Title: Into The Dark
Author: Stacy Green
Publication: October 29, 2012
Publisher: Muse It Up Publishing
Source: Author/Publisher
Genre: Suspense
Audience: 17 and up
Synopsis:
A two-hundred-mile labyrinth of dark storm drains serves as a refuge for the delusional stalker who will go to any lengths to possess fragile, emotionally isolated Emilie Davis. To survive, Emilie will have to confront the secrets of her past she has kept locked away from everyone, including herself. Emilie is a master escape artist—she’s fled a manipulative mother and a controlling ex-husband. But it’s impossible to evade a stalker who uses a bank robbery as a ruse to kidnap her. He’s still out there, hiding in the Las Vegas tunnels and dodging police. Emilie’s life careens out of control as her assailant continues his pursuit. She has nowhere to turn but to Nathan Madigan, the hostage negotiator who worked the robbery. Nathan is haunted by his failure to protect a loved one fourteen years ago and dedicates his life to saving others. Determined to catch the lunatic hunting Emilie, he finds himself losing his professional detachment. He fears history is about to repeat itself if he cannot protect Emilie from the Taker’s obsession.
The police close in on the Taker’s identity as Nathan and Emilie grow closer to each other and to resolving the misery of their own pasts. At the height of The Taker’s madness, his attempt to replace someone he’s lost will either kill them all or set them free.
My Thoughts: Emilie is a woman of many secrets. She keeps her walls up and feels no one knows her deepest and darkest. That is until the bank, where she is manager, is robbed and she is held hostage. The "Taker" knows so much about Emilie and she is puzzled as to why. Emilie must face her past and figure out who the "Taker" is so he can be stopped before she is harmed.
Stacy Green has constructed a tale of suspense and mystery. I had many ideas as to how Emilie and the "Taker" had crossed paths but none of my hunches were correct. I found myself pleasantly surprised with Emilie's strength with all she has been through in life it would be easy for her to completely fall apart. This is a thrilling read that will not leave you disappointed.
Interview:
Ashna: What about Into the Dark makes it stand out?
Stacy Green: Into The Dark
stands out because of the Las Vegas storm drains. A lot of people don’t know
about their existence, and they certainly don’t know about the homeless living
in them. While they don’t get a lot of scene time, they still played a pivotal
role in the book. They inspired the subplot and helped me to flesh out the
characters and the theme. And I hope the book brings a little bit of awareness
to the homeless problem in this country.
A: Who was the hardest character for you to write about?
SG: I’d have to say
my heroine, Emilie. She was hard for me to get a handle on for a long time. I kept
confusing strength for anger and all out crabbiness, and it wasn’t until I
understood the difference that I was able to go back to the beginning and get
her straightened out. Characters – especially females – can be strong AND
vulnerable, without being mean or cruel.
A: What is the best part about being published?
SG: The validation
that someone believes in me and is willing to invest in me. I’m all for indie
publishing – I think it’s the future of publishing, to be honest. But small
presses are vital and willing to take a chance on new authors. MuseItUp
Publishing is a quality publisher who believed in my book and stood by me
through a lot of ups and downs. Right or wrong, their investment made me feel
as though I’d “made” it.
A: Who is your favorite author and what about their work draws you
in?
SG: It’s really
hard for me to pick one. I would have to say Lisa Gardner because her
writing/storytelling improves with leaps and bounds, and she is a master at
suspense. She’s very good at developing strong characters without dumping
backstory, and there is no one better to keep a reader on the edge of their
seat. I study her books quite a lot.
A: Are there any similarities between you and your characters?
SG: I think there
are always similarities. Subtle ones, at that. Emilie is stubborn and can be
sarcastic–she definitely gets that from me. And both Emilie and Nathan dwell in
the past, which is a major Achilles Heel for me. I’m working on it, though!
A:
What is your favorite quote?
SG: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –
Eleanor Roosevelt
A:
What is your favorite song of all time?
SG: No way can I
pick a favorite song, lol. I’m an eighties junkie, so I’d have to include Total
Eclipse of the Heart. Another great one is 100 Years by Train, although it
always makes me cry. Crazy Love by Steve Carlson, I Dreamed A Dream from Les
Mis…
A:
Are there any new projects in the works?
SG: Yes! My second
book, a gritty mystery set in the Deep South, is slated for a March 2013
release, and I’m working on a trilogy centered on the idea of whether or not
people are born evil. I hope to release the first book late next year.
1 A: What is the
question that you wish interviewers would ask, and the answer to that question?
SG: Why should a reader spend their money and
take a chance on your book?
Because
it’s an entertaining book with a fast plot and good characters. I’m a very
picky reader, and if a book bores me, I’ll put it down without second thought.
INTO THE DARK is a book that would keep me entertained and guessing until the
end, and as a reader, that’s the most important thing for me.
Excerpt:
Nathan peered through the chain link fence. “Is that it?”
“I didn’t even know this culvert was here.” Chris started to climb.
“I drive over it every day, too.”
“That’s why they call them box culverts,” Johnson said from the other side of the fence. “You don’t see them unless you’re walking inside.” “Why couldn’t we just cut this thing down?” Nathan huffed as he made the short trip up and over the wobbly chain link barrier. They were several blocks north of the raucous Freemont Street Experience and looking into the mouth of one of the storm drain entrances.
“Because no one in Metro wants to deal with the city officials over it,” Johnson said.
“Talk about spook central.” Nathan shined his light toward the culvert. Bathed in shadows, it stood silent and empty. A chill of foreboding washed over him. “Watch yourselves.” Johnson led the way as the three men entered the culvert, weapons ready. “Anything could be lurking.”
Standing water covered the toes of Nathan’s boots. The air was thick with mildew. “Drain’s over there.” He shined his tactical light on the flood map. “To the right.”
The temperature dropped as they entered the large drain. Darkness engulfed them.
Chris’s whistle cut through the eerie stillness. “Wow. It’s a hell of a lot cooler in here. Place smells like feet, but I’ll take what I can get.”
Nathan shined his light on the walls. Colorful graffiti decorated the concrete.
“Someone’s a talented artist.”
The darkness thickened with each step. The odor grew increasingly foul. “Jesus, I can taste the stench in my mouth.” Chris gagged and spit into the dirty water.
Nathan didn’t respond. He was too busy trying to keep the contents of his stomach down and wondering how the people who lived in the tunnels stood the smell and the constant dangers. The drains provided relief from the sweltering desert heat, and free housing, but they were death traps. Large portions ran directly underneath the city streets and inhabitants risked carbon monoxide poisoning and the frequent threat of flooding. Growing up poor in North Las Vegas gave him a better perspective than many, but he couldn’t imagine having no other alternative than to live minute-by-minute.
“We shouldn’t run into any camps,” Johnson said. “They’re deeper in. One of the biggest is right under the Strip.”
“You know we aren’t going to find shit,” Chris choked out. “It’s too dark. Guy planned this for months. He knows his way around. We need to get out of here and check on Adam.”
“Medic called me when they got him to the hospital,” Johnson said. “He’s going into surgery. All we’d be doing right now is sitting around waiting. Still have to do our jobs, Holt.”
“He’s just a rookie. I should have been in front of him.”
“Stop,” Nathan said. “You followed protocol. That was a lucky shot.”
“Doesn’t make it right.”
Silence fell over the men as they moved farther into the stinking drain. Something hard crunched underneath Nathan’s boots. He nervously shined his light into the black water. Crawfish swam around his feet, probably on their way to the Las Vegas Wash. A mushy white glob looking suspiciously like used toilet paper floated by, and he focused his light away from the stream. Better not to know what he was stepping on.
A loud splash ahead brought all three to a halt.
“You hear that?” Johnson asked.
“Sounds big.” Chris stepped in front of Johnson and raised his Glock.
“Las Vegas SWAT,” Johnson shouted. “Identify yourself.”
Nothing.
“Maybe it was an animal,” Nathan said.
“That’s even worse than a junkie,” Chris said. “With my luck, Cujo’s man-eating cousin will show up and give me rabies.”
“They have shots for that now.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
A second loud splash was followed by the distinct sound of footsteps plodding through the water.
“That’s no dog.” Chris sprinted after the runner with Nathan and Johnson closely following. The beams of their lights flashed haphazardly against the walls making the tunnel even more ominous.
A strange brightness glowed several yards ahead of them. Their quarry came into view. He was too short and stocky to be their man, but he could have information.
Author Bio:
Raised in southeastern Iowa, Stacy Green grew up watching crime shows with her parents, so her love of suspense and psychological thrillers is no surprise. She’s fascinated by the workings of the criminal mind and explores true crime on her popular Thriller Thursday posts at her blog, Turning the Page.
After earning her degree in journalism, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a
stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for a city magazine before penning her first novel. She shelved the long drama and began working on a suspense book set in Las Vegas, featuring a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless.
Into The Dark is suspense with a dash of romance, and Stacy is hard at work on her next book, a darker, grittier thriller set in the Deep South.
When she’s not writing, she spends all her time with her precocious daughter, supportive husband, and their three obnoxious but lovable canine children.
