Tag Archives: suspense

Interview: Suspense Author Bethany Macmanus

Author Bethany Macmanus

Author Bethany Macmanus

Bethany Macmanus lives in Houston with her husband, daughter, and son. After practicing as an RN for five years, Bethany left the nursing field to pursue a writing passion the Lord planted in her heart when she was a child. Nancy Drew mysteries were her guilty pleasure during those early years, so she naturally gravitates her pen toward the things that go bump in the night, and most of her plots have a psychological spin.

She’s allergic to cheese, Sulfa drugs, and people who stop in the middle of intersections while driving. Bethany describes herself as “a suspense author who writes gritty characters into novels that keep God on His throne where He belongs.”

Janet: Wow, Bethany, that tag line from your website has my attention. Could you unpack it a bit for our readers?

Bethany: Sure! Early into writing full time, I found I have characters who aren’t afraid to show their imperfections. They may mouth off, be darkly sarcastic, or have a fatal flaw that makes them incredibly human. You don’t find that as often in Christian fiction. That’s why I also included the unapologetic line about keeping God on his throne. Because though my books hint at how dark our sin nature can be at times, God is Lord over all, and His sovereignty and the light we desperately need and crave becomes more clear against the backdrop. His truth shines forth.

Janet: Tell us a bit about your newest release, Nerve.

Bethany: Nerve was born out of the biggest trial of my life, when my husband’s nerve problem in his arms plunged him into a severe depression, which ultimately caused him to attempt suicide. The struggle for a diagnosis, having so many doctors say different things, different reasons for his problem, is what caused me to ask, “what if?”, and to imagine the premise for the book. You can read the blurb to get a good idea of the plot, but I’ll re-state it here.

Environmental photographer Lauren “Wren” Masterson discovers a very important medical invention has been stolen from her father’s house, two days after his death. Her father, Doctor Noah Masterson, had built it for her, in hopes her mysterious nerve problem could finally be diagnosed.

Lieutenant Justin Breck is the police officer assigned to the case. He has serious reservations, to the tune of knowing and having feelings for Wren two years ago. But Justin doesn’t know about Lauren’s nerve problem. How will he feel about her when and if he finds out? Does she dare to open her heart, and reveal?

And what will the thief do with the invention, now that its power is in his hands?

Janet: Did your experience working in the medical field plant some of the seeds that grew into this medical-themed romantic suspense?

Bethany: I think my overall interest in medical science helped with the research, kept me from stalling out when digging was producing no answers applicable to the storyline.

I’ve always been interested in the field. I remember having my own personal first aid kit as a child, one I could grab if, for instance, a friend fell off the zipline my very cool dad built for us in the backyard. I’d even bring it with me when babysitting, much to the chagrin of the baby’s mother. (Good to be prepared, right?!)

Janet: Good to be prepared, indeed! What do you hope readers will take away from the story?

Bethany: Mine is a message that’s good to hear again and again. Relationships work best when those involved in them are open and honest in their communication, and put God first.

Janet: Your other novels aren’t medical, but they’re all suspense. Has this always been your genre of choice?

Bethany: Yes, mysteries and suspense have always been my favorite, and even when I try to write something outside the genre, something criminal/medical/death-related always creeps in somewhere!

I read the Amanda Shaw books (Bethany House) growing up. They always had some element of mystery to them. I was also addicted to the Cooper kids adventure series by Frank Peretti, the Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew (still am!). I’ve come to a point where it’s quite difficult for me to read outside my genre. I try, though…

Janet: What’s the best part of the writing life?

Bethany: Making my own hours and feeling like I’m going to a therapy session to work things out through one of my characters!

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Bethany: I absolutely love Psalm 139. Knowing God pursues us and knows us no matter how far we run, how deep we hide, how tightly we lock our hearts—that’s what mystifies me about His love and power.

Janet: What do you like to do to recharge?

Bethany: I enjoy hiking with my family on the biking trails near our house. They have lots of hills and ramps and such. The kids (8 and 6, girl and boy) love it! For me, it’s perfect after sitting in front of a computer all day.

Janet: Together time and getting the body moving… good stuff! Tell us something you appreciate about where you live.

Bethany: I live in Houston and have for most of my life. For a brief seven years, early in my marriage, I lived in a rural area of Texas, where they make Blue Bell Ice Cream. While there, I missed the arts, the crowds, the food, the night life, the shopping… yes, can you tell I’m an extrovert and a city girl?! I also appreciate the mild winters we have here, those cool trails I mentioned, and the good economy. There’s a lot to appreciate in Houston, Texas.

Janet: Ooh, I heard of Blue Bell Ice Cream for the first time in a novel just last week. Thanks for visiting with us today, Bethany, and congratulations on your new release.

Bethany: Thanks for letting me come over! It was a pleasure and a privilege.

[Note: For more about Bethany Macmanus and her books, and to see other stops on Bethany’s blog tour, visit her website: bethanymacmanus.com. Bethany is giving away an ebook copy of Nerve with this interview. To enter the draw, leave a comment here on this post. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries, and the offer is void where prohibited. Draw closed at midnight, Friday, March 13. Winner: Cathy.]

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Nerve, by Bethany Macmanus

It was created to save lives.

Now someone is using it to take them.

When Lauren “Wren” Masterson discovers her deceased father’s medical invention has been stolen from her childhood home in Florida, she never expects the officer assigned to the case will be Justin Breck, who asked her out two years ago.

He’s changed since then, seems like he’s hiding something. What happened to his openness, his no-holds-barred, carefree attitude? She wonders how this new Justin could possibly accept her imperfections, namely the persistent nerve disorder her father’s missing invention might cure.

Justin is learning the darker side of Doctor Masterson’s past life. The hard part? Proving it to Doc’s adoring daughter, while attempting to win her heart. He might have some history with her, but Doc’s lawyer, Connor Radcliffe, has more.

As bodies begin to drop around them, will Justin and Lauren find the invention before the thief uses it to kill Lauren?

Interview: Suspense Author Lisa Harris

Photo of author Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris is a Christy Award winner and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. The author of almost thirty books, including Dangerous Passage, Fatal Exchange, and Hidden Agenda, Harris and her family have spent twelve years living as missionaries in southern Africa. They currently live in Mozambique where she leads a women’s ministry and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

Janet: Welcome, Lisa, and thanks for taking time to join us. I’m sure this is a busy time for you, with the release of your new novel. Each installment of Southern Crimes builds on the previous ones, and Hidden Agenda has a pretty major spoiler for the earlier books: Michael Hunt is alive. I’d been secretly wishing for this, and I hope he can stay alive until the end of the book!

Lisa: Thanks so much for having, Janet! I knew from the beginning I wanted to tell Michael’s story. There was something about him that just wouldn’t let me go! 🙂 So, yes, I loved writing his story, and don’t worry… I had to have a happy ending to the series!

Janet: Hidden Agenda is book 3 in the Southern Crimes series. Do readers need to read books 1 and 2 first? Tell us a bit about the series.

Lisa: I did my best to make each story a stand alone book, meaning the main mystery in each book does conclude. But the three books are definitely tied together. So while you can read book three by itself, to get the entire Hunt family story, it’s best to read them in order.

Janet: I agree! One thing I’m curious about: you’re serving as a missionary in Mozambique, an exotic location in its own right. Why did you decide to set these stories in Atlanta?

Lisa: Several years ago, I wrote Blood Ransom, a novel that focused on human trafficking in Africa. At the time, I had no idea this was an issue in the US. With this new series, I decided that setting this story in the US, the backdrop of human trafficking would not only make an exciting story, but would also help people become aware of this very real issue. Atlanta ended up being the perfect backdrop then for this new series.

Janet: I see your Love Inspired novel, Taken, which releases next month, is set in the US and in Paris. Might we see some fiction from you that visits African settings?

Lisa: Yes! I have several, actually. Blood Ransom and Blood Covenant are both romantic suspense set in a fictional African country and deal with human trafficking and refugee camps. An Ocean Away is a historical set in Rhodesia and New York City in the 1920s. Earlier this year, LIS published Deadly Safari that is set in South Africa. I’m really excited because LIS wants me to continue writing international romantic suspense which I love! I just finished another one for them that will come out next fall and is set off the coast of West Africa.

Janet: It’s great to see more international fiction! Lisa, in the Southern Crimes series, you don’t just give us “cop dramas” – your characters have complicated family dynamics and relationships, which makes them feel more real. Avery is dealing with life as a widow and single mom, Emily hears her biological clock ticking but doesn’t need a mate to be complete, and Michael’s humanity will come out as we read his story. I’m sure this helps you relate to them as you write. What do readers say about your characters?

Lisa: That is exactly what I want my readers to feel, Janet! I want my stories to be fast-paced and exciting, but I also want to show how real people might react to difficult, intense situations. And how God can use them in spite of their weaknesses. My publisher just showed me a review from Suspense Magazine that I love. The reviewer said, “Harris’ appealing characters—especially deaf and brilliant Ivan, a great example of someone with a sensory challenge who is not disabled because of it…” I loved that a reader saw that.

Janet: Now that I’ve read the novel, I can say I appreciated Ivan as well. Do you have a favourite character in the series?

Lisa: That is so hard! I’m going to go with Emily in book two, because I think she’s the most like me. I would have been terrified in the situation she faced, which is why I loved watching her struggle and grow through the experience.

Janet: Thinking about Hidden Agenda, what’s the novel’s theme? Or what do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Lisa: I’d like them to be able to look at their own lives—their own faith—and realize that God is still in control even if everything seems to be falling apart. At one point in the story, Michael says, ‘Sometimes there simply aren’t answers. At least not the answers we’re looking for. Walking through the fire forces us to face God. To strip our souls of all of the charades we play, until we see only Him.‘ That’s what I want for my own life. To truly see Him!

Janet: Michael’s experiences earn him the right to speak like that. There’s nothing trite in his words. These novels must have required a lot of research. What’s the oddest bit of trivia you’ve picked up?

Lisa: You’re right. I Google the craziest things, sometimes. Things I wish I didn’t know about the cartel, the beautiful Georgia barrier islands, electronic bugs, spy equipment, and bombs for example. One interesting bit of trivia I recently learned was that you can pretty easily escape if ever tied up with duct tape. (At least according to YouTube). That was a surprise to me. One of the most interesting books I ever had to research was An Ocean Away. I read a couple fascinating books about the culture of Rhodesia that were almost a hundred years old, as well as New York City trivia from the 1920’s. I had to force myself to stop researching many times in order to actually write!

Janet: Is there another Southern Crimes novel in the works, or what’s next?

Lisa: No, sadly I’ve had to leave the Hunt family behind as far as writing goes. But I’m not currently writing another series for Revell that will come out next Fall that I’m super excited about! It’s a series about a missing person task force. More information about it soon!

Janet: I’ll be watching for it! What got you started writing?

Lisa: It was something I always wanted to do, but didn’t really start until my eldest was born. He was the perfect baby and slept a lot while I was a stay-at-home mom with no car. So I decided to write a book and I did. I haven’t stopped writing since!

Janet: What’s life like when you’re not writing?

Lisa: While I do write pretty full time (this year especially) I’m also very involved in our ministry here in Mozambique. And until a few months ago, was also homeschooling at least some of our three kids. I also coordinate our women’s ministry and run a non-profit (www.theECHOproject.org) that allows us to help people’s physical needs we encounter every day alongside their spiritual needs.

Janet: Tell us something you appreciate about where you live.

Lisa: While we don’t go often enough, I love going to the Indian Ocean and watching the humpback whales breach while they’re migrating off the coast. It’s so beautiful!

Janet: That would be amazing. What’s one thing you wish people knew about life as a missionary?

Lisa: I think some people tend to romanticize mission work, but it’s not as exotic as it might seem. Life here is day in and day out a part of people’s lives around us. Like everyone there are ups and downs, and we see a lot of really tough things along the way. But in the end, we know we’re called and the hard parts are worth it.

Janet: What do you like to do to recharge?

Lisa: Somewhere quiet outside, like a drive through Kruger Park, or a walk along the beach. A place where I can be reminded of God’s presence.

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a difference for you?

Lisa: I like to remind myself that this life is temporary and heaven is waiting! I love Paul’s reminder in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that our “momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison!”

Thank you so much for having me, Janet!

Janet: Thanks again for visiting, Lisa. Readers, feel free to leave questions or comments on this post, and please note that Lisa is offering a free cozy mystery ebook when you sign up for her author newsletter.

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For more about Lisa Harris, including her books and ministry and photos of Africa’s wild side, visit her website: lisaharriswrites.com.

Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris

Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris (Revell, 2015)

Michael Hunt is alive—and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he’s been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is the daughter of the man who wants him dead.

Book 3 in the Southern Crimes series.

Review: Less than Dead, by Tim Downs

Less than Dead, by Tim DownsLess than Dead, by Tim Downs (Thomas Nelson, 2008)

A multi-million-dollar building project is stalled when excavators clearing the forest discover an old graveyard… and some of the graves have a second body buried on top of the casket. What better place for a murderer to dispose of a body than in a graveyard?

Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist – meaning he studies the insects on and around a corpse to determine time of death and if the place of death is the same as where the body was found. He’s brilliant, but short on social skills, which makes him a funny man to read about.

Nick is called to the excavation site to help determine how long the victims’ skeletons have been in the ground. It looks like a serial killer’s work, but is this someone from the past, or someone who’s still around?

Problem is, he can’t do his job until the other graves are identified and marked – or so insists the expert whose cadaver dog seems unable to find anything it can’t see. In desperation, Nick enlists a local woman whose uncanny, three-legged dog really does seem able to find the dead.

Alena Savard is a reclusive young woman living on the mountain above the Virginia town of Endor – feared by the people as a witch, but really a gifted dog trainer who’s been hurt and shunned by the townsfolk since her childhood.

Nick’s investigation puts Alena in danger, and her dogs may not be enough to save her – although they do a good job of protecting her from Nick’s initial attempts to meet her.

Less than Dead is a fun suspense novel with clever descriptions and plenty of funny lines. Most of these are too long to quote, but here’s one of my favourites describing “Marge,” the expert dog handler who so annoys Nick:

[Her face] was long and thin with high cheekbones that ran down into sinewy sunken hollows like wax dripping over a ledge. [Kindle page 25]

I’m not reading this series in order, but I really enjoy both the stories and the characters. Less than Dead is the fourth in the Bug Man series. Currently there are six, the last of which, Nick of Time, released in 2011. I hope we’ll see a new one soon. As well as writing Christian fiction, Tim Downs is the co-author with his wife, Joy, of non-fiction books on relationships.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Interview: Author Lillian Duncan

Author Lillian DuncanLillian Duncan is a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with her husband, two parrots, one Jack Russell, and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel she’s thinking of renaming Clifford since he keeps growing and growing and….

As a speech pathologist in the public schools for over thirty years, she worked with students of all ages with a wide variety of conditions, but especially with deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives. Especially God’s Word.

Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced mystery and suspense with a touch of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us.

Janet: Welcome, Lillian, and thanks for taking time to join us. Tell us a bit about your new novel, Deadly Communications.

Lillian: Deadly Communications features Maven Morris, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who gets a little too involved with her clients. Okay, a lot too involved. When a client she’s working with leaves abruptly, Maven is suspicious and she won’t rest until she finds her.

Janet: You have background in speech pathology yourself. Did that make it easier to bring this story to life than your previous ones?

Lillian: It did, the story seemed to write itself. I had so much fun writing this story.

Janet: How many novels have you written?

Lillian: I’ve been blessed to have several books published in the past few years. My last release was Betrayed in January of this year. It was the second in my Sisters By Choice series. The third, Redemption, will be released in September.

Janet: You’re a busy lady! Do you write in other areas as well?

Lillian: I have a devotional blog, Power Up With God’s Word: Secrets For a Better Life at www.PowerUpWithGod.com. I was diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors two years ago and so many of the devotions focus help others who are facing a crisis—physical or spiritual.

Janet: Good for you, sharing what God gives to encourage you as encouragement to others in need. How is your health now?

Lillian:  I’m in a waiting mode right now. I have an MRI scheduled in August and, I’m praying it will show the tumor is dead. I’m struggling with some pain and fatigue due to my treatment. But all in all, I’m not doing too badly considering everything. God has been with me through it all!

Janet: Experiencing God’s presence with us definitely strengthens our faith. I pray you’ll have good news from your MRI, and that the treatment side effects will fade quickly. Where did you get the idea for Deadly Communications?

Lillian: First, my brother asked why I didn’t write a story featuring a speech-language pathologist. To which my answer was that it would be difficult to come up with a suspense story and an SLP.

Secondly, a few days later I was talking with someone whose daughter had been involved in an accident and was now experiencing communication difficulties.

Thirdly, as writers are prone to do, I was sitting daydreaming and had a vision of a young woman running through the woods and into ongoing traffic.

That’s all it took! My writer mind took over from there and Deadly Communications was born.

Janet: It’s funny how the seeds of ideas come together. What’s the novel’s theme? Or what do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Lillian: Before the story starts Maven has experienced a series of life-changing events that have led to depression. Maven chooses to get out of bed and keep moving. It’s not easy when life throws us a curve ball or two. It may not seem fair, but how we react to those things will determine the quality of our future.

As the story moves forward we see Maven struggle with her spirituality as she faces some difficult circumstances in her life. I want readers to know they can do the same.

Janet: In your experience working in SLP, what’s the most unusual bit of trivia you’ve picked up?

Lillian: That it takes more muscles to frown than smile! So smile!

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Lillian: Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. This verse has become my mantra since I was diagnosed with the brain tumors.

Janet: Tell us something you appreciate about living in the middle of Ohio Amish country.

Lillian: Great restaurants with great food, great cheese and great desserts! And, of course, we always have somewhere we can take family and friends who are visiting us.

Janet: What do you like to do to recharge?

Lillian: SLEEP!

Janet: I hear you on that one! Thank you again for visiting, Lillian, and God bless you in your writing and your life.

Readers, to learn more about Lillian and her books, visit her at www.lillianduncan.net or www.lillian-duncan.com. She also has a devotional blog at wwwPowerUpWithGod.com.

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Deadly Communications, by Lillian Duncan

Improving communication skills is never easy. In this case, it could be murder!

Maven Morris is a speech-language pathologist on medical leave–or as she likes to put it: out to pasture.

When she’s offered a lucrative position by one of the community’s most powerful men to help his traumatic-brain-injured daughter improve her communication skills, Maven discovers deadly secrets behind the iron gates of the mansion.

Now, she must find the courage to seek justice no matter who gets hurt–even if it’s her.

Deadly Communications is published by Harbourlight Books (Pelican Book Group) and is available for Kindle (Links: Amazon.com and Amazon.ca), Kobo and Nook.

Review: Lion of Babylon, by Davis Bunn

Lion of Babylon, by Davis BunnLion of Babylon, by Davis Bunn (Bethany House Publishers, 2011)

Former special forces operative Marc Royce is drawn back into active duty to find a friend who’s gone missing in Iraq. The problem is, elements of his own government want him to fail.

Marc and a brave Iraqi lawyer named Sameh work with a few trusted contacts in a search for not only the missing US serviceman but four others as well: three Americans and an Iraqi.

I liked the characters, and I enjoyed the taut, fast pace and the details of life in Baghdad. In their quest, Marc and Sameh rescue a group of abducted children. Marc proves himself to the local people as well as to his own, and pulls off some important successes.

Marc and Sameh also find their way into a secret Baghdad church. Sameh faithfully attends a Christian church, despite the stigma this attaches to his family, and Marc is a Christian as well, but both men are amazed at this underground group of worshippers where believers from different ethnic backgrounds worship hand in hand where formerly they’d have been mortal enemies.

Favourite lines:

Ambassador Walton has another name for coincidences. He calls them fault lines. Points where the mystery may be resolved. [page 75]

He greeted Marc with a grin that divided his face in two, the lower half smiling a welcome, the upper half squinted in warning. [page 162]

I definitely want to read the rest of this series, for the characters, the action (some satisfying explosions!), and for the glimpses of how faith in Jesus is still a powerful force that only gets stronger when pushed underground.

Davis Bunn is a multi-published author in various genres of Christian fiction. Lion of Babylon is book 1 in his Marc Royce Thriller series. Library Journal called Lion of Babylon “One of the top six ‘Best Books of 2011’ in Christian Fiction.”

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Miranda Warning, by Heather Day Gilbert

Miranda Warning, by Heather Day GilbertMiranda Warning, by Heather Day Gilbert (Heather Day Gilbert, 2014)

After the depth of character, plot and setting of Heather Day Gilbert’s Viking historical novel, God’s Daughter, I had high expectations for her new novel, Miranda Warning. This one’s a contemporary suspense set in the mountains of West Virginia. Different characters, different issues, different voice. Same skill that drew me to keep reading.

Miranda Warning tells two stories in one, tying them into one satisfying ending. Tess is a young woman whose best friend, Miranda, is in her 70’s. When Miranda gets a letter in a dead woman’s handwriting, Tess starts asking questions.

The bulk of each chapter is in the first person, as told by Tess. However, each chapter opens with a third-person, past tense segment from 40 years earlier, narrated by Rose, the dead woman.

The warnings turn into threats, but Tess is determined to protect her elderly friend. Tess is a strong yet vulnerable character. She and her husband, Thomas, live in a cottage behind his family home. Tess loves her in-laws; they’re the family she never had. But she hasn’t been able to find work, and now she’s pregnant. And she doesn’t measure up to her mother-in-law’s talent of baking and decorating.

Although the suspense is the main plot, I found it interesting to see hints of how Tess’ self-comparisons kept her from realizing her true worth. How often do we, as real people, fall into this trap? It was also fun to watch her as a young bride under the combined stresses of the mystery, her husband’s long hours on the job, and pregnancy hormones. Tess didn’t see a positive example of marriage as a child, so she’s figuring this out as she goes along, with her in-laws as proof that a marriage can last.

Some of my favourite lines:

His piercing gaze reminds me of those hawks I see staring at small birds from the fence posts. [Kindle location 250]

I love the tactile experience of walking in the woods. Its muted browns, grays, and greens comfort me. The moss and leaves give softly under my boots. Large, scattered rocks feel permanent and unshakable. The pull of the mountain is like gravity for my soul. [Kindle location 1196]

This must be how you make your marriage work for years: you fix things and move on. [Kindle location 3234]

Heather Day Gilbert plans to release another Viking novel, Forest Child, as well as to continue her A Murder in the Mountains series. For more about the author and her books, visit her website: heatherdaygilbert.com. If you missed it, here’s a link to my interview with the character of Nikki Jo, Tess’ mother-in-law.

[Review copy provided by the author.]

Character Interview: Nikki Jo Spencer

Heather Day Gilbert

Heather Day Gilbert

Regular readers of my blog may recognize Heather Day Gilbert as the author of the epic Viking historical, God’s Daughter. Heather also writes mysteries, including the recently-released Miranda Warning, a contemporary Appalachian suspense novel set in West Virginia.

Today, one of the characters from Miranda Warning joins us for an interview. Meet Nikki Jo Spencer. Nikki Jo, welcome. I hear the mountains of West Virginia are beautiful. Could you help us imagine being there?

Nikki Jo: Oh honey, it’s hard to capture it, but I’ll give it a shot. I live in the town of Buckneck… there’s a story behind that name, but my husband tells it better than I do. Anyway, our house is snugged down in a little valley just outside town. Our roads are crooked as a dog’s hind leg. Everyone loves our mountains in the fall, but I think the spring is even more impressive. It’s green just about everywhere you turn your head.

Janet: It sounds beautiful. Is there a down side? Anything you wish would change?

Nikki Jo: Not one blessed thing. I’ve always loved living in West Virginia—my family goes way back here, and so does my husband’s. My church family is wonderful, my son and daughter-in-law live nearby, my youngest has a great school… all in all I’m just pleased as punch.

Janet: What’s your biggest challenge right now?

Nikki Jo: Well now, it might be time management. I have lots to keep me busy around the house but I’m also really active at church. I like to keep my yard up and I have a bunch of bulbs I need to plant, but just no time to get around to it. My boys keep me hopping, too.

Janet: Tell us a bit about your family.

Nikki Jo: My husband, Roger, has a great sense of humor. That’s partly why I married him. I have three sons: Petey’s the youngest, and he somehow got red hair. Andrew is our middle boy, and he’s in college studying to be a doctor. He… well, he goes through girlfriends pretty fast. No idea why, but I’m hoping that will slow down someday. Like I said, my oldest, Thomas, lives in our cottage behind the main house. Thomas married Tess. She’s a West Virginia girl, like me.

Janet: Ah, yes, Tess. Is she a good match for Thomas?

Nikki Jo: They haven’t been married long, but I’d have to say yes. Thomas has always been pretty serious—he’s a lawyer now, so that’ll tell you something. Tess sort of lightens him up. She’s pregnant, you know. I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I’m hoping it’s another girl to balance things out in our family. I want to teach my grandbabies to cook and sew… all those things my boys didn’t care about.

Janet: What about that mysterious letter? How do you think she should handle it?

Nikki Jo: I don’t know what letter you’re talking about… and what do you mean, handle it?

Janet: Oops! I assumed you knew. What will you do now, ask Tess about it, or wait for her to ask for advice?

Nikki Jo: Oh, I don’t pry. No ma’am, I don’t. But maybe you can tell me a little more about what you know when we’re done talking….

Janet: Do you know a woman named Rose?

Nikki Jo: Rose Campbell? Only Rose in these parts. She was the prettiest woman ever born around here… but honey, Rose died forty years ago. What does she have to do with anything? She was best friends with Miranda Michaels—Tess’ good friend over at the Haven. That’s an assisted living home.

Janet: Oh… and it’s Miranda who showed the letter to Tess. She said it looked like Rose’s handwriting. I wonder what’s going on.

Nikki Jo: Rose’s poor husband, Paul, still lives in that house where she died. Don’t think he ever got over her. But then again, you never know. He’s a quiet one.

Janet: Are you a woman of faith? If so, is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a difference for you?

Nikki Jo: Yes, I’m a Christian. I love to sing in the choir—the old hymns are my favorite. I know it’s not popular to sing about blood these days, but I do love Alas and did my Savior Bleed. I don’t like watered-down gospel. Jesus died and bled for me and that’s something I’m always going to be grateful for.

Janet: Grateful indeed! I understand you love to cook for a crowd. What  are some of the dishes your family looks forward to?

Nikki Jo: My boys each have their favorites. For Roger, it’s meatball subs. For Thomas, it’s a good ol’ southern pork barbeque. Andrew likes my cabbage rolls. And Petey… right now he’s happiest when I fix plain old sloppy joes.

Janet: It all sounds good to me! Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Nikki Jo: Morning. Why not get up and greet the day head-on?

Janet: What’s your favourite season?

Nikki Jo: Oh, I love Christmas. Every year I have a special theme for my tree. I think this year will be my most unforgettable yet.

Janet: That gives us something to look forward to! I’m sorry to come back to Tess, but I’m concerned about this letter she hasn’t told you about. If there’s trouble, do you think she might try the lone ranger route?

Nikki Jo: I wouldn’t put it past her. That girl has been through more than she’d ever say out loud and she’s tough in her own ways. Still, if she is in any kind of trouble, we all need to know. With her being pregnant, well… maybe they’d better move up into the big house with us if there’s anything dangerous around… I think I need to go find my phone….

Janet: I guess I’ll have to read Tess’ story and find out what happens. Thanks for visiting today, Nikki Jo, and introducing us to your world.

===

Miranda Warning, by Heather Day Gilbert

Miranda Warning, Book One in A Murder in the Mountains Series

Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her.

But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox—a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting—Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer…or the next victim might be Tess herself.

Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains’ lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.

Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. Seventeen years of marriage to her sweet Yankee husband have given her some perspective, as well as ten years spent homeschooling. Heather regularly posts on Novel Rocket about self-publishing.

You can find Heather at her website, Heather Day Gilbert–Author, and at her Facebook Author Page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads. Her Viking novel, God’s Daughter, is an Amazon bestseller. You can find it on Amazon and Audible.com. Her Appalachian mystery, Miranda Warning, released June 20th.

Review: Perilous Cove, by Rich Bullock

Cover art: Perilous CovePerilous Cove, by Rich Bullock (RichWords Press, 2014)

The night after her husband’s funeral, 39-year-old Natalie Clayton barely survives an arsonist’s fire only to discover she’s the target of a killer. Her bank account is empty, there’s a new life insurance policy in effect for her—all the evidence points to her deceased husband, Jack.

Jack’s controlling ways have cut Natalie off from friends, and her family is dead. And he changed his life insurance policy to benefit his mother, leaving his wife with nothing.

Investigating detective Addison Conner takes Natalie into his home, but when that puts his daughter Mandy in danger, Natalie flees Missouri.

A cross-country drive brings Natalie to the secluded coastal village of Perilous Cove, California. She changes her name to Samantha Riley, takes a job on a whale-watching boat, and begins to rebuild her life. Natalie/Sam misses Addison and Mandy, wishing for the family she’s never had, but the killer is still after her.

Perilous Cove is explosive from the opening scene with arsonist and murderer Tarz Broderick at work, and achieves thriller-level intensity in places as Natalie/Sam fights for her life. The nature of the story allows a lull in the action once Sam is settled in Perilous Cove, but the danger never truly fades.

Natalie/Sam, Addison and Mandy, and later Millie and Star, are believable characters worth spending time with, and the greater the danger, the more we care about them. I enjoyed watching Sam begin to think for herself and to build a new life and relationships.

You can find author Rich Bullock, and learn more about his Perilous Safety series, at Perilous Fiction.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Moon over Maalaea Bay, by H.L. Wegley

Moon Over Maalaea Bay, by H.L. WegleyMoon Over Maalaea Bay, by H.L. Wegley (Harbourlight Books, 2014)

Moon over Maalaea Bay is book 3 in the Pure Genius series, and it picks up hours after the end of book 2 (On the Pineapple Express). If you plan to read this series from the beginning, stop here or you’ll find out more than you want to know about plot points from the earlier books.

Still with me? Okay. Brilliant and beautiful Jennifer Akihara and her fiancé, Lee Brandt, were instrumental in breaking open one arm of an international human trafficking ring and rescuing teenage girls who would have been sold into terrible situations.

The couple has earned a break, and how better to spend it than honeymooning in Hawaii? Except now there’s not just one group of villains wanting revenge on Jennifer, there are two. Thanks to the publicity surrounding the captured girls’ rescue, both groups know where to find her.

One takes her. Frantic with worry, Lee doesn’t trust the local police (and the FBI who quickly swarm the area) to move fast enough. He, Jennifer’s grandfather, and Katie, who will be the Brandts’ adopted daughter as soon as the paperwork is finished, set out to find Jenn before it’s too late.

The novel alternates between Jenn’s and Lee’s points of view, and the pace doesn’t let up. I’m glad I read the previous book and developed a trust for H.L. Wegley’s writing. Jennifer’s enemies have an extremely bad ending planned for her, and I wouldn’t have wanted to risk what a new-to-me author might include in the text. Mr. Wegley conveys the danger without anything graphic or gratuitous.

The entire novel spans roughly 24 hours as Lee races to save his wife and Jennifer uses all her wits to find a way to escape. This is a Christian novel, and one of the things Lee grapples with is how much harder it is to trust God to look after the woman he loves than it is to trust Him with his own life or death.

As well as the action (including some impressive Karate from Katie) I enjoyed the chance to vicariously swim with the giant sea turtles off the Maalaea Bay beach. An end note from H.L. Wegley reveals that Hawaii is his favourite vacation spot, and I’m sure that has a lot to do with how authentic the setting feels.

There will be one more book in the Pure Genius series, releasing later this year. H.L. Wegley blogs at The Weather Scribe, and his novels offer “A climate of suspense and a forecast of stormy weather.”

[Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]

Review: Harmful Intent, by Nike Chillemi

Harmful Intent, by Nike ChillemiHarmful Intent, by Nike Chillemi (Crime Fictionista Press, 2014)

Brooklyn PI Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels is self-confident, determined, and she knows how to stand up for herself – at least when she’s on her home turf. When she discovers her husband’s infidelity, she flees to Texas to process the hurt before she has to face him, only to become a person of interest in his murder.

Local Deputy Dawson Hughes doesn’t think Ronnie had anything to do with her husband’s death, and they develop an uneasy working relationship to find the killer. Hughes is picking up the pieces after a messy divorce, and Ronnie’s reeling from the double blow of betrayal and widowhood, but there are definitely sparks between these two.

Harmful Intent is the start of a new, contemporary series from Nike Chillemi, a departure from her 1940s-era Sanctuary Point romantic suspense series. I’m intrigued by her vision for this new series, featuring couples who will sometimes appear as minor characters in other couples’ stories. The plots are suspense with romantic threads, but weaving across these threads are others from the characters’ past hurts. Each of the main characters carries, like many readers, wounds from their childhood which keep them from being all they could be.

Ronnie’s father cheated on her mother, and realizing she married the same type of creep herself helps Ronnie to understand her mother differently. This type of character growth is organic to the story, never overshadowing the suspense plot.

Harmful Intent is not an overtly Christian book, although there are faith overtones. Ronnie and Hughes each find themselves in places in life where faith doesn’t come easy. The character of Bertha is a Christian, and I love this exchange between the two women when Ronnie finds Bertha reading a Bible before bed:

[Bertha] patted my cheek. “What puzzles me is why folks who deny the Lord get mad thinkin’ His promises might not include them. That don’t make a lick of sense to me.”

I stood. “I don’t deny the Lord.”

She gazed up at me with a mother’s kindness. “Then there’s more for you than you know in this book.” [Kindle location 942]

Harmful Intent is a novel with a strong sense of place. The Texas locale feels authentic (to this Canadian) and the details of scenes set in the spa, shooting range and various eating establishments bring those scenes to life. Here’s an interesting post by the author on how she researched the setting’s dialect: Dialect ~ Lend Me Thine Ear.

Ronnie and Hughes are well-matched sparring partners, and I think if they can work through the issues keeping them apart, they’ll make a truly happy couple. We’ll have to wait for the next installment to find out, since Harmful Intent takes place over a short period of weeks after Ronnie’s cheating ex’s death.

For more about author Nike Chillemi and her books, visit her website: nikechillemi.wordpress.com

[Review copy from my personal library.]