Widow’s Run by T. G. Wolff

One night in Rome. One car. One dead scientist. Italian police investigate, but in the end, all they have are kind words for the new widow. Months later, a video emerges challenging the facts. Had he stepped into traffic, or was he pushed? The widow returns to the police, but they have little interest and no answers. Exit the widow.

Enter Diamond. One name for a woman with one purpose. Resurrecting her CIA cover, she follows the shaky video down the rabbit hole. Her widow’s run unearths a plethora of suspects: the small-time crook, the mule-loving rancher, the lady in waiting, the Russian bookseller, the soon-to-be priest. Following the stink greed leaves in its wake reveals big lies and ugly truths.

Murder is filthy business. Good thing Diamond plays dirty.

WIDOW’S RUN author T. G. Wolff spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing her latest thriller:

Which took shape first: plot, character, or setting?

The character of Diamond came first from a discussion of old-school PIs who “had nothing to lose.” The concept freed her from the confines of society and made her unpredictable.

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

The speed of the storytelling. This is a book you read for fun. There isn’t a hidden agenda or buried message. English teachers would be hard pressed to challenge students to read into my head when this was written.

What was the biggest challenge this book presented? What about the biggest opportunity?

I challenged myself to tell a story in less than 15 chapters, with every chapter having its own full story arc and be on the order of 5,000 words. This forced me to keep the story focused and not to waste words on irrelevant description and, most of all, to keep it moving.

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

Quinoa. Yes, that thousand-year-old but new to us today seed that fortified Aztec warriors before a battle. Everything I learned about quinoa surprised me…and nearly all of it made it into the story in one manner or another.

What’s the one question you wish someone would ask you about this book, or your work in general?

The feel of this book is very different from your first title, Exacting Justice. Which is the real T. G. Wolff readers should expect? Each story and book is its own creation, the style reflecting the characters and setting. While elements of my style will always be hallmarks of my storytelling, readers should expect that each series or stand-alone will be different from the others.

*****

T. G. Wolff writes thrillers and mysteries that play within the gray area between good and bad, right and wrong. Cause and effect drive the stories, drawing from twenty-plus years’ experience in civil engineering, where “cause” is more often a symptom of a bigger, more challenging problem. Diverse characters mirror the complexities of real life and real people, balanced with a healthy dose of entertainment. T. G. Wolff holds a master’s degree in civil engineering and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

To learn more about the author and her work, please visit her website.