Happy New Year!
From our home to yours wishes for a Healthy, Blessed, Happy New Year!!
Hi everyone!!!
Did you notice I was MIA? It’s been a rough 15 months and have been in and out of the hospital. Besides neck surgery, there were also major medical issues, which caused many hospitalizations. So many that I have lost count!!! I’m not going to bore you with the details.
Besides the medical issues, there was another issue that threw me for a loop and that was reading!!!!! I only read 7 books! this past year! I am mortified to say that number out loud and share that little nugget of info with this great book blogging community. It’s not like I didn’t have books to read, that wasn’t the problem, I just didn’t have the desire.
I need a jump start! If you know me, visit or follow my blog, then you know I’m a challenge addict! And it’s that time of the year! I am hoping that this is the kick in the butt that I need to get back on track. The funny thing is, I have only finished a few challenges in the past years that I had signed up for but I find the challenges to be fun so this year I’m only going to sign up for several that I have enjoyed in the past. My challenge page will be HERE where you can see which ones I plan on participating in. There will also be links if you want to join too!!
From our house to yours, may you have a blessed and happy day, filled with love, peace, laughs, family, friends, and delicious food, especially desserts (wink, wink) đ
Mailbox Monday
According to Marcia, âMailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.
Tuesday: (08/02/22)
Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths~ eBook from Mariner Books via NetGalley
Wednesday: (08/03/22)
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister ~ eBook from Harper Collins via NetGalley
The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland~ eBook from Random House via NetGalley
A Harvest Of Secrets by Roland Merullo ~ eBook from Prime First Reads
Saturday: (08/06/22)
All He Has Left by Chad Zunker ~ eBook from Amazon Pub via NetGalley
Quarter To Midnight by Karen Rose ~ eBook from Berkley Pub via NetGalley
The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense Thriller
My Rating: 4
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN-10:â 1496735412
ISBN-13:
Pages: 304
Review Copy From: Publisher
Edition: HC
Synopsis (via GR)
A mesmerizing, twisty suspense novel perfect for fans of Mary Kubica and Riley Sager from an acclaimed author! Explore the deep bondsâand deadly secretsâbetween two very different sisters haunted by the crimes of their father murdered nearly twenty years earlierâŠ
At first glance, Natalie Cavanaugh and Glenn Abbott hardly look like sisters. Even off-duty, Natalie dresses like a Boston cop, preferring practical clothes and unfussy, pinned-up hair. Her younger sister, Glenn, seems tailor-made for the spotlight, from her signature red mane to her camera-ready smile. Glenn has spent years cultivating her brand through her baking blog, and with the publication of her new book, that hard work seems about to pay off. But her fans have no idea about the nightmare in Glenn and Natalieâs past.
Twenty years ago, their fatherâs body was discovered in the woods behind their house. A trauma like that doesnât fit with Glennâs public image. Yet, maybe someone reading her blog does know something. There have been anonymous online messages, vague yet ominous, hinting that sheâs being watched. And with unsettling coincidences hitting ever closer to home, both Glenn and Natalie soon have more pressing matters to worry about, especially when a dead body is found in an abandoned building . . .
Natalie is starting to wonder how much Glenn really knows about the people closest to her. But are there also secrets Natalie has yet to uncover about those she herself trusts? For two decades, sheâs believed their father was murdered by their neighbor, with whom he was having an affair. But if those events are connected to whatâs happening now, maybe thereâs much more that Natalie doesnât know. About their father. About their neighbors. About her friends. Maybe even about herself.
But there are no secrets between sisters . . . are there?
My Thoughts
Caveat
I have been in a major reading slump, and I mean MAJOR!! I hadn’t picked up a book since February of this year. It’s not that I didn’t have any books, or the books that I do have were not calling my name, I just didn’t have the desire to read. I’m guessing that the dry patch with my reading was due to months of me having to deal with multiple medical issues.
Then one day I received an email that I subscribe to and this email was definitely “talking” to me. There were a few titles mentioned that would help with reading slumps so I had nothing to lose at that point. I replied, explained my situation, and that The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill sounded like my kind of book. Did it work? Did it end my reading slump?
Plot
As the synopsis asks, do the 2 Cavanaugh sisters have secrets, that you will need to read this exciting book to find out? But there are many secrets floating around among the characters, which kept this reader turning the pages as quickly as I could. The plot chilling at times and definitely thrilling.
Characters
I could easily picture the characters in my head and feel their emotions. Three-dimensional and relatable.
Setting
The setting took place in Massachusetts, which is the state right next door to me. It was very familiar to me as we have visited often, being only an hour away. While reading the book I felt that I was there. Matter of fact, one day, we had to drive into Boston for a doctor’s appointment and I read all the way there and back. Good thing my husband was driving. I was so engrossed that I had blocked out the loud music that my husband enjoys and that the hour drive flew by.
Negatives
For me, the number of characters being introduced in a short period of time was the only negative.
Before and after I choose a book to read, I will read some reviews of the book, which this time benefitted me. There were many characters, and some of the reviews mentioned this and people found it hard to keep track of them all which made them give up. Having known this from the reviews, I was prepared by making a little flow sheet as to the characters, their relatives, their relationships, etc. so that I could look at it while reading. I suggest future readers definitely do this so that one doesn’t miss out on a terrific read.
For me, the number of characters being introduced in a short period of time was the only negative.
Ending/Conclusion
The ending was definitely shocking. The suspect was on my list as to who it coiuld be, but then, I thought a lot of the characters could be the suspect. What impressed me, was that the “ending/conclusion” was wrapped up with only a few pages left in the story. Not only was it a Wait, What? moment in the end, there were many of those same thoughts several times throughout the book. This reader had to stop and reread what I had just read to make sure I read it correctly and at the same time, picking my jaw up off the floor
Overall opinion
This is the first book I read by this author but I will definitely be putting him on my radar. I enjoyed his writing style, whereas I could picture the story in my mind as if it was a movie.
I highly encourage you to look past other reviews that find the number of characters to be too much and confusing and make notes that I suggested earlier in this review. Don’t let that sway you because you will be missing out on a captivating read that grabs you from the start to the very last word.
An unremitting spine-chilling read!! It definitely ended my major reading slump!!! Thank you Alex!
I received a complimentary copy from Kensington Books in exchange for my honest review.
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
REVIEW DISCLAIMER
Goldhammer
by Haris Orkin
June 6 – July 1, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
A James Flynn Escapade
A young actress, involuntarily committed to City of Roses Psychiatric Hospital, plunges James Flynn into a dangerous new adventure when she claims one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood is trying to kill her.
Still convinced he’s a secret agent for Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Flynn springs into action, helps her escape and finds himself embroiled in a battle with a dangerous sociopath worth billions. In the process, he uncovers a high-tech conspiracy to control the mind of every human being on Earth.
With the help of his reluctant sidekick, Sancho, and a forgotten Hollywood sex symbol from the 1960s, Flynn faces off with Goldhammer and his private army in a desperate attempt to save the young actress…and save the world…once again.
Praise for Goldhammer:
“One of those books that has you laughing and turning pages well into the night.â âLen Boswell, Bestselling author of The Simon Grave Mysteries
âA riotous comic novel thatâs also a legit page turner. A deftly plotted, swiftly paced thriller.â âR. Lee Procter, Author of The Million Dollar Sticky Note and Sugarball
âA fast-paced quixotic thriller that would make Miguel de Cervantes and Ian Fleming proud. The third James Flynn novel is a powerful cocktail of suspense, adrenaline and a whole lot of laughs. Orkin has the remarkable ability to keep the reader straddled between a genuine spy thriller and an off-the-wall comedyâ âJoe Barret, Award-winning author of Managed Care
Book Details:
Genre: Comedy Thriller
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Publication Date: June 23rd 2022
Number of Pages: 240
ISBN: 1684339677 (ISBN-13: 978-1684339679)
Series: The James Flynn Escapades, Book 3 | Each is a stand-alone thriller
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
Chapter ONE
The Corsican wanted him dead.
Of that James Flynn was certain.
Somehow, the assassin had infiltrated Her Majestyâs Secret Service as a security officer. Flynn didnât recognize him at first. The killer had put on a few pounds and likely had plastic surgery, but what he couldnât disguise were his eyes. His cold, dark, pitiless eyes. The eyes of a sociopath. The eyes of an executioner.
The only question was when.
When would the Corsican come for him?
He told his colleagues what he suspected, but they refused to believe him. They claimed his name was Thomas Hernandez and that someone else on the security team had recommended him. They also said they fully vetted him. But Flynn wasnât fooled. He tangled with the Corsican before. The man was relentless. A cold-blooded enforcer who started with the Corsican mafia but went on to do contract hits for the Sicilians, the Albanians, the Serbians, and the Russians.
Instead of waiting for the Corsican to come to him, Flynn decided to flush him out. Force his hand. Expose him for who he was and why he was there.
Flynn dressed in black denim and a black turtleneck and waited until 2 a.m. to make his move. He kept to the shadows as he trod the deserted corridors. He had no weapon since lethal weapons of any kind were now forbidden at headquarters. A foolish rule put in place by sheltered bureaucrats who had no clue. Luckily, not even security could carry a firearm at headquarters. All the Corsican had was an expandable baton and a Taser. Even so, the man was lethal enough with just his hands and feet.
But then, so was Flynn.
Flynn heard footsteps ahead and ducked into a conference room. He waited and listened as the footsteps drew closer. As they passed the doorway, Flynn peered into the corridor to see the Corsican lumbering forward, quietly peering in room after room. Suddenly, he stopped. Flynn felt a jolt of adrenaline. The air was electric. The silence palpable. Could the Corsican feel Flynnâs eyes on him? Flynn knew that scientists have identified a specialized group of neurons in the primate brain that fire specifically when a monkey is under the direct gaze of another. Humans also appear to be wired for that kind of gaze perception. Predators like Flynn and the Corsican can also be prey and have developed a sixth sense to alert them to danger.
The Corsican turned and he and Flynn locked eyes for a moment. Before the hit man could take a step, Flynn took off down the hall in the opposite direction. He heard the footfalls of the Corsican as he chased after him. Flynn had his route all mapped out. Darting down one corridor. Then another. Running until he arrived at a door that led down to the basement and the guts of the building. Flynn had picked the lock after dinner, knowing that this was the night he would lure the Corsican to his end. He had a license to kill and could have used it anytime, but Flynn didnât exercise that power willy-nilly. Only as a last resort. He didnât want the Corsican dead. He needed to know who put the price on his head. Otherwise who ever hired the killer would continue to send hitters until finally one succeeded.
The building that housed HMSS was huge and had a substantial infrastructure. The basement utility plant had mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems that fed water, air, and electricity all through the facility. Flynn moved from massive room to massive room, staying just ahead of the Corsican. He needed to lose him and lay in wait. Flynn was confident in his abilities, but to come at a killer like that head-on didnât make much sense. Why give your opponents any edge at all?
Flynn ducked into a room that housed all the electrical panels, distribution boards, and circuit breakers. Conduit snaked everywhere and Flynn found a metal door secured with a heavy padlock. Using two straightened paper clips, he quickly picked the lock. The door led to an outside area protected by a chain-link fence topped with razor wire. The security fence surrounded three giant transformers and two massive backup generators the size of semi-trailers.
Flynn stood next to the door and strained his ears to hear approaching footsteps over the electrical buzz of the transformers. Faint at first, they moved closer. Careful. Slow. Stealthy. He saw a shoe as someone came through and Flynn took them from behind, using jiu-jitsu to slam them into the ground.
âWhoa, whoa, whoa,â said the man Flynn had face down in the gravel.
âSancho?â
âGet off me, man.â
Flynn released his comrade-in-arms and helped him to his feet. Bits of gravel still clung to his face. âI thought you were the Corsican.â Flynnâs British accent had a touch of Scottish burr.
âHis name is Hernandez,â Sancho said.
âThatâs not his real name.â
âAnd Iâm telling you, heâs not the Corsican.â
âDonât let him fool you, my friend. Heâs not who he says he is.â
âThen whyâd he call me? He knows I know you. He knows weâre friends. He asked me to find you. Talk to you. Calm you down.â
âPerhaps he wants to take care of you too.â
âTake care of me?â
Flynn heard the Corsican call to them, his voice deep and resonant. âYou okay in there, brother?â
âWeâre good,â Sancho said.
The Corsican walked in with two other men. All three wore the blue security uniform issued to those who guard HMSS. The Corsican looked at Flynn with his dark, merciless eyes. âYou okay, Mr. Flynn?â
âTell them who you are,â Flynn demanded.
âThomas Hernandez.â
âWho you really are.â
The Corsican rolled his eyes and sighed. âThatâs who I really am.â
Flynn aimed an accusatory finger. âI know who you are. Born Stefanu Perrina in Porto, Corsica. Contract killer for the Unione Corse, the Cosa Nostra, and the Russian mafia. Wanted by Interpol for fifty-two confirmed kills.â
âI was born in Hacienda Heights.â
Flynn glanced at Sancho. âThe man is a master of deception. Itâs kill or be killed with men like him.â
The Corsican drew his Taser and the other two guards followed suit.
Sancho raised his hands. âWhoa, come on now. Easy.â He stepped in front of Flynn as the Corsican fired. The Taser darts caught Sancho in the shoulder and socked him with fifty thousand volts. He screamed in agony as his whole body seized up and shook. His legs gave out and he fell on his side, helpless and twitching.
Flynn dove behind a generator before the other two guards could fire. Each guard stalked him from a different side. Flynn clambered up over the top and launched himself from above, tackling the Corsican. He wrenched away his reloaded Taser and shot one of the guards in the crotch. The man went down with a shriek as the other guard fired on him. Flynn fell to his knees and the darts parted his hair before hitting the Corsican in the chest. The killer crumpled as Flynn sprang to his feet and pulled the Corsicanâs expandable baton out of its holster. Flicking his wrist, Flynn fully extended the menacing club and turned to confront the last standing guard.
Someone grabbed Flynn by the arm and Flynn elbowed him in the face. Sancho staggered back, holding his bloody nose. âWhat the hell, man?â
âSorry, mate.â
Flynn heard a Taser fire and an instant later, two darts hit him in the side. Fifty thousand volts took him to his knees as another guard fired another Taser. Those two darts hit him in the stomach. Flynn lost control of every muscle in his body. And then he saw the Corsican looming over him with his own weapon. He shot the darts directly into Flynnâs chest. Right over his heart. Now all three lit him up with electricity. One hundred and fifty thousand volts rocked Flynn as they shocked him with charge after charge until the world faded into a tiny aperture that slowly began to close.
***
Excerpt from Goldhammer by Haris Orkin. Copyright 2022 by Haris Orkin. Reproduced with permission from Haris Orkin. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Haris Orkin is a novelist, a playwright, a screenwriter, and a game writer. His play, Dada was produced at The American Stage and the La Jolla Playhouse. Sex, Impotence, and International Terrorism was chosen as a criticâs choice by the L.A. Weekly and sold as a film script to MGM/UA. Save the Dog was produced as a Disney Sunday Night movie. His original screenplay, A Saintly Switch, was directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starred David Alan Grier and Vivica A. Fox. He is a WGA Award and BAFTA Award nominated game writer and narrative designer known for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Tom Clancyâs The Division, Mafia 3, and Dying Light.
Guest Post by Haris Orkin
James Bond in the age of #MeToo
When I first found out I was going to be a father, I was happy, excited, and terrified. My wife and I knew we were going to have a son and the prospect of impending fatherhood raised all kinds of questions and fears. What kind of man am I? What kind of example would I be? What would I teach my son? What kind of man would I like him to become? With all those concerns and thoughts swirling around in my head, I started writing things down. It was a way to process my thoughts and feelings. Those thoughts and feelings eventually became a play that was performed at the American Stage Company, the Coronet Theater in Los Angeles, and at the La Jolla Playhouse.
The play was called âDadaâ and the main character is David, an insecure father to be. At one point in the show he has an imaginary conversation with James Bond. 007 confronts him on the choices he has made.
âYou settled. You gave up. You wanted to be me. How do you know you couldnât have?â
âYouâre not even real.â
âWhen you were fifteen I was more real to you than your own father. I embodied all your dreams. All your desires. You wanted to be suave and masterful and seductive and dangerous. You wanted men to fear you and women to fall all over you. Is that no longer true? Or do you no longer know what you want anymore?â
âYou kill people. You force people to have sex with you.â
âI have a license to kill and because I do I will brook no insolence from anyone. I take what I want and I do what I want and no one tells me how to live or what I can or cannot do.â
âBut no one cares about you. And you donât care about anyone else. What kind of life is that?â
âA life free of sticky and unnecessary encumbrances. To love is to allow someone inside so deeply the can cause you…unmentionable pain.â Bondâs eyes fill with tears. âWhy give someone that power?â
I was an impressionable 13 year old when I first saw James Bond in Her Majestyâs Secret Service. Bond was engaged to be married to Teresa Draco, played by Diana Rigg. I was a huge Avengerâs fan back then. (The English AvengersâŠnot the one with Captain America and the Hulk.) Diana Rigg was beautiful and smart and incredibly cool. Who wouldnât want to be engaged to Diana Rigg? But Bond wasnât content with just one woman. He had to sleep with every woman he bumped into. Even those who seemed reluctant. At the time I didnât realize that was a problem. I thought thatâs what men did when they were engaged to be married. And then (spoiler alert) Diana Rigg died and Bond was heartbroken. It was clear even to my 13 year old self that the producers didnât want a married Bond; a Bond who had to change nappies and help with the dishes. They killed off his fiancĂ© so Bond could continue to be a lady killer.
The Bond ethos along with the Playboy philosophy warped the world view of my entire generation. Dan Draper on Mad Men reflected that ethos perfectly. Bond was of that age and also part of what shaped that age. By 1974 the feminist movement was burgeoning and my college years were shaped by James Bond on one hand and feminist girlfriends on the other. It was a schizophrenic time and when my son was about to be born sixteen years later, I reflected on all of that.
Connery’s my favorite Bond, but he was also the most âold schoolâ in terms of how he treated women. Daniel Craig’s version of Bond feels a lot more nuanced in that regard. Heâs just generally tortured and angry about everything. At least heâs not as glum as Timothy Dalton.
Does James Bond have a place in the age of #MeToo? I would hope he would change with the times. Or at least reflect them. It was never believable when every woman Bond met threw herself at him. That didnât happen in the more recent Bond films starring Daniel CraigâŠso maybe things are changing. Judy Denchâs M always seemed wonderfully irritated with him. The first time we see her with Bond she calls him a âsexist, misogynist dinosaur, a relic of the cold warâ (Though to be honest, every M since the first one has been irritated with Bond.)
When Bond is rebooted again, Iâd like to see some changes. Iâd like to see James Bond get rejected and ignored once in a while. Iâd like to see Miss Moneypenny call HR on him. Maybe Bond should miss occasionally when he leaps off a building to grab onto a passing helicopter.
I love the daring-do, but anyone would have to be a little crazy to do what James Bond does. Heâs always risking life and limb and scrotum (in Goldfinger) to save the world and rescue damsels and take down evil masterminds bent on world domination.
Do you know what other character that brings to mind? Don Quixote. A clearly delusional hero. But at least Don Quixote wasnât such a jerk with the ladies. He treated Dulcinea with respect and followed the rules of chivalry. (Yeah, I know, turning women into untouchable objects of perfection can be just as problematic.)
I get that we like our heroes to be infallible and indestructible and always quick with a quip, but maybe it wouldnât hurt if 007 took a few tips from crazy old Don Quixote. After Bond himself, thatâs the character that most inspired James Flynn. Flynn even has his own Sancho. Together they blunder out into the world, seeking adventure, and slaying all kinds of metaphorical dragons. Flynn still loves the ladies, but he treats them with respect and isnât a âsexist, misogynist dinosaur.â At least not all the time.
Catch Up With Haris Orkin:
www.harisorkin.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @HarisOrkin
Instagram – @HarisOrkin
Twitter – @HarisOrkin
Facebook – @AuthorHarisOrkin
Tour Participants:
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Join In:
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Goldhammer by Haris Orkin. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours
What They Don’t Know
by Susan Furlong
May 9 – June 3, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
A picture-perfect suburban life fractures. . . and a darker reality bubbles beneath the surface.
Mona Ellison’s life is as perfect as the porcelain dolls lined up on her shelves. She has a successful husband, a loving son, a beautiful home, and a supportive group of girlfriends ever ready for their weekly wine night.
But when Monaâs son gets entangled with the wrong crowd and runs away from home, her blissful suburban world begins to unravel. She tells her friends that boys will be boys, that heâll be back as soon as his money runs dry . . . but deep down she knows thereâs something else going on.
Then the police show up at Monaâs door. A young girl has turned up dead in their quiet town, and her missing son is the prime suspect.
Determined to reunite with her son and prove his innocence, Mona follows an increasingly cryptic trail of clues on social media, uncovering a sinister side of suburbia and unveiling lies and betrayal from those she trusted most. And as Mona spirals further from her once cozy reality, a devastating revelation shatters everything she thought she knew. Now the only thing sheâs sure of is that she canât trust anyone . . . not even herself.
With unrelenting psychological suspense and a wicked twist, What They Donât Know marries small-town thriller and domestic mysteryâsuburban paranoia at its best.
What They Donât Know Book Love:
“Part domestic thriller, part small-town mystery, What They Donât Know is everything suspense fans want: characters who’ll make you think twice, a subversive plot, and pages that seemingly turn themselves the deeper you get into the story. In this portrait of suburban life tinged with malice and intrigue, paranoia lurks just around the corner. Read it at night. Donât plan on sleep.” (Tosca Lee, NYT bestselling author of The Line Between)
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense
Published by: Seventh Street Books
Publication Date: May 17th, 2022
Number of Pages: 286
ISBN: 1645060403 (ISBN13: 9781645060406)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
It was the last Tuesday of the month, our normal book club night, and we were gathered at my houseâSelma, Alice, Tara, and meâsettled in the living room, Moroccan rug plush beneath us, immersed in the decorâs eclectic mix of whimsy and Old-World aesthetic. This would be our last book club meeting, but it was more than that, really. It was a pulled thread in the carefully woven tapestry of our friendships that had begun in college and endured careers, weddings, our first-borns, and remained constant through affairs, divorces, and much worse âŠ
***
Excerpt from What They Donât Know by Susan Furlong. Copyright 2022 by Susan Furlong. Reproduced with permission from Susan Furlong. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Susan Furlong is the author of eleven novels including SHATTERED JUSTICE, a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year. She also contributes, under a pen name, to the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea series. Her most recent novel, WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW, has been praised by reviewers as an engrossing and delightfully creepy read. She resides in Illinois with her husband and children.
Catch Up With Susan Furlong:
www.SusanFurlong.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @SusanFurlongAuthor
Instagram – @susanfurlong
Twitter – @Furlong_Sue
Facebook – @SusanFurlongAuthor
Q&A with Susan Furlong
What was the inspiration for this book?
One of our daughters loves horror movies. Me, not so much. But in the interests of spending time with her, I watched a creepy flick about a haunted doll. It scared the bejeebies out of me! I couldnât get to sleep that night, and sometime in the early morning hours, a story sparked in my mind. It started with a plot twist and went from there. By the next day, I had a basic outline for What They Donât Know.
What has been the biggest challenge in your writing career?
Finding balance between writing time and lifeâs other commitments. Anyone who has a job knows itâs difficult to juggle family and work but writing presents unique challenges. Creativity takes time, and Iâve never been one to be able to write in small spurts. Family always takes priority, but to make my deadlines, I need several hours each day of uninterrupted writing time. Itâs difficult to fit it all in sometimes.
What do you absolutely need while writing?
Quiet time, my laptop and snacks. I try to snack healthy, but when a deadline looms, I resort to SweeTARTS and lots of iced tea to get me through.
Do you adhere to a strict routine when writing or write when the ideas are flowing?
A routine. If I waited for ideas to flow, Iâd never write anything.
Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
Definitely Mona, my protagonist. Sheâs relatable and compelling, but unpredictable. Sheâll keep readers on the edge, wondering whatâs next.
Tell us why we should read your book.
Read What They Donât Know if you want to be entertained by a complex story with a final twist that will leave you gobsmacked.
Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book?
One aspect of the story involves social media stalking. During research, I spent a lot of
time on Instagram and picked up my own social media stalker. Not to worry, though, that issue was easily resolved with just a couple clicks. Unfortunately, for Mona, her stalker was a little harder to shake.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
To those who have supported my work throughout the years, thank you. I hope you enjoy this book, too. Iâve worked hard to make it a good story.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Iâve always wanted to be a writer, except when I was seven and my big dream was to become Wonder Woman and fly an invisible plane. But writing is just as fun and not quite as dangerous. Getting published is another story. It took me almost twenty years to sell my first piece of fiction. In the interim, I worked as a freelance writer, created website content, compiled medical reference books, even wrote instruction pamphlets like the ones that come with assemble-it-yourself furniture. Not glamorous stuff. Now, I feel incredibly blessed to be able to write and share my stories.
What’s next that we can look forward to?
My next book, The Killerâs Wife, will be out sometime in 2023. Iâm writing it from two points of view: a serial killerâs wife, and her parole officer. Itâs a fun storyâreally fun! âand just a wee bit creepy.
Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!
GIVEAWAY:
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for What They Donât Know by Susan Furlong. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
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The Wayward Assassin
by Susan Ouellette
March 1-31, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
Revenge knows no deadline.
Although told to stand down now that the Chechen rebel who killed her fiancĂ© is dead, CIA analyst Maggie Jenkins believes otherwise and goes rogue to track down the assassin. Soon it becomes clear that failure to find Zara will have repercussions far beyond the personal, as Maggie uncovers plans for a horrific attack on innocent Americans. Zara is the new face of terrorismâsomeone who doesnât fit the profile, who can slip undetected from attack to attack, and whoâs intent on pursuing a personal vendetta at any cost.
Chasing Zara from Russia to the war-torn streets of Chechnya, to London, and finally, to the suburbs of Washington, D. C., Maggie risks her life to stop a deadly plot.
Praise for The Wayward Assassin:
âOuellette, herself a former intelligence analyst for the CIA, imbues the exciting action with authenticity. Readers will want to see more of the wily Maggie . . .â
âPublishers Weekly
âEvery once in a decade you read a book like The Wayward Spy, which is thrilling, addictive, and sends you reading more thrillers, but youâll go back to this stunning book by Susan Ouellette and reread this tour de force.â
âThe Strand Magazine, a Top 12 Book of the Year
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: March 15, 2022
Number of Pages: 416
ISBN: 0744304784 (ISBN13: 9780744304787)
Series: The Wayward Series, Book 2 || Each is a Stand Alone Book
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | IndieBound.Org | CamCat Books
Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
CIA Headquarters, August 16, 2004
Maggie Jenkins strode across the parking lot to the sidewalk that led her past the âBubble,â the CIAâs white, dome-shaped auditorium. Just ahead, she paused at the bronze statue of Nathan Hale, the first American to be executed for spying for his country. A half dozen quarters lay scattered at his feet, left there by superstitious CIA employees hoping to garner good luck before deploying overseas. She fished around in her purse for a quarter, which she placed carefully atop Haleâs left shoe.
In just a few minutes, Maggie would learn whether her six-month deployment to the US embassy in Moscow had been approved. Even though Warner Thompson, the CIAâs deputy director for operations, had advocated on her behalf, there were several others, including an Agency psychiatrist and a team of polygraphers who were not convinced that she should be stationed overseas. Sheâs not ready yet, the shrink had opined, as if she were a piece of fruit not quite ripe enough for picking.
âWish me luck,â she said to the statue as she turned for the entrance ahead. The CIAâs headquarters comprised two main buildings, both seven stories high, which were linked together by bright hallways with large windows overlooking a grassy courtyard. Maggie worked in the original headquarters building (OHB), which had been built some forty years earlier during the height of the Cold War. From the outside, OHB was a concrete monstrosity with no aesthetically redeeming value, at least in Maggieâs opinion. It reminded her of Soviet architectureâheavy on the concrete, light on the beauty.
And other than the expansive marbled foyer and the posh seventh-floor executive offices, OHBâs interior also was nothing to write home about. Every floor between the first and the seventh looked exactly the sameâdrab, hushed, windowless hallways lined with vault doors. Behind those heavily fortified doors sat rows of cubicles, a few conference rooms, and cramped offices here and there for mid-level managers.
Maggie pulled open the heavy glass entry door and ducked into a pristine lobby gleaming with white marble-clad walls. Ahead, the Agencyâs bright blue logo covered a massive swath of the gray-and-white checked granite floor. To the right stood the Memorial Wall, which was emblazoned with black stars honoring dozens of Agency officers whoâd perished in the line of duty. Maggie stopped and bit down on her lip.
The wall was an awesome, solemn reminder of lives given in the defense of freedom. Every time she walked past it, the sharp points of the eighty-fourth starâSteveâs starâripped another gash in her heart. Heâd been working under cover, so no outside friends or relatives had been invited to the ceremony. Warner had sat with her, stoic, as she clutched his hand and stared at the parade of speakers, not hearing a word they said.
She turned her gaze from the wall, slid her badge through the security turnstile, and offered a polite hello to the officer manning the front desk. She bypassed the elevator that she took every day to the fourth floor and made a beeline for the spacious employee cafeteria. In the far corner sat Warner Thompson, nose buried in the Washington Post.
âMorning,â she offered.
Warner rattled the paper and folded it lengthwise. âCoffee?â He pushed a Styrofoam cup across the quartz tabletop and smiled at her. His full head of hair had grayed considerably since last year, but it worked on him, enhancing his gray-flecked eyes and tanned complexion.
âThanks.â Maggie sat.
âYou ready?â
âI guess.â She sipped the coffee, still piping hot and perfectly sweetened. Warner knew her well. âWhat do you think theyâll say?â
âThereâs no reason they should deny you the posting.â
âThe psychiatrist thinks Iâm obsessed with Zara.â
âHe has a point.â Warner leaned forward, elbows on the table. âI told you not to bring her up in your evaluation sessions. If sheâs still alive, weâll find her, Maggie. I promise.â
âThereâs no âifâ about it.â She waited until a man with a breakfast tray settled at a nearby table, then lowered her voice. âI saw her fleeing the farmhouse in Georgia. Who do they think set fire to the place after I escaped with Peter?â
Warner winced, obviously uncomfortable with the reminder of Peter, his former case officer, the one whoâd been intimately involved in the murder of Steve, another case officer, and his protĂ©gĂ©, nine short months ago. That Steve also had been Maggieâs fiancĂ© made saying what he had to say all the more difficult. âThe point is, the Agency needs to think that youâve moved on from what happened in Georgia before they send you to such a sensitive overseas posting.â
âMoved on? Warnerââ
He raised a hand to stop her. Theyâd had this discussion dozens of times since the previous November. Maggie had made it perfectly clear that there was no moving on, no closure, as people said these days, until she found Zara. âYou know what I mean. You have to toe the party line and say you believe that everyone involved in Steveâs murder is dead. Period.â
âI still donât understand why they wonât at least consider the possibility that Zara got away.â
Warner rubbed his forehead. âBecause the Agency wants this to go away. A star operations officer was murdered by a terrorist and the terrorist is dead. Itâs a simple, straightforward narrative. They donât want the press finding out that another Agency employee and a senior US congressman were involved in Steveâs death. Everything is about the war on terror, Maggie. If the media found out that CIA and elected officials were mixed up with terrorists, there would be hell to pay.â
Maggie quoted the Biblical phrase inscribed on a wall in the CIAâs lobby. âThe truth shall make you free.â She snorted. âThe truth, unless itâs too embarrassing?â
Warner exhaled and shifted in his seat. âBoth of us are lucky that the FBI investigation didnât uncover . . . everything.â
He was right, of course. Last year, Maggie had destroyed classified documents and withheld other evidence from the FBI to protect them both. And Warner had been entangled, albeit unwittingly, with a Russian who had ties to both Zara and the congressman. Had the FBI known any of this, neither of them would be CIA employees today.
Maggie waved to a coworker who stared from the nearby coffee station. Warner didnât frequent the employee cafeteria, so his appearance was sure to raise eyebrows. Sheâd grown accustomed to sidelong glances inside the Agencyâs walls. Everyone recognized her. The media had splashed her face all over television and the internet after Congressman Carvelliâs death. There were some who whispered about her using her fiancĂ©âs death to advance her career. Fortunately, they were in the minority. Most who knew about her role in uncovering the terrorist plot considered her a hero, a designation she refused to embrace. Her actions may have saved thousands of lives, but her motivation had been personalâto clear Steveâs name.
He was no traitor, and sheâd proven it.
Maggie glanced at her watch. âWeâd better go.â
Warner nodded. They grabbed their coffees and headed for the elevator bank. âRemember, you believe Zara died in the fire at the farmhouse,â Warner reminded her on the way up to the fourth floor.
âThatâs what I told the shrink last session, but then he talked to the polygraph people.â Since leaving the House Intelligence Committee to return to the CIA earlier this year, sheâd endured three marathon polygraph sessions. Every time, the stupid machine registered deception in her response to questions about whether she intended to violate government policies for her own benefit. âNow he thinks Iâm up to something.â
Warner shrugged. âArenât you?â
Maggie laughed despite herself. âAlways.â
***
Excerpt from The Wayward Assassin by Susan Ouellette. Copyright 2022 by Susan Ouellette. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Susan Ouellette is the author of The Wayward Spy, a thriller that Publishers Weekly calls a âgripping debut and series launch.â She was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, where she studied international relations and Russian as both an undergraduate and graduate student. As the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse, she worked as a CIA intelligence analyst. Subsequently, Susan worked on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Since her stint on Capitol Hill, she has worked for several federal consulting firms. Susan lives on a farm outside of Washington, D.C. with her family.
Q&A with Susan Ouellette
What was the inspiration for this book?
There were two inspirations for THE WAYWARD ASSASSIN. First, is my career in the intelligence world. After working as a CIA analyst in college and graduate school, I took a job on Capitol Hill working for the House Intelligence Committee. It was there, tucked away in a secure room in the attic of the U.S. Capitol Building, where I came up with my seriesâ protagonist, Maggie Jenkins, an intelligence analyst who uncovered threats to the United States and corruption at the highest levels of power. The second inspiration came from real world events. I hesitate to use the word âinspirationâ for the real world event that anchored this story, so letâs just call it a âmarkerâ in my life. In 2004, Chechen separatists in Russia killed hundreds of people in an attack on a school in Beslan, Russia. As a mother of school-aged children, this event captured my attention like no event since the September 11th attacks. I started writing fictionalized scenes about this school siege in an attempt to try to make sense of such a senseless loss of life.These scenes ended up in critical scenes in THE WAYWARD ASSASSIN.
What has been the biggest challenge in your writing career?
The biggest challenge in my writing career has been persevering through rejection. I wrote the first book in this series (THE WAYWARD SPY) in 2001 and wrote THE WAYWARD ASSASSIN in 2007. I secured agents for both books but didnât land a book deal for either. For years, I put the manuscripts in a drawer. But even though I âgave upâ on becoming an author, I never truly gave up. Iâd revise the manuscripts, query new agents, and submit the manuscripts to contests. Eventually, I found an outstanding freelance editor who helped to untangle my overly complicated plots. Soon after, I signed with an agent and a publisher.
What do you absolutely need while writing?
I need my laptop (of course) and uninterrupted silence. Oh, and water or coffee and access to a bathroom.
Do you adhere to a strict routine when writing or write when the ideas are flowing?
I jot down ideas when they come to me, but I get the real work done when adhering to a strict routine. Otherwise, I find every reason in the world not to writeâlaundry, talking to the cat, organizing the pantryâŠ.
Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
Maggie, my protagonist, is my favorite character. Sheâs an every-woman, the girl next door who has to use her wits to get out of situations she never wanted in the first place.
Tell us why we should read your book.
If you like page-turning, realistic thrillers, you should read THE WAYWARD ASSASSIN. Iâd like to apologize in advance for keeping you awake past your bedtime!
Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book?
I changed the ending of THE WAYWARD ASSASSIN more times than I can count. Most of the changes involved who lives and who dies.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
At the risk of sounding like a motivational speaker, Iâll say this: If you have a dream, donât give up. Keep plugging away. It took me twenty years from Chapter One to publication. Youâll never know whatâs possible if you give up.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
As a teenager, I was fascinated by the CIA but had no idea how to go about getting a job there. When I was in college, I went to a job fair where I met a CIA recruiter. It took almost a year from applying to walking into CIA headquarters. I loved my time at the Agency. But I also love writing. Iâm so grateful that I was able to combine those two passions and entertain people in the process.
What’s next that we can look forward to?
The third book in the Maggie Jenkins series, THE WAYWARD TARGET, will be out in the spring of 2023.
Catch Up With Susan Ouellette:
www.SusanOuellette.com
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BookBub – @susanobooks1
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Twitter – @smobooks
Facebook – @SusanOuelletteAuthor
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