Whether it involves business or family, everyone has a secret in their life, even if they aren’t aware of it. That’s the premise in Dangerous Money.
When my heroine realizes her dream job, she’s thrown into the world of the superrich and ruthless and finds herself surrounded by a web of lies.
A caterer, she’s given the job to plan the birthday party for a billionaire software developer. Money is no object and only the best is acceptable. But before the evening is over the man is poisoned and she is the prime suspect.
She’s stunned when the police believe she’d kill a man she only met once. A reporter, looking for an exclusive story to revive his career, is her only possible ally. But can she trust a man who’s only interested in his job? Not only that, why is someone trying to kill her?
For one of the protagonists, I needed a strong male who wouldn’t be put off by threats or danger, a person who wouldn’t stop even in the face of his own fears. A character other than the usual cop or law enforcement officer was required. In order to bring us TV’s nightly news reports from all over the world, foreign correspondents are often in life threatening situations without the benefit of a weapon. According to ABC News, more than seventy journalists were killed on the job just in 2013. At least fifty were killed in Afghanistan. Forty-nine journalists were killed in 2019 and many more were held hostage.
I admire these brave men and women for their dedication to protect the people’s right to know. An investigative journalist, back home after being wounded overseas, was the right person to be my protagonist. He would not be easily deterred and would continue to fight for the truth even against the odds.
The mystery/ romantic suspense, take place in the California beach community of Carmel by the Sea. The book concerns a software developer so, it seemed obvious to set the book in the Silicon Valley with its many big-name companies and even more startups. However, I’ve spent many summer vacations in Carmel-by-the-Sea / Monterey, California. With my family, I kayaked, swam and went sightseeing. We enjoyed Point Lobos State Reserve, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Seventeen Mile Drive, just to mention a few of our favorites.
Watching the waves on the beach during one of the visits, I realized the tranquil beauty and perfect beach weather of the area could be a counterpoint to a dark mystery punctuated by imminent danger.
If you are interested in Carmel: https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/
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