A Light In the Dark by Elisabeth Rose

Since the deaths of her father and stepmother nine months before, Mia Petros has suffered a terrifying recurring dream which implies that their deaths were not a murder-suicide at the hands of her father—as the police decided—but a double murder.

In Taylor’s Bend to clear and sell her father’s house, Mia, driven to a breaking point by the dream and unnerved by the simmering resentment her appearance has aroused, is determined not to leave the bleak midwinter town until she has answers.

Local newspaper editor Arlo McGuiness, an ex-investigative journalist avoiding his own troubled past, is intrigued by the mystery and by Mia, especially when she tells him about her dream. His old, familiar urge to find the truth is awakened. But his probing engenders trouble—nasty comments are followed by malicious acts, and before long Arlo and Mia face escalating violence, their lives in danger.

Author Elisabeth Rose took some time to chat with The Big Thrill about her latest novel, A LIGHT IN THE DARK:

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

I like the premise of romantic suspense that two people can struggle together against a common enemy or danger and come out the other side richer than they expected, having not only survived the experience but found love as well. Suspense adds a new, worrying-for-the-reader dimension to the sweetness of a romance.

Elisabeth Rose

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

I’ve always read widely across all genres but now read a lot of crime interspersed with random choices from sources such as my book group or recommendations from friends. At the moment I’m reading Italian crime: Michael Dibdin’s Aurelio Zen, Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti and Andrea Camilleri with Inspector Montalbano. I enjoy the wit, the descriptions and strong characterizations in these books and the unique relationship Italians have with politics, the law, and government bodies.

Michael Robotham is an Australian author I admire for his storytelling, characters, plotting, and psychological insights

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

I write about everyday characters thrust into abnormal and frightening situations but who fight and survive the experience. I hope this will inspire readers who may be going through their own difficulties to persevere and not give up, to hang in there. I write about families and the strength that can be drawn from those relationships, and how important love and trust is in our lives.

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Multi-published in romance and romantic suspense, Elisabeth Rose lives very happily in Canberra with her musician husband. Travel is a big part of their lives now that the family has left home. Elisabeth’s original training was in clarinet performance, but she was also a tai chi instructor for 25 years. An avid reader, her preference is for a happy ending regardless of genre, and she is most annoyed if a main character dies or leaves—unless, of course, it’s the villain.

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