During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for December 2024, with the book’s release date if not available now.
Bestselling author Lynette Eason stopped by to share about her writing life and her latest romantic suspense, Target Acquired.
Why did you start writing romantic suspense novels? I started writing romantic suspense because I’ve always loved both romance and suspense novels. Growing up, I read Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys mysteries and fell in love with shows like Magnum PI, Simon and Simon, Hart to Hart…well, the list goes on. But you get the idea. I loved the shows where the good guys always won. The combination of heart-pounding suspense and a bit of romance was always my favorite.
What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
The hardest part is definitely balancing the romance with the suspense. You want enough danger to keep readers on the edge of their seats, but you also need those quiet moments where your characters can connect and fall in love. I’m not much of a romantic—my husband is much more romantic than I am—so I often get to the end of the story and I’m like…yikes! I need some romance in these scenes. LOL.
When do you find time to write?
I don’t find time, I make time. I write from sun up to sundown most days. Sometimes beyond. And yes, I do take breaks in between. But early mornings are my sweet spot, usually around 7 a.m. or some days even earlier. I love that quiet time when it’s just me and the story.
How do you research ways to kill someone for your books?
Research is fascinating and one my very favorite things to do. The bad thing is I can get so involved I lose track of time and that’s not conducive to getting words on the page! Thankfully, I have law enforcement contacts who help me get the details right. I also attend writer’s conferences with forensics workshops and people who are involved in every area of law enforcement. These contacts are essential to getting the details right. I’m probably on some interesting watchlists because of my internet search history!
What does your family think of your writing romantic suspense?
My family is incredibly supportive. Seriously. I couldn’t ask for more support. They’re so proud and I’m so appreciative. Though sometimes they give me funny looks when I’m researching unusual ways to solve crimes or commit murder. Ha!
About Lynette Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty-five books. Many have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country, but when she’s not teaching or plotting her next story, she can be found taking pictures of various wildlife or shooting headshots for other writers.
Target Acquired by Lynette Eason
Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn’t get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.
Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own–if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.
It’s all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper’s bullet?
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m chatting with Jessica West, who lives in east Tennessee with her husband and eight children. She is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools her kids. She loves the Lord and believes her life wouldn’t be possible without God. Jessica is also an indie author with five books published. Currently, she is working on the third book in her East Tennessee Mystery Series.
“I have a one-year-old in one hand and type with [the other] hand, and then I have a three-year-old next to me on the couch,” Jessica said. “They can be kind of tricky but it works for me. … I try to [write for] two, two-and-a-half hours but sometimes the baby tries to delete with his feet what I’m writing because he wiggles in his sleep.”
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Fleeing From Danger by Jessica West. Excerpt and back cover copy read by Janda Sample of Janda Sample Storytelling.
Matchmaking the Cowboy by Emily Conrad — What’s a little covert matchmaking between friends? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP]
The Daze Before Christmas by Laurie Germaine — She fled her old life for a new one. Trouble is, she can’t remember why she ran–and now God is prompting her to return. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Wishing for Mistletoe by Robin Lee Hatcher — When the heart pens its own holiday romance, even a skeptic can find magic under the mistletoe. (Contemporary Romance from RobinSong, Inc.)
Faking the Shot by Carolyn Miller — Faking the Shot is a fake-dating Christian romance and the fourth book in the Northwest Ice Christian hockey romance series. It can be read as a standalone, and is perfect for fans of banter-laden romance with hope, heart and humor. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Rediscovering Christmas by Mindy Obenhaus — She feels she’s lost everything… Will love give her hope? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
A Kringle Family Christmas by Miriam Thor — When Bethany Kringle’s brother unexpectedly comes home for Christmas with his friend, Jay, in tow, Bethany shelves her plan to skip the holiday, and instead, with a little help from Jay, makes it a Christmas to remember. (Contemporary Romance from Pelican Book Group)
Maddie by Dawn Kinzer — Messages scrawled in a century-old cookbook and the residents of a tourist town in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains add important ingredients to the life recipe an ER travel nurse is searching for. (Contemporary/Women’s Fiction, Independently Published)
Historical Romance:
Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife by Misty M. Beller — In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Courting the Country Preacher by Angela K. Couch, Carolyn Miller, Naomi Musch, Kari Trumbo — Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of “helpful” congregants and be true to their hearts? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
An Unexpected Catch by Abbey Downey — Can she count on the pitcher to save her dream, or will his secret destroy their futures? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Investigation of a Journalist by Danielle Grandinetti — A story of love and second chances when secrets come full circle in this suspenseful conclusion to the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. (Historical Romance from Hearth Spot Press)
The Library by Edwina Kiernan — How can someone keep the peace when there’s never been any peace to keep? (Historical Romance from Moliant Publishing)
Seeking Simon by Susan Pope Sloan — When a mysterious stranger claims to be her fiancé, the fight to save her land turns into a battle for her heart. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Abigail’s Pursuit by Jodie Wolfe — With the Civil War raging, Abigail is on the verge of losing everything, and the other seeks forgiveness from the family he can’t find. Can two wounded hearts find their way back home? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Beyond the Horizon by Penny Zeller — She’s desperate to keep her job. He’s desperate for solitude. What is God’s plan in this complicated situation? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)
Mystery/Crime:
Seven Days Off: A Mylas Grey Mystery by Luana Ehrlich — Private Investigator Mylas Grey can’t take seven days off—not when an ex-con gives him information that could help him locate a missing school counselor. (Historical Romance from Potter’s Word Publishing)
Romantic Suspense:
Bayou Beginnings by Robin Caroll — In a romantic suspense Louisiana mystery that is set amid historical events, two very different people must come together to survive. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)
His Last Text by Rebecca Lake — A romantic anniversary dinner. A heartfelt message. Then silence. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)
Here Lyeth by Johanna Frank — Answers are buried beneath a grave marker. Only it happens to be her own. (Speculative/Allegory, Independently Published)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
River of Peril by Sandra Merville Hart — A Civil War volunteer nurse is shocked to learn that her Confederate soldier beau came to her ward overnight with a head wound–and doesn’t remember her. (Historical Romance)
A Christmas Gift by Annette M. Irby — A stateside farmer. An international boy-next-door model. And the Christmas reunion that brings them back together. (Contemporary Romance)
Murder by Half by Dony Jay — A troubled detective with a blue-collar background and an Ivy League degree must risk everything to solve the murder of his high-profile attorney friend—and do so before more people die. (Crime/Suspense)
Sea Thrifts & Thistles by Ruth Kyser — After the unexpected deaths of her parents in a plane crash, Heather Conners makes a discovery that turns her world upside down. (Contemporary Romance)
The Perfect Getaway by Nancy Lavo — Riley is tired of looking over her shoulder. Can she trust the small-town superhero with her secret, or will the loyalty she admires in him bring danger to her door? (Contemporary Romance)
On the Right Track by Shaen Layle — On The Right Track is the eighth book in the Mysteries of Cobble Hill Farm Series. (Cozy Mystery)
Julia’s Joy by Susan G. Mathis — She came to claim her inheritance, but the mysterious scarred lighthouse keeper makes her question all her plans. (Historical Romance)
Why the Nations Rage by Aidan Meerman — Casey Cole is three hundred years old but expects to be dead in as many seconds. The brutal regime that governs his home crushes all forms of dissent… and he’s about to put his neck out. (Biblical Suspense/Thriller)
The Lost Daughter’s Irishman by Carolyn Miller — She wants to find a way to live again; he wants to close a deal and move on, until sparks fly and these opposites attract. (Contemporary Romance)
Christmas in Nutfield by Robin Patchen — Come home to Nutfield in these two Christmas novellas, featuring Daniel Nolan, the little boy from Innocent Lies, all grown up, and Caro Neely, from Convenient Lies. (Contemporary Romance)
When Love Overcomes by Denice Perkins — Having everything we want and a plan for our future doesn’t prevent God from abruptly sending our lives in a whole other direction and showing us even greater happiness. (Contemporary Romance)
A Country Christmas Collection by Davalynn Spencer — Two Holiday Novellas, each a complete romance with cowboys, a second chance at love, and a feel-good, happily-ever-after! (Contemporary Romance)
Tangled Promises by Lynn U. Watson — Thunderous applause extinguishes her dream and ignites her worst nightmare. (Historical Romance)
Neurifact by Kenneth Dale Watts — A neurological AI tool observes and assesses a unique brainwave phenomenon associated with one F-35C pilot’s impulsive action and arrives at a spiritually based finding. (Military Thriller/Suspense)
During this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense” podcast, you’ll hear from five authors about their romantic suspense books available this month. Here’s the list of authors and books for November 2024, with the book’s release date if not available now.
Terri Reed/Search and Detect
Jaime Jo Wright/Specters in the Glass House
Katy Lee/K-9 Christmas Guardians (11/27)
Danielle Grandinetti/Investigation of a Journalist (11/19)
About Lynette
Target Acquired by Lynette Eason
Connect w/Jessica
