If you’ve read my adult romantic thrillers and suspense books, then you should know, Death is in the Details is most definitely for you. I hope you got your newsletter this week revealing the cover and special preorder price. Don’t forget to preorder the ebook, because I’m not kidding when I say the price will most definitely be increasing shortly after it releases. This special preorder-only price is a special thank you to my most loyal readers.
The Setting of Death is in the Details Is Similar to the In Darkness Series
I found my groove while writing the In Darkness series. I enjoyed developing characters in a small town setting and plopping them into the middle of a terrorist or murder plot. Death is in the Details is also set in a small town, maybe even more so than the In Darkness series. Death is in the Details is set in Paynes Creek, which is a fictional town and a hybrid of the town I grew up in and the town I now live in.
The In Darkness series is mostly set in the fictional town of Midland, and is very similar to a town near where I now live.
Another thing to note: If you were one of the lucky ones who got to read a serial I started last year, A Crimson Homecoming, you will recognize Paynes Creek in Death is in the Details. They were both set there. (Hint: You will see more of Paynes Creek in the future.)
The Plot of Death is in the Details Is Most Definitely Different from the In Darkness books
While the In Darkness books stars an FBI agent who investigates terroristic activities and other such crimes, Death is in the Details is a book about a serial killer and arsonist, a very different subject. Read the description here to read about the plot.
However, the character development of the main characters, forensic photographer Faith Day and FBI Agent Luke Justice, is similar, I think, to every book I’ve ever written. Once I knew these characters’ backstories, especially Faith’s, it is their backstories that drive the story.
The Characters of Death is in the Details Are, of Course, Different
Character development is something I used to think was a weakness of mine. Back in the days before I wrote Mindspeak and Emerge, I struggled to deepen my characters. I worked with editors and other writers, as well as studied the craft of writing, until I felt I was strong enough to develop rich, multi-layered, and exciting characters. Faith Day might be one of my most favorite characters I’ve ever written. But that’s easy to say right now while she’s so fresh on my mind.
The reason I mention character development is because I worked really hard to develop Faith Day to be a rich character who you will not only relate to, but at the same time, one with whom you will struggle to imagine yourself in her shoes. You won’t want to put yourself in her shoes, not because you can’t, but because she’s had some really terrible things happen to her, and she remembers every little detail like it just happened. But she is the reason I’m in love with this story.
An Interesting Thing About Faith Day in Death is in the Details
Faith suffers from a condition called hyperthymesia and experiences a superior autobiographical memory because of this condition. In other words, she remembers EVERYTHING that’s ever happened to her in great detail, and she can’t forget it. This is truly a curse. But the condition comes in handy when someone begins leaving totems of her past inside her home that hint at the killer who is setting fires around town. And the condition is what draws Luke Justice to her when he comes to Paynes Creek to hunt down a serial killer he’s been tracking and studying for years.
If you have enjoyed any of the In Darkness books or the International Thief books, you definitely should give Death is in the Details a try. And as a thank you to all of my loyal readers, I’m offering this standalone thriller for $2.99 during the preorder period. So run, don’t walk to your nearest retailer and preorder this book. Because once it goes live, the price goes up.
And if you’re not quite sure yet, you can read Chapter One of the book on the Death is in the Details information page. But in short, if you like small-town mysteries, psychological thrillers, and spine-tingling twists, then Death is in the Details is for you.
Let me know if you have any questions about Death is in the Details or about my writing process in the comments. I would love to chat. And be sure to join Sunserious Readers Facebook Group to have more day-to-day conversations.
Hi, I'm Heather! Thanks for stopping by the blog, where I like to ramble about life — the people, places, and things that inspire me and my writing. Mainly it's posts about books I'm reading, places I've traveled to, and occasional posts about the writing and publishing process. Subscribe to my Substack below to receive blog posts directly in your inbox and join the community. 
I love every book you’ve written! Character development is one of your major strong suits, I think. I don’t ‘usually’ enjoy books about serial killers, but I have a lot of faith in you as a writer! There’s something I’ve always wondered about. How do you get yourself into the mind of a serial killer? Do you have to schedule breaks from that character to clear your head? Dish on this for me please?
Great question, Linda. Fortunately, I don’t write from their point of view. That helps. But also, and unfortunately, a serial killer can “seem” like a normal person sitting next to you at church or strolling through the grocery store picking out cereal for their four-year-old.
Many notorious serial killers have adopted a normal persona in their everyday life, but are someone very different when they’re committing crimes. That is what makes them fascinating to study and create as characters.
I appreciate your faith in me. Give this one a try. I think you’ll find it to be very similar to other books you’ve read from me. If you get into it, and don’t like it, you can set it aside and walk away. 🙂