January 2008 Archives

Here's what was featured in the February BIG THRILL

• KILLING FEAR from ALLISON BRENNAN is a "roller-coaster ride of chills"
• THE PRICE from ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF is a "thriller of the highest order"
• JAMES O. BORN has entered the "ranks of the major thriller writers" with BURN ZONE
  
• Bestselling author KAREN HARPER's latest is BELOW THE SURFACE
• NAMELESS NIGHT is G.M FORD's first stand-alone after his successful Frank Corso series
• THE KILLING ROOM by PETER MAY is "a fantastic story with a brilliant ending"
• ALEX BERENSON delivers "a pulse-pounding sequel" with THE GHOST WAR
• FREEFALL from JOANN ROSS is a "page turner mix of danger, suspense, and passion"
• CRAIG REED takes us on a "terrifying journey" in DNA
• JEFF BUICK "holds the reader to the last page" in DELICATE CHAOS
• THE VAGABOND VIRGINS from KEN KUHLKEN is "a fast-moving adventure"
• KARA SMALL BODMAN writes a "truly frightening story" in GAMBIT
• PATRICIA ROSEMOOR "takes the werewolf tale to a riveting new level" in WOLF MOON
• JONATHAN JAVITT dishes up a "grab-you-by-the-throat thriller" in CAPITAL REFLECTIONS
• Plus, our contributing editors deliver a new batch of in-depth feature interviews with MICHAEL PALMER, ANDY STRAKA, DEBRA WEBB, ELIZABETH BECKA, LAURA CALDWELL, and TINA WAINSCOTT.
• The latest International news from across the pond
• A look at the special blogfest for PATRY FRANCIS and her LIAR'S DIARY
  
• Bonus: a special BETWEEN THE LINES discussion on BUILDING TENSION with bestselling author TESS GERRITSEN
• And so much more from the best thriller writers on the planet!

Book Give-A-Way

Congratulations to Linda Gerber, the winner of the February BIG THRILL give-a-way.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw my name listed as the winner of the Feb. Big Thrill Book Giveaway.  I've been entering these contests since they began but never had a hope that my name would be selected.  You folks really made my month.  I can't wait to dig into all the good stuff that arrived on my doorstep yesterday.

My sincere thanks to ITW, its members and authors and most of all to the specific authors in my great gift package--Mario Acevedo, Patricia Rosemoor, Karen Harper, Robert Liparulo, Michael Palmer, and Louise Ure.  I look forward to reading these works by some old friends and meeting some folks for the first time." ~ Linda Gerber.

Linda will receive an assortment of thrillers including X-RATED BLOOD SUCKERS by MARIO ACEVEDO, WOLF MOON by PATRICIA ROSEMOOR, BELOW THE SURFACE by KAREN HARPER, DEADFALL by ROBERT LIPARULO, THE FIRST PATIENT by MICHAEL PALMER, and THE FAULT TREE by LOUISE URE.

All subscribers to THE BIG THRILL webzine are automatically eligible for the monthly drawing.

This month sees a media related special as we look at newly commissioned writing reality programs, radio-led motivational schemes and book trailers as well as the latest thriller releases from UK Writers

 

Oh, yes, January's gone and we're into February here. This means no more time to sit around; it's back to business as usual in the booktrade.

It's been nice to see some people taking me up on my ramblings here. I've had emails from people who've searched out books because of a mention here, which is a gratifying thing to hear.

And, of course, certain eagle eyed readers will have noticed I'd had too much of the Christmas cheer last month and cut short some of my ramblings about celebrity biographies.  For that I apologise. It wasn't terribly interesting, anyway, and you're probably glad to have not been exposed to an egg-nog fuelled rant in an indecipherable Scots accent.

Anyway, this month we have some media news for you and all the usual nonsense, so...

International bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows suspense. Her popular thrillers include Life Support (1997), The Surgeon (2001), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), and The Mephisto Club (2006), and her most recent title, The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.

Gerritsen maintains a popular blog where she talks about a range of issues from a writer's perspective. Recently, she wrote that "a lot of writers confuse suspense with action." I asked her to expand on that a bit.

"I've always felt that the threat of violence is far more gripping than violence itself," Gerritsen says.  "As an example, I think of the film Aliens, starring Sigourney Weaver.  The most unbearable tension for me during the film was before the monsters had even been located.  The Marines knew the creatures were somewhere in the complex, and they could spot signs of an earlier battle between the aliens and the colonists, but the confrontation was still to come.  As every nail-biting moment passed, as they advanced into the building, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the creatures to appear.  The suspense was exquisite."

By JT Ellison

January 22, 2008 sees the release of the Killer Year anthology, KILLER YEAR: STORIES TO DIE FOR, edited by Killer Year mentor Lee Child, with essays by Laura Lippman and MJ Rose, original stories from Killer Year mentors Ken Bruen, Duane Swierczynski and Allison Brennan, plus introductions to each Killer Year member story by their ITW mentors. This compilation has earned rave trade reviews:

Library Journal: Well worth a look...

"Why writers who deal with the dark side of human nature are among the most collegial is a mystery in itself. What is not in doubt, though, is the quality of this collection resulting from that collegiality, with 13 of its 16 stories by writers who published their first novels in 2007 and were mentored by established authors under the auspices of the International Thriller Writers organization. Some of these stories--which, as editor Child notes, are 'far, far harder to write than novels'--push the edge of the genre and snag the memory, among them Marcus Sakey's exploration of love and the difference between wanting and needing in 'Gravity and Need.' Sean Chercover's Chicago P.I. Ray Dudgeon keeps a case from going south, Gregg Olsen gives a final twist to his tale of a true crime writer, and Jason Pinter shows how things can go inexorably wrong in an instant. The mentors' introductions to these stories, plus brief biographies at the end, should entice readers to longer works by these promising new authors. Even amid a recent rash of anthologies in the genre, this one is well worth a look."

Contributing editor, Mark Combes, chats with Laura Caldwell about the release of her latest thriller, The Good Liar.

With Burning the Map, we all knew back in 2002 that Laura Caldwell could really write - but we didn't know then that she could really write thrillers.  Sure, with Look Closely Caldwell show us her suspense chops, but with The Good Liar, Caldwell finds herself at the top of the thriller heap.  As Caldwell told the Chicago Sun Times, "I want to be the female James Patterson."  And Ken Bruen thinks she's well on her way.  "In the field of mystery, women are excelling in all branches of the genre, from forensics to private eyes to kick-ass heroines to police procedurals.  But we haven't had a top-notch female thriller writer.  Until now."  

Contributing editor, Keith Raffel, first met forensic scientist Elizabeth Becka at Sleuthfest in 2006.  Now he's caught up with her again to discuss her latest novel, Unknown Means, which Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter series, calls "an irresistible read."
 
Keith Raffel: Elizabeth, you said you spent the happiest five years of your life working in the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office in Cleveland.  What's wrong with you?

Elizabeth Becka: I don't know. I've asked myself that over the years and never really gotten an answer, so I stopped asking.

KR: What have you taken from your job there and put into Unknown Means?

EB: The irritating, boring, tedious parts of having a civil service job. How nothing is as easy and fast as it looks on TV.  

Contributing Editor, CJ Lyons, discusses award winning suspense author Tina Wainscott's new release, What Lies in Shadow (SMP, 2008).  In What Lies in Shadow, Wainscott explores the controversial topic of infidelity.

CJ Lyons: What drew you to the topic of infidelity?

Tina Wainscott:  Even though roughly half of all married men and women cheat, infidelity still carries that air of taboo.  It is whispered about behind closed doors, speculated on among friends, and frowned upon by many.  It is the subject of gossip juicier than the ripest peach: who, what, where and why.  Whose fault is it?  What if she gets caught?  And there's always someone who says, "That cold-hearted biach."  Because of that, it's a tricky thing for an author to create a heroine who is, or is considering, cheating on her husband.  So leave it to me to come up with just such a situation, just such a heroine.  

It all started with the idea of a blog-an online diary-in which a lonely wife pours out her angst about her new husband and her suspicions about his fidelity.  And from that blog comes danger in the form of a relentless stalker.

Bill Cameron sits down to talk with prolific author Debra Webb about her new thriller, Nameless.

Debra has seen a thing or two. Not only has she lived around the world, she's held jobs that involved everything from scrubbing toilets to being driven around in a bulletproof Mercedes on official  government business. She's worked with NASA engineers and done classified work under a top secret security clearance. In Nameless, second in a three-book run for St. Martin's due February 5th, Debra  puts all that rich experience to work to produces a dark, edgy thriller with, she explains, "characters who are as real and as ordinary as you or me."

ITW Contributing editor Cathy Clamp spoke with Michael Palmer about his latest political thriller, The First Patient.

“Exciting . . . captures the intense atmosphere of the White House . . . I thoroughly enjoyed it.” It’s a cover quote that any author would love. But when the endorsement is written by a former United States President, it takes on a whole new dimension. Michael Palmer’s thirteenth novel,  The First Patient, was indeed offered glowing praise by former President Bill Clinton, and nobody was more surprised than the author. “President Clinton read my thriller The Fifth Vial and wrote me a kind, personal note saying how much he was looking forward to The First Patient. I sent that book to him through his former White House physician, and he surprised me with a wonderful endorsement.”

Andy Straka's private eye novels featuring Frank Pavlicek have won the Shamus Award and been nominated for the Anthony and Agatha awards. His newest novel is a standalone thriller called Record Of Wrongs.

In Record Of Wrongs, Quentin Price, an African-American, was convicted of the rape and murder of a white girl. DNA evidence released him after nine years in prison. Newly freed, he is approached by the girl's mother, asking him to help her find out the identity of the real killer.

Straka says, "It's basically a suspense thriller, but I like to think of it as being character driven. The genesis was I started reading about the DNA exoneration cases that were starting to crop up. I talked to a prosecutor I know about the perception that DNA is kind of a magic bullet. I had the genesis of this idea of a black guy who's coming out of prison because of DNA exoneration and being approached by the mother of his supposed victim to ask if he would help her discover who really did it. The idea being that there would be a suspenseful story and it would be a story that would really be about ultimate redemption and forgiveness on both the characters' parts. There would also be the ultimate revelation or whether he did actually commit the crimes."
 

Theodore Glenn loves to inflict pain . . . both on his victims and on those who later find the mutilated corpses. At his trial seven years ago, Glenn vowed vengeance on Detective Will Hooper, the cop who nabbed him, and beautiful Robin McKenna, the stripper whose testimony put him behind bars.

When a catastrophic disaster sets Glenn free, he blazes a freshly bloodied path across San Diego County. But the death he craves most is Robin McKenna’s.

Putting aside their past troubled relationship, Will rushes to protect Robin, now a savvy businesswoman operating an upscale club. As the killings mount and Glenn proves a master manipulator, Robin and Will become snared in a twisted web of horror. But the shocking truth is even worse: The evil they are to face is even deadlier than they fear.

"Fast becoming a master at delivering complex, layered plots and characters that erupt from the page, Brennan has created a roller-coaster ride of chills!" -- Top Pick Mystery/Thriller from RT Book Reviews

"Bone chilling, spine tingling, white knuckle suspense at it's finest!" -- Fresh Fiction

"A chilling story that will do for online social groups what "Psycho" did for showers is bestselling author Allison Brennan's "Speak No Evil." -- The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

New York Times bestselling author, RT Award winner for Best Suspense, and RITA award nominee for Best Romantic Suspense, Allison Brennan has published seven romantic thrillers, a novella, and two short stories. She lives in Northern California with her husband, five kids, cat and dog and escapes to write at Starbucks or the local brewpub, depending on the time of day, her mood, and deadlines.

ATF agent Alex Duarte has stumbled across a madman driven to revenge against the U.S.  Working with other federal agents Duarte will learn the dark secret that has pushed the FBI to drastic steps as he must race to stop a disaster from which the country may not recover.

“Finely-drawn characters and a sense of realism – Field of Fire is impossible to put down.” — Mystery Scene Magazine

“Field of Fire jumps Born into the ranks of the major thriller writers. Burn Zone confirms it.” — W.E.B. Griffin

James O. Born is the author of five police thrillers from Putnam.  ESCAPE CLAUSE, was the winner of the inaugural Florida Book award for best novel in popular fiction.  His first series featured state cop Bill Tasker.  His new series features ATF agent Alex Duarte.    Born is a former U.S. Drug Agent and currently is assigned as a port security and anti-terrorist agent for the State of Florida.  Burn Zone is drawn directly from his training and experience.

Boston District Attorney Will Sullivan has it all: a beautiful and beloved wife, Joanna; an adorable five-year old daughter, Sydney; and a real shot at winning the Massachusetts governor’s race. But on the eve of Will’s candidacy, Sydney is diagnosed with a malignant, inoperable tumor. Now Will and Joanna are living in the eerie twilight world of Briarwood Hospital, waiting for Sydney to die, and both going slowly mad with grief. But a mysterious, charismatic hospital counselor named Salk takes special interest in Will and Joanna’s plight When Sydney miraculously starts to improve, Will suspects that Joanna has made a terrible bargain to save the life of their dying child.

“A medical thriller of the highest order… a stunning, riveting journey into terror and suspense.” — Bestselling author Michael Palmer

“Beyond stunning, it is harrowing in the real sense of true art.” — Bestselling author Ken Bruen

Alexandra Sokoloff’s debut ghost story, THE HARROWING, was nominated for both Bram Stoker and Anthony awards for Best First Novel. She is contracted with St. Martin’s Press for three more supernatural thrillers, including THE PRICE. As a screenwriter, she’s sold original mystery/thriller scripts and written novel adaptations for numerous Hollywood studios, and is a WGA activist. Alex performs in the all-author Killer Thriller Band, and with Heather Graham’s Vampire Dinner Theater.

Discovered lying near death in a railroad car, his body broken, his mind destroyed, Paul Hardy has spent the past seven years living in a group home for disabled adults, his identity and his past lost—seemingly forever. Then, after a horrific car accident, he awakens a new man, his face reconstructed, and his mind shadowy with memory. With only a name and a vaguely remembered scene to guide him, he goes on a cross-country quest to find out who he really is. But his search for the truth makes a lot of people uncomfortable—from the DA's office to the highest levels of government. Soon Paul is being tailed by an army of pursuers as he finds himself at the center of a government cover-up that has already claimed too many innocent lives—and the numbers are mounting. It's the kind of thing that could make even a man on the outskirts of society feel the pull of justice. A justice that might be worth killing for. Or dying for . . .

He wowed critics with his Frank Corso and Leo Waterman series, catapulting to the upper ranks of contemporary crime writers with each riveting new thriller. Now, G.M. Ford is back with a brand-new book, his first stand-alone novel, featuring a man with no name, no past—and at the center of a conspiracy so pervasive he's forced to run from the only home he's ever known—straight into the abyss—in his search for truth. . . .

Scuba Diver Briana Devon surfaces from a deep water dive to check the status of a dying sea grass meadow and finds her twin sister and their dive boat gone.  She has to swim for her life, but even on shore, things only get worse.  Is someone trying to intentionally pollute the once pristine Gulf of Mexico and kill Briana too?  Below the surface of the plot lie topics for discussion on eco-issues and the blessing and curse of family birth order.

"Harper has a fantastic flair for creating and sustaining suspense." -- Publisher's Weekly on The Falls
 
"Her deft juxtaposition of the cast of creepy characters and a small town setting make for a haunting read." -- Publisher's Weekly on The Stone Forest
 
"Mystery, intrigue, love--it's all here." -- Rendezvous on The Baby Farm

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Karen Harper is the 2006 winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award.  Harper also writes historical novels, including THE LAST BOLEYN and THE FIRST PRINCESS OF WALES.  She and her husband divide their time between Columbus, Ohio and Naples, Florida (the setting for BELOW THE SURFACE).

DNA. A twisting turning bundle of phosphate atoms that determine genetic destiny. DNA. A twisting turning puzzle that will propel George Anders toward the truth behind the most important question of our time: Intelligent Design or Darwin's Evolution? A genetic question that, once answered, could unleash an equal measure of hope and horror for us all.

“DNA is an enlightening and terrifying journey that offers a unique answer to the most controversial argument of our time: Intelligent Design or Darwin’s Evolution? Based on five years of solid research, DNA is a riveting story that will compel you to read the other books in the series.” -- Malcolm Boyes of Entertainment Tonight

“DNA is exotic and suspenseful, with lots of subplots to keep the reader guessing!” -- Raymond Obstfeld, New York Times Bestselling author of On the Shoulders of Giants with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“Millions of James Rollins fans will find DNA a fascinating read. This fast-paced genetic thriller will keep you riveted with breathless anticipation!” -- Carol Davis Luce, author of Night Stalker and Night Prey

CRAIG REED is the author of Crazy Ivan: A True Story of Submarine Espionage and co-author of Tarzan, My Father with the late Johnny Weissmuller, Jr. A decorated navy diver and submariner, William Craig Reed completed several recon missions with Navy SEAL teams during the Cold War.

Unable to forget the horror of his last battle in Afghanistan, Navy SEAL Zach Tremayne has returned to his South Carolina home determined to shut out the world. The victim of a terrorist attack in Italy, Sabrina Swann has also made a private journey home to put the tattered pieces of her own life back together again. When together they discover an evil killer waiting in Swann Island's shadows, the woman who is desperate for peace and the man who has sworn off war will realize they are willing to do anything, risk everything, to protect a love neither saw coming...

"A page turning mix of danger, suspense, and passion!" -- New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen

JoAnn Ross has written ninety-nine novels and has been published in twenty-six countries. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs. A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.

The Ghost War is the sequel to The Faithful Spy, which won the 2007 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.

CIA agent John Wells is back in Washington, restless and irritable as he awaits his next mission. When the CIA finds evidence of a surge in Taliban activity, backed by an unknown foreign power, Wells eagerly returns to Afghanistan to investigate. But what he discovers is far from what he expected.

A deadly power play in China, a mission to North Korea gone terribly wrong, a mole within the ranks of the CIA who is about to light a fuse, the consequences of which he cannot possibly understand -- the world is hurtling toward confrontation. And, this time, there may be nothing John Wells can do to stop it.
 
"Terrific and relentless suspense and action" – Kirkus Reviews

"John Wells confronts a very different threat in this pulse-pounding sequel" -- Publishers Weekly

Alex Berenson is a reporter for The New York Times and the author of two novels, including the Faithful Spy, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. He lives in New York

Third in the acclaimed series of China Thrillers. The butchered corpses of 18 women are found buried on a building sit in Shanghai. Beijing detective, Li Yan, is sent to investigate, aided by Chicago pathologist, Margaret Campbell

"May is described as 'Cruz Smith meets Cornwell' and it won't take many pages of his latest - The Killing Room - to find out why ... Raw, like sushi, and recommended." -- The Publishing News

"A fantastic story with a really brilliant ending." -- Cover Story, BBC Radio Scotland

An honorary member of the Chinese Crime Writers' Association, Scotsman Peter May was Scottish Young Journalist of the Year in 1973. His first novel was published when he was 26. He went on to become one of Scotland's most successful and prolific television dramatists before quitting television to concentrate on writing books. His six China Thrillers have won international acclaim, and his new French-set series has received rave reviews. May now lives and writes in France where he recently won a major literary award, the Prix Intramuros, voted for by prisoners in French penitentiaries.

Aileen McKenna arrives at a small Wisconsin town to complete her research on human-wolf interaction for her thesis only to find that several recent deaths have been blamed on the wolves. As she's drawn into the mystery, she begins to wonder if werewolves are real...and if Rhys Lindgren, the man she's attracted to is one of them and a murderer.

Romantic Times Book Reviews has chosen Wolf Moon as one of their Top Picks of the month and said, "She takes the werewolf tale to a riveting new level of romance, mystery and terror."

"This book surprised me. I was intrigued from page one. The characters were compelling, and the plot was well-twisted." Wendy Hines, Armchair Interviews

Patricia Rosemoor writes dangerous love---she's the author of more than fifty paranormal thrillers and novels of romantic suspense for Harlequin and Silhouette books. She has won a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America and Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Book Club, and in her other life, she teaches Popular Fiction and Suspense-Thriller Writing in the Fiction Writing Department of Columbia College Chicago.

Several commercial airplanes crash in flames - no one how or why it's happening. With the economy tanking, the White House again turns to Dr. Cameron Talbot to develop a missile defense system against a mysterious weapon -- and she soon finds herself enmeshed in international plots, political intrigue and a romantic triangle at the highest levels of government.

"Gambit is a truly frightening story with the crystal ring of truth and authenticity; well-written, well-plotted and as topical as a novel can get." -- Nelson DeMille

"Not only does Karna Bodman know the White House inside and out, but she also knows how to tell a gripping, fast-paced tale of political intrigue filled with the kind of delicious insider detail most other novelists have to make up." -- Joseph Finder

"Bristling with fascinating insider detail, Gambit is an exciting journey of heart-pounding suspense, steamy romance, global politics and cutting-edge science. Make yourself comfortable. Order in some food. You're in for a great ride." -- Gayle Lynds

Karna Small Bodman served in The White House for six years - last post was Senior Director of the National Security Council. She was also on the air for 15 years as a TV news anchor and reporter in San Francisco, Washington, DC and did network political commentary.

In 1979, a Holy Virgin appears in Mexico, issuing prophecy and warning the campesinos to vote the corrupt and tyrannical Partido Revolucionario Institutional out of power. A week before the election, a woman comes to San Diego private investigator Alvaro Hickey, claiming she's the Virgin's sister and offering him a chance to help reform the country of his birth.

"The Vagabond Virgins delivers a story in the tradition of Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory and B. Traven's Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Kuhlken knows the brutal reality of border Mexico," -- Gene Riehl, author of Quantico Rules and Sleeper

". . . features the same original plots and memorable characters that make Kuhlken's series so outstanding." -- Library Journal

". . . a fast-moving adventure that effectively combines mainstream historical fiction with the conventions of the hard-boiled detective novel. Kuhlken has another winner." -- Booklist

"Kuhlken's engaging fifth novel featuring the eccentric Hickey family . . . easily blends adventure with a classic PI staple: the appearance of an alluring woman, full of secrets." -- Publishers Weekly

Ken Kuhlken’s stories have appeared in Esquire and dozens of other magazines, been honorably mentioned in Best American Short Stories, and earned a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Ken’s previous novels are Midheaven chosen as finalist for the Ernest Hemingway Award for best first novel, The Loud Adios (Private Eye Writers of America/St. Martin’s Press Best First Mystery Novel, 1989), The Venus Deal and The Angel Gang, all Tom Hickey mysteries, and The Do-Re-Mi, a Tom and Clifford Hickey mystery honored as January Magazine best book of 2006 and as a finalist for the 2006 Shamus Award. 

Banking shouldn't be fatal.

Leona Hewitt, a successful Washington DC banker, finds her life threatened when she takes on a new client and people start dying of mysterious causes. Like murder. Mike Anderson, the only person she trusts, is trapped in Nairobi, the prisoner of a sadistic, renegade cop. Alone and running from a psychotic killer, Leona is out of resources and time.

"Jeff Buick weaves a tale that captures the reader’s interest and holds it to the last page. Detailed, clever, offering engaging characters, twisting – a writer to keep on the “to buy immediately” list!" -- Heather Graham, New York Times Best-selling author

"Not one, but two suspense plots weave their way through Buick’s newest red-hot thriller. Greed is definitely the root of evil in both plot threads as the protagonists struggle to survive. Once again, Buick delivers non-stop action punctuated with danger and drama." -- Jill Smith, RT BOOK reviews

Jeff Buick loves writing. It’s his passion. He was bored one day, wrote a young adult book for one of his sons, and discovered a hidden talent. Writing came easy, and he shifted to writing thrillers. Seventeen books later, he’s still at it. And loving it. Jeff lives in Calgary, Canada, has four grown kids and five dogs. And a very cute granddaughter.
His one rule when he writes, is to entertain the reader. And yes, Buick is his real name. It’s Scottish.

Capt. Gwen Maulder, a hardworking FDA medical officer is traumatically thrust onto the trail of a small, but mysterious epidemic of fatal seizures, all among young professionals.  The culprit seemingly kills without a trace, no matter how deeply she probes.  As Gwen attempts to probe the mystery, the opposition to her investigation rises, far out of proportion to its scope.  At the heart of story is a chilling scheme to manipulate the lives of millions through genetic modification, conceived and executed by those in the highest possible positions of public trust.  As Gwen and her allies attempt to overcome dangerous adversity the reader is left to wonder whether anything today can be truly safe to eat or drink or breathe.  Gwen’s story is as real as tomorrow’s headlines.

"If you read one book this season, read Capitol Reflections." -- NY POST

"If you can read only one book this summer, it should be Capitol Reflections, the new thriller by Dr. Jonathan Javitt.  Not only is this gripping novel almost impossible to put down, but it illustrates potentially vital problems with the safety of America's food supply." -- Diana Furchtgott-Roth, The New York Post columnist

"His name was Rambo, and he was just some nothing kid for all anybody knew, standing by the pump of a gasstation."
-Opening sentence of the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell

John Rambo, the legendary character created by ITW Co-Founder and Co-President David Morrell, is back on the big screen, filling movie theaters and earning a new generation of fans. But who exactly is Rambo? Google reveals more than 18,000,000 hits for him. The Oxford English Dictionary cites his name. Scores of scholarly articles have been written about him. President Reagan frequently referred to him in speeches. He is one of the most iconic and popular film characters of all time, but if you know him only from the movies, you’re in for a surprise.

Rambo is the brainchild of international bestselling author Morrell, who first penned the character in his award-winning 1972 novel, First Blood, published when Morrell was a young professor in the English department at the University of Iowa. Until First Blood’s publication, there had never been an action book of its kind. Morrell’s revolutionary novel paved the way for an entirely new action-fiction style of writing, and the Rambo character went on to become one of the most famous literary characters created in the 20th Century, ranking with Tarzan and James Bond.

The Canadian-born Morrell wrote First Blood at the height of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s and early 1970s, while studying for his PhD at Pennsylvania State University. He loosely based the character John Rambo on Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier from World War Two, who had extreme difficulties adjusting to peace time. The name alludes to the Season in Hell verse of the French poet, Rimbaud, (sometimes pronounced “Rambo”) but is also oddly indebted to the name of a Pennsylvania apple that Morrell’s wife drew his attention to while shopping at a road-side stand.

This past spring, ITW author Patry Francis came out with her debut: The Liar’s Diary. It was the culmination of years of love and labor: writing without pay, working for decades as a waitress on Cape Cod, and raising four children.

Three months later she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, which you can read about on her blog: Simply Wait.  With two surgeries behind her and a third upcoming, Patry is home recuperating. That’s when thriller writer Laura Benedict came up with an inspiring idea. Why not round up fellow writers to help Patry promote the paperback release of The Liar’s Diary on January 29^th  ?  I joined thriller writer Karen Dionne, novelist Susan Henderson at Litpark and novelist Tish Cohen to lend our support. Within days, more than forty thriller writers and 300 bloggers signed up to rally and blog for Patry and Liar’s Diary.

ITW member JoMarie Grinkiewicz just received "the call" for a contract deal with Five Star for book two in the Wanderlust Mystery series, THE LAST RESORT. Written under the pseudonym April Star, her debut novel and first of the series TROPICAL WARNINGS (a 2006 release from Five Star) has gained popularity among mystery fans, RV enthusiasts, and the RV industry.
 
In 1992, shortly after hurricane Andrew devastated the Homestead, Florida area, JoMarie and her husband, Jerry rolled their thirty-two foot Avion travel trailer into a camping resort (which, at the time, appeared to be more of a MASH unit). In an attempt to keep her sanity, she took a job in the office where she soon discovered INSANITY bred! A year later JoMarie became assistant manager and marketing director and in 1996 Jerry joined her in the office as they agreed upon the offer of campground managers. There they stayed and there is where the REAL stories and characters emerged for what is now a reality--the Wanderlust Mystery Series.
 
JoMarie lives in Sebring, Florida and again working at an RV resort.  She is also an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Sisters In Crime. and the American College of Forensics Examiners International.  Stop by and see what reviewers are saying about the Wanderlust Mystery series at www.authoraprilstar.com

As we all know the internet has a mind of its own. Yesterday the mind inside this site decided to tell everyone it could about something we'd been working on for a few weeks: our new membership directory. Sorry if that caused some confusion - we weren't expecting it either, honest.

Here's what was featured in the January BIG THRILL:

THE ACCIDENT MAN by TOM CAIN is "a great thriller read"
LOUISE URE delivers "masterful storytelling" in THE FAULT TREE
AT THE CITY'S EDGE is a "stellar debut" from MARCUS SAKEY
It's all about murder in CAPITAL CONSPIRACY by WILLIAM BERNHARDT
JULIE HYZY "packs an unusual wallop" in STATE OF THE ONION
JAMES GRIPPANDO show off his "nail-biting style" with LAST CALL
THE TIMER GAME from SUSAN ARNOUT SMITH is as "riveting as a ticking bomb"
LEIGHTON GAGE proves he's a "master storyteller" with BLOOD OF THE WICKED

In-depth Features from LINDA RICHARDS, STEVE ALTEN, DAVID ROBBINS, and DOUGLAS PRESTON

A special Between The Lines feature with DAVID MORRELL

And so much more from the best thriller authors on the planet!

ITW member Patry's Francis's debut THE LIAR'S DIARY came out in hardcover from Dutton last spring. The trade paper release is set for January 29th, but a few weeks ago, Patry was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She's had several surgeries, and her prognosis is good, but given that she won't have much energy for promoting, ITW Debut Author members Laura Benedict and Karen Dionne, along with Susan Henderson and Jessica Keener, have banded together to do it for her.

'THE LIAR'S DIARY Blog Day' is going to be held January 29th. Folks who wish to participate are asked to mention Patry's book on their blog that day and link to her website (www.patryfrancis.com) and the book's purchase page on Amazon.

Brilliance Audio has put together a special audio clip with excerpts from Patry's novel, and Circle of Seven Productions is producing a promotional video especially for bloggers.

New York, New York, January 9, 2008: In order to forge stronger relations with the film and television community, InkWell Management, a leading New York literary agency, has hired former Paramount executive Patricia Burke as Director of Dramatic Rights.

Prior to joining InkWell, Ms. Burke was Paramount's Vice President of Literary Affairs where she established and ran the studio's New York office. While at the studio, she was associated with numerous films that were adapted from books, including most recently, The Kite Runner and Into The Wild. Before working for Paramount, she was Director of Literary Affairs for Jaffe/Lansing Productions, where she was involved in developing such hits as Fatal Attraction, The Accused, and The First Wives Club.

Be In The Next Thriller Anthology!
ITW authors! Thriller, Stories To Keep You Up All Night, was ITW's first anthology, appearing on bookshelves in 2006 when our organization was just getting started. Edited by James Patterson and featuring bestselling ITW members such as Lee Child, Douglas Preston, Heather Graham and James Rollins, along with stories by more than twenty other top thriller writers, Thriller sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide and became one of the most successful anthologies of all time.

"Thriller was an overwhelming success," says ITW co-president and bestselling author Steve Berry. "Along with the amazing sales numbers, we sold the foreign rights in 9 countries. We anticipate Thriller 2 to be an even bigger hit. After all, we've already got Clive Cussler at the helm and a stellar lineup of bestselling authors. All we need now is to fill five more slots. I encourage ITW members to submit their stories for consideration. Remember that all proceeds go to help fund our organization."

Thriller 2, edited by Clive Cussler, will be published by MIRA BOOKS in early 2009 and we're asking our members to submit stories. Thriller 2 already features an all-star lineup of some of today's bestselling thriller writers, including Ridley Pearson, Jeffrey Deaver, Lisa Jackson, Barry Eisler, Mariah Stewart, Phillip Margolin, Brad Meltzer, Robert Ferrigno, R.L. Stine, Kathleen Antrim, Javier Sierra, David Hewson, Jon Land, and Carla Neggers, so expect this collection to be a huge success, so we're looking for your very best stories to round out the collection.

It's won the 'audioboook of the year' award from January Magazine, and selected as one of the top titles of 2007 by AudioFile. Editor Jim Fusilli goes behind the scenes of the unique audio project that captured the imaginations of thriller listeners this year.

If I may say so, I knew "The Chopin Manuscript" was going to be a success from the moment I heard about the project. Not that I knew our "serial thriller" would win awards, but I knew it would work as a story when M.J. Rose told me Jeff Deaver would be writing the first chapter, thus establishing a savvy, reader-friendly template for us to follow. Sure enough, his opening was so strong that I asked M.J. if we were being fair to Jeff by requesting he donate it to us. "He's given us one of his best sellers," I told her.

I had the fairly naïve notion that anyone I called would immediately agree to contribute. When I read Jeff's chapter, which is set in Eastern Europe, I thought of David Hewson, hoping he'd bring the story into Italy. David agreed, and turned in his chapter within 48 hours, writing it while he was on a book tour. It brought us to Washington D.C., and I thought, Who better to pick up the tale than James Grady, author of "Six Days of the Condor," the quintessential spy story set in our nation's capital. Now we were off and running.

ITW contributing editor James Scott Bell sat down with ITW co-founder and NYT bestselling author David Morrell for a Between The Lines in-depth chat.

What does it take to make a bestseller these days? In addition to a ripping good read, there's a market reality to consider.

"Publishing changed so much in the past decade," says bestselling author David Morrell (Long Lost, Creepers, Scavenger). "The only certainty about bestsellers seems to be that if you're a brand name, you'll probably continue to have bestsellers because your publisher sees an economic benefit in paying chain stores to feature your books in prominent displays."

These displays are rented space, so "aggressive support from the publisher is essential. Without it, you won't get on the list."

Independent bookstores also factor into the bestseller lists, and those stores don't get paid for displays. But it still takes a major push from publishers to make an impact here, Morrell says.

"One hundred or two hundred ARCs aren't going to do it. You need thousands, and that goes back to how much money your publisher is willing to spend to attract attention to you. This is not good news. But knowledge is power. Authors need to learn how to promote themselves and do what their publishers should be doing."

Prior to the disastrous CIA-led invasion of Cuba’s Bay of Pigs in 1961, the U.S. made many unsuccessful attempts to assassinate or discredit Fidel Castro. David L. Robbins, in his new “alternate history” thriller, THE BETRAYAL GAME, throws his hero, Dr. Mikhal Lammeck, into the midst of this potent period in world history.

Robbins says, “The CIA thought if they killed Castro the Cuban people would rise up against the socialist government. That’s why I think the book might seem timely—you know, back to the future.”

He also notes that it wasn’t just that the CIA attempted to kill Castro that caught his attention, but “the quality of the attempts. They were kind of like the Keystone Kops—right out of 007. They had exploding seashells and poison ink pens and they put chemical salts in Castro’s shoes to make his hair fall out because they thought his beard was the key to his charismatic power. The remarkable depth and breadth of these plots against Fidel, when you look back at them, seem almost comical. I portray some of that in the book.”

Contributing editor Mark Combes chats with Linda Richards about her new novel Death Was The Other Woman.

Meet Kitty Panghorn: “…it’s the Depression. Times are tough. Strong-backed men in breadlines, trying to get enough to just keep their families together. With things that tough, what’s a girl gonna do, faced with a sad sack boss who still can’t get over his part in the War – the Great One – enough to lift his snoot out of his Bourbon long enough to solve a case? I’ll tell you what: if she’s smart and pays attention and wants to make sure her pay gets to her on time, she’s gonna make sure her good-fer-nuthin’ boss takes the few cases he does get and makes good on them.”

That is how Linda Richards describes the protagonist of her new novel Death Was the Other Woman. And I suspect there is more than a little Linda Richards in Kitty Panghorn. Death Was the Other Woman is Richard’s fourth novel and follows on the high heels of her wildly popular Madeline Carter novels. The Madeline Carter novels centered around a stock market wiz turned amateur sleuth, but Richards is trying her talented hand at noir this time.

It’s a new year and, for ITW, not exactly a new website, but certainly a refresh of our old one. Since moving to a monthly webzine format we’ve picked up a lot of readers. Thousands of you turn up each month to find out about the latest titles from ITW authors, and browse through our growing bank of articles.

This poses challenges for an organization that is reliant on volunteers to keep a site like this running. One is just storing the stuff in a way in which you can find it. Another is reducing the workload on the people who keep this site online. The redesign you see here is an attempt to do both. We hope you’ll find it even easier to navigate our site and locate what you want. At the same time we’ve moved to a new system and a new hosting service, so that we’re now on the same technology as publishers such as the Washington Post and Time magazine.

ITW contributing editor, Keith Raffel, spoke with Douglas Preston about his latest novel Blasphemy. Publisher’s Weekly called the thriller “thought-provoking” and promised readers that “this baby roars.”

Keith Raffel: You’re probably best known for the many bestsellers you’ve written with Lincoln Child. Why are you flying solo with Blasphemy?

Douglas Preston: There’s an ineffable satisfaction in authoring your own book. For better or worse, it is all yours. I actually offered the central idea of Blasphemy to our partnership first, but Linc shrank back in horror at the idea of putting words in God’s mouth. When I gave Linc the book to read a few months ago, in hopes of getting a blurb from him, he wrote back: “With Blasphemy, Douglas Preston has finally gone too far. One way or another, I'm afraid he may burn for this book.” Best blurb I’ve ever gotten.

KR: So give us a peek into what Blasphemy is about.

DP: A powerful particle accelerator has been constructed in the remote Arizona desert, the most expensive machine ever built by science. A team of scientists under the direction of a charismatic Nobel Laureate have gone out there to “turn it on,” so to speak. But something goes wrong, and the scientists seem to be covering it up. Wyman Ford is tapped to go to Arizona in an undercover role and find out what’s really going on. He discovers the scientists have made a discovery that is so outrageous, so dangerous, so earth-shaking that it must be kept from the world at all costs…

CraftFest is ITW's annual pre-ThrillerFest writers' university, where serious writers of all skill levels can study craft from the very best in the publishing industry. Boasting the largest number of New York Times best selling writers and instructors to teach under one roof, CraftFest is unmatched in quality.

CraftFest is a place to hone your craft, make industry connections, see old friends, and make many new ones. This year CraftFest will take place over two days and will offer Bonus Power Workshops for those available the morning of Wednesday, July 9th.

CraftFest officially begins on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 9th and concludes at lunch on Thursday, July 10th. As before, there will be three tracks of classes taught by some of the biggest names in the thriller genre. Wednesday evening there will be a group book signing for all of the instructors followed by a cocktail reception. On Thursday Tor/Forge presents a special luncheon event featuring a very special guest.

Thursday afternoon, ITW offers AgentFest, a chance to speed date with agents and editors to pitch your projects. That evening ITW will host another group book signing prior to the Cocktail Reception presented by Random House that will serve as the official kick-off to ThrillerFest 2008.

Contributing editor Jeff Ayers discusses The Shell Game with Steve Alten.

Steve Alten’s body of work has explored the possibility of a gigantic prehistoric shark living in contemporary waters, the true beast that lives in the waters of Loch Ness, and what the world will experience when the ancient Mayan calendar ends in December 2012.  But he has saved the most terrifying story of all for his latest -- The Shell Game.  In his terrifying and all-too real novel, Alten explores our country’s dependence on oil and the lengths people in power have utilized to promote their agenda. 

When asked what sparked the idea for The Shell Game, Alten responded, “It began with an article on the implications of Peak Oil and how the Big Rollover (end of oil) will wipe out much of society as we know it. That sounds rather dramatic until you think about it. Without oil, we can't feed the masses.  We can't bring goods to market or heat and cool our homes. Without gasoline there is no transportation. Bottom line: Without oil, this planet can only support about 500 million to 1 billion people...AND THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR OIL. Not yet anyway. The more I researched, the deeper the implications became, and it led to what really happened on 9/11. Suddenly key contacts fell into my lap and I went from fiction writer to investigative journalist. The story exposes the next 9/11 event -- a deception that will lead to a retaliatory chemical weapons strike on Iran and the terrorist elements the regime supports. Although the novel is written as fiction, it is filled with all-too-real details provided by insiders in the oil industry, military, and Middle Eastern affairs that extrapolate real events from the past and present that could lead us down a path of self-destruction...unless we stop the insanity now.”

Book Give-A-Way

Congratulations to Mark Sheridan, the winner of this month's BIG THRILL giveaway. Mark will receive an assortment of thrillers including CRIES & WHISKERS by CLEA SIMON, KILLING FEAR by ALLISON BRENNAN, HONOR DUE by D.H. BROWN, and BLOOD OF THE WICKED by LEIGHTON GAGE.

All subscribers to THE BIG THRILL webzine are automatically eligible for the monthly drawing.

In the remote Brazilian town of Cascatas do Pontal, where landless peasants are confronting the owners of vast estates, the bishop arrives by helicopter to consecrate a new church and is assassinated. Mario Silva, chief inspector for criminal matters of the federal police of Brazil, is dispatched to the interior to find the killer. Here is a Brazil that tourists never encounter.

"Blood of the Wicked manages to pack a huge amount into a spare three hundred pages: power politics, petty violence, sexual scandal, saintly courage, staggering poverty and obscene wealth...This is a novel as rich and complex as Brazil itself." -- Rebecca Pawel, Edgar Award-winning author of The Summer Snow

"Terrifically written, intelligent and evocative. Leighton Gage is a master storyteller, a natural; but more than that, he takes us on a breakneck trip to a real world, with real characters, and real issues. This is definitely a not-to-be-missed debut." -- Brian Haig, author of Man in the Middle

Leighton Gage has two daughters and two grandchildren in the Netherlands. He has two more daughters in the U.S. When not visiting one or the other, he and his wife spend much of their time in Brazil, her native country.

A child is kidnapped and her mother is forced to play the child's favorite game, called the Timer Game, to get her back.

"This is very special: a fast-paced page-turner featuring a new series character in one hell of a gripping, race against-time read. For pure suspense, it's awinner." -- UK Bookseller

"As riveting as a ticking bomb. . .will chill you, thrill youand satisfy your deepest cravings for adventure. Smith is more than aterrific writer; she's a master in the making." -- Gayle Lynds

"A highly entertaining, intelligent, original yet classic medical thriller, Susan Arnout Smith has written a gem here--memorable characters and a fast and furious ticking-clock plot. A really good read." --  John Lescroat

Susan Arnout Smith has been a playwright, an essayist for National Public Radio, and a recreation director on the trans-Alaska Pipeline. She lives and writes in southern California.

Grippando's newest Last Call, the seventh in his acclaimed Jack Swyteck series, is also his best. And, by focusing on Jack’s former client and longtime best friend, Theo, and putting Miami’s “Little Harlem” and its Jazz roots in the spotlight, Grippando deepens his Swyteck series – dedicated fans and new fans alike will eat this one up.

"James Grippando is a very inventive and ingenious storyteller." -- Nelson DeMille

"Grippando writes in nail-biting style.” -- USA Today

James Grippando is the bestselling author of thirteen novels from HarperCollins including Lying with Strangers, When Darkness Falls, Got the Look, and The Pardon. He is also the author of a thriller for younger readers, Leapholes (ABA, September 2006), and in 2006 contributed a short story to the acclaimed Thriller collection. James is Counsel to Boies, Schiller & Flexner, LLP, one of the nation’s leading litigation law firms, headed by David Boies. Born and raised outside of Chicago, Grippando now lives in South Florida with his family where he was a trial lawyer for twelve years.

White House Chef Olivia (Ollie) Paras feeds the First Family while battling a world-class assassin who wants to see her fry.

"Hyzy (Deadly Interest) launches her White House Chef Mystery series with a compulsively readable whodunit full of juicy behind–the–Oval Office details, flavorful characters and a satisfying side dish of red herrings..." -- Publishers Weekly

 “I loved this culinary thriller: topical, timely, intriguing. Julie Hyzy simmers a unique setting, strong characters, sharp conflict, and snappy plotting into a peppery blend that packs an unusual wallop.” -- Susan Wittig Albert, national bestselling author of Nightshade

Julie Hyzy’s newest series debuts in January. State of the Onion features Olivia (Ollie) Paras, White House chef, who feeds the First Family and saves the world in her spare time. Julie’s also written two books in her other amateur sleuth series featuring Chicago news researcher Alex St. James, Deadly Blessings, and Deadly Interest, which won the 2007 Lovey award for best traditional mystery. Julie’s short story, “Strictly Business” in the Bleak House anthology, These Guns for Hire, won a 2007 Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Newly appointed Senator Ben Kincaidis thrust in the middle of a controversial battle to rewrite the Bill of Rights in the aftermath of a devastating terrorist assault and assassination attempt on the President and First Lady. Beneath the legislative turmoil, someone is determined to change the face of America as we know it by any means possible--including murder.

William Bernhardt is the author of 27 books,including the acclaimed Ben Kincaid series. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Jason Palmer loved being a soldier. But returned from Iraq with an "other than honorable" discharge, he's finding rebuilding his life the toughest battle yet. Elena Cruz is a talented cop, the first woman to make Chicago's prestigious Gang Intelligence Unit. She's ready for anything the job can throw at her. Until Jason's brother is murdered in front of his own son...

"Gritty and compelling, packed with action, At the City's Edge crackles and sears like a rip-roaring fire." -- Tess Gerritsen, author of The Bone Garden

"Fast paced from the get-go and just as good as Sakey's stellar debut." -- Library Journal

"Goes from zero to sixty in a blazing rush. Sakey knows how to thrill a reader." -David Morrell, author of Scavenger

"Intricate...relentless...Sakey's gritty Chicago is wonderfully evoked." -- Kirkus

Ten years in advertising gave Marcus Sakey the perfect background to write about criminals and killers.  His debut, The Blade Itself, was a New York Times Editor's Pick, featured on CBS Sunday Morning, and named one of Esquire Magazine's 5 Best Reads of 2007. It has been translated into numerous languages, and Ben Affleck has purchased the film rights for Miramax.  To research his novels, Marcus has shadowed homicide detectives, toured the morgue, interviewed Special Forces officers, ridden with L.A. gang cops, and learned to pick a deadbolt in sixty seconds. His latest novel is At the City's Edge.

When she's almost run down by a speeding car, blind auto mechanic Cadence Moran at first thinks that she's the victim of road rage or a bad driver. In fact, she's the only witness to a murder, and now the killer believes that she's seen the getaway car. Shamus Award-winning author of Forcing Amaryllis Louise Ure paints the glare of a Southwestern summer with the brush of a blind woman's darkness in a riveting, page-turning mystery, as Cadence fights to stop a killer she can't see.

"An acute study of a fiercely independent heroine and a nail-biting suspenser." -- Kirkus (starred review)

"Masterful storytelling." -- Booklist (starred review)

"The prose is electric. I loved every page of it." -- James Crumley

"An original and gripping work, nothing less than remarkable." -- Laura Lippman  

Louise Ure spent a quarter of a century in advertising and marketing in the United States, Singapore and Australia before finding her true love: writing crime fiction. Her debut mystery, Forcing Amaryllis, won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel. Booklist's starred review said, "Ure's debut so compellingly evokes the hot, dry Southwest, readers may want to have an ice-cold glass of water nearby while reading it." The latest book, The Fault Tree, is the harrowing tale of a blind woman's race against a killer. Ure currently lives in San Francisco.

Launched by the summer '04 award-winning, best-seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. On the heels of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, the borough of Queens enters the chambers of noir. All-new stories by: Denis Hamill, Maggie Estep, Megan Abbott, Robert Knightly, Liz Martinez, Jill Eisenstadt, Mary Byrne, Tori Carrington, Shailly P. Agnihotri, k.j.a. Wishnia, Victoria Eng, Alan Gordon, Beverly Farley, Joe Guglielmelli, and Glenville Lovell.

Queens used to be dismissed as the "bedroom of Manhattan"--daily disgorging its sons and daughters by elevated rail and the Queensboro Bridge to their jobs in "New York" (as Manhattan was known to us in the outer boroughs). By 2007, Queens had become the borough of immigrants--2.2 million residents, forty-eight percent of whom are foreign-born, the vast majority of them Asian. In fifty-plus distinct neighborhoods, speaking 140 different languages, reside: Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Guyanese, Jamaicans, Haitians, Trinidadians, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Dominicans, Mexicans, Filipinos, not to mention Greeks. Queens county is the largest borough accommodating two beaches, two airports, Aqueduct Racetrack, three elevated train structures, and Shea Stadium. Queens Noir has set twenty original crime stories in the neighborhoods and at the "Big A," Shea Stadium, JFK Airport, Rockaway Beach, and aboard the elevated Flushing 7 subway line.

Robert Knightly relocated from Manhattan to Jackson Heights, Queens in 1994 (marriage and a bigger apartment). He spent his first forty-four years in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, just a hop, skip, and a jump over the Pulaski Bridge spanning Newtown Creek between Greenpoint and Long Island City, Queens. He works as a criminal trial lawyer for the Legal Aid Society in the Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens. Once upon a time, he was a New York City policeman, but that was in big, bad Brooklyn.

12.19am A Mercedes leaves the Ritz hotel
12.23am A car loses control in a Paris underpass
3.57am Three people are pronounced dead
3.58am Samuel Carver realizes he's been set up

"This is the best first thriller I have read since The Day of the Jackal." -- Wilbur Smith

"Audacious, authentic, full of tension and tradecraft ... maybe it's true and
maybe it isn't, but either way it is a great thriller read" -- Lee Child

Tom Cain is the pseudonym of an award-winning journalist who has conducted several hundred in-depth interviews with senior politicians, billionaire entrepreneurs, Olympic athletes, movie stars, supermodels and rock legends. He has investigated financial scandals on Wall Street, studio intrigues in Hollywood and corrupt sports stars in Britain. The first Western journalist to cross the border into Serbia after the US bombing campaign of 1999, he has lived in Moscow, Washington DC and Havana, Cuba. Although he has edited four magazines, published over a dozen books, written film-scripts and been translated into some 20 languages, this is his first thriller.