*Series Tour & Giveaway* Loving a Winston

 

Deep family bonds meet the thrill of unexpected romance.

It's finally time for the Winston siblings to surrender to passion and find their forever loves!

Cara

Loving a Winston Book 1

by Stacy Eaton

Genre: Steamy Small-Town Romance 

What happens when the man you fall for is all wrong for you?

Cara Winston has always been a bit of a rebel and an adrenaline junkie. As a helicopter pilot and paramedic, she relies on that to do her job. When Cara and her team respond to a multi-vehicle accident involving motorcycles, she’s expecting the worst. What Cara doesn’t expect is to find herself intrigued by the blue eyes of a man wearing motorcycle gang colors.

Ryan Vigilante rides the road mostly on two wheels, not four. When several of the club members end up in an accident on the highway, Ryan never expects to see a future in the eyes of the intense female paramedic. The only problem is that she’s way out of his league, and he knows that getting involved with her could only jeopardize her safety.

With Cara’s family trying to keep them apart and Ryan’s club breaking the law, Cara finds herself more of a rebel than usual. Will things work out for Cara and Ryan, or will Cara’s law enforcement brother, Ethan, find a way to stop it for good?

The Loving a Winston Series is a five-book, steamy adult romance series that spins off the six-book Loving a Young Series. While these books are all standalone romances, the characters will be seen throughout the series.

 

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Evan

Loving a Winston Book 2

What happens when she’s not really who you think she is?

Evan Winston is dedicated to his job as a registered nurse in the ICU department of the local hospital. He’s one hundred percent focused on the needs of his patients and his family, or at least he usually is. That changes the day a woman visits one of his patients and turns his world upside down.

Laney Marshall wants nothing more than to help people who struggle—especially those women and children who are fighting to survive domestic violence situations. After losing someone close to her to an abusive man, she is determined to do everything in her power to help.

Unfortunately, Laney has people that don’t want her to do that. In fact, they don’t even like her in this town or even the state of Pennsylvania. They prefer her on the other side of the country, where they think she belongs, living the life planned for her.

Can Laney and Evan find a way to build a relationship while keeping others from getting involved, or will the revealed secrets be enough to end any chance of a future before it begins?

The Loving a Winston Series is a five-book, steamy adult romance series that spins off the six-book Loving a Young Series. While these books are all standalone romances, the characters will be seen throughout the series.

 

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Candy

Loving a Winston Book 3

What happens when your lustful heart wins over your intellectual mind?

When Candy’s sister, Cara, was dating outlaw biker member Ryan Vigilante, Candy paid little attention to Ryan’s club buddy, Bollard. Sure, Bollard, who works behind the bar at the local tavern, was pleasing on the eyes and made a mean chocolate martini, but he was an outlaw, and that’s not the kind of person Candy associates with.

Michael Bollard is out of the club now and hopes to purchase the tavern. He had never wanted more than his bikes and the club, but now, Mike has high hopes to build a future. A future that suddenly collides with sexy and intelligent Candy Winston in ways he could have never imagined.

Just when he thinks he might have this new future figured out, a stranger enters the bar with a surprise he never saw coming. Will that surprise send Candy running for higher ground, or will it cement her future in the tavern with Mike?

The Loving a Winston Series is a five-book, steamy adult romance series that spins off the six-book Loving a Young Series. While these books are all standalone romances, the characters will be seen throughout the series.

 

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Carmen

Loving a Winston Book 4

What happens when your first love returns to town—twenty years later?

Child Psychologist Carmen Winston spends a lot of time at the schools, and when she comes across a man and the name of a new student, she mentally flashes back to a time of young love and dreamy hopes of the perfect future that never happened.

Tim Kohl lived in Millerstown for six years before his parents moved him across the country. He never expected to return or to bring three kids with him when he did. The last thing Tim expected to find in town is his high school sweetheart, who is still as beautiful as ever and still single after all this time.

When sparks fly, can these two put the past behind them and plan a future, or will the years apart separate them before they can figure it out?

The Loving a Winston Series is a five-book, steamy adult romance series that spins off the six-book Loving a Young Series. While these books are all standalone romances, the characters will be seen throughout the series.

 

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Coral

Loving a Winston Book 5

What happens when you overhear your family talking to the man you’ve fallen for?

Coral Winston has felt out of touch with her family since her mother passed away and threw everything she had into her coffee café. When her family forces her to vacation, they decide to come along for the fun.

Landan Lancaster is the oldest of the eight Lancaster children, and he’s still trying to deal with walking away from his cheating bride the night before their wedding many months prior. When a large family comes to stay in the Lancaster guest house on the lake, he finds himself expectedly intrigued by the woman standing at the water’s edge.

On the slopes of South Lake Tahoe, Landan realizes he has met his match in more ways than one, and Coral begins to feel as if she has finally found a place where she belongs. When she overhears a conversation between Landan and her family, Coral gets the wrong idea and flees without thinking. Unfortunately, she finds the café a mess and the cops waiting for her when she arrives home.

Can Coral overcome the issues facing her and find her way back to the beautiful mountains and water of Lake Tahoe, or will Landan lose her before he can ever call her his own?

The Loving a Winston Series is a five-book, steamy adult romance series that spins off the six-book Loving a Young Series. While these books are all standalone romances, the characters will be seen throughout the series.

 

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Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Bestselling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016 due to a second serious concussion. Her last three years on the job were in investigations and crime scene investigation. She now writes full-time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement. She has a daughter in college and a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy.

Stacy writes a variety of genres, but mostly romance. She enjoys writing real-life stories that people can relate to with real-life problems, emotions, and solutions.

Her favorites: Classic cars, photography, Disney, music, coffee, and her favorite sweatshirt that says, You are dangerously close to getting killed in my next novel.

 

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*Release Tour & Giveaway* Kindred Schemes

 

One bookish debutante. 

Two dashing suitors.

 And a season full of scandal.

Kindred Schemes

Schemes Book 1

by R. K. Harrington

Genre: Historical Regency Romance

 

One bookish debutante. Two dashing suitors. And a season full of scandal.

Lady Alaina Sinclair never expected London society to be so treacherous—or so tempting. She has always preferred books to ballrooms, but with a disastrous start to her first season, she’s determined to rewrite her fate. With her heart set on the respectable—and very eligible—Duke of Ashford, Alaina is ready to embrace society’s expectations… even if it means silencing her true desires.

Alaina’s world is set awry by Christopher Kendall, the Marquess of Rochester—sharp-tongued, maddeningly handsome, and inconveniently, the duke’s closest friend. Their first encounter is a disaster. Their next, a temptation. And every moment together after that, increasingly impossible to ignore. But with a web of secrets, jealous relatives, and mysterious threats unraveling around her, it soon becomes clear: this is no ordinary season.

Kindred Schemes is a modern take on a regency romance with glamour, a steamy love triangle, and enough mystery to keep readers turning the page.

 

What readers are saying:

"The story’s central love triangle will delight romance fans...Harrington excels in crafting multidimensional characters...[A] satisfying blend of romance, intrigue, and character-driven storytelling." — Booklife 

 

An entertaining period love story, nicely balancing breathless lust with social satire and high-mindedness.” — Kirkus Reviews

 

"The characters are colorful and sharply etched…the prose has a droll, Austen-esque verve to it, using pompously polite palaver to reveal the crassness of high society...In keeping with the style is the spirit of the book’s message—that true love triumphs over mercenary calculation. Readers will root for the feisty Alaina to overcome the stuffed shirts and find her heart’s desire.” — Kirkus Reviews 

 

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London, 1809

Oh no, here he comes, the lascivious Lord Finch and his merry band of drunken fools. Alaina looked out at the crowded ballroom, her eyes connecting with the group of men making their way toward its center. Alaina had only been at the ball for a quarter hour before this particular disaster struck, the leers of the men making the hairs at the nape of her neck prickle. It did not escape Alaina’s attention that Lady Barbara, Lord Finch’s sister, accompanied the group, and wore a sly smile. Hopefully, this latest encounter would be short. Surely, Lord Finch would not want to be rejected twice, let alone in front of a large crowd.

Alaina looked to her right to find her parents close at hand, thankfully, and she stood a little straighter knowing she would not face this alone.

The group of men seemed to move in unison before coming to a halt a few paces before Alaina and her family. A group of onlookers formed a circle around them as if ready to enjoy the ensuing spectacle, Lady Barbara taking her place in the throng. Alaina struggled to focus on the faces of the onlookers as she held her head high, ready to meet Lord Finch and his friends with as much dignity as she could muster. She hoped to project a more serene exterior than she currently felt, her heartbeat accelerating to such a degree that she could feel the blood rushing in her ears.

Lord Finch stepped to the fore of the now halted group, and gallantly bowed to Alaina before speaking, his voice so loud that Alaina was sure people arriving in carriages outside could hear.

“My dearest beautiful Alaina,” he started, clearing his throat before continuing, “You have set upon me quite a conundrum. I fear I have fallen madly in love with the idea of having you as my wife, and I feel you should be happy with such an arrangement. I am quite the catch, you know, especially for someone from the country, and one who likes to read.”

From behind him, Lady Barbara piped up with an added insult, “Amazing, really, that Alaina found her way out of the library to be here.” Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Alaina cringed at his easy use of her given name, devoid of any honorific, and seethed at the mockery of her character. Lord Finch and his sister sounded ridiculous, pompous, and conceited.

Alaina was frozen in place, her lips trembling in rage, and when no comment ushered forth from her lips, Lord Finch rejoined, unfazed by the one-sided nature of their conversation. “I find myself at an impasse. Shall I continue to press my suit with decorum, or should I make my feelings known to the whole world, so that you may not so easily dismiss them as you have in the past?”

A warmth crept up Alaina’s neck and touched her cheeks, giving her pale skin a glow, although one not easily perceptible in the dim light of the ballroom. She turned once again to where her parents stood, only to find that her father had disappeared, and her mother’s pale face was drawn in embarrassment as she watched her eldest child with dismay. Oh, how Alaina wished her father would have stayed; his tall frame was intimidating to a crowd, and his familiar umber eyes were always reassuring to her.

Resolved to put a stop to this farce, Alaina turned back to Lord Finch and remarked, her voice distant and strange sounding in her ears, “Lord Finch, it seems my earlier rejection of your suit did not deter you in the least, but I ask you to have a care for your surroundings.”

As the words left her mouth, Alaina watched Lord Finch’s face change, his outwardly serene expression making way for something more sinister. His smile twisted into an outright leer, and his pale green eyes seemed to burn of their own accord, the candlelight no longer just a reflection in them. He lowered to one knee and reached out his hands in supplication as he sneered, “Please, will you marry me, my lady?” The emphasis on the last word ensured that Alaina felt the insult.

Lord Finch was quickly joined by his friends, their idiocy knowing no bounds, all of them dropping to their knees in a chorus of marriage proposals, each more mocking and infuriating than the last. Soon laughter rang loudly in Alaina’s ears as the men and then the onlookers seemed to find amusement in her predicament. Her world blurred through a sheen of tears, the faces of the laughing men—now resembling something like demons—the only clear points in her vision.

Alaina glanced about to find her mother and threw herself into her open arms, shielding her from the worst of the crowd. The two women made their way to the outer edge of the ballroom and quickly to the front entrance, only stopping a moment to gather their cloaks before heading out into the cool night. Her father, having had the forethought to make his way to the exit, met them in the front drive, where he had already called for their carriage to be brought around, and not a moment too soon.

The Sinclair family hastened into the carriage, a pall falling on them as the conveyance made its way onto the main thoroughfare and toward their London townhome. Alaina squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the clip clop of the well-matched team of four, grateful for the silence of her parents, as she let tears make their way unchecked down her cheeks.

 

R. K. Harrington is a debut historical romance author, combining swoon-worthy romance with a bit of mystery. Her first novel, Kindred Schemes, is scheduled to be released February 2026.

In 2021, R. K. Harrington found that her daydreams were yearning to spill over to the written page, and, ever since, has been writing historical romance with a dash of mystery in hopes of publishing her work one day. After much editing, and long hours designing, she is gearing up to release her first novel, with many more to come!

R. K. Harrington grew up reading romance novels at a (maybe too) young age, and the stories entranced her. Give her a Happily Ever After (HEA) and there is no better book in the world. While romance books (namely historical romances) are her first love, R. K. Harrington is an avid reader of all genres. She has gone through many phases: medical mysteries, crime dramas, science fiction, romantasy, and is currently in a fantasy phase (she does do the occasional non-fiction book as well, namely history). Through every season of reading, romance books of all kinds are sprinkled liberally.

When R. K. Harrington is not writing or reading (or working her day job as an engineer), she is having fun with her husband, their kids, and her very cute dog, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Maximus. They all live in the DMV area, where the summers are hot, the winters are cold, and the two days of Spring and Fall are beautiful enough to open the windows!

 

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*Book Tour & Giveaway* Looks That Kill

 

Sometimes death is not enough.

Looks that Kill

by Lee Gemmill

Genre: Serial Killer Thriller

Sometimes death is not enough...

Laura Johnson's life has been a mosaic of terror, each piece a fragment of her haunted past. In her world, to be unnoticed is to be safe, yet, beneath her camouflage lies a burning desire to live without the constant pulse of fear.

Enter Diablo, a serial killer who transforms his victims into chilling avatars that appear within his dark and popular computer games. With the police powerless to peel back his many masks, Diablo sets his sights on Laura.

In this heart-stopping race against time, Laura is thrust into a deadly play where facing fear isn't a choice-it's survival. With the killer's shadow looming, can she stand against the darkness? Or will she become the next character in his twisted games of death?

The terror begins now....

  

“A wounded soul becomes the target of a brutal serial killer’s game in this dark, gripping, game of cat and mouse.” ★★★★★ – Explore Authors Magazine

 

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1989

 

The prison guard spoke softly into a communicator on his shoulder, and the steel door opened with a metallic echo in the corridor. The guard looked first at Isabelle, then at Mr. Dunn, asking, “Do you want me to stay?”

Isabelle replied, “Thank you, officer, but no. You’ve done your part.”

The guard nodded and left them in the death row area. They heard the sound of metal on metal as the door locked behind them, sending a small shiver through Isabelle’s heart. But she straightened her jaw and stepped into the cell, with Mr. Dunn following closely behind.

She removed her hat and held it like a weapon. The edge of its brim was thin and stiff enough to slice. Isabelle knew her toughness often intimidated men, but this disturbed individual would likely see her as a beauty queen. Mr. Dunn took a protective stance by the door, his size and the scar running from his eyebrow to his chin making it clear why he was there.

Surveying the cell, which was barely larger than a cheap walk-in closet, Isabelle noted the metal bed, stainless-steel toilet, and sink. In her opinion, this minimalist setup was more than the inmate deserved; far too lavish. She adjusted her posture, shifting into business mode, tilting her head back to exude confidence and becoming the salesperson she was meant to be.

“Hmm. John Spenkelink’s old cell. I know you’re awake, Mr. Bundy.”

Ted Bundy, lying on the bed with his back to them, sat up, feigning disturbed sleep. He yawned, blinked his eyes, and smiled disarmingly. The news photos hadn’t lied; he was indeed a handsome man. Yet, Isabelle recalled how he wielded his charm and good looks like weapons. Maintaining her poker face, she thought of the thirty women he had confessed to killing, with hints of even more hidden in unmarked graves.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Bundy said, keeping his gaze fixed on hers. “But who wouldn’t be disadvantaged in here?”

Isabelle ignored him and began her presentation. “I’m Dr. Quint. My associate is Mr. Dunn. We’re from Blunt Point Labs. Mr. Bundy, the governor absolutely will not consider a stay of execution.” She glanced at her watch again, already aware of the time. “In less than twenty-four hours, you’re going to die. We can’t prevent that.”

“Then why bother me?”

Isabelle remained stoic; this was her favorite part. “Mr. Bundy, we’re here to make you an offer you can’t refuse. A chance to serve mankind in a positive way.”

Bundy raised his eyebrows. “Serve mankind? When I’m dead?”

Mr. Dunn moved as if cued; it was the signal for him to take the next step. He reached into the satchel, pulled out some important-looking papers, and handed them to Isabelle. She held them just out of Bundy’s reach. His gaze flickered to the papers momentarily.

She continued, “You’ll be dead alright, but I think you’ll find this to be a fair offer.” She handed the papers to Bundy, who studied them intently for several long minutes with a practiced legal eye. Suddenly, he looked up.

“How does it work? There aren’t any laws to protect the dead. Blunt Point has this kind of power?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll need a pen.”

“Yes, you will. But before you sign, I want to know why you tortured, raped, and murdered thirty innocent women.”

Bundy grinned mischievously. Everything about him was likable. Isabelle forced herself to frown.

“Thirty?” he asked. “You think small, Doctor.” He paused, as if considering his words. Isabelle realized he wasn’t thinking at all; he was remembering. Bundy’s smile turned predatory. “Having those women tied up and terrified was the ultimate aphrodisiac. They knew they were going to die because of me. To them, I was their angry god.”

If Isabelle had been holding a chainsaw at that moment, she would have used it on him. Instead, she forced herself to remain unresponsive to Bundy’s comment. She didn’t need to look back at Mr. Dunn to know his expression had not changed; it rarely did.

With no visible reaction from his visitors, Bundy shrugged. He raised his hand as if holding an invisible pen, wiggling his fingers in a gesture that conveyed, "I still need something to write with." Mr. Dunn reached into his coat and pulled out a ballpoint pen, offering it to Bundy. Carefully and neatly, Bundy signed each page and initialed several others. He returned the pen to Mr. Dunn and handed the papers to Isabelle.

“When do we start?” he asked, excitement bubbling in his voice like a child eager for an adventure.

Isabelle provided the answer he needed. “As soon as you die.”

 

At 20, Lee Gemmill set off on a hitchhiking adventure from Virginia to California, climbing Handies Peak in Colorado and losing all his food to sneaky ground squirrels in the Grand Canyon along the way. A former biology and anatomy teacher with 32 years of experience in Virginia, he’s now retired and fully dedicated to writing.
Lee’s mission is to reshape storytelling by blending fantasy, science fiction, and horror into unforgettable tales. His work pushes the boundaries of imagination, delivering thrilling experiences that stay with readers long after the last page — all while building a legacy of unique, genre-defying stories that cultivate lifelong fans.

 

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*Book Tour & Giveaway* Treacherous Hack-GUEST POST

 

One hacked file.

Three bodies.

Zero time.

Treacherous Hack

A Mike Stoneman Mystery #7

by Kevin G. Chapman

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Police Procedural

From the award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series comes Book #7 — a gripping crime thriller set in the heart of a frozen New York City.

When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo is gunned down at a snowy Manhattan intersection, NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson catch a case that’s anything but ordinary. Back at Lou’s shop, two Chinese nationals linked to a powerful Shanghai cybercrime ring are dead. The only clue? A missing laptop computer, possibly containing something Lou was willing to die to protect.

Meanwhile, NYU student Ryan Gelb is panicking. His hacked laptop held the stolen university data — data he quietly gave to his Uncle Lou. Now Lou is dead, and whoever killed him is coming for the file. . . and for Ryan.
Caught between international cybercriminals, New York mobsters, and the police, Ryan is desperate to recover the file and avoid being expelled — or worse, executed.

As Mike and Jason untangle a web of secrets, lies, and digital deception, they're met with stonewalling from all sides: NYU won’t talk, witnesses are hiding the truth, and even their closest allies are keeping dangerous secrets.
With the body count rising and a deadly showdown looming, the race is on to solve the mystery, recover the missing file, and avoid turning Lower Manhattan into a bloodbath.

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and David Baldacci, this high-stakes police procedural mixes hard-boiled action, cybercrime intrigue, and unforgettable characters in a page-turning thriller you won’t be able to put down.

 

What readers are saying:

 “A page-turner of a police procedural, with multiple cryptological clues and misdirections. The convoluted plot is enough to keep readers on the edge of their seats throughout. While the action is nearly nonstop, it is inevitable that readers along the way will get invested in relationships such as that between Ryan and Star. All the main characters and many of the minor ones keep dangerous secrets, demonstrating once again the fallibility of human nature.”

~ S. W. Lawrence, MD, author of climate fiction including Climate Dragon and Cloud Dragon.

 

“Chapman delivers another pulse-pounding thriller that seamlessly weaves cybercrime, organized crime, and family loyalties into one explosive narrative of how far people will go to protect their secrets. This high-stakes thriller has non-stop action and suspense that culminates in a riveting page-turner until the end.”

 ~ LoLo Paige, award-winning author of Alaska Firestorm and Alaska Inferno.

 

“Treacherous Hack grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go! An exciting police procedural that makes you feel like you’re on a ride-a-long with the detectives, conspiring with the bad guys, and hanging out in a dorm room with the young guys caught in the middle of it all.”

 ~ Laurel Heidtman, author of The Eden Mysteries.

 

“A pulse-pounding thriller that seamlessly weaves cybercrime, organized crime, and family loyalties into one explosive narrative of how far people will go to protect their secrets.”

 ~ LoLo Paige, award-winning author of Alaska Firestorm and Alaska Inferno.

  

 

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from Chapter 3 -- On the Scene

 

DETECTIVE MIKE STONEMAN CALLED OUT to his partner as soon as Jason ducked under the crime scene tape stretched across the sidewalk.

“Jason! Over here.” Mike waved his arm, beckoning Jason toward the center of the intersection. Since Mike lived in Manhattan, he had arrived fifteen minutes before his partner. A clot of officers and emergency services personnel milled about without much urgency.

“Nice night,” Jason said sarcastically.

Mike, dressed in a down parka and a blue-and-orange knit hat pulled down over his ears, grunted his agreement. Mike was a full five inches shorter than Jason and twenty years older. Even in their winter clothes, Jason’s style showed through, with his tailored wool overcoat, gloves, scarf, and LL Bean duck boots. Mike had long since stopped worrying about the fact that his partner was taller, better looking, in better shape, and a better dresser. Mike possessed wisdom that came from experience, which was the one thing Jason could not have. At least not until he had twenty-five years on the force like Mike. They had been partners for five years.

A uniformed officer with a plastic cover over his hat approached Mike as Jason arrived. “Detective Stoneman, the medical examiner is finished. Can we remove the body now?”

“Not yet,” Mike responded. “I want Detective Dickson to get a look at the scene first.”

The officer left to give his fellow officers the bad news – they all had to stay outside their warm squad cars.

As they walked around the intersection, Mike gave Jason the rundown. “The stiff’s name is Lou Palazzo. His wallet was in his pants pocket with a driver’s license, so the ID was pretty easy. He’s got a record from years back. Did three years in Sing Sing in the twenty-teens for conspiracy to commit murder. He was connected to the Gallata family. Since he got out, he’s had no arrests. He ran an electronics store and pawn shop over on the corner of Avenue B, a block away.” Mike pointed to the far end of the block. “He had a little cash and some credit cards in his wallet.”

Jason looked down at the remainder of the dead man’s head. “So, not a robbery, then?”

Mike didn’t laugh. “The snow and slush on the street mangled any physical evidence here, but there is blood in the snow outside his shop. It looks like he was shot inside the shop in the shoulder, tried to escape in this direction, then got caught here in the intersection and plugged once in the head. No cell phone on him. He wasn’t wearing a coat, so he left in a hurry. When we finish here, there are two more stiffs in the shop.”

“So, there’s more to see?” Jason asked.

“Oh, yeah. Plenty. We’ll get over there in a minute. The officer in the first squad car saw two figures in the middle of the street from a few blocks away and hit his lights. By the time he got here, Lou was dead on the ground and the other person had fled the scene on foot.”

Jason squatted to get a look at the body without dipping his knees into the slush. The kill shot entered the man’s head above his left ear and exited through his neck – a clean kill, likely fired by a person standing over the victim.

“Seen enough?” Mike asked.

“Sure. Thanks for doing the reconnaissance.”

“Let’s go see the shop. That’s where the action was.” Mike turned to the west. “Oh, and by the way, was that Rachel I saw over there with a cameraman?”

“Yeah,” Jason said without stopping. “She got a call from her network to come work this scene. She’s been bugging them for weeks about getting a chance to cover breaking news instead of the fluffy studio stuff. You know, the healthcare pieces and emergency services and such. She’s been on the on-call list every weekend since Halloween, hoping to get a call. Unfortunately, tonight was the night.”

“You need to be careful, Jason. You can’t spill any information to her. I know we talked about this possibly happening someday. Well, shit just got real. Sully will have your hide if he thinks you’re feeding her inside dirt on the investigation.”

“I know. I’m not telling her anything. But I can’t stop her from working. This is a big deal for her.”

“Sure. I get it,” Mike said. “But be careful.”

“You don’t need to tell me.”

  

Don’t miss the rest of the Mike Stoneman Mysteries!

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Kevin G. Chapman is an attorney specializing in labor and employment law. Kevin has now completed seven books in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series: Righteous Assassin (Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), Deadly Enterprise (Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), Lethal Voyage, (Winner of the 2021 Kindle Book Award, CLUE finalist, RONE finalist), Fatal Infraction (Best Police Procedural of the year – CLUE Award), Perilous Gambit, Double Takedown, and now, Treacherous Hack. In late 2022, Kevin published a stand-alone mystery/thriller titled Dead Winner (CLUE Award - Best Suspense/Thriller of the year). Then, in 2024 came The Other Murder, winner of the CLUE Award Grand Prize (best suspense/thriller of the year) and finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award. Kevin is a resident of Central New Jersey and is a graduate of Columbia College and Boston University School of Law. Readers can contact Kevin via his website at www.KevinGChapman.com.

  

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Interview with Kevin G. Chapman

The Mike Stoneman Thriller Series and book #7 – Treacherous Hack

{updated 10.31.25}

How did you get started writing this crime-thriller series? 

A long time ago, in the mid-90s, I wrote my first novel, which was a mystery starring a New York Private Investigator named Rick LaBlonde. It was fun and a good try at a first novel. But it was before Amazon and before self-publishing was really a thing. I put it aside in about 1996 when I couldn’t get any interest from a publisher. Then, in 2003, my wife told me that for our 20th wedding anniversary, she was going to pay to have the book published by a new company that had come into existence called Xlibris, which was a division of a big publishing house and which was an early “vanity publisher” that would essentially allow you to self-publish a book. In those days, you had to order a minimum number of copies for printing. It was a lovely present, and I still have a few copies of that first book left on my basement shelves. 

But by then I had a new job and three kids and I didn’t do any more real writing for many years. Then in the mid-2000s (the aughts?) as my kids were getting older, I got the itch again and I started working on my version of The Great American Novel. It was very, very loosely based on some autobiographical events in my life, but was mostly pure fiction. It’s about a conservative Senator who must confront his past and make hard decisions about his future. It’s about morality and politics and self-determination and identity. It’s a very serious book, but with some interesting characters and, I think, a compelling story line. It’s called A Legacy of One. It got some great reviews and some book award recognition, but didn’t sell. Part of that was my own lack of understanding about how to market a self-published book, but it’s also because the subject matter isn’t particularly popular unless you’re already a well-known author or celebrity. I spent 10 years off and on working on that and finally published it in 2016.

When the dust cleared from that project, I decided I still wanted to write, but I needed to get into something more fun, less serious, and hopefully something more marketable. Along the way, in 2012, I had written a short story for a writing contest where the subject had to be crime or law. I created a character named Mike Stoneman, an NYPD homicide detective. The short story, called Fool Me Twice won first prize in the contest. So, in 2016, I decided to take that character from the short story and work him up into a full-blown crime fiction novel. The short story is now available for free on Amazon and other sales platforms (and on my website), and I included it as an extra feature at the end of the first book in the novel series, Righteous Assassin.

Can you describe your main characters?

Mike Stoneman is a veteran homicide detective in the New York Police Department. In addition to being the senior detective on his team, he also teaches classes at the police academy and separate night classes for cops studying for the detectives exam. His classes are on things like evidence handling, crime scene protocol, witness interrogation, and how to testify in court.  He typically gets assigned to work with the new detectives, so he can show them the ropes.  He likes that work – teaching the younger cops and passing down his wisdom.  He loves it when other cops come to him for his opinion on a tough case.

He’s also a Mets fan and likes classic rock music (both traits he shares with his creator).  He wears plain slacks and sports jacket combos with non-descript ties and comfortable (old) shoes.  He’s not flashy – he’s not trying to impress anyone.  He’s just turned 50 (in book #3) and is a little overweight, but trying to work out more and get into better shape, especially since he has become romantically involved with Michelle McNeill, the county medical examiner. (Spoiler! -- By book #6, they are married.)  But, he likes his pasta. He also appreciates a fine single-malt scotch.

Mike’s partner, Jason Dickson, is an African-American detective with a military background.  He’s young and smooth and confident – but a little too cocky sometimes for Mike’s liking.  There is some tension between them in book #1 (Righteous Assassin), but by book #2 (Deadly Enterprise) the partners fully have each other’s backs. In book #3 (Lethal Voyage), Jason takes more of the spotlight along with his girlfriend, Rachel Robinson. Their romance, which was briefly mentioned in book #2, becomes the emotional core of book #3. Then, in book #4 (Fatal Infraction), Jason decides to propose. In book #5 (Perilous Gambit), Jason and Rachel travel to Las Vegas to get married, with Mike and Michelle along as their friends and witnesses. In book #6 (Double Takedown), Jason is studying for a masters degree and is thinking about changing careers, while he and Mike face a crisis of confidence about their police work. 

The dynamics between Mike and Jason and their relationship, as well as the relationship between Mike and Michelle and between Jason and Rachel, are the heart of the stories. 

What makes them original?

Mike and Jason are both complex and “real” people.  Neither is a super hero who takes on multiple attackers barehanded or outthinks an evil mastermind, or smoothly seduces the female spy.  They are vulnerable and awkward and emotional.  Their comrades in the precinct are similarly “normal” people who banter and argue and yell.  They are very much New York-based people and I try to give an authentic feel to their surroundings and stories.  Mike’s status as the mentor and senior detective give him a unique persona and perspective. 

The relationship between the middle-aged couple, Mike and Michelle, starts out slow and then settles into a very comfortable ongoing romance, but they deal with their own issues. Jason and Rachel are younger and the discussion about whether to get engaged is a big topic, along with what it means to be married to a cop – and what it means for Jason to be a cop and also a husband and father. They are murder mystery stories, but the characters draw the reader into a real world, not a big-budget movie fantasy.

What makes them tick? 

Mike is a very by-the-book guy for the most part, but we learn in all the stories that he’s willing to bend the rules when he feels that it’s necessary or justified.  He also is concerned about his relationship with Michelle and how to keep that going, without putting her in danger.  He’s also (surprisingly) concerned about Jason and his future and well-being.  So, he’s both a crusty jaded cop and a sensitive, concerned person.  He’s also now concerned about his own mortality and his own future to a degree that’s new to him, after 24 years on the force.

Jason has a chip on his shoulder about being a Black detective. He demands respect, although he comes to understand that he has to earn it. He’s also facing a cross-roads in his life where he must decide if he wants to be a career cop. He’s not sure he wants to be like Mike at age 50 – single. But, he and Rachel are married, with one child (JJ) and another on the way. Does he want to continue his rather dangerous occupation? This question, as well as Rachel’s career aspirations, are central to the story in books 6 through 10 (yes, there will be ten).

What is their biggest fear?

Now, Mike’s biggest fear is that something bad will happen to Michelle because of one of his investigations.  It nearly happened in “Righteous Assassin,” and it became an issue between them in “Deadly Enterprise.”  Unfortunately for Mike, there is more peril ahead for Michelle.

Is there a consistent bad guy in the books? 

No. Each book has its own villains and challenges. Not every situation is clear-cut, which makes it fun. There is no super-villain who keeps coming back to terrorize the City. Each story is very unique. There is an organized crime family in New York – the Gallata family – that shows up a few times (including in book #7). And in Las Vegas there was a different organized crime boss named Freddy Costanzo, who has a link back to the Gallatas, but they are not consistent villains. Look for one villain in Treacherous Hack who might come back again in a later story.

Can the books be read in any order?  

Yes. Each book is a fully stand-alone story. I’ve had many readers pick up the series at each point and nobody has had any problems enjoying the books separately without having read the earlier ones. But, there is some development of the characters going on, and there are references in each book to events that happened in the earlier books. Some are necessary for later readers, and some are Easter eggs for readers who will get the “inside” jokes. There’s not much of that, but enough to make my audience happy. But they definitely can be read in any sequence. I would not recommend reading book #5 (Perilous Gambit) before reading the first four, since there will be some spoilers about what is going to happen to the man subplots.

What is Treacherous Hack about?

The story centers around a data hack engineered by a Chinese organized crime syndicate called the Corporate Dragons, which is a de facto arm of the Chinese government. They break into sensitive data inside the servers at New York University through a student, Ryan Gelb. Ryan is dating Star Albertson, Michelle McNeill’s niece. Ryan and his friend, Will, realized the hack was happening and disconnected Ryan’s computer before the hackers uploaded the critical files. The file downloaded to Ryan’s computer by the hackers is encrypted, so Ryan takes it to his uncle, Lou Palazzo, who is a whiz at decrypting files – which was his primary value as a soldier in the Gallata organized crime family a decade earlier. Lou no longer works for the family, but he has connections, and arranged to sell the data file to an old colleague of his, Lloyd “The Cannon” Cannon. Uncle Lou didn’t know that his old Gallata friends were in business with the Corporate Dragons. When the Chinese boss finds out that Lou has the hacked data file, they want it back.

When the Chinese come for the file, Uncle Lou breaks out his trusty shotgun, but he ends up shot in a snowy intersection by his old friend, The Cannon. When Mike and Jason arrive on the scene, they have three bodies – Lou Palazzo and two unidentified Chinese goons. They think Lou killed the two Chinese agents, and a witness saw a large bald man leaving the scene of Lou’s execution. Mike and Jason must try to trace the killer, which seems unlikely if it was a mob hit.

Meanwhile, Ryan and his best friend, Will Scarano, need to hide the hack from NYU. They are terrified that the university will expel them, or at least revoke their scholarships, if it comes to light that Ryan and Will were responsible for the data hack. Their only chance to vindicate themselves is to recover the file, turn it over to the university, and prove that the hackers never uploaded the data – so the hack never actually happened. There’s one problem – they don’t know where the file is. But Ryan gets a cryptic message from Uncle Lou, telling him that Lou stashed the file somewhere before he died so that only Ryan would be able to find it. Now, Ryan and Will need to find the file. But the Corporate Dragons are watching Ryan, and want to steal the file back. 

Everyone in the story has information they don’t want to share. But keeping secrets could get them killed. 

If you and your character met in real life, do you think you’d get on?

Oh yes!  I have given Mike many character traits from my own backstory. We would definitely go to a Mets game together and then share a high-end single malt.  Mike’s a little younger than I, but we are both Boomers and share a lot of common experience.  I’m not a cop, but that wouldn’t stop us from being friends.

Who would you like to see play them if your books were made into a film or TV show?

In the movie version of Righteous Assassin, if it were made soon, Michael B. Jordan would play Jason.  For Mike, I think John C. Riley would be perfect.  Maybe Brad Pitt.  The casting director would have fun with the rest of the characters. I personally want Annaleigh Ashford to play Mrs. DiVito (only my biggest fans will understand that reference!)

How many books do you have in the series so far?

Books 1-7 are now published and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook editions. I narrated the audiobooks myself.  That makes it a 7-book series plus two stand-alone mysteries (Dead Winner and The Other Murder) in just about seven years. Not bad for somebody with a day job.

What’s in store for them next?

Book #8 in the series (tentatively titled Killer Pace will put Mike and Jason in the middle of another serial killer investigation, after several women runners are assaulted and strangled while running in New York parks. The killings put the running community on edge. Finding the killer is a priority for the Commissioner. The FBI will send in a serial killer profiler – Special Agent Angela Manning (who my readers will remember from book #1, Righteous Assassin). But Angela has doubts about the direction of the investigation. Readers will have to guess who the killer is, while Mike and Jason keep up a Killer Pace.

C:\KGC\KGC Writing\MST #7 - Treacherous Hack\Treacherous Hack Marketing\Interview w Kevin G. Chapman - Mike Stoneman Series and TH.docx

 

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