiful. She had long raven black hair, deep black eyes, and an elongated thin body. The grandfather clock chimed twelve times, and Eleanor headed back to her bedroom. Jocelyn was staring at her and smiling an odd smile as she flicked out her forked tongue into the air.

* * * *

SuspenseMagazine.com 75

When Tom arrived, he lifted Eleanor up in the air, and laughed. “You are still light as a feather, I am going to have to fatten you up a bit when we get married.” He looked into the hallway and saw Jocelyn. He almost dropped Eleanor. “Who is that?” “This is Jocelyn, the girl I told you about. I have had her stay with me for the time being, until she can start remembering things. Jocelyn, this is my fiancé Tom.” Jocelyn smiled, stared deep into Tom’s eyes, and offered her hand. “I’m glad to meet you, Tom.” Tom took her cold hand and felt electricity radiating from her dark eyes; they mesmerized him. “Uh, hello, Jocelyn, Eleanor has told me about you.” She didn’t tell me how extraordinarily beautiful you were though, he thought. Jocelyn smiled still staring into his eyes. Eleanor hadn’t noticed the instant electricity between the two. She never noticed things like that.

* * * *

When Tom would return, the three of them would go to the park, walk through the woods near the house, and eat at their favorite deli. Eleanor never cared that every time she went shopping for food, Jocelyn and Tom stayed home. One day, when Eleanor came home from shopping, she saw Jocelyn and Tom kissing while sitting on the sofa. Eleanor almost fainted. She made a quick retreat back to the car. She let out a sob then cried for a few minutes. She gathered herself together and made noises this time when she came in the front door. Jocelyn came out of the living room smiling and straightening her blouse. “Your back early, Eleanor.” “Yes, uh, a bit early, I was able to park by the front door of the grocery and there was no one in front of me at the checkout.” “Uh, hi, Eleanor, let me help you with the groceries,” Tom said as he looked away from Eleanor’s eyes. Tom smelled of Jocelyn when he helped Eleanor put away the groceries. Eleanor didn’t say that she had just seen the two kissing.

* * * *

During another time, Eleanor came into the house one evening after work, and overheard Tom and Jocelyn talking. “Tom, you know I love you.” “Yes I know, Jocelyn; I love you, too.” “Then we have to do something about it.” “But what about Eleanor. I just can’t tell her, it would break her heart.” “If you won’t tell her, I am leaving.” “Oh no, Jocelyn, I love you so much, please don’t leave, I’ll do anything, don’t leave me.” Eleanor listened and turned ashen. She went back outside and made noises this time when she came into the house.

* * * *

The next morning, after Tom had left, and Jocelyn was downtown, Eleanor went for a walk in the woods. Jocelyn returned home and found Eleanor had gone. Her forked tongue flicked out into the air and she smiled an eerie smile as she headed out the door and towards the woods. Eleanor was crying as she walked on the path in the woods. She heard a rustling in the leaves as she went under a sycamore tree. She looked up and saw a huge black snake above her. She screamed as the snake fell from the limb on top of her. The snake curled around Eleanor and its black eyes stared malevolently at her as she was screaming. It finally sunk its fangs into her neck, over and over again, until Eleanor was dead. Jocelyn walked into the house, brushed off some dirt and leaves from her body, smiled, and flicked out her forked tongue

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 76 in the air. It was an hour later when a jogger found a bloody body of a female in the woods down from Eleanor’s house. He called 911. “You came upon the body when?” the officer asks. “Just a few minutes before I called 911.” “Did you see anyone around the area?” “No, sir, there was no one around.” The coroner looked at the officer. “She has only been dead for a short time, perhaps an hour. Her death was not a homicide though, she was bitten many times in the neck by a snake.”

* * * *

It was a month later when Jocelyn and Tom were married. Tom was astonished at how cold Jocelyn’s body was, but didn’t give it a second thought as he made love to her. He also didn’t see her forked tongue lash out in the air, a phenomenon that only occurred when she was overly excited. After Tom and Jocelyn had been married ten years, Jocelyn’s memory of the past vanished again and she no longer remembered from where she came or what she had been.

* * * *

It was just one of those normal nights…until…something sinister slithered through the grass toward the house. It was heading toward Jocelyn’s window. Something awoke her with a start. She looked out the window, the moon, partially covered with dark clouds was still high in the sky. A limb from the sycamore tree outside her window scraped against the roof making an eerie sound. She shivered and started to go back to sleep when she heard a soft scratching at the window. She sat up and saw a young girl standing outside her window. She put on her robe and opened the window. “What are you doing outside at this time of night?” “I am lost,” the girl said as she wiped her face with a thin hand. Jocelyn paused then said, “Go to the front door and I’ll let you in the house.” When she opened the door, the girl came in and looked about the room. “It is very warm in your house.” “The house is sixty two degrees, it is not very warm, but it is pleasant. What are you doing out in the cold?” The girl shrugged her thin shoulders. “I don’t know.” “Hum. Where did you come from?” The girl shrugged again, and said. “I don’t know that either.” “Are you hurt?” “I don’t think so, I just can’t seem to remember things.” “You look tired, would you like to sleep here for the night?” “Oh, yes I would, very much so, thank you.” “I’ll get some sheets, a blanket, and a pillow and I’ll be right back.” The girl looked around the room. She spotted a picture of Jocelyn and Tom on the mantel. “Who is the man in the picture?” the girl asked when Jocelyn came back into the room. “Oh that is Tom, my husband, he is away on business for a few days.” “That’s good,” the girl commented. Jocelyn noticed that the girl was very beautiful. She had long raven black hair, deep black eyes, and an elongated thin body. She heard the grandfather clock chime twelve times. Something dark passed through her memory, she tried to remember something in the past, but failing to do so, shook her head and headed back to her bedroom. The girl named Eleanor was staring at her and smiling an odd smile then she flicked out her forked tongue into the air. ■

SuspenseMagazine.com 77 Subscribe Today! BENEFITS TO SUBSCRIBING • Reviews and ratings of new releases • Discover new authors • Short stories • Author interviews including many of your favorites • Much, Much More! Available at: AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE or Subscribe to the ELECTRONIC VERSION AT www.SuspenseMagazine.com RATES (Electronic): 1 Year: $24.00/ 2 Years: $48.00

“Suspense Magazine nicely fills a long-vacant niche for readers of this popular genre. If you like a good old-fashioned who- dunit, grab a copy and get the latest scoop on all your favorite authors, current books, and upcoming projects.” ~Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times Bestselling Author “Suspense Magazine is chock full of stunning artwork, intriguing fiction, and interviews It's a winner!” ~Tess Gerritsen, International Bestselling Author

Suspense Magazine September 2014 / Vol. 059 78 USPENSE PUBLISHING Summer Reads

“PURE FUN!” “...IS ON A PAR WITH THE —Jon Land, Bestselling author of WORKS OF JOHN GRISHAM.” “The Tenth Circle” —The Mystery Gazette

“YET ANOTHER PAGE-TURNER FOR CLAUDIA ROSE FANS.” —Rick Reed, Author of the Jack Murphy Crime Series

“AMY LIGNOR’S TALLENT & “LEDUC HAS A WINNER WITH LOWERY TEAM IS RIVETING!” “SIN.” WHAT A WOMAN!” —International bestseller, M.J. Rose —Paul Kemprecos, #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Grey Lady” WWW.SUSPENSEMAGAZINE.COM SUSPENSE MAGAZINE SUSPENSE RADIO