Your past will always find you. And it’s going to take everything you love away. Including your life.
“I graduated from college in 1971 with degrees in engineering and computer science. I was young; I believed in my country. The government.” Jackman Quint grimaced. “I believed in democracy and freedom—that the government had the citizens’ backs. It was my duty to preserve these ideals. I joined the ROTC. When I graduated I enlisted in the Army knowing I’d be deployed to Vietnam; I was going to be a hero.”
But everything changed when NSA spook, Chuck Nader got hold of him.
“I did some shitty things during that war. The whole thing was a lie. Vietnam was hell. I let Nader blackmail me into drugs and moving Vietcong opium through his network to the States. Got caught. Did time. But there was more. Secrets. I can’t say how or what, but my gut is telling me they’re connected.”
Now, thirty-two years later, just as Quint has reunited with his daughter JadeAnne, lost to him in the evacuation of Saigon, and found a woman he can love, Chuck Nader has shown up in Mexico City, and he's out for blood.
Grab your copy in Kindle, e-pub and paperback at your favorite on-line retailer.
Please leave a review wherever you buy the book. And reach out to me—I love to hear from readers!
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Early on the morning of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla summoned the largely Indian and mestizo congregation of his small Dolores parish church and urged them to take up arms and fight for Mexico’s independence from Spain. His El Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores, which was spoken—not written—is commemorated on September 16 as Mexican Independence Day. Join JadeAnne Stone and Dylan Porras at Plaza Hidalgo in Coyoacán for El Grito.
A man in a grey suit stepped onto the stage. Fancy-looking men and women trailed him to the chairs set up behind the podium. One of them looked familiar, Mayor Fallas. A younger man in a white-collared shirt with sleeves rolled up joined the luminaries, shaking hands and greeting some of the women with air kisses. He bustled to the podium and stepped behind the lectern, tapping the mic to test it. Live. He looked out into the audience and grinned. “¡Buenos noches, Mexico!” The crowd roared. “I’m Alonso Maldonaldo Trejo, the head of our independence day committee here to welcome you to the fiesta!” The clapping sounded like thunder. Alonso patted his hands down until the audience quieted. “You all know why we’re here—to celebrate almost two hundred years of independence from the tyranny of the Spanish Crown.”
More cheering, whistles, shouts of, “¡Viva!”
The crowd went wild as the church bells pealed in honor of the occasion.
When the old bells stopped reverberating, Alonso continued, “Tonight to lead us in El Grito de Dolores, we have our distinguished Alcalde Fallas, mayor of the greatest city in our nation! Let’s give him a big hand,” he said and turned to lead the mayor and his wife up to the mic, clapping over his head and grinning like a fool before backing away and sitting down. I wondered who the rest of the delegation were.
Dylan whispered his interpretation of the speech in my ear, keeping me in stitches until the smarmy egoist and his wife encircled each other’s waists and waved to the crowd. It was the clichéd photo op every politician delivered. And it was 11:59. A projectile sailed across the heads of the audience and splatted onto the stage. Alonzo scuttled out and grabbed another mic. “Countdown time! Everybody. 12-11-10-...” We shouted with the emcee, “siete...seis...cinco...”
Fallas counted down on his fingers and we all shouted with him, “... dos... uno. Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico!”
The plaza felt like it would lift off. Everywhere faces radiated joy and pride. The bells rang again, an allegro for fireworks blasting overhead and Mexico’s National anthem blasting out of the banks of speakers, “Mexicans at the cry of war, make ready the steel and the bridle...”
I apparently was the only person in the audience who didn’t know the words. Everybody sang.
And the fiesta got under way.
The dignitaries left the stage as the band members slung guitar straps over their shoulders. The drummer tapped out a military drumroll and the lead strummed an electric chord. Firecrackers popped crazily, and where they went off the crowd parted. The plaza thinned out and again the faces of revelers shifted. The crowd looked younger. And pretty wasted. I smelled mota, pot, on the air.
The band kicked into their first song.
“Let’s dance,” he shouted back and handed me down.
“I’ll need another margarita to dance to this. Punk? Really Dyl?”
He laughed and towed me to the margarita line. I wished I had earplugs. I hadn’t appreciated punk rock when it was popular, except for the Cars and the Police, which might not technically be punk, but I didn’t really know. We hit the front of the line and got double shots again. I swilled mine and let the driving beat move my feet. The lyrics were in English.
Dylan twirled me into the roistering mass gyrating to the driving beat. It was loud. The tenor of the evening shifted once again to something frenetic and sinister. Too many aggressive gang tats and tarted-up teens. I observed the people around me and began to feel like I’d fallen into a 21st century version of West Side Story. Call it South Side Story—and the relentless rhythm was firing up a rumble. I grabbed Dylan and jerked my head toward the pavement. Glass, broken booze bottles, trash being ground into paste under the people’s feet. We were in the middle of the mosh pit and the frenzy was a swarming hive of angry yellowjackets. I noticed the gang mudras, hand signals to friends, chin pointing, tensions rising. We had to leave, now.
I pulled Dylan’s arm and he folded me into his chest and rocked me wildly to the beat. I squirmed away. He didn’t see the danger and grasped my hand, twirling me back in. From the corner of my eye I caught movement, not dancing. A pod of prison tats sharking through the crowd, pushing dancers out of their way, opening a path toward another school near the bandstand jigging, cheering, passing flasks and bottles between them and their girls. I caught sight of several Zs. Fear gripped me.
I swung into Dylan and yelled, “Trouble ahead!”
He hooted and yelled, “You know it, baby!”
From Coyote~ Terror and Pursuit Across the Border, A JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventure #4
Celebrate Mexican Independence with a traditional dish. According to Patricia Quintana, Mexico's foremost expert in la cocina mexicana, Chiles en Nogada was created in the city of Puebla to commemorate Independence Day, August 21, 1821 in honor of General Augustine de Itúrbidr's defeat of the French. Its colors celebrate the colors of the Mexican flag: green, white and red. Although this dish was created to celebrate independence from France, it's one of the traditional dishes enjoyed on September 16th to commemorate Mexico's independence from Spain.
Chiles en Nogada
serves 8
Recipe Ingredients for Stuffing
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, plus 10 cloves garlic minced
1 large white onions, grated
1/2 lb ground pork
1 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground ham
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1 1/4 cups prunes, pitted and finely chopped
3/4 cup candied citron, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
3 large pears, finely chopped
3 peaches, finely chopped
2 apples, finely chopped
1 cups pineapple, finely chopped
1/2 plantain, finely chopped
3 large tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 tbs ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
5 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs marjoram
3/4 tbs freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt to taste
Recipe Ingredients for the Chiles
16 medium chiles poblanos (green fresh ancho peppers), roasted, seeded, deveined and soaked in salted water and vinegar for 6 hrs.
1 cup flour
Recipe Ingredients for the Batter
10 eggs, separated
1 tbs salt
3 tbs flour
2 quarts vegetable oil for deep frying
Recipe Ingredients for the Sauce
2 cups walnuts
3/4 cup skinned almonds
7 oz cream cheese
3.5 oz goat cheese
1.5 oz fresh cheese, such as feta
1/2 slice bread trimmed and soaked in milk
1 cups heavy cream or 1 cup heavy cream mixed with 1 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tbs grated white onion
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dry sherry
Salt to taste
Recipe Ingredients for the Garnish
Seeds from 3 pomegranates
1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
Recipe Instructions
Prepare the stuffing: Heat butter and oil in a saucepan. Brown 12 garlic cloves and discard. Brown minced garlic with onion. Add ground meats and saute until no longer red. Stir in raisins, prunes, citron, apricots, pears, peaches, apples, pineapple, plantain and tomatoes. cook until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 minutes.
Add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, pepper, sherry and white wine. SALT to taste. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool
Fill prepared chiles with cooled stuffing. Put flour on a piece of waxed paper. Roll chiles in flour and place on a tray. Cover and refrigerate.
Prepare the batter: Make batter in 3 batches, as needed or it will not remain fluffy. Beat 1/3 of egg whites with a little salt until stiff. Lightly beat 1/3 of egg yolks and 2 tbs flour to whites, folding in carefully.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan. Dip flour coated chiles in batter, one at a time and fry over medium heat. Do not crowed pan. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Prepare the sauce: boil walnuts in water to cover for 5 minutes. Remove from water. Peel skins. Boil almonds in water to cover for 25 minutes and soak in cold water. Peel skins. Grind walnuts and almonds in a blender or food processor, adding cream cheese, goat cheese, feta cheese, bread, cream, milk onion, sugar, cinnamon, sherry and salt. the mixture will be very thick. Refrigerate.
If you are using packaged nuts, wash walnuts and almonds and follow the procedure for fresh nuts.
To serve: Place cold fried chiles on a platter. Ladle walnut sauce on top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and garnish with parsley. (Chiles Rellenos en Nogada)
Viva Mexico!
Sneak Preview
Blacklash Venom and Vendetta from 'Nam
Jackman Quint spent four years in prison paying his debt to society for his crimes. Now, when he has someone to lose, his past finds him.
And it’s out for blood.
A JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventure #5—Quint's Story
Jackman Quint’s former CO, Chuck Nader, has a vendetta to settle. For Quint, the Vietnam war ended thirty-two years ago with a dishonorable discharge, a prison term, and his daughter JadeAnne lost to him. Shouldn’t Quint be the one with the grudge? He’s made a new life for himself, reunited with his daughter, expanded his investigations, and dipped his toe into the dating pool. Finally, life is going his way when Nader shows up in Mexico City on a top secret mission through the U.S. Embassy. Coincidence? But it’s soon clear, Nader is out for blood. And he won’t settle for killing Quint—he’s after everyone Quint loves. He’s already killed one of the team. If Quint can’t unravel why Nader is bent on his destruction, he’ll never be able to protect the team, his woman, or most importantly, JadeAnne. She flies home to Mexico City in less than a week. The days are counting down.
Backlash on sale November 15th. Watch for preorders and in-person appearances.
Join me at Sisters in Crime Norcal's Fall Showcase from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, November 12 at Books Inc 317 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA. I'll be presenting along with ten of my SincNorCal siblings. It's free and FUN!
For more information and social connections: www.anamanwaring.com linktr.ee/anamanwaring
Mexico~A mosaic of mystery, mayhem, and magic.
Okay, I don't usually toot my own horn, but I'm thrilled to share my
for Saints and Skeletons A Memoir of Living in Mexico.
Not convinced? Read the review! Five stars from Literary Titan
"Saints and Skeletons by Ann Manwaring offers a poignant and introspective narrative that delves into a life shaped by personal triumphs, struggles, and the unwavering quest for self-discovery. With eloquent prose and candid storytelling, Manwaring invites readers to immerse themselves in the depths of her experiences, bearing witness to the transformative power of vulnerability and resilience. "
Pages: 298 | ASIN: B0C4QLYLC8 Available on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords
Please join me and memoirist, Aletheia Morden, author of The Last Indentured Servant A Hollywood Memoir at Sonoma's Vintage House on Friday, July 21st at one o'clock for a reading from our recent books and discuss the lure of travel, relocation and the personal growth that accompanies living abroad. Moderated by Susan Savage.
HALF PRICE!
The JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventures
Monday, July 24th at 9:40 a.m. Marcia Macomber will interview me for her program, Mondays on the Morning Show at KSVY 91.3 FM and streaming at www.KSVY.org.
I Look forward to seeing you!
Find me at: www.anamanwaring.com and https://linktr.ee/anamanwaring
Fantasy Island in time for summer! Or is it? From the first paragraph through the relentless twists and turns to the last—I couldn't put Salt Island down.
"Imagine hearing nothing but seagulls and rolling surf for hours at a time. No talking, dogs barking, TVs, cars,empty enough to hold a thought in your head, idle enough to inspire daydreams. And when the shudder of fear shakes you back to earth, you’re still in your proverbial hammock, drinking in the countenance of paradise with the same hungry, cynical eyes. Could it be real, this place? Was it actually as safe as it seemed? Yes but for the ephemeral shadow in my heart, warning me that nothing was as it seemed, asking what the hell I was doing here."
I was lucky enough to attend Lisa Towles's book launch at a local B & N recently and hear her talk about writing the E & A Investigations series. Previously Towles wrote standalone thrillers, but these characters, Mari Ellwyn and Derek Abernathy had more to investigate. Mari is a fine arts gallery owner and moonlights as an investigator. Derek is a former investigator and police detective who she asks for help in book 1. It's not perfect to start, but the characters develop pitch perfect chemistry, "I liked the feel of his weight nudging the right side of my body right now, as some kind of tacit assurance that the strands of my life, one of them anyway, was still at least partially intact", as they come to trust and rely on each other to get the job done. “We share a deep love of the same two things. Puzzles and justice.”
They are close, but not every secret is revealed. Mari, especially, carries a dark secret, something she's compelled to uncover. Their investigation into corporate espionage and eco terrorism twists seamlessly through Mari's personal investigation into her past. And throughout both, the surprises and suspense will keep you reading into the wee hours—or a sunburn at the beach! Wear your dark glasses and use plenty of SPF 50+—you're in for a hot, exhilarating ride.
Author Lisa Towles at B & N
Book Synopsis:
Having established their new official partnership, the private investigation team of Mari Ellwyn and Derek Abernathy are tested to the extreme with two new cases involving high-stakes corporate espionage and eco-terrorism. Someone is trying to sabotage billionaire CEO Jack Darcy’s IPO deal and reputation, and now his glamorous wife – media darling and entrepreneur, has gone missing. Thryve, Darcy’s high-profile environmental startup, is lauded by investors as one of the best innovators of the decade. But a journalist has learned Darcy’s dirty little secret and is hell-bent on exposing it to investors and the world at large.
Pulled from their Southern California headquarters, Derek heads to the Central Valley to investigate two suspicious deaths from an explosion on a local farm. The deeper he digs, the more questions emerge about what the murdered farm workers may have witnessed – toxic chemical dumping linked to an oil and gas company. A shadow witness is gathering evidence but disappears before Derek can get to her. As Mari considers her next move in a much broader conspiracy of corporate corruption and environmental abuse, her partner’s gone undercover to find the missing witness, and now he’s off-grid.
Mari must reckon with powerful ghosts from her past – her missing father and the truth about his double identity and secret agenda. She embarks on her own investigation to the British Virgin Islands, one of her father’s secret haunts during his time as an active CIA operative, and uncovers details too painful to bear – about her father, herself, and her future.
Secrets can’t say buried forever, but now Mari is alone, exposed, and time is running out.
The follow up to Towles’s Hot House is already receiving a plethora of accolades. Check out what the reviewers are saying:
The Reviews Are In!
“Towles is a master when it comes to parallel story lines. Readers will love the quick pace and snappy dialogue of this thriller, and Mari is a character who jumps off the page and into your heart.”Literary Titan
“Likeable, interesting characters and a confident narrative keep the pages turning of this crime thriller, in a series that harkens Evanovich, Grafton, and Millhone.”RECOMMENDED, The US Review of Books
If you haven't read any of Lisa Towles's thrillers before, try one! I've read them all. Read my review of Hot House and an interview with author Lisa Towles here.
Meet the author:
No spoiler, but keep on the lookout for Towles' November standalone release—Terror Bay. It's going to be another hit!
This action-packed memoir/travelogue formed the real-life backdrop to what later became the successful JadeAnne Stone thriller series. Starting in the summer of 1991, Saints and Skeletons takes you through the back roads of Mexico, Belize, and the Peten region of northern Guatemala, where author, teacher and former journalist Manwaring camped out in ruins, sampled exotic foods, smoked loco weed atop pyramids, drank mescal out of the still, skinny dipped in Zipolite, found lost cities, and learned to make a killer margarita. In the process, she also experienced love, betrayal and loneliness. As doors opened and walls crumbled in her heart, skeletons tumbled out and, occasionally, saints appeared just when Manwaring needed them most.
This action-packed memoir/travelogue formed the real-life backdrop to what later became the successful JadeAnne Stone thriller series. Starting in the summer of 1991, Saints and Skeletons takes you through the back roads of Mexico, Belize, and the Peten region of northern Guatemala, where I camped out in ruins, sampled exotic foods, smoked loco weed atop pyramids, drank mescal out of the still, skinny dipped in the Pacific at Zipolite, found lost cities, and learned to make a killer margarita. In the process, I also experienced love, betrayal and loneliness. As doors opened and walls crumbled in my heart, skeletons tumbled out and, occasionally, saints appeared just when I needed them most.
"In Manwaring’s immersive memoir, Saints and Skeletons, she deftly takes her reader on a pilgrimage to Mexico. Rendered with heart and vulnerability, we observe her inner life through the risky choices she regrets, the love she desires, the sublime beauty she discovers. Don’t miss this multi-sensory adventure of a lifetime." JC Miller, Amazon #1 author of Vacation, Believing in Bigfoot, Heliotrope and Larkspur (2023)
Preorder your digital format now and pick up your paperback on June 21st. Available from most digital retailers.
It's raining! It's raining so much, it's flooding—the perfect time to stay inside and get cozy with a cup of hot chocolate and an exciting book. Here are my winter thriller picks:
Re-releasing on January 18th by award-winning crime writer, Lisa Towles, Choke won A Big NYC Book Award in 2018 and has been cited as a"compelling story" and "a smoking' good read". I totally agree. It’s a IUPH reprint that was originally published by Rebel Publishers in 2017. I loved it then and again! In typical Towles-style, this fast-paced psychological thriller is a puzzle for the reader to piece together. Through snappy dialog, characters' on-going internal anguish and tightly crafted and complicated plotting, Choke is a thrilling ride guaranteed to keep you awake way too late. I highly recommend Choke—and all of Lisa Towles's thrillers. See the trailer here.
Kerry Stine's life is destroyed when she's blamed for the death of a hospital patient. Not only is she fired, but she's wanted by the police. On top of this, a squatter in her apartment thinks she's hiding a priceless historical treasure—and wants it. Elsewhere, Dr. Adrian Calhoun is a target and a liability to the pharmaceutical industry for the controversial cancer cure he's developed. Kerry's search for the truth about her squatter leads her to a different truth – about a part of her past she’s not ready to face and a precious jewel that can’t possibly be hers. Adrian must protect not only himself but his secret formula and his vulnerable control group, before Pharma gets to them first. The destinies of Adrian and Kerry collide to piecing together stunning revelations that change their lives forever.
Published in 2021, Blood's Echo is the first of three Veranda Cruz police procedurals set in Phoenix, Arizona. Veranda is determined to take down the heir to a ruthless Mexican cartel, but is she willing to lose everything, including her life, to see justice? Not only is Bartolo Villalobos unstable and vicious, but foes on the force stand in her way. Her new homicide team and an arsonist ally are drawn into the danger as the investigation heats up. When Veranda learns information held secret for years, she has no choice but to protect her family . . . and stop Villalobos.
Blood's Echo deservedly won the Mariposa Award for the best First Novel. It's a fast-paced, thrilling procedural dealing with some of the most dangerous police work: fighting the drug cartels. Hank Phillippi Ryan describes it as, "Taut, tense, and relentlessly authentic. Isabella Maldonado-with her unique personal knowledge of the danger, conflict and emotional toll of law enforcement is an important new voice in crime fiction." I picked up my copy before getting on a plane and only put it down when I disembarked three hours later. Everything about Blood's Echo kept me reading. Veranda is smart and strong, but she's also a loving family member. I loved being a fly on the wall observing her big Latin immigrant family. I will read the rest of this series and the touted Nina Guerrera series too. Don't miss this high tension, adrenaline producing thriller by Isabella Maldonado.
“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”
- Mortimer J. Adler
All Her Little Secrets is one of the best books I've read. Wanda M. Morris is an accomplished writer; her sentences are beautiful, her language is intelligent, and her ability to drop into various voices is smooth. The book is an edgy, hard look at racism, secrets, the legal system, and family. Morris doesn't mince words. Character Ellice Littlejohn's descriptions of being a powerless poor Black child in Georgia and an invisible Black professional woman in Atlanta are heart wrenching. Ellice's secrets might have held her back, but her strength and determination to protect her family keep her going where a lesser person would give up. What a debut! All Her Little Secrets won the 2022 Lefty Award for Best Debut Novel. Congratulations Wanda! I look forward to more of Wanda M. Morris's books.
Ellice Littlejohn has an Ivy League Law degree, a great corporate job in Atlanta and a long-time lover—who is white and her boss. When she finds him on his office floor shot through the head, she walks away. But why? She's afraid her past, her jailbird brother, her impoverished upbringing, must remain secret. The following day she's promoted to her boss's position, but why didn't the top executives go to the funeral? Ellice, the only Black employee, starts to uncover the rot at the core of the corporation. As she gets closer to the company secrets, her own secrets are exposed. It's a moral and ethical nightmare, and a heart-pounding ride!
Okay! Pick a book or three and make the perfect hot chocolate. Here's how:
1 cup milk, soy milk, almond milk, or water
1 package/disc Taza Chocolate Discs (any flavor)
Salt to taste
TO PREPARE:
1. Roughly chop or grate one disc of any flavor and set aside.
2. Heat one cup of milk or water in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below a simmer.
3. Remove the milk from heat and add a pinch of salt.
4. Slowly mix in the chocolate, stirring frequently until dissolved.
5. When the chocolate is dissolved, return the mixture to the stove and re-warm over low heat.
6. While the chocolate is warming, use a whisk or molinillo to froth the chocolate.
7. When the chocolate is hot and frothy, remove from heat and serve.
Police detective Kate Barnes is becoming a criminal profiler with the help and insight of her mentors. When Kate’s young protégé is brutally murdered in a ghastly public display, Kate discovers she is central to the murderer’s plan, and vows to capture the perpetrator. Soon, it’s clear the murderer is the infamous Tower Torturer, a serial killer known for his medieval-style cruelty, who has emerged after years of inactivity. But why now? And why is he interested in Kate? She struggles to get ahead of the monster, but he is two steps out of reach, taunting her throughout the complex, twisted plot. Kate is horrified and darkly attracted to this case, which stretches her abilities to their limits and causes her to step up to a new level of police detecting. Dark Associations has been compared to the Silence of the Lambs for its psychological suspense and sheer creepiness. I couldn’t put the book down. The story is grisly, the plot relentless and the characterization of Kate is deep. Marie Sutro’s 2017 series debut, Dark Associations
, is an excellent entree to the Kate Barnes series. Although late to the party, I’m anticipating reading more of these frightening, compelling thrillers. #2, Dark Obsessions is already on my TBR pile.
by Aletheia Morden
“From the English countryside to San Francisco and Venice Beach, California, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea contains stories of the ups and downs of family life, plus a little murder.” is the message on the back cover, that doesn’t quite capture the droll, ironic, sometimes disturbing, yet always surprising nature of the nine stories in this slim volume. I laughed. I cried. I thought about my own familial experiences, and above all, I stayed up way too late reading! My favorite story, “The Queen of Tonga.”
Dubbed “the thriller nouveau,” Martell’s first in a post-cold war series written in the 1990s, is a masterpiece of intention, angst, danger and dark action. Antihero Pascal, marked for his selling out his comrades in a 1980s radical group is trying to atone for past sins. He lives alone hand-to-mouth, flophouse to cheap hotel to back alley taverns in Barcelona, hiding. When he thinks he might have escaped his past, ex-lover Katixa with a suitcase of cash stolen from a political kidnapping in hand, turns up. She’s looking for away out of Spain and Pascal can’t resist her. On the run, Pascal hones his old skills to survive as betrayal dodges their steps and he realizes everything is a lie. Tension runs high throughout. Tightly crafted to put the reader into Pascal’s mind, I couldn’t help but experience the action in a visceral way. As dark as this story is, I cared about Pascal. I wanted him to triumph. Not only did I visit parts of Barcelona no tourist ever sees, but I was introduced to the familiar streets of Barri Gótic, anew—narrow, winding, dark-shadowed and suspicious. Some have criticized the writing style as ponderous for its deep characterization. I found the exploration of morality juxtaposed against Pascal’s passion and the violence of this fictional world to be superb—it’s what elevates Lying Crying Dying above a straight spy thriller. If you love suspense, getting into the character’s heads, travel, and the post-cold war spy genre of novel, read this book!
by Crissi Langwell
I’d never heard of a ‘second chance romance’ before, being mostly a crime fiction reader, but For the Birds by Crissi Langwell has made me a convert. How could a second chance at lost love not be entertaining? This book does not disappoint! From the darling cover designed by the author herself, to the make-you-laugh-and-cry story, to the surprise twists throughout, and the warm, engaging prose I was riveted. Cricket has been pining for her lost love, Sonny, for a year since he took a job in another state. Now he’s back and the two are tasked to organize an anniversary party for Sonny’s new boss. Cricket can’t let him know she still cares. Meanwhile Cricket’s sister has sent her an exotic bird before turning up injured. Cricket is pried out of her closed-down life to deal with the obnoxious pet, a hurting sister and keeping herself from losing her tattered heart all over again—all while she goes on her own journey of self-discovery. Cricket is a great character, one I think many of us will find inside of ourselves. I commend author Langwell for her wonderful humor, great dialog and beautifully written passages. If this is what today’s romance books are like, I want more!
by Ron Kinscherf illustrated by FolksnFables
Ron Kinscherf has created a wonderful concept with his Papa Tell Me a Book series. I've just read Blanket and am thoroughly charmed. Little David doesn't nap anymore, he "rests," but not before he asks his grandfather to 'tell him a book' and picks a theme. This one is a blue blanket that has been handed down through the ages. Of course, David falls asleep during the story and dreams. He's got quite an imagination spinning out of a blanket into dragons, monkeys and crocodiles. The illustrations from FolksnFables are delightful. This series, written for children aged baby to seven years, is a perfect introduction to books, storytelling and reading. The language is simple and by seven a child could read it to himself. In my book, entertainment and learning are the perfect combo! Kudos to author Ron Kinscherf for giving Papi and Grana a new book to share with our little fellow.
A blackmailed Court of Appeals judge from the 9th Circuit, a French art exchange student with something to sell, and Mari E, investigator with an agenda of her own, sets another Towles jigsaw puzzle of characters, clues, motivations, and surprises in motion.
Mari E is Marissa Ellwyn, wealthy owner of the prestigious Marissa Ellwyn Gallery, but when a former detective, her soon-to-be partner knocks, it’s on the door of her work-trailer in a seedy section of L.A.’s Fashion District. They’ve both got things to hide, but she needs back up and he has the skills. Mari is being followed by a dark grey van and has received threatening messages—obviously someone objects to her investigation, but for Mari, “The fate of my family and my heart depended on it.”
Abernathy is investigating a college student who has died suspiciously along with the disappearances and deaths of two reporters following the case and the trail that leads to the judge. The cases are linked and as they investigate, threats come from all sides, even from Mari’s former handlers at the CIA.
Hot House moves at break-neck speed from its seemingly straightforward investigation into a shadowy mystery. Although the story is infused with humor and delightful touches like Trevor, Mari’s “Human Resources Director,” a German mastiff, the motivations of characters make for a dark and layered plot. Mari and Derek are professional and determined, mostly sticking to legal investigating techniques. Both have secret histories with the LAPD Chief of Detectives, and both think the PD did a poor job of the initial search, but it’s not until the dead coed’s secrets come to light that some of the puzzle pieces form a picture. And it isn’t pretty.
I found Hot House thought provoking and suspenseful. I shouted “Ah Ha!” at the end of Chapter Fifteen when a clue fell into place for me, and I realized how much fun I was having trying to solve the case. Besides the charming banter between Mari and Derek, the book challenged me. I jotted thoughts and reactions while reading: oh, crap, this goes deep, uh-oh, hmmm-so why surveillance? What? What? And finally the shocking end—I just plain: didn’t see it coming!
Mari E and Derek Abernathy (and Trevor) make a great investigative team in this first of the E & A Investigations Series. The next book can’t get into my hands fast enough! Hot House may have surpassed The Unseen as my favorite Towles novel. All I can say is, the books just keep getting better and better! (Don’t miss The Ridders coming this fall.)
am: Where did the inspiration for Hot House come from?
LT: My husband gave me a character name he thought of one day (he does that sometimes) - Derek Abernathy. I told him to write the name down and put it on the top shelf of an open file on my desk (so I'd see it every day). 18 months later (LOL!) I started writing Hot House. Why that amount of time, how did my husband know that Derek Abernathy was going to be an important part of my future? That's part of the mystery and magic of fiction writing...and marriage 🙂
am: Like many of your protagonists, Mari Ellwyn is complicated and has something to prove and something to heal. What draws you to this type of character?
LT: I love this intriguing assessment - prove and heal. You're right! And when you say it in those terms, I think every good protagonist has these elements. Like real people, fictional characters can have an external face that they show the world (how they want to be seen) and a more personal side of how they authentically feel. For Mari, I think she's trying to prove that she's healed from her shot-in-the-line-of-duty trauma and she's ready for prime time with a new partner. But what I think she's still working on, in this book, is being able to trust other people, which will be an issue for her as she starts this new relationship with Derek.
am: What defines Hot House as a Psychological thriller?
LT: Hot House could be thought of as a psychological thriller because the story has a psychological component in it as it relates to central victim of the story: Sophie Michaud. The narrative and backstory of Sophie's mental illness played an integral role in why she was targeted by her killer and ultimately why she died.
am: I find your work to be like jigsaw puzzles. Bits of information need to be identified then tried in different directions to find where they fit. Eventually it all comes together.
LT: I've always loved puzzles, and for people who love puzzles, they typically don't mind the not-knowing and temporary state of confusion when it comes to crime investigation. We look for obvious clues that are visible on the surface. And whether those pan out or not, there are always underlying layers of truth that have been established to conceal a crime and its perpetrators.
am: Do you think your background in IT has you wired to think in non-linear ways?
LT: Such an interesting question. Software engineering, I suppose, is a good metaphor for crime investigation. You write code to develop a new application (writing parallel: a theory), but there's a significant amount of testing and verification in many different contexts and scenarios to ensure that it actually works (proving the theory, evidence, etc). And on the less linear side, there's an important component of "debugging", which is a problem-solving investigation to fix any defects and things that don't work correctly. And I think this is where the creativity and thinking-out-of-box comes in. Why doesn't something work as expected? What are the variables that could be playing a role? When it comes to real and fictional criminal investigations, details arise that might not readily fit into a framework you've created for a suspect. But often investigators feel or sense a connection that might not be visible by others (a hunch). THIS is the nonlinear part. Not sure if working in IT or just reading mysteries since I was a little girl made be interested in this. I just know the investigations are fascinating and great fun.
am: What draws you to the thriller genre? Do you write in more than one subgenre of thriller?
LT: I think the pace, stakes, and vibe of thrillers draws me in as a reader, and that's what I'm pulled to write as well. My second book, Blackwater Tango, was also a psychological thriller, about a psychologist/profiler investigating a serial killer. I've heard from my readers (body in a lobster trap) that this was my creepiest book of all - LOL! The Ghost of Mary Prairie (2007) was very different - what I called a heartland suspense, about a 15 year old boy in rural Oklahoma investigating a ghost he encounters, which leads back to his family's tangled past. BooksRadar is a great site that shows all of my books, with descriptions, in the order they were published: https://www.booksradar.com/towles-lisa/towles.html
am: You have a full time IT job, how do you manage to publish two books a year?
LT: Honestly it's a constant struggle. Luckily I'm a night owl and I do most of my writing after 9pm and on weekends when I'm more relaxed and have time to think and reflect about my work in progress. I've learned that the Pomodoro Method (writing in 25 minute blasts) works well for me. But it's a hard negotiation to consistently juggle my day job, writing new work, editing my work, and marketing/promotion.
am: What kind of publishing team do you use?
LT: I've had a wonderful experience working with Indies United Publishing House for my last two books and I'm really excited to keep going. And I'm so grateful to have an Editor who I completely trust, some smart beta readers (like you, Ana!), loving friends and family who support me, and a growing community of engaged readers who kindly provide feedback to let me know what I'm doing right, what needs refining, and what's most important to them. After all, nothing is more important than our readers! 🙂
am: What was your first book?
LT: My first book (published under Lisa Polisar) was published in 2003, a suspense novel called Knee Deep about a body discovered in a mineral mine in rural New Mexico (where I lived for many years).
am: What’s coming next?
LT: My next publication is one of my favorite books, a political thriller called The Ridders, due for release on November 30, 2022.
am: When will the next E &A Investigations book come out?
LT: Book 2 in the E&A series, called Salt Island, will be released by Indies United on June 14, 2023
AVAILABLE: Amazon, B & N, Indies United Publishing House
We've made it to summer. While coronavirus remains a threat, the weather is warm and, until fire season, we have a great opportunity to read (and drink!) So pull your lounge chair into the shade, mix a martini, and sink into a good read.
The Paris Package by A.W. Harton, set in pre-WW2 Europe. A young American couple on honeymoon in Vienna take possession of a book the Nazis don't want to surface, and they must get the book to its rightful owner in Paris. The SS knows they've got it and are on their trail. I'm trying the Kindle/audiobook sync on this one. Too exciting to put down! I can listen while I make dinner.
The Blue Period by Luke Jerod Kummer about the young Picasso's "blue period" as he bounced between Barcelona and Paris. Kindle.
Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon—seven Outlander universe short stories to tide us through the season break! Audiobook.
Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart all about the sordid lives of plants behaving badly. Want to kill, maim, intoxicate or possibly drive someone mad? Do it nature's way. Paperback.
No Bad Deed the debut thriller by Heather Chavez turns my home county into a menacing backdrop to a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Hardbound.
Not for everyone on the list, Steven James, Story Trumps Structure. How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules is jam-packed with great information. It was recommended by my favorite writer of mysteries set in Paris, Cara Black. She's written 19 books. I've read them all. Start with the first book: Murder in the Marais and finish with the latest, Three Hours in Paris.
Finally, the drinking part! A Drinkable Feast. A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris by Philip Greene. Did you ever wonder what the Lost Generation drank and where they drank it? A Drinkable Feast not only offers the recipes, but tells the stories behind the drinks and the artists, writers, and celebrities who drank them. My favorite so far? The Bailey created by Gerald and Sara Murphy, wealthy American ex-pats—the inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald's protagonists in Tender is the Night.
The Bailey
2 oz. Hendricks gin
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
1-2 tsp. simple syrup
2 sprigs of mint
Tear up the mint leaves into a shaker, add the gin and steep for a couple of minutes, add the grapefruit then lime juices. Shake with ice and don't allow it to dilute. Strain into a wine or cocktail glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. Enjoy!
Drinking and literature—a time honored pairing!
And if you haven't already, pop open a Victoria and try out the JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventures. Lawn chair travel—next best thing to being there! These will offer you plenty of suspense and muy rico meals. Book three, Nothing Comes After Z is scheduled for release late this year.
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(and if poetry is your thing, check out Nature Girl. All available on Amazon)
I am thrilled to introduce my followers to a new friend and writer I met at this year's Left Coast Crime conference. Anne Louise Bannon saved my voice with menthol drops during Author Speed-Dating, where we presented our books to almost 200 readers. (I'd say she was a lifesaver, but they were Hall's.) Later, after the conference went on the chopping block of coronavirus, Anne Louise saved my sanity (I couldn't get my flight changed) at the bar, where we flirted with the handsome bartender and discovered we have in common a taste for Virusvodkatinis and Long Good Bye Gimlets.
Today, Anne Louise Bannon is helping us build a better story during lockdown with her Happy Crusade. Let's give her a warm welcome!
INTRODUCING ME AND MY LATEST CRUSADE
By Anne Louise Bannon
When Ana Manwaring stopped by my blog last month [https://annelouisebannon.com/ana-manwaring-on-writing/], she asked me to come by here for a visit. So, here I am.
I met Ana at the aborted Left Coast Crime conference last March. We both got to participate in one major event, the Author Speed-Dating. Basically, we authors go from table to table, and offer up a two-minute pitch to the readers at each table. I knew it was going to be intense as hell because I’d been at a similar event for winemakers a couple years before.
You see, I’m also a wine blogger with my husband. The blog, OddBallGrape.com [https://oddballgrape.com], is on an extended hiatus for now. But a couple years ago, we were more active and at a conference for wine bloggers, we tasted while winemakers went from table to table and poured in two-minute pitches. With the Author Speed-Dating, I was looking forward to being on the other side of the table.
I am a pretty confident public speaker, which means I appreciate the value of rehearsal. Ana, who would also be presenting that morning, caught me muttering my pitch to myself, and came over and gave me another chance to rehearse. I may have mentioned that I was a touch nervous (which one should be – it keeps you on your toes). What a sweet offering! I did, of course, then remembered my manners, and heard her pitch, as well. It was wonderfully dramatic – just enough tongue in cheek for the occasion, but gave a lovely sense of the more dramatic work she was presenting.
So, we got to talking afterward, exchanged contact information, and we both have dates for a drink when we land in the other’s territory. Assuming we ever get off lockdown, that is.
Which brings me to the main reason I wanted to write about Ana’s act of kindness. You see, as scary as things are, it helps me to feel better when I can do something nice for someone else. Also, at a recent Zoom meeting, I pointed out that happy or funny stuff often helps me deal with the more dire events of the day. The idea that we’re helpless in the face of being stuck at home as the headlines get worse and worse is not the way it really is. There are things we can do, including being present to somebody whose anxiety levels have hit the ceiling. We can look at Mary Tyler Moore re-runs for a good laugh to restore our spirits. We can write about our scary feelings and turn them into a really, really powerful story.
At that same meeting, somebody asked for some happy stuff to read. What I’m proposing: in the comments here, you share books that make you happy for one reason or another. Admittedly, what constitutes happy stuff will vary from person to person. Some folks might love a good horror story, with the return to order making them feel a lot better about the scary stuff we’re facing. Me? Not so much. I want to laugh, but that’s me. The idea is to discover new faves and maybe stretch ourselves a little, if that helps. Authors, here’s a chance to help your friends.
Like my friend Carol Louise Wilde, who has a wonderful series called the Nagaro Chronicles. It starts with Gift of Chance. It’s technically a fantasy because it doesn’t take place in the real world as we know it, but there’s no magic. The story is about a young man whose escape from political intrigue and those who would control him forces him on the journey to his true destiny. It’s not exactly funny, but it’s a rip, roaring good yarn, and that makes me feel good, too. Oh, and Ana Manwaring has some lovely thrillers, too.
But it’s your turn. What’s your happy stuff?
Anne Louise Bannon is an author and journalist who wrote her first novel at age 15. Her journalistic work has appeared in Ladies' Home Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Wines and Vines, and in newspapers across the country. She was a TV critic for over 10 years, founded the YourFamilyViewer blog, and created the OddBallGrape.com wine education blog with her husband, Michael Holland. She is the co-author of Howdunit: Book of Poisons, with Serita Stevens, as well as author of the Freddie and Kathy mystery series, set in the 1920s, the Operation Quickline Series and the Old Los Angeles series, set in the 1870s. Her most recent title is Sad Lisa. She and her husband live in Southern California with an assortment of critters. Visit her website at AnneLouiseBannon.com, and look for her latest release:
Link to books: https://annelouisebannon.com/fiction/
Editor's note:
I'm currently enjoying, Death of the Zanjero, Book 1 of the Old Los Angeles series, set in 1870, the time ranchers and farmers paid the zanjero for rights to access water. I heard the pitch at Author Speed-Dating, "When life was cheap and water could cost you everything."
When Burt Rivers's body floats up out of the irrigation ditch, or zanja, winemaker and healing woman Maddie Wilcox must find out who killed him, a chase that will tax her intellect, her soul and her very belief in humanity before she's done.