#elisesthoughts – Page 7 – Avonna Loves Genres

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Rage by Linda Castillo

Book Description

Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?

The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Yutzy’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have been involved in that led to such violent ends?

With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters—individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.

To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Rage by Linda Castillo has a riveting plot. Like a fine wine, she only gets better with each story. Kate Burkholder is a unique character that readers will always root for.

The action starts from page one where an Amish man is brutally murdered. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Yutzy’s best friend. Then, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market that includes sex trafficking.

Kate is beaten up and warned to stop the investigation, but she is not someone who will give up when justice has not been served. As Kate gets closer to the truth of who is behind the murders, she herself becomes the target of the killers, putting her life in danger.

Each book tops the other one in suspense, mystery, and action. Castillo is a master at building suspense with intense and dark secret undertones.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: We were unable to speak about last year’s published book, The Burning. Is there anything you want to say about it?

Linda Castillo: This is one of my favorites. I think I looked at some of the reviews and saw had readers responded to the story. It was a satisfied book to write because it was a good mystery with the secret underground society of the Anabaptist culture that took out bad Amish. I liked the whole aspect of that story.

EC: How do you feel about this current book, Rage?

LC: Occasionally I listen to my books on audio. This makes me fall in love with it extra hard. Kathleen McInerney is such a great narrator. During my next road trip, I plan on listening to this book.

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

LC: I am a news hound. I read a lot of crime stuff. There has been so much human trafficking in the news. I did research and realized that Amish women could be victimized. They have

an innocence, naivete, vulnerability, becoming prey to predators. They know they are misbehaving to have fun, but once it reaches a certain level they cannot escape. When exposed to sudden freedom during Rumspringa, they cannot handle it and go overboard, get crazy, and get themselves into trouble.

EC: As in most of your stories you always teach the reader something about the subject matter. Is it true what you put in about sex trafficking?

LC: Emojis are true, and I had no idea about it. Law enforcement can search websites and chat rooms for certain terms. These traffickers tried to find a way around that by using emojis. They use underground language.

EC: How would you describe one of the victims, Samuel?

LC: He got in over his head. He did many things he was very ashamed of and was hoping to make things right. I think he was a decent guy who started down the wrong way and went in the wrong direction. I think once he fell in love everything changed, and he got back on track.

EC: Did Kate see a connection between her past and the other Amish women?

LC: They were all survivors, damaged, and had to take a journey. There is enough information in this book about Kate’s past, so that readers will be able to see the parallels between Kate and these women. The women were young and inexperienced as Kate was, very young, naïve, and vulnerable. They seemed to be lost and unable to re-fit in the Amish community. Kate ran away from her past and her identity. As she recovered and matured as a woman she knew when it was time to go back, with the opening of the Police Chief job. But the Amish women in Rage are not at that point yet. But the last scene in the book shows how one young woman was in the middle of the same journey Kate took.

EC: Interestingly, some of what you wrote made me think about the safety of animals.

LC: If someone has an animal and they end up dying what happens to their animals? I did that in the scene with the horse. I have horses and it upset me to write the scene where the horse was there alone without water and feed, plus it was hot. But I wanted to make sure readers knew that the animal was taken care of. My husband and I have two Blue Heeler dogs, that we are obsessed with and love. We want to make sure they and the horses are taken care of if something happens to us.

EC: In your books, you inform the readers about certain police procedures during their investigations. Your notes about dismemberment were very interesting.

LC: I put in this book quote, “The general rule of thumb for a homicide that involves the dismemberment of a human body is that there are probably two crime scenes. The death

scene, where the victim was murdered and/or dismembered, and the location where the body parts were disposed of and found.” It was a very astute and smart observation. I did not speak to a live law enforcement person about this but read about a dismemberment homicide. I thought about how I wanted to use this fact to make the investigation more difficult for Kate. It worked for the book. Unfortunately, it is a learning experience for me where I learn new things about murder. I must go through every investigational step either by research, talking with somebody, or figuring out the next logical step.

EC: In this book even though Kate is put through the ringer, do you agree she appears to be more cautious?

LC: I did it on purpose, that she now calls for backup. In real-life, small-town police probably do not have much backup. I read a book whose title was When You Are the Only Cop in Town. But I do not want Kate too stupid to live. She must do her due diligence. I still wanted that level of danger, but Kate did not do something foolish. Hopefully the reader is holding their breath, but is waiting for back up to rescue her, upping the suspense.

EC: In this book John Tomasetti is front and center. Do you have a blueprint as to when he will be featured and when he will not?

LC: It will depend on the case Kate is working on. The murders in this book where unusual for the area and are brutal. They had a big city feel, which is what brought Tomasetti in. He will always be there, but I want to vary his level with the crimes.

EC: What about having your books made into a movie or TV series?

LC: Last time we spoke we had a little nibble. I had a Zoom meeting with a script writer and some producers that included Poppy Montgomery who starred in the series “Unforgettable” and “Without A Trace.” She was one of the producers of the first movie, “An Amish Murder,” back in 2013. She loves the character, Kate Burkholder. Her and two other producers on the Zoom are very enthusiastic. I recommended some books in the series, Born to Silence, Down A Dark Road, Among the Wicked, and The Hidden One to read. I thought these books are very representative of the series.

EC: Next books?

LC: The next Kate plot has two Amish women walking down a country road when a car hits and kills one of the women. Was it an accident or more than that? I want to keep my stories fresh by changing the type of crime and the motivation. This book will be published in 2027. But in 2026 there will be another collection of Kate short stories in a brand-new hardcover never released with a new short story never published. It is titled A Dark Path. It will come out in spring or summer 2026.

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: Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA by Christina Hillsberg

Book Description

Years after her successful and impactful career at the CIA, Christina Hillsberg became enthralled with the stories of the trailblazing women who forged new paths within the Agency long before she began her career there in the aughts. These were women who sacrificed their personal lives, risked their safety, defied expectations, and boldly navigated the male-dominated spy organization.

Through exclusive interviews with current and former female CIA officers, many of whom have never spoken publicly, Agents of Change tells an enthralling and, at times, disturbing story set against the backdrop of the evolving women’s movement. It was the 1960s, a “secretarial” era, when women first gained a foothold and pushed against the one-dimensional, pop-culture trope of the sexy Cold War Bond Girl. Underestimated but undaunted, they fought their way, decade-by-decade, through adversity to the top of the spy game.

Seamlessly weaving together the individual stories of these exceptional women, Hillsberg deftly tackles not just the fight for gender equality at the CIA, but the current dilemma the Agency faces when dealing with the culmination of a decades-long culture of sexual harassment and assault.

Each chapter sheds a light on women’s issues during that decade before bringing to life the stories of female CIA operations officers whose experiences were emblematic of that given era. In this fascinating and empowering chronicle, Hillsberg takes readers inside the Agency in a way that’s never been done before, paying long overdue tribute to the survivors and thrivers, the indispensable groundbreakers, and defiant rabble-rousers who made the choice to change their lives and in turn, changed history.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Agents of Change by Christina Hillsberg reads like an espionage thriller. Hillsberg, a former CIA intelligence officer, uses her insider knowledge to write a nonfiction book about US patriots working for the CIA who happened to be women trailblazers. These women sacrificed their personal lives, risked their safety, defied expectations, and boldly navigated the male-dominated spy organization. The book profiles dozens of agents from the 1960s to the present.

The book takes readers behind the scenes as it explores by decade how women’s roles in the CIA evolved. The compelling exclusive interviews with those CIA officers show their resilience and determination.

They had to overcome the thinking of the times about women’s roles in the workplace. Although the book does discuss the fight for gender equality at the CIA, and the culture of sexual harassment/assault, this is not the essence of the book, but the riveting stories of how these women risked their lives while performing their duties that included doing espionage, recruiting spies, and stealing secrets.

One compelling story is of Marti Peterson. Marti served as an intelligence officer in Russia where she conducted dead drops. Because the KGB did not think that a woman would be used to conduct clandestine operations, she was able to collect foreign intelligence right under the Russians’ noses without them knowing. The description of her cover and how she went about her duties is riveting, especially after being captured by the KGB, betrayed by double agents.

Then there was Janine Brookner. She had her antennas up about Aldrich Ames who worked in counterintelligence alongside Janine’s ex-husband and long-time companion, Colin. She felt he was a security risk and brought her concerns up to the Chief of Station who ignored her. It turns out her concerns were justified considering eight years later, Ames would plead guilty to espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, she never received the credit for being one of the first people to identify him as a traitor.

A bonus is how Hillsberg makes the comparison between how the CIA treats female agents through the decades to what the James Bond films are doing with women in each decade.

Anyone who wants an espionage read should get this book. These women were groundbreakers, rabble rousers, but more important are the shields that helped to keep Americans safe.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Do you agree that those in intelligence should be thought of on July 4th, America’s birthday?

Christina Hillsberg: July 4th is a great time to take a moment and thank those that work in the shadows as well as all the servicemen and women in the military and law enforcement. There are so many incredible people behind the scenes to keep Americans safe, including the remarkable women I highlight in the book. The emphasis of those working at the CIA is to keep Americans safe here at home, abroad, and American interests. As Americans celebrate July 4th, I hope they remember why we have all these freedoms.

EC: How has your experience at the CIA helped you to write this book?

CH: We’re surrounded by so many misconceptions of the female spy, thanks in large part to Hollywood. I knew I was uniquely positioned to write a book about the real women in intelligence. Having spent time in both analysis and operations during my time at the CIA, I leveraged that experience to build trust with those I interviewed, many of whom had never spoken publicly about their CIA experiences.

EC: Why write the book?

CH: I wanted to write about the women who came before me and how the female spy has changed over the years, to amplify their stories and voices. It was meant to show the progress the Agency has made over the years regarding the role of women. There is also some conversation about the less favorable part of the history including the struggles of sexual harassment/abuse. That said, it’s meant to be a celebration of the incredible accomplishments of female officers at the CIA as well as the notable progress the spy organization has made throughout the decades.

EC: Why the book title?

CH: They were all trailblazers but considered troublemakers for making change happen. Even though the term should be intelligence officers I used the word ‘agents’ because of a play on words, they were the change agents. Originally the word ‘sisters’ was in the title but as I did the interviews and research, I realized there was no ‘sisterhood’ at the Agency although they opened the doors for other women. The sisterhood seems to come after we’ve left. I value the friendships I’ve made with these older women because they are filled with stories, wisdom, and experiences.

EC: It boggles my mind that Americans cannot thank personally those in the CIA for their service as we can with the military and law enforcement. Do you agree?

CH: Those at the CIA are bred not to speak of the accomplishments and to share. We always used to say in the CIA, there is only such a thing as “policy success and an intelligence failure.”

Many times, people do not hear about all the intelligence successes that happen all the time. If there is a success, the policy makers will take credit for it. Hopefully, with this book, Americans appreciate the role those at the CIA play in keeping them safe and become more aware of what they do. For example, Marti, a CIA officer, never told her children until they were much older that she was CIA. Many women of the CIA were quiet about their activities. Often these women did not share their stories even though they played vital roles in national security. I wanted to choose women who resonated with readers and to humanize them. To show how these women had families and had to make life choices.

EC: Why the James Bond comparison?

CH: When there is talk about the female spy the “Bond girl” comes to mind. Look at the trajectory of the Bond girl from the very first movie until now. It goes from a one-dimensional sidekick to a multidimensional very capable “Bond girl.” I thought it would be a great story telling structure to trace that along with the changing role of women through the decades at the Agency. It was my hope to write a book that is both entertaining and approachable for readers beyond history buffs and spy afficionados.

EC: Marti Peterson, a CIA woman who worked there in the seventies had an interesting career, do you agree?

CH: Absolutely. Marti began her career as a “CIA wife,” providing secretarial and administration support while accompanying her husband on his tour in Laos. She felt she was losing her own identity, an “appendage to his career.” After her husband was killed, she wanted to be an operations officer and refused the Agency’s offer to give her a secretarial role. Instead, she demanded more commensurate with her experience and abilities. At that time women were told they could not run operations, did not have the skill set, and were inferior. There was the fear they would get pregnant or marry and leave. But Marti was persistent, resilient, and determined to show what she was made of. She even learned Russian for a tour in Moscow where she was the first woman to operate clandestinely. She was an extremely accomplished woman whose experience helped shape the trajectory of women at the CIA for years to come. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear about her career.

EC: What traits make women an advantageous spy?

CH: At the beginning of the book, I include an epigraph by an operations officer, “Don’t let somebody tell you, for whatever reason, you can’t do it because you’re a woman.” I think this is a powerful message to younger women, that nothing can hold them back. Because women were often underestimated, they leveraged that to their benefit, and by extension, the CIA’s as well. They blended into the background in male-dominated cultures across the globe, stealing secrets all while going undetected. Moreover, many women officers felt they were better listeners than their male colleagues, detailed oriented, more empathetic, could build rapport in different ways than the males, yet set boundaries.

EC: Were there any men supportive of these women?

CH: Oh, yes. Some women were fortunate to have supportive male colleagues and superiors, and in many cases, that meant the difference between a woman’s ability to attend operational training at the Farm or remain in a non-operational role at headquarters. Janine Brookner, for example, secured her first overseas assignment as a result of a male ally who advocated for a woman operations officer in his station. But once she arrived, it was up to her to prove her worth, and she did that in spades.

EC: Why did you highlight Janine Brookner?

CH: Even to this day people have strong feelings about Janine because she was so controversial. Having already passed away prior to my beginning my research for this book, I had to rely on interviews with family, friends, and colleagues to create Janine’s narrative. After hearing conflicting impressions, I realized that those who had something negative to say about her never worked with her directly, and yet, they criticized everything from her style of dress to her attitude. As with everything in life, everyone brings their own bias to the table, and it was my responsibility to wade through the noise and create the most accurate portrayal of Janine. And after dozens of interviews, I believe she was a smart and tenacious intelligence officer whose bravery created one of the most important watershed moments in the history of women at the CIA. After Janine was wrongfully accused of sexual harassment, she fought back and won. Although the CIA settled with her, the Agency did not admit any wrongdoing. The settlement said she had to resign. Because she knew this was just wrong, she became a lawyer to represent Federal government employees in their cases involving sexual discrimination.

EC: How would you describe Janine?

CH: I wish I could have met her, but unfortunately, she died. I would describe her as loyal, ambitious almost to a fault, resourceful, career oriented, empathetic, caring, excellent operational tradecraft, intuitive, and drive. She remained a close companion to Colin, her ex-husband and retired CIA case officer, who I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know throughout the reporting of this book.

EC: What do you want readers to get out of the book?

CH: I want readers to realize how important women are to national security. They are competent and talented officers who bring unique perspectives to all aspects of Agency work, a vital part of the mission. I want to encourage women to work in intelligence with their eyes wide open. I want to make sure that people celebrate the accomplishments of these women.

This not a book about an ‘axe to grind’ regarding sexual harassment and assault but rather, a book about the accomplishment of some remarkable women.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

Book Description

When former spy Maggie Bird retired to the seaside hamlet of Purity, Maine, she settled in for a quiet life with breathtaking views. But enemies from her past soon threatened to destroy everything.

Maggie survived, thanks to her wits and the collective intelligence of the Martini Club, the circle of ex-CIA friends in her cocktail-sipping book club. Their handiwork, however, caught the attention of young police chief Jo Thibodeau. Now Jo and her neighborhood ex-spies have an uneasy alliance.

After a teenager vanishes—and Maggie’s neighbor becomes the prime suspect—she joins the investigation, determined to prove her friend’s innocence. But the girl’s wealthy family pushes for an arrest. And when authorities discover a long-dead corpse in a nearby pond, the case becomes doubly complicated, with unthinkable ties to long-buried secrets.

As Jo grapples with two unexplained mysteries, the Martini Club races to uncover the truth behind shadowy secrets…before more lives are lost.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen, the second book in the series, is more of a mystery than a spy thriller, which just shows how diverse Gerritsen can be in her writing.

The story has fifteen-year-old Zoe Conover disappearing after visiting her newly found friend. Callie Young. The suspect is Luther, Callie’s grandfather. He is the neighbor of Maggie Bird, a retired CIA spy. The Conovers are a wealthy family who used to come to Purity, Maine for the summer. Some are thinking that Zoe has run away, while others want a quick arrest of Luther, but Susan, Zoe’s mom is pushing for the authorities to find her daughter.

Enter the Martini Club, a group of ex-CIA friends that get together for a cocktail-sipping book club. But they feel that although retired, they have much more still left to offer. Thus, they get involved in the investigation, much to the chagrin of acting police chief Jo Thibodeau. Over the course of the story, she realizes that although the Martini Club can be a pain, their contributions cannot be overlooked. After Acting Chief Thibodeau has the pond drained, skeleton remains are found. Now Thibodeau has two mysteries to solve.

There are many bonuses in this book. The budding relationship between Maggie and her ex-CIA friend, Declan Rose, the humorous banter between Jo and the Martini Club, and at the end of the book a short story written by Gerritsen and Lee Child that brings together Maggie and Jack Reacher.

This story has many twists and turns, suspenseful, and is fast paced. As with previous books this is a character driven story that readers root for or despise.

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Author Interview

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

Tess Gerritsen: This is the second book in the series. I talked to the daughter of a CIA person who died. She told me her dad was here working on a project for the CIA. I began researching what she said and found the CIA did have a small branch in midcoastal Maine. I also wanted to explore the conflicts between those that lived here and those that came for the summer.

EC: How would you describe Ethan, the novelist?

TG: A lot of things that Ethan had happen I have also had happen, including trouble writing the second book and how a novel can take over a writer’s life. Ethan is someone obsessed with getting the next novel written. He is very focused, kind, a family man, and he has clashes between wanting to be involved in his family life with the drive to write the next book.

EC: Ethan had writer’s block, did you ever have it?

TG: For me I sometimes have trouble figuring out how do I get my characters in the situation I want them to be in. I start off with a sense of what emotions will they go through in the story, the darkest moments of their lives. Sometimes it isn’t always clear how to get them into a fix or how to get them out of it.

EC: How would you describe the Conover family?

TG: The Conover family is horrible. Elizabeth Conover, family matriarch mother, is a tiger lady. She defends and protects her family which I consider good qualities. Her son, Colin, is arrogant, a golden boy, a spoiled older son, and successful.

EC: What about Jo versus Maggie and the Martini Club?

TG: They are all basically good people. Jo is a local gal who never has been outside Maine. She has a limited perspective. Jo is slowly figuring out that she can use the Martini Club’s help. It bothers her that they are always one step ahead. There is a little bit of competition, but she also has an appreciation for their skills. Maggie does not want her to feel inadequate. Maggie generally likes and respects her. Both are determined, stubborn, and bright, but with a different skill set.

EC: The relationship between Maggie and Declan?

TG: Because she has been haunted by the death of her husband it has been hard for her to get in a relationship again. It is about time so they will have one.

EC: What was the role of Reuben in the story?

TG: Reuben represents for me local Mainers. He sees the summer rich people as having preconceptions of what people in Maine are like. He is an interesting man and has been victimized by his circumstances.

EC: How would you describe the town of Purity?

TG: Purity is an idyllic peaceful town where people still trust each other. It is the town I live in representing small town America, a smaller fictionalized version of my hometown. It is beautiful, remote, harsh winters, with a respect for privacy.

EC: Is Mkultra real?

TG: Mkultra is real. The CIA between the 1950s and the 1970s used experiments in mind control using drugs. There was a tiny branch in Maine. It caused psychosis, hallucinations, delusions, and memory loss because they used LSD. This book theme is a distraction.

EC: There was a short story with Maggie and Reacher?

TG: This was done for fun. Lee Child and I share an editor in the UK. She thought it would be fun if they met. There is a Reacher book where he goes to Maine. We put that together. He wrote a chapter and then I wrote a chapter.

EC: The next book?

TG: The next book will explore one of the Martini Club members, Ingrid, and her marriage to Lloyd. It is titled The Shadow Friends. An old lover spy partner of Ingrid comes back into her life, and asks for her help, which threatens her marriage. Somebody will die during a national security conference in Purity. The person was poisoned. It will be published in August of next year.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Her Burning Lies by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Book Description

As a blazing wildfire rages through Kearny County, homes are destroyed and the town is in turmoil. Amongst the debris, the body of a young woman lies totally still, her eyes looking to the sky, a silver sword pinning her to the ground.

When fire wardens search the scorched remains of an abandoned farmhouse, underneath the rubble, they make a shocking discovery—a young woman, stabbed and left to die in the middle of the fire zone. Detective Delaney Pace and Sheriff Leo Palmer are called in to investigate.

Leo takes in the woman’s petite features, his voice shaking as he turns to Delaney. He knows the victim—they had met on an online dating site. How did she end up in the middle of the wildfires, and who would want to kill an innocent young woman?

As a second body is discovered at a remote ranch, also stabbed with a silver sword, Delaney is sure the victims are linked—both young mothers, both looking for love. Could Kearny County have a serial killer preying on single women?

Delaney’s heart pounds when she learns that her close friend, Clara Eckhardt, is missing, last seen driving towards the fires. She ignores the evacuation orders and races towards the inferno. But when shots are fired, she knows the murderer has her in their sight. Will she turn back and save herself or chase the killer further into the fire to save her friend’s life?

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Her Burning Lies by Pamela Fagan Hutchins has it all: a suspenseful plot, great banter, and wonderful characters.

Sheriff Deputy Delaney now has two adopted daughters. Sheriff Leo has his sister and nephew living with him. Not only do they need to deal with matters associated with their newly expanded families, but there is a wildfire nearby that they are actively fighting. Then there are dead women appearing in the fire area with swords pinning them to the ground.

After fire wardens search the scorched remains of an abandoned farmhouse, underneath the rubble, they make a shocking discovery, a young woman stabbed and left to die in the middle of the fire zone. A second body is discovered at a remote ranch, also stabbed with a silver sword. Delaney is sure the victims are linked, since both are young mothers and are leaving law enforcement wondering if Kearny County has a serial killer preying on single women. Things ratchet up after a Sherriff Department employee and friend disappears and seems to somehow be connected to the crimes.

Besides the riveting plot there is the romantic angle. The main characters’ personal relationships change and grow over the series. Their personal relationship is a rollercoaster ride that appears to be concluding.

Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they turn the pages.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Pamela Fagan Hutchins: Her Burning Lies (Delaney Pace #5) came to me because of a Renaissance Fair flyer I saw up in Sheridan Wyoming. I have not been to one. I have friends that love them, and one of my sons loves them. But it was mostly seeing the Renaissance in the modern west on that flyer, very out of place. While that became “Middle Ages” once I began researching for the storyline, the idea of an old sword, out of place in Wyoming was planted. Then I moved to France for a year where I was surrounded by Medieval history at the time I began writing, and the idea really took off. I was intrigued by how Delaney would react to it.

EC: Did you ever drive the Big Rig Tractor Trailor?

PFH: I have not! The driving skills come from my dear friend, former trucker extraordinaire, Daisy Delaney.

EC: Role of the fire?

PFH: I include a seasonally appropriate phenomena in each of my Delaney Pace books. This book was set in August, which is fire season. I do this because it is a reality of living and working as a law enforcement officer in Wyoming. The terrain is rugged and vast, and the extreme weather conditions add a lot of unique difficulty and danger.

EC: Relationship between Delaney and Leo?

PFG: Delaney comes from a background of very painful personal loss, and she wants to avoid being hurt again, intentionally or accidentally. One of the walls she put up was partly out of caring for Leo: putting his future over hers. But it was a wall, nonetheless. They had banter and camaraderie, were partners figuratively and literally, they avoided the relationship aspect, and it was hard for her to trust.

EC: Role of Joe Tarver?

PFH: Deputy Joe Tarver is a wonderful foil for Leo and obstacle for Delaney as well. And haven’t we all worked with someone who literally or figuratively shoots us in the back?

EC: Do you always have an abuse angle in your stories-in this one there was sex trafficking and pregnant women?

PFH: No, but in most of my Delaney stories she is championing women who are marginalized or abused in some way, like she was, and like so many women are, in her community and elsewhere. Not only did she face it herself, but one of her adoptive daughters comes from a history of abuse.

EC: Is Kat acting like a typical teenager: Bratty, self-centered, uncaring, freezing her stepmom out

PFH: Adoptive mom. As a stepmom, I can tell you there is a big difference. And, as a mom and stepmom to three adult daughters, I will only say I am writing that age from personal experience mothering them!!!

EC: Do you self-publish books-if so why and can you tell a little about them: Title, due date to come out, plot?

PFH: I both traditionally and independently publish. The Delaney Pace books are from one of Hachette UK’s imprints, Bookouture. I am actively writing two other series that are independently published under the company owned by my husband and me, SkipJack Publishing, which also publishes a handful of other authors.

The two active series are set in Wyoming as well: Jenn Herrington (contemporary romantic legal thrillers) and Patrick Flint (1970s adventurous family drama mysteries). We hope to release the next Jenn Herrington book by the end of 2025 and a Patrick Flint book in 2026. Currently, there are 2 Jenn Herrington books and 8 Patrick Flint.

I have also written a super series of romantic mysteries, with sub series for 6 different interrelated characters: Katie Connell set in the Caribbean, Emily Bernal set in Texas and New Mexico, Michele Lopez Hanson set in Texas, Maggie Killian set in Texas and Wyoming, and Ava Butler set in the Caribbean.

Altogether, I have written 32 novels, of which only 6 are Delaney Pace (1 upcoming in October 2025). So, while I can’t give you the plot of each of the books, I can direct you to either my website (https://pamelafaganhutchins.com) or my Amazon page (http://amazon.com/author/pamelafaganhutchins.com) for information on each of the series and the books within them!

EC: Next book: Title, due date to come out, plot?

PFH: I am not allowed to release the title of Delaney Pace #6 yet, but I can tell you that it comes out in October 2025, and it is the favorite book of the series for everyone involved: my editor, me, my husband (who is my story idea partner), and my story fact checker, police chief Travis Koltiska. Here’s a very short synopsis: Detective Delaney Pace starts the new year with a dead body that falls from a ski lift and lands at her feet, just after she hears the muffled shot from woods below. Panic reigns on the ski slope as she and Sheriff Leo Palmer race after the killer, a pursuit that leads them across jurisdictions and ends with Leo hostage and Delaney faced with a horrible choice. Follow the law she’s sworn to uphold or save Leo’s life.

THANK YOU!!

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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Amish Country Killer by Mary Alford

Book Description

An unsolved mystery…

Seeking the truth could be fatal.

Reopening the investigation of her mother’s disappearance puts chief of police Diana Fisher in someone’s lethal sights. As she delves deeper into the mystery, a murderer resurfaces, targeting the Amish community. Detective Micah Nissley, whose fiancée went missing a decade ago, joins forces with Diana to stop the threats and bring the killer to justice. But can they uncover the connection between Diana and the culprit before she becomes the next victim?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Amish Country Killer by Mary Alford features a police chief dealing with an Amish cold case where Amish girls have disappeared. Readers will try to solve the case along with the characters as they second guess the clues.

The plot opens when Diana Fisher decides to return to her childhood town in Rachel’s Crossing Kentucky, to become police chief. She is following in her father William’s footsteps who once was police chief there. Fifteen years ago, Diana’s mother disappeared, and William decided they needed a fresh start, so he moved them to Louisville.

Even though her dad is dead set against it, Diana decides to move there and accept the police chief job. She is determined to try to find out why her mother left them. But once there, she finds trouble is waiting for her. Shortly after arriving she hears a young Amish girl screaming and when trying to rescue her she gets hit over the head and her dog Kit also gets injured. They are rescued by Micah Nissley, once Amish and now living in the English world. He has been coming back to his family’s old home whenever he could to do repairs in thoughts of using it as vacation home. He was shunned by his family, friends and community who blamed him for the disappearance of his fiancé, Tessa, the girl he loved.

He is now working as a detective for the Kentucky Department of Criminal Investigations. He offers to help but before Diana will accept it, she investigates why he was considered a person of interest. After he comes clean and tells her she accepts his help and realizes that he also wants to solve the case to overcome the stigma of being falsely accused of killing the missing Amish girls. The investigation leads them to a serial killer who is elusive and extremely intelligent, since he has been killing women for many years without being caught.

If readers enjoy the Linda Castillo series with Police Chief Kate Burkholder they will enjoy this story. It is an intense read that is intriguing, captivating, powerful and full of suspense with a twist of an ending that is shocking.

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Author Interview

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

Mary Alford: I have been fascinated by the simple life of the Amish. I thought about what would happen in this quiet setting if there was still danger lurking and secrets hidden. I took an old cold case and have a new police chief who must face her own dark past.

EC: Were you influenced by Kate Burkholder from the Linda Castillo series?

MA: I had not thought of it. Maybe in a way. Diana does have a quest and wants to find out what happened to her mother, which is why she took the job as police chief. She wants to do some research as to why her mom disappeared. This police department needs rebuilding after the corruption within it.

EC: How would you describe Diana?

MA: She is strong, resilient, and faces danger head on. She is always on the front line and refuses to let fear stop her. I think she is also guarded and cautious.

EC: How would you describe the hero, Micah?

MA: He has ties to the cold case since his fiancé, Tessa, disappeared and he was the last to see her alive. He is former Amish and is bitter because he was a person of interest a long time ago during the Amish girl’s disappearance. He also feels guilty. When he saw Tessa with this other guy, he left her and felt guilty for making the choice to leave.

EC: What role does Kit the canine dog play?

MA: Diana considers her a friend, protector, and loyal. She is trained in search and rescue plus police work. She stands between Diana and danger. She loves to play with her favorite stuffed animal.

EC: What about the relationship?

MA: It was hampered by suspicion, and she is not trusting. He did have ties to the past case of the disappearance of Amish women. He wants it to have resolution and to come to light about what happened to Tessa. He is stuck with the past hanging over him.

EC: What about the corrupt cops?

MA: They stole, bribed, blackmailed, and harassed. People do not trust the police department.

EC: Why Kentucky?

MA: There are a few Amish communities in Kentucky. I like having a remote mountain setting that creates its own danger and suspense.

EC: Next books?

MA: In July a book will be published, Framed in Amish Country. It is about a DA who is being framed for murdering her best friend. An Amish man helps her find evidence to prove her innocence. In October Shattered Amish Identity comes out. The heroine has a buggy accident where she does not remember her past. Someone is trying to kill her, and a CIA Agent comes to help her.

THANK YOU!!

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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Tom Clancy: Line of Demarcation by M.P. Woodward, Tom Clancy

Book Description

It starts with the destruction of a US Coast Guard cutter and the loss of her entire crew. But the USCG Claiborne was on an innocuous mission to open a sea lane between an oil field off the coast of South America and the refineries of southern Louisiana. The destruction of the ship, tragic as it is, won’t stop that mission from continuing.

So who would sacrifice twenty-two men and women just to slow down the plan? That’s the question plaguing Jack Ryan Jr. He’s in Guyana to work a deal to get his company, Hendley Associates, in on the ground floor of this new discovery, but Russia’s Wagner Group and a pack of Venezuelan narco-terrorists have other ideas—and will risk war with the United States to see them through. It’s up to Jack to identify the killers before they draw a bead on him, but how can he do that when the line of demarcation between friend and foe is constantly shifting?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Tom Clancy Line of Demarcation by M. P. Woodward brings back Jack Ryan Jr. There is not just one plot, but three subplots that come together making for a riveting storyline.

The book opens with the destruction of a US Coast Guard cutter and the loss of her 22-member crew. The USCG Claiborne was on an innocuous mission to open a sea lane between an oil field off the coast of South America and the refineries of southern Louisiana. The question is who was responsible for the killings?

Meanwhile, Jack Ryan Jr. is in Guyana trying to get his export license for his oil company Hendley Associates, working undercover as the CEO of Athena Global Shipping Lines. That area of the world is already plagued with corruption and deceit, which proves to increase the burden on those conducting above board business. Jack is lunching with Guyana’s minister of the interior and attorney general when he’s caught in a sudden crossfire. He escapes, but the two officials are killed. The other plotlines are triggered after the attack where separate teams of the Campus, a covert government organization, is now tasked with fighting a Russia-backed Guyanese coup and rescuing Campus operator Domingo “Ding” Chavez, who’s deep undercover with a drug gang.

Per usual, in a Clancy novel, the action and ending are explosive. A bonus is that in the beginning of the book there was a list of characters broken up by American, Russian, Guyanese and Venezuelan along with a 1-to-2-line description.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: The idea for the story?

M. P. Woodward: In looking around the world at global flash points Russia uses energy as a source to yield power, leverage, and geopolitical tensions. I also saw that there is a real-world territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana with a region very rich in oil. I then thought of a plot line where the Russians and Venezuelans team up to snatch this area away much like the Russians did in Ukraine.

EC: I was wondering how you came to write about that scene early in the book where readers will root for characters, they know very little about?

MPW: It was a prologue which I consider mini novels. Readers are usually left with something that is going to happen. I visited a Coast Guard station and have a son in it where I realized they are the unsung heroes. I wanted to give a shout out to those who maintain waterways. I brought a crew like that into real danger and let it be the spark that lit the fire.

EC: What about crossover with Andrews and Wilson who write the other Clancy series?

MPW: The very nature of both series means they crossover. We have the same editor who makes sure we are on the same page. We do not really collaborate on the plots, but we are aware of each other’s storylines.

EC: What is real in the book?

MPW: Hydrocarbon reserves are what the Russians wanted and what makes Guyan strategically important. The Zircon missile is the Russian hypersonic missile. The SUDS Machine is based on service drones. There are initiatives out there for hydrogen service drones. In this book I had them as a hybrid with actual warriors on them, but they can also be remote control like a loyal dog and return to where they are supposed to be. They are a lot like a jet ski.

EC: What about Lisanne Robetson?

MPW: When I took over the series she had been recruited into the Campus. Jack Ryan Jr. and her fell in love and is now his fiancé. She has a job within the Campus as its logistic coordinator and manages some intelligence feeds, so there is a bridge between the emotions of the couple and the realities of the mission. She has quiet strength.

EC: What about Master Chief Kendrick Moore?

MPW: He was introduced in Shadow State. His backstory is still developing but he is damaged goods after getting a dishonorable discharge. He was angry and on a wayward path. Clark brought him into the Campus as a protege and is now formalized there. He is the foot in the door for Clark with the Naval Special Warfare Community. In this story he is a great part of it because much of the action takes place in the water.

EC: The next books?

MPW: The Clancy book is out in September, and it titled Terminal Velocity. It does not focus on the Russians. CRINK make up many bad guys, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea with less formal enemies like drug cartels and terrorists. I enjoy writing where a national enemy uses more of a shadow enemy.

EC: Rumor has it that you had a crystal ball while writing Terminal Velocity?

MPW: The plot is about the flash point of India and Kashmir which has been in the news lately. The scenario is almost exactly what happened now. A terrorist unit hits the Indians who accuse Pakistan of sheltering them. Tensions climb.

EC: Any other books besides Clancy?

MPW: Another book coming out in September titled Red Tide. It is a military fiction where China blockades Taiwan with tensions on the high seas. There is a battle like Midway with real naval tactics.

THANK YOU!!

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