Dark Ambitions by Irene Hannon

Former Army Night Stalker Rick Jordan usually has his camp for foster children to himself during the winter months. But someone has visited recently—leaving a trail of blood. One of the two clues left behind tips Rick off to the identity of his visitor, who soon turns up dead. The police deem it an accident, but Rick isn’t convinced. With the help of private investigator Heather Shields, he sets out to decipher the remaining clue. Except someone doesn’t want them to succeed—and will stop at nothing to keep them from finding the truth.

With her trademark psychological suspense ratcheting up the tension on every page, bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon takes you on a search for a cold-blooded killer with an ambitious goal and deadly intent.

Hannon took some time out of her busy day to answer a few questions for The Big Thrill:

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

I hope they come away thoroughly entertained by the deep dive into the psyche of several intriguing characters and by an action-packed ending that one reviewer said “spins perfectly out of control.”

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

I learned that helicopter travel is safer than I thought…unless something very serious goes very wrong. I also learned more about the eating habits of feral hogs than I ever wanted to know.

No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?

There’s an interesting backstory to the cover. My publisher’s first mock-up featured a shadowy man walking toward a state capitol building. It was graphically interesting, but it screamed “political thriller”—and that doesn’t describe this book. While one of the characters is running for governor, there is zero politics in the story. It’s all about the lengths ambitious people will go to in their quest to achieve certain goals. The focus is psychological, not political. So I asked for a major revision, especially since so many people these days are turned off by politics and wouldn’t necessarily choose to read a novel about it. I wanted a hint of politics, but didn’t want that to be the focus.

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

I’ve always enjoyed suspense stories that focus on true suspense—the slow build toward a deadly showdown, with occasional peaks of action—rather than action/adventure books that rely on constant physical danger to juice readers’ adrenaline. Throw in a love story, too—and what’s not to like? Think North by Northwest vs. a James Bond movie.

*****

Irene Hannon is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels, including Dangerous Illusions and Hidden Peril, as well as the Men of Valor, Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. In addition to her many other honors, she is a three-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of RWA’s elite Hall of Fame and has received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews. Each of her suspense novels have been ECPA/CBA bestsellers.

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