I have a picture in my head, now that I’m living in the Sunshine State, that I want to bring a crime wave to the state I love, Florida…in fiction, of course. And Florida is the perfect setting for a mystery novel what with sun, the beach, tourists, hurricanes, and much more. So many possibilities. I like to have a bit of fun with that.
Courting Danger is a detective novel set in northeast coastal Florida. I put a lot of effort into setting a semi-tropical locale for the novel. I paid attention to heat conditions in the story, making sure that characters were dressed for a beach town. And, of course, I threw in a hurricane.
My novels are part of a detective series, which is a cousin to a police procedural series. Of necessity, they have some grit. That’s part of a murder investigation. They’re also uplifting as the heroine and hero struggle to find justice for the victim and turn to their faith-life to make sense of what is senseless and wanton.
I’ve done quite a bit of research and pay attention to my police procedure so that it comes off as accurate. I have a number of male readers. Two, independently of each other, termed my series “cozy thrillers.” I think for some readers what gives my work “coziness” is my penchant for humorous and colorful secondary and tertiary characters. I enjoy developing those characters and writing their scenes so much.
However, I think my novels squarely fall into the “mystery” category where detective story is a sub-category. I’ve done quite a bit of research and learned a lot about real life police procedure. Hopefully, my stories come off as accurate in that department. I like to give my readers somebody to root for. My main characters do have flaws, but they are definitely the good guys, on the side of right. They are humanly vulnerable and horrified by the senseless taking of life. Murder mystery is truly a good vs. evil genre. At the end, the reader has to leave with the sense that justice was served. I think Christian mystery/suspense is highly sensitive to the devastation brought into the lives of the victim’s loved ones that senseless murder and crime leaves behind. Hopefully, by the end of my novels, the characters experience spiritual growth and healing. It’s my desire that my novels leave the reader uplifted.
Newly installed Pelican Beach, FL detective Katerina “Kat” Andruko fears the prime suspect in the murder of a teen will get off with the help of the department’s forensics psychologist, a man she’s just started to trust. The case has national security implications giving former US Army Ranger, Dr. Dimitri Garmonin a chance to work with the FBI. It could help him gain funds needed to expand his small Behavior Analysis Unit. He’s unmoved by the chic FBI agent but is intrigued by Kat with whom he shares a Slavic heritage. Kat and her partner detain two wrong suspects, giving the department negative press. The predator turns his anger on Kat, targeting her. Can Dimitri use his profiler skills to protect Kat before the feisty detective does something else to enrage this killer?
Nike N. Chillemi writes classic murder mysteries/detective novels. Plenty of action, a dash of grit, wry humor as her characters navigate through situations and relationships. There’s usually a national security/public safety underlying theme to her work with an uplifting message. She likes her bad guys really bad, her good guys fighting for justice against steep odds. Her newest endeavor is Acts of Malice. Her blog, Mystery and a Merry Heart, delves into murder mystery/suspense writing as well as faith, health issues, and the challenges of life. She lives in NE coastal Florida with one small dog and five cats and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit her on her website.
Jennifer, Thank you so much for having me on your blog. It was a delight. Your blog is very attractive.