Title: A Deadly Sin
Author: Tracie Podger
Cover Design: Margreet Asselbergs, Rebel Edit & Design
Genre: Thriller
Model: Jace Dean
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Model: Jace Dean
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Release Date: November 18th, 2016
Synopsis:
There are seven deadly sins, so they say.
Pride, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, and Greed.
We are guilty of them all. But what happens when someone decides to become judge, jury, and executioner of those that commit these sins?
Detective Mich Curtis is thrown back into a world he thought he’d managed to struggle out of.
It started as a simple murder case to solve – it became a fight to survive.
Seven sins, seven murders – who will be the last man standing?
The executioner or the only person fucked up enough to get inside his mind?
Suspense/thriller for readers over the age of 18
Early Reviews:
‘Tracie Podger has only gone and done it again. She has woven a deliciously dark tale of murder and secrets. A Deadly Sin is full of angst, drama and suspense
that will keep you on the edge of your seat this mesmerizing story as it reveals all of it's glorious twists and turns.’ – Tasha, Reds Midnight Readers
‘If I could give this book more than 5 stars… I would it to me is worth so much more.’ – Charlie, WLTB Book Blog
‘GRIPPING, DARK, EERIE, GRUESOME, HEART-STOPPING, HAND OVER MOUTH WHILST READING WITH THE TWISTS AND TRUTHS, AND UTTERLY AMAZING.’ – Vicki, Rock Hard Romance
Excerpt:
Capital Vices. Cardinal Sins. Which one is the worst? Is it pride, greed, or lust? Maybe it’s envy, gluttony, or even wrath. As for sloth? What does that actually mean?
I guess we’ve all been guilty of these sins but no more than the man I have been watching for years. I know every thing he does. I know the time he leaves his house each morning. I know the speed he drives his car to work, the exact moment he will turn on the indicator when he makes that right turn into the parking lot.
I know the friends he meets with a slap to the back, a high five, or shoulder bump. I know the women that fawn over him. He, they, made me feel sick to my stomach.
They don’t know me; I doubt they’ve ever noticed me. They will, though, soon. I’ve waited a long time for this, a long time to turn his comfortable life on its head, to destroy him.
****
My palms sweated as I walked the stone floor corridor. My footsteps echoed, and in my head I could hear my heart beat a frantic rhythm. I took a few deep breaths as I reached the double oak doors, intricately carved with figures. I was thankful that the hand I reached out to turn the large brass handle was steady. My other hand held a revolver down beside my thigh. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be faced with when I gently turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. It creaked as the old rusting hinges protested, reminding me of a scary movie.
Sunlight blazed into the empty room through a broken glass window. It picked out every speck of dust that floated around. Immediately, my senses were assaulted by a metallic tang, it filled my nostrils and coated my taste buds as I took a breath in through my mouth. Then I saw her.
Against the back wall was my missing girl. Crucified.
My stomach lurched; I swallowed down the bile that rose to burn my throat. I closed my eyes briefly. Casey Long: blonde-haired, cheerleader, straight A student, naked and covered in blood, was tied to a cross against the back wall.
“Fuck!” I whispered. “Fuck!”
For five days I’d been searching for her after her mother had called in a missing person’s report. Five days of having no idea she was practically on my doorstep. I holstered my gun and made a call.
“Dean, she’s in here,” I said.
I took care to retreat only in the places I had already stepped. Making sure not to further disturb any forensic evidence, until I made my way back out of the room and gently closed the door behind me. There was no need to check for signs of life; Casey was very clearly dead.
Within seconds, the corridor was filled with activity. Dean, my partner for the past five years, strode toward me. His size ten feet clomped on the polished floor.
“Is it definitely her?” he asked. I nodded.
“Dead?” Again, I nodded.
“Fuck!” He echoed my sentiments.
“Detective?” I turned toward the voice behind me.
“Samuel, I think you best step outside,” I said to the caretaker of Montfort High School.
No matter how many times I’d told him to call me by my name, he never did. Samuel was an old guy; he’d been the caretaker when I’d been a student at Montfort some years ago. He was as old as the school back then.
I watched as he nodded and backed down the corridor, wringing his hands together. I imagined the sight of what he’d discovered on his morning rounds would finish him where working at the school was concerned. How do you recover from seeing something like that? It was bad enough for me and Dean, and we’d seen our fair share of murder.
“I’ve called in the doc, she’s on her way,” Dean said.
“Okay, we need to seal this off, close this wing down. You want to call it in?”
Dean fished his mobile from his pocket and called through to the station. As he walked a little way down the corridor for a better reception, I took a deep breath, I knew at some point that day I’d be delivering the worst news possible to the parent of a missing child.
I’d always wanted to be a cop, ever since receiving a costume for Halloween one year. Despite growing out of it, I’d kept that badge for years. I loved my job, normally. I just hated knowing what I would have to do soon. I could send someone else, but I’d grown up in this town, I knew most of its occupants, and I wanted to be the one to break the news to Sally Long.
I scrubbed my hand over my face, feeling the two-day-old stubble around my jaw. Dean would take a statement from Samuel while I waited for Doc, or Eddie, as she was called.
Our state medical examiner had, only a few hours prior, been naked in my bed after we'd spent the night fucking. Neither of us had gotten any sleep, but I knew, as soon as she arrived, there would be no evidence of that.
Hi Tracey and welcome to Living in Our Own Story :) Thanks a lot for sparing the time to answer a few questions for us and our readers.
LIOS: Most of our readers probably already know you as you are one of our favorite authors. But just in case you are new to them, tell us something fun about yourself.
Tracey: That’s a lovely thing for you to say, thank you. Something fun? Mmm, I’m a scuba diving instructor, although I don’t get time to teach right now. I have an obsession with Jaffa Cakes and I won’t share them!
LIOS: Most of the books you’ve written, are suspenseful and fast paced romances that keep the readers on their toes. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Tracey: Life, and a very active imagination mainly. When I start to write I don’t always know exactly where the story is going, or even what genre it will end up as. There may be a twist in the plot, or something the character said in my mind that will turn the book completely on its head. I guess I get inspiration from the story itself and the characters I’ve created.
LIOS: We know that choosing your favorite character and book is probably like choosing a favorite child, but still who is your favorite character and book you’ve written so far? And if you are able to choose one, tell us why ;)
Tracey: Hand on heart, Robert Stone from the Fallen Angel Series will always own a piece of me. When I wrote the series I wasn’t that long out of hospital and I put my all into those stories. Robert kept me company during some dark times, so for that reason, he’ll always be my favourite.
LIOS: Your book covers are always incredible. How do you choose the models for them and what makes you pick a specific one?
Tracey: Choosing the right cover models is a really tricky task. I spend hours going through portfolios, looking at half naked…. No, I mean, studying composition, placement….erm, ha ha. In all seriousness, its tough to find the model that best represents the character and it has been known for me to alter the description in the book to suit the model. I work with two photographers whom I trust and are my go-to when I need a model. I’ll message and ask if they have a, brown eyed, brown hair, for example. I will study the portfolio because I’m not just looking for the right model; I’m looking for the right pose, the right background. My covers usually represent a scene in the book, so you don’t just get a model, you get something that you’ll later understand when you read the story.
LIOS: Most of our readers probably know you from your Fallen Angel series. How is Deadly Sin different from it?
Tracey: A Deadly Sin is my second thriller and although the Fallen Angel series is romantic suspense, the emphasis is on the romance. A Deadly Sin features a character we first met in Gabriel, another thriller, although the book is a standalone. I love to read all genres, so it made sense that, at some point, I’d dabble in different genres too. I’ve loved writing Deadly; it’s a lot darker than Gabriel and poles apart from the Fallen Angel series.
LIOS: What in your opinion will attract your Fallen Angel fans to Deadly Sin?
Tracey: I’m not so sure that readers stick exclusively to one genre. I think we have a favourite, for sure. I’m hoping that readers of my series will not only like the story, but my style of writing. The content may change, but my style will always be the same. I’m also hoping that I’ll attract new readers to Deadly who may want a little light, sexy relief after and pop on over to the series.
LIOS: What should we expect from you in the foreseeable future?
Tracey: I have put The Fallen Angel series into a box set for a limited time offer and I hate to say this, but those characters have started chattering away again. However, I have to concentrate on my third thriller (yet to be named), another standalone but connected to Gabriel and Deadly. I have four projects waiting on completion and I think my promise of only three books next year might go out the window! So, next ‘book’ out will be the box set in December, then we will see more from Gabriel and Mich end of March next year.
LIOS: Thank you Tracie for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We
<3 :="" br="" you=""> Tracey: Thank you for having me, and for your continued support. I really do appreciate it <3 div="">
LIOS: Most of our readers probably already know you as you are one of our favorite authors. But just in case you are new to them, tell us something fun about yourself.
Tracey: That’s a lovely thing for you to say, thank you. Something fun? Mmm, I’m a scuba diving instructor, although I don’t get time to teach right now. I have an obsession with Jaffa Cakes and I won’t share them!
LIOS: Most of the books you’ve written, are suspenseful and fast paced romances that keep the readers on their toes. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Tracey: Life, and a very active imagination mainly. When I start to write I don’t always know exactly where the story is going, or even what genre it will end up as. There may be a twist in the plot, or something the character said in my mind that will turn the book completely on its head. I guess I get inspiration from the story itself and the characters I’ve created.
LIOS: We know that choosing your favorite character and book is probably like choosing a favorite child, but still who is your favorite character and book you’ve written so far? And if you are able to choose one, tell us why ;)
Tracey: Hand on heart, Robert Stone from the Fallen Angel Series will always own a piece of me. When I wrote the series I wasn’t that long out of hospital and I put my all into those stories. Robert kept me company during some dark times, so for that reason, he’ll always be my favourite.
LIOS: Your book covers are always incredible. How do you choose the models for them and what makes you pick a specific one?
Tracey: Choosing the right cover models is a really tricky task. I spend hours going through portfolios, looking at half naked…. No, I mean, studying composition, placement….erm, ha ha. In all seriousness, its tough to find the model that best represents the character and it has been known for me to alter the description in the book to suit the model. I work with two photographers whom I trust and are my go-to when I need a model. I’ll message and ask if they have a, brown eyed, brown hair, for example. I will study the portfolio because I’m not just looking for the right model; I’m looking for the right pose, the right background. My covers usually represent a scene in the book, so you don’t just get a model, you get something that you’ll later understand when you read the story.
LIOS: Most of our readers probably know you from your Fallen Angel series. How is Deadly Sin different from it?
Tracey: A Deadly Sin is my second thriller and although the Fallen Angel series is romantic suspense, the emphasis is on the romance. A Deadly Sin features a character we first met in Gabriel, another thriller, although the book is a standalone. I love to read all genres, so it made sense that, at some point, I’d dabble in different genres too. I’ve loved writing Deadly; it’s a lot darker than Gabriel and poles apart from the Fallen Angel series.
LIOS: What in your opinion will attract your Fallen Angel fans to Deadly Sin?
Tracey: I’m not so sure that readers stick exclusively to one genre. I think we have a favourite, for sure. I’m hoping that readers of my series will not only like the story, but my style of writing. The content may change, but my style will always be the same. I’m also hoping that I’ll attract new readers to Deadly who may want a little light, sexy relief after and pop on over to the series.
LIOS: What should we expect from you in the foreseeable future?
Tracey: I have put The Fallen Angel series into a box set for a limited time offer and I hate to say this, but those characters have started chattering away again. However, I have to concentrate on my third thriller (yet to be named), another standalone but connected to Gabriel and Deadly. I have four projects waiting on completion and I think my promise of only three books next year might go out the window! So, next ‘book’ out will be the box set in December, then we will see more from Gabriel and Mich end of March next year.
LIOS: Thank you Tracie for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We
<3 :="" br="" you=""> Tracey: Thank you for having me, and for your continued support. I really do appreciate it <3 div="">
Other Books by the Author:
Available from Amazon, iBooks, Kobo & Nook
Fallen Angel, Part 1
Fallen Angel, Part 2
Fallen Angel, Part 3
Fallen Angel, Part 4
The Fallen Angel Box Set
Evelyn - A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Rocco – A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Robert – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Travis – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
A Virtual Affair – A standalone
Gabriel – A standalone
The Facilitator
A Deadly Sin
Coming soon
Hitchhiker - 2017
Jackson - 2017
Letters to Lincoln – 2017
Rocco: The Missing Years – 2017
Harlot
About the Author:
Tracie Podger currently lives in Kent, UK with her husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. She’s a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor with a passion for writing. Tracie has been fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world where she can indulge in another hobby, underwater photography. She likes getting up close and personal with sharks.
Tracie likes to write in different genres. Her Fallen Angel series and its accompanying books are mafia romance and full of suspense. A Virtual Affair is contemporary romance, and Gabriel and A Deadly Sin are thriller/suspense. The Facilitator is erotic romance.
My Review:
If you've read Tracie Podger before, you know that she has the uncanny ability to weave stories that will keep you up at night, wondering what happens next. And probably pay extra attention to the dark corners just to make sure that nothing unexpected is going to jump out from them. Well, this story doesn't disappoint. It will catch you from the very beginning and make your head spin until the very end. Probably even after that. And don't be surprised if you find yourself sleeping with one eye open ;)
The truth is, I am not really sure how to review the book. My head is still spinning from this heart-stopping thriller. One of the things I really enjoyed about the plot is that it is unpredictable. No matter what you think will happen, you should expect that there is something else around the corner. I loved Mich and Eddie and their seemingly casual relationship. They are both intriguing, brooding and carry secrets that can destroy them. And unfortunately, the gruesome murders are entwined with their past, present and will leave deep scars into their future.
The idea of using the seven deadly sins as a backdrop in the story is simply genius. But then, what else can you expect from Tracie Podger :D Those of you who've read her before, know that she is one of the very few authors that will keep you on the edge of your seat and never let you down. And if you haven't read her yet, that's a huge miss on your part. So get your #oneclick finger ready and pick up your copy :)
Giveaway!!!
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