Dark Obsessions, the latest thriller by Marie Sutro
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!
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Dark Obsessions
A GRUESOME MURDER IN THE WOODS IS THE FIRST TERROR TO BE UNCOVERED
Reeling from the trauma of her last case, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes heads to the Olympic Peninsula hoping to heal the present by resolving the past. When the ravaged corpse of an unidentified teen is discovered, her search for personal peace takes a back seat to the quest for justice.
IN A DEADLY WORLD OF DARK OBSESSIONS
As Kate digs deeper, she discovers the victim was not the only one who had been taken against her will. Racing against the clock to rescue the remaining girls, she uncovers a complex series of ever-increasing horrors.
In the darkest corners of Washington state, Kate Barnes will come face-to-face with an adversary so ruthless and powerful that it will take everything she has to save herself, let alone the girls.
To purchase Dark Obsessions, click on any of the following links: Barnes & Noble, Amazon & IndieBound
Dark Obsessions is set in a corner of Washington State, not far from where I call home. Tell us about the location. How does it impact the characters?
Originally, I had planned to set the story in Seattle but decided it made better sense to cross the Puget Sound and set the story in the Olympic Peninsula. It is one of the most exquisitely beautiful regions in the Pacific Northwest, covered in epic stretches of forest and crisscrossed with an amazing network of rivers and lakes.
The location presents my protagonist with a necessary sense of isolation, forcing her to examine her life in ways she might not have been able to in the hustle and bustle of the big city. It also presents a host of fundamental differences in resources and procedure, challenging her to adapt to a different professional environment.
What should readers know about Kate Barnes, protagonist of Dark Obsessions:
Kate is a good person, but like all of us, she has flaws. She is coming off a case in which she was the rookie detective pitted against an insidious serial killer (Dark Associations). The case resurrected a variety of old issues from Kate’s past, issues that were exploited as her Achilles’ heel. She knows she must address them if she is to muster the mental strength required to do the job she loves.
Your family has a long history of serving in the police department. How has that impacted your crime fiction?
It compels me to confront realities about the horrific aspects of the job and the trauma it can inflict on those who do it.
Crime scenes are not easy places to visit, nor is it easy to witness the darker sides of human behavior. Most people understand police officers risk their lives on a daily basis, but I also want readers to understand the serious toll it takes on their mental health.
Describe your writing process:
I always start out with research.
Once I get a good feel for the main subject matter, I develop a beat sheet and outline the plot points. After developing profiles for the main characters, I jump in and start writing.
Minor characters are created and developed as I go, with additional research peppering the writing and editing process. I use the beat sheet as a guide, but stay open to new ideas and plot points as they develop.
Tell us about California Library Literacy Services:
Nationally, it is estimated that over 36 million adults cannot read or write above a third-grade level.
California Library Literacy is a wonderful organization that seeks to assist adult learners in reaching higher functioning levels of literacy. I am honored to have served as a tutor in this fantastic program by helping adults to improve their reading and writing skills.
What are you working on now?
I am in the process of writing the third book in the Kate Barnes series. I also have a couple of other projects in the pipeline, including a possible standalone suspense novel.
Final words of wisdom for aspiring writers:
Don’t let fear drive you away from your dreams, but don’t hold on to them so tightly that you close yourself off from new ideas and opportunities.
Attack the craft of writing with passion and dedication. (Address the business of writing with the same level of commitment). Know there will be ups and downs, but stay open and enjoy the ride!
Great advice!
Author Pet Corner!
Perseus
Pack leader extraordinaire and sweetheart to the core (unless you are a lizard).
Grace
Refined elegance balanced by a wicked right hook.
Flynn
Extreme sports athlete and rock music aficionado.
Marie Sutro — Author Dark Obsessions
Marie Sutro is an award-winning and bestselling mystery author. In 2018, she won the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for the Best New Voice in Fiction, for her debut novel, Dark Associations.
She is a member of Sisters In Crime and volunteers with California Library Literacy Services.
Her father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the San Francisco Police Department, collectively inspiring her writing. She resides in Northern California and is currently at work on the next book in the Kate Barnes series.
To learn more about Marie, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook, Instagram & Twitter
Elena Taylor
Elena Taylor is the author of All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio book format at all your favorite bookstores and on-line retailers.
For more information on All We Buried, click on the link here to visit the home page.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
Header photo from Pixabay
