The Hits Just Keep Coming - Cadillac Clem: A Cody Ross Enigma

Chicago Civic Center (now Daley Plaza)
with reflection of City Hall 

Since my early teens, I have been an avid reader of book series in an eclectic range of genres, including mystery, thriller, detective, and adventure. When the 2019 pandemic hit, my reading schedule went into overdrive, focusing on authors ranging from Sandford, Connelly, and Baldacci to Randy Wayne White, C.J. Box, and Robert P. Parker. Cussler, Crichton, J. A. Jance, and Elmore Leanord also have designated spaces on my TBR bookshelves, both in print and e-Book formats.

But when a local author here in Hawaii publishes a book, I clear my calendar to read their latest novel, memoir, anthology, or book of poetry. When I received word that author Ray Pace on the Big Island had published a new sequel to his "Wise Guys You'll Love, If You Know What's Good For You" series, Cadillac Clem: A Cody Ross Enigma, I knew I was in for a treat. Ray knew it too - because his story unfolds in Chicago, a town where I once worked and chose as the setting of my first mystery novel.

For Cadillac Clem, it's 1960, the heat is on, and the Republican convention is gearing up for the coming election. Ike will attend, throwing his support behind his once-vice president for future president of the United States. And Private Eye Cody Ross, working on a missing person's case, is right in the middle of the ever-escalating action.

This may be my favorite novel in the series to date. Cadillac Clem is a well-told and entertaining detective story played out during the planning of the 1960's Republican Convention in Daley's Chicago. Sometimes, as you might agree with, it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. And there is never a dull moment for P.I. Cody Ross and an entertaining cast of interesting characters.

*****

Cadillac Clem: A Cody Ross Enigma

by Ray Pace

Available at Amazon.com

  

Novel Research Interview with J.A. Schneider

Interviews with writers for the Novel Research project ("novel" meaning interesting, different, unusual,) focus on a variety of research topics, whether for a book, an essay, blog post, or the gathering of family genealogy records. In April, 2021, I posted 26 short articles about topics researched over the years for mystery novels, poetry, and genealogical records (which culminated in a historical novel.) Eager to learn of wider ranging research experiences, I have invited other writers to participate in the project by sharing information about their "novel" research topics.

*****

Gail: Today's guest, author J.A. Schneider, is a prolific writer with much research under her belt. I have asked Joyce to first share her bio, including one new or previously undisclosed detail about herself.

Joyce: Thanks so much for inviting me! I am honored to participate. I’m a former writer at

Newsweek who grew up with a passion for books and reading. I’ve written 14 books so far: the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series, the 4-book police/psychological thrillers featuring NYPD Detective Kerri Blasco, and the standalone thrillers Into the Dark, Girl Watching You, What You’ve Done, and the just-released Cry to Me.

What led me to writing for Newsweek was previous – and sometimes wild – experience studying in Paris at the Sorbonne, then being an exchange student in the Soviet Union where I promptly got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda - ha! Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren't worth an international incident. Then weeks later I landed in a Soviet hospital because I fell down a ravine during a hike in the Caucasus mountains near Sochi. It wasn't bad. Docs in Sochi were nice, but I think the Soviets were glad to see me leave.

Now things are calmer, if you call writing suspense thrillers calmer. When not writing I’m usually thinking about writing and dreaming up new stories, and can rarely be seen without my trusty laptop. I live with my family in Connecticut, love gardening, and am working on my WIP which will be a departure, still a romantic suspense crime thriller, but a surprise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gail: Your early experiences have me wavering between cautious laughter and fright. Knowing that research practices evolve over the years, what is your go-to method now?    

Joyce: I use the Internet a LOT for research, definitely during the first draft. Saves time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gail: And what "novel" research topic have you chosen for today?

Joyce: A hurricane! I wrote CRY TO ME (getbook.at/CryToMe) by battery lamp in a hurricane, about scared people using battery lamps in a hurricane. The raging wind outside - wowza - affected the intensity of the story. Add a bloodied crime scene and a cold case to the howling storm, the fear of trees falling outside, and that beats any “research” I’ve ever done for a novel.

Photo by author

The hurricane was Isaias, which hit Florida in late August of 2020 and plowed its way up to our Connecticut Coast (whole swaths of woods knocked down; roofs plowed in; cars under water, highways washed out. It was something.)

What’s crazy is, I had planned this novel before I knew a hurricane was coming! It was a coincidence. It’s what informed my first draft, anyway. Subsequent drafts were aided by the months-long sound of chain saws fixing destruction all around our town.

That experience beat any research I’ve ever done. Whew, when I think of it!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You can visit Joyce at her social media site: https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schneider.142?fref=ts 

And check out her books on her Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/J-A-Schneider/e/B008BOPMN2/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

*****

Isaias swept through Connecticut, causing crippling damage as it uprooted trees, severed power lines, and littered roads with water-soaked debris, leaving more than 700,000 residents without power.

What effects of a hurricane have you experienced?

* * * * *

Book Review: Cry To Me by J.A. Schneider

Welcome to Book Review Monday. According to an encouraging adage for writers, “Successful writing includes the side component of reading.” As testament to this adage, reading keeps me grounded, informed, aware, and alive. Novels entertain me. News reports and essays tie me to a teeming, ever-growing and changing society of ideas. Non-fiction stimulates my mind, allowing me to transform my own thoughts into written words. 

The list of books I’ve read and reviewed over the past year isn’t genre-specific, only slightly tilted toward suspenseful mysteries. But to my way of thinking, every story contains a mystery, with suspense of one sort or another to hold the reader’s interest. Mixed genres work well to satisfy the desires of multiple preferences. 

On the topic of mixed genres, if you are looking for an entertaining novel filled with suspense, thrills, and a touch of romance to read this week, look no further than: 

“CRY TO ME: An Intense Romantic Suspense Thriller” by J.A. Schneider

“Cry To Me” is one of Joyce’s best novels, which says a lot because her entire Embryo series kept me well-entertained as she pumped them out over the years.

In her latest stand-alone novel, "Cry To Me", the story’s main character and narrator Kim attends a celebration of her sister and brother-in-law’s renovated mansion. Loud music, business connections interested only in making money or getting revenge, and an exposed affair all lend suspicion when the host is found dead and the hostess clings to life after both are shot by an unknown assailant.  

A hurricane is brewing, moving closer each day as police attempt to clear the  investigation. They quickly assume murder and attempted suicide. But Kim  refuses to accept that her sister shot her husband and then tried to kill herself. As a crime fiction writer, Kim proceeds to use her detecting skills to dig up evidence proving her sister’s innocence. But as the storm builds, threatening imminent power outages and severed satellite service, the narrowing list of possible suspects has Kim, and the reader, wavering over who is the true killer. 

Simmering tension and character development held my attention throughout the plotline’s steady escalation. The local book club selection for May, “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, is described by many as the best mystery ever written. For thrills and accuracy, I would say “Cry To Me” is comparable.

*****

Upcoming post - Wednesday June 9: “Novel Research” interview with J.A. Schneider. Get to know more about the author whose novels are as addictive as Belgian chocolate truffles.

*****

"Cry To Me" is available at Amazon.com - the kindle edition on sale now for 99cents.   

CRY TO ME: An intense romantic suspense thriller - Kindle edition by Schneider, J.A. . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

LAND SHARKS by Katharine M. Nohr - Book Review

Katharine M. Nohr is a frequent international speaker on Olympic games and works as a defense attorney in Hawaii. Her first novel, entitled Land Sharks: #Honolululaw, #Triathletes & a #Tvstar, reflects her vast knowledge of Olympic events. Freewheel and VO2 Max are also part of her Tri-Angles series.

Excerpt from author's synopsis of Land Sharks:

Young attorney, Zana West, is assigned the perfect case for a triathlete—a lawsuit filed by Brad Jordan, a man who claims he was paralyzed during the Honolulu Olympic triathlon trials. As an added bonus, Zana’s television crush, Jerry Hirano, the star of “Fighting in Paradise” by night and attorney-by-day playboy, represents another defendant in the case.

Review of  Katharine M. Nohr's novel Land Sharks

Protagonist and triathlete Zana West works as an attorney in a Honolulu law office where the front entrance is a fast-revolving door for young counselors. Katharine Nohr writes a captivating mystery-thriller that moves at a steady pace. Each scene builds with an undercurrent of suspense around a lawsuit involving a triathlon incident. Accident or murder?

While a subplot of a love interest in a tropical setting could turn cliché, Nohr surprises with unexpected twists that never allow the action to lose traction or cause the reader's interest to flag.

I purchased Land Sharks directly from the author when she appeared as a guest speaker at our Sisters in Crime/Hawaii meeting in Honolulu.

All of Katharine's books are available for purchase at Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2z6SlaE

*****

A VISIBLE DARKNESS by Michael Gregorio A Baltic #Thriller

A Visible Darkness by Michael Gregorio is likely to remain one of my favorite reads in 2015-2016.

Described as a “gothic historical thriller,” this novel offers interesting insight into the history of Prussia’s Baltic coast. I read it as part of my research for a genealogical novel I’m writing (and worked on during 2015 NaNoWriMo.) I discovered the title while searching for fact-based material on Prussia. Although I chose the book as an addition to the bibliography of source material for my project, its entertainment value was an added and pleasantly surprising bonus.

In the vein of a Hercule Poiret-type detective, Hanno Stiffenias is like a dog with a marrow-rich bone. He won’t let go until every last clue is sucked out of the murder case he is investigating. The colorful background information woven throughout enhances but doesn't distract from the story 

The plot includes an occupying French Army and a young woman’s mutilated body found near the Baltic seashore; and a subplot about Baltic amber. Murder, intrigue, and a luscious color keep the story moving forward at a fast pace, dragging the reader quite willingly to a final solution.

 

Next up for review:

 

Damned In Paradise-A Nathan Heller Novel by Max Allan Collins

and

The Massie Case by Peter Packer and Bob Thomas

 

 

KILL SWITCH by Steve N Lee #Thriller #FridayReads

Kill Switch is the first in a series of thrillers by author Steve N Lee. While reading the opening chapters, I was reminded of Stieg Larsson’s dragon girl, Lisbeth Salander; and Uma Thurman’s character in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies. The author displays an active knowledge of martial arts’ techniques, which his protagonist, Tess, skillfully demonstrates at strategic intervals throughout the novel, Kill Switch.

Two things that most interest me about the author’s writing is the planning he put into the through line, or continuing story line, of his series; and the marketing process he developed to bring his work to the attention of interested readers. 

The Angel of Darkness series consists of seven novels. In Kill Switch, Tess is introduced as an expert martial artist who, after many years of exiled training in the far East, is returning to her homeland to exact vengeance for an unrevealed wrong. She is sidetracked in Poland when a 70-something Romanian woman approaches her with a story about her missing daughter, Catalina, who may be in grave danger. Tess immerses herself in the task of finding Catalina. In the process of learning what happened to the woman’s missing daughter, Tess lays inoperable many an antagonist’s henchman who crosses her path. 

Along the way, Tess formulates her true lifetime goals, the basis for the Angel of Darkness series. 

 

Next up for review (#20 & #21 of 71) is:

Honolulu by Alan Brennert

&

Hawai‘i’s Story by Hawai‘i’s Queen Liliuokalani

 

THE JANSON EQUATION by Douglas Corleone #FridayReads

The Janson Equation tackles the “what if” of a contrived war between North and South Korea, set off by a faction in the USA. Sort of ripped from the headlines of today’s current events.

The Janson Equation
by
Douglas Corleone

North Korea adamantly aims to become a super nuclear power. For a hermit country, the madness equates to an internet hacker believing he/she has the ability to bring down the infrastructure of the world with one well-placed virus. 

Wait. . .considering our self-inflicted dependence on electronics, the world as we know it could drastically change in the push of a button. Whoever is behind the plot to ignite a second Korean war has set in motion events that would change the face of the earth in Southeast Asia, and politics around the world. 

Corleone’s strong knowledge of history and world events keeps this thriller moving at a rapid pace and held my attention throughout. When Mr. Corleone spoke at the 2015 Hawaii Book and Music Festival, he mentioned that his name is billed on the cover after that of the Jason Bourne creator, Robert Ludlum. While I am a decades’ old fan of Mr. Ludlum’s high-concept thrillers, I told Doug the main reason I planned to read The Janson Equation was because he wrote it. I came away from the reading more informed, and definitely entertained.

 

 

Other novels by Douglas Corleone:

 

Kevin Corvelli Mystery Series (set in Hawai'i)

The Simon Fisk Novels (International thrillers)

 

 

John Sandford's Virgil Flowers series: #FridayReads

When Rules of Prey first hit the book stores, I was living in Minnesota and worked for the police department in a small town. John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport police procedural series, with his sharp writing and consistently entertaining stories, hooked me deep. Then, in 2007, he switched to a new protagonist, Virgil Flowers. Not yet ready to leave Davenport behind or to concentrate on a new main character, I didn’t immediately follow. 

Four paragraphs into Dark of the Moon, first in the Virgil Flowers series, I was hooked again. In turn, I read Dark of the Moon, Heat Lightning, Rough Country, and Bad Blood. Each is a break-neck fast read. And because of Sandford’s consistency, it made sense to review all four books together.

 

 

Dark of the Moon

The question 30-something Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers must answer is, “Who is killing all those small town old folks, and why?” The suspects are many, all are likely, and the possible motives aren’t unique. But Sandford’s fast-paced writing style and vividly written scenes make reading in long spurts easy and entertaining. All of his characters are fully fleshed out, leaving little question about who’s who. The only sorting required is between the fairly “good” guys and gals and those proved guilty.

 

 

Heat Lightning

When a man is shot and a lemon is found shoved in his mouth, the assumption is the killing is gang-related. More victims with the same M.O. pile up before Virgil Flowers starts to get a handle on the situation. Meanwhile, we learn of atrocities perpetrated during the Vietnam conflict are coming back to bite someone. This novel has plenty of action mixed with background story about the Vietnam era, all of it interesting. I’m noticing lots of t-shirt modeling by Detective Flowers. As readers have come to expect from John Sandford, this novel displays the depth of his extensive knowledge in all topics and locations included in the story.

 

 

Rough Country

The third novel in the Virgil Flowers series is filled with excellent examples of colorful description worthy of a how-to guide in creative writing. John Sandford's attention to detail never falters. And every character, whether likeable or not, is well-developed.

 

 

Bad Blood

After reading the first three novels in John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers series, I took a break. His thrillers always leave the reader wanting more but fearing the next novel will disappoint. But the only thing disappointing about BAD BLOOD was that it ended. In this book of the series especially, I felt a distinct comparison to Timothy Olyphant’s Raylan Givens. Be aware that Sandford doesn’t write with an eye to the female population or to the feminine side of men. It appears he has come full circle on the issue of equality and taken a stand: Don’t like what he writes - then don’t read it. His writing remains solid. A writer can still learn a lot from reading John Sandford’s novels.

 

 

 Next up for review is:

The Janson Equation by Douglas Corleone

T is for Thriller GOOD AS GONE by Douglas Corleone

The theme of my 2014 A-to-Z Blog Challenge is BLUES, PUPUS, and REVIEWS.

Monday & Wednesday - REVIEWS: mini-style book reviews 

GOOD AS GONE, an international thriller, takes you at breakneck speed on a search through some of Europe’s ritziest and seediest locations. Author Douglas Corleone has upped the ante, from his Kevin Corvelli mysteries set in Hawaii to Simon Fisk ocean-hopping thrillers that move faster than the motorcycle on the book’s cover.

 

This novel features a former U.S. Marshal searching for abducted children. If you like fast-paced action, you can start packing your bags for the Cayman Islands because the sequel, PAYOFF, is due out August 19, 2014. No time to even catch your breath! 

Although I purchase my copies directly from the author, one of the benefits of living in Hawaii, Douglas Corleone’s books are also available in print and electronic format on the Internet:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Douglas-Corleone/e/B0038P4WUS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

 

 

 

FAST FIVE Author Interview with Rich Weatherly

Author Rich Weatherly, a good friend through The Independent Author Network, is visiting today to talk about his newly published book, Closed Doors, a Trilogy. Much of Rich’s professional career included technical and copy writing, media production and corporate photography. His focus is now on creating writing. I was given the opportunity to read Rich’s thrilling novella, Toxic Situations, prior to publication and enjoyed the well-researched and action packed story. This week I am reading Closed Doors, a Trilogy.

FAST FIVE: Welcome, Rich, and thank you for visiting today. Your book is unique in several ways. Can you please share with us details of Closed Doors, a Trilogy and your research for it?

RICH WEATHERLY: So that everyone has an overview, I’ll start with the synopsis of Closed Doors, a Trilogy:

Closed Doors opens with a novella, Toxic Situations. A break-in at an Atlanta, Georgia laboratory results in the theft of avian flu virus capsules by organized crime figures and an investigation by the CDC.

Toxic Situations was inspired by a paper presented by Dr. J.J. Brown on risks associated with laboratory research into deadly viruses. I contacted her with my idea for a fictional story based on the paper and received permission to do so. The rest is imagination except for fact checking places, organizations and procedures. I spent some time in Sydney, Australia during the ’60. Sydney is the destination of the fugitives in the story.

Toxic Situations is followed by two short story prequels: Family Secrets and Thrills at the Esplanade Cinema. Each story has ties to the Craig Wells family. The short stories are fictional renderings of personal events in my life. That said, I used a large amount of creative license. These stories are set in North Texas where I’ve lived most of my life.

FAST FIVE: What is the backstory for your main character, and is “the job” the most important part of your protagonist’s life?

RICH WEATHERLY: Craig Well’s Jr. is my protagonist in Toxic Situations. After losing his wife during the 9/11 attacks, he and his parents helped raise his now teenage daughter. His family is featured in the story but his role as head of security at the CDC has center stage in this story. He is well qualified for the position having served in Naval Intelligence during Operation Desert Storm and the CIA. He uses his background, training and persistence to pursue his objectives.

In the short story Family Situations, Craig Sr. is a 14 year old boy who uses his wit and determination to protect members of his family in a difficult situation and at great risk. He takes actions which result in the capture of a criminal who attacked a family member.

Thrills at the Esplanade Cinema features Craig Sr. as a high school student working as a theater usher. While doing his job of maintaining order in the theater, a belligerent young woman starts a confrontation that escalates into a dangerous situation. He has his hands full.

FAST FIVE: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast Five interviews, what unique twist makes your book stand out?

RICH WEATHERLY: I have to be careful with this one to avoid giving you a spoiler. The best twists are near the end but I’ll give you some important elements near the beginning of Toxic Situations which is a Suspense/Thriller. When criminals break into and steal capsules of the deadly avian virus it creates the potential for a national emergency. CDC obtains phone intercepts that quickly identify competing organized crime figures who want to exploit the break-in. When members of one organization flee the country with the capsules, they unknowingly have a mole onboard their plane who is determined to stop them.

FAST FIVE: How does your main character’s profession draw him into suspenseful situations, (murder, for instance?)

RICH WEATHERLY: As head of CDC security, any situation that risks exposure by American citizens to bio-hazards has the potential of becoming a threat to national security. My MC is in the vanguard to keep risks from becoming a reality.

FAST FIVE: Is this book part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?

RICH WEATHERLY: Toxic Situations, the novella ends with the capture of some but not all of the fugitives. CDC also learns that a remaining capsule probably remains in the U.S. I am planning a sequel.

FAST FIVE: Rich, this isn’t a Fast Five question, more an “if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like to spend your time writing and why.

RICH WEATHERLY: I’m easy to please but secluded places like Rocky Mountain National Park or the Blue Ridge, Smoky Mountains or an Appalachian Mountain resort are worthy of consideration.

Thank you, Rich, for sharing this interesting information about yourself and your new book.

Here are the links where readers can follow you and your excellent blog site:

Author Page: http://richweatherly.wordpress.com/my-writing/

IAN: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/rich-weatherly.html

Twitter: twitter.com/richweatherly43

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.weatherly1

Week #3 of The Next Big Thing: Genre

Second mystery in the series
featuring the amazing Charlie Chan,
Detective-Sergeant of the Honolulu Police

The Plan:

***Answer the ten questions below about a current Work In Progress.

***Tag five other writers (five awesome writers whose work you want us to watch) and link their blogs so we can all hop over and check them out! It’s that simple.

I’ve chosen to answer one question per week with the best intentions of having my novel published by the time I post the final question.

Question #3 of The Next Big Thing:

TNBT: What genre does your book fall under?

GAIL: I’ve always been a fan of stories that fall under the category of Mysteries and its many subgenres: Detective stories, Crime Fiction, Thrillers, Suspense, Police Procedurals, and the Traditional Cozy. There wasn’t much I didn’t consider “Mystery” at the time. I wouldn’t have made a very good librarian.

The novels I signed out of my home town library, back when, always included murder: on-scene, off-stage, imagined or heart-stopping fact. The characters enthralled me with their colorful personalities. Their authors blessed them with such unique names as Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Mrs. Dalloway, Dr. Jekyll, Don Quixote, Jean Valjean, Philip Marlowe, and Charlie Chan.

Later, while the plots still included mystery and murder, the protagonists’ names changed to Kinsey Millhone, Jason Bourne, Anna Pigeon, Lucas Davenport, V.I. Warshawski, Harry Bosch, Irene Kelly, Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli. In recent years, I've added Lei Teixera and Louise Golden and Pepper Bibeau.

My novels are Mysteries, though they don’t necessarily follow all the rules. If you’ve read the rules on writing mystery novels, then you know it is okay to bend them when it comes to setting, sex of hero (no, not the abstinence or practice of), and two-character per scene limit.

The subgenre of the Pepper Bibeau Mysteries, by my definition, is Soft-Core Investigator, as opposed to Hard-Core Detective. Early in the novel Different in Degree, aka WIP, insurance investigator Pepper Bibeau hastily explains to someone asking for her help: “I’m not a detective or a private investigator. My job is to straighten out complications of insurance claims.” Somehow, though, Pepper’s investigations always lead her into the dark recesses of murder.

Next week’s question: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

And now, five awesome writers whose work you want to watch:

Alison Bruce http://alisonebruce.blogspot.com/ @alisonebruce

Stella Atrium http://speakingincommunity.blogspot.com/ @SAtrium

Richard Weatherly http://richweatherly.wordpress.com/ @richweatherly43

Cynthia Meyers-Hanson http://mchanson714.blogspot.com/ http://mchanson714.weebly.com/ @Hanson8046 @mchanson714

J. A. Schneider http://mindi.authormeanders.com/2012/06/author-j-a-schneider-merging-idea-with-character-in-storytelling/ @JoyceSchneider1

Questions for The Next Big Thing Interview

What is the working title of your book?

Where did the idea for the book come from?

What genre does your book fall under?

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

What other books within your genre would you compare this story to?

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

FAST FIVE Author Interview with Gordon Kessler

My guest today, Gordon Kessler, is a former US Marine parachutist, with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. Among his many other achievements, he has taught novel writing and English Composition. He indie-published his novel, Dead Reckoning.

FAST FIVE: Welcome, Gordon, and thank you for visiting today for this interview. Your novel, Dead Reckoning, was a fast one-day read for me. Your story offers something for every mystery/thriller fan. Rather than the 140 characters we’ve grown accustomed to on Twitter, can you share with us a more detailed account of the novel and your research for Dead Reckoning?

GORDON KESSLER: In Dead Reckoning, a young woman investigator goes undercover aboard a small US Navy ship to find out why its crewmembers are disappearing one by one. Not knowing whom she can trust, Janelle “Spurs” Sperling encounters high seas, drugs, sexism, homophobia, love and murder aboard a ship of horrors before discovering the real danger. She is thrown into non-stop, life-threatening situations as she uncovers startling clues while teaming up with both friend and foe to stop an unthinkable terrorist plot to kill thousands of Americans.

She soon discovers that the ones wearing the white hats aren’t always the good guys as memories of a traumatic childhood event come back to slap her in the face and reveal that she is an unwitting pawn in a deadly game between the US government, ruthless terrorists and her own family.

She has but one choice. The only way to stop a catastrophe of enormous proportions is going to be…Suicide!

All hands: stand by for heavy rolls—we’re coming about and heading into the storm!

For research, I had a few connections, and I did a bunch of Internet searches and book research, as well. I’m friends with a former F-18 pilot, so I interviewed him to get the feel of realism I needed for flying the “Super Hornet”. I also leaned back on my experience as a US Marine and being aboard a warship for a short time (6 mos.). In addition, I made a couple calls to an NCIS supervisory special agent and passed a few emails back and forth with him. I actually completed the novel over a year before the TV series JAG came out, and Dead Reckoning was published in paperback and hardcover a couple of years before the TV series NCIS debuted.

I have a bit of a conspiracy theory I like to consider about that time: John Grisham’s former agent Jay Garon (a former actor with Hollywood ties) was considering the manuscript for representation—had it for over a year. He ultimately rejected it. A year later he passed away and JAG came out on TV a month after his passing (hmmm). Grisham ended up suing Garon’s company for bilking him from tons of royalties he wasn’t paid for some Hollywood deals. JAG’s first episode was about a murder aboard a warship—someone falls—and it featured a female JAG agent as one of the leads. A-humm! Probably just coincidence? I did love that series (JAG), but it was ridiculous to think that these military lawyers were running around risking their lives while investigating military crimes, most of the time in place of NCIS investigators. At least the ever popular NCIS TV series has that going for them.

FAST FIVE: Your conspiracy theory is interesting, though a sad warning for others of us who are trusting with our ideas. For your protagonist, is “the job” the most important part of her life? 

GORDON KESSLER: The job with NCIS is the most important part of Spurs’ life because she’s turned to it to find stability from a traumatic childhood with repressed memories. She’s an Okie, “tough as Oklahoma red clay” as her mother used to tell her. She’s smart and persistent. She’s loyal. And, she’s afraid of water—as a child, she watched as her mother ran out into the ocean and never came back. With a chauvinistic retired admiral for a father, what else could she do to confront her fears but to get into an agency where she’d find it necessary at some point to be on the ocean and working in a very male oriented business. Her father loves here, but isn’t at all fond of what he thinks is a very inappropriate role for a woman.

FAST FIVE: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast Five interviews, but what unique twist makes your novel stand out?

GORDON KESSLER: Dead Reckoning is a mystery thriller with very high stakes and risk. It’s supercharged with action. The inexperienced female protagonist must overcome incredible odds just to survive, let alone save thousands of lives. She must “grow up” in a matter of days, confront her fears, bias’s and prejudices, and become a much better person to understand the danger she’s in and confront it head on. In the middle of the investigation, she finds and loses love, then finds it again. All the while, she’s unknowingly being used by not only the bad guys as well as the good guys, but also by her own family. In the end, she must make a decision that will mean sacrificing her own life in the action-packed and dramatic finale. Will she live? In the conclusion, all the craziness ties together, but leaves a huge hole in Spurs’ heart and soul.

 FAST FIVE: How does your main character’s profession draw her into suspenseful situations, (murder, for instance?)

GORDON KESSLER: Being a Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agent, it’s part of her job. However, working undercover is a bit unusual for a rookie.

FAST FIVE: Is this book part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?

GORDON KESSLER: I’ve considered a sequel and I have a few really fun ideas for that second and possibly third novel. This book was well received by women and men alike, so it’d probably be a good idea. My biggest problem is that I have great ideas for sequels for both of my other big thrillers Brainstorm and Jezebel. And I’m currently working on a series of at least six men’s action/adventure novels called “The E Z Knight Reports”. There’s just never enough time….

FAST FIVE: I hope you’ll have just enough time for a Fast Five “if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like to spend your time writing and why?

GORDON KESSLER: I enjoy seclusion and nature when I’m writing, but I like to be a part of the human race once in a while for breaks. I’d say a cabin near a small port town in Maine, close enough to easily sail or motor to, would be one of my top three. A small village in Colorado, maybe near Crested Butte might be similar in appeal, with considerably different landscape. Northern California would be one of the top three, as well.

Thanks for this opportunity!

Gordon

Gordon A Kessler

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Author of: thriller novels BRAINSTORM, JEZEBEL and DEAD RECKONING; and THE guide for fiction writers, Novel Writing Made Simple.

Email: gordon@gordonkessler.com

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