THRILLER AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE #8 (2) by thriller and suspense magazine

THRILLER AND SUSPENSE

ISSUE 08

12/24

MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RAFAEL ZIMICHUT FREIDA MCFADDEN THE 60 BIGGEST NAMES IN CRIME FICTION IN 2023 VIII CONAN DOYLE BOOK PRIZE

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THRILLER AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE

THE STAFF

PHYLLIS DAVIS

AARON ROSE

Place a short biography of this magazine's contributor here.

NOAH SCHUM

ANITTA PEREZ

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DAVID JACKSON

ROSEMARY NICHOLSON

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR With each passing year, the quality of detective novels becomes increasingly sharper.

When we talk about detective novels we automatically talk about something that surprises us, takes us off our feet and we think: My God, what was that? If that doesn't happen, then it's not a detective novel.

If you’re thinking of writing an editor's letter yourself, make your intentions clear from the start. You can be fun and creative or straightforward, depending on your needs. For the main content of your letter, there are often three main parts: the introduction, main paragraph, and conclusion.

Your letter’s introduction can be a brief greeting, a few polite statements, or a background of why you’re writing.

Phillys Davis Editor-in-Chief

IN THIS ISSUE

FREIDA MCFADDEN and the maid who conquered the world By Anitta Perez

On her official website, Freida left us a wonderful interview that we will be replicating so that everyone can get to know her wonderful work.

Freida McFadden, born May 1, 1980 in New York City, is an American author and brain injury specialist based in New York City. Freida McFadden is a pseudonym to distinguish herself from her work as a physician. Her book The Housemaid (2022) has sold over two million copies, was on the Amazon bestseller list for 83 weeks, and spent 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She grew up in downtown Manhattan, New York City, and was a member of the math team in high school. Her father is a psychiatrist, her mother a podiatrist. She graduated from Harvard Medical School with a medical degree. McFadden self-published her first book through Amazon in 2013. Her 2022 book, The Housemaid, was an international bestseller. 9

A film adaptation is being made by Lionsgate, with Rebecca Sonnenshine writing the script and Todd Lieberman and Alex Young of Hidden Pictures producing. She spent a decade self-publishing, but now has a publishing deal for her physical books. She lives in Boston with her husband, an engineer, their two children and their cat.

I"'m writing a book report on your book, and I need to know where you were born, where you live now, and when your birthday is? I'm including this question first because I get messages asking me this several times a week! I have to say, when I wrote book reports in school, I was never required to give the author's birthday! But then again, those were the pre-internet days, when information wasn't readily available, and we had to write our reports using a quill and parchment. Anyway, in answer to the questions: I was born in New York City, which is why so many of my books are set there. I now live in Boston. My birthday is May 1, 1980. What are your favorite books by other authors? My favorite 20 thrillers of the last 15 or so years in no particular order: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Until I Met Her by Natalie Barelli Lock Every Door by Riley Sager The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine The Ex by Alifair Burke Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle Friends Like These by Sarah Alderson Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland Look Closer by David Ellis Dark Matter by Blake Crouch What Lies Between Us by John Marrs The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak Falling by TJ Newman No Exit by Taylor Adams If You Tell by Gregg Olsen Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Which is your favorite of your own books? I don’t have a favorite. I always feel closest to the one I’m currently working on, but there are reasons I like every single one of my books. It’s like asking me to choose a favorite child!

Honorable mention to the entire Rizzoli and Isles series, which Can you appear at my book club? was amazing from beginning to end.

Which of your books should I read next? Absolutely any book you want! Almost all of them are standalone unless they are specifically marked as a series, and even those can be read in any order. I’m proud of every single one of my books. You’re not going to get an answer from me like, “Don’t read Book X. It sucks!”

I genuinely wish I could appear at every bookclub I got invited to, but these days I am getting invites every single day. So I have to say no. You don’t want my life to devolve into one giant book club appearance, right??? (Say no.)

What inspired you to write The Housemaid? It was a dream I had.

Your life seems incredibly busy. You’re a doctor, a mom of two, and you put out multiple books per year! How do you find time to even sleep? Also, can you make an appearance at my book club? (I had to throw that last question in there. It does seem like the frequent book club appearance requests are always preceded by acknowledging how painfully busy I must be, so please show up at this random book club for an hour.) Overall, I believe being a doctor has helped me with my writing career. First of all, I’m able to write medical scenarios with a high degree of accuracy. Second, knowing that I had a stable job to pay the bills made me feel more comfortable spending money on marketing, even knowing there was a chance I might not earn it back. (I almost always did though.) However, due to the obligations of my growing career as an author, I've taken a step back from my physician career and now work only 1-2 days per week.

Do you have a book tour schedule?

How do you come up with your twists? Um, my brain? I get asked this question a lot, and seriously, I’m not sure how to answer!

What is your LEAST favorite question to be asked? Every author I have talked to agrees that our least favorite question to be asked is, "What inspired you to write Book X?" First of all, it is a question we are asked constantly, so we are basically answering it over and over and over. Also, with any book, the motivation can come from many different places, and sometimes we can't even remember what it was. Therefore, I've decided that from now on, whenever someone asks me what inspired me to write a book, I'm going to say, "It was a dream I had."

I do not have any live tours booked or plans to tour in the near future. However, I try to do interactive virtual events when I can! Check in on my Facebook page for announcements about future virtual events.

How did you get your first work published? I self published my first book on Amazon in 2013. Prior to this, I had gone through the long and incredibly painful process of querying for an agent/publisher, and I was thrilled I could get my work out there without having to suck up to anyone.

“How does traditional publishing compare to self-publishing?” My first “traditional" experience was with Bookouture, which is an ebook publisher, so they have a similar model to self-publishing. I also now work with Sourcebooks. Both Bookouture and Sourcebooks have amazing editors, and I now receive help with things like foreign rights deals that are hard to negotiate on my own. My publishers also help with cover design, editing, proofing, 8 blurb, and social media stuff. There are pros and cons to both sides, but I really enjoy working with my publishers!

Do I need an agent to get published? I absolutely adore my agent, and I don't know how I'd function without her. That said, every author does not necessarily need an agent. If you self publish, you don't need an agent. If you sign with an ebook publisher, you don't necessarily need an agent. If you want to publish with a traditional publisher, then an agent is probably a good idea.

What is the best way to write? Should I outline? Should I edit as I go? Um, my answer is basically you do you. Everyone has a way that works best for them. My process is that I come up with an idea including a twist in advance. I plan it out only in my head for a couple of months, then I spend a couple of weeks banging out a first draft. I don’t stop, just write. If it seems bad or I feel stuck, I just write. I keep telling myself that I’ll fix it later. Although I have that rough outline in my head, I do generally let the characters take me where they want to go, but I always know the final destination. Over the years, my books have become much more “tight,” especially my first drafts… I know the rhythm of a plot and what works or doesn’t work, which makes it easier to bang out solid first drafts. Over the years, plotting is where I have grown the most.

What do you do for marketing? Very little at this point because I’ve caught the favor of the fabled Amazon algorithm! I run Amazon ads, but that’s my only paid advertising. I have a newsletter, and of course, my reader group, Freida McFans. Mostly, I just try to get out there on social media as much as possible. In terms of social media, I have always just tried to show how super grateful I am to anyone who mentions my books. But if I were starting out now, it would be a different ballgame. This isn’t 2010 when you can simply upload your book to Amazon and readers will discover it by chance. Marketing is NOT optional. I have no expertise in starting out in the current market, but I’d probably try to do a bunch of discounted 99 cent promotions with paid newsletter slots like in Bookbub or Robin Reads. Facebook ads didn’t really work for me, but other people like them. If you have several books, consider giving one away for free to gain new readers, especially if it’s the first in a series.

Why do you write in the first person present tense? This has actually become extremely popular, especially in self published books. I started doing it after reading a bunch of Sophie Kinsella books. I love how it keeps you in the moment and gives an opportunity for humor. What are ARCs? Do they have something to do with geometry? Because if they do, you can just stop right there. They don’t have to do with math. ARCs are Advance Review Copies. One of the most important ways to sell your book is to distribute advance copies and get reviews that will go live on release. You can approach people on social media to do this, and there are paid services that will help get your books to advance readers, such as Hidden Gems, Booksprout, and Netgalley. To be clear, it is NEVER ethical/legal to pay readers directly for a review. But it’s okay to pay a service that 8 makes the book available to eager readers, who then give an honest review for free.

THE 50 BIGGEST NAMES IN CRIME FICTION IN 2023 By Aaron Rose

A crime thriller is the quickest way for someone to love a book, readers of Ágatha Christie say so...

Obviously some people don't agree with the list and this is not a list that devalues any author's story, quite the opposite, but as lovers of detective literature we made this list through different aspects, such as: body of work, specific literary awards, acceptance audience, interviews, etc. Although thrillers are basically a reading categorized as English/American, the genre has been gaining ground all over the world and after a long research of almost a year, we were able to select 50 names of authors who stand out in this genre. 9

1. James Patterson 2. Dan Brown 3. Stephen King 4. Harlan Coben 5. John Grishan 6. Gillian Flynn 7. Lisa Gardner 8. Adrian Mckinty 9. Daniel Silva 10. Freida McFadden 11. Coleen Hoover 12. Alex Michaelides 13. Jo Nesbo 14. Charlie Donlea 15. Rafael Zimichut 16. Lee Child 17. Jussi Adler-Olsen 18. Lucinda Riley 19. Steve Berry 20. Sam Bourne 21. Loreth Anne White 22. André Vianco 23. Daniel Cole 24. Robert Galbraith 25. Raphael Montes

26. Tess Gerritsen 27. José Rodrigues dos Santos 28. Patricia Cornwell 29. J. T. Brannam 30. Karin Slaugter 31. Lucy Foley 32. Sandra Brown 33. David Baldacci 34. Brad Thor 35. Nicola Sanders 36. Camilla Lakberg 37. Nora Roberts 38. Claire Kendal 39. J. P. Delaney 40. Thomas Harris 41. Scott Shepherd 42. Karen McManus 43. Ragnar Jonasson 44. Claudia Lemes 45. Ashley Audren 46. Robert Bryndza 47. E. O. Chirovici 48. Josh Malerman 49. Michel Bussi 50. Tom W Kooper 10

CONAN DOYLE BOOK PRIZE By David Jackson Photography by Francois Mercer

We proudly present the VIII edition of the Conan Doyle Book Prize The best thriller’s book’s of 2022 The Conan Doyle Book Prize was created in 2016 to honor the best detective books of each year, being voted on by members of Thriller and Suspense Magazine, which is released every December 31st of each year. We at TASM are lovers of detective literature and as you can see, the title of the award is a simple tribute to one of the greatest exponents of the genre, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who became known worldwide for being the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

INTERVIEW RAFAEL ZIMICHUT

The future of crime thrillers are in good hands

Rafael Zimichut is a Brazilian author of more than 70 books and has recently been gaining ground in the international market with his books translated into English and Spanish, he is the winner of dozens of literary awards, in addition to having an enviable CV, having a PhD and PostDoctorate in Philosophy of Religion, Doctor in Missions and Pastorate, Master in Religious and Theological Education, Bachelor in Law and Theology and currently pursuing a degree in Philosophy.

By Anitta Perez Photography by Ana Zimichut

INTERVIEW with Rafael Zimichut

TASM: It is an immense pleasure for us to have you as the winner of the Conan Doyle Book Awards, how did you feel when you heard the news? RZ: I feel like the happiest and most blessed person in the world to be among titans, it is the recognition of hard work over many years and I am sure that after that, many doors will open.

TASM: Who are your favorite thriller authors? RZ: I have many writers that I love, however, some stand out like: Dan Brown, Sidney Sheldon, James Patterson, Lee Child, J T Brannan, etc.

TASM: How did the opportunity to have your books translated into other languages arise? RZ: In Brazil, the Thriller genre is not as acclaimed as in the English language, so I realized that it would be the natural way to migrate my books from Portuguese to English, following in the same footsteps of Paulo Coelho, who only gained the deserved prominence after having his books translated in other languages.

TASM: I noticed you have written a lot of books, are they all thrillers? RZ: For the most part, yes, at first I didn't write detective novels, but after meeting Sidney Sheldon and Dan Brown, I was infected by the thriller virus and nowadays I hardly even like writing other genres.

TASM: What do you find most difficult about writing a thriller? RZ: Time in a thriller is paramount for me, the rhythm dictates everything in my story, so when I finish and have to do the second, third writing of the book, I focus a lot on the time of the story. 7

TASM: We all know that the Thriller genre is a very sensitive and very competitive field, how do you differentiate yourself from other writers, given that your competition is very fierce? RZ: I firmly believe that the best writers are in the Thriller genre, never discrediting other genres, but when we write a detective book the surprise factor prevails and writing on such an intense and dynamic theme makes me wake up every day and write dozens of pages wanting to deceive the reader, but if you're not deceived first, it's no fun at all.

TASM: And can you make mistakes while writing, now I'm curious? RZ: As a rule, I have a writing guide where I guide myself in the main story, but not a few times during writing I end up being surprised by the events of the story.

TASM: Among your stories, which one surprised you the most during the writing process? RZ: Of those that have already been released, "The Blake’s Enigma" really stands out, it was such an impactful experience that it changed me as a writer, placing me in a new writing stage.

TASM: So does that mean we will have good things coming in the future? RZ: Have no doubt, I have been writing constantly and I already have approximately six unpublished books ready, which I, personally, think are better than "The Blake’s Enigma".

TASM: We can only look forward to Gregory Evans' next adventures. RZ: Me too, I'm looking forward to what people will think of his new adventures.

TASM: Leave a message for your readers RZ: I want to thank you for your kindness in giving me this wonderful prize and I hope to be present next time, obviously the first time is always special and to my readers, stay tuned, because Gregory Evans is coming with many incredible stories.

The Housemaid - 1nd place Over 1 Million Copies Sold! Don't miss the New York Times and USA Today bestseller and addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist that's burning up Instagram and TikTok--Freida McFadden's The Housemaid is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Verity. Every day I clean the Winchesters' beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew's handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it's hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina's life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina's pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it's like. But she soon finds out... and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it's far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don't know who I really am. They don't know what I'm capable of...

J#1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Sunday Times, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author Freida McFadden is a physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, she is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback, and she is a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages. Freida lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe. To hear Freida talk about herself more in the third person, check out her website freidamcfadden.

The Island - 2nd place Two mauled bodies in the woods. Top secret autopsies. The most chilling cases of Scarpetta’s career. In this thrilling new installment of Patricia Cornwell’s #1 bestselling Scarpetta series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta finds herself in a Northern Virginia wilderness examining the remains of two campers wanted by federal law enforcement. The victims have been savaged beyond recognition, and other evidence is terrifying and baffling, including a larger-than-life footprint. After one of the most frightening body retrievals of her career, Scarpetta must discover who would commit murders this savage, and why. In 1990, Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. An auspicious debut, it went on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity Awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize—the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. Growing into an international phenomenon, the Scarpetta series won Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development. Today, Cornwell’s novels and iconic characters are known around the world. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Cornwell has written the definitive nonfiction account of Jack the Ripper’s identity, cookbooks, a children’s book, a biography of Ruth Graham, and two other fictional series based on the characters Win Garano and Andy Brazil. While writing Quantum, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base, NASA’s Langley Research Center, and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol. 12

All the Dangerous Things - 3nd place One year ago, Isabelle Drake's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally. Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year. Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster —but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust... including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.

Stacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally-bestselling author of several novels, including A Flicker in the Dark, All The Dangerous Things and the upcoming Only If You're Lucky. Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her BA in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work is currently being translated in over 30 languages. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako, where she is always working on her next book. 12

Along Came a Spider - Special Tribute Discover the classic thriller that launched the #1 detective series and is the inspiration for the original series Cross on Prime Video! Alex Cross is a homicide detective with a Ph.D. in psychology. He works and lives in Southeast D.C. and looks like Muhammad Ali in his prime. He's a tough guy from a tough part of town who wears Harris Tweed jackets and likes to relax by banging out Gershwin tunes on his baby grand piano. But he also has two adorable kids of his own, and they are his own special vulnerabilities. Jezzie Flanagan is the first woman ever to hold the highly sensitive job as supervisor of the Secret Service in Washington. Blond, mysterious, seductive, she's got an outer shell that's as tough as it is beautiful. She rides her black BMW motorcycle at speeds of no less than 100 mph. What is she running from? What is her secret? Alex Cross and Jezzie Flanagan are about to have a forbidden love affair-at the worst possible time for both of them. Because Gary Soneji, who wants to commit the "crime of the century," is playing at the top of his game. Soneji has outsmarted the FBI, the Secret Service, and the police. Who will be his next victim? Gary Soneji is every parent's worst nightmare. He has become Alex Cross's nightmare. And now, reader, he's about to become yours.

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster “Eruption.” He has told the story of his own life in “James Patterson by James Patterson” and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal. 12

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12/23 ISSUE 07