A Life Through Books: Mystery
Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Virtual Book Tour: Dark Waters by Nick Haskins #interview #mystery #suspense #thriller #rabtbooktours @IamNickHaskins @RABTBookTours
8:44 AM0 Comments



Black & African American Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction

Date Published: 06-06-2023

Publisher: KCIN Entertainment Group, LLC



Books 1 & 2 (Book 3 releases September 8, 2026.)


The Dark Waters series follows the rise and fall of one of Philadelphia's most powerful families.

Judge Keenan Waters and his family have spent decades building a legacy of power, influence, and respect. But behind the perfect public image lie buried secrets, betrayal, and deadly consequences that threaten to destroy everything they've built.

As loyalties are tested and relationships crumble, the Waters family is pushed closer to the edge of ruin. With shocking twists and intense family drama, the Dark Waters series keeps the readers turning pages until the very end.

Perfect for fans of Black & African American Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction, the first two books are available now, with the shocking conclusion, Dark Waters 3, arriving September 8, 2026.

 


Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

The message I want readers to grasp is that not everything is what it seems. No matter how wonderful it may appear, nothing is perfect, and I think the Waters Family proves that all too well in my new book.

 

 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

With the Dark Waters Series, what I found challenging was bringing all five characters within the family stories together without losing the reader. Dark Waters was originally written as a screenplay for a streaming series and later adapted into a book. Making sure all the stories from the script were heard, but in a different format, was the most challenging.

 

 

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

I’ve written seven books so far. I can honestly say I don’t have a favorite book, story, or character. I love them all equally.

 

 

If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

If I had the chance to cast my main character from Hollywood, I would probably choose Ernie Hudson. He was my original inspiration for one of the main characters in my new book. I feel as if his presence is so strong that I could always create a story around him.

 


When did you begin writing?

I began writing as a teenager, taking it seriously around 2008. 

 


How long did it take to complete your first book?

It took about nine months to write it, and around a year and a half to edit it.

 

 

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

I used to be really drawn to the big-name, traditionally published authors, which I still love, but I am inspired by any writer who can tell a really good story. That’s where I draw inspiration from.

 

 

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

My favorite part would be creating chapters. I love opening a chapter and letting it blossom into a story, then closing it with a nice, neat bow before I head to the next one.

 

 

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

Drama, deceit, lies, murder

 


Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?

I just wrapped the Dark Waters series. It was a three-book series I started writing in 2022. Book 1 was released in 2023. I skipped a year and released Book 2 in 2025, and now the final installment, Book 3, is dropping this September.

 

I start working on my new book in the fall. It will be a completely different read from Dark Waters.

 

 

 


 About the Author

Nick Haskins is the author of the Dark Waters series, as well as novels She's Obsessed, Betrayed, My Husband's Wife, and On the Edge of Heat.

Known for his suspenseful storytelling and unforgettable characters, Haskins has spent more than a decade building a catalog of contemporary drama and suspense that has attracted readers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, where he still resides, Haskins began his publishing career in 2011 and has remained committed to independently producing professional, reader-focused books. In addition to writing novels, he is creating film and visual media projects based on his work.

Haskins continues to connect with readers while developing new stories to expand his publishing catalog.


Contact Links

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Purchase Link

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Monday, August 17, 2026

Book Blitz: Dark Waters by Nick Haskins #mystery #africanamericanfiction #thriller #suspense #rabbooktours @IamNickHaskins @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM0 Comments



Black & African American Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction

Date Published: 06-06-2023

Publisher: KCIN Entertainment Group, LLC



Books 1 & 2 (Book 3 releases September 8, 2026.)


The Dark Waters series follows the rise and fall of one of Philadelphia's most powerful families.

Judge Keenan Waters and his family have spent decades building a legacy of power, influence, and respect. But behind the perfect public image lie buried secrets, betrayal, and deadly consequences that threaten to destroy everything they've built.

As loyalties are tested and relationships crumble, the Waters family is pushed closer to the edge of ruin. With shocking twists and intense family drama, the Dark Waters series keeps the readers turning pages until the very end.

Perfect for fans of Black & African American Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction, the first two books are available now, with the shocking conclusion, Dark Waters 3, arriving September 8, 2026.

 

 About the Author

Nick Haskins is the author of the Dark Waters series, as well as novels She's Obsessed, Betrayed, My Husband's Wife, and On the Edge of Heat.

Known for his suspenseful storytelling and unforgettable characters, Haskins has spent more than a decade building a catalog of contemporary drama and suspense that has attracted readers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, where he still resides, Haskins began his publishing career in 2011 and has remained committed to independently producing professional, reader-focused books. In addition to writing novels, he is creating film and visual media projects based on his work.

Haskins continues to connect with readers while developing new stories to expand his publishing catalog.


Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram


Purchase Link

Amazon


RABT Book Tours & PR
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Thursday, July 30, 2026

Book Blitz: Illusionist by Laurie Buchanan #giveaway #mystery #suspense #excerpt #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM0 Comments



A Sean McPherson Novel, Book 5


Mystery & Suspense

Date Published: 04-15-2025

Publisher: SparkPress



For fans of Louise Penny and Robert Dugoni, Illusionist is a contemporary crime thriller where PI McPherson must choose between killing an author at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest or letting a college student die.

When an illusionist joins the Pines & Quill writing retreat, one of the owners vanishes without a trace in the middle of everyone, but the surrounding would-be witnesses don’t see or hear a thing. That’s when crime boss Georgio Gambino makes a checkmate move against his nemesis, Sean McPherson. He forces a writer in residence to kill another writer and frame McPherson. In a video call, Gambino warns the writer, “If you don’t follow orders, your daughter will die.” Then, he pans the camera to prove access to her college dorm room.

McPherson discovers that Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second in command, covets his boss role and is staging a coup. As Gambino’s soldiers traffic drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore plants incriminating evidence against the notorious Sureños gang. Can McPherson leverage that knowledge for a temporary truce and the gang’s help?

The writers in residence—a former NASCAR driver, a professional triathlete, an architect turned house flipper, and a world-renowned magician who may not be who she appears to be—band together with McPherson to create the illusion of a lifetime.



Excerpt

 

Gambino picks up his cell phone and makes another call. His heart races with anticipation. When the recipient answers, he says, “If you hang up, I’ll kill your child. Do you understand?”

"Is this some kind of sick joke?”

"I assure you this is no joke. When I disconnect, you’ll receive a video call from my associate. He’s visiting your child's class—Market Power in the New Economy. If you don’t do what I say, it will cost the life of the person you love most.”

"Who is this? What do you want from me?”

"I’m the person who’s going to kill your child if you don’t do what I say. In two days, you’re heading to Pines & Quill writing retreat. While there, you will frame Sean McPherson for murder.”

"Frame someone for murder? What do you mean?”

"No, not just someone. You’re going to frame Sean McPherson. You’re going to kill one of the other writers in residence. I don’t care which one, nor do I care how you do it. You’re a crime writer. Figure it out. You arrive at Pines & Quill on October first and leave on the twenty-first. You have three weeks to accomplish the task.”

 

 

About the Author


A blend of Dr. Doolittle, Nanny McPhee, and a type-A Buddhist, Laurie Buchanan is an active listener, observer of details, payer of attention, reader and writer of books, kindness enthusiast, red licorice aficionado, and lover of the Oxford comma.

As a novelist, photographer, and voracious reader, she never travels without three essentials—a laptop, a camera, and a book.

Growing up, she dreamed of being a magician, an international spy, and a mad scientist. There’s still time!

Her writing studio is the hayloft of a historic carriage house in the Pacific Northwest, where creativity thrives. Her husband, Len, a private pilot, and Henry, their not-so-standard Standard Poodle, join her on daily walks. She always carries a camera because sometimes, the best word choice is a picture.

A journey that left an indelible imprint on her was a 20-day, 211-mile trek across the majestic landscapes of Scotland. She, her husband, and their son hiked from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, with the pinnacle being the climb of Ben Nevis at the midpoint of their adventure, the highest point in the British Isles.

"My writing goal is simple: to leave you wanting more." —Laurie Buchanan


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Monday, July 27, 2026

Release Blitz: A Deadly Inferno Consumes by Sophie Barnes #releaseday #newbooks #mystery #romance #rabtbooktours @BarnesSophie @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM0 Comments



House of Croft, Book 6


Murder Mystery Romance

Date Published: July 28, 2026



A chilling disappearance, a lethal enemy, and a family pushed to the brink…

 

When the Duke of Wrengate’s sister vanishes without a trace, suspicion swirls. Did she flee to escape a scandalous secret…or has she been abducted? Whispers lead to a treacherous underworld, where rumors of an illicit auction suggest a far more sinister fate: a woman trapped, drugged, and enslaved. Determined to save her, Adrian Croft and his valet, Murry, plunge into London’s darkest corners.

But Finn O’Leary, the Irishman bent on revenge, remains a threat that presents a difficult choice for Adrian: save Wrengate's sister or protect his family. With the recent birth of his daughter, he and his wife, Samantha, have more to lose than ever before. And as danger closes in, they must fight with everything they have. Not only for justice, but for their very survival.


About the Author


USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

 

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Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Virtual Book Tour: Brooklyn Masala by Sophie Schiller #mystery #giveaway #interview #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
4:00 AM0 Comments

 




Mystery

Date Published: 04-01-2026




When Brooklyn housewife, Bella Bloom visits a mysterious Indian guru to fix her marriage, she turns into a cooking sensation and...murder suspect in this   action-packed, hilarious, new cozy mystery series for fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan.





Interview


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Creating a cohesive plot and seeing the book through multiple drafts. While in some cases it may take a year or more to create a plot from beginning to end, the redrafting phase usually goes much shorter. All in all, it takes me about 3 years to write a book that I feel is ready for the world.

 

What are your most played songs?

“Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N' Roses, “Angel of Harlem” by U2, the “Breakfast in America” album by Supertramp, and anything by Linda Ronstadt.

 

Do you have critique partners or beta readers? 

Over the years I’ve belonged to writing groups that unfortunately disbanded due to Covid and were never restarted. Nowadays, I rely on the amazing feedback I get from my military consultant/beta reader named Robert Derencin from Croatia. Without him, I don’t think I would have a writing career!

 

What book are you reading now?

“The Caine Mutiny” by Herman Wouk and “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier

 

How did you start your writing career?

In 2005, after seeing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I decided it was time to do what I always wanted to do (because life is short!). So I started my writing career by taking writing courses and reading the Wall Street Journal cover to cover and then writing letters to the editor to hone my rhetorical skills and vocabulary. I actually had 3 letters published. Once I felt I was ready, I started my first novel, “Transfer Day,” which took 5 years to research and write and was called a “page-turner” by Publishers Weekly.

 

Tell us about your next release.

I’m going back to Historical Fiction with: “Leah Sasso’s Last Chance,” the story of a Caribbean Sephardic Jewish girl who finds after the death of her father than one of her few remaining assets is the ownership of a rum running sloop. It’s set during Prohibition in the newly-acquired U.S. Virgin Islands, where rum and smuggling have a long tradition!

 

 

About the Author

Sophie Schiller is a writer of thrillers and historical adventure tales. Kirkus Reviews called her "an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer." Her latest novel is BROOKLYN MASALA. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC and lives in New York.


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