May ’24 News

WOW, THANK YOU!

My newest psychological thriller, THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM, debuted on May 14, and I’m so grateful for the enthusiastic response from readers. Whether you pre-ordered the book in advance or purchased it in the days following publication, thank you, thank you, thank you!!

THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM is both a psychological thriller and a whodunit. Career coach Kiki Reed bumps into her ex-fiancé, Jamie, at a party, and then, only hours later, learns he’s been found dead of a gunshot wound in his car. Though the police think otherwise, Kiki becomes convinced he was murdered and sets out to prove it. Everything seems to come down to the last time she saw him. Did Jamie say anything that might provide a clue? Who had he been talking to at the party? Because she knows that the killer must have been there that night.

If you haven’t ordered yet, now would be a fabulous time (see links below). Because don’t you need a perfect summer beach read?

Fabulous suspense author Chris Pavone (far r.) interviewed me at my NYC B&N book event, and two other fabulous authors dropped by: Wendy Walker and Lee Child.

Book tour, Saratoga, NY. Connecting with readers is one of the very best parts of being a book author

MY HUSBAND IS NOW MY AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR!

Do you prefer to listen to books rather than read them sometimes? Then I’m thrilled to share that my publisher, Harper Books, asked my husband, Brad Holbrook, a retired TV news anchor who has been narrating audio books for the past several years, to narrate the two chapters in THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM told from a male point of view. It’s really exciting for me to share this experience with him, but should I be nervous that he sounds so much like a murderer?

13 Weird, Fascinating Things I’ve Learned Researching Crime Novels

Do you love quirky tidbits? Here are some super intriguing ones I collected for an article for Crimereads, all based on research I’ve done for my books.

WHAT I’M READING/WATCHING

What Happened to Nina?
By Dervla McTiernan

Sometimes you don’t need a brilliant thriller, you just need a page-turner to curl up with after a long day or entertain you when you’re relaxing at the beach. This is one of those books, just waiting to get sand in between its pages. If you read it, let me know what you think, will you?

Force of Nature: The Dry 2
Amazon Prime rental
Based on the novel by Jane Harper

I’m a big Jane Harper fan (you, too?), and I also loved the movie adaptation of her thriller, The Dry, starring Eric Bana. So I rented the follow-up film, “Force of Nature,” as soon as it was available this month. It wasn’t quite as gripping as “The Dry,” but I still found it compelling, and I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish watching it. Bana is fabulous as Detective Aaron Falk, and I really appreciated that the plot is suspenseful but never absurd (oy, like so many thrillers today).
Plus, watching this movie provides a wonderful bonus: an up-close look at the lush forests and blue mountains of Australia.

WHAT I’M COOKING

You may have seen Rao’s pasta sauces on your supermarket shelves, but did you know that Rao’s is also an incredible restaurant in New York City’s Spanish Harlem? I’ve been to the restaurant only a few times because I don’t “own” a monthly spot at a table there and have had to rely on a few friends to treat me over the years. Mostly I compensate by eating plenty of Rao’s fabulous jarred marinara sauce and making dishes from Rao’s Cookbook, especially Rao’s Lemon Chicken, which I adore. It’s not only incredibly simple to prepare, but it’s also really flavorful. You basically broil chicken breasts (on the bone) until almost done, and then toss them in a simple lemon sauce and return briefly to the oven. What I also love about this dish is that it’s a meal for all seasons—perfect when you’re craving comfort food on a chilly night but also very fitting to serve with potato salad, green salad, or coleslaw on a spring or summer evening.