Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee

Book Description

Family secrets and fresh romance collide in this heart-pounding Richter series installment by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon knows how to expose secrets: she’s a skilled operative with MacBain Security and Solutions. When Jax hears her parents are divorcing, she races to London to find out why. She’s determined to learn the truth, especially when her investigation uncovers why her parents sent her to Richter, the German military school that made her a fighter.

Andrew Craig collects Jax at Heathrow Airport as a favor. He’s heard she’s a handful, but he didn’t know she’s dangerously gorgeous too. His instant attraction could change his life…or end it.

Jax doesn’t want to fall for Andrew, but soon he’s worming his way into her life. Together, they infiltrate Richter to discover if it has returned to its covert purpose: training children to be spies and assassins and blackmailing parents to look the other way. As the attraction between the two intensifies, so do the secrets exploding all around them. How deadly are those secrets—and who will survive?

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Elise’s Thoughts

An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee shows why she is a master storyteller who writes formidable characters. Readers get to catch up with her past heroes and heroines: Claire, Cooper, Sasha, Neil, and Gwen. But anyone who has not read her should considering the great mix of suspenseful drama, action, and romance. With each new installment the series gets better and better.

As with the other heroines in the series, Jacqueline (Jax) Simon is a badass woman.  They all are put in dangerous undercover situations by the private investigation security company they work for.  Having overcome the corrupt boarding school that basically raised them these women, Sasha, Olivia, Claire, and Jax have skills that would make James Bond jealous. 

In this story, Jax returns to her native England after receiving a call from her brother.  He needs help figuring out why their parents split up and their dad has moved in with him. The parents are being very secretive about their marital problems. Through her own investigation, Jax discovers that her being sent off to the German military school, Richter, has something to do with her parents’ marital problems. With the help of her current boyfriend, Andrew Craig, Jax’s brother’s best friend, they infiltrate Richter hoping to find if it’s returned to its bad ways, training the children there to be spies and assassins while blackmailing the parents to look the other way. 

Along with the action are relationship stories.  Jax must overcome her feelings of abandonment by her parents.  Because she has never had a close relationship with her mother, they both must have heart-to-heart chats about their feelings.  In fact, many times throughout the book Jax says to her mother, “you did not know, because you never asked.” Jax also has come to realize she has feelings and is attracted to Andrew.  He is not intimated by her skills with guns and spy technology and is very supportive.

When finished, readers will be disappointed because the gripping story has ended and at this time there is not another book in the making.  Anyone who enjoyed this book should contact Catherine to continue the storyline, especially since it appears that the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger.  Let Catherine know if there should be more books in the series by contacting her at https://catherinebybee.com/contact/.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you go about finding the idea for this story?

Catherine Bybee:  Overall, the previous books, “The Bride Series” prompted the espionage writing for this series.  Neil, the head of McBain Security and Solutions is a character I kept alive in all the books.  The challenge of any series is making sure each character has a different focus; although, there are similarities between them.  My heroine, Jax, highlights the other side of what happened at the Richter School.  She was not being groomed to be an assassin and was there because her parents wanted to keep some secrets.  They wanted to keep her isolated.  By the way, sending children off to a boarding school happens a lot in Europe even though it is a foreign concept to Americans.  Jax seemed to avoid the controversy and focused on receiving an exceptional education.

EC:  In the beginning this book highlighted Claire versus Sasha?

CB: Claire is Sasha’s “Mini-Me.”  She is not as hard, jaded, and worldly as Sasha. To find out about Sasha’s life people might want to read the whole “First Wives Series.” It explains the reason Sasha turned out the way she did.  She is more reserved and more of a loner than Claire.  She cannot sit still and even in this book works solo. Both Claire and Sasha are very competitive, which is seen in the books when they participate in obstacle courses.

EC: You are speaking about the Camp Pendleton Mud Run and skydiving out of an airplane?

CB:  Yes.  The Mud Run used to be open to the public, before Covid.  I did dive out of an airplane when I was in Hawaii a couple of years back.  My friend and I did it tandemly with a professional.  I checked it off my bucket list so it is not something I will do again.

EC:  Are Neil and Sasha co-equals?

CB:  Even though it is Neil’s team he never treats anyone as an employee.  Claire becomes a daughter to him with Jax as his stepdaughter.  Throughout this series, as well as all my series, the family is those chosen not the ones born into.  For example, Jax and Claire are sisters of choice and are close.

EC:  How would you describe Jax?

CB:  She did not have a very good actual family life although she does redeem her relationship with her mother.  She is wounded and feels neglected.  She is the epitome of the poor little rich girl, very aware of how privileged she is. She was never a troublemaker but made sure while at school the skills were learned.  She is sassy, loyal, daring, witty, traditionally English, and resourceful.

EC:  How would you describe Andrew?

CB:  He is a different type of hero than the others in the series.  Andrew is a pencil pusher.  Upper crust British, determined, traditionalist, thoughtful, and a good listener. 

EC:  How about the relationship between Andrew and Jax?

CB:  He is the perfect man who her parents would have picked for her, but the opposite of what she thinks she needs.  I made sure he did not have a life in her world.  I wanted to show how men can be supportive of women who are like Jax.  He never felt emasculated and was willing to be a part of her life.  At first, Jax is standoffish because her parents wanted someone like him for her.  Sometimes children need to come to grips that their parents are not always wrong.  As they get to know each other she is surprised that she is attracted to him.  The challenge for me was to have them fall in love without it feeling forced.  He is good at making her think it is her idea and then gets what he wants from her.

EC:  What role do Jax’s parents play?

CB:  They are the type that had children because that is what was expected.  They are reserved, uppity, and never appreciated or understood her.  They always underestimated her.  I based it on a personal level for me because my parents underestimated me my whole life. 

EC:  The ending was up in the air?

CB:  I did not look at it as a cliff hanger but that the series came full circle.  If there is a next book, I could explore how the school groomed these children and taught them to be assassins.  Because most of my readers thought the ending was a cliff hanger, I guess I will have to write another book. I do not want to reinvent the wheel with a new espionage series when I have so many rich characters to play with. I would love to hear from people as to what they think about a fourth book in this series, https://catherinebybee.com/contact/.

EC:  What about your next book?

CB:  In June 2022, will be a kind of a women’s fiction book.  The new series is called “The D’Angelo’s” and is titled When It Falls Apart.  It takes place in Little Italy, San Diego.  It is based on my real life where I had to deal with an aging father, while at the same time piecemealing my life back together because of my own tragedies and issues.  The heroine, Brooke Turner, has always had a complicated relationship with her father. But when his health takes a turn for the worse, she drops everything to care for him. What Brooke doesn’t anticipate is the unraveling of her long-term relationship and a cross-country move to San Diego’s Little Italy. She will have a romance with Luca, a single father.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard

Book Description

Criminal psychologist Erin Larson’s dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her own life in a boating accident on Puget Sound and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job as a criminal psychologist to care for her mother in Montana. At least she is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell’s father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin’s help to solve the case. She’s good at what she does. The only problem? She’s his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted–and that the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

The race is on for the truth in this gripping and complex tale of suspense, intrigue, and murder from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard has a suspenseful mystery with a sweet romance. This is the second book in the Rocky Mountain Courage Series. Each book highlights the life of three childhood friends with this one featuring criminal psychologist Erin Larson. 

After barely surviving a kayaking incident Erin Larson receives a call from her former boyfriend that her mother attempted suicide.  Dropping everything, she travels to Montana to take care of her mother, bringing her current career to a halt.  She comes face to face with Nathan Campbell, a search and rescue climber and diver, who feels betrayed by her after she walks out the relationship.  He is also feeling betrayed by his estranged father who has also come back into his life.

Unfortunately, their reunion is short lived.  Trying to bond on a fishing expedition, Nathan’s father tells him about a cold case investigation he is working on his own. As he is talking someone shoots him in the head, rendering him unconscious.  Because Nathan wants answers, he begins his own investigation into the shooting and cold case.  Knowing that Erin has a podcast dealing with cold cases of missing children Nathan turns to her for help.  She and Nathan begin to work together to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, and soon they find themselves caught in the target sights of someone who is trying to kill them.  They also must come to grips with secrets of their past, feelings that the old flame is burning again.

This plot is fast paced with many twists and turns. There are a wide range of suspicious characters who could be the culprit.  The story highlights hope, faith, and trust.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  Why the different settings of Washington, Montana, and Boston?

Elizabeth Goddard:  I grew up In Texas and have traveled extensively with my husband.  We currently reside in Washington State.  My husband is a Montanan, so I have knowledge of that area. I have ben to other locations including Boston and I do live near Puget Sound Washington.

EC:  How would you describe Nathan?

EG:  He is a good guy but has many disappointments in his life.  He tries to take a bad situation and look for a silver lining.  Because he was estranged from his father, he has daddy issues he is trying to work through.  Overall, he is supportive, caring, and protection.

EC:  How would you describe Erin?

EG:  She is a dark character with a dark cloud hanging over her.  She went into criminal psychology to understand the criminal mind.  She has suffered from loss and pain and wants answers.  Erin is broken with inner demons but is also a survivor, determined, and analytical.  Another layer to her personality is being supportive of the police which is why she said, “Cops.  They protect the rest of us from the ugliest crimes, the evil we don’t want to know exists.”

EC:  What about the relationship?

EG:  They have trust issues but also feel something strong between them.

EC:  What would you say is the theme?

EG:  The importance of family.  An important part of my life is family, which is everything. 

EC: What role does the Cold Case podcast play in the story?

EG:  It adds a whole new layer.  I listened to crime podcasts to get a feel.  One brought me to tears and it took me days to get over it.  I wanted to have an accurate portrayal of crime and the evils in this world.  I hope readers feel what the family is going through.  In her own life, Erin wants answers and to provide closure for herself and others.  She is trying to understand why people commit crimes.

EC:  What about your next book?

EG:  It is titled Critical Alliance and comes out next July.  It will feature Alex’s story. There will be suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common, a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Lights Out by Natalie Walters

Book Description

CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn’t at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It’s hard to trust a woman who’s already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning–the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.

Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn’t trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world–and their hearts–hangs in the balance.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Lights Out by Natalie Walters delves into national security, international intrigue, and inter-agency cooperation.  The plot has a national security agency looking for a missing foreigner who might be connected to terrorism, murder, explosives, and poisoning. 

The story opens with CIA analyst Brynn Taylor heading up a program she developed to combat terrorism.  She wants to make sure no terrorist falls between the cracks considering many are not the typical looking type.  To gain traction and to foster cooperation, members of other foreign intelligence agencies were invited to America.  But an Egyptian spy has gone missing.  Jack Hudson, who has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years, is asked to take the lead in hunting down the missing spy.

Unfortunately, Brynn is loaned out to SNAP and Jack must work closely together with her, someone who betrayed him eight years ago.  Trying to set aside their hurt, they work together to find leads that will stop the terrorist plot.

To lighten the load Walters writes great conversational banter. Readers get to know the characters and can decide who they want to hang out with. 

This story has a lot of suspense that keeps readers deeply engrossed.  Because of the plotline there is a sense of heroism to the story.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  How did you get the idea for the story?

Natalie Walters:  Because my husband is in the military, we moved all around the US.  We have friends and neighbors who work for other government agencies.  During a dinner conversation with a friend, they told of how a foreign counterpart disappeared in this country.  They were training in the US and went missing for 16 hours.  Although it was an innocent situation, they sent him back to his country after he was found.  I rolled with it and thought what if that missing foreigner was committed to do harm to the US.

EC:  Does the SNAP Agency exist?

NW:  No, it is completely fictional.  My imagination with my husband’s help is how the name came about.  It stands for Strategic Neutralize And Protect against threats. The company is a private contractor like Blackwater.

EC:  The heroine is a targeting analyst-does that job exist?

NW:  Yes, the CIA does have these types of analysts. 

EC:  How would you describe Brynn?

NW:  She has gone through life changes because of her family background.  She needs to be in control to feel safe and has trust issues.  If she can control her work, she thinks she can control her life.  She does want to belong to a team who will have her back.  I would say she is guarded, suspicious, a workaholic, and focused.  She is also determined, independent, witty, and set in her ways.

EC:  There is a quote about terrorists?

NW:  Yes.  You must be referring to this one, “What makes terrorists so dangerous is their ability to blend in and deceive you.” Brynn is trained to study people.  Terrorists don’t always look like the typical type.  The point of the quote is to not profile because they could be from any race, ethnicity, and creed.  This is what makes fighting terrorism so difficult.

EC:  How would you describe Jack?

NW:  Loyal, dedicated, a leader, and a protector.  He sometimes comes off as rigid because he wants justice.  

EC:  What about the relationship?

NW:  Because of the betrayal, Jack doesn’t trust Brynn.  He is wary of his feelings and emotions.  Since Brynn is so focused with her job, she sometimes misses getting close. They are like oil and vinegar. Because of their past conflict they are confused about their feelings.

EC:  What about the co-workers Lyla versus Brynn?

NW:  The relationship is a little bit hostile.  Lyla sees Jack as a big brother. At first, Brynn is intimidated by Lyla.    She does not want to let Brynn hurt him again.  But as they work together Lyla begins to admire Brynn for her skills. 

EC:  What about the role of September 11th in the story?

NW:  It is an important part of Brynn’s backstory.  The war was brought to American soil.  SNAP was created to make sure another 9/11 does not happen again.  Those that work there are continually on guard.

EC:  There is a quote the shows family members have a different experience?

NW:  You are referring to when Brynn told the US President, “For most Americans, their lives moved forward, but for me and others directly impacted by that day, we can never forget.  I joined the CIA because I never want another child or family to go through what ours did.” Almost every American remembers where we were during that moment in history.  Everyone around Brynn received horrific news.  September 11th changed the course of her life.  I think for Americans who were not affected personally, that horrific day does not hold the same weight. I looked online and found out that the events took place over a short period of time.  But our world has been changed ever since.

EC:  Since you are a military family how has it impacted you?

NW:  We know many soldiers who joined because of 9/11.  Joining the military and any of the three letter agencies means that person swears an oath to protect the people of this nation.  They sacrifice time with their family.  They stepped up and stepped forward. 

EC:  There is also a humorous quote in the book?

NW:  Yes, about cell phones.  My youngest is going to be 21.  The earliest age my children got a phone was in late middle school.  Everyone is always on their phone, all generations.  The phone seems to be a part of someone’s body. 

EC:  What about your next book?

NW:  It is title Fatal Code and comes out the summer of 2022.  It will be Kekoa and Eleanor’s story.  They must monitor a neighbor who might be trying to develop a nuclear weapon.  There will be an update on Jack and Brynn’s life. 

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Meant To Be and Presidential Advantage by Jessica James

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Meant to Be Book Description

It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways.
Or so they thought.

Actually it was just the beginning.

WHEN LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death.

THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about.

From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question:

What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?

MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve.

Elise’s Thoughts

The first national security novel, by Jessica James delves into the meaning of honor and duty. This is a story of hope and love along with patriotism, conviction, and perseverance.

The story begins with a chance encounter between Rad and Lauren, on a beach in Ocean City Maryland. They spend the day together doing fun things along the Boardwalk including going to Ripley’s Museum, an arcade, and a Ferris wheel. In the evening, the hero, Michael Radcliff, asks the heroine, Lauren Cantrell, to meet his buddies at a party on the beach.  She is impressed with his friends and their partners, with their humor, compassion, and helpfulness.  That is except one person, Angela Powers, a power-hungry journalist who will stop at nothing to make a name for herself.  Unfortunately, for Rad and Lauren, at the end of the day they both go their own ways, never revealing their occupation or last name.

But soon they find themselves reunited on a Special-Ops mission.  She is a CIA operative, embedded in a Pakistani village to gain intel on a terrorist. Rad is the leader of the Navy SEALs who has been assigned to take out this powerful terrorist.  They reunite after she arrives at the base to share her intel. Readers will think of the Osama Bin Laden take down but also understand how 9/11 plays into the story.  Lauren’s parents were on flight 77 as it flew into the Pentagon, the reason she became a spy.

Both Rad and Lauren realize their intense emotional connection cannot interfere with their common goal: take down and eliminate one of the greatest threats to world safety. After they separate, neither knows if they will ever see each other again.

The story involves love, heartache, healing, and hope.  Readers will be on the edge of their seat. A bonus is the great job the author does showing military life, the difficult choices faced, and how love, courage, and resolve can conquer all.

*** 

Presidential Advantage Book Description

Secret Service Agent Clint Brody is tasked with protecting the new First Lady. But the threats he encounters are more complicated than he imagined, and the danger he confronts isn’t what either one of them expected.

When a shy, country girl from Virginia marries a prominent Georgetown attorney, her life is bound to change. But when that attorney is catapulted to the office of President of the United States, she is thrust into the role of First Lady—and uncovers a world of secrets and betrayals that alters everything she once knew.

Due to a twist of fate, Elizabeth Vaughn is forced to leave behind the quiet country setting she loves and enter the nefarious world of politics. After recovering from her initial missteps and negotiating the obstacles of her new public life, she begins to understand the nature of politics.

But as another election approaches, turmoil in the White House intensifies. Leaks. Lies. Deceit. Deception. People she thought were friends desert her and the true character of people she thought she knew is revealed.

When the stakes become life and death, the First Lady uncovers the ultimate betrayal and is forced to come to terms with her own role in the political process. Only with the help of Secret Service Agent Clint Brody, can she hope to find her way out of the danger and discover who can be trusted—and who will do anything to keep control.

Elise’s Thoughts

Her latest novel, switches from the military to political intrigue. It is very realistic showing the dark world of politics with leaks, lies, deceits, deceptions, betrayals, and secrets.

In the plot, readers learn that Elizabeth (Liz) Vaughn always prefers to spend time with her horses, not people.  This shy country girl who works on a horse farm met her Prince Charming, a Senator, Ethan Collins, who became Vice-President.  After the President dies, Collins is catapulted to the office of President of the United States, while she is thrust into the position of First Lady. At first, she listens to all her advisors, but then realizes she must become more assertive to survive the Washington swamp.  She must overcome Camilla, her personal advisor, and the Chief of Staff, Chandler who want to thwart her at every turn. They constantly try to obstruct her good intentions and feed the media news stories that show Liz in a bad light. Knowing she only has her Secret Service Agent Clint Brody as someone she can trust she decides to take matters into her own hands. This works to her advantage as the nation finds her a breath of fresh air.

With her husband Ethan involved in his own presidential duties, Liz realizes their marriage is growing apart. Readers might be reminded of Jack and Jackie Kennedy.  Ethan realizes that Liz is helpful in securing voters for the upcoming election. She is no longer the shy person who felt overwhelmed but has a growing confidence that displays compassion. The second half of the book becomes a thriller as Liz and Brody struggle to overcome the many betrayals.

This is a story about a shy Virginian woman who not only survives extremely nasty politics but holds true to her own values. Readers will not want to put this book down with a plot that is a page turner.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  The first book does not put journalists in a good light and the last book does not put politicians in a good light.

Jessica James:  Yes.  I was a journalist, a reporter, and an editor for over eighteen years.  The journalist in the story is what I see happening today.  She is power hungry, would throw anyone under the bus, and there is some fake news.  I am old school and that is not how journalism was when I worked in that occupation.  Politicians are just as power hungry and deceitful.

EC:  How would you describe the hero, Rad, in Meant To Be?

JJ:  Serious, patriotic, devoted, big-hearted, sincere, generous, and protective.

EC:  How about the heroine of that book, Lauren?

JJ:  Competitive, trusting, calm, reserved, resourceful, friendly, and courageous. 

EC:  How about their relationship?

JJ:  Cautious because of their occupations.  They are both wary.  They do trust each other and realize there is a chemistry and intensity between them.  Both are strong-willed.

EC:  How would you describe the hero, Brody, in Presidential Advantage?

JJ:  Smart, courageous, stubborn, a professional.  He is also calm, reliable, authentic, and a warrior. 

EC:  How about the heroine of the book, Liz?

JJ:  Introverted, kind, naïve, generous, compassionate, and fearless.  I based her not on Jackie Kennedy but on Melania Trump who seems uncomfortable when in the spotlight. 

EC:  What about the advisor Camilla?

JJ:  She is evil, malicious, a power grabber, a backstabber, and represents everything people do not like about politics.

EC: What is the theme?

JJ:  How money and power create deceit and betrayal.

EC:  What about your next book?

JJ:  Presidential Advantage was the first book in the “Phantom Force Tactical Series.”  In late 2022 the next book will be published, with a working title of Relentless Truth.  It has a new President whose child gets kidnapped while at a summer camp.  The group is assigned to rescue her.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Unheard by Nicci French

Book Description

Maybe Tess is overprotective, but passing her daughter off to her ex and his new young wife fills her with a sense of dread. It’s not that Jason is a bad father–it just hurts to see him enjoying married life with someone else. Still, she owes it to her daughter Poppy to make this arrangement work.

But Poppy returns from the weekend tired and withdrawn. And when she shows Tess a crayon drawing–an image so simple and violent that Tess can hardly make sense of it—-Poppy can only explain with the words, “He did kill her.”

Something is horribly wrong. Tess is certain Poppy saw something–or something happened to her–that she’s too young to understand. Jason insists the weekend went off without a hitch. Doctors advise that Poppy may be reacting to her parents’ separation. And as the days go on, even Poppy’s disturbing memory seems to fade. But a mother knows her daughter, and Tess is determined to discover the truth. Her search will set off an explosive tempest of dark secrets and buried crimes–and more than one life may be at stake.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Unheard by Nicci French, the pseudonym for husband and wife writing team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, is a gripping psychological thriller. Anyone who is a mother can relate to this story where the emphasis is a mother knowing and understanding their child.

Tess Moreau is the mother of three-year-old Poppy.  She and her partner, Jason, have gone their separate ways and have agreed on a custody timeline.  But something has gone very wrong after Poppy spends a night with Jason, his current wife, and her brother who is living with them.  The child is clingy, wetting her bed, cussing, and drawing pictures of death.  None of these behaviors were evident before.  Tess goes into overdrive as she tries to figure out if Poppy witnessed a murder, saw an act of violence, or was abused. As Poppy continues to act out, Tess goes to the police, convinced a crime was committed, but has no evidence.  She is frustrated because no one believes her, not the police, her friends, her mother, her current boyfriend, her estranged partner, and school officials.

Readers sympathize with Tess, understanding her feeling of helplessness. She experiences every parent’s nightmare of a young child. Her daughter does not yet have the words to express what was upsetting her and could only try to do so through drawings and behavior. But a mother knows her daughter. Tess knows something is wrong, and she is determined to find the truth because she understands more than anyone that something is seriously wrong. The reader takes a journey with Tess as they try to figure out what happened to Poppy, as suspects pile up.

This story will have anyone who reads it sharing Tess’s emotions of anger, fears, suspicions, and worries. Just when someone thinks they know who the culprit is the authors throw another twist, keeping them guessing and the tension elevated.

***

Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Nicci French: We had children and remember that strange transition with three-year-olds.  A strange mysterious time.  They would bring home these drawings from pre-school.  When we thought about that period we wondered if we could make it into a thriller. A three-year-old girl draws what looks like a murder and is too young to explain it.

EC: Sometimes children are not believed?

NF:  Yes, they can be unreliable witnesses as they try to tell their mother something.  Poppy, the daughter, cannot express in words so she tells Tess something is wrong with her behavior of clinginess, bed-wetting, acting out, and cussing.  Three-year-old children are not articulate.  They cannot describe what happened to them.  Children think differently about the world.

EC:  How would you describe Tess?

NF:  Fragile, a single mother, at times over-protective, fearful, vulnerable, and anxious. As the story progresses, she becomes a mother who will do anything to save her child.  Tess takes a journey and finds self-realization.  She becomes strong and realizes her own self-worth.  But she is put through hell and back.

EC:  Tess cannot trust those in her life?

NF:  We examine this theme in all our novels:  how can someone know anyone completely since everybody has secrets. 

EC:  Should the detectives have investigated Poppy’s symptoms?

NF:  Symptoms of abuse are like symptoms of trauma and distress.  Tess is now in a world where nothing is clear.  The detectives see this as a nontraditional investigation where there is no reliable witness and no crime committed. Look at it from the detectives’ point of view.  All they had was a drawing of a three-year-old child. 

EC:  How would you describe Poppy?

NF:  Before her trauma she is bright, connected, eager, energetic, with a rich imagination. She thinks the world is on her side.  But then she becomes violent and aggressive and seems to have an intuitive sense that something is wrong.

EC: How would you describe Jason?

NF: He appears charming, likeable, and trustworthy.  He is an alpha-male who is a strong authoritative figure and feels entitled. He does what he wants to do.  He becomes more and more self-centered, impatient, a cheat, liar, and bully.

EC:  How about Aiden, Tess’ current boyfriend?

NF:  In many ways he is the opposite of Jason.  Aiden is quieter, more introverted, geek-like, a listener, non-judgmental, and patient. 

EC:  What about the relationship between Tess and all the males in the story?

NF:  They are all manipulative in their own way.  Somehow their masculinity has gone awry.  They use her vulnerability against her.  She starts to feel she is surrounded by illusions and wonders who to trust. 

EC:  Poppy tells Tess she is dead?

NF:  Poppy knows she saw something and is wondering if the future will be like the past.  Poppy does not understand the difference between dying and being dead.  She does not have a normal sense of cause and effect in the past and future.

EC:  In some ways this plot reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”?

NF:  We are big Hitchcock fans.  If we did it, we did not do it consciously. But we have seen that film many times.  We understand how you could think it since both have someone seeing a crime and are not believed.  We share with Hitchcock the real horror of relationships, especially between a man and a woman.

EC:  Your next book?

NF:  A young woman, a doctor, has her ex-boyfriend ask for a favor.  Then things go very wrong.  It will be out in October 2022 and is titled The Favor.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger

Book Description

Think twice before you swipe.

She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?

But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.

Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But isn’t that always what women think—that they’re the ones to blame? Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. She had been looking for a connection, but now she’s looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past—and hers—she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she’s not sure whether she’s the predator—or the prey.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger is a gripping psychological thriller.  Anyone who wants to be taken on a roller coaster ride should read a Lisa Unger book. This one explores secrets, obsession, vengeance, and social media. The storyline is dark, disturbing yet believable and realistic. It delves into fake identities, ghosting, stealing funds, and the troubling aspects of technology use.

The main character, Wren Greenwood, writes the advice column “Dear Birdie.” Because she has no social life, her best friend Jax talks her into trying the dating app Torch. After a few misses Wren meets Adam Harper, an IT executive, and there is an immediate connection between the two. Things heat up and are getting more intimate until three months into the relationship he stands her up. Then he disappears: profiles deleted, phone disconnected, and no evidence he ever existed.  Adam ghosted her.

Wren isn’t one to let things go so she starts digging, realizing she was not the only one who fell for his lines. After being contacted by Bailey, a private detective who is looking for Adam, she discovers that three other girls went missing.  Agreeing to join forces, she, and Bailey search for Adam and the three missing girls, both wondering if they are the predator or the prey.

There are so many twists and revelations that the readers’ heads are spinning. The story shows the value of friends.

***

Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  You expose dating apps?

Lisa Unger:  I talked with a young friend of mine who uses dating apps.  She said there are several choices and wondered how to tell if the choice was correct.  I was saddened by that question because I thought people are not shopping for a toaster.  Love is not an algorithm.

EC:  The story delves into ghosting?

LU:  If they were not the right choice, it is easy to ghost them.  They were a stranger before and become a stranger afterwards.  Technology is rewriting the primal struggle of searching for a mate.  Once upon the dating pool was small, but now it is global. 

EC:  Technology also has its faults?

LU:  It can be one of the worst things. Our brains are being re-wired by technology.  I put strict limits on my children.  I did not want them to disappear into the technology world.  I want them to be able to use it only as a tool, and not lose their creativity. 

EC:  Social media is not the greatest way to communicate?

LU:  Yes, we get information now through texts, emails, social media, and notifications via phone.  It affects how we relate and communicate with each other and can be very frustrating like when someone is ghosted.  For example, I called my brother and he texted me back.  I don’t answer him until he responds through a phone call.  There is micro ghosting which is getting a response but on their terms.  The other type of ghosting is where someone takes on the identity of someone who dies and lives their life. 

EC:  The world of dating can be frustrating?

LU:  I explored this with the short story, House of Crows. It is an exploration of trauma and how it can inform our choices. This is a theme that I’ve explored again and again in my work. The interaction can be fantastical. Someone has a right to say I don’t want to be with you and the other person cannot say anything.  They do not have a vote.  Then there is the person who can choose to ghost someone making it seem the relationship was imaginary even though there was a real person.

EC: How would you describe Adam who ghosted Wren?

LU:  He decided to go off the grid, acting as a survivalist in the woods.  He slipped in and out of the shadows.  The reader only sees him through Wren’s eyes.  He is smart, a loner, obsessed, mysterious, and well read.  He can be considerate, kind, and funny, but there is another side to him where he appears as a predator, dangerous, and a destroyer of lives. 

EC:  How would you describe Wren?

LU:  Struggling from her dark past, but a survivor.  She has found her way going forward with a super successful career and a community of friends.  Through her work as a columnist with “Dear Birdie” she can help people go from the darkness into the light.  She left her dad’s world of being a Doomsday Prepper and thinking humanity has ended.  She does not think that the world failed her, but her father failed her.  She did take skills away from him that helps her to survive.  She is very kind, loyal, smart, and caring.

EC:  What about the victims?

LU: They are mostly wealthy with a troubled past, have PTSD, and had a childhood trauma.  Some have an addiction and prefer to take a break from the world. They fall for the predator fast and heavy.  He is like the person who comes to the door with roses not a knife, very unassuming: LOL

EC:  What about the relationship?

LU:  It was imaginary, created by Wren.  A fantasy of him because she does not know him well enough since they only dated for three months.  She is obsessed with finding him to see who Adam really is.  He is mostly a figment of her imagination.  This story struck a chord with a lot of readers who understood what Wren was going through.

EC:  How would you describe Bailey?

LU:  I was not expecting him, but he evolved.  He is the complete foil to Adam.  He came to the light because he lacks trauma in his past.  Bailey is a puzzle solver, someone who cannot let things go.  He believes something lost can be found.  Basically, a good person.  I do not usually have a traditional hero because it is not how I think of the world.  But he is probably as close to a heroic figure I have ever had. 

EC:  What about Jones Cooper?

LU:  He has an analog view of the world.  He has been a character in several my books along with his wife Maggie.  They first appeared in the book, Fragile. He is a fixer. 

EC:  Isn’t Wren a bit too old to have an imaginary figure?

LU:  Deeply traumatized children can manifest imaginary friends, like a splinter psyche. Eventually as the child heals, they say goodbye to that comforting figure and integrate the imaginary figure into themselves.  Robin connects Wren to the land, the natural world.  She represents the place where Wren retreats to something she loved. In some sense she took the persona of Wren’s dad’s good qualities where he taught her skills. She put these in Robin because she could not forgive her dad.

EC:  Jax is the exact opposite of Robin?

LU: She is a real person that connects Wren to the modern world.  She is Wren’s best friend and has helped to ground her. 

EC:  Next book?

LU:  It will be my 20th Novel.  I do not talk about my stories until they are published. I will say it will be a psychological thriller with bad things happening.  It comes out in October 2022.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.