Interview with Mungo Magennis, Author of Kings and Criminals

Mungo Magennis is the author of the new Kings and Criminals series. He's worked in technology for the past ten years, advising some of the world's biggest companies on digital strategy and transformation. His first book, Kings and Criminals, explores some of the themes that can be seen dominating current events around the globe: power, influence, corruption and ambition.

Born and raised on the Wirral Peninsula in the north-west of the UK, he moved to Leeds to attend university before heading to London to join one of the world's largest technology consultancies.

Instagram: mungomagennis
www.mungomagennis.com
twitter @MungoMagennis

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised on the Wirral Peninsula in the north-west of the UK. This location became the setting for much of the first book in the Kings and Criminals series.

When did you begin writing?

I started writing Kings and Criminals four years ago but have been working in corporate communications for the last ten years. The idea for the book has been burning at the back of my mind since I was 15 but it was never really an idea for a book, more how I would try to ascend to a position of power within the British establishment.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

Most of my writing takes place late at night. I work long hours in my job so I tried to be very disciplined in making at least three or four hours on a writing night. I find it takes me about 40 minutes to settle back into the ‘zone’ so I won’t write unless I have at least 2.5 hours to spend.

What is this book about?

The book follows sixteen-year-old Max as he has a brainwave whilst reading a History report to his class. He’s been researching groups and people who control power and influence around the world and he sees much greed and corruption that he wants to overcome.

He starts a secret group with the aim of putting each of its members into the most powerful and influential positions in the British establishment.

Along the way, the group realises that accomplishing the grand idea will be a lot harder than they initially thought. Although their long-term motives are altruistic, they have to make questionable decisions to ensure that the secrecy and safety of the members is protected.

What inspired you to write it?

The idea for Kings and Criminals was born out of a frustration with politics and the ever-widening disparity in wealth and power around the world. It made me wonder whether the people that we allow into power can really be trusted with it. The book was one approach that I saw to overcome this.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Writing the book was one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences of my life. Getting to publication was much more difficult and involved learning many new skills that I hadn’t previously considered. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to work with lots of very experienced professionals who helped me get the book to where it is today. Their input was invaluable, and I learnt many lessons along the way.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

If I could go back and give myself advice at the start of the process, it would be this:

Reach out to people with experience as early as possible. Don’t wait until you have finished the manuscript. Contact a freelance editor after you have written the first few chapters. These guys know what they’re talking about and early contact with them will save you a lot of time further down the road as well as teaching you things you didn’t know about your writing.

Enjoy the journey! This is something that many people never get the chance to do. It’s thrilling, exciting, and at the end of it, you’ll have created something that will be truly yours.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Kings and Criminals is available from Amazon in paperback, Kindle and the free Kindle app. It’s also available on Kobo.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

After publishing Kings and Criminals, so many people have reached out to me to tell me they have an idea for a book but don’t know where to start.

My advice would be take some time to really think about what you’re looking to achieve, who your audience would be and what stands out about your story. Then get going! The first few chapters are where you’ll find your voice, learn about your writing style and start to plan out the rest of the book. Everyone has to start somewhere

What is up next for you?

Kings and Criminals will be a series of 6 or 7 books. I’ve just started on book 2 in the series and am looking forward to the next stage in the characters’ lives.

Author Interview: Terrence McCauley, Author of A Conspiracy of Ravens

Terrence McCauley is the award-winning author of two previous James Hicks thrillers: SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL and A MURDER OF CROWS, as well as the historical crime thrillers PROHIBITION and SLOW BURN (all available from Polis Books). He is also the author of the World War I novella THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD, the proceeds of which go directly to benefit the Semper Fi Fund. His story "El Cambalache" was nominated for the Thriller Award by International Thriller Writers.

Terrence has had short stories featured in Thuglit, Spintetingler Magazine, Shotgun Honey, Big Pulp and other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers and the International Crime Writers Association.

A proud native of The Bronx, NY, he is currently writing his next work of fiction. Please visit his website at terrencemccauley.com or follow him at terrencepmccauley or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/tmccauley_nyc

Did you like thrillers growing up?

I always loved a good thriller, even as a kid. I was never much of a reader, to be honest, but I had a deep appreciation for intriguing stories, even from an early age. Since I wasn’t much of a reader, movies served as my introduction to the world of spies. The first movie I ever sat through with my father was Three Days of the Condor. I was about seven or eight at the time and certainly didn’t get all of the nuances at first, but I knew something was going on that I liked.

When I finally did begin to read, I got hooked on James Clavell’s Tai Pan and Nelson DeMille’s Cathedral. As my writing career began, those stories stuck with me and I knew I wanted to try my hand at the genre. Fortunately, Jason Pinter and Polis Books gave me that opportunity with SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. The series has gone on to achieve some acclaim since and its universe only expands with each book.

What is the first story in that genre you wrote, whether it is published or unpublished?

The first book I ever wrote in the genre was what I called a business thriller titled TENETS OF POWER. It was supposed to be about the real-life drama of the mergers and acquisitions business. No bad guys with guns. Very little violence, too, but a lot of suspense.

In hindsight, the book wasn’t very good, but I have harvested parts of it for themes and scenes in subsequent works, so it wasn’t a total waste of time. My crime novel PROHIBITION was set in the 1930s but had many of the same elements of TENETS.

What is your favorite part of writing in this genre?

I love trying to break the mold. I try not to write predictable characters or plots that the audience expects. Of course, the audience needs to be familiar enough with what’s going on in order to be interested enough to buy the book, but the similarities end there. Surprising the reader with different characters and unexpected plot developments is a real thrill for me.

Is there an author in this genre you most admire?

Sure. Marc Cameron is one of my favorites. John LeCarre and Len Deighton are masters any aspiring thriller writer needs to read to see how it’s done.

What is up next for you?

I have a prequel to my University series coming out this summer called THE FAIRFAX INCIDENT. It is set in 1933 New York City and asks the question: when is a suicide not a suicide? The answer, of course, is when it’s murder. It features a lot of intrigue and sets up the beginnings of The University series, which currently begins in SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.

I also have a Western coming out next year from Kensington called WHERE THE BULLETS FLY. It’s not related to my thrillers in any way, but it’s jam-packed with action and has been great to write. I think my readers will enjoy it, even if they don’t normally read Westerns.

Do you have anything to add?

Some people ask me which of my books they should read first. I always tell them it depends on what kind of book they’re looking for. If they want period crime fiction, they can try PROHIBITION or SLOW BURN. If they want to read my spy thrillers, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL is a great place to start, followed by A MURDER OF CROWS and A CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS.

One project that’s especially dear to my heart is a war novella I wrote called THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD. It’s about the famous battle that gave the Marines the reputation they currently enjoy and deserve. Every penny goes straight to The Semper Fi Fund. It’s a worthy charity I encourage everyone to consider donating to whether or not they buy my book.

Book Spotlight: Act of Betrayal by Matthew Dunn

Act of Betrayal

by Matthew Dunn

on Tour October 23 - November 30, 2017

Synopsis:

In this riveting entry in the celebrated thriller series, former intelligence operative Will Cochrane—a "ruthless yet noble" (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) man from whom "Bond and Bourne could learn a thing or two" (Madison County Herald)—comes out of hiding to expose a conspiracy involving a past assassination that reaches to the highest echelons of the U.S. government.

Three years ago, intelligence officer Will Cochrane was brought in by a Delta Force colonel to assassinate a terrorist financier in Berlin. After the job, the commander vanished, and hasn’t been heard from since. The details don’t quite add up, and one of the CIA agents who was involved has been investigating the mission. He reaches out to Will for help, but before they can connect, the CIA man is poisoned.

Will is determined to uncover the truth about Berlin, even if it means putting himself in the crosshairs. Framed for multiple murders, the skilled former spy has gone deep underground to evade his enemies and the feds. But honor and loyalty to his old colleague thrust him into danger once again.

When Marsha Gage at the FBI discovers that Cochrane—one of America’s Most Wanted—has resurfaced, she immediately launches a manhunt, and she won’t stop until she brings the former CIA/MI6 operative in.

With time running out, Cochrane will use all of his training and formidable skills to outmaneuver the FBI and uncover a shocking conspiracy that will rock the foundations of our nation . . . if he can stay alive.

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller

Published by: William Morrow

Publication Date: October 24th 2017

Number of Pages: 320

ISBN: 0062427229 (ISBN13: 9780062427229)

Series: Spycatcher #7

Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Goodreads 

Read an excerpt:

IT WAS PAST midnight as  wind  and  rain  pounded  the  exterior of the tiny bookstore in Chicago. The store was closed and its owner was sitting at his desk checking the week’s receipts. The task wouldn’t take long—his store specialized in rare works that he sourced from around the world. He had some loyal customers, but they were few. This week seven people had made purchases.

The only light in the room came from his green desk lamp, old-fashioned in design to match the ambience of the shop. Aside from some electronic devices on his desk and recessed lights that cast a discreet yellow glow when turned on, the place looked like it could have been a purveyor of fine works established and un- changed since the eighteenth century. He’d constructed it that way: dark maple bookshelves; many of the books leather bound, all of them hardcover; two armchairs for customers to sit in when perusing potential acquisitions; an urn for his more discerning patrons who valued his loose-leaf tea collection; and a cage for his two lovebirds.

He was an old-fashioned guy at heart.

And though he could have done with more cash coming in, he’d deliberately established a business and identity that drew little attention. He playacted a shy man, his trimmed beard intended to put up barriers between him and others, his shoulders artificially stooped during the day as if he were ashamed of his six-foot-four physique, his cropped blond-and-gray hair functional because he had no woman in his life to impress, and his unneeded glasses covering one green eye, one blue. He was always in a smart three-piece suit because the attire was good at hiding his athletic frame and scars. Customers thought he was Edward Pope, a gentleman scholar from the South. They’d probably estimate his age was late forties. They’d be wrong about that and most other things. He’d led a hard life and was forty-five.

His name wasn’t Edward Pope.

It was Will Cochrane.

The assassin. The one Sapper and Kane were terrified of.

He wasn’t from the Deep South. He was raised in Virginia and earned a double first-class degree at England’s Cambridge University. And he’d been a bookseller for only under a year.

But he had to be Pope. In the eyes of the world, Will was a murderer. He’d killed people as a special forces French Foreign Legionnaire and assassinated targets in French intelligence black operations. He had been the West’s prime joint operative with the CIA and Britain’s MI6 for fourteen years, until he went crazy and killed a lot of cops and civilians in the States before throwing himself off the Brooklyn Bridge and dying.

His death was essential. He was America’s Most Wanted. He wasn’t what some thought of him—a psychopath. But he was a former special operative and killer. Had been all his adult life. It started when he was seventeen and walked in on four criminals suffocating his mother and about to kill his sister. His mother died; sister didn’t, because he grabbed his mother’s carving knife and ended the criminals’ lives before fleeing to the Legion. He wished he didn’t know how many people he’d killed since. It would be a lie. He knew every victim. Their souls lingered around him, taunting him, reminding him of who he was.

All 263 souls.

But the souls of the people they say he killed in the States didn’t hassle him.

Because he didn’t kill them. He never killed innocents, only those who needed to be killed.

But in the eyes of the law, that’s not the case and that’s why he had to fake his death and reinvent himself. A year ago, his situation was desperate, despite all of his training and covert operations experience in hostile countries. He’d received only one bit of help, but it was significant. Russia’s most formidable intelligence officer, code name Antaeus—now, thanks to Will, a defector living in the States—had cleverly managed to get $300,000 into Will’s pocket. Will didn’t know exactly why he’d done it. After all, Will had accidentally killed his family with a car bomb when in fact he’d intended only to kill the spy. But he suspected he knew why the Russian had become his benefactor: Antaeus wanted his generosity to plunge the knife that was Will’s guilt deeper.

Regardless of Antaeus’s motives, the cash helped set up Will’s new life.

Will’s family and close acquaintances were all dead. He’d be given the needle if cops found out who he was. The West he’d served with unflinching duty had hung him out to dry. He thought of himself as a scavenging dog, kicked out of its owner’s backyard and left to fend for itself. He was resigned to that, every day expecting the Feds to rush into his store and put a bullet in his skull. That’s what they’d do. No attempt to arrest. No negotiations. Execution only. Will wouldn’t blame them. They knew he’d cause carnage if given the slightest of chances.

He finished his accounts, took a swig of Assam tea, and frowned as he heard the female lovebird make an unusual sound. Like her male companion, she resembled a small parrot, her plumage green and yellow, face and beak red, large eyes pure white with black pupils. He’d taken the birds off the hands of an old lady who frequented his store. Her son, a merchant marine officer, had brought them back from exotic climes, though she couldn’t remember where because she was suffering from dementia. And she could no longer look after them, particularly now that the male had broken his wing. Will hated seeing animals in cages. But the female wouldn’t leave the male’s side. And for the time being, the male had to be kept in the cage until he was fully recuperated. Then Will would release them to a large aviary or the wild.

Their previous owner couldn’t remember their names, so Will called the male Ebb and the female Flo. Flo was now agitated, hopping about as opposed to what she usually did, which was nestling her face against that of her lover. Will opened the cage, knowing Flo wouldn’t go anywhere while Ebb was there. The former special operative bowed his head. Ebb was all wrong, flopping on the base of the cage, his good wing twitching, his broken one immobile. Will knew he was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. What goes through a bird’s brain? He didn’t know. And he didn’t know whether lovebirds were in fact lifelong lovers or if that was a myth. But Will knew how he felt. He had to give Flo closure, let her be free, not allow her to think there was hope that Ebb would return to her. Gently he lifted Ebb. His body was warm but now limp. He carried him to the store’s backyard. Flo followed him. Will had hoped she would.

Will looked at Flo, who was perched close by on the branch of a tree. She was watching. It seemed she and Will didn’t know what to do.

“I have to let you know this is the end,” Will said to her. Actually, he was saying it to himself.

He snapped Ebb’s neck and buried him.

Flo looked at him before flying into the darkness. As tears ran down his face, he wondered if she hated him. Or maybe she understood. Of course, he’d never know.

He returned to his desk and stared at the birdcage. After brushing soil off his fingers, he looked at his laptop and saw he had a new e-mail. Nobody sent him mail apart from spammers.

But this one was different. And shocking. It was from CIA officer Unwin Fox, the man who, alongside Will, had been one of those involved in the Berlin operation. Aside from Colonel Haden, Will didn’t know who the other people on the small team were.

His heart was beating fast as he read the mail. Its tone was desperate. There was no way Fox could know that Will was alive. Something was terribly wrong. Fox wanted to meet. Tomorrow. In Washington, D.C.

In all probability it was a trap. Lure Will out, then bam! Swooped on by cops. But then again, Will knew what happened in Berlin. The law didn’t. This would have been far too implausible a tactic to entrap him.

What to do?

He looked at the lovebirds’ empty cage. The door was open. He glanced at the entrance to his store.

What to fucking do?

He opened the drawer in his desk, pulled out his handgun, grabbed his bag containing all he needed if he ever had to run, and left.

He knew he’d never return.

***

Excerpt from Act of Betrayal by Matthew Dunn.  Copyright © 2017 by Matthew Dunn. Reproduced with permission from William Morrow. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

As an MI6 field officer, Matthew Dunn recruited and ran agents, coordinated and participated in special operations, and acted in deep-cover roles throughout the world. He operated in environments where, if captured, he would have been executed. Dunn was trained in all aspects of intelligence collection, deep-cover deployments, small-arms, explosives, military unarmed combat, surveillance, and infiltration. Medals are never awarded to modern MI6 officers, but Dunn was the recipient of a rare personal commendation from the secretary of state for work he did on one mission, which was deemed so significant that it directly influenced the success of a major international incident. During his time in MI6, Matthew conducted approximately seventy missions. All of them were successful. He currently lives in England, where he is at work on his next novel.

Learn More About Matthew Dunn On harpercollins.com!

Tour Participants:

Stop by these great hosts for reviews, and giveaways!

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Matthew Dunn and William Morrow. There will be 5 winners of one (1) print copy of ACT OF BETRAYAL by Matthew Dunn. This giveaway is open to US & Canada addresses only. The giveaway begins on October 23 and runs through November 30, 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

 

First Chapter Review: Dark Money by Larry D. Thompson

I am participating in the book tour for Dark Money by Larry D. Thompson.

BLURB: DARK MONEY is a thriller, a mystery and an expose’ of the corruption of money in politics.

Jackson Bryant, the millionaire plaintiff lawyer who turned to pro bono work in Dead Peasants, is caught up in the collision of money and politics when he receives a call from his old army buddy, Walt Frazier. Walt needs his assistance in evaluating security for Texas Governor Rob Lardner at a Halloween costume fundraiser thrown by one of the nation’s richest Republican billionaires at his mansion in Fort Worth.

Miriam Van Zandt is the best marksman among the Alamo Defenders, an anti-government militia group in West Texas. She attends the fundraiser dressed as a cat burglar---wounds the governor and murders the host’s brother, another Republican billionaire. She is shot in the leg but manages to escape.

Jack is appointed special prosecutor and must call on the Texas DPS SWAT team to track Van Zandt and attack the Alamo Defenders’ compound in a lonely part of West Texas. Van Zandt’s father, founder of the Defenders, is killed in the attack and Miriam is left in a coma. The authorities declare victory and close the case---but Jack knows better. The person behind the Halloween massacre has yet to be caught. When Walt and the protective detail are sued by the fund raiser host and the widow of the dead man, Jack follows the dark money of political contributions from the Cayman Islands to Washington to Eastern Europe, New York and New Orleans to track the real killer and absolve his friend and the Protective Detail of responsibility for the massacre.

COVER: Love it. Took me a few moments to realize that was a blood-splattered face mask, but the color scheme is great and I like the fonts used.

FIRST CHAPTER: Jack Bryant arrives at the Hale estate where a Halloween costume fundraiser for Texas Governor Rob Lardner is scheduled to take place. Once cleared by security, he meets up with his old army buddy, Walt Frazier, who is in charge of making sure everyone stays safe and sound.

KEEP READING: Yes. The short prologue provides a bit of back story for how Walt and Jack met so that the reader dives into the first chapter with some idea of the men's personalities. I feel it wise the author opted to have action in the prologue because the first chapter is low-key in that respect. By the end, however, you are quite certain things aren't going to go as planned.

What I feel the author did very well from the start is define who the major players are and draw the reader into their world. I look forward to reading more of this one.

File Size: 1088 KB
Print Length: 430 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Story Merchant Books; 2 A Jackson Bryant Legal Thriller edition (December 29, 2015)
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B019YQ63Q0


Purchase here!

I received a free digital version of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Free for Kindle: The Candidate's Daughter by Catherine Lea

The plan is simple: kidnap the daughter of Senate candidate Richard McClaine, take the money and run. Nobody gets hurt, the kid goes home alive.

Twenty-two-year-old car thief Kelsey Money thinks it’s the worst idea Matt and his drug-fueled brother have ever come up with. But Matt’s the planner. He’s the one Kelsey has always depended on.

Then she discovers she only knew half the plan. By the time she finds out the rest, she’s been framed for murder, and six-year-old Holly McClaine won’t be found alive.

Across town, Elizabeth McClaine has no idea what her daughter was wearing when she disappeared. When Holly was born with Down syndrome and a cleft palate, Elizabeth placed her only child in the care of a nanny while she fought postpartum depression.

But when Holly is kidnapped and Elizabeth discovers the detective leading the hunt has already failed one kidnapped child, Elizabeth knows she cannot fail hers.

Now both women have twenty-four hours to find Holly. Because in twenty-five, she’ll be dead.

File Size: 1831 KB
Print Length: 345 pages
Publisher: Brakelight Press; 1 edition (January 31, 2014)
Publication Date: January 31, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00D3DDNJQ

Purchase here!

Coming Soon!: Brute Force by Marc Cameron

THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICA

In the aftermath of a devastating biological attack, America stands on the brink of disaster. The President of the United States is controlled by terrorists. The Vice President, global mastermind Lee McKeon, is plotting his next move. And special agent Jericho Quinn is running for his life. Desperate to clear his name—and expose the conspirators in the White House—Quinn must race against time before McKeon can execute his evil plan. It begins with heightened security, mass surveillance, and the establishment of a brutal police state. It can only end in the takeover of America. The only thing standing between democracy and destruction is a man named Quinn…and one perfectly aimed bullet.


File Size: 865 KB
Print Length: 432 pages
Publisher: Pinnacle (December 29, 2015)
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00VQFKFZI

Pre-order here!

Kindle Bargain: All In by Greg Sandora

It's the steamy summer of 2016 in Washington, D.C. just days before the Democratic National Convention. A long and painful recession has left ordinary Americans suffering, spawning the hottest Presidential Contest in history. Jack Canon, a man born into privilege, a witness to great social injustice is going to be President of the United States--no matter what! Desperate and corrupt, the leader of the free world orders a hit to slow him down. The plan backfires--the wrong people are dead--a manhunt points to the unthinkable--The President of the United States.

Rewind one year, Jack's focus on redistribution of wealth and energy has made him powerful enemies. Once his friends, Rogue Billionaires, Oil Sheiks, the Mob, all want him gone. The current President wants him alive--thinking he can win against an unabridged liberal. A Universal Raw Nerve of wealth vs. poverty is exposed becoming a thrill ride as deep machinations of espionage, geopolitics and deception, and murder play out. Kind and charismatic, Jack's just naughty enough to have you falling for him like one of his loving circle of loyal friends. Of course he's flawed, a dedicated family man, faithful to one woman, but in love with two. Is it his fault his best friend is impossibly jaw dropping beautiful? Think the crime and passion of the Godfather meets the romance and innocence of Camelot. A story that could spark a movement, a book that can seed a revolution. A heart-thumping climax so shocking you'll pull the covers and draw the shades! One thing's for sure, through all the drama and suspense, you'll be pulling for Jack!

File Size: 845 KB
Print Length: 364 pages
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0117QHB7A

Purchase here for only 99 cents!

Kindle Freebie: The Great Game by D. R. Bell

After years of patient preparation, a block of countries led by China and Russia stages an overnight financial coup to unseat the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Fortunes are made and lost in a matter of hours. But some have more far-ranging plans than financial gain.

Computer engineer David Ferguson has no idea that a chance meeting with a friendly stranger in the airport will change everything. Suddenly, he is running for his life, without knowing why or from whom. In trying to evade his pursuers, David accidentally involves Maggie Sappin, a graduate student and a transplant from Kiev. To save themselves, they have to uncover the reasons behind a financial crisis and political upheaval that followed. From Los Angeles to Texas, Kiev, Moscow, and New York, the body count mounts along with the layers of deception as two innocent people become key players in—The Great Game.

File Size: 2348 KB
Print Length: 374 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: D. R. Bell (December 19, 2013)
Publication Date: December 19, 2013
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00HGM63II


Purchase here!

Kindle Freebie: Deadly Straits by R.E. McDermott

When very part-time spook Tom Dugan becomes collateral damage in the War on Terror, he's not about to take it lying down.

Falsely implicated in a hijacking, he's offered a chance to clear himself by helping the CIA snare their real prey, Dugan's best friend, London ship owner Alex Kairouz. Reluctantly, Dugan agrees to go undercover in Alex's company, despite doubts about his friend's guilt. Once undercover, Dugan's steadfast refusal to accept Alex's guilt puts him at odds not only with his CIA superiors, but also with a beautiful British agent with whom he's romantically involved.

When a tanker is found adrift near Singapore with a dead crew, and another explodes in Panama as Alex lies near death after a suspicious suicide attempt, Dugan is framed for the attacks. Out of options, and convinced the attacks are prelude to an even more devastating assault, Dugan eludes capture to follow his last lead to Russia, only to be shanghaied as an 'advisor' to a Russian Spetsnaz unit on a suicide mission.

Deadly Straits is a non-stop thrill ride, from London streets, to the dry docks of Singapore, to the decks of the tankers that feed the world's thirst for oil, with stops along the way in Panama, Langley, Virginia, and Teheran. Richly spiced with detail from the author's 30 years sailing, building, and repairing ships worldwide, it is, in the words of one reviewer, "fast-paced, multilayered and gripping."

File Size: 512 KB
Print Length: 415 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0983741700
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: R.E. McDermott (December 9, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0057AMO2A

Purchase here!

Book Spotlight: Third Rail by Rory Flynn

At crime scenes, Eddy Harkness, the “Harvard Cop,” is a human Ouija board, a brilliant young detective with a knack for finding the hidden something—cash, drugs, guns, bodies. Harkness’s swift rise in an elite narcotics unit is derailed by the death of a young Red Sox fan in the chaos after a World Series win, a death some witnesses believe he could have prevented. Scapegoated, Harkness is exiled to his hometown, Nagog, just west of Boston, where he empties parking meters and struggles to redeem his disgraced family name.

But one night Harkness’s police-issued Glock disappears. Harkness starts a search— just as a string of fatal accidents in Nagog leads him to uncover a dangerous new smart drug, Third Rail. With only a plastic gun to protect himself, Harkness begins a high-stakes investigation that sends him into the darkest corners of the city.

One of the most electrifying thrillers you’ll read this year, Third Rail takes you deep into a gritty world of wronged heroes, corrupt politicians, and sinister kingpins, where your friends can’t be trusted, a sleepy town breeds deadly crimes, and nothing ever happens by accident.

“THIRD RAIL gets off to a ripping start and never lets off the gas. Rory Flynn is a suspense writer to watch.”

– Jess Walter, author of the bestselling BEAUTIFUL RUINS

“THIRD RAIL is an adrenaline-soaked tale of political corruption and personal redemption that never lets up. Eddy Harkness, the self-destructive Massachusetts narcotics detective at the novel’s center, is a worthy successor to Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone.”

– Sean Chercover, author of the bestselling THE TRINITY GAME

Available at bookstores everywhere on June 10, 2014, including:

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Brookline Booksmith
Concord BookstoreIndiebound
Porter Square Books

Rory Flynn is the pen name of acclaimed novelist Stona Fitch, author of five previous novels, including Senseless, now an independent feature film and a graphic novel.

In 2008, Stona founded the Concord Free Press, a independent publishing house that publishes and distributes original novels, asking only that readers make a voluntary donation to a charity or person in need, then pass their book on. The CFP has inspired generosity throughout the world—and created a new approach to publishing that has earned praise from publishing visionaries and readers.
Stona lives with his family in Concord, Massachusetts.

Visit Rory Flynn’s Website: http://www.mrroryflynn.com/

Guest Blogger: Allan Leverone, Author of Parralax View

It’s late in the Cold War, and the Soviet Union is slowly disintegrating.

In the midst of this uncertainty and upheaval, a mysterious group of KGB officials has concocted a desperate plan in an attempt to maintain power.


And one beautiful young CIA operative is all that stands between this shadowy cabal and the outbreak of World War Three.

Spring, 1987. CIA Special Operations agent Tracie Tanner is tasked with what should be a relatively straightforward mission: deliver a secret communique from Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

After smuggling the document out of East Germany, Tracie believes she is in the clear. She’s wrong. There are shadowy forces at work, influential people who will stop at nothing to prevent the explosive information contained in the letter from reaching the White House.

Soon, Tanner is knee-deep in airplane crashes and murder, paired up with a young Maine air traffic controller and on the run for their lives, unsure who she can trust at CIA, but committed to completing her mission, no matter the cost.

Dealing with Violence in Fiction

By Allan Leverone

A co-worker friend of mine recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Afterward, he came into work on crutches and with the knee immobilized in a brace, and was showing me the very tiny holes made in the vicinity of his knee, into which the arthroscopic devices had been inserted.

The holes were tiny. Minimally invasive.

I could hardly stand to look.

If you’ve read any of my books, you might find that assertion hard to believe. I don’t write violence just for violence’s sake, but I’ve spilled my share of fictional blood. Some would say more than my share. When the majority of your work is in the horror and thriller genres, violence and mayhem seem to naturally follow.

I’ve had people shot, stabbed, and beaten up. I’ve written car crashes, explosions, mining disasters and terrorist attacks.

And I have trouble looking at a tiny incision. In someone else’s knee.

My wife, on the other hand, enjoys watching those documentary-type TV shows about operations. You know the ones, on the Science Channel or whatever, where they show actual footage of surgeons repairing a hole in an infant’s aorta, or trying to fix the tissue trauma from a nasty gunshot wound, that sort of thing.

If I walk into the room while that kind of show is playing, I either turn around and walk right back out (okay, I run), or I ask my wife to change the channel (okay, I beg).

Why is that? How is it possible I can describe the most horrific scenes of carnage and destruction in the pages of a book, but my stomach does flip-flops at the sight of a beating heart muscle on television? How can I write about one human being shooting another at point-blank range, but when my kids were little, had to force myself not to panic beyond all reason when one of them suffered even a minor cut?

I suppose the answer would be the same thing that’s bothered human beings from the beginning of time, when we huddled in cold, cark caves hoping tonight wouldn’t be the night that pesky saber-toothed tiger prowling around outside didn’t tear us apart and eat us for dinner: fear of the unknown.

When I’m writing, no matter how gruesome the scene or how distasteful the subject matter, I can see it unfold in my head and I know where I’m going with it, more or less.

A surgical procedure taking place on TV, on the other hand, presents a cornucopia of potential outcomes, none of which are pleasing to my hyperactive imagination. Will blood start spurting from that beating heart the surgeon is holding in his gloved hand? What if he drops it? How about if he sneezes while making an incision? Will that be the end of the patient?

The same mindset applied when my kids were young and dripping blood from their cut fingers. They were injured and they were depending on me to care for them. Me! The guy who has a habit of entering rooms and forgetting why. The guy who can’t stand watching a surgical procedure on TV.

In the real world, the range of possibilities outside my control are endless, whereas when I’m writing, even if I don’t have a clear idea where I’m going in a scene, the range is limited to whatever I’m willing to write. There are lines that I know will never be crossed.

And that makes all the difference in the world.

In the case of PARALLAX VIEW, you can sense almost from the very beginning of the book that a violent confrontation – a showdown – is coming. That is the case in virtually all thrillers, so the reader knows going in to expect it and shouldn’t be terribly surprised when it happens.

What form that confrontation will take, and what outcome will result, is obviously up in the air, but a reader of genre fiction, particularly thrillers, presumably isn’t going to be turned off merely by the description of violence.

How about you? As a reader, do you tend to cringe when you come to the most explicitly violent portions of a book? Do you skip over those passages? How does your reaction to blood spilled on a page differ from your reaction to real-world violence, either televised or happening in front of you?

And can you remember why I came into this room?

Allan Leverone is the author of five novels, including the Amazon Top 25 overall paid bestselling thriller, THE LONELY MILE. He is a 2012 Derringer Award winner for excellence in short mystery fiction, as well as a 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee. Allan lives in Londonderry, NH with his wife and family, and a cat who has used up eight lives.

Visit his website at www.allanleverone.com.

Follow Allan:

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AllanLeveroneauthor and Twitter at https://twitter.com/allanleverone

This post first appeared at The Book Connection.

Review of The First Patient by Michael Palmer

The First Patient by Michael Palmer is an outstanding, exciting thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first page.

Years ago, Andrew (Drew) Stoddard and Gabe Singleton were roommates at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Then their lives took very different directions. Drew became a war hero, a governor, and soon President of the United States. Gabe ended up a country doctor living on a ranch in Wyoming, surviving various addictions as he lives with the fact that he killed a woman and her unborn child while driving drunk one night; an accident that sent him to prison.

When Drew and Marine One touch down on Gabe's ranch, Gabe learns that the president's personal physician has mysteriously disappeared and Drew wants Gabe to temporarily replace him. Not without reservations, Gabe agrees to go to Washington...but nothing could prepare him for the mess he dropped into.

While Drew is embroilled in a tight race for reelection, he might also be going insane; and Gabe will have to make the decision whether or not to invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment.

If you enjoy thrillers filled with suspense, mystery, action, and some political wrangling, then The First Patient is a must read.

Palmer is a master storyteller, weaving the reader through plot twists that lead her to believe everyone is a suspect, but knowing she must decipher the evidence to find out who is really responsible. A story full of lies, cover ups, and shocking addictions, Palmer's characters truly bring this novel to life: the war hero, turned governor, and now president; the Naval Academy student whose life takes a new direction after a tragic accident he can never forget; an overly protective father, and a virtual garden variety of special agents and operatives create an all too realistic of politics at its best...and its worst.

The First Patient is a satisfying, suspense-filled story of dynamic proportions that will thrill you up to its shocking end.


Title: The First Patient
Author: Michael Palmer
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN-10: 0-312-34353-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-34353-8
U.S. Price $25.95

This review first appeared at The Book Connection.