I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
What a delightful and light-hearted Christmas romance! WIth the holidays approaching, Catherine’s friend Denise convinces her to go on a European cruise with her. After all, Catherine’s two children are busy leading their own lives, Catherine has a serious health issue to deal with after the holidays, and Denise really is a god friend. Also on the cruise are sisters Sophie and Sierra. Sierra is married but her husband reneged on the cruise at the last minute, so hypochondriac Sophie decides to travel with her sister. The cruise is all that they dreamed of, and all that I could dream of, too, if I had been along. Sumptuous meals, beautiful port cities with Christmas shopping all along the way. Plus, Trevor is on the cruise, the chocolate king of Cupid’s Chocolates. Of course, there is lots of matching up in couples, lots of drama, lots of romance and plenty of Christmas. My favorite part was the slide show presented by Sophie and Sierra’s brother at their family celebration. Seriously, this was like watching a Hallmark movie or living right in the scenes with the characters. The whole book was that realistically portrayed! The characters were three-dimensional and the plot was extremely well-written with no loose strings left at the end. (Or should I say missing Christmas tree bulbs?). Anyway, this was one of the best Christmas books that I have read and I highly recommend it for those who love the holiday and the romance that it brings. And if you don’t love the holiday, you will enjoy this book because it’s that good, even for Scrooges! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Clean, romantic readCheck our information about the author at Shelia’s Place
I hope that you will check this book out and purchase it today! It will really lighten your mood! At least, it did mine…no electionnews, just good, clean fun.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, I read it as a standalone and understood the plot and was able to catch up quickly on who the characters were and the roles that they played. Taking place both in the U.S. and Canada, the basic tale is one of a RCMP detective, Liam Bearsmith, who had fallen in love with a witness in protection two decades previously and now sees her, follows her and the action really begins. It seems that Kelly and Liam have a daughter named Hannah who is married to a computer hacker names Renner. The plot got very unbelievable at times, with a gang called the Imposters determined to capture Renner and get a master key that he had discovered. The cutest character, by far, was the infant named Pip who is Hannah and Renner’s daughter, and thus Liam’s granddaughter whom he has just met. There are numerous other characters, members of Liam’s team, who jump into action to assist him. Again, many of the scenes during rescues and hostage-taking were far-fetched, but they were still entertaining. It was a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense with plenty of action to go along with the tons of characters. I I didn’t even try to keep the characters straight; I just kept reading to find out the ending. I knew that it would all be okay, but I didn’t know how that was going to be possible since one character would get out of trouble and another would fall into a trap. I liked the settings, rural and very Canadian wilderness like. Fans of clean romantic suspense who enjoy constant action will enjoy this book. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is a completely clean romantic suspense.About the author: Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist and self-defense instructor. She’s lived in the United States, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada where she writes stories that make her heart race.
Excerpt, CHRISTMAS WITNESS CONSPIRACY by Maggie K. Black
He turned and walked toward the restaurant, so quickly and firmly she couldn’t have grabbed his hand again if she’d wanted to. She followed him up the stairs and across the deck—the empty deck with its picnic tables inches deep in snow. He reached for the door, found it unlocked and pushed it open. They stepped into the restaurant. It was empty and dark. Chairs were stacked upside down on empty tables. As the door clicked shut behind them, a young man in a thick beard stepped out from behind it and pressed the barrel of a gun to the side of Liam’s head. “Down on your knees.” The voice was low and mean. His face was lost in shadows and the click of the gun was unmistakable. “You’re about to learn what happens to someone who tries to lie to Bill Leckie, and it ain’t going to be pretty.” “You tell Bill, I didn’t cross him,” Liam said calmly, raising his hands, “and I await his apology when he figures that out. Now, tell me, what exactly does Bill think I’ve done?” Then, before the man could even formulate an answer, Liam struck, apparently more interested in distracting his attacker long enough to get the upper hand than hearing what he had to say. Kelly watched as Liam spun toward the gun-wielding man, grabbing the weapon before he could even fire and slamming him into the wall. She felt a gust of wind and heard the door slam and click shut again. She blinked. Liam had disarmed his attacker, thrown him out and locked the door behind him, without even breaking a sweat. Then she felt Liam’s strong hand on her shoulder, guiding her and the still-sleeping baby underneath a table, sheltering them with his body. “Stay here,” Liam whispered, his voice urgent. His face was just inches from hers. Worry flooded his eyes. “It’s an ambush. That guy won’t be alone and just because I was able to catch him off guard doesn’t mean the others won’t put up more of a fight.” Not to mention the guy he just locked outside would be trying to get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.” Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them. “Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.” He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.” Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them. “Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.” He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God would protect Pip from realizing they were in danger. Then Kelly crouched up onto the balls of her feet and looked out through gaps in the chairs and fallen table that barricaded her from view. As she watched, two more men, of varying heights, wearing plaid jackets and with full-length beards, stepped out of the shadows. Liam had been so convinced that Bill would protect them and he’d been wrong. Lord, please keep us safe. She watched as Liam raised his badge high. “I’m Liam Bearsmith!” he shouted at the approaching men. “RCMP. Stand down! Now! Or I’ll arrest you for assaulting an officer.”
This is the second book in the Pelican Bay series, and although I had no difficulty understanding the plot or the relationships between the characters, I wish that I had read the first book already in order to get the back story in Jane and Reid’s relationship. That being said, this book definitely left me wanting more of their story, especially the interference that Lauren is threatening to their discovery of each other. I enjoyed how the plot was complicated and woven around various characters. My favorite character was Will, a young man with a practical head on his shoulders who wants the best for both of his parents, regardless of whether they stay together or not. Jane is a strong and fierce heroine while Reid is not as strong but is a real brainiac who figures things out and has passed this trait on to his son. All of the characters work together to attempt to stop an attack on an oil platform that will also threaten the Gulf. This is a winning series, with an intense and intriguing plot and characters that are realistic and relatable. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A clean Christian romantic suspense with some intense action. Rated PGPhoto and bio from author’s website at Colleen Coble
Jonie Smitley was called to be a missionary from a young age and this book is the testimony of her life there. She spent time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Italy during the Covid-19 outbreak, Ecuador, and many other places. Basically, she traveled wherever and whenever she was needed, waiting for God’s call. I was fascinated with her close walk with the Lord and how she witnessed to His grace and love in each chapter. The love and dedication that she feels forward the Lord is portrayed in each chapter, with true stories of reaching out to those who need God in their lives. She definitely shows that she has a heart for serving God and the willingness to follow through. Her courage and love and skill are a wonder to behold. This is a very fast read, with short chapters and an amazing true story in each. Christians who want to feel uplifted and encouraged as well as challenged to serve will enjoy this book. And non-Christians can learn from its pages what unselfish devotion is like. I purchased my copy of this book from Amazon. I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinions expressed are my own. I am happy to say that my daughter Hope is a personal friend of Jonie’s and is part of Jonie’s prayer team when Jonie is on the missions field. So, although I have never met this remarkable woman myself, I have heard many times to pray for Jonie because she is headed out again to do God’s work.
This is a totally clean read that is good forall audiences.
Please note that I am aware that there are various grammatical and spelling errors in this book. However, take it as a testimony of a dedicated Christian, one devoted to going to work for God no matter the cost, and enjoy the book! I know that I did!
I was beyond delighted when I was invited to review Debbie Macomber’s new Christmas book since I love her books, especially the Christmas ones that I look forward to each year. The story of Everly and Asher is an old as time, and so well-written that I laughed, I cried and I rejoiced as I read. Just the feelings I wanted as the holiday approaches! Everly is a real estate executive who is tricked into going on an Amazon River cruise. There she meets naturalist Asher, a young man dedicated to telling everyone about all of the mysteries of the Amazon. I laughed aloud at some of the escapades that Everly got into. She may have been a very capable real estate mogul, but she was definitely out of her element in the wilds of the Amazon. It was amusing to read about Asher’s attempt to thwart her getting seriously injured while also teaching her about the place he loved so much. The conflict comes when the two fall in love and they have no idea to believe that their love can continue since they live worlds apart. I always enjoy how Ms. Macomber resolves the conflict and I think that her readers will recognize her fine hand in this wonderful Christmas story. It’s all about family, love, talents and compromise. Fans of romance and Debbie Macomber will thoroughly enjoy this story. And, bonus! I learned a lot about the Amazon, too! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated G for all audiences who enjoy romancePhoto and bio from author’s website at Debbie Macomber
Lisa Jewell’s latest book is the story of misfits in society, the story of desiring acceptance and love, the story of betrayal and lies and deception, and the story of secrets. It is a multi-layered story told from the point of view of three main characters. Cat Fours, the wife of Roan and mother of self-centered Georgia and spoiled Josh, is a woman who knows something is wrong but chooses to ignore it rather than confront. Saffyre Maddox is a teen who was abused as a young child and is still suffering from that physical assault. She sat under the therapy of Roan Fours, but since he didn’t cure her, she has decided to stalk him. The final narrator was the most unreliable but also the most interesting. Owen Pick is a complete misfit, a thirty something who has yet to find his place in the world. Fired from his job as a geography professor, Owen lives with Tessie, a relative who seldom interacts with him. Owen is part of an online group known as the incels, a group of involuntary celibates, something that I had never heard of before and I’m not sure that I want to know more about them now. Dark! Very dark! When Saffyre disappears, Owen is naturally the first suspect and is picked up, questioned and finally charged. Owen continues to declare his innocence, Cat continues to turn the other way and refuse to acknowledge that evil may exist under her roof, and Saffyre is still missing. This is not really what I would call a thriller, but rather a psychological family drama. It was thought-provoking throughout, especially at the end, when I closed the book and continued to reflect on the deceptive appearances that are a central theme. Who is in my life who wears one face and hides the real person inside? I really enjoyed this book, but not with a happy feeling at the end. The book is too dark with multi-faceted themes to leave me with contentment at the end. However, it left me with a lot to ponder. Fans of Lisa Jewell and psychological mysteries will really enjoy this fast-paced book. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Very entertaining but extremely dark content and themes, so not recommended for teens. Mature audiences only! Photo from the author’s website at Lisa Jewell
This was a superb addition to the Brenda Novak Silver Springs series! With many of my favorite characters poised to take part in the story of Dallas and Emery, I was mesmerized by the way the story was intricately woven around the town and people of Silver Springs. Emery is a wounded young woman who is invited to stay at the ranch with Aiyana while she finds her bearings again. There, she meets Aiyana’s sons, most importantly Dallas. Emery has some healing to do, but so does Dallas and it takes the whole novel before the two of them figure out how to go about it. I particularly enjoyed the details about Aiyana’s wedding to Cal and how helpful her sons were determined to be. Family working together and supporting each other was a main theme of the book. Another theme was forgiveness and just letting things go so you can move on with your life. I was outraged at how Emery had lost her job through no fault of her own, but I also liked how she ended up handling the whole situation. I also enjoyed seeing Susan and her bakery in the story this time as she was one of my favorite characters previously. For her to play a role in Emery’s decision to forgive was like icing on the cake. This book can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend that you read the series so that you are familiar with all of the characters and the many positive vibes from living in a small town like Silver Springs. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Mira via Netgalley. I also purchased my own autographed copy via the Brenda Novak Reader Boxes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Highly entertaining romance. Rated a hard PG-13 for content as there are some definitely “hot and spicy” bedroom scenes. Nothing was too graphic, though, so if you enjoy a good romance with some bedroom antics, then this is the book for you! I really enjoyed it and I have been called a “prude” by more than one person. I got to meet Brenda in 2019 at an event in Hopewell. Here I am with my son and Brenda in the middle. She is just as friendly and sweet as she looks! For more information about her or her books, go to Brenda Novak. And if you want to join her Facebook group, go to Facebook with Brenda Novak.This is book seven in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Available on Tuesday, October 13th wherever books are sold. Purchase Links:
The third book in the Global Search and Rescue series was intense, gripping and absolutely amazing! It can be read as a standalone, but why miss out on the adventures in the other books? This book focuses on Hamilton Jones and his wife Signe who disappeared years ago. Now Ham is focused on finding her and he ends up finding her and trouble…the terrorist kind. THE PRICE OF VALOR was so fast-paced that at times I felt like I had whiplash. With a plot that was easy to follow and mind-blowing, I think this was my favorite book of the series. I really enjoyed the easy camaraderie that Ham had with his team as well as their loyalty to each other. The scenes in Italy were unbelievable and totally awesome! One rescue scene after another! I also enjoyed the brilliant repartee between Ham and Signe, childhood friends who became sweethearts and lovers. Such a sweet combination that showed the plans that God has working out in someone’s lives. This is Christian romantic suspense that will take you into another world, a world of spies and subterfuge and horror and love. I highly recommend it and can’t wait for the next high-octane thriller from this talented author! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A totally clean read with a lot of intense action. PG rating because of content but nothing was explicit or objectionablePhoto was taken from the author’s website at Susan May Warren
This was a sweet romance that had me cheering for the couple to be. Piper is running the diner that her beloved father used to own before his untimely and unexpected death. Unfortunately, the diner is operating way in the red and Piper needs a way to save it. Braden North, her childhood friend who disappeared from her life shortly after her father’s death, suddenly reappears and has a suggestion that may help save the diner. The relationship between the two of them sparkled like the Alaskan snow and was so evident to me as I read that they were destined to be together if both of them would just realize that no relationship is without hardships. I enjoyed reading the story of Piper and Braden, and the setting for the tale was perfect! I could so easily conjure up an image of the little Alaskan town in my mind that it became real to me. The author did a wonderful job of establishing the setting, lovable but flawed characters and a plot that just flowed. I especially enjoyed that it was a clean read that I can recommend to any of my friends who enjoy reading romance. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A clean romance suitable for all who enjoy this genre
Author bio: Belle Calhoune lives in Connecticut with her college sweetheart husband and two daughters. After a thirteen year career as a Federal Investigator, she chose to pursue a writing career. An avid lover of romance novels since she was a teen, she enjoys writing love stories and reading them. She loves spending summers in beautiful Cape Cod and traveling to new places. A dog lover, she has a mini poodle and a chocolate lab. More than anything, she believes in happily ever afters.
Excerpt, ALASKAN CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION by Belle Calhoune
Braden watched as Piper’s eyes widened with surprise. The shock on her face made him want to laugh out loud, but he knew the situation was far from humorous. The Snowy Owl Diner was at stake, and although he’d agreed to provide his assistance, he wasn’t sure if Piper even believed it could be saved. From this point forward, she would have to tell him everything about her situation. He would have to look over the books with a fine-tooth comb. If he was truly going to help her, he needed to understand exactly what she was facing. The good, the bad and the ugly. “A-are you serious?” she asked, sputtering. “Completely,” he said, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. “Whatever you need is what I’ll do.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “You will? Really? You were so decisive last night. What made you change your mind?” Braden paused before answering. “Because I owe you, Piper.” “For what?” she asked, confusion radiating from her eyes. Telling her the truth wasn’t an option. She wouldn’t want to know why he would forever be indebted to her. “For a million different things. You’ve always being in my corner. How could I say no to you when you’ve always said yes to me? No matter what trouble I got into or the problems I laid at your feet, you always jumped in to help me. There’s no way I could do any less for you.” Tears slid down Piper’s face, and she made no attempt to wipe them away. She bowed her head, and he could see her lips moving. When she raised her head back up, Braden saw pure happiness emanating from her eyes. “Thank you, Braden. I’m so grateful that you changed your mind. I know it’s complicated, but in my heart I truly feel that I was meant to carry on Daddy’s legacy. I just can’t imagine my life without this place in it. I’m willing to do just about anything to save it.” Braden couldn’t envision Piper losing ownership of the restaurant either. It would be agonizing for her. Not to mention Trudy and Hank. They were all invested in it. The townsfolk would be both saddened and upset. Piper would be the subject of endless gossip about the circumstances of her losing ownership of the Snowy Owl. She wouldn’t be able to bear it if the townsfolk discovered that the diner had been struggling since before her father’s death. He knew Jack’s reputation was important to Piper. People would sympathize with her as well, but he knew she would be inconsolable. If there was even a small chance of them reversing things, he wanted to give it his all. It would be his penance for shaving years off Jack’s life. If it hadn’t been for him, Jack might be here today, doing everything he could to boost the restaurant and spreading his effortless charm throughout the establishment. “We should meet up so you can give me an opportunity to look over the books and all of your monthly bills along with revenue. That’ll at least give me a snapshot of what’s been going on.” Piper made a sad face. “Sure thing. I hope you see something in there that I missed, but I crunched the numbers over and over again. It’s not looking good.” “We have to look at all your options. You might need a lawyer or a consultant.” She shook her head. “I don’t have money for an attorney. It’s a lack of money that’s gotten me into this situation in the first place.” Piper let out a frustrated groan. “Why don’t we meet this evening to try and sort some of this out?” he suggested. From what he’d initially gathered, they had only a short window of time to get things dealt with before everything imploded. That needed to be prevented at all costs. “That sounds good. Come by after I close up,” she told him. “I have to get back out there, but I’m so thrilled you changed your mind about helping me.” She flashed him a smile. “In case you didn’t realize it, I’m super grateful.”
Lisa Unger mixes Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train” with her own brand of twisted murder mystery to create a fascinating look at what happens when your problems suddenly disappear in a way that makes more problems for you. Selena is a hard-working wife and mother who leaves work late one evening, then the train stalls on the track and she starts to converse with her seat mate Martha. Martha, strangely enough, confesses that she is having an affair with her boss. Not to be outdone, Selena confesses to Martha that her nanny Geneva is having an affair with her own husband Graham. Honestly, Graham was probably my least favorite character, but I am certain that was by design by the author. He was weak-willed and lazy but seemed to have some kind of special charm that attracted women. Anyway, once Selena meets and talks to Martha, the action really begins and the plot twists and turns in so many ways that it was hard to keep follow at first. There are three POV’s and the identity of two of the women was hard for me to discern at first, as was whether the time frame was in the present or the past. Once I discerned who was who and when things were happening, I was a much happier reader! This book was filled with intrigue, murder, infidelity and deception (which kind of goes along with infedelity, doesn’t it). And as if there were not enough going on in this complex story, add blackmail to the mix. None of the narrators is totally trustworthy and that contributed to the magnetic pull for me as a real mystery buff. Fans of Unger and those who really enjoy a good mystery will not want to miss this one! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
I would rate this book a hard PG-13 because of content. More mature readers will enjoy it, but it is not a clean read.
Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of eighteen novels, including CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 (Oct. 2020). With millions of readers worldwide and books published in twenty-six languages, Unger is widely regarded as a master of suspense. Her critically acclaimed books have been voted “Best of the Year” or top picks by the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, IndieBound and others. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
Q&A with Lisa Unger
Q: Please give the elevator pitch for Confessions on the 7:45.
A: Selena Murphy is a young mother who is having a terrible day. When she gets on her commuter train home, it stalls, dying on the tracks. The beautiful stranger sitting next to her strikes up a conversation with a confession. Maybe it’s her awful day, or the drink she shouldn’t have had, or the dark of the train, but, whatever the reason, Selena shares a secret of her own. When the train comes back to life and Selena is finally headed home, she’s embarrassed. What would lead her to confess her darkest secret to a complete stranger? She hopes she’ll never see the mysterious woman from the train, ever again. But, of course, she will.
Q: How do the ideas come to you for these bestsellers?
A: Every novel begins with a germ. A little zap of interest that starts me on an obsession for a particular topic. It could be a news story I read, or a sentence I hear or just an image that inspires me. One time it was even a piece of junk mail! Then, if that obsession connects to something larger that’s going on with me, I start to hear a voice or voices.I follow those voices, and they carry me through the narrative.
Q: Can you explain the popularity of the psychological thriller genre?
A: People have a deep and abiding desire, a need even, to understand themselves and those around them. This includes having some insight into the darkest aspects of human nature. Crime fiction is the perfect place to explore some of the big questions people have about what makes people who they are. Also, in difficult times, crime fiction provides a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end where some type of justice is delivered. Not so with the real world. So I think there is some comfort to be found even in the darkest and most suspenseful novels.
Q: There are so many twists in the story. Did you know the ending before you plotted all of the surprises?
A: When I sit down to write, I have no idea what’s going to happen, who’s going to show up or what they’re going to do day to day. And I certainly have no idea how things will end. It’s kind of a crazy way to write a book, but I’ve never done it any other way. I write for the same reason that I read, because I want to know what’s going to happen.
Q: What would you like to do if you were not an author?
A: I don’t know! I’ve never wanted to be anything other than an author. Psychology has always fascinated me, so maybe being a psychiatrist or counselor.
Q: If Confessions on the 7:45 were made into a movie, which actors would you choose to play the lead roles?
A: I would cast Scarlett Johansson as Selena and Gal Gadot as Martha. The supporting cast would be important, too, and Anne Hathaway would be perfect as Geneva and I’d love to see Bradley Cooper as Graham.
Q: Which of your books would you like to see televised or produced by Hollywood as a movie?
A: Any of them! Currently, THE RED HUNTER and UNDER MY SKIN are under options. So fingers crossed there! If I had to choose some others, I’d pick FRAGILE or INK AND BONE. I’d love to see my fictional town The Hollows come to life on the big or small screen.
Q: Which came first: the characters or the plot line?
A: The characters, always. My stories always begin for me with a voice, someone with a story to tell.
Q: Why do you love Selena and why should readers root for her?
A: As most of my characters are, Selena is imperfect. The pressures she experiences from the world around her are matched by those she places on herself. She is struggling, but she also knows she has reserves of strength from which to draw to overcome the obstacles she faces, some of which are catastrophic. I think we’re all stronger and braver than we believe ourselves to be, so when we’re rooting for Selena, we’re really rooting for the warrior within us all.
Q: How do you come up with your stories? Is anything based on or influenced by real life?
A: Everything in fiction is autobiographical — and nothing is! If we’re writing from a deep and authentic place, then all of our experiences, our observations, the people we meet, the situations we observe, the conversations we have and overhear, inform our fiction. Sometimes inspiration comes from the news, from travel, from questions I have about people and the world. My fiction is always influenced by my real life but in really layered and mysterious ways.
Q: What was your last 5-star read?
A: I’ve read so many fantastic books recently! GOOD GIRLS LIE by JT Ellison, IF IT BLEEDS by Stephen King, and LITTLE SECRETS by Jennifer Hillier are some of my favorite recent reads.
Q: What is one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
A: I worked for a publisher before I became an author, so I was lucky to have a lot of insight into the business of publishing. So I suppose I’d like to share what I knew going in that a lot of writers don’t. I knew that the book contract was not the end of the journey, but the beginning of the writing life. And that no matter where you are in your career — an aspiring writer, or a published writer just starting out, or a mega bestseller, it never stops being about the writing. What you do on the page is always the most important element of your career, so never stop trying to get better.
