Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Pioneer
newspaperwoman Kiera Devane is on a mission to prove a woman can do a man's
job, as she hunts a young coed's killer? Ace radio broadcaster Argus Nye lost
one love to a murderous fiend and his pulse races as he tries to protect Kiera
from herself as much as from this killer.
Kiera was
doted upon by loving parent, but they were killed when she was a girl and she
was shipped off to live with a socialite aunt who had little time for her. In
her aunt's house, she learned life could be cold and cruel. As a result, she
grew up to be an independent and demanding professional woman.
Argus Nye,
still bereft from the loss of his first love, can't understand why this female
reporter is mesmerizing him. As she takes chances with her life trying to catch
a killer, he's determined to protect her.
Excerpt:
Argus
walked Kiera out of the diner and took her elbow as her heels tapped down the
cement steps. Her suit was austere, yet somehow she made it sizzle. He shifted
his eyes away so as not to be caught staring, but not before taking a second
look. "I'll walk you to your car."
"No,
that's quite all right. I've been taking care of myself for a long time."
"Still,
lass, I don't feel quite right."
"This
is the Tastee Diner parking lot. It's well lit. What could happen?"
Argus
rubbed his chin. "Oh all right, if you insist. I'll say good night
here." He’d tried to be the gentleman, but she was skittish as a young
filly.
"Trust
me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
Fighting
against an uneasy feeling in his gut, Argus walked to his car on the other side
of the lot. Since Ada's death, he'd become overprotective toward women. Fishing
in his pocket for his keys, he heard raised voices. One of them, Kiera's.
"Leave
me alone. You cheated on me."
Argus
dashed for Kiera's car, thinking he recognized the male voice, yet he couldn't
quite place it.
"Give
me another chance. You misunderstood. It meant nothing." Paul Gregorski,
sportscaster at the station, had a hold of Kiera's arm.
A jolt
like an electrical charge shot through Argus. "Let go of her if you know
what's good for you."
Paul
dropped the arm and turned to face Argus. "So, you bumped my show for your
special report, and now you want my girl."
"My
relationship with Miss Devane is purely professional." He would not allow
the slightest insinuation.
Kiera
squared her shoulders. "Look, Paul, I wish you well, but let's let bygones
be bygones."
The
sportscaster slanted his head toward Argus. "I don't want to discuss this
in front of him."
"I'm
not going anywhere unless Miss Devane asks me to leave."
Kiera
pivoted away from them and pulled her car keys out of her purse. "I don't
give a hoot what either of you do. I'm going home." She slid behind the
wheel of the Pontiac, backed out of her spot, and gunned it out of the lot.
Argus
watched her signal light flash a right. She made the turn and her taillights
disappeared into the twilight. He laughed aloud.
Paul
growled. "What's so funny?"
Argus
shook his head and walked to his DeSoto, got in, and put the key in the
ignition, but didn't turn it on. She'd never be mistaken for a Carmelite nun.
Not in a million years. Blunt, not soft and feminine like his Ada had been. And
where'd Kiera get that short Betty Boop hair-do? Not his style at all. No Sir.
Where Ada was a sensitive and godly woman, this one was so hardboiled he
couldn't imagine her on her knees praying. So, why was she so captivating?
Author Bio:
Like so many other writers, Nike Chillemi
started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully
illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl
about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime
fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really
bad and her good guys smarter and better.
She is the founding board
member of the Grace Awards and its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence
in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse
online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery
category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense,
mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave
that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point
series, published by Desert Breeze. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series
released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic
Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, the third in the series released
in July, 2012. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and
the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/
Reviews/Notices/Awards:
Nike Chillemi
kicks off her new novel, PERILOUS SHADOWS, with gusto and keeps the action
coming. A dead body found in a radio station throws two unlikely people
together as they try to figure out what happened to the station’s young intern.
The depth of the characterizations and the pace of PERILOUS SHADOWS will keep
readers enthusiastically turning pages until this exciting ride reaches its
conclusion. ~~ Nancy Mehl – Winner of
the 2009 Carol Award for Mystery...author of INESCAPABLE: The Kingdom series,
the Curl Up and Dye mysteries, and The Harmony series.
Why did Nike write Perilous Shadows?
I wanted to write about a pioneer career woman in a time before feminism and affirmative action...in a time when women had to pull themselves up by their own boot straps and fight to get to the top. I wanted to give honor to such women. In many ways we stand on their shoulders but never acknowledge that. This is simply part of my fascination with that era in American history. Out of that the character of Kiera Devane was born. I had tremendous respect for Argus Nye, who had been a secondary character in both previous novels. He seemed the perfect match for this wounded but tough as nails heroine. He had mettle in his back bone and yet was a very gentle man.
Purchase Links:
Amazon/Kindle. http://tiny.cc/wm0hqw
Barnes and Noble/Nook. http://tiny.cc/8n0hqw
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