HELLO FROM URUGUAY!

As you may have heard me say by now, my husband and I spend our winters in a little beach town in Uruguay, where it’s summer from mid-December to mid-March, with most days in the 80’s. Though I’ve made plenty of time so far this year to see our friends here, I’ve mostly been using the past weeks, per usual, as a kind of writers’ retreat, working in my home office on the second floor of the house. It’s a wonderfully peaceful place to create, with just the sound of the wind in the background along with the chattering of monk parakeets. I always get so much done here. I hope the past month has been enjoyable and productive for you, too.

Whenever we get the chance, my husband and I eat at this terrific restaurant called Las Espinas, high on a Uruguayan hill with spectacular views of the countryside and the Atlantic Ocean.

This wonderful neighborhood cat, who I call Olive because of her green eyes, sometimes keeps me company in my office (but refuses to say whether she likes my books or not).

I CAN’T WAIT TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MY NEXT THRILLER

January and February have been especially busy for me because I’m not only writing my next novel but also working with my editor on my upcoming psychological thriller, I CAME BACK FOR YOU, due out in January 2026.

This book is quite special to me. I think the characters are some of my most compelling yet, and there are some killer twists, if I do say so myself. And the first six chapters are actually set in Uruguay, the beautiful and tranquil country (to the east of Argentina and south of Brazil) that I’ve really come to love.

Here’s a summary of the book, which I hope will whet your appetite.

I CAME BACK FOR YOU

Thomas & Mercer

Bree Winter barely survived the murder of her college-aged daughter Melanie and the nearly simultaneous end of her longtime marriage, but eight years later she’s finally taking a chance at life again, with a new love and a new home in South America. Then horrific news shakes her out of her tentative peace—the serial killer who murdered her daughter makes a shocking deathbed confession: yes, he took the lives of four college women, but Melanie wasn’t one of his victims.

Bree and her ex-husband, Logan, believe that the killer was just toying with law enforcement, but they also know they can’t ignore the new evidence coming to light. Bree returns to the U.S. to not only meet with police but also visit the college Melanie attended, which is about to honor her memory with scholarships in her name. While there, Bree uncovers additional details that challenges everything she believed. She’s forced to accept that the killer could still be out there.

Determined to find justice for Melanie, Bree keeps digging, slowly uncovering the truth and at the same time learning that there was so much more to the daughter she only thought she knew.

YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO READ THESE E-BOOKS FOR FREE!

If you are a Kindle unlimited subscriber, the e-book version of two previous psychological thrillers of mine are available from now until March 31— free of charge!! Just click below

kate white book cover between two strangers

WHAT I’M READING/WATCHING

Presumed Guilty By Scott Turow

Ever since I read Turow’s first novel, and the brilliant legal thriller, Presumed Innocent, I’ve been a fan (you, too?), and I just devoured his latest, Presumed Guilty, which reintroduces the reader to former prosecutor Rusty Sabich, who now must defend his partner’s son in a homicide case. The writing is terrific, and if, like me, you’re captivated by the minutiae of courtroom proceedings, I think you will love this, too. FYI, there are some great red herrings and a good twist at the end, but nothing far-fetched, which makes this so much more satisfying than some of these over-the-top psychological thrillers out there today.

Prime Target (AppleTV)

Need a good thriller to watch? I’m loving Prime Target, which starts as campus noir and then goes international. The very appealing British actor Leo Woodall—who you might remember as a bad boy in season two of White Lotus—plays a brilliant young mathematician who might be too smart for his own good.

WHAT I’M COOKING

Do you like to roast chicken parts (which are so much easier to serve than a whole bird) but wish the results were tastier? Me too.

That’s why I love this recipe from legendary chef Jonathan Waxman, whose restaurant Barbuto in New York City’s West Village, serves an incredible half-chicken dish called Chicken al Forno, along with the tastiest salsa verde. When I fix it here in Uruguay it not only makes for a great meal al fresco but reminds me of home. Key ingredient: a lemon cut in half and placed cut-side down in the pan. And you baste every eight minutes. The results are worth that small effort. I served mine with an endive, walnut, and blue cheese salad.

All the best and until next time,

Kate White