Suspense Magazine December 2011

Suspense, Mystery, Horror and Thriller Fiction

The Wait is Over Best of

2011 End the Year With

John Lescroart &Sue Grafton Hope for Heroism with Joseph Badal

Sneak Peek inside New Releases From Donald Allen Kirch and Andrew E. Kaufman

December 2011

From bestselling thriller author

A serial killer tortures a woman in a soundproof basement somewhere in New York City as detectives Turner and Marcinko close in on their prime suspect, wannabe screenwriter Marvin Waller. Deftly switching between the viewpoints of the killer and Waller, this taut psychological thriller feints with p painful precision towards a knockout ending.

Available now

Deliciously sinister, Once Bitten is a satisfying vampire novel for the grown-up set. “Authentic...tersely written...with plenty of heart-palpitating action gingered up by mystery and intrigue." -Daily Mail

Available now Discover more new mysteries and thrillers from Amazon Publishing at: amazon.com/thomasandmercer

Credits

John Raab President & Chairman Shannon Raab Creative Director Romaine Reeves CFO Starr Gardinier Reina Executive Editor Terri Ann Armstrong Executive Editor J.S. Chancellor Associate Editor Jim Thomsen Copy Editor

Contributors Donald Allen Kirch Mark P. Sadler Susan Santangelo DJ Weaver CK Webb Kiki Howell John Walker Kendall Gutierrez Kaye George Weldon Burge Julie Dolcemaschio Ashley Wintters Scott Pearson D.P. Lyle M.D. Claudia Mosley Christopher Nadeau Kathleen Heady Stephen Brayton Steve Emmett Brian Blocker Luke Henderson Andrew MacRae Lisa McCourt Hollar Val Conrad Laura Alden Melissa Dalton James Guy Roberts Elliott Capon J.M. LeDuc Holly Price Kari Wainwright David Ingram Bill Craig Jodi Hanson Amy Lignor Susan May

J.S. McCormick

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SuspenseMagazine.com

From the Editor The time has come to put another year behind us. I don’t know where the time goes; it seems like yesterday we were announcing our Best of 2010 list. This is our favorite issue of the year to put together, because we get to celebrate the amazing work being written in the suspense/thriller/ mystery/horror genre and bring our award list to you. Last month I gave you an inside look at exactly how we decide this list and I might have been a little off, no we don’t throw tomatoes at each other…it is actually eggs. We put a lot of time and effort into this list. We hate leaving off writers that made it into the final cut, but just couldn’t get over that one last hump. You will notice that we have split up the books into categories like last year and placed our favorites inside each one. However we did pick one book to be the Best of 2011 and that goes to…well, flip through the magazine and find out. Did you really think I would tell you here? Anyway, I hope you like what we have done here, and that you and your families are gearing up for another great holiday season. 2012 will be a bigger year than the last year, and we will continue to cover the best-of-the-best and bring nothing but quality information to you. We don’t put this magazine together for us, we do it for all of you. I want to say thank you for all the support—even the bad emails I get—and hope you continue to support us in the future. We love to hear from all of you and want you to be more interactive with us. The publishing world is changing every day and we have no idea how this will shake out in the future, but we do know the ride will be entertaining. As you can see, this letter does not have the normal strange humor that I like to interject in my letter; I decided to be more serious. I don’t know why, maybe because I switched from beer to wine and feel more uptown. Either way, sometimes you have to speak from the heart, which is what I’m doing. I need to say thank you to the entire gang here, the reviewers, the contributors, the writers, the artists, the authors, the publicists, the fans, the readers and the Muppets. Yep, I said it, because I watched the trailer and I think they are still relevant and want them to know I still love them! Anyway, have a great holiday season and we will see you next month when we start all over in January and ride this train into 2012. Thanks again everyone and stay safe. Keep writing and reading. Now I’m finished, so go on to the next page and find out what exciting things we have here in the Best of 2011 special Suspense Magazine Issue! John Raab CEO/Publisher Suspense Magazine 

“Reviews within this magazine are the opinions of the individual reviewers and are provided solely to provide readers assistance in determining another's thoughts on the book under discussion and shall not be interpreted as professional advice or the opinion of any other than the individual reviewer. The following reviewers who may appear in this magazine are also individual clients of Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine: Mark P. Sadler, Starr Gardinier Reina, Ashley Dawn (Wintters), DJ Weaver, CK Webb, Elliott Capon, J.M. LeDuc, and Terri Ann Armstrong.”

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CONTENT S u sp e n s e M a g a z i n e

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 / Vo l . 0 2 9 Marley: The Other Christmas Carol by Donald Allen Kirch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Magic, Monsters, & Mythical Creatures by CK Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Hope for Heroism by Joseph Badal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Envy by Travis Hartley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Featured Artist: Nathalia Suellen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Destinations of Solitude: Part 2 by Starr Gardinier Reina . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Best Books of 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Suspense Magazine Movie Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

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Stranger Than Fiction: Beyond the Veil by Donald Allen Kirch. . . . . . . .

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Date Rape Drugs by D.P. Lyle, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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The Lion, The Lamb, The Hunted by Andrew E. Kaufman . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Just for Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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MARLEY: THE OTHER CHRISTMAS CAROL

By Donald Allen Kirch

Based on characters created by CHARLES DICKENS PROLOGUE Marley’s soul was lost, doomed to wander among the ranks of humanity, generation after generation, without the powers to be humane. The curse of his chains was a heavy one, and there was many a time in which he found the weight of said chains to be unbearable. So this must be perfectly understood: Marley was without hope. Marley’s lot was indeed a sad one. Misery was his meat, and despair was his drink. Nothing of the earth was his except for the cold fingers of the grave. And it was there that Marley would never retreat. The grave was death! Marley had no powers such as those given to other earthbound spirits. He was a wraith – a wanderer. However, upon saving the soul of a dear friend, he was given a haunting. In this haunting, Marley’s powers could not be equaled. However, one foot off the haunt’s property, and his soul would find itself in endless damnation. Marley found himself trapped, staring out a window, into an ever-changing world, a world he would never again become a part of. A world of love, laughter, sorrow, and pain, he would always be a stranger to. Waiting and waiting. Hoping to prove him worthy. STAVE ONE The house was infamous, and there were stories. God, were there stories. One told of a bookkeeper said to be among one of the original owners, who had an experience with spirits that changed his life overnight. Another dealt with a crippled man, during the First World War, who constantly complained

of rattling chains in his attic. In his ownership, he never once had a decent night’s sleep. The house had a reputation, and it came as a shock that a family of Americans were about to move in. Americans! Kathy Kringle loved an adventure. Not in her wildest dreams did she ever think that she would be moving to England. She jumped from her seat, holding onto her Manny Mouse doll, leaving the moving van, and started heading off toward her new home. What an adventure! Not only was she moving into a new home, she was moving into a new country. Strange things met her at every turn. Different things. Things she couldn’t understand, such as why the English drove their cars on the wrong side of the road. She made a mental note storing it for later. Kathy thought it was her duty, when she found the time, to write a letter to the King of England, helping to correct that mistake. Cars belonged on the right side of the road, not the left. Kathy looked down at her doll, which really never left her sight, and asked, “What do you think, Manny?” Manny appeared to be completely indifferent to the whole affair. “I know what you’re thinking,” Kathy continued. “But Dad’s a good painter. After a few coats of paint, the house will look as good as new.” She paused, smiling with relief. “We’re home.” And what a home it was. Not at all like the studio apartment had she known back in Los Angeles, California. This house was a castle. Two stories tall, with an attic. The house was huge. Dim oblong windows, wooden peaks, and heavy iron gates greeted her curious eyes with an empty stare. “Jeez!” Kathy mused. Two doors slammed shut behind Kathy. “Kathy, don’t get dirty.” “Okay, Mom.” Kathy tucked Manny under her arm and started to rush off toward her new home. Kathy rolled her eyes, thinking that her mother was too protective. “Mothers.” She muttered. Dan Kringle watched with fatherly pride as his daughter darted off through the knee-high snow, wishing more than anything to explore her new world. His daughter’s red scarf bobbed up and down, dragging between bright yellow snow boots, as she disappeared from sight. “Sure beats Los Angeles.” He said. Dan watched his wife, Beverly, as she thoughtfully watched out for her daughter. Dan had made the move because of his wife’s advance in her law firm, but most of all, he moved to London because this is where he wanted to write. His wife had other plans. “Kathy, you watch yourself,” Beverly ordered. “No telling what’s around here.”

Special Preview from Donald Allen Kirch SuspenseMagazine.com

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Dan shook his head quietly. Beverly was always paranoid. “You don’t honestly think she’d get hurt, do you?” Beverly gave her husband a sharp look. Too much coffee and not enough sleep had made her somewhat of a grouch. Dan knew he was in store for one hell of a house warming. “To hell with the hurt,” Beverly corrected. “I’m more worried about her clothes. Damn brat’s growing faster than our bank accounts. Can’t seem to keep up with her, that’s all.” “Ahh, the joys of motherhood.” Dan joked. “Funny, Dan.” “What do you want out of life, anyway?” Dan laughed. “Happiness?” “No.” Beverly assured. “Just a good back rub.” Dan’s smile slowly left his face, his ego bruised. He watched his wife walk back to the rear of their moving van, opening the doors. Never taking her eyes off her husband, Beverly grabbed a medium-sized box and started heading toward their new home. “Corporate lawyers.” Dan grumbled. “That’s right,” Beverly said with a huff. “Start carrying boxes before I sue.” Dan gave his wife a playful slap on the backside before he started grabbing boxes. “See if I rub your back anymore.” “Ten bucks says that you will.” Beverly challenged. “Give me fifteen and I’ll consider it.” “You’ll regret saying that.” She warned, teasing Dan with her eyes. Dan, raising his hands in surrender, said, “Hon, I was just joking.” Beverly shook her head in disbelief and headed toward the house. “Writers.” She growled. “No back rubbing tonight.” Dan concluded, making a face. Toying around with several boxes in the back of the van, debating on which one to carry first, Dan knew that he shouldn’t have been joking with his wife. He was already walking on thin ice, not to mention, being in the proverbial dog house. Back in Los Angeles, trying to make ends meet, Beverly had been overjoyed to learn of her law firm’s desire to transfer her to London. The money was good, the location exotic, and it would finally take Dan’s ambitions to where he wanted to go. It was all too perfect. Then there was the day before the flight. The day Beverly told Dan about the job. “It’s a great job, Dan.” Beverly praised, sounding almost as convincing as an overzealous car salesman. “My new boss is in need of a legal secretary. I informed him of your previous clerking skills, of your writing abilities, and he was hooked. What do you think?” Dan looked at his wife that day with the same numbness one usually encounters after the neighborhood dentist pumped their face full of Novocain. “You really didn’t have to go to all that trouble, hon.” “Think nothing of it.” Beverly started packing her bags. “When I told Father, he almost fainted.” “I’m surprised he even acknowledged our marriage,” Dan remembered saying. “I think that he’s still trying to prove that Father Donavon’s marriage license was in default.”

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He remembered Beverly laughing at his comment. Beverly’s father hated writers. No profit in it. He wanted his daughter to marry a “working man.” Dan, watching his wife pack, hadn’t the heart to tell her that he couldn’t and wouldn’t take the job. “What!” she yelled, controlling her voice so that it would not carry. “Are you retarded or something?” “I’ve been running away from what I am for a long time now.” Dan tried to explain. “If I don’t concentrate on writing my novel now, it’ll never get done.” Beverly didn’t say a word about the job after that, but Dan could sense that his refusal to take the thing was an enormous disappointment. They did need the money. A cold wind blew into Dan’s ear, bringing him back to the present. Beverly had calmed down a lot since leaving the States, but he could still feel a silent tension in the air. What was it Shakespeare used to say? “If they hate the play, fire the cannon!” Dan knew that it was almost time to light the fuse. Dan grabbed one of the boxes and dragged it out of his moving van, closing the doors behind him. A feeling suddenly came over him, a feeling of being watched. Dan saw several of his new neighbors giving him a curious stare. Dan hated being stared at. It made him feel as if he were in a fishbowl. “Hello.” He nervously waved. No response. Several of the houses lining the street were different than his. His was the only one built out of wood. The others, all built after the Second World War, were made of a grayish brick. One of the reasons Dan bought this house was because it was wood. Dan hated brick. “Nice weather lately.” Dan continued. He shifted the weight of the box from one arm to the other. “Well, hell, don’t everybody speak at once.” Dan said, annoyed. Old men and women blankly looked at him, saying nothing. Children giggled and gathered in huddles, talking quietly among themselves. “Good day.” Dan bowed his head. Again, he shifted the box once more to equal the weight and started to walk toward his house. “This here house is haunted.” One child blurted. Dan turned; ready to glare at his neighbors, but no one was there. Everyone vanished. Not a single soul remained to be seen on the entire block. “The monsters have returned to Maple Street.” Dan said, whistling the Twilight Zone TV theme to himself. With a little laugh, he walked off. “Oh, I’m going to have the best of times, Manny!” Kathy said as she explored the back yard. Kathy spotted an old oak tree almost as high as her house, and knew that with a little convincing on her part, it wouldn’t be long before she got her dad to build her a tree house. “I wonder if they have tree houses in England?” Kathy puzzled. Who cared? If she wanted one, she knew that her dad would build it. There was nothing that her dad couldn’t do! Kathy, shaking away the cold, walked near a wooden

Suspense Magazine December 2011/vol. 029

fence which outlined the entire yard managing to peek out a hole, showing her what lay beyond. A graveyard! Kathy suddenly became quite aware of the frigid air stirring about her. Graveyards were spooky places. She knew! She had watched TV at night, way past the time her parents had allowed her. She knew what happened in graveyards. “Oh, Manny.” Kathy stated. Her voice trembling with the staged fear of a nine year-old. “You must never go in that place at night. People jump out of their graves, wanting to eat your livers out! And no matter how fast you run, Manny, the zombies always catch you in the end.” Kathy made another mental note: Before the tree house, Dad had better fix the fence! Still, graveyard aside, it was a very fine yard. “Let’s go see what mom and dad are doing.” In truth, Kathy didn’t care what her parents were doing. She just wanted to get away from the graveyard. A movement caught Kathy’s eye. Kathy looked up into the second floor of the house, and could have sworn that she saw a curtain move. Kathy blinked her eyes hard. The movement at the window stopped. STAVE TWO “Where did you ever get this place?” Beverly asked Dan as she placed a box near the front door. “This place has got to be at least two hundred years old.” “Well, that’s the way they like their houses over here in Europe.” Dan said, fishing for his keys. “They like them old.” “Dan, I’m being serious here. We can’t afford this house. Not on my salary.” Dan gave his wife a hard look. Beverly had always made it a point to state that she was the breadwinner in the family. “Thank you, for pointing that out.” Dan huffed. “That’s my job, dear.” Beverly said with a smile. Dan knew that, in her own dry way, Beverly was trying to crack a joke. Only this time, he wasn’t in the mood for a laugh. “So, tell me, where’d you learn about this place?” Beverly continued. “From your publisher or something?” “You could say that. The publishing house put me in contact with a gentleman by the name of Edward Cratchit, who inherited the house from his great-grandfather Timothy, who in turn got it from a man named Scrooge. Funny thing, that.” “What?” Dan could see that he had his wife’s full attention. “Nobody knew Scrooge’s first name. You’d think that if a company was selling a house this old, they’d know the name of one of the original owners.” “Firms don’t give a damn about history, Dan. All that is important in this world is the bottom line.” “And a good book.” Dan challenged. “If good books didn’t make money, you’d never see one in the stores. No matter what you do, dear, it’s all about M-ON-E-Y. Money.”


Dan shook his head. He had been down this road before. Beverly had always been the material one of the two. Dan theorized it was because of all the Madonna tapes his wife bought when they were first dating. Beverly was different then. She cared about things. With his arms full, Dan tried to lower himself to where he could place the house keys into the front door’s lock. He missed by inches, losing his grip, and dropping his keys between Beverly’s feet. “Something wrong?” Beverly said. Her face had an evil smile on it. Dan could see that she was enjoying herself. “Could you get the door, please?” Dan asked. The weight of the box was starting to get to him. “Certainly.” “If the English economy doesn’t go down the tubes, this house will be a good buy.” Dan, shaking his head, could only let out a laugh. The front door was as singular in the neighborhood as was its house. Carved from the finest oak, the door was painted a cold black – the only black door on the entire block, in fact. Both Dan’s and Beverly’s attention was soon brought to that of the door’s knocker, which was, in fact, the curiosity of the door’s uniqueness. “That’s a strange knocker.” Beverly brought herself to say. “Isn’t it though!” Dan said, rather happy in the fact that his wife had noticed it. “It was really one of the reasons that I bought this house. I mean, look at the workmanship put into that simple knocker. You don’t find things like that anymore.” The door’s knocker looked, by all appearances to be that of a man’s head peering out from the black wood of the door, into the cold London fog. In the man’s mouth, placed there with great care, was the swinging lever used to bang against the door. “Legend has it,” Dan stated, “that Scrooge placed the knocker there as a tribute to a dear friend. It was supposed to be Scrooge’s pride and joy.” “I think it’s ugly.” Beverly said with disgust. “What do you know. You’re just a lawyer.” “A lawyer with taste.” Placing the key into the door’s lock, both Beverly and Dan were suddenly attacked by a cold wind. “Lousy London weather.” Beverly said, fighting with the lock. “Ahh, this is getting heavy. Could you please hurry?” Fighting with the lock, Beverly said, “I’m doing the best that I can.” “Try turning the lock the other way. After all, we are in England. They seem to do things in the opposite direction here.” “Dan, that’s stupid. A lock’s a lock. No matter where you go.” Frustrated, Beverly hit the door with her fist. “This big ugly thing! Dan, as soon as you can, you’re going to get a new door.” The wind started to turn bitter. Dan could almost see a frost forming on the doorknocker. “We will do nothing of the kind.” Dan protested. He placed the box he was holding down on the porch, and took the house keys from his wife. Dan tried to ignore her stares.

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“I like the door, Beverly. It stays.” The lock clicked. Dan turned to face his wife, giving her a sarcastic look. “The damn thing was frozen solid.” Beverly protested. “How in the hell did you do that?” “It likes me.” With a comical wink, Dan opened the front door. As suddenly as they started, the winds stopped. For an instant, Dan almost had the impression that something was trying to keep them from entering. “Welcome to the Kringle residence.” Dan said, inviting Beverly in. The two failed to notice the knocker: it was frozen solid. Gingerly grabbing the doorknob to the back door, Kathy gave it a twist. Kathy pushed the door forward, opening it with an ancient creak. She wondered why it wasn’t locked. “We’re home, Manny.” She said as she entered the kitchen. Kathy coughed, fighting away the dust storm her snow boots had created. “Before we unpack, we definitely need to clean.” The nine year old heard her parents enter from the other corner of the house and grabbed her doll, running toward the advancing sounds. Like always, her parents were fighting, but she didn’t care. She loved them no matter what. Kathy noticed a movement in the kitchen but paid it no mind. She had seen enough for one day. STAVE THREE For the next few weeks, Kathy Kringle was silent. To talk would have done no good. Her parents were far too busy! All their time was spent dusting, moping, adding new wallpaper, and setting up their respected offices. Kathy’s parents had very little time to notice their daughter. One side of Kathy accepted this, for she was mature for her age. The other side of her, however, wanted to hold her breath until someone stopped what they were doing, so that they could see that she was still alive. Maybe by turning blue from lack of air would get her a kiss instead of a sharp silent look, which usually meant she had to go to her room. “Parents are stupid.” Kathy huffed, “Rushing, rushing, rushing. Work, work, and work. They say that they’re doing this so that they can be happy. So that they can make others happy. Anyone with eyes could see that they’re miserable. So, why all the worry?” Kathy tried everything to get their attention, but to no avail. Once, faking a choking at dinner, she only warranted a surprised grunt from her mother who seemed to care more about Kathy’s clothes than her daughter’s life. Kathy made a mental note: Parent’s were weird. Kathy’s father had managed to turn an old sitting room into a great office in which he could do all his writing. Kathy took great joy in the fact that her daddy would read his books to her – she was always the first to hear them. This would always be a fun time, until mom came in; saying that daddy was wasting his time. That would be the time for her to leave. That was the time for the fights. Kathy’s parents always fought. Fight, fight, fight, fight,

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and fight. Sometimes for hours on end! One time, Kathy fell asleep and awoke, still hearing her parents fighting. All night they were at it. If this was love, Kathy thought it best to stick with Manny. He never yelled. Kathy sneaked into her father’s office, and saw a familiar figure crouched over his computer, staring blankly into its blinking-green screen. Her daddy was deep in thought, tapping crazily on his keyboard, making worlds appear like magic in front of him. He would do this for hours on end. “Daddy,” Kathy said with a whisper. Startled, Dan turned from his green screen. Kathy could see, just by the controlled expression on his face, that daddy was annoyed with her being there. Still, daddy was always happy to see her. “Hey, half-pint. What have you been up to today?” Kathy jumped up on her daddy’s lap, and handed him a piece of paper. She drew him a picture. “I made this so that you could have something to hang on your wall.” “What’s wrong with the walls now?” “They’re boring.” “Oh?” Dan took the picture from Kathy, and gave the loving masterpiece a curious look. Kathy drew him a picture of the new house. There were four people standing in the front yard. Three of these figures were holding hands and were smiling. The other, far away, was hiding behind a tree. The fourth figure was not smiling. Kathy saw her daddy smile. He liked it! “Gee, this is great.” Dan kissed his daughter on her forehead. “I have a very beautiful and talented daughter.” Kathy giggled. “I made it all for you.” Kathy noticed the hesitation and surprise in her father’s eyes. “Well, don’t you like it?” Kathy demanded, more serious. “Oh, yes, love. I like it immensely.” “What does immensely mean?” “It means a lot.” “Then why don’t you say a lot?” “It’s a grownup thing.” “Oh.” Kathy paused, studying her father. “But, something is bothering you.” Daddy shook his head in agreement. He pointed to the fourth figure in the picture. The blue figure. “Honey, who’s this?” Kathy gave her picture a quick glance. She looked past the figures of her parents, which she drew a bright red – red was a happy color – Kathy was surprised to see her dad’s surprise toward that of the blue. “Oh, that’s my friend.” “Your…friend?” Kathy looked up at her father, giggling at his wide eyes, which held in them a childlike amazement. “Haven’t you seen him, daddy? He lives here. He’s the ghost.” “Baby, I just think you’re seeing things.” “Oh, no, daddy. He’s real.” “What’s his name?” Kathy thought hard.


“That’s the tough part.” “How’s that?” “He doesn’t talk. He just disappears whenever I try to look at him.” “Then how do you know he’s there?” “I know about these things, dad! I’m not dumb.” Daddy laughed. Kathy always loved watching her daddy laugh. He looked like Santa Claus. “I never said you were half-pint.” Dan paused just long enough to kiss Kathy on the cheek. “With an imagination like yours, you’d make one hell of a writer.” Kathy slid off her father’s lap, saying, “Mom says that you are wasting your time.” “Mom’s an old stick in the mud.” Kathy placed her hand over her mouth, holding back a laugh. Dan returned to his typing. Kathy watched her daddy create worlds on his computer screen she could never understand, but had great fun in trying. She tiptoed out of his study, leaving him to his work. Mother’s office was not as bright as daddy’s. That was always Kathy’s first impression. Not that Kathy didn’t like her mother’s office. She did. Beverly sat behind an old oak desk she had gotten as a wedding present from her father. Grandfather was so proud of his lawyer daughter. Grandfather didn’t care for mother’s choice of husband, but that’s life. “Mom?” Kathy whispered. “Uh?” Beverly said, never looking up from her yellow notepad. “Can I come in?” Mother didn’t answer. She kept writing. She was writing legal things, thinking legal thoughts. Kathy knew that there was no use. “Good night, mom.” “Uhhh.” Sad, Kathy headed toward her room. Manny was there. She could always talk to Manny. STAVE FOUR “No! Get away! Get away!” Both Dan and Beverly darted up from a deep sleep to hear the terrified cries of their child. “Jesus, what was that?” Beverly asked, grabbing onto Dan’s arm. “What? What?” Dan cried, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Kathy screamed again. Her room was only eight feet from theirs, but the clarity of her screams made Kathy sound as if she were in the same room with her parents. “Dan, its Kathy.” Beverly’s voice had a tone to it Dan rarely heard. It carried with it pure emotion. Beverly wasn’t an emotional person. Not these days. Still, hearing that her daughter might be in danger, the lawyer’s motherly instincts were taking over. “Right!” Dan said. Dan rushed out of his bed and wrapped a robe around


him. He rushed toward his daughter’s voice. Beverly not that far behind, started to regret not talking to her girl earlier in the day when she had the chance. “No!” Kathy was heard screaming. Both parents failed to realize that the floor in the main hall had a thin layer of ice on it. A fog had risen from this ice, giving the whole house an effect of being in a London fog. The terrified grip around Manny’s neck was nothing compared to that of Kathy’s own horror. She was never really sure of what she had been seeing for the past few weeks. A little here. A little there. From the corner of her eye. She had never really been sure. Until this night. Dan and Beverly thundered into her bedroom. Both seemed to be as terrified as she was. Kathy thought that silly. They didn’t see him! They didn’t see the huge figure at the head of her bed, stretching his arms out, as if to grab her. Heavy breathing everywhere. Cold. “What’s wrong, honey? Did you have a bad dream?” Kathy peeked up from Manny’s head, looking out between and over his ears, to see the concerned eyes of her mother. Beverly was scared as much as she was, and showed it in a simple action: she was biting her bottom lip. In a way, Kathy was pleased. Mommy never bit her lip unless she was concerned. “Mommy, the ghost was here!” Beverly slowly drew away from her daughter. “The what?” Kathy, fighting back her tears, looked for her father, who was checking the windows. Kathy noticed that her daddy was locking them. “He unlocked the windows.” Kathy shouted to her father. “He wanted me to look out at the graveyard. He wanted to show me something, but I wouldn’t leave my bed. I couldn’t. I was too scared to even breathe.” “Who?” Beverly asked, “Who is this person? There is nobody here, baby. It was a nightmare. That was all it was. A nightmare.” Dan, after checking the windows, walked over to his crying daughter. He said, “Half-pint has this anything to do with the friend we talked about earlier today?” Kathy, looking between Manny’s big ears, saw the angry look Beverly was giving her father. Kathy never told her mother about the ghost. In point of fact, Beverly never listened. Kathy’s mother was always too busy. “What ghost?” Beverly asked, looking at Dan for an answer. “What is she talking about, Dan?” Kathy watched her father as he slowly took in a breath. It was his way of preparing to tell mom about things that he should have told her in the first place. Kathy knew that daddy and her would be fighting later. “Kathy told me about an imaginary-friend she had been seeing. She even drew a picture, placing him in the background.” “Jesus, Dan, why didn’t you tell me?” Dan raised his palms up in a helpless gesture. There was no excuse for his lax in not telling his wife. “This is just too weird.” Beverly huffed. “I’m going to go

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and get some sleep. I have a business meeting in the morning and I don’t want to go in there looking like a damn idiot.” “You will do nothing of the kind.” Dan ordered. “Stay and listen to your daughter.” “Who in the hell do you think you are, mister?” Dan froze. His eyes kept shifting from angry spouse to frightened daughter. “Beverly,” Dan said, motioning a warning glance toward Kathy. “I don’t think that this is the time or the place.” “Mister Know-it-all,” Beverly shouted, “Our daughter is seeing things, and you don’t even have the responsibility to let me know. What the hell, I’m only the kid’s mother.” “That’s not why…” Dan tried to express. “You can’t even take a job when someone’s stupid enough to give you one.” The room fell silent. Dan’s anger was raging. Only the sounds of his daughter’s weeping seemed to hold him in check. “Just stay and listen, Bev.” Dan’s voice trembled. “Very well,” Beverly said, letting out a bored sigh. Both parents gave their daughter their full attention. From time to time, Kathy noticed daddy’s arm wrapping around mom’s forcing her to stay. “Tell us what happened, half-pint.” Kathy’s dad said with a wink. Kathy could see that he was holding back a very tired yawn. Kathy pointed to a dark corner at the other side of the room. “Those woke me up.” She said. Both Dan and Beverly saw an innocent pair of service bells hanging up in a still web-infested part of their daughter’s room. Next to a very ancient fireplace, bricked up, the bells were probably used to call maids long-since forgotten. “But, dear, those bells no longer function.” Beverly tried to explain. “They rang, I tell you.” Kathy proclaimed, bringing her Manny doll closer to her chest. “Okay.” Dan said, calming both Kathy and Beverly down. “What else happened?” “Well,” said Kathy, giving great thought to her words. “After I was awakened, I heard the bells, thinking that my video game was left on. It wasn’t! That’s when I saw him staring at me from the fireplace.” “Who?” Beverly asked once more. “The ghost. His head was sticking out of the fireplace, giving me the most curious stare.” Kathy paused, catching her breath. “I heard a clanking sound, and then noticed that the ghost was coming out of the fireplace, and that he was coming toward me. He wanted me to look at the graveyard in the back, but I wouldn’t go. He scared me to death.” Dan patted his daughter on the head. He started to laugh. “What’s so damn funny?” Beverly demanded. “Can’t you see that she’s traumatized? I’m calling a therapist in the morning.” “The hell you say. Therapists are a waste. Therapists cause half the problems in the world. They’d only mix her up.” “What do you call this, then?” Dan bent over, giving his daughter a loving kiss on her forehead. “I call this a little girl who has watched far too many vampire movies in the middle of the night.”

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“I saw what I saw.” Kathy fought back. “I’m sure you did half-pint.” “Oh, really?” Beverly smirked. “Oh, yes.” Dan proclaimed. “When I was little I was plagued with nightmares. Drove my parents crazy, I did. Screaming at the wee hours in the morning. Saw all kinds of monsters. Even thought, at one time, that a witch lived in my closet and would, when I least expected it, turn me into a toad, just because I never cleaned my socks.” Beverly, having listened to too much, quietly left the room. “Why’s mom always so mean, daddy?” Dan gave his daughter a surprised look. Kathy could see that the question caused him a great surprise. “What do you mean?” “She acts as if she doesn’t care anymore. Have I done something wrong?” “No love. Your mother is just tired.” Kathy read a wanting expression in her father’s eyes. There had been a time when Beverly was a more caring person. A time when a blooming flower appealed more to the warming of her soul, than that of a healthy check. How can a parent explain the changing effects of the world to a nine-year-old? Dan bent down to kiss his daughter’s forehead, and said, “Good night, half-pint. This time try to have sweet dreams, okay?” Kathy smiled, scrunching up the bridges of her nose. “Daddy, you’re silly.” “Don’t let anyone know. I have an image to protect.” Kathy let out a laugh. Kathy watched her daddy leave the room, feeling the darkness of the place as he slowly closed the door, cutting off her only source of light. She was once again quite alone. “It’s okay, Manny.” Kathy bravely proclaimed. “He’s gone, and he’ll never come back. Mom says there’s nothing here in the dark, that isn’t here when the lights are on.” Kathy peered up over the ridges of her winter blanket, soberly aware of every noise and of every movement. Listening and listening, Kathy waited. This time she was prepared. Kathy felt alone. Dan could already hear the rhythmic snores of his wife, coming from deep inside his own bedroom. His daughter was right: Lately, Beverly’s personality had been changing. Her business, from his male-dominated point of view, was clouding her family values. The quote kept ringing in his head. “Why’s mom always so mean, daddy?” He remembered saying something similar to his mother in reference to his father. It was amazing how much the world had changed. Still, with all her faults, Beverly was still the center of Dan’s universe. He loved her athletic build, her bright-red hair, her gray eyes, sharp nose, full lips, and at times even her conservative manner. “Ah, the hell with it! I just plain love her.” Dan laughed, reacting once more toward Beverly’s snoring. “Daddy?” The sound of the voice caused Dan some alarm.


Dan saw Kathy looking up at him. “Yes, half-pint?” “It’s dark in there.” Kathy looked back inside her room. “Is that a fact?” “Uhh-huh.” “What should we do about that?” Kathy looked down at her doll. There was a hesitation in her answer. “You know, I was once afraid of the dark.” Kathy looked at her father with a surprised stare. “You were?” “Certainly. Everyone is, to a point.” Kathy looked at her father. Silent. Thinking. “Never be ashamed of your fears, honey.” Dan encouraged. “They tell the world who you are.” “They tell me I’m not really happy about sleeping alone tonight.” Kathy gave her daddy a sad stare. Beverly’s snores echoed through the main hall. Both Dan and Kathy laughed with surprise. “Something tells me I’m not going to get much sleep tonight.” “Can I sleep with you tonight, daddy?” Dan put out his hand. “Sure.” Kathy, thinking, rushed back into her room placing her Manny doll on her bed. In a few seconds, she was back with her father. “Why did you leave Manny?” “So he can guard my stuff.” “Oh.” Both entered Dan’s bedroom, once more giggling at the rather loud noises coming from Beverly’s side of the bed. Kathy’s room, without its energetic occupant, was a cold and lonely place. Far colder, and indeed, far lonelier than it appeared in Kathy’s imagination when her door was closed to her, and when all the lights were turned off. Manny sat alone on his master’s bed, staring faithfully into the dark night, smiling on as if he had nothing better to do. Manny couldn’t move. He couldn’t talk. He never did anything. He was a toy. A figment of another person’s imagination. But still, nothing left his sight. If indeed Manny were alive, he could have rushed out of the room, knock on his master’s parent’s door, and inform them that one of Kathy’s windows had unlocked by itself, and then, magically, rise. But Manny couldn’t. All he could do was watch. The window did rise. No one was in the room. A strong wind had started to blow in across Kathy’s bed. Flakes of snow flew in tickling the stuffed mouse’s nose. Manny looked up with black button eyes as a dark shadow fell upon him. The lonely sound of clanking chains filled the room.  Donald Allen Kirch lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He is an avid reader of history, Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, and the paranormal. He has a degree in Radio and Television Arts, and is listed in “Who’s Who in America.” After spending two weekends in the famous “Sallie House,” a “haunted house” featured on the Fox TV-series Sightings, in Atchison, Kansas, he is one of the only authors of his genre who can claim to have been attacked by a ghost! “Marley: THE OTHER CHRISTMAS CAROL” is available where digitial books are sold. Readers can also purchase directly from the publisher at http:// www.double-dragon-ebooks.com. Used with permission from Double Dragon Publishing, Inc.


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M

agic

Monsters, & Mythical Creatures

By CK Webb

We have talked of witches, dragons, Leviathan and the Basilisk, but this series would be incomplete if we did not delve into the mystery of…

W

WIZARDS

hen magic started moving to the forefront of the human psyche, there were two types of common spell casters: priests, who gained their powers from their deity or gods; and sorcerers, who worked their magic without any divine assistance, using sheer talent alone. Wizards, who required neither divine assistance nor talent, but seemed to be born with their powers, came later on. The origins of a wizard’s talents are not clear, but every culture has its own explanation. The most popular one is that the person in question has either a deity or a demon in their family bloodline. Some cultures think the talent comes from having draconic blood, while others believe that sorcerers are the descendants of great heroes who took their magic from other races, typically dwarves, either by force or with trickery. There are even some cultures who believe wizards are given their power as a sign of favor from one of the elemental lords. The origins of wizardry itself are a bit more solid and can be traced back to ancient cities where the Gilded League now holds sway. It is there that the first wizards began to study the magical arts and learn to cast, rather than simply wield the power they had. Nobody is quite certain who the first wizard was or how he learned his craft, but some legends tell us he learned by sneaking into a god’s workshop and spying on him as he practiced his powerful spells. The legend tells us that wizards sought to learn the secret to working magic the way the gods did without being dependent on a talent as the sorcerers were. Dwarves and elves however, claim a different origin for their wizards. The dwarves claim wizardry developed as a natural extension of their skills as craftsmen, while elves claim their wizards were taught by gods. The first recorded wizards appeared thousands of years ago in prosperous cities. Theirs was an art involving conjuring and summonsing that had been adapted from the rites of evil clerics. They called on demons, devils and other hideous beings and then made dark pacts with them in their search for knowledge and power. Death and madness were the ultimate risks for wizards and all those who kept company with them. More often than not,

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the biggest danger that wizards faced came from fellow wizards seeking to further their craft. Defeating another wizard and stealing his knowledge was the easiest way to learn—and far less dangerous than dealing with the foul creatures that bubbled up from the belly of Hell itself. As a result, magic became a secretive profession with all knowledge jealously guarded and only taught to the rare apprentice. Though a few were rich men who paid exorbitant sums for a chance at great power, all too often such apprentices were only clever youths taught just enough to be of use in the lab who supplemented that education with whatever scraps of knowledge they could filch on their own. The latter were often never intended to be anything other than menial helpers, but managed to learn enough to become wizards in their own right. Because of this, most wizards were only half-trained and possessed incomplete knowledge with the predictable dangers associated with it. Even with such terrible risks and such jealously guarded knowledge, wizardry spread. Every culture has people who will do anything for power and they sought out wizards for training. Thus, over the centuries and millennia, the wizard's art spread throughout the world. Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the legends of Arthur. The character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's “Historia Regum Britanniae,” written in 1136. The writer claims to have gleaned all his information from historical documents and scrolls that track the life of this mysterious and well-known wizard. The stories of Merlin have survived decades of time and each new generation places its own unique spin on the ages old tale. The newest Arthurian tale with a Merlin twist is HBO’s original series, Camelot. In it we see a more conniving, plotting Merlin who is actually afraid to use his powers because he cannot control them. When he does use them, they suck the very life from his body. Another wizard that is famous from the literary world is Gandalf. He first appeared in 1937 in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” Gandalf was first introduced as “Gandalf the Grey” and reintroduced later as “Gandalf the White” when he was brought back from the abyss of death. Other Tolkien books featured this well-known wizard and followed the hobbit’s journey into the very fires of Mordor. “The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers,” and “The Return of the King” all carried Gandalf as a central character. The books were later adapted to film and directed by Peter Jackson in 2001. Receiving thirteen Academy nominations, The Fellowship of the Ring took home four Academy Awards and is, to this day, the nineteenth-highest-grossing film of all time. “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King” would also be adapted to film and become classics from our time and see their fair share of Academy nominations and wins. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the highest grossing film trilogy of all time and brought in a whopping $2.91 billion worldwide. I would step on a few toes if I failed to mention some more famous wizards from our time—namely, the wizards of the Harry Potter series. In the series written by J.K. Rowling, we meet Harry Potter, an ordinary boy with extraordinary powers. As the series progresses, we watch Harry hone his skills as a wizard. In the meantime, we are introduced to a whole cast of wizards, including Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Though the series is considered a young adult series, there are some extremely dark elements to the books and some of the wizards within its pages. As the series progresses, it becomes more and more harrowing as wizards began to kill other wizards in attempts to be more powerful. Through books and film we have discovered magic, monsters, and mythical creatures. Though many of these things are fiction, they still hold a very real place in our hearts and minds. They allow us to see possibilities we could not see before and they allow us to dream. We can dive into a fictional world filled with wizards, witches, dragons, Leviathan, and the Basilisk and we can, for a short while, believe. Though these magical mythical beings may not exist in our world, there is a wonderful place where we can go to find them all. It is a world filled with pages from great writers and the stories they have told, with films that we have fallen in love with, and full of dreams that can only exist in the most magical of places… It is our imagination, and with it there are no boundaries, and magic is real. 


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Everyday Heroes:

Hope for

HEROISM

By Joseph Badal

Michael King and I met in 1971 at the U.S. Army’s Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and then served together in Vietnam. He is a highly decorated combat veteran from three tours of duty in Vietnam. Now an attorney in Brooklyn, New York, Mike is deeply involved with veterans' groups. He recently contacted me about an organization, Hope for Heroism, doing heroic work for veterans in the United States and in Israel. Hope for Heroism is helping veterans from two countries find the strength to heal from physical and psychic wounds incurred in combat against a common enemy. But despite the wonderful work Hope for Heroes is doing, after watching the videos I have included below, I was left with a feeling of sadness over the realization that there will never be enough resources to afford every injured combat veteran the opportunity to participate in the Hope for Heroes program. And what about those veterans who don’t have physical injuries, who are suffering from psychological wounds that lie in wait like time bombs? How can we all make a difference? I was reminded of why young men and women volunteer to serve in the military. Some seek a way out of their problems at home, others need a job, still others seek purpose, and some seek glory. But at the foundation level of the reasons for volunteering, it is always the desire to serve the country. And they don’t ask for much in return. You see, serving your country is reward enough. Especially when your fellow countrymen show appreciation for that service. That was missing during the Vietnam conflict, it has not been missing during the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars. But as the wars have gone on and the years have gone by, we Americans have become fatigued, and with that fatigue, we have developed casual attitudes toward the men and women who serve. I watch soldiers in uniform move through our cities and airports, ignored by civilians as though they are just a part of the background. But they are not part of the background. They are heroes who are sacrificing much for the rest of us. And many of these men and women are bearing awful burdens: the burden of being away from home, the burden of financial sacrifice, the burden of psychic and physical wounds, and the burden of wondering if what they are doing is valued by the rest of us. So, I wondered how the rest of us can help these heroes, and in the process become everyday heroes ourselves. The answer is short and simple: thank a man or woman in uniform for their service as often as you can. This simple gesture will reaffirm the commitment made by the serviceman or woman, will make you feel wonderful, and will lay a foundation for heroism throughout our country. And, of course, you can send a contribution to http://hopeforheroism.org/.  Joseph Badal is the author of “The Pythagorean Solution,” “Terror Cell,” “The Nostradamus Secret,” and “Evil Deeds.”

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The Bestselling Detective Jackson Series

“I had to stay up until 2 a.m. to finish it.” — The Register-Guard

“An exciting read all the way through.” — OverMyDeadBody

“Another outstanding effort from Sellers.” — BookBitch

“L.J. Sellers is so good that it’s surprising she hasn’t yet broken through into suspense super-stardom.” — Mystery Scene magazine

Available as 99¢ e-books and in trade print format. “Her best one yet. Highly recommended” — Crimespree

Coming in January 2012

http://ljsellers.com

John Lescroart Standing the Test of Time

Interview by Suspense Magazine

“I would say that the biggest change in my writing is that I’ve got a great deal more confidence that the words and techniques I choose to employ are effective.” “John Lescroart is one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike.” That’s quite an endorsement to receive from USA Today. A superb accolade that makes one wonder, what’s next? John Lescroart believes in hard work and single-minded dedication, and is also the first to admit…a little luck never hurts either. As a New York Times bestselling author with books translated into sixteen languages in more than seventy-five countries, John took a shot with his first novel in college, and the second one a year after he graduated from Cal-Berkeley in 1970. John started writing and playing his own songs with the band Johnny Capo (Lescroart) and His Real Good Band for several years at clubs and honky-tonks in the San Francisco Bay area. When his thirtieth birthday rolled around, he figured if he hadn’t made it in music by then, he never would, and exited the music business. Fourteen years after his first two books were written and with a strong push from his wife, Lisa, he submitted “Son of Homes” to New York publishers and got two separate offers, one of which was in hardcover within six weeks! Now that’s what we call a little bit of luck mixed with a whole lotta love and support. However, if you’ve ever read Mr. Lescroart, it also had to do with something known as talent. Within two months of his last gig, he finished writing “Sunburn,” which drew on his experiences in Spain. John didn’t know anyone in the publishing 14


world, so he sent the manuscript to his old high school English teacher, who was less than thrilled with it. His teacher left the pages on his bedside table, and his wife picked them up to read and loved it. She submitted it in John’s name for The Joseph Henry Jackson Award, given yearly by the San Francisco Foundation for Best Novel by a California author. It beat out two hundred eighty other entrants, including “Interview With a Vampire.” Even though “Sunburn” wasn’t published for another four years, it changed his approach to writing. He knew at that point that it was possible to make a living as an author. With all his number one novels and a career that’s stood the test of time with no end in sight, those who are the reading public breathe a collective sigh of thanks for such a talent. Now, Suspense Magazine brings you our exclusive interview with bestselling author, John Lescroart. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): From “Dead Irish,” your first Dismas Hardy book when he was a bartender, to the thirteenth Hardy novel, “A Plague of Secrets” in which he’s now a defense attorney and has been for some time, what would you say is the biggest change in Dismas other than his change in careers? John Lescroart (JL): What a terrific question! I think the biggest change in Dismas Hardy is the growth in his empathy. In the first books, Hardy was pretty much all about Hardy—his marriage, his kids, his career, his cases—they all centered around him. As the books have progressed, I would not say that he has mellowed exactly—he still has a fierce sense of justice—but his relationships across the board, particularly with those closest to him, now have a much greater meaning for him than in the past. S. MAG.: Do you still write screenplays? If not, do you have any plans to do so? JL: As a matter of fact, I just wrote a screenplay for The Hunt Club last summer, and think it went pretty well. I’d love to see it produced, of course, but the movie world is vastly different from the book world, and I can’t say that there’s been a rush to snap up the project. And in terms of planning to write others, I can’t say that I have much motivation. The books keep me fairly gainfully occupied, and when I get down time, I’m usually more inclined to lay back a while until the next inspiration strikes. And that, usually, is for a book idea. S. MAG.: How has your writing changed from “Sunburn” all those years ago, to “The Hunter,” due out in January 2012? JL: I would say that the biggest change in my writing is that I’ve got a great deal more confidence that the words and techniques I choose to employ are effective. When I wrote “Sunburn,” I was experimenting all over the place—I used all three narrative persons as voices in that book, for example. I was also trying to figure out some basics, such as the uses of attribution (e.g. “he/she said”) and to make sense of some point of view, plot, and focus issues. I was, quite literally, all over the place and enjoyed it immensely. But the impetus for all of that experimentation was to try somehow to get a handle on what worked. I thought I was on the right track most of the time, but did not truly believe that I was able to create powerful scenes and complex, real characters. During the writing, I was hyper-aware of what I was doing, so all of that early writing was in a sense self-conscious. Now, I just figuratively let ‘er rip and don’t worry too much about it. If something isn’t just right, I


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“And then, suddenly, the meningitis intervened, bringing with it not just the intimations of mortality, but the very powerful realization that my life could end at any time.” know I can go back and fix it, and so there is, I think, a much more natural, unself-conscious flow to the prose. The narrator, whatever voice it may be in, isn’t really an invisible character in the later books, and I believe this is an improvement. S. MAG.: In 1989, at forty-one years old, you went body-surfing at Seal Beach. The next day you were in a hospital in Pasadena with spinal meningitis from the contaminated sea water. Doctors gave you two hours to live! It was an eleven-day battle for your life. Can you share it with us what that does to a person? JL: Well, it certainly sharpened my focus, I’ll say that. Up until that time, as I indicated in the last question, pretty much everything I wrote was in the service of teaching myself something about the craft of writing. “Sunburn” was a truly experiment literary novel, and I followed that with “Son of Holmes” and “Rasputin’s Revenge,” both “literary” pastiches in the Sherlock Holmes tradition, in which I played heavily with point of view and different narrative styles. Then came the first two Dismas Hardy books, “Dead Irish” and “The Vig,” where I self-consciously tried to perfect the style and tone and characterizations of what I thought was a “commercial” modern mystery. And then, suddenly, the meningitis intervened, bringing with it not just the intimations of mortality, but the very powerful realization that my life could end at any time. So if I wanted to be a real novelist, it was high time to stop writing books as exercises in style or craft and finally to try to say something meaningful and personal, to write books that were, if you will, artistic expressions of myself—if that doesn’t sound too highfalutin’. In any event, what happened next is that I began “Hard Evidence” with an entirely new and different attitude: I didn’t care how long the book was, I didn’t worry about if it was “literary” or “genre” or “commercial.” I just wanted to write the best badass book I could and enjoy the process, without putting my English major template over everything. I was putting John Lescroart out there, warts and all, and if people didn’t like it, too bad. At least the stuff was authentic, unself-conscious, and true to me. And fortunately, that approach has found an audience. S. MAG.: Dismas Hardy has incredible staying power. To what do you attribute his popularity? JL: I think people like Hardy because he seems like a real person. He’s got a sense of humor and a feeling for justice. He’s loyal to his friends. He had problems with his wife and family and colleagues. But beyond that, I perhaps inadvertently provided Hardy with a very big personality in the technical, psychological sense. What do I mean by that? Well, personality is defined by five characteristics whose mnemonic is OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Natural (Emotional) Reactions. Hardy has all of these in spades, in other words, he’s got a big, identifiable personality, and people seem to respond to it. (By the way, I had no idea of these factors back when I was first dealing with Hardy on the page.) S. MAG.: Auguste Lupa is your first character with “Son of Holmes”. Where did you get the idea to make him the son of the greatest detective known? You set it in a small French town, so we have to ask, ever been to France? JL: I am an unwavering Francophile, in spite of the fact that I spent my first night in Paris in the Parthenon jail! Even though I’m three-fourths Irish, my father’s family was half-French—hence the last name!—and that culture was big in my upbringing. I studied French in college, although alas still remain far from fluent, and I’ve been to France perhaps a dozen separate times, maybe more. And of course I’ve been to Valence, the setting for “Son of Holmes.” As to the genesis of Auguste Lupa, when I got out of college, I’d already written a novel that was pretty bad, mostly because it had no real plot. So I thought if I was going to write a good novel, I needed something to actually happen in it! At the time, I was a little sick and tired of reading English major stuff, and I found myself enamored of Nero Wolfe. I figured I could “borrow” that character if I could

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find a good enough reason for it, and making him the son of Sherlock Holmes struck me as a great idea. So I came up with the name (Nero/Augustus were both Caesars: Lupa is Latin for wolf), and was off and running. S. MAG.: Even though Dismas is clearly the man with the most paper time in your novels, is he your favorite? Do you have a favorite character? If so, why? What makes them so special? JL: Even though I’m fond of Dismas Hardy, I have to admit that the guy I identify with the most in my novels is Wes Farrell. He is such a goofball and doesn’t seem to realize it at all. Hardy is a little too self-important sometimes, and Glitsky—though of course I like him, too—is just so long-suffering he breaks my heart. But Farrell, with his funny t-shirts, his decision not to cut his hair until something…anything! makes sense, his stormy and really cool relationship with his girlfriend, Sam Duncan, his wacky sense of humor, questionable decorating ideas, unusual career path. I love the guy. He’s completely off the wall and just lights up the pages when he shows up, so he gets the nod as John’s favorite character. S. MAG.: When you find a character who seems to vie for your attention, screaming to be written like Dismas, is it difficult to find other main characters and give them their own novel? Does Dismas interfere? JL: No, Dismas is a relatively easy taskmaster on that account. Over the years, I’ve given lead roles in my books to several other characters—you said it right, they just jump up and down screaming to get a book of their own, and I really don’t have much choice but to listen to them. It’s actually pretty fascinating to me…somebody gestates for a dozen years and then says, “Okay, enough already, now it’s time for me, me, me.” I don’t know how it works exactly, but I find it better to listen, and that process has turned into several decent books. S. MAG.: Your wife must be so proud of what you’ve accomplished over the years. How often do you thank her for her constant belief in you? JL: I often say I’m the luckiest guy alive because I’ve been so blessed with my wife of twenty-seven years, Lisa Sawyer. She gets most of my books dedicated to her because she is an ongoing source of happiness, rationality, taste, intelligence, and fun. Plus, having someone who always has a unquestioning belief in a writer’s talent and possibilities can’t be overestimated, especially in a business like writing where there are ample opportunities, trust me, to feel less than stellar and special. Lisa has not just “stuck with me” through this rather extraordinary journey. In many ways, her strength and belief in me is at the center of how I could still feel like going on when the going was pretty rough. She never let me forget that I had something to offer when very few others shared that opinion. S. MAG.: You have some amazing characters, Auguste, Dismas, Wes, Abe, Mark, Devon, Wyatt, and more. Any plans to put them all into one book? If so, what would you call it? JL: I don’t see how I could put Lupa and Hardy together since they don’t occupy the same temporal location. Otherwise, I’ve put many of the other guys together in a few of the books, but now you’ve given me a good idea. My agent, the great Barney Karpfinger, refers to the San Francisco books in toto as a “fugue,” so maybe that would be a great title if I really pumped up all the connections…“The Fugue.” Sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? Hmmm… S. MAG.: Other than “The Hunter,” what’s on the horizon? JL: I’m currently working on what I hope will be a “classic” Dismas Hardy legal thriller tentatively entitled “The Target,” which should be released by Dutton in January 2013. Also, I’m going to be in another Mystery Writers of America short story anthology about the Cold War. I think the anthology is going to be called “Ice Cold.” That should be a lot of fun. And finally, I’m actually starting to entertain the hope that perhaps there is some actual television and feature film interest in some of these books, and that would be a good and fine thing. We were honored to have had a chance to speak with John and we hope you enjoy getting to know this amazing writer. If you’d like to know a lot more about John, check out his website at www.johnlescroart.com. 


17

Envy

Tonight, Invidia never felt freer. Two days ago, she was a penniless college student who was just told she didn’t qualify for her radiography program. What was weird—despite the fact her life rode solely on that program—was she didn’t lose everything. She sat on a bench debating whether or not to kill herself when a man came for her. And then he told her what he did, this very thing she was doing now. He made sales and said they needed a new salesman or, as he put it, a new saleswoman. His name was Gula, and Invidia couldn’t have been happier to meet him. He told her what the job entailed, what came with being a salesman of his caliber. The way he put it, “We give the sinners exactly what they ask for and they get exactly what they paid for.” And that was what they sold . . . pure and simple sin. And there were a lot of perks for doing what they did. So when he offered her this, she took it. She was grateful for it. Gula gave her a branding, a tattoo to the common eye, of a green handprint placed between her shoulder blades. It meant was she was a dealer now. She even wore a green halter-top dress, the best dress she owned, just to feel in the role. It was true she had been on the hunt for a sale for two days now, but still, she loved this life she was given. She dreamed of the day when she had no worries at all. But to get there, she needed to make one sale to ensure her new life. She had spent all night

hunting. And the whole day before that too. Raiju of NYC was another stop along tonight’s hunt. She wasn’t sure if it was the last stop or not, but she loved it here. The walls alone made her feel rich and glitzy. The fancy Japanese lanterns and the glossy chairs to go with their equally pristine tables made her feel important. She wondered if anyone knew a raiju was a Japanese demon. The bar had the perfect view of the restaurant. She could see everyone here. This bar was not to be confused with the much larger one on the right wall from where she sat. She was on the prowl for a customer and this would be the best way to find one. Warmth entered her eyes when she reopened them. A dealer of her scale had to be given a special power to see the proper customer. Guessing just didn’t fit into any part of this. She had a few other powers, but using these eyes was the best of them so far. She didn’t need the others yet. She saw into the hearts of the people around her. She saw what they desired most, what consumed them. These eyes let her see it all. And the first light she saw, and most numerous throughout her whole day, was orange. She didn’t make the mistake of expecting this orange to be good. It was dead, stagnant. She often found this orange during meal times and especially during happy hour. Now, the clubs were a different

By Travis Hartley

story. She found oranges, sure, but she found more blues and pinks. Pink belonged almost always to the women, usually young girls. Their vain dressing called for attention in the room, with their breasts heaved out and their curves clearly defined. Invidia couldn’t say much against it; she used to be one of those girls until she went to college. That wasn’t too long ago either; she was a teenager only two years ago. If pink belonged to the ladies, the fellas definitely owned blue. Funny how the pink usually brought out the lustful blue in the men. Who could blame them? It was just in their nature. Raiju wasn’t much different from other places she visited. It had a much wider buffet of lights. Oranges sat in booths and at both bars. The prettyin-pink women sat with their blueharden dates. Invidia sat some purple lights around a large meeting in the center of the restaurant and in some of the private booths around. Purple was weird to see outside an office setting or a bank. After all, who would bring their greed outside of work? What was rarer than purple in the public was red and she never expected to find it outside a taxicab in rush hour. Once, she witnessed a fight by the subway. Those people brewed in red then, but it was a very rare to see. Right now though, she saw a couple across the restaurant with blistering red rage, fighting over something. She didn’t care to listen in. It was funny just to watch.

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A smile crossed her face as that couple shouted louder. “Love. It adds a strong spice to any fight,” she said to herself. The fight hit its threshold. Finally, the woman threw her wine in her date’s face and stormed out. Customers stared as he wiped off the wine and chased after her. “And they just stiffed the waiter too. One more person to get pissed off tonight,” Invidia said. She laughed to get it out of her system. She got back on hunting down her color, her first customer. The color matched the handprint on her back: green. The phase “green with envy” really came true with her. She represented the whole idea of jealousy. But she felt like the new kid in school, lost with everything and everyone. She was twenty-one now, but with all the pressure of making a deal, she felt like she was five. But she kept herself calm. No need to get panicked over something she couldn’t help. She turned in her chair and signaled the bartender. She needed a drink to settle the nerves. And apparently the dress she wore was just right. He flushed with blue light for a few seconds when he looked at her. She wore the outfit for a reason. If she was going to make a deal, she wanted to have the guy’s full attention. Or girl, if it came to that. “What’ll it be, honey?” he asked. She smirked at him. He was cute, but a confident pest. She didn’t have to see anything else in him to know he thought he was God’s gift to women. “A rum and coke,” she said. “Make it pretty stiff.” One of the other things she could do as a dealer was put hints inside someone’s head. As long as she didn’t force someone to make a deal, she was in the clear. She planted a thought into the bartender’s head: You want me drunk. She had no intention of getting drunk at all, but he didn’t need to know that. “You know, how about this one be on the house? And then you get the next,” he said. “You’re sweet,” she said, and added


a flirty bat of her eyelashes. She needed to give him a little something to keep coming back. She took a sip of her drink when he left. She smiled. He made that real stiff, she thought. Might be a drawback from planting thoughts, she figured. But she wasn’t worried. How could it be bad? She got a free drink. One other thing she got from becoming a dealer was heightened senses. She could focus on things or receive everything around her. Most importantly, she knew when a full-fledged dealer dropped in unannounced. She could feel people leaving and entering the restaurant, but a dealer didn’t just walk in. One appeared right next to her. Invidia sipped her drink and turned to the woman sitting next to her. It wasn’t the red dress that looked sprayed on. It wasn’t her fiery red hair either, done up like a class actress from the Thirties. It was her eyes, those blood red eyes. “So Airlia, are you having second thoughts?” the dealer asked. Airlia used to be Invidia’s name before she took this one, the one she got when she agreed to be a dealer. They met eyes. The woman’s eyes looked absolutely livid tucked behind her makeup. She looked as sultry as Invidia tried to be. Invidia saw the dealer take her bartender’s attention. “Not at all, Ira. I don’t regret what you all gave me,” Invidia said. “Then why haven’t you tried to make a deal?” Ira asked. “I’m working on it.” “You have been a dealer for two days now and you haven’t made a single deal. You’ve been wandering the city like a stray dog!” she snapped. “You give me a person with green in him and I’ll make the deal,” Invidia said. “You don’t make demands!” Ira shouted. Flame ripped out of her eyes as she slammed her hand down on the bar. No one in the restaurant jumped, which meant Ira used something Invidia didn’t know she had. She must’ve hidden

us somehow, Invidia thought. “I will rip that power out of you. Don’t mess with me, little girl,” Ira said. Invidia tried staying calm, but she was sure Ira heard how loud her heart was beating. “I respect you, Ira. I really do. And I’m thankful for what you’ve all done for me, but this is hard! Take a look at all these people. I got to look down from Times Square, from a damn roof and I never saw a spark of green anywhere! Not a single one!” Ira blinked at the flames went away. Smoke hovered around her still. “Change someone’s mind then,” Ira said. “How?” “Convince someone that buying your product is the best thing for them,” Ira explained. “Before this age came and people were gullible and driven to think they have it bad, we used to be hunted as witches. You have it a lot easier than we did. People change their minds more often today, never thinking two seconds past their nose.” Ira leaned in close. “Make the sale and you’ll be with us.” “Do I have a time frame?” “No,” Ira said. Then she grabbed Invidia and pulled her in close enough to kiss. But Ira didn’t want to do that, Invidia saw. “You can be killed. Would you rather be dead?” Invidia shook her head. “Make it quick. Don’t let us think you’re squandering the gift we gave you,” Ira said. Invidia saw Ira’s branding down her dress. A red handprint, almost looking like a burn mark made of red glitter, stained the gap between her breasts. Ira must not have minded getting felt up like that, not like Invidia. She wondered how long Ira had been dealing in wrath. A hand snatched Ira’s away. She about hit the person, but restrained herself when she saw Gula holding her arm. Flames puffed out of her eyes for a second. Invidia was so glad to see Gula here, her hero. She wasn’t sure what country he came from before he was a dealer, but she thought he looked Spanish. He might have been a thin

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man, but he was strong enough to hold back this raging dealer. “How about you leave our newest merchant alone, Ira?” Gula asked. “Invidia’s power has been dormant for too long.” “I’m simply. . . motivating her to get a move on,” Ira said. “Why don’t you go eat someone? You look a little thin.” “Never mind my size. I’ve still got the strength to break you in half. I’ve been making deals longer than you’ve been turning tricks in your old life,” Gula said. “Now leave.” Gula pulled her out of the seat. Ira wanted to fight, but she didn’t do a thing. She settled herself and rushed out of the restaurant. Gula watched to see if Ira would come back. “She lacks a great deal of patience,” Gula said as soon as Ira was out the door. He turned to Invidia. “I hope she didn’t terrorize you too much, Airlia.” “She only reminded me I’m still like everyone else.” “You should correct that,” Gula said lovingly, like a father would to his daughter. “We’ll watch Ira and keep her away from you. Maybe if I take her to the park and throw a stick around, she’ll calm down.” Invidia laughed. He smiled back at her. She loved his smile. It was easy on his face, somehow making her feel special. “I’ll be fine,” she said. Gula reached behind her and sniffed her drink. He tasted it and shrugged. “I’ve had better.” He pointed to the top shelf on the back wall of the bar. “Those whiskeys have a great body to them. You should have a glass when you make your deal.” He gave back her drink. “Let me make sure Ira isn’t doing anything too stupid. Get to it, sweetheart.” He pinched her cheek and left. She had to settle herself. She wanted him, to take him right there in the restaurant. But she had only one goal and it always felt just out of reach. She turned back to her buffet and asked herself, “So who can I change?” She already guessed an orange

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glutton would be the hardest. If they were jealous of a person’s meal, they’d just buy the thing. The wrathful would be a problem too. The lush pinks wouldn’t change unless someone better looking came along, or walked in with a better date. That’d be a good lead. Could a lusting blue change their mind? Invidia figured no because they would only get jealous if their partners had sex with someone else. Clearly, no one here was in the act. Though, that’d be a brave move, she thought. Brown, a color not shown in this place, signified sloth. And they wouldn’t care, in a way, about anything. So that made four sins she couldn’t turn and only one possible. That left only two options then and green just wasn’t on the menu. Purple for greed—that was her only option now. As she looked around, she saw something. It was so fast, she almost missed it. Her eyes darted all the way across the room, back to the table with the most people smothered in purple. She thought nothing of them. Until now. She focused all she could on the dinner, waiting for the spark again. “Thank you, my friends, for this amazing dinner,” said a man at the head of the table, the one brimming in lavender light the most. “I’m sure my wife would like me to get home soon and celebrate my birthday with me.” Everyone stood up and gave him applause. Invidia wondered what for, but she didn’t care. She picked out her man, that one who sparked, when she saw him change from purple to green when the head man mentioned his wife. “You’re not so greedy, are you, little man?” she asked herself. Her man turned back to purple, but he did jump to other lights every few seconds. Sometimes red, sometimes back to green. The only color he flipped back to more was orange. She saw the plate in front of him. With what little remained, she figured he was the cheapest thing in the restaurant. The only food someone left behind was food they didn’t need to eat. His wine

smelled cheap too. Invidia began to wonder about this one. Was he poor or stingy? Invidia planned her move. “You will be my first.” She watched the others around this one chat. He spoke sparingly, usually only when spoken to. He pretended to be interested, but he honestly could care less, Invidia knew. She reached out to his mind and whispered, ‘You want a drink.’ She didn’t break a rule. She only got him to drink with her. She waited. “Hey, I’m going to get one for the road. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” he said. It was past midnight, making it Friday. So he really did have work in the morning. Or maybe he didn’t. It depended on how this night went. She ordered another rum and coke from her bartender and got it on his tab again. Her potential client sat down three seats away and ordered a scotch. Invidia wasn’t a fan of scotch, but she knew the one he ordered was the cheapest. He got comfortable in his chair as he drank. Invidia picked through his mind, just to see what was in there. She knew if she could plant things, she could certainly read whatever was inside. She saw everything she needed to and ordered him to drink another scotch when he finished that one. She knew people’s tongues loosened up a lot more when they were a lot less sober. After his second drink was down, Invidia decided to make her move. “So tell me what’s wrong,” she said. He looked over to her, surprised. Invidia chuckled a little when he turned blue for two seconds and then popped back to purple. He looked behind him, seeing if he was in the way and found no one. “You talking to me?” he asked with honest surprise. “I wouldn’t be talking to anyone else.” She got up and sat down next to him. “You look like a man with a million worries. Care to share?” “Look, miss, I’m married,” he said. “Happily?” she asked.


She knew the answer would be no. He thought about it and shook his head. “I like to listen to people’s problems. I can fix them,” she said. He laughed. “You can’t fix mine.” “I doubt that,” she said. She called over her pet bartender. “Give him whatever he wants.” Then back to her man. “My name’s Invidia and I listen.” “Melvin,” he replied. “What kind of name is that?” “A baptismal name, so to speak,” she said. “It’s very pretty, if you don’t mind me saying,” he said with a smile. Good thing you don’t know what it means, she thought. He ordered another scotch. The good stuff this time, the stuff Gula pointed to. So he had rich taste. Probably meant he didn’t have a lot of money though, she figured. He took a sip and enjoyed it. Invidia was glad. “I wish I could meet more people like you. That won’t happen in this city,” he said. “They all expect you to spend and spend and spend to show what you got. If you don’t, you can’t even get their attention. It’s so wrong.” “Like those people you were with? Are they like that?” she asked. He leaned away from her, “You stalking me?” “No, I just observe things very well,” she said. “I noticed all of you when you came in. You were the only one who stayed behind. So was it a meeting?” “My boss’ birthday,” he said. “We’re celebrating his now instead of tomorrow so he can spend all day with his wife and plow her brains out.” Blue overwhelmed his purple for three seconds. It felt like a lifetime to Invidia, waiting for that purple to come back. She needed to get him on the right path. Staying calm was a struggle, but she held her own. She wanted to pounce on him and get this done! “He left to spend the night with her. I haven’t even had a birthday off in nine years! And he’s five years younger than me. Got three promotions too. I haven’t got a thing since I got hired.” He shook


his head and took a gulp of his drink. “If only I could be so lucky.” Green! Finally, he was green! Invidia could scream with joy! But she had to keep him there. He was an emotional mess, hopping between whatever hit his brain. “I shouldn’t be so negative around such a gorgeous woman like you,” he said. She faked a blush, “It’s fine. Now tell me, would you want his job?” “You bet I do!” he exclaimed. Invidia smelled the scotch finally hitting his brain. “What does your wife think about this?” “Who cares? We’re getting divorced and that’s all I care about. I can’t wait!” Melvin said. “So nothing holds you back from this, huh? From taking his life over?” she asked. “He has the most beautiful wife I’ve ever seen. He owns a loft near the office, where they usually rent it out for $15,000 a month. And he owns one!” Melvin exclaimed. “And on top of all that, he draws in a salary almost triple mine. Why wouldn’t I take that? If only I could.” He was still green. “What would you do for it?” she asked. He snorted at the thought. “You some kind of genie?” “No, I think my kind actually killed off the Djinn centuries ago. Didn’t want the competition,” Invidia said. “You should listen to me. I can give you that man’s life if you want it bad enough. Does that sound crazy to you?” “Yes.” He didn’t even think about that response. “Would you kill Shawn for that job, that life he has?” His eyes went wide with surprise. “How did you know his name?” “I pulled it from your head.” “You can’t be serious.” He sat there, thinking. But the fact she read his mind didn’t seem that important to him. “You’ll give me his life if I kill him? How does that work?”

“I’ll worry about the details. All I need you to do is to kill him. And, well, agree to it,” she said. “You will get his salary, his wife, job and anything else he has. You only need to kill him.” He laughed, but she knew he was considering it. And the best part was he was still green. “Sure. I’ll do it,” he said. He sounded serious enough. That’s all Invidia needed. She smiled and clasped his hand. She burned a green hand stamp onto his skin. As he studied his hand and watched the green mark fade, Invidia put her hand down on the bar. She imagined a gun in her mind, a revolver. She pictured one her dad used when he ran undercover police years back. It will do the job, she thought. Sparks flew out of her hand, pushing up as the gun formed. This revolver had a silver body with a black handle. It would hold four very large caliber bullets. She wanted a good, horrifying splatter. The handle was special. While it was black, it had a green handprint to show Melvin how to hold it. That would connect him to the gun. She slid the revolver over to him. She stood up and leaned to his ear, then whispered, “Make me proud.” She walked away and tried doing what Ira had done earlier, in her outburst. She hid herself from Melvin’s sight and did her best to make sure no one saw him put the gun in his jacket. He sat there, looking around, stunned like he had been hit over the head. Or maybe he was too drunk to know what just happened. “Do it!” she screamed at him. He didn’t move! He just sat there, staring blankly at his drink. Then he snapped back to reality, or sobered up enough to know what just happened. He looked around to see if he had been caught and then started out the restaurant. Invidia followed him. She told her bartender everything was paid for. He was a man on a mission. As they walked down the sidewalk, she wondered if he was heading back to

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his crappy apartment and that fat wife he kept thinking about. But then he headed into the subway and went for the uptown line. Invidia saw in his mind he wouldn’t be going home this way. That meant he was going for Shawn, the boss. Invidia was happy. He paid for a ticket and she walked through the gates. She waited behind him and once he got on, she followed him in. She pushed out as many thoughts as she could to the people around them, telling them to stand clear of him. She didn’t need Melvin firing that gun early. They got off the train and out to the streets again. She recognized this area, it was for the filthy rich. Invidia knew Avaritia had a hand in building all this wealth. Melvin went for an apartment building. Even Invidia was jealous of its lavish portrayal. Shawn and his wife had such a nice place. Invidia almost lost Melvin as he walked into the lobby. Green and black stones layered through the lobby floor, turning into an intricate weave. She spotted a security guard, alone, behind the welcome desk. He was a tall glutton filled with rage. “Sir, you need to sign in before you go upstairs,” the guard said. Melvin ignored him and went for the elevators on the other side. “Excuse me!” the guard called out. Melvin drew the gun and fired. Two gunshots broke the stillness of the lobby. As the guard fell over, spewing up red blood, Melvin ran for the elevators and hit the buttons frantically. Invidia waited with Melvin as she watched the guard die. The guard looked at her. “You aren’t supposed to see me.” He took one final bloody gasp and went limp. Before guilt could take over, the elevator arrived. They got in, with Invidia behind and went straight up to the sixty-second floor. After the door opened, Melvin checked the hall, looking for anyone and then made a right when he got out. He knew where he was going. Melvin walked faster. She took that

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as a good sign. He was going to do this tonight! She was almost giddy when they stopped at a large white door with 6210 on its face. These rooms had to be huge! This was the last door for the whole floor. Then Melvin surprised Invidia. He kicked in the door and ran in. Invidia saw only pitch black in front of her. Melvin found a light switch and turned on the lights. Invidia’s breath stopped when she saw the apartment. Tribal art contrasted with the silky white feel of the furniture. Melvin caught Shawn on top of his wife, in the middle of their act on the couch. They raced to cover up as Melvin ordered them to stop. Invidia couldn’t believe how right Melvin was about the wife. It was like lust built her. “You!” Melvin shouted at the wife. “Back away!” She covered her bare chest with a robe and ran away, but not out of the living room. “You touch the phone and I kill him!” he shouted at her. He then grabbed Shawn and threw him to the window. “Kneel!” “What are you doing? Why are you doing this?” Shawn screamed. Invidia screamed. She didn’t care if anyone heard it. “Do it, you little man! You’ve wanted to for years!” “Shut up!” Melvin shouted. “You don’t know what work is, kid. I worked hard and you stole my job! You stole everything from me!” Melvin straightened up and pulled the hammer back. “Don’t do this! Please! Whatever you want!” Shawn pleaded. “I’ll take what I deserve,” Melvin said. Invidia grinned. She touched the wife’s arm and forced her to faint. No rules were broken. She was just trying to make sure a deal went through. Otherwise, the wife wouldn’t believe it. Melvin pulled the trigger. Green blasted the room as the gun thundered. Then Melvin’s body fell to the floor. Shawn looked up at the window,

then down to his hands and then back to Melvin. Blood leaked out of Melvin’s right eye. “What happened?” Shawn asked. Invidia appeared for Shawn to see. “Hello there, Melvin. I didn’t recognize you in that suit,” she said. He jumped, “Invidia? What are you doing here? Your eyes...” She looked in the reflection of a window and saw her eyes turned green. “I’m whole now.” He shook his head. “What did you do to me?” he demanded. “I gave you what you wanted. The deal was you kill your boss and you become him. You two couldn’t exist at once so when you pulled the trigger, you ‘swapped.’ Shawn went into your body and the gun followed him. I think it’s pretty easy to understand,” Invidia said. “But I don’t know what he knows!” Shawn screamed. “Maybe you should’ve added that into your deal,” Invidia said. “One sale per customer within a lifetime and no refunds, exchanges, or alterations is permitted.” She smirked. “You’re stuck with what you got.” “Do it! Now!” he screamed. When she didn’t move, Shawn did. He grabbed the gun from his previous hand and aimed it for Invidia. She smiled as he pulled the trigger. Only a click came out. “You think my own gun will kill me? I made sure it only worked in your living hands,” Invidia said. “And since you no longer are alive, Melvin, I’ll take it back.” She opened her hand. The gun flew out of Shawn’s hand and dissolved into smoke. “Good luck to you, Melvin. You should be happy. Not everyone gets away with murder,” Invidia said. Invidia left Melvin standing in Shawn’s apartment and body. Invidia had only one thing to be jealous of now: she couldn’t relive this moment again. 


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INSPIRED BY ACTUAL EVENTS

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“BADAL'S CHARACTERS AND THE SITUATIONS THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN ARE HAIRRAISING AND BELIEVABLE.” —Catherine Coulter, New York Times Bestselling Author

Feat ure Arti d st

Nathalia Suellen

The Dark Artist with a Colorful Heart Interview by Suspense Magazine

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Ashes of the Innocent


Nathalia is a digital dark artist from Rio de Janeiro who discovered her ardor for digital art and photography with a focus on macabre and dark imagery at a young age. At nineteen years old, the self-taught Nathalia started her own business, Lady Symphonia Digital Art. Her strange and emotional dark vision drew attention from a large number of artists, photographers, clients, and admirers worldwide. Her artworks portray a dreamlike world with use of captivating lighting and dark rudiments, always encapsulating the most intense and dramatic part of a story. Her style is marked by the use of fairytale elements, Victorian era, backlight, bokeh, damask, foggy locations, and dark forests. Her client list consists of many bands, publishers, photographers and artists. Among them are Random House, Simon & Schuster, McCann Erickson, Penguin Group, Brown Books, and Entangled Publishing. She has received countless awards for her work: Monthly Masterpiece Award on Art Squared, 4 Daily Deviations on Deviantart.com, Artist of the Month on Infinitee-Designs.com, Artist of the Week on Photoshop Creative, Photo of the Week on Advanced Photoshop, and many more. You can’t help but to be in awe of her artwork. Suspense Magazine is privileged to bring you our exclusive interview with artist Nathalia Suellen.

She is My Sin

Lux Aeterna

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Brazil is a beautiful country with breathtaking scenes. Has anything specifically inspired a piece you’ve done? What were they: the piece and the inspiration? Nathalia Suellen (NS): I think the closest I have in my gallery related to Brazil is my last artwork, Elixir of Life, where I used bright greens and a parrot. I also have some influences from Carnival in my mind when trying to make a new outfit. You know, when living in a country like Brazil, things like that are always present in our daily life. I probably learned to be daring here. We Brazilians are crazy, happy, and quite colorful sometimes. Even being a dark artist, I’m Brazilian and those characteristics are somehow part of all that. S. MAG.: Does artistic talent run through your family or are you the first? NS: That’s a very nice question. My mother has drawn very well since she was a child. The same happened with me, even younger I already had great skills in traditional drawing. It’s crazy remembering that my school desk was totally scribbled on. Anyway, I’m glad I survived the math classes.

Elixir of Life

S. MAG.: Have you ever felt like you achieved the “perfect” picture as you imagined it to come out the first time you attempted it? Or does everything you do take some tweaking before you’re satisfied? NS: Yes, I had some moments like that, when trying something and seeing if it’s perfect in the first thirty minutes. But I also have frustrating moments where I try and try and the art seems strange and I have to start everything over from scratch. S. MAG.: Do you have a favorite piece that you simply cannot part with? NS: Queen of Hearts. I almost lost my hands doing that piece and cutting that


25

Requiem

Infinity

"Art is what I want to do for a living." 26

Sleeping Sun


His Light Went Out

dress. S. MAG.: Have you ever done a piece that you won’t let anyone else see? NS: Yes, I have a folder just to hold the things that didn’t work or where I have to improve on an idea. S. MAG.: When did you realize you had a real talent? Because you do. NS: Thank you. Honestly I didn’t realize, not that much. But comments like that cheer me up and I believe it when someone says they love my gallery, my work. It’s amazing and I’m really happy working in this field. If someone thinks I have something good, I guess I do. S. MAG.: Who is your favorite artist? NS: God. S. MAG.: How did you start amassing your clients? Did they come to you or the other way around? NS: They come naturally. I just try to promote my work around. S. MAG.: Do you remember the very first piece of art you did? How about the first piece you did when you said to yourself, “Hey, I’m pretty good at this.”? NS: My very first piece was crap. I remember I started cutting apples and adding them into an empty room. Then, I added some blood and said exactly the opposite, “I’m very bad at this.” After sometime, I made a piece called, Once. It was not that good, but I was proud because I made some improvement. S. MAG.: Where do you see yourself in ten years? Is a full-time artist what you want to do for a living or will it simply be a hobby for which you possess great talent? NS: I just see myself doing something I like. Art is what I want to do for a living. I just want to improve and become more and more professional each day. S. MAG.: What is your favorite season? Does Brazil have an autumn where the leaves change colors like many states in the U.S.? NS: We live in summer all the time. We don’t have snow and we don’t have too many autumn leaves. In Brazil the best season is spring, we have yellowish evenings, flowers, and windy days. I prefer spring when talking about Brazil, It’s really, really amazing. For art, movies, and feelings my favorite season is winter. I love the snow…wish I could have it here. So, my answer is weird. Thank you, Nathalia, for giving us a little piece of your time so we could showcase your outstanding works of art. If you’d like to get to know Nathalia and see more of this amazing artist’s work, check out her site at gallery.ladysymphonia.com. 


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Destinations of Solitude PART 2

By Starr Gardinier Reina

Last month I droned on and on (and on) about where on the West Coast you could go to get away. You want places that will provide solitude away from the demanding life I’m sure you have to write. This month I’m going to chatter incessantly about the East Coast. Ready…set…grab your verbs and adjectives and let’s go! No reservations necessary for the trip I’m about to take you on. Okay, East Coast…hmm. I’ve been to the East Coast plenty of times. Actually, I was born there, but you don’t care about that. Like last month’s habitats, a few I’ve been to, others I have not. Let’s shoot over to New York. Here, Bass Lake Resort boasts of fishing…wait! Fishing? You didn’t sign on to fish. Okay, maybe not, but they offer more than that. I wouldn’t suggest it if they didn’t. Let’s take a look. Smack in the middle of Central New York, the resort has a thirty-acre private lake, ideal for fishing, boating, or just relaxing. Okay, I’m sorry. I said it again. Not fishing…writing. Sit outside, look at the lake and write. I’m sure this place is abounding with inspiration. When you need to get away from your computer for a while (or typewriter), you can go miniature golfing or walk on one of their nature trails. Going south, we find The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. I was going to strike the word “golf ” out of that title, but I don’t think I’m allowed to. Yes, golf is certainly one of their many amenities, but just like Bass Lake Resort and its fishing, here you don’t need to golf. It is located within a secluded compound on a barrier island not far from Charleston. The key word in the previous sentence is “secluded.” That is what you’re looking for and what this article series is all about, isn’t it? When you go away, you don’t want to bring the chores with you, right? Well, rest assured because at this next place, you won’t need to worry about a thing. The Lodge at Sea Island is on Saint Simons Island, Georgia and offers personal butler service! Okay, sign me up. Right now. I wonder if they have a bell you can ring. If any of you go there (or have already been), please let me know. The street this is on is called “Retreat Avenue.” Need any more incentive? This would be a great getaway on the Atlantic Ocean where I’m sure you will find solitude to write. In that whodunit you’re penning, just please don’t make the butler do it. I doubt you’ll be asked back to The Lodge at Sea Island if you do.

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Let’s go back up north for a minute or two. The Tides Inn in Vermont sits on a bluff overlooking a tidal creek and is encircled by well-tended to grounds of a private peninsula. It’s a beautiful setting that is bordered by the Chesapeake Bay, and the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Sounds serene to me. A great place to rock the boat a little by writing some different scenes. Perhaps the dead vic in your next book will turn up drowned in a river. Okay, it was just an idea. Traveling to Kissimmee can be fun. Well, I’m not sure about the actual traveling part, but the destination will be. Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Florida raves about its natural treasures. The have boat tours, fishing (there’s that word again), and bird watching. More than one hundred thirty species of birds, including the American Bald Eagle, can be found there. Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds come to mind? Maybe your suspect can be attacked by birds and that’s how he or she is caught. I know, stupid idea. Want a view of the Gulf of Mexico? Not Mexico, Florida. Anna Maria Island, Florida is a barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. It’s below the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas. The Seaside Inn Beach Resort is one place I’ve heard about that has views of the Gulf of Mexico. The area may be a bit touristy, but you can still find the solitude you need to write. From what I hear and read, Fredericksburg is a historical city in Virginia with a KOA campground. Camping? Yes, you can camp and still be able to plug in your computer and write…comfortably. Their “Kamping Kabins” have airconditioning, free cable, and WiFi. You can sleep outside under the stars amid the tall Virginian trees. Maybe your next short story can be something like “The Kamping Kabins Killer.” I’m so ridiculous sometimes that I don’t know how I can stand myself. I’m going to give you one more suggestion, and then you’re on your own. Maine… well, look it up. I’m kidding. There is Bar Harbor, Seal Harbor and many other places that are ideal life’s adjournment. All of them have plenty of hotels, motels, and B&Bs. I’ve heard that in both Seal Harbor and Bar Harbor you can rent a house for an entire week. That should get you maybe a novel…okay, a third of a novel, done? From Coast to Coast, I suggested retreats. Next month, we’ll go to points in between. While you wait, check into some of these I’ve mentioned or others you may have heard about (please share with me!) and start booking your destination of solitude. 


Introduces the First Book in a rilling New Trilogy

Weaving her way through the glamorous world of Manhattan, Yelena Vega has everything. Internationally acclaimed as a prodigy musician, she is surrounded by adoring fans and a doting family. But all fairy tales have horrors behind the picture-perfect facade. �s her tale unravels, she �nds that or organized crime, murder, and sexual abuse may be some of the secrets casting shadows on her charmed life. When family secrets turn too dangerous, former gun-for-hire Daniel Cruz is brought in as her bodyguard. Despite his dark past, the professional relationship spans more than a decade. e underlying th theme of our celebrity cultures’ lack of privacy is addressed in a way that is shocking. Fortune’s Secrets presents a woman whose musical genius help her endure the demand of fame anad betrayal until presented with a petrifying fate that is more than she bargained for.

Best of

2011

What can I say but this is our favorite time of the year, oh yeah it is the holiday season, but this is when we announce our Best of 2011 winners. This year was just as intense as last year, except I think we used more tomatoes this year. However, we finally came up with our list and we checked it twice (yeah I stole that line). As always, it is very important that we leave no stone unturned, or in this case no page unread. We first want to congratulate last year’s overall Best of 2010 book, Steven James for “The Bishop.” Steven followed up his series with “The Queen.” He will be passing the torch to another author because this year we have a new winner for best overall book and I must say they were extremely excited to receive the news. You will see that we had to divide the books into eleven categories. We wanted to make sure we included every genre that makes up Suspense Magazine. The books listed are in no particular order within each category, I think they actually threw darts to pick the order this year, but don't quote me on that. This year we reached out to all the winners and asked them three random questions. While we were not able to get a hold of all of them, we received some really great answers and are giving fans another way that you can connect with your favorite author outside of their book jacket. Again, I would like to thank everyone that was a part of putting this list together. There were many nights we stayed up late to bring the winners to you. We will say that every book listed here needs to be somewhere on your radar to read, and with all the new e-readers, I say there is no better time to start filling that e-reader up with the books we have listed here. Without any further delay, I want to present to all of you the Suspense Magazine Best of 2011 award winners. Enjoy! —John Raab 30


“Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar “Collecting Cooper” by Paul Cleave (Atria: July 2011): People are disappearing in Children” by Ransom Riggs (Quirk Books: June 2011): A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. 

“Mina's Daughter” by S.L. Schmitz (Tressle Press: September 2011): Ever since she turned eighteen, Katherine Wilhelmina Harker has been keeping a horrible secret; she craves human blood. But she has no idea where this terrible thirst comes from - all she knows is that her father is dead and her mother passed away last year in mysterious circumstances. Katie lives in the London apartments of her guardian, Dr. Seward, and does not want to let anyone know about the dark stranger who sometimes visits her at night. Now a teacher at the same academy her mother attended, Katie dreams of a world beyond London society, but is too frightened of her odd, newly-developing powers and her desire to drink the blood of all of the young gentlemen who call on her. She knows that there has to be more to the story of her birth than anyone will tell her, so now, to find out who she really is, Katie sets about locating the whereabouts of the missing Dr. Van Helsing to get the answers… 

“11/22/63” by Stephen King (Scribner: November 2011): Jake

Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk. Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time. 


Christchurch. Cooper Riley, a psychology professor, doesn’t make it to work one day. Emma Green, one of his students, doesn’t make it home. When ex-cop Theodore Tate is released from a four-month prison stint, he’s asked by Green’s father to help find Emma. After all, Tate was in jail for nearly killing her in a DUI accident the year before, so he owes him. Big time. What neither of them knows is that a former mental patient is holding people prisoner as part of his growing collection of serial killer souvenirs. Now he has acquired the ultimate collector’s item—an actual killer.

Meanwhile, clues keep pulling Tate back to Grover Hills, the mental institution that closed down three years ago. Very bad things happened there. Those who managed to survive would prefer keeping their memories buried. Tate has no choice but to unearth Grover Hills’ dark past if there is any chance of finding Emma Green and Cooper Riley alive. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? Paul Cleave (PC): I don't have any best qualities. I basically have qualities that aren't as bad as others. But three good ones are my ability to cook Asian food, I can renovate a house and take on pretty much any DIY project, and I can keep pot plants alive. Three real bad qualities are my hairline, my work schedule, and golf. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? PC: I'd probably write it in Chinese so people would understand, and I'd tell them being a writer is one of the coolest jobs in the world, and that the crime writers I've met are the coolest people in the world. I'd tell them that in the beginning there can be times where you want to give up, but being a writer is something that is inside of you, and if you do give up it's something you keep coming back to. I'd wish them the best of luck, and I'd tell them to only real the good reviews and pretend the bad ones never get read. S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? PC: Less hair, a new book where bad stuff happens, my first baby, my first baby for sale on Ebay, and hopefully a better golf swing. 

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“A Crafty Killing” by Lorraine Bartlett (Berkley:

February 2011): The last thing Katie Bonner wanted was to become the manager of Artisans Alley. But when her business partner, Ezra Hilton, is found bludgeoned to death, she has no other choice. Business under Ezra has been faltering, but was it enough to provoke someone to murder? Only Kate can find the answer. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? Lorraine Bartlett (LB): Oh dear, nothing profound I'm afraid: Book: “House of Many Shadows” by Barbara Michaels. It's one of my comfort reads. Movie: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Hey, I'm a Trekker...what can I say. (Although I really like First Contact, too.) CD: David Arkenstone's Spirits of the Rain Forest. I've played it a million times already and am not sick of it yet. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. LB: One of my favorite scenes is in “Sentenced To Death,” at the funeral parlor, where my protagonist Tricia reassures a couple of elderly women who are afraid of being abducted by aliens. Basically she tells them they're too old for breeding stock and as slave labor. The two ladies go and celebrate with a steak dinner. As I wrote it I thought, “Where is this coming from?”

Photo Credit: Frank Solomon

S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? LB: I wouldn't feel worthy to write a sequel to a classic, and I've been disappointed when I've read such books. I'd rather write my own unique stories. 

“Gone with a Handsomer Man” by Michael Lee West (Minotaur Books: April 2011): Take one out-of-work pastry chef...Teeny Templeton believes that her life is finally on track. She’s getting married, she’s baking her own wedding cake, and she’s leaving her troubled past behind. And then? She finds her fiancé playing naked badminton with a couple of gorgeous, skanky chicks. Add a whole lot of trouble...Needless to say, the wedding is off. Adding insult to injury, her fiancé slaps a restraining order on her. When he’s found dead a few days later, all fingers point to Teeny. And stir like crazy! Her only hope is through an old boyfriend-turned-lawyer, the guy who broke her heart a decade ago. But dredging up the past brings more than skeletons out of the closet, and Teeny doesn’t know who she can trust. With evidence mounting and the heat turning up, Teeny must also figure out where to live, how to support herself, how to clear her name, and how to protect her heart. 

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“Bones of a Feather” by Carolyn Haines (Minotaur: June 2011): When PI Sarah Booth Delaney and her partner and best friend, Tinkie, take on Monica and Eleanor Levert as clients, they don’t have much hope of solving the case. The wealthy heiresses of Briarcliff in Natchez, Mississippi, claim that a family necklace worth four million dollars has been stolen, and they think that they can hurry the insurance payout if a reputable PI investigates. Sarah Booth has her doubts, and not just about the payout. All of the evidence suggests that the sisters might be committing fraud. But when they have just started scratching the surface on the sordid past of the Levert family and the blood money that all of their wealth was founded upon, Monica goes missing. The police suspect that the heiresses are playing more games, and Eleanor isn’t doing anything to make them think any different. But how can she? If she says or does anything besides pass on the insurance money to the kidnappers, they’ll kill Monica. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What is your favorite word? Least favorite? Carolyn Haines (CH): Favorite word: susurration. I like it because it sounds like what it is. My least favorite word is rubric. S. MAG.: What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? CH: My three best qualities are tenacity, willingness to apologize, passion; My three worst qualities are hard-headedness (note that this is tenacity framed in a negative light), self-criticism, practical joker. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? CH: I sacrificed many things to be a writer, but I write because I love it more than anything else. 

“Die Buying” by Laura Disilverio (Berkley: August 2011): Emma-Joy Ferris

likes mall cop work, even though it's a bit more humdrum than the military policing she did in the army. But there's no time to be bored when someone 'liberates' a 15-foot python from the Herpetology Hut, and a mannequin turns out to be a very real corpse. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island?

Laura Disilverio (LD): “The Bible.” I can't imagine taking a movie or a CD since 1) a desert island would have no means of playing them and 2) I'd hate to take a movie or CD I liked because by the time I'd played them 4,003 times, I'd hate them. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. LD: I hate this question because I hate re-reading what I've written after it's published. However, I'd have to say I like the first scene of “Swift Edge,” my most recent Swift Investigations novel. It makes me laugh every time I read it—sad, huh, to laugh at my own humor?—and it does everything I want a first scene to do: paint a strong picture of the protagonist, make the reader laugh, get the mystery off the ground quickly, and raise questions that will, hopefully, make readers keep turning pages to find out what happens. S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? LD: “Animal Farm.” There's a vicious outbreak of swine flu that fells the novel's protagonists and allows humans to return to power. Humans do great until ducks learn to type (see the end of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type). 


Photo Credit: Carly Mitchell

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“In Seconds” by Brenda Novak (Mira: August 2011): Laurel Hodges has changed her identity twice. She's been on the run for the past four years, trying to outdistance the gang members who blame her for the death of one of their own. She's finally found peace and stability in the small town of Pineview, Montana. But just when Laurel thinks she and her children are safe…the nightmare starts all over again. The Crew, a ruthless prison gang with ties to Laurel's brother, will never forget and they'll never forgive. And now that they've finally tracked her down, they'll stop at nothing. Sheriff Myles King, who happens to live next door with his thirteen-year-old daughter, appoints himself Laurel's personal guardian. His growing attraction to her could change his life—Myles is beginning to picture marriage and family. But it could also end his life. If he can't save her, everything he's built, everything he wants, could be destroyed. In seconds… Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What novel of your own, if any, would you want to completely redo? And why? Brenda Novak (BN): Hmm...I really don't have one I'd redo. I go over each manuscript so many times that I'm thoroughly sick of it by the time it gets submitted. Not only that but I've already done the best I can do with whatever idea I was developing. I don't see myself being able to improve on it. S. MAG.: Do you have a novel (your own) you would like to see made into a movie? Who would you like to see play your protagonist? BN: Definitely! “Inside” is the one I think would make a fabulous movie. I think Jason Statham would be perfect as Virgil. S. MAG.: What was your inspiration to first pick up pen and put it to paper? BN: I caught my daycare provider drugging my kids with cough syrup to get them to sleep while I worked as a loan officer (so she could watch soap operas uninterrupted!). As soon as I found the medicine in my baby's bottle and realized what had been going on, I quit my job to stay home with them but had to figure out some way to make a living. That's the first time I ever thought of writing a book. I'm just glad it worked out! 

“A Crimson Warning” by Tasha Alexander (Minotaur Books: October 2011): Newly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward to enjoying the delights of the season. The delights, that is, as defined by her own eccentricities— reading The Aeneid, waltzing with her dashing husband, and joining the Women’s Liberal Federation in the early stages of its campaign to win the vote for women. But an audacious vandal disturbs the peace in the capital city, splashing red paint on the neat edifices of the homes of London’s elite. This mark, impossible to hide, presages the revelation of scandalous secrets, driving the hapless victims into disgrace, despair and even death. Soon, all of London high society is living in fear of learning who will be the next target, and Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, favorite agent of the crown, must uncover the identity and reveal the motives of the twisted mind behind it all before another innocent life is lost.  34

Photo Credit: Carrie Schecter


“You Belong to Me” by Karen Rose (Signet: June 2011): Baltimore city Homicide Detective J.D. Fitzpatrick has seen a lot of violence but nothing like the trail of tortured bodies that are turning up throughout the city. And now he's starting to suspect that his medical examiner, Dr. Lucy Trask, may be shielding a dark secret that could connect her to these vicious killings and put her next on the killer's hit list... Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? Karen Rose (KR): Best: Loyal, empathetic, logical. Worst: Sometimes impatient, often distractible, not punctual (the last one was supplied by my husband). S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? KR: Don’t write to be published, write because the characters in your mind are bursting to be heard. Write because you can’t wait to see what happens to them next. If you write to be published or “to the market,” you may lose the magic that makes your stories – and all the characters within – come alive to your readers. And above all else, never give up. S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? KR: “No One Left to Tell,” the second book in my Baltimore series, will be released in June 2012. “No One Left to Tell” is the story of Prosecutor Grayson Smith, introduced in “You Belong to Me” (Signet, 2011) and Private Investigator Paige Holden, who readers first met in “Silent Scream” (Grand Central, 2010). When Paige witnesses the execution of client Elena Munoz, she’s thrown into a case which will place her job, her friends and her life in jeopardy. Seconds before Elena’s death, she hands Paige evidence proving that her husband Ramon was framed for the murder for which he’s been convicted and imprisoned – by Grayson Smith. 

“Blood Stains” by Sharon Sala (Mira: January 2011): At the reading of her father's will, Maria Slade receives shocking news—as a four-year-old, she'd witnessed her prostitute mother's murder and been taken into hiding by the wellmeaning preacher who'd raised her as his own. Maria remembers none of that. But now she's determined to flush her mother's killer out of hiding and discover the identity of her birth father. She heads to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she meets Detective Bodie Scott. Empathizing with this beautiful woman looking to find out who she really is, he opens the decades-old case file. Their investigation leads them down a dangerous path, where no one is what they seem. Where a father does not want to be found. And a murderer has “like mother, like daughter” in mind for Maria. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? Sharon Sala (SS): One book, one movie, one CD on the deserted island... I had to laugh. This is assuming one has electricity on this island? LOL. Anyway... I'd want “The Bible,” Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis version) and Adele's CD, 21. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. SS: The sentence in one of my books that I can't believe I wrote: “Leaving a neat round hole, the bullet went in one ear and out the other, just like his mother's warnings had done.” (From “Tallchief,” written under my pseudonym, Dinah McCall) S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? SS: Honestly, I'm one of those people who believe sequels are rarely as good as the original work and that when a book is written properly, the ending should be sufficiently satisfying so that the thoughts of a sequel would never enter the reader's mind. 


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“The Traitor's Emblem” by Juan Gomez-Jurado

(Atria Books: July 2011): The Straits of Gibraltar, 1940. In the heart of a storm at sea, Captain GonzÁlez rescues a group of German castaways. When the torrent subsides, the leader of the survivors gratefully offers the captain a strange-looking emblem made of gold and diamonds, in exchange for safe passage to the coast of Portugal. Decades later in 2002, the son of captain GonzÁlez receives a substantial offer for the emblem. He does not sell it, but the buyer reveals an astounding story behind that mysterious object: it holds the key to Paul Reiner's lifelong quest... Munich, 1919. After his family fall into disgrace, 15-year-old Paul Reiner and his mother work as servants in the palace of Baron Von Schroeder. Unhappy and full of despair, Paul dreams of the heroic father he never knew. But one night, seconds before committing suicide, Paul's cousin reveals a terrible secret. Paul's father didn't die in the First World War, as he had always been told. He was killed by someone very close to him, and for unclear reasons. This discovery turns Paul's world upside down and from that moment, Paul sacrifices everything to discover the truth behind his father's death, even his love for Alys Tannenbaum, a Jewish-American photographer who helps him on his dangerous pursuit. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? Photo Credit: Katuxa Otero

Juan Gomez-Jurado (JGJ): The book: “The Lord of the Rings.” The movie: The Godfather Part II. And the CD: The Joshua Tree (U2). Can I have also electricity? That would be useful.

S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. JGJ: “OK, Mr. Policeman, I thought it might be a bomb and I acted as bravely as I could. Stay calm. I'll wait right here while you go for my medal.” I don't know if that's good or bad. But it was funny. S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? JGJ: That's easy. “To Kill a Mockingbird, Part II: Atticus Unleashed.” 

“The Things We Cherished” by Pam Jenoff (Doubleday: July 2011): An ambitious novel that spans decades and continents, “The Things We Cherished” tells the story of Charlotte Gold and Jack Harrington, two fiercely independent attorneys who find themselves slowly falling for one another while working to defend the brother of a Holocaust hero against allegations of World War II–era war crimes. The defendant, wealthy financier Roger Dykmans, mysteriously refuses to help in his own defense, revealing only that proof of his innocence lies within an intricate timepiece last seen in Nazi Germany. As the narrative moves from Philadelphia to Germany, Poland, and Italy, we are given glimpses of the lives that the anniversary clock has touched over the past century, and learn about the love affair that turned a brother into a traitor. 

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Photo Credit: Dominic Episcopo


“Shadow Pass” by Sam Eastland (Bantam: February 2011): He operates in the shadows of one of history’s most notorious regimes. He seeks the truth in a nation where finding it can mean death—or worse. His name is Inspector Pekkala, and this time he’s taking on a case with implications far deadlier than anything he can imagine: a shattering revelation that was never meant to be unearthed. Its official name is T-34, and this massive and mysterious new weapon is being developed in total secrecy in the Russian countryside, a thirty-ton killing machine. Its inventor, Colonel Rolan Nagorski, is a rogue genius whose macabre death is considered an accident only by the innocent. And Josef Stalin is no innocent. Suspecting assassins everywhere, he brings in his best—if least obedient—detective to solve a murder that’s tantamount to treason. Answerable to no one, Pekkala has the dictator’s permission to go anywhere and interrogate anyone. But in Soviet Russia that’s easily a death sentence. The closer Pekkala gets to the answers, the more questions he uncovers—first and foremost, why is the state’s most dreaded female operative, Commissar Major Lysenkova, investigating the case when she’s only assigned to internal affairs? Pekkala is on a collision course not only with the Soviet secret police but the USSR’s deepest military secrets. For what he is about to learn could put Stalin and his Communist state under for good—and bury Pekkala with them. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Do you have a novel (your own) you would like to see made into a movie? Who would you like to see play your protagonist? Sam Eastland (SE): I would love to see the first book in the Inspector Pekkala series, “Eye of the Red Tsar,” made into a film. I'm just finishing the fourth book in the series now, and I can honestly say that, these past few years, I have spent more time with the people I invented than with people who are real. (That is not always a bad thing, by the way) It would be amazing for me to see these characters actually brought to life. I also write under a different name and one of those books was turned into a film. It is an extraordinary experience to see the physical embodiment of one's own imagination, but I was glad to leave the process up to others. I feel like I belong at my desk, at the epicenter of the creative process. When I first began writing the series, the face that kept appearing in my head when I thought about Pekkala, the protagonist, was Daniel Day-Lewis, specifically the role he played in There Will Be Blood. Not his character. Just the face, and the way he carried himself. S. MAG.: What was your inspiration to first pick up pen and put it to paper? SE: I began writing the series after a close friend of mine handed me the belt buckle of a Russian cavalryman from the time of the First World War. He had been present on a construction site in Russia when the buckle, along with its owner, had been unearthed in a shallow grace deep in the woods. The body was properly reburied, but he was given the buckle as a souvenir. It has on it the crest of the Romanovs and there was some speculation about who the man might have been, given the location of his grave and some of the things which happened there during the early days of the Revolution. That old, dented piece of brass provided the spark for the Inspector Pekkala series. S. MAG.: What is your favorite word? Least favorite? SE: This is a long list, but if I narrow it down to a word in relation to writing the Inspector Pekkala books, my favorite would be “Incorruptible.” Least favorite? That would have to be “Shashlik,” which is a Russian dish of meat marinated in pomegranate juice and grilled vegetables served over rice, and a word I never, ever seem to be able to spell correctly until I have written it half a dozen times. Even now I just misspelled it! My fingers just seem to hit the wrong keys. Love the meal. Hate the word. 

“Regulated for Murder” by Suzanne Adair (Doubleday: July 2011): For ten years, an execution hid murder. Then Michael Stoddard came to town.

Bearing a dispatch from his commander in coastal Wilmington, North Carolina, redcoat Lieutenant Michael Stoddard arrives in Hillsborough in February 1781 in civilian garb. He expects to hand a letter to a courier working for Lord Cornwallis, then ride back to Wilmington the next day. Instead, Michael is greeted by the courier's freshly murdered corpse, a chilling trail of clues leading back to an execution ten years earlier, and a sheriff with a fondness for framing innocents—and plans to deliver Michael up to his nemesis, a psychopathic British officer. 


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“The Unwanteds” by Lisa McMann (Aladdin: August 2011): When Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination. It’s hard for Alex to leave behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted, but he makes peace with his fate—until he discovers that instead of a “death farm,” what awaits him is a magical place called Artimé. There, Alex and his fellow Unwanteds are encouraged to cultivate their creative abilities and use them magically. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it’s a wondrous transformation. But it’s a rare, unique occurrence for twins to be divided between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron’s bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artimé that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate magical battle. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Is there one author that you’d love to meet? Lisa McMann (LM): Well, since I’ve already been lucky enough to met Neil Gaiman (he is awesome), I have to say J.K. Rowling. I have enormous respect for her and everything she’s accomplished with Harry Potter. Can’t wait to see what she does next. S. MAG.: When did you feel like a successful author? LM: Hitting The New York Times bestseller list was a really big moment, but I think I felt more solidly successful the first time my teenager came home from school saying that she saw other students carrying my books around in the hallways. And when my daughter told the students, “My mom wrote that,” the students didn’t believe it and totally freaked out when she proved it by showing them her name in the acknowledgments. That was pretty awesome. S. MAG.: If you couldn’t write, what would you do? LM: I suppose I could always fall back on one of my previous professions—selling real estate or working in an indie bookstore— but I think it would be really cool to have a food truck. I’m sure it would be stressful, but I love to cook and I think it would be a blast. 

“A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness (Penguin: February 2011): When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer. For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume. Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well. 

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“Shadowfever” by Karen Marie Moning (Delacorte Press: January 2011):

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities?

Karen Marie Moning(KMM): My best are: I what-if everything, I believe you can do anything if you try hard enough, and I never give up. My worst are exactly the same. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? KMM: Never try to figure out what's the current ‘hot’ thing to write. By the time you do, it will have changed. Unless, of course, you’re writing about vampires.  S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? KMM: In May, a special hardcover edition re-issue of “Into the Dreaming,” the novella that bridges my Highlander novels with my Urban Fantasy Fever series. In July, “Fever Moon: The Fear Dorcha,” a 150-page-plus full-color graphic novel from Del Rey containing a new, original Mac & Barrons Fever adventure that takes place during “Shadowfever.” In October, “Iced,” a Dani O’Malley novel, the start of a new trilogy set in the Fever world that begins the morning after “Shadowfever” ends. 

“Nocturne” by Syrie James (Vanguard Press: August 2011): When Nicole Whitcomb’s car

runs off a Colorado mountain road during a blinding snowstorm, she is saved from death by a handsome, fascinating, and enigmatic stranger. Snowbound with him for days in his beautiful home high in the Rockies, she finds herself powerfully attracted yet mystified by him, filling her with apprehension. Who is Michael Tyler? Why does he live alone in such a secluded spot and guard his private life so carefully? What secret—or secrets—is he hiding? With her own secrets and a past she is running from, Michael understands Nicole better than anyone she has ever known. Soon, they are falling deeply in love—a profoundly meaningful experience that is destined to change their lives forever. However, as the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up. When Nicole learns her host’s terrifying secret, there is nowhere for her to run but into the blizzard raging outside, and Michael may be the only one who can save her life. 


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Fear is a

“Keep both hands on your pants, because Nicholson...

gateway drug

is about to scare them off.” -J.A. Konrath, co-author of Stirred

“A Vampire for Christmas” by Laurie “SoWest, So Wild” Edited by Deborah

London, Michele Hauf, Caridad Pineiro, Alexis Ledford (Desert Sleuths Chapter of Sisters in Morgan (HQN Books: October 2011): All they want for Crime: August Christmas is you… 2011): Murder and mayhem It's the time of year for western style. twinkling lights on The Desert trees and kisses under Sleuths Chapter the mistletoe. Yet the of Sisters in passing of another Crime offers year means nothing twenty exciting to the stunning tales. Everything immortals who lurk from old-time in the shadows of the shootouts to new-fallen snow. modern day forensics, noir And they don't care if you've been to comedy can naughty or nice. be found in the compelling Let four fanged lovers open your a nt h o l o g y. eyes to a passion you never dared to Walk on the imagine. After all, there's no place wild side of the like home for the holidays—and SouthWest, as these dazzling vampires can't wait for Arizona celebrates its centennial year. Hang up your an invitation.  spurs, kick back and enjoy! 

“The Monster's Corner: Stories Through Inhuman Eyes” Edited by Christopher Golden (St. “No Rest for the Dead” Edited by A. F. Gulli and Martin's Griffin: September 2011): In most stories we get the perspective of the hero, the ordinary, the everyman, but we are all the hero of our own tale, and so it must be true for legions of monsters, from Lucifer to Mordred, from child-thieving fairies to Frankenstein's monster and the Wicked Witch of the West. From our point of view, they may very well be horrible, terrifying monstrosities, but of course they won’t see themselves in the same light, and their point of view is what concerns us in these tales. Demons and goblins, dark gods and aliens, creatures of myth and legend, lurkers in darkness and beasts in human clothing…these are the subjects of The Monster’s Corner. With contributions by Lauren Groff, Chelsea Cain, Simon R. Green, Sharyn McCrumb, Kelley Armstrong, David Liss, Kevin J. Anderson, Jonathan Maberry, and many others. 

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L. Gulli (Touchstone: July 2011): When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death. In the years since the case was closed, he's discovered a web of deceit and betrayal surrounding the Thomases that could implicate any number of people in the crime. With the help of the dead woman's friend, he plans to gather everyone who was there the night Christopher died and finally uncover the truth, suspect by suspect. Solving this case may be Nunn’s last chance for redemption … but the shadowy forces behind Christopher’s death will stop at nothing to silence the past forever. 


Monster “Sex Slave Murders, True Story of Serial Killers Gerald “The Butler” by A.M. Nicol and Charlene Gallego” by R. Barri Flowers (CreateSpace: May 2011): A

marriage made in hell...Barely five feet tall, sweet and innocent looking, Charlene Gallego used all of her charms to beguile pretty teenage girls and young women into the back of a van, where her lethal husband, Gerald, lay waiting. A killer couple bound together by secrets, lies, and sex slave fantasies...Married multiple times and still in his early thirties, Gerald Gallego found the perfect companion in Charlene. Over a grisly period of twenty-six months, their bloody and brutal rampage of kidnapping, rape, and murder spanned three states and claimed eleven lives. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? R. Barri Flowers (RBF): Best qualities: 1: I would have to be my easygoing nature. I am right at home with anyone under virtually any circumstances. As such, I am comfortable being around people from all walks of life. 2: My positive outlook on life. No matter the situation, I try to look at the glass half-full, if not more, rather than half empty. 3: Dedication to the task. As a writer, I have the utmost discipline and will spend virtually weeks at a time, holed up inside at my computer 'til I get my current book written and usually well ahead of publisher's deadline. Worst qualities: 1: Being too trusting at times when I should know better. I suppose I always try to see the good in people and not the bad or self-serving. 2: Almost taking it too personally when sports teams I like (currently Detroit Tigers, MSU Spartans, Detroit Lions, Houston Rockets, and San Diego Chargers) fail to live up to their potential, making me feel miserable 'til they get back on right track, assuming I have not moved onto new teams that are playing better. 3: The third best quality may also be my third worse quality in that being dedicated to my writing career at times comes at the expense of quality time away from writing and doing more things with my wife to make her happier. I am working on changing that. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? RBF: I like this question...I would write: Dear aspiring authors: I suspect the road to success will be no easier for you than it was for me in my time. My words of wisdom to you is if writing is truly your passion, then you must give it your very best and let the chips fall where they may. I have learned that meeting the challenge halfway usually only ends in disappointment. On the other hand, if you're willing to work hard, be disciplined, accept constructive criticism, and take the good with the bad (hopefully not much of that), then you should have a bright future as a writer. Good luck! S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? RBF: I am delighted you asked this one! Actually, I just had a new historical true crime short come out in Kindle, Nook, and iTunes, titled, “Murder in the Sky: The Bombing of Flight 629.” It is the unbelievable story of Jack Graham, who in November 1955, slipped a dynamite bomb in his own mother's luggage. It detonated when her plane was airborne, killing all forty-four passengers and crew. In January 2012, my true crime anthology, “Serial Killer Couples: Bonded by Sexual Depravity, Kidnapping, and Murder,” will be released in e-book and audiobook. It will includes true tales on ten infamous serial killer pairs who are intimates.

(B & W Pub: April 2011): Archibald Hall was one of Scotland's most enigmatic criminals. A man of multiple personae, Hall was more widely known as Roy Fontaine, the Monster Butler who murdered five people, including his own brother. After his convictions for murder in both Scotland and England in 1978, and with talk of a film of his life story, Hall took the opportunity to glamourize his past in books and magazines. What can be unravelled from his web of lies, though, is that he began the sinister transformation into Roy Fontaine, the gentleman butler - ready to seduce, steal and deceive - after effecting a more refined accent and studying etiquette and the aristocracy whilst serving his many jail terms. But how does a man go from thief to killer? Was he always destined to be an unfeeling, cold-blooded murderer? Or was he simply a desperate man obsessed with making a fortune by any means? And what could have influenced his bizarre outlook on life? 

“The Parking Spat Murder” by Babette Anton (InstantPublisher: 2011): The murder over a parking space is both shocking and true. Each chapter looks deeply at the In August 2012, I am editor of another true crime anthology for Prometheus Books, human dynamics entitled, “Masters of True Crime: Chilling Stories of Murder and the Macabre.” Best which allow the selling contributors include Katherine Ramsland, Harold Schechter, Carol Ann Davis, killer to carry out Camille Kimball, Burl Barer, and Amanda Lamb, among others.  this crime.


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“Warm Bodies” by Isaac Marion (Atria Books: April

2011): R is a young man with an existential crisis—he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.):What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? Isaac Marion (IM): My three best qualities are: 1. I don't enjoy talking about my good qualities. 2. I know that I have good qualities, I just don't enjoy talking about them. 3. I'm really, really good at making sound effects. Like almost as good as that Police Academy guy. My three worst qualities are: 1. In between bouts of extreme ambition and productivity, I can become disgustingly lazy. 2. I can only force myself dance if I'm dangerously drunk. 3. I take a long time to order dinner. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? IM: Dear writers of the distant future: if you're reading this, that means literature still exists in some form. Hooray! Are novels allowed to be longer than 140 characters? Am I still alive? Please send your answers back through time so I can plan accordingly. S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? IM: A book of short stories called “The Hundry Mouth,” which features a novella-length prequel to “Warm Bodies,” and possibly the publication of a novel I wrote several years ago called “The Inside,” provided some revision can bring it up to my present-day standards. Also, probably a lot of tweeting of jokes nobody gets. 

“Divergent” by Veronica Roth (Katherine Tegen Books: May 2011): One choice can

transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions— Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent)—each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a “perfect society.” At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a superhot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly “perfect society.” To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself. 

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“Creep” by Jennifer Hillier (Gallery Books: July 2011): If he can’t have her... Dr. Sheila Tao is a professor of psychology. An expert in human behavior. And when she began an affair with sexy, charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she knew she was playing with fire. Consumed by lust when they were together, riddled with guilt when they weren’t, she knows the three-month fling with her teaching assistant has to end. After all, she’s finally engaged to a kind and loving investment banker who adores her, and she’s taking control of her life. But when she attempts to end the affair, Ethan Wolfe won’t let her walk away. ...no one else can. Ethan has plans for Sheila, plans that involve posting a sex video that would surely get her fired and destroy her prestigious career. Plans to make her pay for rejecting him. And as she attempts to counter his every threatening move without her colleagues or her fiancé discovering her most intimate secrets, a shattering crime rocks Puget Sound State University: a female student, a star athlete, is found stabbed to death. Someone is raising the stakes of violence, sex, and blackmail . . . and before she knows it, Sheila is caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the lover she couldn’t resist—who is now the monster who won’t let her go. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What was your inspiration to first pick up pen and put it to paper? Jennifer Hillier (JH): As a kid, my favorite thing ever was books. I had so many, because books were always the one thing my mother never said no to. She always made a Saturday afternoon trip to our local bookstore, and I would always leave with a book of my own, sometimes two. I loved escaping into stories, and knew from about age six onward that I wanted to write my own. So I did. My first story was a reimagining of Snow White, and I changed the ending so that Snow White gets revenge on the Wicked Queen, who dies a slow and painful death. My first-grade teacher was a little shocked, but hey, I got a gold star. S. MAG.: What is your favorite word? Least favorite? JH: This is not a very intellectual answer, but it seems my favorite word is, um, a bad one (hint: it starts with F). I’m really trying to cut down on my swearing, but it’s hard, especially since I spend a lot of time with others who swear a lot, too. But I’m working on it! My least favorite word is “no.” I hate saying it, and I definitely hate hearing it. S. MAG.: What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? JH: My three best qualities are loyalty (I’ve had the same friends for most of my life), diligence (I hate to give up on anything), and my sense of humor (I can find humor in almost anything, and I love to laugh). My worst three qualities are my intensity (which can scare people), my self-doubt (which holds me back), and my tendency to get easily distracted...hey, what’s that? 

“The Stranger You Seek” by Amanda Kyle Williams (Bantam Books: August 2011): The papers have called me a

monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished. In the sweltering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer is pushing the city to its breaking point, preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. Desperate to stop the Wishbone Killer before another victim meets a shattering end, A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ex–FBI profiler Keye Street. And you must certainly be wondering if I am, in fact, the stranger you seek. Keye was a rising young star at the Bureau until addiction derailed her career and her life. Now sober and fighting to stay so, Keye picks up jobs where she can get them: catching adulterers, serving subpoenas, chasing down bailjumpers, and dodging the occasional bullet. With multiple victims, little to go on, and an entire police force looking for direction, the last thing Keye wants is to be pulled into the firestorm of Atlanta’s worst nightmare. Shall I convince you? And then it suddenly becomes clear that the hunter has become the hunted—and the stranger she seeks is far closer than she ever dared imagine. 


Photo Credit: Kaylinn Gilstrap

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“If thy Right Hand” by Robin Lamont (Dog Ear Publishing, LLC: April 2011): When her autistic son is accused of abusing two young boys, an impassioned prosecutor's world falls apart. She becomes caught between his claim of innocence and her lifelong dedication to putting sex offenders behind bars. Things take a deadly turn when Ilene Hart discovers that someone is killing sex offenders with a biblical sense of retribution. In her pursuit to keep her son from becoming the next victim, she must confront her misperceptions about herself, her children, and the sometimes cloudy line between abuser and abused. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities? Robin Lamont (RL): From my early days as a songwriter and later as an attorney composing legal briefs, I have always worked on improving my writing skills. I read, speak, and listen with an ear toward learning how to use words more effectively. This makes for an ongoing editing process, so at some point a manuscript has to be wrenched from my hands. I have a strong commitment to stories in which characters undergo meaningful change. Even for a protagonist in a series, I believe that the events in each book should have an impact great enough to necessitate some transformation. My goal is take the reader not only an exciting ride, but also on an emotional journey. I think my acting background helps me “inhabit” a character, the way an actor takes on a role. It’s a kind of losing myself in that other person, so that I think, move, feel and talk the way they do from the inside out. Sometimes it can get a little kinetic, so it’s fortunate that I do most of my writing where no one can see me. My worst thing is sometimes feeling overwhelmed by computer technology and the massive amount of internet content. With authors contributing more to promotion of their books, I find much of social media frustrating and time consuming to navigate and have a personal distaste for adding to the “keep promoting yourself ” internet world. Nonetheless, I am learning and working through my barriers. S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? RL: The message I would send would be much like the advice I give to my own son starting out in college: find your passion. It’s a tough world and odds are you will have to work hard—it ought to be something meaningful for you. Similarly, writers should write about what is important to them. Write because you love it, write to improve yourself, write to have an impact on something you believe in. If your passion is alive and well, you’ll develop the skills needed to support it, and eventually success will follow. S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? RL: I am currently in the final editing stages of a new novel for which I hope to find a publisher. It’s a comedic suspense called “Wright for America” and pits a ragtag troupe of unemployed actors against the venomous host of a conservative talk show. Soon I will start work on another suspense novel about an animal rights activist and the storm she creates in a town where an animal slaughterhouse is the sustaining industry. 

“A Murderer Among Us” by Marilyn Levinson (WingsePress: 2011): Lydia Krause moves to a Long Island retirement community, where she uncovers a resident's criminal past. She exchanges heated words with his wife, who's found dead the following morning, mowed down by Lydia's Lexus. Now Suspect Number One, Lydia investigates. Amid threats and more deaths, Lydia forges new friendships, helps resolve her grown daughters' problems, and finds romance.  46


“Abducted” by T.R. Ragan (CreateSpace: September 2011): Elizabeth

Gardner (Lizzy) is seventeen-years old when she tells her parents she’s going out with her girlfriends. Instead, she meets up with Jared Shayne, her boyfriend of two years. As she walks home beneath an inky black sky, her perfect night becomes her worst nightmare. Fourteen years later, Lizzy is a licensed PI known as the “one who got away.” When she’s not searching for runaway teenagers, working on insurance scams, or talking to her therapist, she’s at the local high school teaching young girls to defend themselves. But her world is turned upside down for the second time after she receives a call from Jared Shayne. He’s an FBI special agent now and he needs her help. Lizzy has no plans to get involved. Not until Jared tells her the kidnapper left her a note. Escaping from a madman should have been the end of her nightmare…but it was only the beginning. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What novel of your own, if any, would you want to completely redo? And why? T.R. Ragan (TRR): “A Knight in Central Park” is a medieval time-travel romance that I wrote fifteen years ago. If I was ever going to take the time to completely redo a book, this would be the one. I would add to my heroine’s character so that readers could better understand who she is as a person. I would also add an amazingly epic sword fight between my hero, a regular Joe from modern time, and a true medieval knight, fully armored and trained in war since childhood; both fighting for their honor. S. MAG.: Do you have a novel (your own) you would like to see made into a movie? Who would you like to see play your protagonist? TRR: I would love to see my most recent thriller, “Abducted,” made into a movie. I am working on the sequel now. I would like my protagonist, Lizzy Gardner, to be played by Julia Stiles and Hayley Hansen would be played by Noomi Rapace of The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. S. MAG.: What was your inspiration to first pick up pen and put it to paper? TRR: I was pregnant with my fourth child and on leave from work when I was handed my first romance novel. The book provided me a much-needed escape from the daily grind of endless chores. I always loved to write, but I had never entertained the idea of writing a novel until that time. Over the next nineteen years, I was working full time and raising four children, but nothing could stop me from getting the words to the page. That’s when I knew I was truly a writer.


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“A Conflict of Interest” by Adam Mitzner (Gallery Books: May 2011):

Alex Miller is a criminal defense attorney and at thirty-five, the youngest partner in one of the most powerful law firms in New York City. He's a man at the top of his game with the life he's always dreamed of. Then at his father's funeral, Alex meets a mysterious and nearly mythic figure in Miller family history—who presents Alex with a surprising request: to represent him in a high-profile criminal investigation. As Alex gets involved and the facts come out, shocking secrets are revealed that threaten everything Alex believes in—about the law, his family, and himself... Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What was your inspiration to first pick up pen and put it to paper? Adam Mitzner (AM): At first my inspiration was the challenge of writing an engaging story. Now it's to keep getting better with every book. S. MAG.: What is your favorite word? Least favorite? AM: Juxtaposition. I like the visual image it conveys, things being placed side by side, and I usually use it to show things that are in conflict being so situated. Also, it was one of the first words I recall thinking was fancy when I was in school. Least Favorite. Really. I use it sometimes, but it rarely adds anything. Really, it doesn't. S. MAG.: What do you think are your three best qualities? Worst? AM: I'm assuming you mean as a writer, because my wife could add others which define me more as a person. Best: 1. I'm a fair critic of my work, which allows me to cut large swaths that are not very good. 2. I'm a good editor. I spend far more time editing than I do writing. 3. I'm not afraid of casting my protagonist in a negative light, even when I know that people assume that the story is autobiographical. Worst: 1. I worry about reader reactions, sometimes to the detriment of the work, I fear. 2. I'm a terrible speller. 3. I'm not afraid of casting my protagonist in a negative light, even when I know that people assume that the story is autobiographical. 

“The Litigators” by John Grisham (Doubleday: October 2011): The partners at Finley & Figg—all two of them— often refer to themselves as “a boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. They are of course, none of these things. What they are is a two-bit operation always in search of their big break, ambulance chasers who’ve been in the trenches much too long making way too little. Their specialties, so to speak, are quickie divorces and DUIs, with the occasional jackpot of an actual car wreck thrown in. After twenty plus years together, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple but somehow continue to scratch out a half-decent living from their seedy bungalow offices in southwest Chicago. And then change comes their way. More accurately, it stumbles in. David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks away from his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender, and finds himself literally at the doorstep of our boutique firm. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he’s suddenly unemployed, any job—even one with Finley & Figg—looks okay to him. With their new associate on board, F&F is ready to tackle a really big case, a case that could make the partners rich without requiring them to actually practice much law. An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx, the number one cholesterol reducer for the dangerously overweight, produced by Varrick Labs, a giant pharmaceutical company with annual sales of $25 billion, has recently come under fire after several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. Wally smells money. A little online research confirms Wally’s suspicions—a huge plaintiffs’ firm in Florida is putting together a class action suit against Varrick. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of people who have had heart attacks while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won’t even have to enter a courtroom! It almost seems too good to be true. And it is. 

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“Guilt By Association” by Marcia Clark

(Mulholland Books: April 2011): Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight is a tenacious, wise-cracking, and fiercely intelligent prosecutor in the city's most elite division. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel is shaken to the core. She must take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family. But she can't stop herself from digging deeper into Jake's death, a decision that exposes a world of power and violence and will have her risking her reputation— and her life—to find the truth. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? Marcia Clark (MC): Book: A real toughie. I guess a mashup of “Tales of the City” by Armistead Maupin, “L.A. Confidential” by James Ellroy, and “A Wrinkle in Time.” Movie: Easy. My Cousin Vinnie. Best courtroom scene EVER. CD: Another toughie - so many great ones, but probably Miles Davis' Kinda Blue. It's a classic I never tire of. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. MC: In one of my first books, which thankfully, never saw the light of day, I wrote a romantic “interlude” between two lawyers in an office that somehow got waaaay too graphic. I'm not sure who I was channeling, but when a friend of mine read it, she threw back a shot, lit up a cigarette, then turned to me and said, “What the f#$k were you thinking?!” S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? MC: “The Scarlet Letter.” In the book, after Dimmesdale dies, Hester and Pearl left Boston for years. No one knew what they did or where they went. I'd like to write a sequel that let Hester have some F-U-N during those years. Maybe call it “Hester Prynne: the Lost Years.” I just want to give poor Hester a break, because the ending was a drag for her. Yeah, yeah, I know she became a symbol of liberation for all the women in the community, yadda yadda. But who says you can't be a symbol AND have a good time? I mean, seriously, that one fling with Dimmesdale is all she gets?  Photo Credit: Claudia Kunin


“A Heartbeat Away” by Michael Palmer (St. Martin's Press: February 2011): On the night of the State of the Union address, President James Allaire expects to give the speech of his career. But no one anticipates the terrifying turn of events that forces him to quarantine everyone in the Capitol building. A terrorist group calling itself “Genesis” has unleashed WRX3883, a deadly, highly contagious virus, into the building. No one fully knows the deadly effect of the germ except for the team responsible for its development—a Photo Credit: team headed by Allaire himself. The Bill Miles only one who might be able to help is virologist Griffin Rhodes, currently in solitary confinement in a maximum security federal prison for alleged terrorist acts, including the attempted theft of WRX3883 from the lab where he worked. Rhodes has no idea why he has been arrested, but when Allaire offers to free him in exchange for his help combating the virus, he reluctantly agrees to do what he can to support the government that has imprisoned him without apparent cause. Meanwhile, every single person in line for presidential succession is trapped inside the Capitol—every person except one: the Director of Homeland Security, who is safely at home in Minnesota, having been selected as the “Designated Survivor” for this event. With enemies both named and unnamed closing in, and the security of the nation at stake, Griff must unravel the mysteries of WRX3883 without violating his pledge as a scientist to use no animal testing in his experiments…and time is running out. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): When did you feel like a successful author? Michael Palmer (MP): My deeply ingrained insecurity (thank you mom and dad) would never allow me truly to feel like a successful anything. However, I confess that in 1980, when my agent told me the advance I was getting for my first book, “The Sisterhood,” I was feeling pretty special. S. MAG.: If you couldn’t write, what would you do? MP: I never didn't love being a doctor, and only recently stopped practicing. If I couldn't do either writing or medicine, I would search for some field where I could be of service to others. Beyond family and service, and art, nothing else matters much. S. MAG.: What novel of your own, if any, would you want to completely redo? And why? MP: As John D. MacDonald said about his books in his wonderful introduction to Stephen King's “Night Shift”: “They are tangled children, trying to make their way in spite of the handicaps you have imposed on them. I would give a pretty to get them all back home and take one last good swing at every one of them. Page by page. Digging and cleaning, brushing and furbishing. Tidying up.” 

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“Full Black” by Brad Thor (Atria Books : July 2011): Born in the shadows and kept from heads of state, there are some missions so deadly, so sensitive, that they simply don’t exist. When one such mission goes horribly wrong, a wave of dramatic terrorist attacks is set in motion. Their goal: the complete and total collapse of the United States. With the CIA’s intelligence abilities hobbled, former Navy SEAL Team 6 member turned covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath launches an audacious plan to infiltrate the terrorists’ network and prevent one of the biggest threats the United States has ever faced. Simultaneously, a foreign wet work team has been sent to California. Their target: one of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers. While working on a secret documentary project, movie producer Larry Salomon has unknowingly exposed one of the world’s wealthiest and most politically connected powerbrokers—a man with a radical anti-American agenda poised to plunge the nation into deadly, irreversible chaos. As the plots rocket to their pulse-pounding conclusion and the identities of the perpetrators are laid stunningly bare, Harvath will be left with only one means to save America. Unable to trust anyone, he will be forced to go Full Black. Photo Credit: John Reilly

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you are stuck on a desert island?

Brad Thor (BT): “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times” by James Wesley, Rawles. Movie: Caddyshack. CD: 50 Number Ones by George Strait. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say, “I can’t believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. BT: Chapter 32 of “Full Black”: Of all the writing I have ever done, this has generated more buzz and seems to have resonated with more people than anything I have ever put on paper. S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? BT: “Alas Babylon” 

“The Ninth Day” by Jamie Freveletti (Harper: September 2011): In less than nine days, terror

crosses the border...

Hiking in Arizona, biochemist Emma Caldridge inadvertently interrupts the operations of dangerous traffickers in human cargo—and is chased south into the arms of millionaire drug merchants. Suddenly a prisoner of Mexico’s most feared cartel, Emma makes a shocking discovery in the marijuana fields outside Ciudad Juarez: plants rotting with a flesh-eating toxin that causes a truly horrible death within nine days of exposure. And there is no antidote. The cartel believes that U.S. agents contaminated the plants, and, determined to make their enemy pay, they prepare to spread their lethal product across America. Emma Caldridge searches desperately for a cure, but time is running out more quickly than she anticipated. For Emma herself has been infected—and, barring a miracle, she will die before the terrible dawning of... 

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Photo Credit: Leslie Schwartz


“Fallen” by Karin Slaughter (Delacorte Press: June 2011): There’s no police training

stronger than a cop’s instinct. Faith Mitchell’s mother isn’t answering her phone. Her front door is open. There’s a bloodstain above the knob. Her infant daughter is hidden in a shed behind the house. All that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations taught Faith Mitchell goes out the window when she charges into her mother’s house, gun drawn. She sees a man dead in the laundry room. She sees a hostage situation in the bedroom. What she doesn’t see is her mother... “You know what we’re here for. Hand it over, and we’ll let her go.” When the hostage situation turns deadly, Faith is left with too many questions, not enough answers. To find her mother, she’ll need the help of her partner, Will Trent, and they’ll both need the help of trauma doctor Sara Linton. But Faith isn’t just a cop anymore—she’s a witness. She’s also a suspect. The thin blue line hides police corruption, bribery, even murder. Faith will have to go up against the people she respects the most in order to find her mother and bring the truth to light—or bury it forever. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? Karin Slaughter (KS): “The Dummies’ Guide to Desert Island Survival.” Obviously, I would write this because I am an eternal optimist and would assume I would eventually get rescued and could turn this into a book project.

Photo Credit: Alison Rosa

“Gone With the Wind.” So many people have seen the movie, but the book is a tremendous work. There’s a reason Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize. This is a beautifully wrought, moving tale of a woman overcoming tremendous adversity. And having hot sex. Basically, win/win. Red Molly’s James—because a desert island is the only place I can dance, and I love me some harmonizing country women and organ music. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. KS: Someone posted it on my Facebook page and I was all, like, “haha!” because I had no recollection of writing it, and I thought it was pretty funny (which means since I am telling this that I am also fairly arrogant): “It's always a shame when someone dies of a cliche.” S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? KS: I’m not good at this question because I have such great respect for my favorite authors, and I know that the thing that makes “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Gone With the Wind” so special is the confluence and author experience, time and circumstance. Mockingbird came at the cusp of the Civil Rights movement and was a prescient piece from a refreshingly new southern voice. “Gone With the Wind” came at the end of the Great Depression and explored many themes that women were still dealing with— survival, restoration, transcendence. I can see women in the late 1930s—who survived the crawl-back from the Depression and then the frightening recession in ’37—reading Scarlett's story about holding together her family at all costs and seeing something of themselves. Could I write a sequel to that? No way. And I don't think it should be/should've been attempted. If someone rewrote my work or changed the vision I have for my characters...let's just say that tomorrow would not be another day. 

“Hell and Gone” by Duane Swierczynski (Little, Brown & Company: October 2011): Left for dead after an epic shootout that blew the lid off a billion-dollar conspiracy, ex-cop Charlie Hardie quickly realizes that when you're dealing with The Accident People, things can get worse. Drugged, bound and transported by strange operatives of unknown origin, Hardie awakens to find himself captive in a secret prison that houses the most dangerous criminals on earth. And then things get really bad. Because this isn't just any prison. It's a Kafkaesque nightmare that comes springloaded with a brutal catch-22: Hardie's the warden. And any attempt to escape triggers a “death mechanism” that will kill everyone down here—including a group of innocent guards. Faced with an unworkable paradox, and knowing that his wife and son could be next on the Accident People's hit list, Hardie has only one choice: fight his way to the heart of this hell hole and make a deal with the Devil himself. 


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“Delirious” by Daniel Palmer (Kensington: February 2011):

One day, Charlie Giles is an up-and-coming electronics superstar. The next, he's a prime homicide suspect as his former employers are picked off one by one. Charlie watches his life unravel as his company and inventions are wrenched from his control, and his family is decimated. With nowhere else to turn, he enlists his schizophrenic brother to uncover the dark family secrets that lie at the heart of the unfolding terror. “Delirious” is a mind-bending story where the line between what is real and what is imagined twists and turns...an addictive literary puzzle that every reader will want to solve. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD, what would they be if you are stuck on a desert island? Daniel Palmer (DP): If the book existed (and it might, given the scope of the series) I would take: “Getting off a Desert Island for Dummies.” Failing that, I would take “Lord of the Flies,” which happens to be about getting off a desert island. For a movie, I would take Cinema Paradiso; might as well learn a foreign language while I'm stuck there. The CD would have to be Legend by Bob Marley. At least my time on the island would be jammin'. or bad.

S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good

DP: Anytime I encounter a good sentence where I think, I can't believe I wrote that, I get it out of the book. Samuel Johnson once wrote: “Read over your compositions, and where ever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out.” The sentence I can't believe I wrote is: Eddie rode the 28-19th Avenue bus to the bridge. It's the first sentence of my debut novel “Delirious,” and it's still hard to believe that it got published. S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? DP: Easy one. I would definitely take a swipe at “Ulysses.” 

“The Silent Girl” by Tess Gerritsen (Random House: July 2011): In the murky shadows of an alley lies a female’s severed hand. On the tenement rooftop above is the corpse belonging to that hand, a red-haired woman dressed all in black, the body nearly decapitated. Two strands of silver hair—not human—cling to her body. They are Rizzoli’s only clues, but they’re enough for her and medical examiner Maura Isles to make a startling discovery: This violent death had a chilling prequel. Nineteen years earlier, a horrifying murder-suicide in a Chinatown restaurant left five people dead. One woman connected to that massacre is still alive: a mysterious martial arts master who knows a secret she dares not tell, a secret that lives and breathes in the shadows of Chinatown. A secret that may not even be human. Now she’s the target of someone, or something, deeply and relentlessly evil. Cracking a crime resonating with bone-chilling echoes of an ancient Chinese legend, Rizzoli and Isles must outwit an unseen enemy with centuries of cunning— and a swift, avenging blade. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Is there one author that you’d love to meet? Tess Gerritsen (TG): Michael Pollan (“In Defense of Food”), who's a nonfiction author. He's my guru when it comes to everything to do about food and where it comes from. S. MAG.: When did you feel like a successful author? TG: The night I first learned I'd hit the New York Times bestseller list. S. MAG.: If you couldn’t write what would you do? TG: I would love to work as a botanist/archaeologist. The history of how humans used plants through the ages is fascinating. 

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“One was a Soldier” by Julie Spencer-Fleming (St. Martin's Press: April 2011): On a warm September evening in the Millers Kill community center, five veterans sit down in rickety chairs to try to make sense of their experiences in Iraq. What they will find is murder, conspiracy, and the unbreakable ties that bind them to one another and their small Adirondack town. The Rev. Clare Fergusson wants to forget the things she saw as a combat helicopter pilot and concentrate on her relationship with Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. MP Eric McCrea needs to control the explosive anger threatening his job as a police officer. Will Ellis, high school track star, faces the reality of life as a double amputee. Orthopedist Trip Stillman is denying the extent of his traumatic brain injury. And bookkeeper Tally McNabb wrestles with guilt over the in-country affair that may derail her marriage. But coming home is harder than it looks. One vet will struggle with drugs and alcohol. One will lose his family and friends. One will die. Since their first meeting, Russ and Clare’s bond has been tried, torn, and forged by adversity. But when he rules the veteran’s death a suicide, she violently rejects his verdict, drawing the surviving vets into an unorthodox investigation that threatens jobs, relationships, and her own future with Russ. As the days cool and the nights grow longer, they will uncover a trail of deceit that runs from their tiny town to the upper ranks of the U.S. Army, and from the waters of the Millers Kill to the unforgiving streets of Baghdad.

Photo Credit: Geoff Greene

Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What classic book would you like to write a sequel to? Julia Spencer-Fleming (JSF): The Father Brown stories by G.K. Chesterton. Not surprising for someone who writes contemporary clerical mysteries! Chesterton's wonderful character is the great-grandfather of every fictional priest, rabbi, nun or minister who has turned to detection. I'd love to take him out of the puzzle-mystery tradition and see how he would do in today's crime fiction, which is more about society and relationships than it is about getting to whodunnit. S. MAG.: Is there one author that you’d love to meet? JSF: Up until a couple years ago, I would have said Lawrence Block, who is my writing idol. However, I got to meet him (stammering incoherently the whole while) at the Nero Awards, so I can cross that off my bucket list. Now? Lois McMaster Bujold. Primarily known for her science fiction and fantasy, she also combines mystery, romance, comedy of manner and theological speculation into her work. Plus, she creates characters like Mozart created melody. I'd love a chance to inarticulately spasm in her presence some day. S. MAG.: When did you feel like a successful author? JSF: The first time I saw someone reading one of my books at an airport. I wanted to go up and say to the man, “That's me! That's my novel! Do you like it?” Fortunately for my standing with the TSA, I didn't. 

“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group: September 2011): The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 


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“The Night Season” by Chelsea Cain (Minotaur Books: March 2011): With the Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell locked away behind bars once again, Archie Sheridan—a Portland police detective and nearly one of her victims—can finally rest a little easier. Meanwhile, the rest of the city of Portland is in crisis. Heavy rains have flooded the Willamette River, and several people have drowned in the quickly rising waters. Or at least that’s what they thought until the medical examiner discovers that the latest victim didn’t drown: she was poisoned before she went into the water. Soon after, three of those drownings are also proven to be murders. Portland has a new serial killer on its hands, and Archie and his task force have a new case. Reporter Susan Ward is chasing this story of a new serial killer with gusto, but she’s also got another lead to follow for an entirely separate mystery: The flooding has unearthed a skeleton, a man who might have died more than sixty years ago, the last time Portland flooded this badly, when the water washed away an entire neighborhood and killed at least fifteen people. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): What do you think are your three best qualities? Chelsea Cain (CC): Parallel parking. A totally irrational faith that everything will turn out okay no matter how bleak things seem at the time. My uncanny ability to randomly guess the correct answer. (These last two qualities drive my husband crazy. But the first one is the reason he married me.)

Photo Credit: Laura Domela

S. MAG.: If you could write a message to future aspiring authors and place it in a time capsule for them to read years from now, what would you write? CC: You will never make a living as a writer until you learn to write when you don't want to. Also, if that cryogenic thing panned out, please unfreeze me. S. MAG.: What can fans expect to see from you in 2012? CC: The next book in my Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell series, “Kill You Twice,” will be out in August 2012. People who like charismatic beautiful blonde female serial killers - this book is for you. 

“Collateral Damage” by H. Terrell Griffin (Oceanview Publishing: December 2011): The quiet beauty of Longboat Key is shattered when a young groom is shot to death on the beach the day after his wedding. His father is an old army buddy of Matt Royal, and Matt tries to soften the anguish of his friend by finding his son's murderer. Matt's search takes on added complexity when there appears to be a link between this murder and three seemingly unrelated murders that occurred on board a dinner cruise on Sarasota Bay the same day. Fortunately for Matt, his old buddies, Logan Hamilton and Jock Algren, show up to cover his back and to help investigate. But this case rekindles haunting events of Matt's past and incites a web of doubt, deception, and even suspicion, among the closest of friends. When Longboat Key detective, Jennifer Diane (J.B.) Duncan joins the investigation, Matt loses a little focus as he drifts toward more than just a professional relationship. But this distraction could cost lives when they encounter a shady and very dangerous cabal. “I am truly honored and humbled that this magazine would place me among such august company. I hope the readers will think my scribblings worthy of this high honor. My job as a writer is to bring a bit of pleasure to my readers, and I take that obligation very seriously. I hope that you, the reader, will find my books worthy of the honor bestowed on me by the editors of Suspense Magazine.” 

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“Threat Warning” by John Gilstrap

(Pinnacle: July 2011):The first victims are random. Ordinary citizens, fired upon at rush hour by unseen assassins. Caught in the crossfire of one of the attacks, rescue specialist Jonathan Grave spies a gunman getting away with a mother and her young son as hostages. To free them, Grave and his team must enter the dark heart of a nationwide conspiracy. But their search goes beyond the frenzied schemes of a madman's deadly ambitions. This time, it reaches all the way to the highest levels of power... Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): One book, one movie and one CD—what would they be if you were stuck on a desert island? John Gilstrap (JG): “SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation” by John Wiseman. Hey, I know my limitations. If I'm going to live long enough to watch my favorite movie and listen to my favorite music, I can't go around eating the wrong mushrooms. Movie: Probably Casablanca. It's one of the most perfectly written movies of all time, and I've always thought Ingrid Bergman was beautiful. CD: Billy Joel's Greatest Hits. Just because. S. MAG.: What sentence or scene in one of your books do you look back at and say “I can't believe I wrote that?” Can be good or bad. JG: Hands down, the worst phrase I've ever written comes from “Nathan's Run,” right after Nathan has stabbed the guard. It reads, in part, “...a torrent of blood pumping from the gaping wound, like crimson water from a vampire's drinking fountain.” I'd take that one back if I could. S. MAG.: What classic book would you like to write a sequel to?

Photo Credit: Amy Cesal

JG: I'm a sucker for “Huck Finn.” It'd be nice to know what happened to him after he walked off the page. I feel that way about Scout and Jem from “To Kill A Mockingbird,” too. I don't want to write these sequels, though (talk about pressure!). I'd like to read them from the hands of their original authors. 


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—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity winning author

When Liz Cooper’s friend Robin Bloom finds an unusual tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz—the pragmatic psychologist—writes the card off as a prank. Robin refuses to ignore the omen—her late husband drew the same card, the three of swords, in a reading th the night before he was killed in a car accident. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone very dangerous is upping the ante. Liz turns to her brother’s ex-college roommate, occult expert Nick Garfield. As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the deck, she can't ignore their attraction to each other. Then a woman is found murdered and Robin becomes the prime suspect. Determine Determined to clear her friend, Liz joins forces with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer.

—RT Reviews (4 stars)

MOVIES

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 2011

Genre – Drama (PG-13) There are already a million reviews out there, as the second-to-last chapter of the Twilight series drops into cinemas with a thud louder than a werewolf knocking over a vampire. So, this isn’t going to be an outline of the story other than to say, there are vampires, werewolves and all is not well in the land of Twilight despite a lovely wedding. Even poor reviews from the critics, the film receiving only a twenty-four percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes—the lowest critic rating of all the Twilight films—won’t keep fans away. One critic probably summed the movie up best: “Slow, joyless, and loaded with unintentionally humorous moments, Breaking Dawn Part 1 may satisfy the Twilight faithful, but it's strictly for fans of the franchise.” Here we have a box-office hit that is denigrated by the critics. There’s another commentary on Breaking Dawn that suggests the film is a ripoff, a cheap grab by studios to milk the franchise. I don’t blame the studio. And I don’t think many of the first weekend viewers of Breaking Dawn will be asking for their money back. They know exactly what they are in for when they hand over their money and they received exactly that. I love my blockbusters, but my favorites this year have been small movies, most people wouldn’t bother to see—Barney’s Version, Take Shelter, and We Need To Talk About Kevin. They all had beautifully crafted scripts with complex characters, portrayed by arguably the leading actors in Hollywood. But nobody would rush to see these offerings. I’m not a Twilight fan, but I am a fan of the movie industry. If the Twihards are willing to come out and hand over their money instead of pirating the film, thus allowing the studios to make the wonderful, but less record-breaking movies, then I say “good on them.” To the Twihards I say, Breaking Dawn isn’t as bad as the critics make out. Go, enjoy it—and yes, Taylor Lautner does take off his shirt—and I thank you for throwing yourself on the fangs of Edward in support of the movie industry. You are doing a good thing. Five Stars for you. Two for me. Reviewed by Susan May (follow @susanmaywriter) for Suspense Magazine  Before watching the British Science Fiction action film, Attack the Block from first time director and writer, Joe Cornish, I would have taken a different route should aliens invade Earth. 2011 You see, I was led to believe the best folks to defend us from Genre – Sci-Fi & Fantasy (R) alien attack were the U.S. Special Forces. In Battle: Los Angeles, they threw everything at them, except nuclear weaponry. Then in Independence Day, we not only had the U.S. Air Force but also Will Smith. And of course, if there is a clone still around of Ellen Ripley from Aliens...well, she would be a pretty good asset. After watching one of the best Sci-Fi romps this year, I would say we can do better on a lesser budget. Just get yourself a gang of teenagers from a London council estate tower block, arm them with decorative swords, baseball bats, water pistols, a few impressive firecrackers, and a severe bad attitude, and you can pretty much guarantee mankind’s victory. Attack the Block opens with an alien’s meteor like landing into a nearby car, as said gang mugs trainee nurse Sam (Jodie Whittaker). The unwitting gang attacks the smallish alien, easily killing it. They then march it through the streets to a local drug dealer’s den, managed by Ron (Nick Frost), for overnight storage. When more aliens arrive, landing near the block, the gang decides they are going to have fun hunting and killing some aliens. But these new arrivals are not as small and the boys realize quickly they are ill-prepared to battle them. In between, they accidentally incite the vicious drug dealer into pursuing them, along with the police for their earlier mugging foray. What has started as a “gang’s night out” soon becomes a fight for survival. ATB is a polished Sci-Fi thriller that delivers exactly what it promises: something different and something wildly fun. What is so impressive about Cornish’s film is that he delivers the gang’s unappealing council block lifestyle and attitude unsympathetically. Then he cleverly allows us to change sides and feel good that we did. Just like the aliens, we never stand a chance against the “charm” of these thugs. Reviewed by Susan May (follow @susanmaywriter) for Suspense Magazine 

Attack the block


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views e R k o o B azine g a M e s n Suspe

s e g a P e h t e Insid

A Study in Sherlock Edited by Laurie R. King

Kill Switch

By Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene Claire and her best friend Amy were playing outside when a car pulled up and Amy became part of the ‘missing children’ list. Today, Claire is all grown up and receiving her degree in forensic psychology. Working as an intern under the famous Dr. Curtin, Claire wants to prove to the man that she knows her job, and wants more than anything to get into the human mind and try to figure out what makes it tick. She wants to be able to “reprogram the circuitry.” Today is her first client interview on Riker’s Island, where out of fifteen thousand prisoners, three thousand of them possess the sickest minds in the world. Todd Quimby is her subject. On Riker’s for something quite small, he is scheduled to be released in two months. He shows signs of getting ‘worse’ if he goes back out in the world without treatment. Claire becomes his ‘ear,’ clinician, and friend, and tries to make him get rid of the childhood memories that he can’t seem to let go of. Nick Lawler is a homicide detective who has been through hell. Even though he carries his own secret, he has been placed back on the force. A body has been found that relates to a murder Lawler investigated before. All the signs are there: Lawler is looking at a serial killer. As bodies begin piling up and Claire inherits a stalker, it’s clear to everyone that Todd Quimby is behind the attacks. Is he? This is a startling, intense suspense novel that offers all mystery readers a textbook crime. The characters are real, the scenes are brutal, and the relationship of the protagonists will have readers staying up at night—with the light on—to see how this one turns out. These two authors are very talented men who have been Executive Producers and CoExecutive Producers for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, so it comes as no surprise that they can turn a story into an unforgettable event. Readers may just have found the next ‘Preston & Child’ team! Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “Tallent & Lowery -13,” for Suspense Magazine 

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For fans of Sherlock Holmes, and if you love mysteries, you are a fan whether you ever thought about it or not and the anthology of “A Study in Sherlock” provides great reading no matter what style you prefer. From literary to noir, great authors provide their short story takes on the timeless Holmes and Watson duo. Some, like Lee Child utilize a modern day approach with links to the past while others get right into the timeframe with various takes and twists on new plots. This is a compilation you can devour like a novel or nibble piece-by-piece, but be assured it is delicious and satisfying. There are probably no more devoted fans of the Holmes archetype than other mystery writers. This anthology is an opportunity to show their admiration for the “man who never lived and therefore can never die” and his creator. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle set the bar at such a height as to make us all the better for the reach. Laurie King, author of the Mary Russell novels, was a natural choice to bring these stories together with the assistance of Leslie Klinger, editor of “The Annotated Sherlock Holmes.” The afterword, a ‘twinterview’ between Mr. Klinger and Mary Russell will have you scratching your head as to whether or not Mary Russell is fictional or is in fact, a living, breathing person. No matter what you choose to believe, you will be delighted with the outcome. Reviewed by J.S. McCormick, author or “Hummingbird Wars” for Suspense Magazine 

Hurt Machine By Reed Farrel Coleman

Coleman’s seventh novel featuring ex-cop and erstwhile private investigator Moe Prager develops a complex mystery set against the backdrop of Prager’s recent cancer diagnosis. Not wanting to ruin his daughter’s upcoming wedding, Prager keeps his tumor a secret, although his symptoms are getting harder to hide. When his ex-wife Carmella shows up and asks him to look into her estranged sister’s murder, it serves both as a distraction from and a reflection upon his life. Although his doctor thinks treatment could be successful, Prager can’t help but look back on the good and the bad that he has done. All this drives Prager forward, and as he digs into the case, he finds himself revisiting people from his past. Everything is complicated by his cancer and the clash of past and present. He’s avoiding his girlfriend Pam, both because of his contact with his ex-wife and his declining health. Just as he hides his illness and uses his old badge to trick people into talking to him, nothing about the murder case is as it seems. When Carmella’s sister, Alta, was killed, she and her EMT partner were the most hated women in New York. Months earlier, the two had let a man die, refusing care. Although many people had motive to kill Alta, there’s no obvious motive for why they let the man die. Prager wonders whether the two crimes are connected, trying not to jump to conclusions. His dogged pursuit of the facts stirs up trouble that he’s in no condition to fight off, but he persists, wanting the truth even if no justice can be served. Coleman makes Prager a believable, complicated character, brought to life by a first person narration that lets the reader into Prager’s closely guarded thoughts. The characters Prager encounters in his investigation are a varied group, steeped in the melting pot of New York City. Although one turn of the plot came to me long before it occurred to Prager, it still had a twist that kept me guessing. Character driven but with a layered plot, this is a recommended read. Reviewed by Scott Pearson, author of “Star Trek: Honor in the Night,” for Suspense Magazine 

Too Much Stuff By Don Bruns

Detectives Skip More and James Lessor are at it again, and this time the reward might be worth its weight in gold—literally! When the great-granddaughter of Matthew Kriegel, a financial director for the East Coast Railway in Key West, hires Skip and James to help her find her great-grandfather’s long-lost gold, the detectives find themselves on a treasure hunt where gold isn’t the only thing being hunted. Determined to find the missing treasure, Skip and James embark on a journey that takes them scuba diving, through an ancient cemetery, and through a fight for their lives to find the treasure that was lost during a 1935 hurricane that nearly destroyed Key West. Although the duo is attacked, accused of murder, followed, and even mistaken for plumbers, their enthusiasm for their job and resolve to find the treasure, keeps them going no matter what they face. This is the fifth installment of the Stuff series by Don Bruns and I really enjoyed the chemistry between Bruns’ main characters. Although sometimes awkward in their efforts, their hilarious attempts at being serious detectives carry the story forward. “Too Much Stuff ” is a great continuation of the series and anyone who is a fan of Bruns’ work or enjoys reading about treasure hunts will love this book. Reviewed by Melissa Dalton for Suspense Magazine


The Heart of a Killer By Jaci Burton

I fell into this story at the prologue, which sets up everything that occurs twelve years later when the story starts. A group of Italian teenagers in St. Louis were best friends. Anna Pallino, daughter of a cop, worked in the icecream store and was in love with Dante Renaldi, the handsomest of a quartet of boys who lived in foster care with George and Ellen Clemons. For Dante, Gabe, Roman, and Jeff, it was the only happy home life they’d ever had. One night, when the guys were in for some free ice cream after hours, Anna was attacked taking the trash out to the dumpster in the alley behind the shop. She is nearly raped before Dante and the rest come to her rescue. Dante loses control and attacks the pervert, but not before the baddie has carved a heart in Anna’s chest. After severely beating the guy, the teens see to Anna, carry her into the shop and discuss whether or not to call the cops. Since they all have juvey records, they decide not to. But when they return to the alley, they find the attacker dead. Now they are definitely not calling the cops. Twelve years later, Dante, who disappeared abruptly after that incident, returns at the invitation of the Clemons to celebrate their twentyfifth wedding anniversary. He has a feeling he shouldn’t return, and sure enough, trouble dogs him as soon as he hits town. George is missing and the guys go searching. Dante finds his body behind the same dumpster where Anna’s attack took place. George also has a heart carved into his chest. The five former friends are now grown up, but those who thought they knew each other's every thought find they don’t know one other any longer. And they sure can’t trust each other. Burton take us to hot summer nights in St. Louis, through a steamy love story, to discover how a dead man who carves hearts in his victims, someone who was killed twelve years ago, is again—impossibly—haunting the five. Reviewed by Kaye George, author of “Choke,” for Suspense Magazine 


In Close

By Brenda Novak

“In Close” is the second in a series which takes place in Pineview, Montana, a small town in the mountains with a population of less than two thousand and includes characters introduced in the book published before this one, called “In Seconds.” The story is about Claire O’Toole and her desire to discover the truth about her mother’s prior disappearance. As Claire pushes for answers, she manages to alienate the rest of her family and friends. To complicate matters, Claire’s husband, David was killed in a hunting accident a year earlier and Claire can barely function because of her grief. Somehow, she has to get beyond it and make a new life for herself. But she doesn’t think she can, until she knows the truth about her mother. While looking for answers, Claire becomes reacquainted with her first love, Isaac Morgan, a famous photographer. Claire had a sizzling relationship with Isaac ten years earlier, but he made it clear he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. She’d seen him over the years, but they barely spoke. He was gone most of the time. For some reason, Isaac wants to help Claire. Can it just be that he wants to renew the amazing physical relationship they had earlier? Can a real relationship grow out of something so incendiary? As Claire and Isaac work through the information they find, Claire questions everything she’s believed for the last fifteen years. Claire also discovers someone knows what actually happened and that someone is prepared to kill again to protect themselves. This book held my attention and I found myself so caught up in the story that I read it in two afternoons. Brenda keeps the suspense high in telling her story and I wanted to hurry and get to the end so that I understand all the nuances of what happened. The only slightly negative comment I would make is that I wish the end of the book had been a little longer. It left a couple of unanswered questions, but perhaps Novak will answer those questions in her next book! Bravo, Brenda! Reviewed by Holly Price, author of “At Death’s Door” coming soon, for Suspense Magazine 

Stealing Mona Lisa By Carson Morton

Eduardo de Valfierno ‘steals’ artwork for his clients, rich collectors. The problem for the collectors is that what Eduardo is actually selling them is a very good forgery. He has a plan to make money to retire from the game—stealing the Mona Lisa. His crew to steal the painting consists of his rescued orphan and protégé Emile, the American pickpocket Julia, and of course himself! In addition, Mrs. Hart, the trophy wife of a collector Eduardo has ‘worked with’ before, Joshua Hart joins in. One big problem is that Mr. Hart is an extremely possessive man and doesn’t take too kindly to his wife being with someone else. A police inspector, a mad husband and collector, and a flood are the main things Eduardo wants to avoid to make this theft happen. Perhaps Eduardo’s goal was a bit too lofty…intriguing back story, interesting characters and a fast paced plot! You will be rooting for the thieves! Reviewed by Ashley Wintters for Suspense Magazine 

El Gavilan

By Craig McDonald

This is a truly in-depth tale regarding murder, mayhem, and a very ‘real’ look into the tension and stress that’s currently affecting the nation regarding the subject of immigration. Readers begin by meeting a young woman named Thalia, and her family, as they attempt with all their might to reach the border of Mexico and cross over into a better life. The trip is not only harrowing, it is a time where Thalia loses most all of her family and ends up in the town of New Austin, Ohio, trying desperately to have a life and not be arrested for her illegal status. A new Chief of Police has come to New Austin. After retiring from the Border Patrol out West, and losing his wife and child, Tell Lyon has taken over the job to secure and ‘clean-up’ the small town that seems to be experiencing a slew of criminal issues. Sheriff Able Hawk is the man of Horton County who despises immigrants. He is tired of dealing with illegals that are coming in and ruining his town. There are even billboards up all over the streets and highways that talk about El Gavilan (The Hawk) and how he and his men are making sure that the streets of New Austin are finally clean. Shawn is the editor of the newspaper and finds himself buried in a plot involving police, immigrants, gang members, and more. While his girlfriend, Patricia learns the hard way about passion, love, and choosing sides. A rape and murder occurs that brings even more trouble to the town, and a plot is soon uncovered that will take readers' breath away, as they try desperately to figure out who, exactly, the ‘bad guys’ really are. This author does a stunning job of presenting the delicate balance that is in effect in our world right now. From the subject of immigration, to gangs taking over and threatening communities, to the delicate and longterm subject of racism, this author delves deeply into subjects that are slowly turning citizens of the United States against one another. Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “Tallent & Lowery -13,” for Suspense Magazine

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The Second Messiah

The Radleys

By Glenn Meade

“The Second Messiah” carries the reader on a wild ride from an archaeological dig in an Israeli desert to the halls of the Vatican to Rome’s red-light district. Both the relentless plot and the author’s fast-paced style will keep you turning the pages until the end. A new pope—an American—has just been elected. He is a man with a secret from his past and a resolution to open the Church’s confidential archives. Twenty years previously, a scroll was discovered at Qumran, the site that contained the Dead Sea Scrolls, but it subsequently disappeared. Now, Jack Cane, whose parents died in a fiery car crash after the discovery of the scroll, has made a new find at the same spot. When an associate is found dead with Jack’s knife in his chest, he is immediately suspected of the murder. The secrets contained in the scrolls are of vital importance to both the Catholic Church and the state of Israel. In an unusual accord between the two states, Israel and the Vatican have conspired to keep the revelations contained in the scroll a secret. But not everyone agrees. There are others who have their own motivations for revealing the contents of the scrolls, which may change the entire foundation of Christianity. Like “The Da Vinci Code,” the fun in “The Second Messiah” is that it’s fiction. The religious aspect is meant to intrigue and entertain, but it could be disturbing for the very devout Christian. The image of the Pope sneaking out of the Vatican to drive around Rome in a Fiat and having coffee (just coffee!) with a prostitute in Rome’s redlight district can make him seem more human if not taken too seriously. The short chapters contribute to the fast-pace of the novel, and each one ends with a cliffhanger. The author blends factual information and imaginative fiction to create a captivating book. Reviewed by Kathleen Heady, author of “The Gate House,” for Suspense Magazine 

Shoe Done it By Grace Carroll

Normally I’d suggest putting on your comfiest shoes and clothes before reclining in your favorite chair to read the next book in your stack. But in the case of “Shoe Done It,” a fashionable debut cozy mystery by Grace Carroll, that advice would be sacrilege. Carroll’s protagonist, Rita Jewel, would be aghast. She works at an upscale boutique in San Francisco helping society women put together the most stylish outfits for the most stylish events. She’d be more likely to recommend Jimmy Choo sandals and designer loungewear. But since Rita is far too busy trying to solve a murder to notice what we readers are wearing, we might be able to get away with sweats and sneakers. Rita’s boss, Dolce has sent her on a mission—to pick up a pair of extravagant, handmade silver stilettos—a task Rita completes even while distracted by a good-looking Romanian gymnastics coach. Shortly after her return with the expensive shoes, they are stolen by MarySue, the society woman who ordered them, but who hasn’t completed payment. Rita and Dolce are shocked by MarySue’s actions and dismayed by the financial loss. While trying to retrieve the shoes, Rita winds up with a concussion, a sprained ankle, and the attention of an attractive doctor. She also learns that MarySue is in the same hospital, but with a more serious problem, for the high-society woman is not only dead, but barefoot—her fabulous footwear gone. Both Rita and Dolce become persons of interest for the sexy, well-dressed detective, Jack Wall. As his suspicions increase, so does Rita’s determination to prove their innocence. She goes where she isn’t welcome, asks questions she shouldn’t ask, and provokes reactions that could prove fatal. While dealing with one murder, two stolen stilettos, and three handsome new men in her life, Rita almost always looks terrific. “Shoe Done It” is an entertaining read, especially for fashionistas who would kill for a great pair of shoes. Reviewed by Kari Wainwright for Suspense Magazine 

Chasing Ghosts Texas Style By Brad and Barry Klinge with Kathy Passero

Who believes in the paranormal? Do unexplained occurrences happen all the time? How would we know if the slamming of a door was a phenomenon and not the wind? Brad and Barry Klinge can tell you and that’s exactly what they do in “Chasing Ghosts Texas Style.” This is a detailed accounting of the ups and downs of Everyday Paranormal, their business of ghost hunting. They use science and the latest equipment in their investigations. They regale us with stories of these, some turning creepy and others ending with zilch. Of course, there are those ‘psychics’ or ‘mediums’ thrown in who believe they can solve many of the mysteries. Instead, what they cause is chaos through unfounded falsified evidence, giving the Klinge brothers bad reputations and thwarting their attempts to prove the actual existence of phenomena. If you’re not a believer in the paranormal, that’s okay. I have a feeling you’re going to walk away questioning yourself. A great read with factual events (as far as you can get with the paranormal). Now, if I could partake in one of their investigations… Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “Deadly Decisions,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine 

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By Matt Haig

I was not expecting to be impressed when I picked up yet another vampire book to read, but this was not the typical vampire novel we’ve been bombarded with lately. I found myself enjoying the storyline which is quirky and unexpected with refreshing touches of humor. The Radleys live an idyllic life in a quaint little village in England. At least that is how they appear to the town’s people. You see, the Radleys are different than most. They are actually a family of vampires. Peter is a respected doctor and his wife Helen is a stay at home mother who busies herself with entertaining neighbors and attending the weekly book club. Rowan is a meek boy who is bullied at school and his sister Clara has decided to become a vegan. Peter and Helen have abstained from blood drinking for seventeen years in order to provide a normal life for their children. The charade seemed to be working until one fateful night when Clara is defending herself and in the process kills her attacker in a very gruesome way, forcing her parents to come clean about their secret. To add fuel to the fire, Peter’s brother Will is added to the mix, becoming a confidant to Rowan and Clara, answering the unending questions regarding vampirism and eventually turning both of them into blood drinkers. Deputy Commissioner Alison Glenny head of the Unnamed Predators Unit has been on the trail of Will for many years due to Will’s erratic behavior. Glenny becomes aware that the Radleys are Will’s family and presents Helen with an ultimatum, either kill Will by midnight or face the consequences of being vampires and Clara’s being prosecuted for the killing of Toby Harper. This sets off a series of events that puts to test the loyalty of the family. The Radleys keeps the reader engaged to the last page. I loved the quotes throughout from the “Abstainer’s Handbook.” Maybe a sequel is in the works? I hope so! Matt Haig is truly a gifted author of the genre. Reviewed by Jodi Hanson for Suspense Magazine 


The Blond Leading the Blond By Jayne Ormerod

“The Blond Leading the Blond” is the first book for Jayne Ormerod. Her bio says that she has spent her life writing and I think she has a future as an author. Her title kind of bugs me, because, as a blonde myself, I always add the ‘e.’ at the end of the word, but that’s no criticism of Jayne’s work. Just my humble opinion, for what it’s worth. Her protagonist, Ellery Tinsdale is endearing, in that she is not one of those beautiful, thin, and twentysomething main characters which tend to irritate normal folks. Ellery is in her forties, is tall, well padded, and would probably say about herself that “she needs to lose a few pounds.” She meets her second-banana “assistant,” Sam, when she arrives in the central Ohio town of Braddocks Beach to learn about her father’s side of the family. “Sam” is short for Samantha and she is a member of a prominent local family, who offers to help Ellery learn her way around, and get acquainted. It seems that her father’s family is one of the town’s founding families, which puts her in an interesting position, since she has lived her life as an ordinary grade-school teacher, who saves all her extra money to take fabulous vacations. Her adventures begin when she arrives to find that her nearest relative, her aunt, has been murdered. As she gropes her way through wills and estates, Ellery and Sam commit themselves to finding Aunt Izzy’s murderer. Their adventures are cute and are good for a chuckle. This is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy, cold afternoon. Or, take it to the beach. That is, if you are one of the lucky people who take cruises or vacations to warm places in winter. I don’t know if this book is the start of a series, but I would be willing to bet it is. I look forward to the next one. Reviewed by Holly Price, author of “At Death’s Door” coming soon, for Suspense Magazine 


Down these Strange Streets Edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

An anthology of urban fantasy stories was something new for me, but I enjoyed them very much! There are lots of big names in this hardcover collection, including Charlaine Harris. Although I hate to leave any out, there are too many stories to include all of them here, so I’ll mention some that grabbed me especially hard. In, It’s Still the Same old Story by Carrie Vaughn (best known for her late night DJ werewolf) the vampires seemed so real to me. I hated this tale of revenge and tender love to end. These are tough times in, No Mystery, No Miracle by Melinda M. Snodgrass. Not only a depression and prohibition, but a tear in the universe. We’re talking a special kind of semantics in M. L. N. Hanover’s, The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery. In, The Curious Affair of the Deodand (I had no idea what this was either) by Lisa Tuttle, her lovely, authentic period style brings us an unsolvable case, although the reader knows what happened. Back to Rome with John Maddox Roberts’, Beware the Snake. Pompaedius has lost his sacred swamp adder and Decius Caecilius, though he doesn’t take the loss seriously, is taxed with keeping the snake worshippers happy. The banter is something to behold—loved it! Patricia Briggs with, In red, With Pearls, brings us a sexy werewolf. I hated to see this one end, too. This is a huge volume, nearly five hundred pages, packed with wonderful, weird stories. Reviewed by Kaye George, author of “Choke,” for Suspense Magazine 

The Hypnotist By Lars Kepler

The most exciting book that I have read all year! This pulsating medical thriller pores on the adrenaline fuel chase in this sensational Scandinavian crime thriller like nothing since the Stieg Larsson trilogy. When Stockholm’s eminent psychologist, Dr. Erik Maria Bark, is called in to assist in a gruesome triple homicide, he has to place a teenage boy, the only witness to his family’s devastating annihilation and who is in a semi-coma with a multitude of life-threatening stab wounds, under hypnosis. The results of his action let lose a plague on his family as if the horsemen of the apocalypse had ridden into town. With the help of detective Joona Linna, the author takes us forward through a series of flashbacks on a chase to rescue Bark’s teenage son, kidnapped by unknown forces, and to find the murdered family’s eldest daughter before she too is wiped off the face of the earth. The police suspect the two cases are linked, but the how and why will rock you to the core. Not for the faint of heart, the journey exposes storylines of incest, torture, and sex-crimes that delve into the past of all concerned and produces a liturgy of sins and repentance, exposing human deeds we only dare see in nightmares. This is a barnstormer of a novel that, in the end, casts a hypnotic spell on its readers through to the very end. Reviewed by Mark P. Sadler, author of “Blood on his Hands,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine 

Black Diamond By John F. Dobbyn

“Black Diamond” by John F. Dobbyn takes us into the underworld of Boston’s Irish organized crime. The primary business of the Boston mob takes place at the race tracks, where jockeys are paid, or simply threatened, to lose races. The circumstances take a deadly turn when the small daughter of a jockey is kidnapped to ensure that her father does what he is told. But her father dies—or is murdered—and another jockey is arrested for the man’s death. But was it murder? It soon develops that there are more than a few horse races at stake. The criminals involved are former IRA members who only know violence, and they are determined to bring their brand of crime across the ocean from Ireland to Boston. The main character in “Black Diamond” is a young criminal attorney with almost more guts than can be believed, but Dobbyn makes him believable. Michael Knight knows the culture on both sides of the Atlantic, and has the grit and intelligence to play the game even though the stakes are much bigger than a horse race. The attorney is larger than life in his ability to stay one step ahead of the antagonists. Although the story is told in first person, we never know quite everything that Knight is thinking. He tells the reader no more and no less than he tells the other characters. Consequently, we are able to experience the tension as if we are right there in the story. Dobbyn is a master at plotting. Michael Knight and his fellow crime solvers encounter complications by the minute, and lead the reader through unexpected twists and turns, from the Curragh of Ireland to sleazy Boston bars. They work within and outside of the legal systems in both Boston and Ireland to find the kidnapped child and bring the true criminals to justice. “Black Diamond” takes you on a dizzying ride with a satisfying jolt at the end. Reviewed by Kathleen Heady, author of “The Gate House,” for Suspense Magazine 

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A Good Day to Pie

Edge of Survival By Toni Anderson

By Carol Culver

“A Good Day to Pie,” the first in the Pie Shop Mystery series by Carol Culver, introduces readers to Hanna Denton, who has returned to her home town of Crystal Cove, California, to take over The Upper Crust, the pie shop her Grannie Louise ran successfully for thirty years. Grannie has hung up her apron and retired to a ritzy local senior community, Heavenly Acres, and taken up playing Bridge—with a vengeance. These folks take playing Bridge very seriously. I mean, very seriously. They live for their daily games, and, even more importantly, their local and regional Bridge tournaments. In an effort to boost Hanna’s pie sales, Grannie invites her to bring some pies to a Bridge group. Hanna chooses to make one of Grannie’s favorite recipes—Cranberry Walnut Cream Pie. The pie is a real hit among the group, until one of them, Mary Brandt, keels over. Dead. Sheesh. Grannie and Hanna become the chief suspects for the new chief of police, who just happens to be Hanna’s bad boy high school boyfriend. Hanna knows they’re both innocent and starts to investigate on her own. Turns out Mary had more enemies than friends, even among members of her own family. In fact, Hanna is hard-pressed to find anyone in town who has a good word to say about poor, dead Mary. “A Good Day to Pie” is a good way to spend some time. And pick up some dandy new recipes just in time for the holidays. I’ll have another slice, please. Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder,” for Suspense Magazine 

If Thy Right Hand By Robin Lamont

Ilene Hart is the Chief of Special Prosecutions in the DA’s office, specializing in the prosecution of pedophiles. When a teenage boy she has recently prosecuted is found shot to death, she begins to make connections with suspicious deaths of other sex offenders. As a single mother with two sons: one an autistic nineteen-year-old and the other a rambunctious eleven year old, she struggles to balance the demands of family and career. Then her older son is accused of molesting two young boys at an elementary school where he is working on the computer system. At the same time, parents are up in arms over the presence of a rehabilitation facility for young, low risk, convicted sex offenders that has opened in the community. Their protests take on the character of a witch hunt as several parents with fanatical religious beliefs incite the others against Ilene and her son. The novel explores the difficulties of a single mother with a demanding career and her relationship with the chief of police, a relationship made more difficult by the accusations against her son. Her two sons, who have always been close, also struggle to define their relationship when the older is accused of deplorable acts. Author Robin Lamont has created characters that struggle with their own inner demons and try to come to terms with what is “normal” for any individual. The tendency for a parent to protect his or her child at all costs often conflicts with the rights of the community at large, and only when the truth is revealed, do we learn the source of the evil. Lamont has treated a painful and difficult subject within the context of an enthralling mystery. “If Thy Right Hand” is a superb first novel. Lamont has created a seamless murder mystery that also serves to educate the reader about autism, a condition afflicting many children today. Reviewed by Kathleen Heady, author of “The Gate House,” for Suspense Magazine 

Dead Bolt By Juliet Blackwell

San Francisco general contractor Melanie Turner is up to her ears in trouble—of the human as well as the ghostly variety—in “Dead Bolt,” the second Haunted House Renovation Mystery by Juliet Blackwell. I’m not normally a fan of paranormal mysteries, but this one hooked me in right away. Melanie and her crew have been hired to restore a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood. This is no easy task because the home owners—the Daley family—refuse to leave and demand that the renovation be done “around them.” Eerie things start happening at the job site, and Katenka Daley admits that she’s seen ghosts on the property that have really frightened her. As if that isn’t enough to deal with, Melanie’s father happens across the dead body of a cantankerous neighbor at the house—the same neighbor who continually complained about the renovation disrupting the neighborhood. In order to unravel this mystery with its many layers and finish the restoration job she was hired to do, Melanie has to return to the past and confront the previous house owners in their current, ghostly state. And break the paranormal hold they have on the house. Good characters and a great plot with surprises that keep on coming with every chapter. And an ending that is guaranteed to keep you looking over your shoulder for quite a while! Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder,” for Suspense Magazine 

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Three things you will learn whilst reading the “Edge of Survival” by Toni Anderson: 1. diabetes is a far more dangerous disease than you realize, 2. girls, we’re looking for love in all the wrong places and it’s in rough, isolated mining communities, and 3. Toni Anderson can write a good thriller romance without losing pace. Toni describes Cameran Young (Cam) as one of the gutsiest, most intelligent characters she’s ever written and, as a good protagonist requires flaws, her heroine suffers with diabetes. This physical challenge plays an important role in the story, creating constant tension as she manages her disease. Cam is a biologist sent to an isolated North Canadian mining project to assess their impact on the native wildlife. Within the first chapter, and on Cam’s first day, she discovers the dead body of a local prostitute. She also meets Daniel Fox, an ex SAS Sergeant, with a guilty past, who is to be her and her assistant Vikki’s helicopter pilot. Their attraction to each other is immediate, but they both battle their desire to act upon their feelings. Haunted by his memories of his last SAS assignment, Daniel—an emotional loner—wishes Cam gone whilst feeling an overwhelming urge to protect her. Daniel represents everything Cam dislikes in a man. He’s not only an arrogant womaniser, but she suspects he is also a cold-blooded killer with a violent past. But there is a killer on the loose and he has decided Cam is a threat. As Staff Sergeant Kershaw investigates the killing, Daniel and Cam find themselves not only attempting to avoid falling in love, but also attempting to stay alive. Not an easy thing in an isolated community where outsiders are unwelcome and the killer has all the advantages. Toni Anderson is donating fifteen percent of her royalties to diabetes research, which is another good reason to enjoy the guilty pleasure of “Edge of Survival.” Reviewed by Susan May (follow @susanmaywriter) for Suspense Magazine 


The Goat Woman of Largo Bay By Gillian Royes

With the playful, syncopated rhythm of a calypso melody this gentle novel weaves together stories of strangers seeking solace in a tiny coastal Jamaican village with Shadrack Myers, a local resident wise beyond his years, as the common thread. Shad’s putative occupation is that of bartender in the small, open-air restaurant built out of the ruins of a hurricane-ravaged resort, but his avocation is that of village fix-it man, someone who fixes not engines or appliances, but people’s problems. And there are so many problems for Shad to fix. How can he help his friend and employer, Eric out of his yearlong despondence? Eric’s an ex-pat New Yorker whose now-ruined resort was the dream that sustained him through years of New York winters. And what of Simone, the mysterious woman who has taken up residence in the resort’s ruins? What personal tragedy brought her and from whom or what is she hiding? Or Cameron, the Jamaican-born American businessman, ostensibly searching for his estranged sister, but perhaps unknowingly looking for his roots. Finally, adding an undertone of intrigue and menace, dirty politics arrives as local and imported toughs are enlisted by a corrupt party with orders to coerce, by whatever means necessary, the village’s residents into supporting their candidates at the coming election. Shad has his hands full as he attempts to keep peace in his beloved village as he seeks to help his friends. Gillian Royes’ debut novel introduces us to an island world foreign to most, a land of abject poverty amidst incredible beauty and in it she has created a cast of characters who resonate with the music of that world. Reviewed by Andrew MacRae for Suspense Magazine 


Collateral Damage By H. Terrell Griffin

Griffin pens another great mystery as he floods our senses with terrifying situations in “Collateral Damage.” Once again, retired attorney Matt Royal is knee deep in a quagmire. His old U.S. Army Special Forces comrade Charles Desmond—who Matt called Doc back in their service days—needs his help. Desmond’s son is gunned down on a beach and hopes that Matt can use his skill and contacts from when he practiced law to find the killer(s). But it’s more than finding out who killed Desmond’s son. Drugs are involved as are other murders, all mixed with a few Asians who try to kill Matt. His friend, who has more power than anyone other than the President of the United States, Jock Algren, comes to Longboat Key, Florida to help Matt. Matt is plagued with clues meant to misdirect him from figuring out what was really going on. He uncovers heart-wrenching information when he finds out Doc has been funding an entity that is suspected of illegal crimes for the past five years. His friend and someone he hopes to eventually be intimate with, J.D. Duncan, disappears and is shown on a bank camera withdrawing a large sum of money from an account also associated with those who are trying to kill Matt. Is Doc part of the drug running? Is J.D. really on the wrong side of the law? Griffin takes us on one hell of a ride through some rocky waters to reach the conclusion. Just when you think you’ve reached a calm stream, you’re thrown back into calamitous seas, much like a river boat rafting. As I have come to expect from Griffin, this novel is well done and keeps you on the edge the entire time. Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “Deadly Decisions,” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine 

Zero Day

By David Baldacci

David Baldacci’s newest book “Zero Day” continues his string of best-selling thrillers that started with his debut novel “Absolute Power” in 1996. An Army Colonel and his family have been found brutally murdered in West Virginia. To help the local police solve the crime, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division assigns Warrant Officer John Puller to the case. Puller is from a famous—and infamous—military family. His father was a threestar general on the order of George Patton and his brother was an officer who worked in weapons development before being convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison. Drake is a small, dying town in the heart of the West Virginia coal country that is almost completely owned by Trent Explorations, the mining company that’s exploiting the land. As soon as Puller arrives in town, the body count starts rising. Puller and Samantha Cole, the local police sergeant running the investigation, are faced with evidence that won’t fit a pattern. Was the Colonel targeted because he worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency, or was there something he discovered in Drake that cost him his life? What connection is there between the other victims and the officer and his family? Why did those responsible for the crimes risk returning to the scene and killing a police officer who was guarding the house on the night after the murders were discovered? Puller finds a spider web of family connections and deceptions as he delves deeper into the case—a case that is attracting attention from the highest levels in Washington, DC. The former Ranger and combat veteran must use all his skills to solve the mystery and stay alive in the process. Baldacci has created a thriller that keeps twisting and turning to the very last page. He has written a couple series, such as the Camel Club, in the past. One hopes that this will be the first volume of a new series featuring the adventures of John Puller. Reviewed by David Ingram for Suspense Magazine 

Envy: An Empty Coffin Novel By Gregg Olsen

For readers who feel a bit of déjà vu when they delve into the pages of “Envy,” it is because this book is loosely based on a tale that grabbed headlines on the subject of cyber-bullying (something that has become a very real crime in the past few years). In this story, readers meet Katelyn. Katelyn’s mother and father are always gone, working day and night at the restaurant they own next door. They are deep in a financial bind and Katelyn has just found out that her rich grandmother spent her college savings on a new wing for her house. Frankly, Katelyn has just about had the worst Christmas imaginable, and seemingly ends her holiday by taking a bath with an espresso machine. The suicide cuts through the town like a knife. Taylor and Hayley Ryan are twins in the town and used to be friends to Katelyn before certain teenage issues caused them to grow apart. The twins and Katelyn were part of a horrific accident long ago—the only survivors—and soon these sisters become more and more interested in clues that are leading them to believe that Katelyn’s death was no suicide, it was murder. The Ryan girls have their own ways of doing things. They do have the ‘special gifts’ twins are known to have, and with a father who is a true-crime writer who speaks about a lot of creepy stuff, and a mother who is a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, they are surrounded by some very strange and upsetting tales. They also have the ability to know when they’re being watched, and can always sense when there are specific ‘odd’ teens located in their town. The concept of this book is of course, highly troubling, seeing as that cyber-bullying is very real and taking the lives of our teens. This is a truly dark plot and a definite frightening look at how the Internet can literally tear families and towns apart at the seams. It will make readers wish America’s superhighway had never been created. Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “Tallent & Lowery - 13,” for Suspense Magazine 

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A Clockwork Christmas

By JK Coi, PG Forte, Stacy Gail and Jenny Schwartz

With any anthology—and this one was a great one on the whole because I liked each story for different reasons—you still have one tale that just sweeps you away more than the others. For me, it was the first story, Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail. I loved it right from the beginning, the period language, a subtle blending with the fashion, and industrious inventions gave the story a nice historic atmosphere. What I enjoyed most about the story though was the pitting of a large alpha male against a tiny firecracker of a woman, a female thief at that, who is smart and crafty due to a horrid past. Story two, This Winter Heart by PG Forte, was again very emotional, a tale of acceptance of one another despite differences. While historic, it carried a timeless message of seeing everyone as real and capable beings, worthy of love. In the third story, Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz, there was a lot more punk than steam. Still, it was a great story, full of the politics of the time, which I think would be hard to write. The author certainly did her homework. As well as the social intrigue though, along with a few touches of blackmail, there was a nice heavy dose of romantic tension. Last, but certainly not least, was Far From Broken by JK Coi. In this story the steam part was so creative, just so brilliant in its inventions. Again, this theme of acceptance was there, but like the second story, a prominent part of the storyline. Overall though, this anthology did a fantastic job of creating solid steam punk tales, each with very different plotline and settings, while still letting you feel the season of Christmas. What really impressed me was that each story carried the theme of the holiday season, goodwill toward men. And, isn’t that what we all love about a holiday story that they remind us of the good possible in each of us? Reviewed by Kiki Howell, Author of “Torn Asunder,” for Suspense Magazine 

Strange Images of Death By Barbara Cleverly

I keep wondering why I’m constantly being sent historical mysteries to review. I’ve never been too interested in them and of those I’ve read, few are enjoyable. So I momentarily cringe each time I start another one. “Strange Images of Death” I thought would be another droll book about a stuffy British cop solving another heinous murder. I couldn’t have been more wrong. If I may be allowed a slight play on words, this one is very cleverly written. The year: 1926. The scene: Provence, France. Commander Joe Sandilands of Scotland Yard is delivering his niece, Dorcas, off at an historic chateau to be with her father, who is entertaining a group of artists encamped for the summer. However, before continuing onto the Riviera, Sandilands is asked by Dorcas to find her mother, who disappeared shortly after Dorcas’ birth, but suspected to be in the Provence area. Before he can begin to start looking, Joe is asked to investigate the destruction of a statue. Then one of the children in the household goes missing, followed shortly thereafter by the discovery of a murdered woman. Enter Commissaire Jacquemin of the Paris police who, with Joe, must unravel a mystery going back six hundred years. Cleverly brings authenticity to this novel with the mention of period art, technology, transportation, and the attitudes and culture of the time. Subjects such as homosexuality and sexual disease are discussed in a delicate, sympathetic manner between characters. And what characters! There is a nice collection of suspects each with quirks and secrets. Cleverly does a fine job of tying up all story lines. Don’t pass up this one. You won’t be disappointed. Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, author of “Beta,” for Suspense Magazine 

Quickstep to Murder By Ella Barrick

There’s a whole lot to like in “Quickstep to Murder,” the first in the Ballroom Dance mysteries by Ella Barrick, the pen name of Seattle mystery writer Laura DiSilverio. Building on the popular television reality show Dancing With the Stars, the book is a sneak peek at the backstage world of competitive dance. When dance instructor Stacy Graysin discovers her fiancée and dance partner, Rafe is cheating on her, she immediately breaks off their engagement. But it’s not so easy to sever ties with Rafe permanently, as they are equal partners in a professional dance studio. Stacy still has to see Rafe at the studio every day, and his idea of adding hip-hop and tap classes to the school’s offerings is a no-go with her. But she doesn’t have enough money to buy out his share. Unfortunately for Rafe, his dance career—and his life—are cut tragically short, and poor Stacy is the one who finds his body. Because she’s now the only heir to the studio—or is she?—guess who becomes the police’s number one suspect? As if that problem isn’t enough, Stacy also has to find new dance partners for several upcoming competitions, both for herself and for several of the studio’s students. And that’s not as easy as it appears. “Quickstep to Murder” has a great cast of characters, a plot with as much drama as the Argentine tango, and sparkles like the bling on a ballroom dancer’s gown. I don’t know how Len, Carrie Ann, and Bruno would vote on the television show, but I give it a 10! Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder,” for Suspense Magazine 

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The Book of Cthulhu

Edited by Ross E. Lockhart

Night Shade Books continues its dedication to strong anthologies with “The Book of Cthulhu,” a collection of twenty-seven short stories edited by Ross E. Lockhart that focus on the H.P. Lovecraft inspired Cthulhu mythos. The interesting thing about any collection of Cthulhu stories is that there are really no rules. The universe that the dark monsters and horrible actions inhabit is as open ended today as when Lovecraft first started. In “The Book of Cthulhu,” the tradition is continued. Stories range from realistically frightening in their mystery to maddening in their purposeful confusion. A trend within this collection is one that strikes a chord in today’s post 9/11 world. Stories like A Colder War by Charles Stross, focus on the idea that the monsters made famous by Lovecraft are not only real, but part of a global arms race. A number of the stories pit the idea of warfare and the monstrous “old ones” that keep spinning the human world toward its eventual destruction. In this way Lockhart has done a spectacular job of assembling and editing the stories, bringing together pieces that play off each other and genuinely work together to create a total package. Another standout of the collection is Molly Tanzer’s The Infernal History of the Ivybridge Twins, whose unflinching depiction of a disturbing family history is so unnerving it will stick with the reader well beyond its finish. This book is by no means a starting point for new or potential “Cthulhu” fans. Even experienced readers may be confused on certain mythos and information that was pulled from deep within the Lovecraft stories. However, it is perfect for anyone who has read the original stories and wants to continue down that path. With fall quickly approaching and the weather turning to cloudy and oppressive days, “The Book of Cthulhu” is a perfect read. Fans will enjoy curling up and trying to unravel the mysteries within and the unspeakable fear that comes from not just the writing, but the unshakeable overall feeling that Lockhart creates through his selections. Reviewed by Luke Henderson for Suspense Magazine 


The Leopard

By Jo Nesbo and Don Bartlett Inspector Harry Hole is at it again, resigning that is. After the last traumatic episode, his wife and stepson have left him and Hole finds his way to the opium dens of Hong Kong to wallow in self-pity and disappear from the real world. He is dragged from the viper’s pit when two young women are found, brutally murdered with another unique method that Nesbo seems to relish in bringing to the unsuspecting public, along with a third suspected of the same murderer. Hole is Norway’s expert at catching serial killers. The news that Hole’s father is on his death-bed is more reason for him to return. He is done with police work, just ask him. In a wild chase that leads us through the ski slopes and lakes of Norway to the outer regions of the Congo on Africa’s western plains, Hole traces the suspect, now of several other bizarre murders, as he tries to find the common link that brings all these hapless soles into the path of the killer. When State run authorities impede his progress, Hole strikes out alone, as usual, with all the skills of a modern-day Colombo, to unmask the culprit in his own style. Talking of style, for those of you that have had the pleasure of reading Nesbo’s other U.S. published novels, I started to complain to myself when I discovered a pattern in his work only to have that shattered in a matter of pages, almost like Nesbo set a trap. Don’t try and get into his or Hole’s head…he will shred you. “The Leopard” is a work of pure genius, a skillfully woven mystery with enough action and gore to thrill the regular suspense lover in you. Nesbo has done it again. Brilliant! Reviewed by Mark P. Sadler author of “Blood on his Hands” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine 


Dead Man's Switch By Tammy G. Kaehler

I will start off by saying that I know nothing about race car driving and never thought I wanted to. That changed when I read “Dead Man’s Switch!” I was lifted up and dropped smack dab in the middle of it when I met our heroine Kate Reilly. She is a professional driver who has been given a position in the American le Mans series. Along with this chance of a lifetime comes a corpse, Wade Becker, a corvette driver who has been murdered and Kate is a suspect, but Wade had many people who wanted him dead. Kate decides to investigate the murder to clear her own name and that is where the fun begins. The story is very fast paced and there is a lot of information about race car driving. I found it fascinating, but at times too much. I’ve never been to a car race, but I felt like I was whizzing around the track right along with the other cars. The characters are very believable and I could not figure out who killed Wade. For me, everyone was guilty or could have been. Kate is a macho female character who knows her way around cars. I found her to be annoying at times and a bit too much of a chance taker, but she is realistic and quirky, someone I would be friends with. “Dead Man’s Switch” will appeal to race fans and to people like me who love a good mystery. Kaehler gives us adventure with lots of twists and turns and the promise of more to come in future books. A good book for a quick weekend or rainy day read. Reviewed by Kendall Gutierrez for Suspense Magazine 

Getting Lucky By D.C. Brod

“Getting Lucky” is part of the Getting Even series and a sequel to “Getting Sassy.” Robyn Guthrie is a writer working freelance for Weekly News and Record in Fowler, Illinois and reasonably happy in her work-a-day life. When her fellow writer Clair Powel is killed in a hit and run accident, Robyn agrees to take on her story about a green community with the condition that she can also investigate Clair’s death. The story starts off as promotional piece about Cedar Ridge with the interviews of the architect Glenn Patchen and the founders of Green Haven Foundation Joseph and Kat Kendrick. But in a meeting with Joseph Kendrick they are interrupted by Ed Leoni, a man with a shady past and possible mob ties. In the progress of writing the story Robyn discovers a cover-up about toxic soil quality in the new community and the possibility that Joseph Kendrick is knowingly involved. She also finds out that Clair knew of the conspiracy and was threatening to expose the cover-up. Was her death murder or an accident? With the help of her on and off boyfriend Mick Hughes, Robyn digs deeper in to the conspiracy and ends up stepping on the toes of the mob with possible deadly ramifications. Thrown into the mix is Robyn’s demanding and forgetful mother Lizzie who lives in a retirement community and is badgering Robyn to buy a house for them to live together, and a retired EPA agent who is also compiling evidence of wrong-doing. D.C. Brod draws her reader into the story with believable characters and a storyline that keeps your attention to the very end. Hopefully she will continue the series so we can all follow the investigations and antics Robyn gets herself involved in. Reviewed by Jodi Ann Hanson for Suspense Magazine 

Vanished in the Night

The Dummy Line

Old bones turn up at a large construction site in Sacramento, sending Detective Zach McKnight and his partner on a cold-case hunt for a murderer. When the M.E. identifies the bones as those of one Max Sheldon, his stepsister Veronica Osborne is paid a visit and given the news that the brother she loved and hoped would return, has been dead for nearly twenty years. When McKnight discovers that Max’s stepfather is the reason Max was sent to a reform school so many years ago, and that the school reported the boy missing not long after he arrived, McKnight begins to suspect that the lovely Veronica’s father may possibly be the reason her stepbrother has been dead for so many years. But when Veronica realizes that the detective suspects her father of the crime, she begins an investigation of her own to prove her alcoholic father was not the culprit. Twists and turns, mutilated bodies, and bizarre occurrences punctuate this novel by Eileen Carr and propel her into a top spot as an up-and-comer on the Masters of the Thriller list. The characters are true-to-life, the attractions are right on target and the suspense is gripping in this great keep-you-up-all-night read. Murder, love, trust, and betrayal…what else could you ask from a suspense novel? Reviewed by DJ Weaver, co-author of “Collecting Innocents” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine 

What would you do to protect the one you love? Would you put your life on the line to ensure the safety of others? In Bobby Cole’s debut novel, one man discovers those answers. Chock full of characters and a bit of humor to break up the tension, this novel presents another classic battle between good and evil. Jake Crosby: stockbroker, hunter, fisherman. His nine-year-old daughter, Katy, is growing up a tomboy. Elizabeth Beasley: high school senior contemplating her future college education and working out her emotions with her boyfriend. When Jake, Katy, and Elizabeth run afoul of drug dealers out to wreak havoc at a remote hunting camp, the situation turns into a fight for survival. Local and area police search for answers to a confusing set of events while family and friends fret and worry. With killers advancing from two sides, Jake must use every bit of skill as a hunter and woodsman to stay one step ahead. Short chapters and a lot of action make for a fast read. Cole provides enough background and trivial information regarding the multitude of characters to keep them interesting and unique. You’ll smile at the Manilow loving, tobacco chewing deputy and the media loving sheriff. Be smart and read “The Dummy Line.” Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton author of “Beta,” for Suspense Magazine

By Eileen Carr

By Bobby Cole

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Vaults Over the

Stumbling

Blocks

Interview by Suspense Magazine Photo Credit: Laurie Roberts

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ue Grafton is the queen of American mystery writing. She took on the monumental task of writing a mystery series from A-Z, literally, with her character Kinsey Millhone. “A is for Alibi” was the first book in the Alphabet Series and her latest release is “V is for Vengeance.” With four books left in the series, many fans are wondering what is next for Sue Grafton and her character Kinsey Millhone. At this point I don’t think Sue has thought that far, when you grow up with a character after all these years, you never want to think of the end. Sue not only does a wonderful job of bringing the best of a mystery to you, but you get to see the life of Kinsey right before your eyes. As it is published on Sue’s website, many people think that Kinsey Millhone is simply Sue’s alter ego. Sue is very interactive with her fans, and it wasn’t until recently—because of so many requests—that she would sign books from fans when mailed to her. It is the type of interaction you love to see in an author, especially one that has achieved so much success in her writing. Sue gives her readers the inside notes into what she was thinking, by having a tab on her website that is titled “Journal Notes.” There, fans will be able to get a small glimpse inside the inner workings of some of her books. Authors pretty much have their own style in their preparation and writing, and it is not often that they let you in on “trade secrets.” However, Sue does just that, by letting you know the details that it takes to bring a book to life. We are very honored that Sue agreed to be interviewed by Suspense Magazine. It took us a little while to get her, but


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we finally did, and she was gracious enough to answer all the questions we gave her. Enjoy the interview from one of the top mystery writers of

all time, Sue Grafton. Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): As you near the end of your Alphabet Series, how are you feeling? Are you sad that the end is in sight or sort of relieved that it is nearing the end? Sue Grafton (SG): It’s going to take me another eight to ten years to reach “‘Z’ is for Zero” so I’m not sad yet. Over the years, I’ve learned to focus on the job at hand and let the future take care of itself. At some point, I’ll have to face the fact that my mission is accomplished. I may well continue to document Ms. Millhone’s adventures, but I’ll do stand-alone novels. No linking titles, I can promise you that!

S. MAG.: During your time in writing the Alphabet series, did there ever come a time when you just couldn’t find the right story? If so, how did you get over the hump? SG: Just about every book in the series has had a major stumbling block attached. Many times I’ll come up with an idea and after months of hard work, I’ll realize the chemistry is off and I’ll dump the chapters I’ve written and all of my notes. I listen to that still inner voice…my Shadow…who tells me when I’m off-track. I do get stubborn sometimes because I don’t like to admit I’m wrong. Shadow simply repeats herself politely until I do as I’m told. I dumped “H” two or three times, dumped “K,” dumped “S,” “T,” “U,” and I may end up dumping “W” unless I have an Aha! very, very soon. My greatest hope is that by the time I finish “‘Z’ is for Zero” I’ll know what I’m doing. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants?! S. MAG.: With the world of publishing changing every day, how do you see the future going? SG: I have no idea what the future holds with regard to publishing. I think about matters over which I have some control. Everything else I ignore. That includes politics, foreign affairs, world trade agreements, inflation, recessions, the stock market, the gross national product, budget cuts, and Dancing With the Stars. I have enough problems on my hands just writing these books. Predicting the future is a waste of time since most of our prognostications turn out to be wrong. Good question though and if someone gives you a definitive answer, do let me know. S. MAG.: What is one thing that people would be shocked to know about your character Kinsey Millhone? SG: I think Kinsey Millhone is almost entirely transparent, which is part of her charm. From what readers tell me, the fun of reading these books is that you get to spend time inside her head, viewing the world as she sees it. She’s a wry observer of human behavior. She has a jaded eye, wicked opinions, and she cusses like a stevedore. No shocks as far as I know, but then she doesn’t tell me everything so your guess us as good as mine. S. MAG.: What is your favorite word? And your least favorite? SG: I don’t know that I have a favorite word, but there are lots of words and phrases I hate when I’m reading a work of fiction. I hate it when characters whine, chuckle, snarl, grin, or sneer. I hate it when a female character ‘bites her lip’ or ‘squares her shoulders’ or ‘lifts her chin with stubborn determination.’ I

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don’t like it when a character stomps or marches out of a room. I don’t like it when characters ‘dash’ out unless there’s a fire somewhere on the premises. I hate it when a character ‘plops’ down in a chair. I hate it when a male character ‘steeples’ his fingers, a term that’s meant to convey a contemplative mood. I hate it when a writer tags a character, using a single descriptive phrase. “Green Suit held his opponent by the arms while Blue Suit punched him in the mouth.” “Moustache kicked him in the knee…” I could go on and on in this vein, but you probably get the point. Does her have lots of literary pet peeves? Yes, her does. S. MAG.: If you could interview one person for an hour, alive or dead, who would it be and what would you like to know about them? SG: I think I’ll pass on this one. Sounds like the sort of question designed to demonstrate how erudite, literate, thoughtful or ‘deep’ a writer might be. I’m none of those things. Besides which, who has an hour to spare? S. MAG.: Detective work was much different during the 1980s. Do you enjoy writing for a character that does not rely on today’s world of technology?

SG: Kinsey’s being trapped in the late ‘80s was an inadvertent consequence of the narrative timeline for these books. “‘A’ is for Alibi” took place in May of 1982 and was published that same year. “‘B’ is for Burglar” took place in June of 1982, but the book itself wasn’t published until 1985. “‘C’ is for Corpse” took place in August of 1982, published in 1986. Little-by-little and book-by-book, I’ve drifted back in time. I love the fact that Kinsey has no cell phone. In her world, there is no Internet so she ends up doing her sleuthing the old-fashioned way. S. MAG.: Kinsey is sitting in front of you, what question would you want to ask her? SG: Kinsey’s sitting in my chair even as I’m writing this and she’s impatient to get back to her favorite subject, which is her very own amusing self. I write from the inside out and while I sometimes speak of her as though she were real, she’s actually an extension of my own inner life. To hear her tell it though, she’s the one who’s real and Sue Grafton is a figment of her imagination. Dang! I must be off my meds again. Hang on a second and I’ll go take a pill. S. MAG.: If you could solve any mystery, what would it be and why? SG: I’d like to solve the mystery of what ‘W’ is about and how I’ll get this next book written. I have two chapters roughed out and 368 single-spaced pages of notes in three consecutive journals. You think I’m joking or exaggerating, but I’m not. I keep thinking I have a grasp on the storyline and then it slips out of reach. There’s a good chance I’ll end up dumping this book into the same mental trash can where I’ve dumped the earlier dead ends. Sometimes I think the most courageous thing I do is to show up at my desk at 8:30 every morning. S. MAG.: What is still on your bucket list? SG: “W,” “X,” “Y,” and “Z.” You know what I’m going to do when I’m done? Party, party, party. We would again like to thank Sue for giving us this wonderful interview. Writing such a series does not leave much time to do interviews like this, so all the fans and readers should also be honored to have this chance. You can find out much more about Sue and the Alphabet Series starring Kinsey Millhone by visiting her website at www.suegrafton.com. 


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By Donald Allen Kirch

Star of Wonder!

What Really was the Star of Bethlehem? “Oh star of wonder, star of light, Star with royal beauty bright Westward leading still proceeding Guide us to thy perfect light.” There is not a person of the Christian Faith who does not know the story of “The Star of Bethlehem” or “The Christmas Star.” It was with this one miraculous astrological event that ancient prophecy was fulfilled and the three wise men were informed of the birth of a new king within the House of Israel. The event also holds some reverence within the Muslim faith, but it is within the New Testament of the Christians, that the story maintains the greatest of magic. The best, and most detailed story, appears within the Gospel of Matthew. Within the ancient text, magi (or wise men) from the east are inspired to travel west towards the ancient House of David, ultimately taking them upon a neighborly adventure to welcome the birth of a new King. Upon entering the kingdom of Judea, they meet with King Herod. They congratulate the king with honors, stating they had all arrived to pay homage to “The King of the Jews.” Herod, wishing to know more about this visit, A traditional image of how the Star of Bethlehem had been. simply plays along, invoking his priests to instruct the three visitors of a little known verse from the Book of Micah. In these words is listed the name of the town the king, or messiah would be born—Bethlehem. Upon gaining this new knowledge, the magi follow the star to a distant cave within the city limits of Bethlehem, where they encounter a poor family visiting the city because of the Roman accounting of the Census and pay homage to a newborn child, offering gifts and sound advice—leave while they still could. What was to come would be a slaughter of “Biblical” proportions. By no means was King Herod going to share a throne that he lied, cheated, and killed to maintain with a legendary or even god-like king! Anyone who has read their Bible knows that although the star of Bethlehem held within it great promise and joy, for the Jewish population of the time, it had also been a beacon of death. After the visit from the wise men, the kings from the east went back to their respective nations, and Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fled to Egypt. It is only within the Gospel of Matthew that the star is even mentioned. The nativity story is told once more within the Gospel of Luke, but neither the story of the star, Herod, or the wise men are shared. So, one has to ask: was there even a star at all?

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Astronomers have been fixed upon this ancient mystery since the beginnings of the Christian Faith. Most attempt to link this star with a rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BCE or a comet that flashed through the sky in 5 BCE. Neither seem to hold up to the mathematics or completely solve the mysteries of the story. Other scholars state that the story of the guiding star, wise men, and the slaughter of King Herod of all the firstborn male sons up to the age of two was just a fiction created by the author of the Gospel of Matthew—a dramatic tool used to help create a sympathy and eagerness to join the new faith. Even stranger, the visit of the wise men hints that they arrived several months after the birth of Jesus—and not at the celebrated moment of his arrival in a damp cave, or manger. In Western Christianity, the holy event is celebrated on January 6. (Epiphany). As stated before, the best source to investigate this ancient mystery still comes from the Gospel of Matthew . . . In Matthew, three magi (traditionally translated as “wise men” but modern scholars believe “astronomers” or “astrologers” to be more accurate) visited King Herod and informed the king of a new star proclaiming the birth of “The King of the Jews:” Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born — The Gospel of Matthew. Herod was indeed troubled. The ancient scriptures did tell of the coming of a Great King, or Messiah, who would unite the tribes of Israel once more and create a kingdom upon the earth like no other. He demanded answers from his priests and under penalty of death he got it: The city of Bethlehem, as mentioned by the prophet Micah. Herod, quite cleverly, passed this information onto the wise men, but with strings attached. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent


them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy — The Gospel of Matthew. It is in this passage that some scholars are led to believe that the wise men already knew that the Christ was born. As tradition tells, they presented the child’s parents with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They did not stay long, although their journey had been an exhausting one. They were in danger from Herod, and so took an alternative “road” back home. In “The Bible,” Joseph was also given a warning in a dream. Upon wakening, he took his family to Egypt for their safety, following what some interpret as another ancient prophecy: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” In a sense, the nature of Christ’s birth in Matthew could be said to see Jesus’ life as recapitulating the life of Moses, with Judea representing Egypt and Herod standing in as the Pharaoh. Many years after Herod’s death, the Holy Family returned from Egypt settling in Nazareth in Galilee. The ancients believed that all of mortal fate was connected with the stars. Romans, Greeks, and Hebrews all proclaimed great astrological events occurred during the births of their greatest patriarchs. So, it is without question, that if God were to send His own essence to earth, would He not follow along the same path? The Star Prophecy is usually connected with the Old Testament’s Book of Numbers: I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. — Book of Numbers. At the time of these events, the kingdom of Moab had long since been destroyed and the passage was generally accepted as a proclamation for the coming of the Messiah. Pictured Above: Were the Three Wise Men just creative fiction?

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When the Gospels were being written, it was thought by early Christian theologians that this reference foretold the miracle of the star of Bethlehem. In 1614, German astronomer Johannes Kepler theorized (incorrectly) that a rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn appeared in the night skies, giving off an explosive display of nova-like proportions. He linked his claims to the ancient biblical star. Of course, modern calculations have discovered a gap of nearly a degree existed between the two planets at that time and the lighted display would not have been that impressive. Ancient Babylonian almanacs of the time fail to show any evidence of the event. More likely, if the star did exist, it was an even rarer conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in a triple display with the constellation of Pisces. Still other scholars guess that the star was a comet. Halley’s Comet would have been visible in the year 12 BCE, and an ancient nova had been recorded in ancient Chinese and Korean histories. This last was observed for as long as seventy days, but there was no recorded account of it moving in any way. That the ancients would have considered a comet as the glorious star mentioned in “The Bible” is a mystery. In ancient days, comets were generally considered bad omens. Yet another theory was that the star was created by the planet Uranus. This is unlikely because that planet is rarely visible to the naked eye. A “Creationist” theory states that the star was a meteorite. If this were possible, we are left with the compelling thought that the star of Bethlehem is buried, still, somewhere within the earth herself! The mystery of “the wise men” is also not consistent with early church doctrine. Magi were usually connected with the ancient science of astrology. The involvement of astrologers in the telling of Jesus’ birth was problematic, since the early Church condemned astrology as evil and demonic. Christians tried to explain this oversight by stating astrology was an accepted practice until the writing of the Gospels. In Eastern Orthodox Faith, there is no need to find an astrological sign or proof of the event’s existence. In their faith, the star of Bethlehem was caused by an angel sent by God to guide the wise men on their quest. This is illustrated in one of their most celebrated text: Your birth, O Christ our God, dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth. For by Your birth those who adored stars were taught by a star

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to worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to know You, Orient from on High. Oh Lord, glory to You. In Orthodox faith, the star is never shown as a bright light in the sky, but as a half-lit semicircle indicating the Uncreated Light of Devine Grace. In some cases, the star also carries with it an angelic host guiding the way. Still, most biblical scholars believe that the Gospel Nativity is but an apologetic fiction, created after the account as proof of messianic prophecy. In the Gospel of Mark, quite possibly the oldest of the Christian Gospels, there is no mention of Bethlehem. Indeed, in another Gospel Jesus is mentioned as being “of Nazareth.” Never in any of the other Gospels is Jesus suggested being “of Bethlehem.” Some scholars state that it is more likely that Jesus was a native of Nazareth, and that the Bethlehem story was not only added as a means to fulfill prophecy, but to add an ancient connection between Jesus and King David. There is also a strange parallel in the writing of the Gospel of Matthew and the birth of Augustus Caesar in 63 BCE. During Augustus’ birth, there had been recorded a fantastic star proclaiming his birth above the city of Rome. It was also known that certain eastern kings had ventured to honor the young child’s birth, obtaining important papers from then Emperor Nero. Historians wrote, “The Kings did not return by the route they had followed in coming,” the very lines echoed within the Gospel of Matthew. Another curious part of the puzzle is “when” was Jesus born? Both Matthew and Luke write that Jesus was born when Herod was king. Josephus states that Herod died after a lunar eclipse— usually suggesting the eclipse of March 13, 4 BCE. Luke also states that Jesus was born during the census taking under Quiriunus, who was governor of Syria. Quiriunus was appointed governor of Syria in 6 CE—nine years after Herod’s death. Most biblical scholars feel that Luke was incorrect in the telling. When all is said and done, the story of the birth star and all its flaws endures as a simple story of hope. Facts, no matter how painfully clear, cannot squash out the measure of joy one gets from the story. What was the star of Bethlehem? The star was a symbol of everlasting faith. And faith, no matter how tested, cannot be measured.  To learn more about this author and his work go to www. donaldallenkirch.com. Pictured Above: The Church of the Nativity today. On this site it is said Jesus had been born.



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Date Rape

Drugs By D. P. Lyle, MD

I

’m often asked by writers how their bad guys could sedate another character to the point that they’re compliant in the midst of their abduction.

Of course a blow to the head would work, as would many of the narcotics—morphine, heroin, etc. But each of these techniques require that the unconscious or severely sedated person be carried away. If the abduction occurs in a public place, this can be messy and problematic. But is there a drug that will make them compliant, yet ambulatory, so that those around them won’t know exactly what is transpiring? The answer is yes, if one of the so-called date rape drugs is employed. The major date rape drugs are Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), Ecstasy (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate), and Ketamine (Ketamine Hydrochloride). Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine are commonly used in date or acquaintance rapes. That’s because they cause sedation, compliance, poor judgment, and amnesia for events that occur while under their influence. A small amount of GHB or Rohypnol can be slipped into the victim’s drink in a bar or at a party. The reaction varies from person to person but most often she might seem happy, excited, or pleasantly intoxicated to her friends so that when she leaves the bar with someone, nothing really seems amiss. Or she might become “drunk” and develop slurred speech, difficulty walking, and, of course, must be “put to bed.” Or robbed. Or murdered. Either way, he or she won’t put up much of a fight. Let’s look closer at these drugs. ROHYPNOL: (Street Names: Roofies, Roaches, Rope, Mexican Valium) is a benzodiazepine sedative in the same family as Valium. It was developed to treat insomnia. Currently, it is neither manufactured nor legal for use in the U.S., but is available in Mexico and many other countries. It comes as white one- and two-milligram tablets that can be crushed and dissolved in any liquid. It takes action in twenty or thirty minutes, peaks in about two hours, and its effects might persist for eight to twelve hours. Roofies typically cause sedation, confusion, euphoria, loss of identity, dizziness, blurred vision, slowed psychomotor performance, and amnesia. Victims experience poor judgment, a feeling of sedated euphoria, and poor, if any, memory of events. Victims might suddenly “wake up” or “reenter reality” hours later with little to no memory of what happened. ECSTASY: (Street Names: E, X, XTC, MDMA, Love, Adam) was originally patented in 1914 as an appetite suppressant but was never marketed. It is made in underground labs and distributed in pill or capsule form. It has amphetamine (speedlike) as well as hallucinogenic effects. The user has enhanced sensations and feelings of empathy, a mood lift, increased

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energy, and occasionally profound spiritual experiences. It might also cause increased blood pressure, teeth grinding (bruxia), sweating, nausea, anxiety, and panic attacks. Rare cases of death have been reported from malignant hyperthermia (sudden and marked elevation of body temperature to 106, 108, or above, which basically “fries” the brain). Here’s the confusing part. Both MDMA and GHB are sometimes referred to by the slang term Ecstasy, though they are very different compounds. The street purchaser doesn’t always know which he is getting. The bottom line is that it was probably cooked up in a home lab by someone of unknown expertise, marginal experience, questionable drug habits, and a chemistry book. GHB: (Street Names: G, XTC, E, Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid E, Easy Lay, Goop, Scoop, Georgia Homeboy) was developed over thirty years ago and was sold as a “natural” food supplement and muscle builder. It comes as a white powder that easily dissolves in water, alcohol, and other liquids. It is also found as “Liquid E,” a colorless, odorless liquid that is sold in small vials and bottles. The effects of GHB appear quickly, five to twenty minutes after ingestion, and typically last for two to three hours. It causes loss of inhibitions, euphoria, drowsiness, and, when combined with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or many other drugs, increases the effects of these drugs. Many kids use it to enhance the effect of alcohol for a “cheap drunk.” Users report that GHB makes them feel happy, sensual, and talkative. They might experience giddiness, drowsiness, amnesia, an increased sense of well-being, enhanced sensuality, and sometimes hallucinations. This was the drug of choice for Andrew Luster, the Max Factor heir and serial rapist. KETAMINE: (Street Names: K, Special K, Kit-Kat, Purple, Bump) is a rapidacting intravenous or intramuscular, therefore injectable, anesthetic agent,


which causes sedation and amnesia. It was a common surgical anesthetic agent in the 1970s, but fell from favor in part due to its unpredictable hallucinogenic and psychiatric side effects. It is still occasionally used medically in burn victims since it tends to “dissociate” the patient from the pain, making the intense discomfort of burns more bearable. It is popular in veterinary medicine as an animal sedative, leading to another popular street name, Cat Valium. The Ketamine that appears on the street is often stolen from animal hospitals and clinics. Ketamine comes as a liquid, which when injected, acts as a general anestheticm, which means that if too much is given the victim will lapse into a coma, stop breathing, and die from asphyxia. Recreational users most often heat it in a microwave or on a stovetop to evaporate the liquid, leaving behind a white powder residue. The powder can then be added to any liquid, compacted into pills, or snorted, which is the preferred and most common method of usage. When “snorted,” it takes effect almost immediately and its effects last an hour or two. Many of its effects are similar to Ecstasy, but it also possesses “dissociative” effects, which means the person “dissociates” from reality and often experiences hallucinations, loss of time sense, and loss of self-identity. One common form is a “depersonalization syndrome” where the person is part of the activities while at the same time is off to the side or hovering overhead watching the activity, including his/ her own actions. This reaction is also common with PCP (Phencyclidine, Angel Dust), which was popular in the 1970s and ‘80s. Users call these effects “going into a K Hole,” which I suspect is similar to Alice In Wonderland’s Rabbit Hole, where time, space, and perceptions become distorted. Using any these drugs is a proverbial crapshoot. The quality and purity are

variable, even with the pharmaceutically manufactured Rohypnol and Ketamine, since they are often “stepped on” or mixed with other drugs by the time they reach the street. Thus, the user doesn’t know exactly what drugs and in what amounts he is ingesting. And since reactions vary widely from person to person and are unpredictable, it takes a huge leap of faith to use these chemicals. Each of these drugs can be found with toxicological testing if such testing is done. Since Ecstasy is a type of amphetamine, it will show up in a hospital or coroner’s drug screen. It will appear as an amphetamine and then further testing will reveal that the particular amphetamine present is indeed Ecstasy. Each of the others must be tested for specifically. Tox testing is not done in all autopsies. It’s up to the coroner or ME whether such time-consuming and expensive testing is done or not. Drug screens are fast and cheap but specific testing with things such as Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) is expensive. The ME has a budget to follow and this budget doesn’t often allow for unnecessary testing. But if the ME is presented with an unexplained death, particularly in a young and healthy individual, or if the evidence revealed the victim had behaved oddly prior to death, he might press ahead with more complete tox testing. So, any of these drugs could be used to make someone compliant and agreeable and could lead to an abduction “in broad daylight” with friends and other observers, as well as the victim, completely unaware of what was transpiring. —D. P. Lyle, MD  Website: The Writers Medical and Forensics Lab at http://www.dplylemd. com. Blog: The Writer’s Forensics Blog at http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress. com.

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Special Preview from Andrew E. Kaufman

By Andrew Kaufman

G

lenview Psychiatric Hospital looked like it could drive a person insane if they weren’t already. Chain link and razor wire surrounded the perimeter, and beyond that, ivy snaked its way up dirty red brick walls. I let my gaze follow it to a bar-covered window where an elderly woman looked down on me, her face as white as the long, stringy hair that framed it. She nodded with a vacant, fish-eyed expression, then flashed a menacing, toothless grin, sending chills up my spine. I turned my attention away quickly, headed for the front door. Glenview had once been a private facility, but the state had taken it over several years before. From the looks of things, they hadn’t done much to improve it. I moved down a dimly-lit, claustrophobic hallway so narrow that I doubted two people could walk it side by side. The asylum-green walls were cracked and chipped, the floors covered in nondescript, skid-marked tile. The overall theme: dismal and cold. I came to the gatekeeper for this palace of darkness: a receptionist behind a Plexiglas partition blurred with fingerprints, grime, and other slimy things I was afraid to think about. Her expression told me she was sick of her job. Couldn’t say I blamed her. Then I heard static and a speaker going live. “Can I help you,” she said. It sounded more like a statement than a question.

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I leaned in toward a metal-covered hole in the glass. “Patrick Bannister, for Doctor Faraday.” No verbal response, just a loud buzzer and a simultaneous click as the lock disengaged; I pulled the door open and found her waiting on the other side behind a service counter. After signing in with my I.D., I handed over my cell phone. Then a security guard arrived to escort me through a sally port that looked more like a cave. Smelled like one, too. Next stop, a service elevator: high stink-factor there as well, like a nasty old gym locker. Stepping off onto the fifth floor, I fell into sensory overload. The stench was so wicked and fierce that it burned through my sinuses—excrement, sweat, and cleaning agents all blended into one nasty funk that kicked my gag reflex into action. Then came the sounds: a woman’s hysterical laughter echoing down the hall, clearly not inspired by anything funny, along with lots of cursing and other peculiar, vaguely human cries I could hardly identify. As we moved past the metal-grated security doors, patients peered at me with flat, vacant expressions, creepy smiles, and wild eyes that made my skin crawl. Finally, we came to a port in the storm: the nursing station. The guard nodded to the woman behind the counter, she nodded back, and he left me there. In her early fifties, she was a striking brunette, one of those women whose looks seem to improve with age: high cheekbones, dark-lashed, pale blue eyes, and a pair of legs that could give a twentyyear-old a run for her money. The nametag said she was Aurora Penfield, Nursing Supervisor. “Patrick Bannister,” I said, “for Doctor Faraday.” In a dutiful, mechanical manner, she reached for the telephone and punched a few buttons, giving me the onceover while waiting for an answer. I smiled. She didn’t. Then I felt a tug on my leg. Startled, I looked down into a pair of dark, cavernous eyes staring up at me: a woman squatting on the floor, probably in her sixties but with a distinctly childlike quality. Tangled, grizzled hair surrounded a hopeless, miserable face. She barked at me, then snarled, baring her teeth. “Gretchen!” Penfield said, leaning over the counter, her tone cross and unwavering. “Move away immediately!” The woman looked at Penfield, looked at me, then frowned. I spotted a yellowish puddle forming between her feet. Two orderlies stepped quickly toward us; they each grabbed an arm and pulled her up, then guided her away. Nurse Ratched went back to her work as if nothing had happened and said, “Doctor’s on his way. Please take a seat.” I did. A few moments later, a side door opened and Doctor Faraday appeared. He was somewhere in his sixties, tall and slender with a thick head of silvery hair and wire-rimmed glasses that missed the fashion curve by a good twenty years. His face registered zero on the expression scale, as blank as the wall behind him. We shook hands; his were rough-


skinned and ice-cold. He led me down a corridor and past a door with a glass observation window. Inside, a patient sat in the corner, hands under his gown, giving himself pleasure. He made direct eye contact with me and started jerking himself with more enthusiasm and fervor. Then he stopped, and a shit-eating grin slowly spread across his face. I looked away, feeling my nausea return for a second round. When we reached Faraday’s office, he took a seat behind his desk, and I sat across from him. “Jean Kingsley,” he said, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “Haven’t heard that name in years.” “I’m doing a story about her son’s kidnapping and murder.” He put his glasses back on, looked down at some paperwork. “I’ve reviewed her records. What exactly would you like to know?” “We can start with the basics, her condition, how many times she was admitted, and for how long.” He puffed his cheeks full of air, then let it out slowly. “Mrs. Kingsley was a very sick woman. She suffered a series of breakdowns—three, to be exact—rather significant ones. She was admitted here after each of them. The duration increased with each visit, as did the severity of her condition.” “How long was her last stay?” He rubbed his chin, glanced up at the clock. “About a month.” I made a few notes. “Any indication why she killed herself? I mean, other than the obvious. Anything unusual happen that day?” “Not at all. Mrs. Kingsley was dealing with enormous guilt over her son’s murder. She blamed herself. As time went on, her memories and perceptions about the kidnapping seemed to become more distorted, as did her impression of reality as a whole.” “Distorted in what way?” “Her recollection about what actually happened, the circumstances leading to it—none of it made any sense, and most of it seemed to lack truth. After a while, it started sounding like she was talking about someone else’s life rather than her own. She was different person.” “What kinds of things did she say?” He gazed down at his notes, threw his hands up, shaking his head. “I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin. Purely illogical thinking.” I leaned forward to glance at his notes. “Can I have a look?” He dropped his arms down to shield them and stared at me as if I’d asked the unthinkable. “Absolutely not.” “But Mrs. Kingsley’s no longer alive, and her husband gave me permission.” “That’s not the point, Mr. Bannister. It’s at my discretion whether or not to release them, and I choose not to.” I paused and shot him a long, curious gaze. He broke eye contact by picking up the phone, hastily punching a few buttons, and then said, “Ms. Penfield, please come to my


office immediately.” “Doctor Faraday, you should understand my intentions here. I’m not trying to—” “I understand your intentions just fine. You have a job to do. So do I.” Penfield walked in, spared me a quick glance, then gave the doctor her attention. He said, “Please put these records back where they belong.” She nodded, moved toward his desk. I tried again. “Doctor, I don’t want to put Mrs. Kingsley or this hospital in a bad light. I just want to tell her story so people can understand the hell she went through. Not seeing those records would be missing the biggest part.” Penfield looked at me with an expression that was hard to read. I couldn’t tell whether it was animosity or…well, I just couldn’t tell. The doctor said, “The answer is still no, Mr. Bannister. The records are confidential. End of discussion.” Penfield grabbed the last of the papers, closed the folder. “Will there be anything else, doctor?” Faraday shook his head, and she threw me another quick glance before going on her way. He said, “Now, where were we?” I nodded toward the door. “We were discussing those records you just had whisked out of here.” “Look.” He exhaled his frustration, shook his head. “I’m sorry if it came out wrong. It’s not that I’m afraid you’ll put us in a bad light or anything like that.” “Then what is it? Because quite honestly, I’m a little confused about what just happened here.” He gave me a lingering stare, then said, “Let me put it to you this way. Some things are better left alone. Trust me, this is one of them.” “I’m not following you.” “What I’m saying is that the picture you’d see of Mrs. Kingsley would not be a flattering one. And it wouldn’t serve any purpose other than to make her look badly. “Doctor, with all due respect, good or bad, it’s reality, and it’s my job to write about it, not hide it.” He shook his head and pursed his lips. I tried another option. “Look, if you won’t let me see the records, can you at least tell me more about what happened while she was here?” He seemed to be evaluating my words, and then with reluctance in his voice said, “With each visit, she became more disturbed, more agitated…and more lost in her own mind. We couldn’t help her. No one could. Things were becoming extremely tense. And unpleasant.” “Unpleasant, how?” “We were concerned about the safety of others.” “Why?” He hesitated and then, “There were threats.” “What kind?”

The Lion, the lamb, the hunted 77

“Death threats. To the staff and other patients—actually, to anyone who came within shouting distance of Mrs. Kingsley. Quite honestly, she frightened people. We’d made the decision to move her to the maximum-security unit, and her husband was in the process of committing her. Permanently.” “Do you know what brought this on?” He pressed his hands together, looked down at them for a moment, then back up at me. “When I said Mrs. Kingsley was a different person, I meant it.” I narrowed my eyes, shook my head. “She was experiencing what we call a major depression with psychotic features.” “Which means…” “She was severely delusional, seeing and hearing things that didn’t exist, and…” He let out a labored sigh. “…she began assuming an identity other than her own.” “What identity?” “She called herself Bill Williams.” “She thought she was a man?” He nodded. I glanced down at my notes, raked my fingers through my hair, looked back up at him. “Was she in this state all the time?” “No. She’d slip in and out.” “When did it start?” “Toward the end of her last stay.” “So, close to the time she died,” I confirmed. “Yes.” “And who was this Bill Williams?” “Nobody, I’m sure. But in her mind, she was him. Her vocal tone became deeper. Her mannerisms, even her facial expressions…all convincingly masculine. It was a startling transformation.” I leaned forward. “Did she give any details about him? Who he was?” “Just that he was a murderer.” “She took on the role of a killer…” “Yes, and according to her, one of the most dangerous killers of our time, maybe ever.” “What did he do?” “Question should be, what didn’t he do? She reported that he began murdering when he was nine years old. Lured his best friend into a shed behind his house, then beat him to death with a claw hammer to the point where the child’s face was unrecognizable.” I shuddered. “She talked about it frequently—as Bill Williams, that is. She…I mean, he…took great delight in the feeling in his hands when the hammer made powerful impact with flesh and bone…the release, the euphoric pleasure.” I shook my head, the shock rendering me speechless. “And it doesn’t end there. He just kept going. Several

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years later after his mother remarried, he climbed into their bed while she and the stepfather were asleep and began spooning the husband. Then he shoved the man’s face into his pillow…and a kitchen knife up his rectum. The mother woke in the middle of the night drenched in blood. Bill had wrapped the man’s arms around her, then went off to his room and peacefully back to sleep.” “Good Lord,” I said. “All this created from her mind?” “I’m afraid so. A very disturbed mind, I remind you, one that had lost contact with any form of reality.” “Did this Bill—or Mrs. Kingsley— talk about anything else?” “Plenty. In her final days, she spent a good part of her time bragging about the murders he’d committed.” “What did she say?” “Horrible things. Gruesome things. Some of the most disturbing I’ve ever heard—and trust me, I’ve experienced a lot here.” “Details?” “I’ve actually tried to forget them… but with a few, I’ve had a hard time doing that.” “You can’t tell me?” “I’d rather not.” I drew in some air, blew it out quickly. “Can you tell me why she’d dream up someone so horrible, let alone want to assume his identity? Who was this guy?” Doctor Faraday gazed out the window and shook his head very slowly. A tree branch shifted in the wind and threw an odd shadow across his face. I waited for his response.  Andrew E. Kaufman is an award winning journalist and author living in Southern California, along with his Labrador Retrievers, two horses, and a very bossy Jack Russell Terrier who thinks she owns the place. His newest novel, “The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted,” a psychological thriller, is available now. His debut novel, “While the Savage Sleeps,” a forensic paranormal mystery, broke out on four of Amazon's bestsellers lists, taking the #1 spot on two of them and third place on the muchcoveted Movers and Shakers list. It also dominated eight of their Top-Rated lists. He also wrote a story for “Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book” where he chronicled his battle with the disease. After receiving his journalism and political science degrees at San Diego State University, Andrew began his writing career as an Emmy-nominated writer/producer, working at KFMBTV, the CBS affiliate in San Diego, then at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. For more than ten years, he produced special series and covered many nationally known cases, including the O.J. Simpson Trial. For more information about Andrew and his work, please visit his website: http://www.andrewekaufman.com and blog: http://www.andrewekaufman.blogspot.


J U S T F O R F U N 1. Alexander McCall Smith, “The Forgotten Affairs of Youth” 2. Jo Nesbo, Don Bartlett, “The Leopard” 3. Martin Limon, “Mr. Kill” 4. Colin Cotterill, “Slash and Burn” 5. Kyle Mills, “The Immortalists” 6. Stephen Hunter, “Soft Target” 7. Patricia Cornwell, “Red Mist” 8. Stuart Woods, “DC Dead” 9. Victoria Laurie, “Ghoul Interrupted” 10. Juliet Blackwell, “Dead Bolt” 11. P.D. James, “Death Comes to Pemberley” 12. Ali Brandon, “Double Booked for Death”


13. Dean Koontz, “77 Shadow Street” 14. Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney, “Locked On” 15. Tami Hoag, “Down the Darkest Road” 16. W.E.B. Griffin, “Covert Warriors” 17. Steve Martini, “Trader of Secrets” 18. Sylvester Stephens, “Nature of a Woman” 19. T. Jefferson Parker, “Storm Runners” 20. J.A. Jance, “Payment in Kind” 21. Sarah Graves, “Knockdown” 22. Imogen Robertson, “Instruments of Darkness” 23. Simon R. Green, “A Hard Day’s Knight” 24. Daniel Judson, “Voyeur” 25. Rosemund Lupton, “Sister”

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