Game of Fear by Robin Perini

By Cathy Clamp

Brilliant kids around the country begin disappearing, and Search and Rescue pilot Deb Lansing’s sister Ashley is one of them. She trusts only one other person to help her rescue the brilliant teenager—Gabe Montgomery, a former SWAT officer on covert assignment. As bodies start to turn up, Deb and Gabe discover that the one common element is the video game Point of Entry, a game Ashley frequently played. The clock is ticking as a brilliant serial killer known only as The Warden turns his attention on Deb and Gabe. Can they save Deb’s sister, or will they even be able to save themselves?

THE BIG THRILL’s contributing editor Cathy Clamp sat down with the author to learn more about this new thriller:

This is the third book in the Montgomery Justice series. What inspired you to create the reality?

Montgomery Justice actually started with a single character who wasn’t even a Montgomery. My first novel, IN HER SIGHTS, features a female SWAT Team Sniper, Jazz Parker. While attending a SWAT Team presentation at a writer’s conference one of the attendees asked if women could be considered for positions. The SWAT Team Commander indicated that there were no rules against it, but the applicant would have to pass all the physical tests. From there, Jazz was born: a female sniper. Her motivations were key to the story, and she ended up being someone who was utterly alone in the world.

I needed conflict with the hero, so Luke Montgomery came into being. An ex-Army Ranger from a big, boisterous family he could always count on. As I explored their world, I realized that though they stood side-by-side through everything, all was not perfect. From there, the Montgomery Clan was born. They won’t stop until justice is done!

Tell me a little more about the background of Deb and Gabe. Have readers met them before in other books or will they be new characters to fans?

Gabe Montgomery is the youngest of the Montgomery brothers, but he’s been featured in the other two novels (IN HER SIGHTS and BEHIND THE LIES). Deb was briefly featured in BEHIND THE LIES.

Former SWAT Team Member, Gabe Montgomery, was almost killed in the line of duty through the betrayal of his best friend. Determined to rebuild his life, ferret out the corruption in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office, and protect his family, Gabe now runs a cop bar as a cover for a dangerous game of less-than-legal investigations into those who abuse their power. His faith in others shaken to its core, the last thing he can afford is to become distracted or involved with someone else’s problems…he could get them both killed.

Named after Deborah Samson, the first known woman to impersonate a man in order to join the Revolutionary army and take part in combat, Deb Lansing grew up believing in heroism, honor and truth. Her family has served in the military since the Civil War. As one of the few female military helicopter pilots, she took pride in her heritage. Until she failed on a critical mission. To redeem herself, she flaunts death on Search and Rescue Operations. What she doesn’t know is no amount of courage can protect her younger sister from a ruthless enemy.

What sort of research did you have to do to create a search and rescue pilot heroine?

I’m lucky enough to work near an Air Force base as well as have an acquaintance who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. My brother is a pilot and he has contacts with other aviators. I was able to get first-hand information from them. For some of the more harrowing details, my best friend’s husband was a Coast Guard Captain and provided much of the details for the flying scenes.

What’s the most interesting thing you discovered in your research, whether or not it made it into the book?

I really enjoy writing strong heroines, and my heroine, Deb Lansing, comes from a many-generation military family. So strangely enough, when I was naming my heroine, I came across a rather amazing woman. Deborah Samson, disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. She was wounded twice and even dug a musket ball from her leg so that she wouldn’t be caught. This sort of dogged determination was a key element in Deb’s character…it’s also what keeps her kidnapped sister, Ashley, alive and fighting throughout the story.

Do you have a set number of stories in this series, or will there be plenty more for fans to enjoy for years to come?

There are six Montgomery Brothers. Ex-Army Ranger Luke (IN HER SIGHTS, November 2011); Superhero (in the movies) Zach (BEHIND THE LIES, April, 2013); ex-SWAT cop Gabe (GAME OF FEAR, August 2014)…and then there’s Black ops operative Seth, US Marshall Nick, and Army Doctor Caleb. Not to mention an unknown sibling you meet in GAME OF FEAR. In addition, numerous secondary characters have popped up that also interest me, so…I think I could write about the Montgomery family and friends for a long time.

There’s also a bit of a mystery surrounding the Montgomery patriarch, Patrick, who was killed in a convenience store robbery. That robbery may not have been a random act after all. So, readers of all the stories will learn bits and pieces about who Patrick Montgomery was and why he died until all is revealed.

We’re headed into fall very shortly. If your characters had the chance to get away to enjoy the sights and festivals of the season, where would they go?

The Montgomery clan hails from Colorado. They all love the mountains, and in fact have a cabin in the Rockies. Anything to do with skiing, mountain climbing, or fishing…not to mention several brothers are big college football fans. Saturday afternoons tend to be taken by football. And Sunday dinner with their mother is a requirement.

Where can fans find you online? (Website, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

You can read excerpts, read reviews, sign up for my quarterly newsletter or mailing list, check out my book trailers and even request trading cards or a Authorgraph on my website at www.robinperini.com. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest. And, if you enjoy my stories, you may want to consider being part of the Rockin’ Robins, my street team. There are lots of special giveaways and more.

Will you be doing any touring or conventions as part of the book release? If so, where can people find you? If not, how can fans get an autograph of their books.

I’ll be doing a few blog stops for this book. I’ll also be at the Emerald City Writers Conference in October. I offer book plates or digital autographs. Fans can contact me through my website.

Is there anything else you’d like fans to know?

I really enjoy writing romantic thrillers and hope readers enjoy the stories. As for GAME OF FEAR, it revolves around the video game Point of Entry. I work in the technical field, so pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and how our lives can be so easily infiltrated through the electronics that we use on a daily basis was fun…and scarily real.

Readers should keep an eye out on my website because a Game of Fear app will soon be available for Iphones/Ipads and for Kindles/Android devices.

In addition, I’ve hidden a few sci-fi Easter eggs in GAME OF FEAR. Keep a watch on my website or Facebook page. No one’s found them yet, but if you’re a sci-fi fan, I’ll bet you catch them!

I also have a book trailer.

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Sounds like a great read. Thriller fans are going to love this one!

*****

Combining her love of suspense and heartfelt emotion with her interest in covert ops, RITA® finalist and national bestselling author Robin Perini invites readers to step into the crossfire with her fast-paced, high-adventure, heart-melting love stories. After winning the Romance Writers of America®’s Golden Heart® Award in 2011, Perini went on to create stories that Publishers Weekly calls “refresh[ing] romantic suspense” and RT Book Reviews deems “riveting…and remarkable.” Her position as an analyst in an advanced technology corporation—as well as her interest in competitive small-bore rifle silhouette shooting—help her flesh out the details that bring her romantic thriller series like Montgomery Justice to life. Perini lives in the American Southwest. She loves to hear from readers.

To learn more about Robin, please visit her website.