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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Deep Tide by Laura Griffin

Book Description

With two brothers on the police force, Leyla Breda is well aware of the rising crime in her small beach town, but she never expected it to show up on her doorstep. When Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop, she’s deeply shaken, and as a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen.

Sean Moran is on an undercover assignment. The seaside community of Lost Beach may look like a picturesque postcard, but his team suspects it’s a point of intersection for several crime syndicates that the FBI has been investigating for years. Even so, when the brash and beautiful Leyla Breda starts bossing him around, he’s immediately intrigued. He knows her brothers want him to back off, but every time he sees her, he feels more of a spark.

Leyla’s connections in the local community and Sean’s skills allow them to go deeper into the case together than they would be able to go alone. But when a single crime spirals into something much darker, Sean’s carefully planned mission takes a deadly turn.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin is the fourth book in the “Texas Murder Files” series. As with the other three, readers will not be disappointed. The stories have likeable characters and intense action.

The heroine Leyla Breda is the sister of two local police officers, Joel, and Owen. She meets the hero, FBI Special Agent Sean Moran, at the wedding of her brother Joel. But Sean is also there as an undercover agent to investigate a tech billionaire believed to be associated with multiple crime syndicates.

Leyla runs both a popular coffee shop and a pastry shop. After finding that one of her employees was brutally murdered, Leyla and Sean team up to find the killer. She puts herself in dangerous situations which increase exponentially when she tries to help Sean with the undercover mission.

Readers are awarded a bonus because there is not just one strong heroine in the story, but two. Nicole Lawson is assigned as the lead detective on the case. She is young, the only woman on the police force, and has great instincts. At first, she and Sean butt heads, but over time they realize they can trust each other and begin to work together. Nicole and her partner Emmett discover that the murder could be linked to a case Sean is working on.

Along with the budding romance between Sean and Leyla, there is intense action, suspense, and chemistry between characters that are off the charts. Readers will have to hold on to their hats as Griffin takes them on a thrilling roller coaster ride.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: The idea for the story?

Laura Griffin: The main character has been in previous books in the series. Readers wanted to know when Leyla would get a book. This is her story, but also pulls together all the other characters from previous books. Thus, a wedding between Joel and Miranda where Leyla is the chef who caters the wedding. It was a lot of fun to write.

EC: You made Leyla a chef, are you a cook?

LG: My mother-in-law used to be a caterer. I did some research about working in an industrial kitchen and took some cooking classes as well. I learned how to decorate a cake. This was one of my most favorite forms of research. One of the things I learned to make was a puffy French sandwich cookie called Macaron. They are tricky to make. I am a cook but not a gourmet cook like Leyla.

EC: How would you describe Leyla?

LG: She is guarded and does not wear her emotions on her sleeve. She is cynical when it comes to relationships. Sometimes she is prickly, competitive, and controlling. Leyla uses food to express her love for people.

EC: How would you describe Sean?

LG: Very determined and smart.

EC: What about the relationship between her and Sean?

LG: She is immediately attracted to him. Sean can chip away her hard exterior. He is protective of her but not in the same way as her brothers. They want to shield her from everything. He was tenacious while she was evasive. She does not have a lot of trust in men. At first, she writes Sean off, but he is persistent.

EC: There was a scene in the book where she jumps forty feet into water -is that realistic?

LG: I did some research, and it is possible without getting severely injured. It depends on the circumstances and how someone falls.

EC: Inner law enforcement rivalry?

LG: I had the rivalry with my characters Nicole, who is on the police force, and Sean, who is FBI. She thought he was territorial, pushy, possessive, and petty. She has worked with the FBI in the past and found them to be very controlling, but Sean shows her he will share information. The investigation moved forward because of their partnership. He dispelled the stereotypic FBI agent.

EC: Encrypted phone apps?

LG: It is based on something that really happened. There are encrypted phone apps used by criminal organizations to shield themselves. It is a double edged sword. It can also shield journalists who are investigating these criminal organizations. The reporter in the story shows how he uses these apps that protects him, where he is invisible. This is how a lot of technology is used: either for good or nefarious reasons. This is a moral gray area.

EC: The next books?

LG: It is titled, The Last Close Call, a stand-alone suspense novel. It takes place in central Texas with the topic of genetic genealogy. The heroine uses DNA to trace people. It comes out in October.

The next book in “The Texas Murder File Series” is Nicole and Emmett’s story, out in the spring.

THANK YOU!!

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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.

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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

Book Description

When a cold case in Texas leads to a sinister string of disappearances, a newcomer to the small town helps a detective piece together the clues in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.

All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker—with her designer jeans and shiny car—who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin shows why she is the master of suspenseful romance. This plot has cold cases, search and rescue missions, and a loveable black lab.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. She is also a volunteer working search and rescue with her dog Huck. On a SAR mission, Ava becomes aware that women are missing annually from the hostile desert environment around the town and decides to pursue her own investigation, finding out that there are three missing women, all unsolved cold cases.

Grant Wycoff deputy sheriff and lead investigator reluctantly is paired with Ava since she and Huck can lead him to where there is evidence of the missing women. He does not want her working his case because she is a civilian and might endanger herself. The two of them don’t see eye to eye about the case. They butt heads digging their boot heels in to see who’s stronger willed. Grant sees her as a city slicker, wearing designer jeans and a driving a shiny new car. He thinks she has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. She is too stubborn to listen to him and eventually shows him her worth. In addition, they both realize there is chemistry between them.

This plot has it all: a gripping mystery, a sizzling romance, and plenty of action. It will keep readers on the edge of their seats with plenty of red herrings placed strategically throughout the story along with real clues.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Will this be a series and why a rescue dog?

Laura Griffin: I don’t have plans to make it a series, although the secondary characters have been teed up for more. I might come back to them, even years later. I became a dog owner about ten years ago. My dog is a Weimaraner. We adopted this sweet dog. I did some research for a previous book I wrote, Alpha Crew Dogs, about bomb sniffing dogs. From there I learned about search and rescue dogs. I really wanted to write a story about this type of dog.

EC: What about Huck, the dog?

LG: I started the story with writing about Huck. I wanted to make him an intricate part of the story. Huck is a black lab because I read a book about a park ranger who does search and rescue work. Labs are smart, sweet, good with people, can be playful, and trainable. Yet, I did not write Huck as having the personality as a human. But Huck is so intelligent with very powerful smelling abilities and great instinct. Huck was seen as a danger to the bad guys who tried to eliminate him. Just as with military dogs, the enemy knows they are in trouble because the dog can find ammunition, guns, and bodies. Huck became a threat.

EC: How would you describe Ava?

LG: Determined, smart, and underestimated. She is a woman who grew up in a man’s world of law enforcement. Her dad was a game warden, so she had experience with law enforcement although she is a civilian. She can be overly sensitive

EC: What about the relationship?

LG: Since her dad was in law enforcement she reflects on if she wants a relationship with someone in that profession. The job can be wearing on people, her dad was always working, many times preoccupied by the grim facts of his work, and her mom had to raise the children by herself. This caused a conflict between herself and Grant because he is a workaholic. Ava can read people and is guarded.

EC: How would you describe Grant?

LG: His home and family are important to him. He is protective, wants his town to be a better place, very dedicated and committed. He is sweet with a big heart, at times condescending, has a big ego, and stubborn.

EC: What role did the setting play?

LG: It takes place in West Texas, which is very remote. The town is in transition, going from a little town to a tourist town with more people. There is a lot of outdoor activities in the plot including, climbing, hiking, rock climbing, a dude ranch, and shooting a crossbow. During Covid a lot of people shifted to the National Parks. Many times, they did not understand all the dangers of these types of settings. For example, people don’t take water or the correct supplies. They are a little bit careless with their safety considering the natural dangers, which is why Ava and Huck helped to rescue people who got themselves in trouble. I learned about rock climbing when I did the research for Stone Cold Heart.

EC: Next book?

LG: It is the next book in the “Texas Murder Files Series” and titled Deep Tide. Leyla is the heroine, who runs the coffee shop. It will be out in the spring. Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop. The hero is Sean Moran, who is on an undercover mission. Together he and Leyla are trying to solve who murdered her employee and why.

THANK YOU!!

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

Book Description

When they face the most baffling missing person’s case of their careers, a fiercely ambitious lawyer and a homicide detective have no one to turn to for help except each other, from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career–to the exclusion of everything else–until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin brings to life a subject that needs more publicity. Because of cell phones, people, especially women, are vulnerable to revenge porn, which is a form of on-line abuse. This subject matter is explored within a riveting storyline.

Leigh Larson is a fiercely ambitious lawyer who fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and on-line abuse. She is the victim’s advocate, fighting to get payback for her clients.

The story opens with Vanessa Adams buying a gun. But she realizes someone is following her and runs into the woods. Her car is found abandoned along with her purse and phone. After being called in, Detective Brandon Reynolds of the Austin P.D. finds a smear of blood on the passenger seat car door that was left open. Brandon finds a lead when he discovers lawyer Leigh Larson’s business card among Vanessa’s things. It seems Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance. Leigh suspects that Vanessa may be harassed. She and Brandon team together to find out what happened to Vanessa. While doing this they realize they have off the chart chemistry. They grow closer after Brandon’s protective streak comes out when Leigh was attacked. They are racing against the clock to find Vanessa and to solve the case.

The gripping and riveting story puts on-line abuse front and center. The characters are very well developed and readers root for justice to be served.

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Elise’s Author Interview

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

Laura Griffin: I used to be a newspaper reporter. I saw some articles about a girl targeted for revenge porn that turned her life upside down. I did some research on these types of cases of online harassment.

EC: How would you describe Leigh?

LG: It is pronounced “Lee” not Leigh like Vivian Leigh. I got the name from a good friend in college. Leigh is tenacious, outspoken, smart, and knows how to operate in a man’s world. She is confident, pushy, headstrong, and intuitive. I made her a lawyer because I did not want the hero and heroine to both be law enforcement.

EC: How would you describe Brandon?

LG: Analytical, observant, cool headed, protective, and at times bossy.

EC: Can you discuss online harassment?

LG: It uses technology for revenge. The two types of harassment, online and in person, blend together. A man can stalk a woman but can also interface with her at home with technology. There is a blurring of the lines.

EC: What method do online harassers use?

LG: They like to torment, terrorize, control, and manipulate their victims. They can be sadistic, intimidating, and threatening. In this story the victimized woman had to move. Even if it is online the threats are not less scary and less dangerous.

EC: How would you describe Vanessa?

LG: Exasperating, at times sympathetic, impulsive, and has many faults. She did not make very good decisions and is not an angel yet does not deserve to be targeted. She is also a cutter.

EC: Why did you make her a cutter?

LG: I wanted to show how these cases have a devastating effect on young people. They have their images posted around for all the world to see. There have been cases of suicide, depression, and psychological impact. Vanessa became stressed and withdrawn after she was targeted. Once the images are out there it is hard for the victim to gain control.

EC: How would you describe the relationship?

LG: Both Brandon and Leigh have been burned and betrayed in the past. She has built walls. But after a while they find common ground. She does like to push his buttons and he likes to be sarcastic with her. They have a dynamic with a healthy back and forth.

EC: What about your next book?

LG: It will be out in May 2022. It is part of the “Texas Murder Files series” and is titled, Midnight Dunes. The setting is still the coast, and it will feature Owen’s story.

THANK YOU!!