Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon

Forensic pathologist Grace Reilly has seen her share of unusual deaths in rural Missouri. But when she begins to notice a curious pattern in autopsies of elderly residents whose demise appears to be natural, she takes her concerns to Sheriff Nate Cox.

Nate is skeptical about the link Grace is seeing between the deaths—and her suspicions of foul play. But her persistence is compelling. Once she finally convinces him her theory is credible and they join forces to investigate, danger follows. Because exposing the truth could destroy several lives—including Grace’s.

Queen of inspirational romantic suspense Irene Hannon closes out her bestselling Triple Threat series with this gripping tale of secrets revealed and romance sparked.

Award-winning author Irene Hannon recently spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing her latest romantic suspense novel, BODY OF EVIDENCE.

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

I write to entertain, so my goal is give readers a gripping story that keeps them guessing—and unable to find a good stopping point.

Irene Hannon

How does this book make a contribution to the genre?

Mary Higgins Clark was once asked, in a talk I attended, why she never included sex, profanity, or gratuitous violence in her work, since it’s common in all forms of entertainment today. I never forgot her reply: “Because you don’t need them to tell a good story.” I like to think I’m carrying on that tradition by offering compelling novels to readers who prefer books without those elements.

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

I learn a ton of new things with every book. Rarely do I write more than a page or two without having to stop and do a bit of research. By the time I finish a suspense novel, I usually have more than 100 pages of single-spaced research notes.

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

This story features a forensic pathologist who works in a rural setting. That’s totally out of my realm of expertise. But I was fortunate to connect with a pathologist who works in a similar setting. Not only did he answer all my questions, he read the manuscript to correct any errors. The only downside? He sent perhaps a tad too many autopsy photos in response to my questions. Good for the story, not so good for the appetite.

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

Nancy Drew was my first biggest influencer. Those books got me hooked on mystery/suspense stories. Once I graduated to adult novels, I read broadly in the genre. Mary Higgins Clark was always a favorite, as she focused more on psychological suspense than high action, which is more my style. The workings of the human mind can be much scarier than any high-speed car chase.

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Irene Hannon is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. 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 for her entire body of work. Learn more at www.irenehannon.com.