The April 2015 Edition of The Big Thrill

Read the stories that were featured in the April edition of The Big Thrill.

More than forty ITW members spring into April with new releases—and we’ve got the scoop on them all.

In this issue’s Between the Lines cover story, New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance reveals how after penning fifty thrilling novels, she finally feels as though she’s being true to her art.

Bestseller Allison Brennan brings us a Special to The Big Thrill with her funny piece, A Crime Writer’s Guide to Raising Kids.

International Thrills writer Layton Green interviews bestselling Nordic crime writer Leena Lehtolainen, and in this month’s Africa Scene, Joanne Hichens talks to the owner of Modjaji Books, about the origins and acclaimed work of the Cape Town publishing house.

Plus, we’ve got the latest releases from thriller icons Steve Berry, Harlan Coben, Heather Graham, Alex Kava, Jon Land, and many, many more.

—The managing editors, Anthony Franze, Barry Lancet, and Dawn Ius​

Hot off the press:

Click on the book title below to read the feature story or click here to scroll through all of this month’s articles.

• Between the Lines with New York Times Bestselling Author J. A. Jance by Dawn Ius
• Special to the Big Thrill: A Crime Writer’s Guide to Raising Kids by Allison Brennan
• International Thrills: Bestselling Nordic Crime Writer Leena Lehtolainen by Layton Green
• Africa Scene: An Interview with Colleen Higgs, owner of Cape Town independent publisher, Modjaji Books by Joanne Hichens
• The Patriot Threat by Steve Berry
• City of Blood by Frederique Molay
• The Stranger by Harlan Coben
• Blessed Are Those Who Weep by Kristi Belcamino
• Snatched from Home by Graham Smith
• Breaking Creed by Alex Kava
• Everything Burns by Vincent Zandri
• Black Scorpion by Jon Land
• Snake Pass by Colin Campbell
• The Dead Play On by Heather Graham
• The One That Got Away by Simon Wood
• Wrongful Death by L. J. Sellers
• Bridges Burned by Annette Dashofy
• Anatomy of Evil by Brian Pinkerton
• Old Earth by Gary Grossman
• Foreign and Domestic by A. J. Tata
• Total Surrender by Rebecca Zanetti
• Untraceable by Elizabeth Goddard
• Double Cross by DiAnn Mills
• Fool’s Gold by Jess Faraday
• Submerged by Thomas F. Monteleone
• Superposition by David Walton
• Demise In Denim by Duffy Brown
• Heat Trap by J. L. Merrow
• State of Attack by Gary Haynes
• The Missing Piece by Kevin Egan
• Scent of Murder by James O. Born
• Signature Kill by David Levien
• Strawfoot by David Hodges
• Blizzard by H. W. “Buzz” Bernard
• Born of War by Anderson Harp
• Initiated to Kill by Sharlene Almond
• Shadow Ritual by Eric Giacometti, Jacques Ravenne, Anne Trager (translator)
• Death, Taxes and Cheap Sunglasses by Diane Kelly
• A Scourge of Vipers by Bruce DeSilva
• The Red Queen’s Run by Bourne Morris

Coming Next Month

The latest thrillers from Richard L. Mabry, MD, John A. Connell, Don Mann and Ralph Pezzullo, Trisha Leaver, Gwendolyn Womack, Stu Strumwasser, Larry D. Sweazy, James W. Ziskin, Ines Eberl, Mason Cross, Layton Green, Jennifer Jaynes, Bruce Holsinger, Adrian Magson, Robert D. Kidera, B. K. Stevens, Eli K. P. William, Susan M. Boyer, J. L. Abramo, Mark Petry, S. J. I. Holliday, Ed Kovacs, Wendy Tyson, John A. Connell, Colby Marshall, Barbara Petty, Linell Jeppsen, Mike Craven, Cynthia Eden, Carolyn Hart, John Clement, Michael J. Martinez, Lynette Eason, Tyler Anne Snell, Orest Stelmach, Ethan Reid, Suzanne Johnson, Rachel Howzell Hall, Cat Connor, Robert Wilson, J. Sydney Jones, Karen Maitland, Margaret Grace, J. G. Faherty, Kathrin Lange and many more!

New E-Releases from ITW Members

• The Death Card by Jan Needle
• eDream by James Duffy
• Killer Men Mysteries & Suspense 5-Book Bundle: Dead in the Rose City\Killer in The Woods\Murdered in the Man Cave\State’s Evidence\The Sex Slave Murders by R. Barri Flowers
• The Jericho Tablet by Barry Webb
• Paranoia And The Destiny Programme by Richard Godwin
• Blown by Chuck Barrett
• True Stories of the OSS and CIA by Mike Rothmiller
• Finding You by Jenna Bennett
• A Secondhand Life by Pamela Crane
• Circling the Runway by J.L. Abramo
• Pickaxe by Paul Dale Anderson

New Audio Books from ITW Members

• Vampire Classmates (A Transylvanica High Short) by R. Barri Flowers
• Cornered by Alan Brenham
• Forsaken by J.D. Barker
• The Trap (An Agent Dallas Thriller) by L.J. Sellers
• Blown by Chuck Barrett
• The Shadow Cartel by Layton Green
• The Company You Keep by Angela Henry
• Killer Connection (A Hawaii Mystery Novelette) by R. Barri Flowers
• Ugly Young Thing by Jennifer Jaynes

ThrillerFest X – Register Today!

ThrillerFest X – July 7th – 11th, Grand Hyatt, NYC.

Check out the Thrillerfest website, registration now available!

In 2015 we’ll be honoring:

• 2015 ThrillerMaster Nelson DeMille
  
• 2014 ThrillerMaster Scott Turow
• 2015 Silver Bullet Recipient Kathy Reichs
  
• 2014 Silver Bullet Recipient Brenda Novak
  
• 2015 Spotlight guest Mark Billingham
  
• 2015 Spotlight guest Charlaine Harris
• 2015 Spotlight guest Greg Iles

Some of the highlights of this year’s event include:

• Master CraftFest
• CraftFest
• PitchFest
• CareerFest
• ThrillerFest
• Thriller Awards Banquet

Want to learn more about ThrillerFest? Read a recap of the last ThrillerFest, ThrillerFest IX: Celebrating Ten Years of Innovation by Kimberley Howe and Anthony J. Franze.

The Thriller Roundtable

Whether you’re a fan or an author, you’ll want to join the Thriller Roundtable discussions at TheBigThrill website, where each week a new group of authors discuss everything from what they love about writing thrillers, to what they’ve learned, and more.

Here’s what’s in store for April!

April 6 – 12: “How do you create the perfect antagonist?”
April 13 – 19: “Does your mood affect the scenes you’re writing, like letting anger make better fight scenes?”
April 20 – 26: “Do you plot, plan, outline? Or, do you just go where your characters lead you? Why?”
April 27 – May 3: “Is it difficult to write characters of the opposite sex? How do you tackle it?”

Authors, don’t miss this promotional opportunity! Participate in the Thriller Roundtable by contacting J.H. Bográn.

The Neverending Book Giveaway

If you’re a thriller fan who likes to win free books, be sure to check out the Neverending Book Giveaway on The Big Thrill website. Sign up for as many of the contests as you like! Just post a reply, and you’re entered!

Don’t forget to scroll down the list of contests or CLICK HERE for more contests and giveaways so you don’t miss any. (Tip: to shorten the display, click “Toggle Comment Threads.”) And because this book giveaway is “neverending,” be sure to check back often to enter the latest drawings!

Monthly Giveaway

Congratulations to Patricia Kerwin, the winner of this month’s BIG THRILL giveaway. Patricia will receive an assortment of signed thrillers including Against the Sky by Kat Martin, Untraceable by Elizabeth Goddard, Deadman’s Lament by Linell Jeppsen, Deadman’s Fury by Linell Jeppsen and Daniel Jeppsen, Deadman’s Revenge by Linell Jeppsen, White Knuckle by Eric Red, Past Crimes by Glen Erik Hamilton, Manhattan in Miniature by Margaret Grace, The Venus Trap by Louise Voss, Ladle to the Grave by Connie Archer, Cheap as Beasts by Jon Wilson, Blockbuster by Lisa von Biela and Beyond a Doubt: A Carol Childs Mystery by Nancy Cole Silverman.