The Danger with Diamonds by Traci Hunter Abramson and Sian Ann Bessey

When Lars Hendriks arranges to meet Marit Jansen in Vienna, he is hoping their friendship will blossom into romance. What he doesn’t expect is a surprise visit from his cousin Cole or the loose diamonds he brings with him.

As a CIA operative, Cole Bridger is used to uncertainty, but when his work takes him back to Vienna, he looks forward to reconnecting with Isabelle Roberts, the fellow agent he dated briefly before duty took him away from Austria, but unfortunately, his silence over the last few months has created a chasm that he can’t cross without help. He barely takes a step toward repairing the damaged relationship when a brazen jewel heist seemingly links Cole, Lars, Marit, and Isabelle to the crime. The group is drawn into a deadly mystery, and once again, the treasures of Falcon Point are threatened. It doesn’t take long for them to realize they have stumbled upon something far bigger and more dangerous than a simple robbery. And someone on the inside knows it.

Traci Hunter Abramson and Sian Ann Bessey recently spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing their latest suspense, THE DANGER WITH DIAMONDS:

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

Definitely the characters. THE DANGER WITH DIAMONDS spins off of another co-authored book, The Heirs of Falcon Point. We loved some of the characters so much we knew they needed their own story. The setting came next, and then the plot evolved from there.

Traci Hunter Abramson and Sian Ann Bessey

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

One of the biggest challenges in writing this book was trying to create it while much of the world was still shut down because of the pandemic. We couldn’t travel to research the locations where the book is set, so we had to rely on our notes and memories from previous trips.

The biggest opportunity was being able to work with another author during a time when isolation was a difficulty for so many. Even though we live on opposite sides of the United States, we utilized technology well during the five weeks it took us to write the first draft.

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

We were surprised how much fun this project was to create. We both love writing, but those middle sections can be tedious to slog through at times. With the two of us working together, we never really hit a spot where we struggled to continue forward. We were also a bit surprised by how well the banter worked among the characters.

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

THE DANGER WITH DIAMONDS, while it is written as a standalone novel, bridges the worlds between our earlier co-authored project (Heirs of Falcon Point, also co-authored by Paige Edwards and A. L. Sowards) and Traci’s guardian series. A couple of characters from Traci’s recent release, Not Dead Yet, were kind enough to make an appearance in THE DANGER WITH DIAMONDS.

We were also only a couple weeks into writing when Sian was diagnosed with COVID. She wrote about a third of her portion while isolated in her basement.

What was the most challenging part of the co-authoring relationship?

The biggest challenge was meshing writing styles as we worked on weaving the story together scene by scene. Ironically, that was also the biggest opportunity. We could draw upon each other’s strengths as we drafted the story. Sian still claims her greatest victory was convincing Traci to figure out the bad guy before page 200.

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Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study-abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children’s teenage years. Abramson currently lives in Virginia and frequently indulges in her love of travel and exploring new cultures. She has written more than 30 bestselling novels and is a seven-time Whitney Award winner, including 2017 and 2019 Best Novel of the Year. She is also a 2022 finalist in the RONE Awards, the Foreword INDIES, and a three-time finalist in the 2022 Silver Falchion Awards.

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

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Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the US, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a minor in English. She began her writing career as a student, publishing several articles in magazines while still in college. Since then, she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a Foreword Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist. Bessey and her husband, Kent, are the parents of five children and the grandparents of three beautiful girls and two handsome boys. They currently live in Southeast, Idaho, and although Bessey doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch still rolls off her tongue.

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