Protocol by Kathleen Valenti

Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead.

With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.

The Big Thrill caught up with author Kathleen Valenti to discuss her novel, PROTOCOL:

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope readers see advancements–technological and medical–in a new way.

Was there anything new you discovered, or that surprised you, as you wrote this book?

The world of Big Pharma is far more complex than I ever imagined. It’s a huge machine that the majority of us depend on to keep churning.

What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why?

My career has been influenced by Stephen King, Lisa Gardener, Jonathan Kellerman and, truthfully, countless other gifted thriller/mystery/suspense authors. They are such masters at not only plot and character, but creating unexpected twists and nail-biting suspense. When I pick up their books, I know I’m in for a wonderfully terrifying ride.

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Kathleen Valenti has been writing for nearly 20 years, first as a nationally award-winning copywriter and now as a mystery novelist. A firm believer that deadpan can be dead-on, she combines funny with frightening to craft page-turners of mystery and suspense. Her debut mystery, PROTOCOL, is the first in the Maggie O’Malley Mystery Series. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family, where she pretends to enjoy running.

To learn more about Kathleen, please visit her website.