Tag: #elisesthoughts

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Dangerous One by Lori Foster

Book Description

Being alone is what he wanted… All he needed was her.

Hunter Osborn left his family, his friends and his job as a park ranger after uncovering a disturbing crime scene. Haunted by nightmares and harrowing memories, Hunter relocated to an isolated property near Triple Creek, Colorado, where he lives alone and keeps his interactions with people to a minimum.

Still, Hunter can spot trouble from a mile away, and when he encounters Jodi Bentley, he knows she’s trouble of the most tempting kind—even more tempting when she moves into the run-down cabin next door. Jodi is tough as nails, sexy as hell—and clearly struggles with her own traumatic past. Hunter tries to keep his distance, but when Jodi’s life is threatened, he can’t help being drawn out of his own darkness and into hers.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Dangerous One by Lori Foster is a spin-off of the McKenzies of Ridge Trail trilogy. The story has everything a reader would wish for: suspense, secrets, lies, power, control, manipulation, security, protection, acceptance, and love. 

The hero and heroine both are fighting demons of their past.  Jodie Bentley was abused and is trying to overcome the terrors, while former park ranger Hunter Osborn is trying to stop the nightmares after seeing a terrible crime scene.  They both are now in a small Colorado mountain town to escape a troubled past, enjoying the isolation and solitude.

After Jodi moves next door, Hunter becomes intrigued by her personality. She can be a spitfire, cocky, independent, and strong, but she is also vulnerable, petite, and wants to be a survivor with a normal life.

But after she is threatened, Hunter and his dog Turbo, become protective of her.  Sometimes she gets annoyed, but Jodi allows them into her life. What ensues is the budding romance and relationship between Jodi and Hunter, and the potential fall-out as Jodi finds herself hunted by a powerful man. They join forces as they build trust in each other and allow the walls built over time to fall.

The secondary characters helped to make the story even more interesting. They are very colorful and include Hunter’s brother Memphis, his dog Turbo, and Jodi’s non-blood related family. All the characters in this book will tug at the reader’s emotions as they will connect with them and form bonds.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story of The Dangerous One?

Lori Foster: Jodi, the female protagonist of this book, first appeared as a slight secondary character in another series, “The McKenzies of Ridge Trail.” But as sometimes happens, she stuck with me. Even when I’d be thinking about a different story, writing a separate plot or character, Jodi would sneak into my thoughts. Sometimes characters take over and they have a story to tell and I’m just the one putting their words on paper. That’s how it was with Jodi. She told me she’d need a special kind of guy, told me her life had been harsh and it wouldn’t be easy to move forward, but that she could do it with the right person at her side. Turns out she was right.

EC: How would you describe Hunter?

LF: Hunter is, above all, honorable and loyal. He’s an alpha through and through, the kind of man who can’t ignore injustice, even when standing up for others he can bring peril to himself. It’s in his DNA to help where and how he can. Sometimes, as in the case with Jodi, that basic nature is inconvenient as hell.

EC: How would you describe Jodi?

LF: Jodi is a wounded soul with a backbone of steel. If hurt, she comes out swinging, fearlessly and with everything she’s got. She’s extremely aware, especially now that she has personal experience with just how evil people can be. Distrust is her constant shadow.

Like Hunter, she’s a natural born protector, but because of her size and lack of physical strength, she utilizes a lot of attitude. Part of her learned response is to react first and ask questions later; yet she has great instincts, and she knows to trust them, especially where Hunter is concerned.

EC: Do you think the men in the story underestimated Jodi considering she used weapons as equalizers, used her banter for intimidation, yet they only saw her as a petite woman unable to stand up for herself while they were bigger, badder, and more superior?

LF: The less astute men did, but Hunter recognized her dangerous edge right off. He didn’t fully trust her capability at first, but he did trust her – so when necessary, he didn’t mind being her backup. Hunter is confident enough that he doesn’t have to take the lead every time.

EC: What about the relationship between Hunter and Jodi?

LF: Jodi always fell back on the wounded woman she once was, so it was easy for her to misconstrue concern with pity, or to think that Hunter’s concern was a lack of faith in her ability. Jodi hadn’t had many people in her life to teach her about love, so it takes her a little while to figure it out.

For Hunter’s part, he was a very reluctant neighbor. He didn’t want to care for Jodi. He didn’t want to worry about her. As always, though, that basic nature of his made it impossible to ignore her.

EC: What was the role of the dog Turbo?

LF: Turbo was also a wounded soul! Hunter saved him, despite his broken barker and an affinity to chew on things. To me, it was one more way to show Hunter as a nurturer as well as a powerful defender. I don’t think the comparison was lost on Jodi. Seeing how someone treats a pet can give us great insight into their character. Never, ever trust someone who mistreats animals.

EC: Can you explain Jodi’s motto: “Everyday life for an everyday woman.”

LF: Jodi really wanted to reach the status of a mundane middleclass existence. She’d healed from a pretty awful situation. She’d found her footing and was able to put her energy into helping other women. But just as she encouraged those women to find a happy life, she wanted to do the same. First on the agenda for her was complete independence – even from a family who had helped her to survive. It wasn’t easy for her to separate help given freely from love (from her pseudo family) from help given out of desperate need (what she’d first required to survive). It helped that Hunter had come from an amazing family of his own – a family willing to give him the time and distance he needed to overcome his own traumatic experience. He was able to share that insight with Jodi, and to point out the true meaning of family.

EC: Do you believe there is a need for vigilantes because in a sense that was what Jodi and Hunter were?

LF: I’ll get vilified for this, but most definitely. We have vigilantes – those hired privately by our government and other governments, as well as mercenaries for hire when situations are dire and legal avenues are too slow.

I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. To me, the majority of police are heroes, but still everyday men and women, who sometimes find themselves in untenable life or death situations – either their own life or someone else’s. Mistakes can happen.

 In my “perfect world” (which, of course, doesn’t exist) evil would always end. Permanently.

EC: Both Jodi and Hunter tried to isolate themselves living in a remote area: they built up walls to lock others out, yet felt it was defeating.  Did both their families help to break down the walls along with each other?

LF: Jodi didn’t have any ties to her biological family, yet she had grown close with the family that saved her. For her, it often felt like pity and for a person with her internal strength that was difficult to bear.

Hunter, on the other hand, never had a doubt about the love and support of his family – his mom, dad and brother. They did their best to understand his need for isolation, but his brother had already grown impatient, and he loved Jodi for busting through Hunter’s emotional walls much like the Kool-Aid man. Since Jodi didn’t even realize she was doing it, it was extra fun to write. I often see my books like a movie playing out before me.

EC: Next book(s)?

LF: Hunter’s brother, Memphis, is a hero in the book, The Fearless One, out December 26th. I loved Memphis the moment he showed up on the page. Memphis has opened an RV resort (known for shady business) near the area where his brother, Hunter, now lives. His plan is to stop trouble before it happens, but in walks Jedidiah, hauling her own turbulent trouble along, and his plans get turned upside down in a big way. Love often does that to people.

April 25th, I have a reissue, Meant to Be, published digitally. The story ties in with my Visitation series, but also stands alone, based around two people who grew up together and yet begin seeing each other in a whole new way when the female lead considers moving away.

May 9th, I have The Little Flower Shop, which is set in the same small, quirky town as a previous book, The Honeymoon Cottage. It’s about a 40 something woman who decides to try to fit a little romance into her hectic life, and somehow becomes a hashtag on the town’s local social media. #theflowerlady I had loads of fun writing it!

June 1st is my next “benefit book,” Bray. Each year I write a novella where the advance and all royalties go directly to a no-kill animal shelter. Readers met Bray as a young boy in Fighting Dirty, one of the books from my Ultimate series. He’s an MMA fighter with a rough background, which makes it easy for him to recognize when someone else is going through trouble. He knows Karen is hiding something, and he not only wants to help her, he just plain wants her – in every way. When the past catches up to her, she turns to Bray, and together they’re able to meet the trouble head on, as well as build a promising future.

August 22nd, one of my reader favorites, Too Much Temptation, is being reissued with a new cover. It’s one of my sexier books featuring a voluptuous woman who doesn’t recognize her own appeal, and a man who loves her body but truly falls for her heart.

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: All That is Hidden: A Molly Murphy Mystery by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

Book Description

“Retired” detective and police captain’s wife Molly Murphy Sullivan tangles with Tammany Hall in the next in Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles’s New York Times bestselling historical mystery series.

New York, Autumn, 1907: Former private detective Molly Murphy Sullivan is happy with her place in the world. She and her policeman husband, Daniel, have built quite a life for themselves in Greenwich Village, in their modest-yet-beautiful-home in Patchin Place, filled with family, friends, and laughter. Molly and Daniel have a good marriage, a true partnership where they value each other’s opinions in all things.

So when he tells her they’re moving to a fancy home on Fifth Avenue—and that he’s running for the sheriff of New York—Molly is left reeling. Daniel begs Molly to trust him, but why would he run for sheriff on the Tammany ticket? A party known more for kickbacks and quid pro quo than anything else, it used to be everything Daniel despised. So what’s changed? And why didn’t he discuss it with her beforehand? Molly can’t help but wonder what Daniel’s got himself tangled up in… and whether he needs her help to get out.

In this next installment in this beloved series All That Is Hidden, the incomparable Molly is drawn into the dangerous world of politics, forced to navigate through the webs of lies and deceit which are hidden behind a veil of vast wealth and grandeur.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Molly always thought that she and her husband Daniel had a good marriage, which was a true partnership.  But things seem to unravel when he comes home to tell her they are moving from their modest home in Patchin Place to a fancy home on Fifth Avenue. He has decided to run for sheriff of New York on the Tammany Hall ticket. She cannot understand this change in Daniel since he has had a long opposition to the Tammany record of corruption.  Now she must deal with bodyguards, servants, and her bills paid for by Tammany boss, William “Big Bill” McCormick. 

As with most of the books there is a glimpse into the society of the times.  Their ward, Bridie, has been attending a wealthy private school, paid for by Molly’s friends Sid and Gus.  She is being picked on for being poor and smart.  That is until she helps to rescue Blanche McCormick, Big Bill’s daughter, from a fire aboard a tour boat.  Afterward Bridie and Blanche become BBFs. 

The mystery also involves the killing of Big Bill, found dead in a locked room.  Everyone is wondering if the real-life William Randolph Hearst had something to do with it since his investigative reporter of Tammany Hall has disappeared.  Now Molly and Daniel must go undercover to investigate and find the killer.

The characters added to the intriguing story. It alerts readers to the ever-changing times and the realism makes for an insightful plot.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: What was it like working as a mother/daughter team?

Rhys Bowen: I had put the Molly Murphy series on hiatus because I simply did not have the time to write three books a year.  I knew Clare was a very good writer and since she wanted to give it a go, I said ‘let’s give it a try.’ She read through the whole series, seventeen books, and was able to find Molly’s voice perfectly. It has been seamless. At the end no one could tell who wrote what.  In the third book, Clare wrote the end of the book by herself.  

Clare Broyles:  Writing with my mom is fun.  We spark each other as we come up with ideas. As a mystery writer I had to consider how Molly could solve the crime in a clever way. I get to write a scene and have this amazing author, my mom, read the scene.

RB:  We chat with each other every evening, making writing not a solitary profession. We can create together more and exciting scenes.

EC:  How did you get the idea for the story?

CB:  We wanted to do something with a wealthy Fifth Avenue story. Every single day the book takes place I read the New York Times for that day. One story had a mail bag ripped open and the mail flew everywhere.  I thought, what if a letter contained important information that someone else got a hold of.  I also read how a pleasure cruise caught fire on the Hudson. Finally, there were some stories of how Tammany Hall sparred with William Randolph Hearst who joined with the Republicans in attempting to win the Mayorship of New York. From there we decided to make a wealthy school friend of Bridie, the soon-to-be adopted daughter of Molly, a daughter of a Tammany Hall official.

EC:  You set up the characters before the mystery comes into play?

RB:  In the Rhys Bowen books a body is not usually found before page 100.  I tend to bring my characters together, allow the readers to watch them interact, and then someone is killed. We very rarely have a body early in the book.  There is a mystery in the beginning since Molly cannot believe that her husband Daniel accepted a job with Tammany Hall without consulting her. Molly always will have a personal life.

EC:  Molly is not thrilled with Daniel over his unilateral decisions?

CB:  Molly likes to do things herself.  She is proud of keeping her house and raising her child.  She never looked for an easier life.  She feels out of place having to move to Fifth Avenue in a house Tammany Hall has given Daniel. It is her Irish background where she feels out of place with the gentry.  She is not very good at giving orders to servants. She enjoys raising her child and being with him.

RB:  As a husband of the time, he is remarkably understanding. A husband of the time could say he does not want Molly doing detective work, beat her, and a woman had no claim on the property or the children.  A wife was really another possession. He is scared for her because she does take risks.  In the beginning, he asks Molly to trust him. There is a lot of Feminism in the Molly books.

EC:  What role does the Tammany Hall official ‘Big Bill ‘play in the book?

CB:  He represents several different bosses in New York and New Jersey.  They wanted to control the docks. I read of an official who had a two-sided desk, sliding it out so a person could put their bribe in it. The book is really about the relationship between him and his family with Molly, Daniel, and Bridie. Big Bill is overwhelming, charming, someone who likes to have his way, evil, corrupt, yet helps the downtrodden.

EC:  What was the role of the Fifth Avenue house versus the house on Patchin Place?

CB:  Having to move destabilized Molly and threw her off balance. She did not know how she was going to pay the servants.

RB:  Molly could not wait to get back to Patchin Place especially since her neighbors and friends were across the street and her support group. She knows the rules there.  She is much more comfortable in her own home.

EC:  What about Big Bill’s wife, Lucy McCormick?

RB:  She is a complete antithesis to her husband. He is the rough Irishman without refined manners who has learned how to manipulate, a classic mob boss.  He married her for her money and position in society. She is a very loving mother, kind, and caring. She is not a snob and wanted to be friends with Molly. 

CB:  She is a kindred spirit with Molly. She also feels a bit trapped in her life, not really wanting to be involved in politics.

EC:  Bridie’s friend, Blanche transformed?

RB:  She transformed from a mean girl to a good friend.  She represented a typical teenage girl. After being rescued by Molly and Bridie she realized they were good caring people.  But she is obviously very spoiled.  Girls at that age are a prowling pack and enjoy picking on someone different.  Bridie is not like them since she is poorer than them and very bright. She made a judgement and saw how Bridie is supported by her family.

EC:  What about the forensics?

CB:  Before I came into the series Daniel was a big proponent of fingerprints.  It is a new science at the time the book takes place. It is not admissible in court yet, but still can be useful to find the preparator.

RB:  Autopsies had been done for a while.  We are getting into the very beginnings of blood types and blood spatter, just around the corner. They are starting to get the scientific evidence to back up the “who done it.” This is one of the reasons I like writing these times, because the detective still must use their smarts.

EC:  Next books?

RB:  The secondary characters in this book will have a break in the next Molly book.  It is summertime in New York, where school is not in session.

CB:  Bridie is devasted that Blanche has gone to France for the summer. The family visits Daniel’s mom, Mrs. Sullivan.  Molly is being driven crazy, so she gladly accepts an invitation to go to the Catskills with Sid and Gus. Three different communities are brought together:  Sid and Gus are part of an artist’s colony, there is a new ranger there since the Catskills are now a state park, and in the bungalows are a fledgling Jewish colony. The murder has to do with a matchmaker.

RB:  My historical novel is titled The Paris Assignment, published in August, even though the main action takes place outside Paris, ending up in Australia in the 1940s.  There are two parallel stories going on in the book.  The heroine acts as a courier for the allies.  It was not an easy one to write because it tugs on readers’ heartstrings.

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: Collateral Damage by J.A. Jance

Book Description

After spending twenty years behind bars, Frank Muñoz, a disgraced former cop, is out on parole and focused on just one thing: revenge. The wife who abandoned him after his arrest, the mistress who ratted him out for abetting a money-laundering scheme, the detectives who presided over his case all those years ago—they all have targets on their backs.

For Ali Reynolds, the first Christmas without her father is riddled with grief and uncertainty. And with her husband and founding partner of High Noon Enterprises, B. Simpson, preoccupied by an upcoming New Year’s trip to London, she is ready for a break. But when Stu Ramey barges into her home with grave news about a serious—and suspicious—accident on the highway to Phoenix involving B.’s car, things reach a breaking point.

At the hospital, a groggy, post-op B. insists that Ali take his place at a ransomware conference in London, as troubles brimming around High Noon come to light. But questions remain: Who would go to such lengths to cut the tech company from the picture? And what if Ali and the rest of the team are also in danger?

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Collateral Damage by J. A. Jance blends a very twisted story involving security, battered women, organized crime, murders, corruption, and revenge. It is told from different points of view between High Noon characters, several police forces, and investigators trying to piece together a puzzle that spans many different jurisdictions.

Readers soon learn about Frank Muñoz, a disgraced former cop, out on parole after twenty years. He is focused on revenge for those who helped to put him behind bars: The wife who abandoned him after his arrest, the mistress who ratted him out for abetting a money-laundering scheme, and the detectives who presided over his case all those years ago.

Ali and her husband B. Simpson are drawn into the situation when B’s airport shuttle is run off the road, with he and the driver hospitalized. Was B. the target or just collateral damage since the driver was a retired detective?

The added twist is that B. suspects someone might have tried to prevent him from attending a London Conference on cyber security. He insists that Ali take his place at a ransomware conference in London.  But she knows she would be an inadequate substitute, so she convinces Cami, an assistant, to make the presentation with Ali as the face of the company.

Jance has an uncanny way of bringing the plots together.  Ali and company unravel this complex plot that allows readers some thrilling scenes.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Rumor has it you had a hard time writing this story?

J. A. Jance: This book took a whole year to write.  In 2022 I was working on it.  After writing nine chapters I handed the draft over to my husband, Bill.  He handed it back to me and said, ‘I cannot read this.  It is a mess.’  He is a very brave man. I reread what I had written, and he was correct, it was a mess. What was wrong, is that the bad guy had not appeared in the first quarter of the book. There was no foundation in the first draft. I did a complete rewrite. Bill, my agent, and my new editor all liked the new story. 

EC:  In this book Ali Reynolds is not endangered?

JAJ:  Yes.  This is unusual. I wanted to show how it takes a village of law enforcement officers to solve a crime.

EC:  You made the police officers come to life?

JAJ:  These days the press has the police as bad, uncaring, and evil. A scene in the story really underscores how much the police characters in the books cared. I had goosebumps when I wrote it.  The bad guy from the Arizona Highway Patrol is arrogant and an a-hole. But all the others are good and are lined up against evil. The vast majority are not bad.  Part of the purpose of this book is to give their stories, such as Hal.

EC:  How would you describe, Frank Muñoz, the bad guy?

JAJ:  He is resentful and has a motivation of revenge, to kill those who have wronged him.  He is angry, dangerous, arrogant, an abuser, and corrupt.

EC:  This book includes domestic violence?

JAJ:  It was the whole point of the book. The Dahlke House was made up but based on my knowledge of domestic violence and the counselors. Often the people involved also have been abused. Domestic violence workers are heroes and are at risk.  The guys who perpetrate domestic violence think it’s my way or the highway and anyone who gets in their way will be run over. The initial murder of Danielle had her husband as a suspect. The police cleared him and was able to give him his whole life back, totally exonerated. This is important because in solving long cold cases justice is served but also clears the names of those thought to be perpetrators but were not, getting rid of the suspicions hanging over their head.

EC:  You have different types of characters in your books?

JAJ:  What makes a painting, the contrast.  In my books, there are little pieces of lightness, such as Cami taking down that attorney in London. B. is somewhat MIA because he is in the hospital getting a shoulder replacement. Instead of using the saying, ‘follow the evidence,’ I follow the story.

EC:  What about the next book?

JAJ:  The Brady family shows up in the next Walker Family book due out next fall.  In September it will number six, titled Blessing of the Lost Girls.  It is set on a reservation.  The stories and legends I learned as a storyteller on the reservation are weaved into the background. There will be missing and murdered indigenous girls, which I knew about since the early 90s. Readers might want to look at my blog on my website.

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 Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler

Book Description

“Sacrifices must be made; battles will be lost. It is always this way in a quest for change.”

In the near future, Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate―a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies―struggles to maintain peace.

Syndicate operative Juliet Arroway and her best friend, Mariam, a progressive Saudi princess, are tasked with hunting down terrorists and putting an end to the global energy war, the same mission that cost Juliet’s father his life. But when multiple terrorist attacks result in devastating losses, including the death of Juliet’s longtime boyfriend, and the Syndicate begins to suspect that Mariam’s family is somehow involved, Juliet must rise above her heartbreak to discover the truth.

In her quest, Juliet is paired with Graham―a dashing yet arrogant FBI agent―and embarks on a dangerous journey toward love and survival as they race to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis. But when peace demands a stunning betrayal, Juliet must decide how much she is willing to pay for the success of her mission. Brilliantly weaving fact and fiction, Butler tells a story seldom told―how female heroics can change the course of war.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler is an intriguing story that allows readers a glimpse into the espionage world. A former CIA operative, Brittany uses her personal experience to take readers on a thrilling ride.

Brittany Butler spent nine years as a targeting officer within CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Counterterrorism Center. Both at Langley and on temporary assignments in the Middle East, Brittany spearheaded operational efforts to achieve some of the most sensitive foreign intelligence objectives abroad. She uses her first-hand knowledge of targeting methodologies to recruit spies along with extensive field experience to discover and apprehend terrorists abroad.

As a staunch advocate for women’s rights in the Middle East, Brittany has worked for human rights campaigns in Afghanistan to protect and promote the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls.

She tries to incorporate her feelings into the novel. The story takes place in the future where the Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate, a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies, struggles to maintain peace.

Both heroines, Juliet Arroway, and her asset, Saudi Princess Mariam, are trying to hunt down the Islamic terrorists responsible for many murderous attacks. A member of Mariam’s family is suspected as the main instigator of the war and terrorist attacks. Juliet is paired with FBI agent Graham in the task to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis.

This is a story of deception, double-cross, heroism, and female empowerment.  Both Juliet and Mariam are independent, self-assured, and self-sufficient women trying to change the culture of how women are treated.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  Did your professional experience influence the story?

Brittany Butler:  I really feel passionate about women’s rights in Afghanistan. My last assignment was in the Pakistan-Afghanistan division where I worked for about three years.  I saw all the abuses of the Taliban. I now volunteer for an organization called, Women for Afghan Women. They provided funds for shelters there. One of the Afghan women I became friends with has worked for the US military and intelligence community quite a bit, becoming a translator.  I wrote the novel as fictional to go into the moral dilemma of espionage with internal struggles.

EC:  It seems to be you have the same uphill struggle J. A. Jance went through, writing in a man’s world?

BB:  I looked at a statistic.  Out of 127 spy authors only two were female. I thought about changing my name or just putting my initials, to hide the fact I was a woman.  But I want to showcase the female perspective, so I do not want to hide behind a different identity. I also wanted to point out in the book that doing this type of job many women feel they cannot espouse femininity.

EC:  You have in your book strong women?

BB:  The Afghan woman who is my friend showed strength, even after so much hardship.  They did not want to be victimized, but wanted to educate themselves, to have a better future for their children, and to be given opportunities to work. I decided to write a story that showcased a powerful Arab woman, Mariam. I also wanted to change the narrative about female intelligence officers.  We do not use our bodies and sex to obtain information. We use our brains, tradecraft, with the same training and skills as our male counterparts. Twenty years in this war and the country is back to where it was, regarding the women there.

EC:  How would you describe Juliet, the intelligence officer?

BB:  Strong, feisty, has her own mind, reckless, independent, and a former Army Ranger turned spy. She grieves the loss of her father and is determined to end the energy war that cost her boyfriend and father’s life. She is also passionate and becomes frustrated as I did with ending these wars, while trying to achieve something.

EC:  How would you describe FBI Agent Graham?

BB: He deals with a lot of the same pitfalls as Juliet.  He is loyal, protective, brash, brave, bold, powerful, and strong.

EC: The relationship between Juliet and the hero, FBI Agent Graham?

BB:  They can push each other’s buttons.  Juliet is guarded and likes to avoid attachment. I drew this from my own relationship with my husband. The dynamic is that he is supportive and empowering.  His love for me allowed for me to be who I am, which is the same case with Juliet. This made me feel more secure which is how I wrote their relationship, to do the difficult work. Juliet and I are accepted for who we are.

EC:  What about the Arab asset, Mariam?

BB: Strong, a feminist, defiant, reckless, and courageous. She uses the same tactics as her male counterparts, just like me, but is judged in a more severe way.

EC:  How would you describe the Islamic terrorists?

BB:  They are vindictive, Chauvinists, evil, violent, not empathetic, and egotistical.

EC:  A scene in the book reminded me of the Khost bombing where many CIA people were killed?

BB: Yes, it mirrored the operation in 2009. This had a tremendous impact for my decision to leave after my good friend, Darren LaBone died there. We worked together as case officers in Jordan.  He felt bad he was not there for his wife and three-year-old girl. We were desensitized from the danger, until this happened. Regarding that scene, my dad died while writing the book, so I drew my personal grief from his and Darren’s death.

EC:  What is the Syndicate Organization based upon?

BB:  I mirrored it on what the CIA does in terms of working with foreign liaisons.  We operate as a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies. We work hand in hand together. We share information from sources.

EC:  The scene between the Saudi Royalty, Salmon and Aziz,-what does it represent?

BB:  Trying to find ways that unite people versus what divides them. There was a quote in the book, “We all worship the same G-d.  Why can’t we unite on that fact.”  Salmon wants to continue to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the Saudis through cooperation. Aziz has the alternate viewpoint, to maintain monopolies on all energy sources, to wage the Jihad War.

EC: Next book?

BB:  My next book will involve Russia and China. Mariam is waging a war in support of the Feminists, based on what is happening in Iran.  She needs the Syndicate’s help, but they are intimidated by her accumulative power. There is no title and release date.

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: Burner by Mark Greaney

Book Description

Court Gentry is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA in this latest electrifying thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.

When you kick over a rock, you never know what’s going to crawl out. 
 
Alex Velesky is about to discover that the hard way. He’s stolen records from the Swiss bank that employs him, thinking that he’ll uncover a criminal conspiracy. But he soon finds that he’s tapped into the mother lode of corruption. Before he knows it, he’s being hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the CIA. 
 
Court Gentry and his erstwhile lover, Zoya Zakharova, find themselves on opposites poles when it comes to Velesky. They both want him but for different reasons. 
 
That’s a problem for tomorrow. Today they need to keep him and themselves alive. Right now, it’s not looking good.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Burner by Mark Greaney torches the thriller competition.  Not since Vince Flynn and Nelson DeMille has there been a string of outstanding stories, twelve to be exact. He writes his characters with wit, sarcasm, and allows readers to get into the characters’ heads. This novel focuses on honor, duty, love, forgiveness, and addiction.

The first half of the story sets up the second half and focuses more on Court’s former partner and love interest Zoya Zakharova, code-named “Anthem. The plot goes from geo-political to a cat and mouse chase. Both Court Gentry, the Gray Man, and Zoya, are former rogue CIA operatives who worked in the shadows when plausible deniability was necessary.

Gentry and Zoya are hired independently of each other to retrieve a certain phone. They are after Alex Velesky, who has stolen information, on his burner phone, from the Swiss bank he works for with the goal to uncover a conspiracy where Western traitors are working hand in hand with the Russians. Zoya gets to him first and promises to take him to New York where Alex will expose the traitors.  But she is not at her best, feeling adrift, missing her lover Court, and has as her only companion’s vodka and cocaine. Whether Court or Zoya, Greaney has allowed readers to get to know these characters better realizing they have emotional and psychological trauma.

The Court and Zoya plots run parallel until their missions intersect and the two lovers are reunited, facing almost impossible odds. She and Court are on a collision course as they try to combat Russians, powerful politicians, and those administrators in the CIA.

Per usual in each of his books Greaney has the most awesome action scenes.  As the story opens readers find Court hired to blow up Russian Oligarchs’ yachts but getting interference as he fights off Russian divers. As good as this scene is it does not compare to the captivating train scene later in the book.

The cast of characters will have readers loving some and hating others. The plot is relentless with an abundance of action. It is also very timely since the events involve the Russian-Ukrainian War.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Mark Greaney:  Even before the Russian invasion I wanted to write how Russian foreign intelligence buys influences of people in the West. I already started the book when the invasion of Ukraine began. One of my characters is Alex Veleskey, an American of Ukrainian descent, now working in a Swiss bank. He seeks revenge after the Russians killed his family in the war, the springboard for the plot. I tried to figure out where this war will be, knowing how a small portion of Ukrainians are supporting Russia, which I have in the book as well. An important part of the story is how relationships of convenience are created for the greater good even though many of the characters have been each other’s nemesis for years.

EC:  The structure of the book changes about mid-way?

MG:  I structured the story where the first part is geo-political, making sure readers understand what is happening, and the last part is a cat and mouse chase. Regarding Zoya and Court, the story has them about 50-50.  My earlier book, Mission Critical, was more about Zoya.  But, I do agree, the first half of the book feels like it has a lot more Zoya.

EC:  Zoya changed in this book?

MG:  Yes.  She was really in a dark place. I have done this to Court in earlier books.  Zoya is depressed and down. She is drinking with a cocaine habit. Because of where she is in her life, she appears fragile with a lot of vulnerabilities, isolated, and withdrawn. The more of these books I write, the more I want to delve into the characters.

EC:  You describe the symptoms of someone taking cocaine?

MG:  Yes, people have flushed cheeks, eyes bloodshot, twitchy, sweating, fast heart rate, more erratic, and eventually drained with anxiety. I have never done coke, so I did research by talking with two people who did and looked it up as well.

EC:  How would you describe the Gray Man, Court Gentry’s resume?

MG:  Professional saboteur, a private assassin, and an international fugitive. 

EC:  Is it true how Russia was buying influential people in the West?

MG:  Yes.  They have been involved with spying for the Russians or doing counter-terrorism measures on the Russians behalf. I wrote about this true to life issue. Just about two weeks ago, the chief of counterintelligence in the FBI New York Office, Charles McGonigal, was arrested for taking money from a Russian Oligarch, one of Putin’s cronies, Oleg Deripaska.  McGonigal was charged with money laundering and violating US Treasury sanctions.

EC:  The relationship between Court and Zoya?

MG:  I wanted to mess with people’s expectations. They will either have their heart strings pulled, make them scared, or make them happy. Zoya really misses Court. Both did not know how to connect with one another.  There is a physical distance between them but also an emotional distance between them including trust issues since Court ran out on her. They are two headstrong characters that are very similar. They both are lonely, missed each other, and saw the other person as the only one who understands them.

EC:  How would you describe the new character, Angela Lacy?

MG: Her personality is different from Brewer and Zoya, yet she is strong and confident. In a sense she is Brewer’s foil. Because she is looking to improve her position in the CIA, Court is wary of her while Zoya does not trust her at all.  Lacy is more good than bad. Right now, she can be trustful, direct, honorable, and honest. She will be one of Court’s CIA contacts in future books.

EC: You always have the best action scenes.

MG:  The beginning of the book where Court is trying to blow up a Russian Oligarch’s yacht was based on my experience with diving. I did some diving in Saint Lucia. Later in the story, the train scene when I originally wrote it was 80 pages long, about 15% of the book.  As I was finishing that scene, I was not happy with it.  So I went to Europe, traveling on the train from Milan to Geneva, taking pictures and videos, getting the angles figured. I am trying to sell what happens to the characters to the readers.

EC:  Can you talk about your feelings regarding the “Gray Man” TV movie on Netflix?

MG:  They will be making another one, but they have not started filming yet. It will be based on one of my books.  I really liked it but since I read the screenplay before the movie came out, I knew it was not going to be as gritty and edgy as the book. They did make changes with the book plot. I went in with the right attitude since I had no control.  I felt it was 60% of the book and 40% different with new stuff. There were places in the movie that I really liked the changes and wished I had written it yet there were places where I thought my little twist was more effective.

EC:  What about the actors who portrayed some of the characters?

MG: Ryan Gosling nailed down the character as I wrote him. There are villains in the Gray Man book that were not in the movie so hopefully someone who did not read the book will pick it up to learn more. Ana De Armas, the female lead, was cool, but she rescued Court too much. In the books I do have people pulling the Gray Man out of the fire, but she was a little bit of a ‘too good to be true’ character.  I like the women, to be more like Zoya, a little rougher, harder edge, more morally ambiguous, and less of coming in to save the day. 

EC:  Next book?

MG:  I have not started writing it.  It will take place in Cuba and Singapore.  The plot will have Zach, Hanley, Zoya, and obviously Court. The villain is a private individual. There will be a connection to the CIA but not involved with a mission.

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 Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.

American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.

When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin shows why her name has become synonymous with captivating and historically accurate World War II books.  This novel has ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances using their courage, faith, fortitude, and a bit of hope. 

The story shows how the Nazi occupation was different with Denmark. After the Germans occupy Denmark during WWII, they treat the country as a “model protectorate”. They didn’t enforce the same antisemitic laws as they did throughout Europe, allowing the Danes to self-govern and keeping the power of King Christian intact. For a while, things remained very much the same.

But when the plot fast forwards to 1943 everything changes. Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. He had three personas.  Havman is the name chosen for helping the Danish Resistance. The “Merman” is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story The Little Mermaid. As a former Olympic rower, he volunteers to row vital intel across the Sound to the allies in Sweden. There is also Hemining chosen by Henrik to be the opposite of the Baron, portraying an illiterate silent ship worker.

As Hemining, he meets Dr. Else Jenkins, an American Physicist who decides to stay in Denmark even after the Nazi occupation. But she is also working for the resistance, helping to publish a resistance newspaper for her friend Dr. Laila Berend, a mathematician. Neither Else and Laila know Hemining’s identity and resistance activities, and he does not know of their resistance activities. This changes in 1943 after the Nazis decide to round up the Danish Jewish community. Together along with most of Denmark, they hide and then transport most of the Jews to safety in Sweden. They face the constant danger of getting arrested, tortured, and executed.

The themes of the book are bravery, forgiveness, heartbreak, and horror along with the resilience of the Danes. Sundin has a way of bringing to life the true history in a fictional story.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Sarah Sundin: It came from historical research.  Since this is my fifteenth WWII novel, I find new stories that piqued my interest through my research.  I came across the amazing things Denmark did during the World War, especially how they rescued the Danish Jews.

EC: The Nazis were uncharacteristic the way they treated the Danes?

SS:  My last book was set in France, previous ones set in Germany.  Yet, how the Nazis treated the Danes goes against everything learned about the Nazis. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies.

EC:  How would you describe Else?

SS:  She is a nuclear physicist. She is very sweet natured and hates to confront people. She learns how to speak up for herself, developing a backbone.

EC:  What role did Professor Mortensen play?

SS:  He is a chauvinist pig, condescending and rude to her, treating her as more of a secretary than a scientist.   He basically humiliated Else. He is arrogant and dismissive. He forces her to speak up to save her career, which means everything to her. She needs to learn the difference between being nice and kind. Niceness is giving in on everything whereas kindness is respecting someone and being considerate.

EC:  The other physicist Bohr was a contrast to Mortensen?

SS:  He is a real person, while Mortensen is fictional. I was so impressed with Bohr.  He truly cared for those he worked with, nurturing them, and bringing out their brilliance. He used his brilliance to help others. Mortensen never cared about others. I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.

EC:  How would you describe Henrik?

SS:  A nobleman who led the playboy life until the Nazi occupation.  He was an Olympic rower and used those skills for the resistance, rowing to Sweden to give messages. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden. He is bold and outspoken until after he took on his secret identity where he becomes a shipyard worker, appearing to be all muscle and very silent.

EC:  What are the similarities and differences between Henrik, Havmand, and Hemining?

SS:  He took on all three personas.  Henrik was a nobleman with daddy issues. His father had high standards for his son, causing Henrik to rebel.  Havmand was the rower, a code name.  In Danish it means Merman.  He took inspirations from The Little Mermaid story since she gives up her voice to have legs.  He basically did the same thing, giving up his voice to be mobile for the resistance.  Hemining was the ship worker. Else describes all three: Hemining was noble in character, Henrik noble in birth and upbring, and Havmand is noble in his deeds.

E: How would you describe them:

SS: Henrik was a leader, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, wants to be a warrior, and courageous.

Hemining was level-headed, responsible, considerate, thoughtful, hard-working, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, and courageous.

Havmand was level-headed, responsible, considerate, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, a warrior, and courageous.

EC:  How would you describe the relationship between Hemining and Else?

SS:  Henrik pretends to be someone else in her presence. He is trying to restrain himself to make sure he does not reveal his identity. She on the other hand is confronting her prejudices. She is a scientist who falls for someone who can barely read, Hemining.  She is drawn to his kindness and decentness. She becomes more attractive to him and realizes that what is more important is someone’s character, not the letters after their name. 

EC:  What was the role of Leila in the book?

SS:  She is spunky, fun, persistent, and a good foil for Else.  She was Else’s best friend. She quits her job as a PHD mathematician to join the resistance. Leila is Jewish and needed the help of Else and Henrik to escape the Nazis.  She symbolized in the story the persecution of the Jews and the courageous acts of resistance. The Danes managed to save almost all the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell these stories.

EC:  Next book?

SS:  It is coming out in February 2024 and set in London during the Blitz. A Dutch refugee is separated from her son who is sent to London as they both flee the Nazis. She enlists a BBC radio correspondent to help find the son. In the flames of the city a bunch of murders pop up.  This one will be a mystery and thriller.

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.