This is journalism, not fiction. But it is quite a tale. Perhaps an entertaining listen for a holiday weekend. Many thanks to the folks at the Today, Explained Podcast at Vox.

I’m happy and grateful to report that Kirkus Reviews has named Rip Crew one of the best mysteries and thrillers of 2018. Very nice to be included included along with such names as Laura Lippman, Daniel Silva and Dan Fesperman.

I recently read I Am Not a Monster, a crime novel by Carme Chaparro. AmazonCrossing will publish it in English on November 13. I recommend it highly.

In Spain, Carme Chaparro is a star: a respected television journalist and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her debut thriller in English, I am not a Monster, will make her a star in America as well. The plot is propulsive, intricately constructed and enriched by meticulous research. Chaparro also takes the time to develop vivid characters with complex backstories. Having worked and lived in Spain, I can confirm that the portrait of Spanish law enforcement in action–from the hard-charging personalities to the dogged investigative work—rings true. The story of two high-powered women, a detective and a journalist, plunged into the hunt for missing children and a mysterious predator, is relentlessly suspenseful. The twists and turns will give you whiplash. In the end, this book succeeds as a mystery and as a story about the nobility and darkness of the human soul.