Since her twin sister Sylvie's disappearance seven years ago, single mother Mabel Reynolds has turned grief into action and become a strong voice for victims of violence and abuse.
When new revelations shed light on what may have happened not only to Sylvie, but dozens of other women, Mabel's hope for answers is reignited. But the new oh-so-charming DA overseeing the investigation seems more interested in a quick rather than an accurate resolution.
With little faith in the system, Mabel isn’t about to stay quiet, not when she’s finally close to the truth. She’s willing to go up against anyone—even a smug, irritating, attractive DA to get the answers she and other families deserve.
Open and shut.
That's what Assistant DA Paul Flynn has been told about his new assignment supervising a house of horrors case. With a high-profile conviction at stake, Paul can’t afford to make a wrong move if his professional goals are to be achieved.
But Mabel Reynolds has his attention. All of it. Attraction aside, the woman knows far more than what’s in the official files which makes her something even more intriguing. But using Mabel as an asset means exposing her and her young daughter to even more danger. Danger that is closing in on them from every side. As even darker forces appear, and their lives are threatened, Paul is faced with risking not only his entire career, but also the one thing he never anticipated losing: his heart.
Oh, there’s a large cast of characters but the three main ones are Mabel Reynolds, an accountant by trade but she volunteers as a rape advocate. It’s something she started doing after her sister disappeared; Mabel couldn’t do anything to help her sister, but she feels like she can make up for her failings by helping others who survive vicious attacks. She’s a single mother to almost nine-year-old Keeley who is just a spitfire of a little girl. I love writing children into my books, but I underestimated how difficult it would be to include one in a suspense/thriller. Finding that balance of keeping her safe but also putting her in the crosshairs was challenging for sure.
Lastly there’s Paul Flynn is the main hero, Mabel’s love interest, and a special investigator for the DA’s office. He has a history with Los Angeles, one he’s not anxious to revisit, but he’s also a loyal and dedicated friend and he’s asked to come back to oversee the house of horrors case that’s unfolding due to the ending events of EXPOSED (book 1 in the Circle of the Red Lily series). He’s determined to go through life alone, which made pairing him off with a single mother so much fun. The last thing he wants is a family (for reasons readers will find out, obviously), which means that’s what he’s going to be getting.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
I knew when I wrote book 1 (EXPOSED), that one of the five main heroines introduced would have a connection to the case that’s blown open in that story. Mabel made the most sense because she was very logic minded and she was a single mother. She was a crusader given her work as a volunteer so giving her a solid connection to the missing women expanded her motivation. That kind of personality clashes with the hero needed to oversee the investigation into the case that’s causing some major political and professional issues for a lot of people in various positions of local government and the film industry. I usually start with conflict when beginning my stories, so pitting Mabel against Paul even when they’re going to be unofficially working together, just got the ball rolling on the story itself.
The titles are playing an important part in the stories, too. EXPOSED was the first title—and at the end a number of things had been just that—brought into the light, including the dozens of missing women who have gone missing over decades. People really can just vanish; it’s a sad reality for a lot of friends and families, so in that way, the title fed into the story.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
Coming up with names is always one of my favorite bits of creation I get to do. I usually spend a couple of days going through The Character Naming Sourcebook (I have 3 copies!) and jotting down names that just speak to me. I tend to lean toward different types of names; unusual ones.
Where the Circle of the Red Lily books are concerned, however, there’s an added dimension I played with. All of the lead characters (five heroines, five heroes) have some name connection to a classic Hollywood actor or actress. Paul Flynn, for instance, is named for Paul Newman and Errol Flynn. Mabel Reynolds is named after Debbie Reynolds, one of my all-time favorite actresses. Mixing and matching a bunch of them was a bit of a puzzle I got to put together before I even started writing book 1. As the books get published, readers can try to figure out who the references are with the character names.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The banter between Mabel and Paul. Whenever these two were on the page together, it just sang. They’re blatantly honest with each other pretty much from their first meeting and there was something refreshing about that and also freeing for me as a writer. The censor wasn’t in play like it normally is. And the scenes between Paul and Keeley, Mabel’s daughter. I could write those all day! Their Star Wars Monopoly game was particularly entertaining. I remember smiling like a fool the whole time I was writing that scene.
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
What makes Mabel tick? Her unending quest for answers. She’s determined to find out what happened to her sister and she’s willing to do anything. She makes enemies as easily as she makes friends because she’s not taking no for an answer. Losing her twin has left her feeling as if she’s missing a piece of herself and to her mind, the truth is the only thing that’s going to bring her any peace.
As far as Paul Flynn? He’s all about getting justice for the voiceless. Victims, their families, the people who can’t speak for themselves anymore? He’s going to be their champion in court and beyond. Like Mabel, he’ll do what has to be done to get the job finished. They compliment each other in that way, but it also means they’re going to butt heads a lot.
After more than a decade on the job, Quinn knows a dangerous situation when he sees it and Riley Temple is up to her ears in trouble. But not for the reason she thinks. The pictures she’s stumbled on calls into question a notorious murder conviction; a conviction partially secured by Quinn’s own police commissioner father. A conviction powerful people have a vested interest in keeping in place. Quinn prides himself on being loyal but seeing this case through means betraying someone: his job, his family, or the woman he’s falling in love with.
As their investigation begins and old secrets are revealed, Quinn and Riley find themselves targeted by members of a secret society that for decades has maintained influence and violent control over Los Angeles and Hollywood’s powerful elite. A society that, until now, has remained hidden in the shadows.
A society that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.
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This sounds great! Thanks for the spotlight!
ReplyDeletesounds so good.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an amazing read. Thanks for the intro.
ReplyDeleteLooks intriguing. I think there's a word missing in the blurb (seems more interested in a quick ** rather than an accurate resolution). Good luck on the tour and thanks for the giveaway! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read your book and I just love your cover.
ReplyDelete