Book News & New Book Projects!

Hey friend! 

Thanksgiving has passed and the Christmas season is in full swing! Before you know it January will roll out and February will roll in, meaning A Cry in the Dark will be hitting online and brick-and-mortar bookshelves everywhere.

 

Maybe you haven’t added it to your Goodreads Want to Read shelf. Now would be a great time. I’m so excited about this book and following Violet’s story. I’ve had a lot of reader feedback and interest in her. You’ll get some more definitive answers to what transpired between her and the killer in Her Darkest Secret and quickly discover why she seems aloof and distant. It’s tragic really. But God’s grace is overwhelmingly good and it’s a story that showcases that!

Here’s a peek:

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder. 

As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.

In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

I can’t wait for you to read it. You can also preorder the book from your favorite retailers including Walmart and Target!

New Book Projects!

At the moment, I’m working on a new novel that will be included in a collection with some of your favorite inspirational authors. I’m using two characters from Her Darkest Secret for the heroine and hero. Any guesses who they might be? Oh, this book is going to be so fun! I’m writing it organically, meaning I haven’t plotted anything. All I know is how the killer is murdering his victims and why. I know the hero and heroine. AND fun fact: I’m setting it in Splendor Pines, East Tennessee where Rush Buchanan and Nora Livingstone are from in Cold Case Christmas, so you’ll see cameos and revisit the lovely mountain town in a sizzling hot summer!

The rest of the story will just come straight from what I’m imagining in that moment. I have no idea WHO the killer is or how the investigation is going to play out, but that’s okay. It’s all part of the joy of writing organically.

I’m also working on new books for Love Inspired Suspense in a Texas Crime Scene Cleaners series featuring two brothers and a sister! It’s been a lot of fun too. 

Lastly, I’ll be bringing you Tiberius Granger’s story in 2024! If you’ve read Her Darkest Secret,  you’ve met him and he’ll take a more active role in A Cry in the Dark as I prep him for his own wild story set in the Outerbanks, North Carolina during hurricane season. It’ll be a real thrill ride with some crazy wild twists and shocking ending–at least I hope it will be! 

So what are you up to these days? Reading any great thrillers? Let me know in the comments!

And if you care to guess who the characters might be from Her Darkest Secret, share in the comments. Patch Pack members already know, so no commenting from any of y’all! That’s cheating! 🙂 

 

Until next time,

Jess

Fragments of Fear

Y’all. For real. I am a such a fan of Carrie Stuart Parks’ books. They are some of my favorite suspense/thrillers. For those of you who enjoy romance, there are light romances…hints really in her books. But they can’t be labeled as romantic suspense.

I just finished reading her latest thanks to Netgalley. Fragments of Fear is a new book and seems to be a stand alone.

Stolen art. A New Mexico archaeological dig. An abandoned dog. And a secret that’s worth killing for.
Evelyn McTavish’s world came crashing down with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she receives a call that her dog is about to be destroyed at the pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine with her name and address makes it hers.

Evelyn recognizes the dog as one owned by archaeologist John Coyote because she was commissioned to draw the two of them. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner—but she arrives only to discover John’s murdered body.

As Evelyn herself becomes a target, she crosses paths with undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price. The more he gets to know her, the more personally invested he becomes in keeping her safe. Together, they’re desperate to find the links between so many disparate pieces.

And the clock is ticking.

There’s so much I adore about Carrie’s books, but let’s just chat about this one.

Characters: Well-crafted. Real. I related to the main character Tavish (love that nickname). She’s a bit cynical, but not in a “whiny I don’t like you” way. She’s had some hard hands dealt her in life. I also love her wit/humor. She’s a fighter, a survivor, and a searcher. I will say she finds everything she’s searching for which brings us to…

Faith Thread: Carrie always has a faith thread in her books, some a little more overt than others. This one is in the middle. I wouldn’t consider it preachy in any way and I think it can cross both markets, Christian readership and General Market without getting dinged for being “too Christian” or “not Christian enough”.

Suspense/Thriller: I enjoyed putting the puzzle pieces together while hanging on throughout the danger scenes and there were aplenty to keep avid suspense readers enthralled as well as mystery readers who love trying to figure out what is going on and whodunnit.

Resolution: Everything is wrapped up and explained in a natural way that makes sense. No ‘give me a break’ moments! At least not for me.

Highlight: If you love dogs, you’ll love really all of Carrie’s books as they have a direct role, but this one features a pretty cool Puli.

So put it on your TBR pile or go preorder it now so it will drop right into your Kindle on July 23rd, 2019 when it releases!

Preorder Fragments of Fear

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”