KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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EDGE
Detective Harriet Foster Book 4
BY TRACY CLARK
BLURB
When a tainted drug starts claiming lives across the city, Detective Harriet Foster and her team race to track down the source…before it takes one of their own.
Chicago’s finest are scouring the city for a tainted new opioid making the rounds, but they’re coming up empty. With five people already dead―a college kid, a new mother, and three poker players―all they really know is the drug’s name: Edge. Where it’s coming from is still anyone’s guess.
Detective Harriet Foster doesn’t have time for guessing games. She needs answers. And when the next overdose hits Homicide where it hurts most, Harri is determined to get what she wants. But keeping her eyes squarely on the prize proves harder than expected.
Still reeling from her last case (and the stain of suspicion it left on her career), Harri finds herself at a tipping point. The drug isn’t the only edge she needs to worry about. If she can’t come back from her own, there’s no telling whether this investigation will lead to a satisfying conclusion…or her own demise.
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EDGE
Detective Harriet Foster Book 4
BY TRACY CLARK
INTRODUCING TRACY CLARK….
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full-time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
I was born in Chicago, the greatest city ever. It must be so, because I’m still here, loving the seasons, cursing the heat, shivering through frigid winters, complaining endlessly about the humidity. But none of it seriously enough to prompt me to pack up and move someplace else.
Growing up, I read everything I could get my hands on, but the progression toward a life of fictional crime went something like this – Dr. Seuss to Amelia Bedelia, Amelia to Harriet the Spy, Harriet to Agatha Christie and Christie to the ’80s and ’90s when a wave of fantabulous female crime writers swooped in bringing the thunder. Grafton, Muller, Maron, Paretsky, Bland, Neely, Wilson Wesley… I knew right away I wanted to be just like them.
Along the way I managed to graduate college and grad school, and then start a career in the newspaper business. I now edit by day and write around my work schedule. I’m up at 5:30 a.m. with my laptop and an ice-cold glass of V-8 with a splash of lemon at my side, hopefully putting down something I can use before I have to then swivel over to start editing op-eds, comics strips, crossword puzzles and features.
When I’m not writing or editing, I enjoy a good black-and-white movie. Something goofy or something noir. (Anybody else out there laugh out loud at Judy Canova?) Toss in a rainy Sunday and a couple of ginger snap cookies, and you’ve just described my perfect day.
1. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
PI fiction and Police Procedurals are my sweet spot, but I’ve embarked on my first suspense novel.
2. What’s your favorite beverage?
Long list, but I do really enjoy an ice-cold glass of V-8 or tomato juice with a splash of fresh lemon.
3. If you had to listen to one song over and over again for a whole day, what would it be?
“Superstar” by The Carpenters, and I literally have.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Not knowing where the story is going and pecking out nonsense until I find it.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Northumberland where Ann Cleeves set the Vera novels. Small house on a craggy, windswept plot of desolation. I’m smiling just thinking about it. I fantasize about stepping into the novels and slightly irritating Stanhope by buying the cottage closest to hers and then every morning waving at her like a crazy person until she noticed me and flipped me off. I’ve thought about this A LOT.
6. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
Absolutely. I’m always reading. Sometimes I read two books at once, alternating. I favor crime fiction. It’s morality play in microcosm … with dead bodies tossed in to spice things up, but I’ll read anything good.
7. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Everywhere and anywhere.
8. Tell me about your ideal reader.
My ideal reader is a reader who is excited to go along for the ride, a reader who follows the words and the characters and really commits to the story. I work really hard to engage that kind of reader. I want to make sure my stories are worth their time.
9. If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?
I’d like to fly like Superman. Can you imagine how much I’d save on airfare, not to mention not having to practically strip naked for TSA agents at the airport? I wonder if Superman ever flew naked? I’m going to look that up. Is the power of flight in the suit itself? Hmm. Now I gotta know. Might be too cold up there to fly naked, though, now that I’m thinking about it, but Superman’s superhuman, right? Maybe he doesn’t get cold.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
Next book up is EDGE, book #4 in my Det. Harriet Foster series. It releases on Dec. 2. This novel is about a tainted opioid loose on the streets of Chicago claiming innocent lives, and it’s my cops’ duty to find it, cut it off, and keep anyone else from dying.
About Author Tracey Clark…
Tracy Clark is the author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery and Detective Harriet Foster series, award-winning books that feature tough, smart, Black female characters working the mean streets of the Windy City. Her debut novel, Broken Places, was CrimeReads’ Best New PI Book of 2018 and made Library Journal’s Best Crime Fiction list that same year. A finalist for Anthony, Lefty, Macavity, Edgar, and Shamus Awards, Tracy has won two G. P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Awards and one Sara Paretsky Award. She is a proud member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime and sits on the board at the Midwest Mystery Conference.
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Links to Tracey’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Detective-Harriet-Foster-Tracy-Clark/dp/1662517351/
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Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Book sounds intriguing and interesting and really looking forward to reading book and trying this new author
Nice to meet you, Tracey…
Like you, I’ve read all of the female mystery authors you mentioned…
Have you ever read the late Virginia Lanier? Fabulous, but gone far too soon, author. Also Barbara Sarinella, another gone far too soon…😔
Thanks, Tracey, and thanks Karen, Gor the introduction.
I’m a Grafton fan from way back. If your books are anything like hers, you’ve got a new reader. Thanks for sharing the teaser with us.
Your book sounds very interesting and intriguing. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Tracy your book sounds intriguing! I have read some of your books and I have loved them. Thank you for sharing the excerpt. May you and your Family have a Very Happy and Blessed Christmas.
Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, Tracey. I love police procedurals as well. The premise of your book sounds like it’s right up my alley. Loved the insights into you and your writing process. I’m with you about being able to fly. But me nekkid? In public? Not a pretty picture. LOL Thanks for sharing your book with us today!