Dante Eternal's Virtual Bookshelf: Remember the Dead by: H. L. LeRoy w/ Interview

Title: Remember the Dead

Author: H.L. LeRoy

Series: A LT. Jack Daniels/Jillian Varela Mystery (A loosely tied together series. But any of the stories can be read as a standalone.)

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Publisher: Kindle Worlds

Release Date: Mar 2, 2015

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook

Blurb/Synopsis:

In the world of serial killer hunters, Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels is a legend and well known in every cop shop in America. But when one gruesomely posed body after another are discovered in the middle of Chicago, ambitious politicians and an aggressive press are threatening to derail Jack’s investigation.

And with her partner Herb on an extended second honeymoon in Mexico, it doesn’t look like help is on the horizon.

Then a friend from California, P.I. Jillian Varela, shows up on a job that parallels Jack’s case. Together they pursue the killer into a nightmare world of obsession, torture, and murder where no one may survive.

A dark follow up to the first Jack Daniels/Jillian Varela mystery, ONE EIGHT SEVEN.

Ashley looked in the mirror while she brushed on the finishing touches of her smoky night face. Cat eyes and high gloss nude lips. She worked a small round brush and a hair dryer through her blue streaked pixie cut. With a pair of nail scissors, she snipped away a straggle dangling on her forehead. Blowing on her black-painted nails, she spent a minute or two deciding on glitter or rhinestones for the tips.

Rhinestones.

Drenched in a fragrance that smelled like sex, she tugged on an expensive pair of tight-ass jeans and buttoned her silver see-through top. Stepping into a pair of red spikes, she turned in front of the mirror.

Hot.

She slipped on a fur lined bomber jacket and looked out the window. The cab was already waiting. The ride to Chicago from Lake Forest was going to be expensive, but she didn’t care. Daddy was going to pay for it whether he knew it or not.

“Where to?”

“Pink Paradise, but I need to stop first.” She gave him an address in Uptown.

“Your funeral,” the cabby said.

He dropped her on the corner and waited.

The wind had started whipping across the lake, specks of ice picking at her face. Going to snow, she thought. Fortunately, it didn’t take her long to find the same sketchy asshole she’d dealt with before. She bought an eight and rubbed a little on her gums, as she hurried back to the cab.

The cab hissed through the Chicago streets to West Addison where the Pink Paradise sat, gaudy and loud. A wet snow had come, still thin, it spattered the windshield. Puddles in the road reflected the blues, pinks, and purples of neon lights and oil sheen. Slush drizzled off the awning edges, sheeting into the gutter.

She paid the cover, slipped past the crowd, heading straight to the lady’s room where she did a couple of lines on the toilet tank lid.

A little more on her gums, and she took another look in the mirror.

I hope he’s here.

The dance floor writhed with bodies, the rave in full swing. While a shirtless, tatted up DJ worked a constant, steady assault of nosebleed techno, Ashley wove into the crowd.

After an hour, she broke away and headed back to the bathroom for a recharge. On the way out, she felt a light touch on the back of her neck. Turning, she slipped her arms around the man standing there, lights playing across his face.

“You came.”

“Told you I would.” He slipped a blue pill between her lips. “A little helper.”

They danced for a long time, finally taking a moment to grab a beer.

He slipped another pill in her mouth. “Let’s leave.”

Ashley swallowed. “I’m not ready.”

He frowned and reached for her arm.

Amazon

How did you start your writing career?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer and in fact wrote a column for a motorsport magazine, one-act plays and short stories while I earned a living. Now I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can write full time.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

In this book, the hardest was making sure that I never resorted to contrived solutions to problems. I wanted everything in this story to be plausible.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your books?

How easily a character can lead you in unexpected directions. It's all good as long as you keep the ending in mind.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Surprisingly, an actor. To that end, I was accepted at a San Francisco theatre company and had roles in over forty plays.

Entice us, what future projects are you considering?

I’m working on book two of the Fountain of the Earth series, titled HERALDS OF JUNO and should be completed this fall. After that, I have a third Fountain novel, a political thriller, and a P.I. novel in the works.

Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?

Make a decision and stick with it. You would be surprised how many people are afraid of making a decision.

What books have most influenced your life?

I don't know about influencing my life, but I enjoy lots of different authors and genres. Some of my recent favorites are:

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, Music for Torching by A.M. Homes, Hunger Games, The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton, Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Rice Burroughs, J. A. Konrath, Brad Thor, and Janet Evanovich.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

A lot of outdoor activities designed to get me out of the writing chair and moving. I have a German shepherd dog that I've trained alongside the police in tracking and area search. I also love to read and have maybe twenty TBR on my Kindle.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I was once a successful amateur boxer.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

A combination of both. I know the story basics, what the problem is, what’s at stake, who the characters are, any subplots, and what the resolution needs to be. As I write, the story pulls me along and things stay fluid. After I have a few chapters, I try to nail things down with a chapter list that includes chapter summaries.

H. L. (Holly) LeRoy is an award winning, American short story writer and novelist. Born in San Jose, California, LeRoy currently resides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with his family.

When J. A. Konrath approached me with the opportunity to write in Lieutenant Jack Daniels’ world, I jumped at the chance. Since my other works are in the mystery/thriller/action/adventure genres and tell the stories of strong female protagonists confronting impossible situations, I knew it was a perfect fit.

Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. Television Group's Alloy Entertainment for Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries; Valiant Entertainment for Archer & Armstrong, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, and X-O Manowar; J. A. Konrath's Jack Daniels series, Hugh Howey's Silo Saga; Barry Eisler's John Rain novels; Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines series; and The Foreworld Saga by Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo, Eric Bear, Joseph Brassey, Nicole Galland, and Cooper Moo. Licenses for more Worlds are on the way.