The December 2014 Edition of The Big Thrill

Read the stories that were featured in the December edition of The Big Thrill.

As we close 2014, The Big Thrill would like to thank its incredible feature and contributing editors who helped make this year one of the magazine’s biggest and best yet. In the last twelve months we covered nearly 400 new releases from members of the International Thriller Writers as well as dozens of special features and cover stories on some of the world’s bestselling authors. More than 24,000 subscribers now receive the monthly email with the latest edition, and the website receives well over half a million hits per month. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary staff of ITW members who volunteer their time to support other ITW members.

For the December edition, we end the year on a high note with a Between the Lines interview with Phillip Margolin, who talks about his path from storied criminal defense lawyer to author of 17 New York Times bestsellers and discusses the inspiration for his latest release, Woman with a Gun.

Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, in this month’s Special to The Big Thrill, six iconic mystery bookstores give their recommendations for incredible novels you may have missed this year. December also brings the latest installment of International Thrills where Layton Green talks to bestselling crime writer Fuminori Nakamura. And on the Africa Scene, Michael Sears interviews bestseller Deon Meyer.

Of course, let’s not forget the 32 new releases in this issue, which include titles from established and debut authors, including the final installments of two acclaimed series from Steven James and Laura Joh Rowland.

Hot off the press:

Click on the book title below to read the feature story or click here to scroll through all of this month’s articles.

• Between the Lines with New York Times bestselling author Phillip Margolin
• Special to the Big Thrill: Amazing mystery bookstores recommend 2014 thrillers you may have missed!
• International Thrills:  An Interview with Fuminori Nakamura by Layton Green
• Africa Scene:  An Interview with Deon Meyer by Michael Sears
• No Fortunate Son by Brad Taylor
• Ryder by Nick Pengelley
• Checkmate by Steven James
• Dead of Autumn by Sherry Knowlton
• The Iris Fan by Laura Joh Rowland
• Blood Gold by William Nikkel
• The Monarch by Jack Soren
• Shadow Boys by Harry Hunsicker
• Dressed to Kill by Charles Alvarez
• Jesus Jackson by James Ryan Daley
• How We Fall by Kate Brauning
• The Buried by Shelley Coriell
• In His Shadow by Tiffany Snow
• Chasing the Dollar by Ellie Ashe
• Dead But Not Forgotten: Stories from the World of Sookie Stackhouse (edited) by Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner
• The Siege of Seven City by Derek J. Goodman
• Elderwood Manor by Christopher Fulbright & Angeline Hawkes
• Death and White Diamonds by Jeff Markowitz
• Murder on Edisto by C. Hope Clark
• Bite Harder by Anonymous-9
• Funerals Can Be Murder by Susan Santangelo
• The Design Is Murder by Jean Harrington
• Dead Wrong by Patricia Stoltey
• DarkNet by John R. Little
• Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson
• Gilt Trip by Arlene Kay
• River of Glass by Jaden Terrell
• Land of Careful Shadows by Suzanne Chazin
• Shadow Knight’s Mate by Jay Brandon
• Vanished by Elizabeth Heiter
• Intrusion by Reece Hirsch

Coming Next Month

The latest thrillers from Tami Hoag, Elizabeth Goddard, Karen Harper, M. A. Lawson, Alice Loweecey, Patricia Gussin, Grant Jerkins and Jan Thomas, Alex Gordon, L. T. Graham, Cara Brookins, Thomas Perry, Victoria Griffith, Patrick Oster, Ken Newman, Lee Weeks, Jeanne Matthews, E. Michael Helms, J. Sydney Jones, James Abel, Bill Loehfelm, Tim Lees, Daniel J. Barrett, Jana Hollifield, E. M. Powell, Linda Lee Kane, Eileen Carr, Jerry Hatchett, Diane Kelly, Annie Rose Alexader, Nancy Cole Silverman and many more!

New E-Releases from ITW Members

• Out of the Game by David DeLee
• Deadly Invisible Enemies: Hunt for Evil (Book 2) by Harold Lea Brown
• A Death On Sunday by Tish Owen
• Know Thy Enemy by Douglas Misquita
• The Apocalypse Trigger by Douglas Misquita
• Spider’s Kiss by Will Graham
• Calculation by Steven P. Marini
• Kaanapali Beach Paradise: A Maui Novelette by R. Barri Flowers
• The Kill List: A Jamie Sinclair Novel by Nichole Christoff
• The Girl in the Black Pajamas by Chris Birdy
• Prosecco Pink by Traci Andrighetti
• Double Indignity: A Rex Koko, Private Clown Mystery (#2) by James Finn Garner
• The Acheron Deception by Patrick F. Rooney
• All In, All Out by Steve Myers
• Reversion by Amy Rogers
• Soleil, Too! by Larry Bonner
• Measure Twice by J.J. Hensley
• Graduate Circles: A Women’s Epistolary Novel by R. Barri Flowers
• Eye For Eye by L. J. Martin
• G5 Gee Whiz by L. J. Martin
• The Bakken by L. J. Martin
• The Repairman by L. J. Martin
• Who’s On Top by L. J. Martin
• Temple Mount by Keith Raffel

New Audio Books from ITW Members

• Murder by Artifact: The Murder Quilt by Barbara Graham
• Vandals: A Collection of Young Adult Horror-Suspense Tales by R. Barri Flowers
• Burial Ground by Michael McBride
• Innocents Lost by Michael McBride
• Vector Borne by Michael McBride
• The Coyote by Michael McBride
• Bloodletting by Michael McBride

ThrillerFest X – Early Registration Now Available!

ThrillerFest X – July 7th – 11th, Grand Hyatt, NYC.

Check out the Thrillerfest website, advance registration now available!

In 2015 we’ll be honoring:

• 2015 ThrillerMaster Nelson DeMille
  
• 2014 ThrillerMaster Scott Turow
• 2015 Silver Bullet Recipient Kathy Reichs
  
• 2014 Silver Bullet Recipient Brenda Novak
  
• 2015 Spotlight guest Mark Billingham
  
• 2015 Spotlight guest Charlaine Harris
• 2015 Spotlight guest Greg Iles

Some of the highlights of this year’s event include:

• Master CraftFest
• CraftFest
• PitchFest
• CareerFest
• ThrillerFest
• Thriller Awards Banquet

Want to learn more about ThrillerFest? Read a recap of the last ThrillerFest, ThrillerFest IX: Celebrating Ten Years of Innovation by Kimberley Howe and Anthony J. Franze

ITW’s Online ThrillerSchool Returns March 2nd, 2015!

Seven Weeks! Seven Bestselling Authors!

Join Steven James, D.P. Lyle, Robert Dugoni, Gayle Lynds,

Andrew Gross, Linwood Barclay and Heather Graham!

In this seven-week program, which begins March 2nd, 2015, the craft of thriller writing will be front and center. Each instructor will teach an aspect of craft though a podcast, written materials that include further reading and study suggestions, and an entire week of online Q&A with the registered students. The goal is simple: To make each student a better writer.

Like last year, the online school will fill up very quickly, so register soon. Visit ITW’s Online Thriller School for more information.

The Thriller Roundtable

Whether you’re a fan or an author, you’ll want to join the Thriller Roundtable discussions at TheBigThrill website, where each week a new group of authors discuss everything from what they love about writing thrillers, to what they’ve learned, and more.

Here’s what’s in store for December!

December 1 – 7: Is fear the most common emotion in a thriller? What other emotions run through your favorite thrillers?
December 8 – 14: For many, it takes months to draft a novel and consistency can suffer. Names, vehicles, time required for a familiar walk may vary. How do you organize the details to ensure consistency?
December 15 – 21: Did your editor insist on a title change? Why are some titles magic and what are some of your favorites?
December 22 – 28: NO ROUNDTABLE
November 29 – January 4:  NO ROUNDTABLE

Authors, don’t miss this promotional opportunity! Participate in the Thriller Roundtable by contacting J.H. Bográn.

The Neverending Book Giveaway

If you’re a thriller fan who likes to win free books, be sure to check out the Neverending Book Giveaway on The Big Thrill website. Sign up for as many of the contests as you like! Just post a reply, and you’re entered!

Don’t forget to scroll down the list of contests or CLICK HERE for more contests and giveaways so you don’t miss any. (Tip: to shorten the display, click “Toggle Comment Threads.”) And because this book giveaway is “neverending,” be sure to check back often to enter the latest drawings!

Monthly Giveaway

Congratulations to June Elwyn Heim, the winner of this month’s BIG THRILL giveaway. June will receive an assortment of signed thrillers including Broken Bonds by Karen Harper, Murder by the Seaside by Julie Anne Lindsey, Chasing the Dollar by Ellie Ashe, Amazon Burning by Victoria Griffith, Retirement Can Be Murder by Susan Santangelo, Want You Dead by Peter James, Jesus Jackson by James Ryan Daley, In His Shadow by Tiffany Snow and A String of Beads by Thomas Perry.