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Gentle Readers:

This will possibly be the most fun newsletter I ever write. THE FINAL CUT is a major bestseller — hitting the top ten on the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Digital BookWorld, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists. Really, it can’t do any better. And I have you to thank — you answered the call, bought the book, and have made me a New York Times bestselling author. I think every writer has the goal of having those four little words in front of their name, so this is truly a momentous occasion.

I truly can’t thank you enough for making this the most exciting week I’ve had since I began writing. And the good news: we’re hard at work on the next Nicholas Drummond book, YARD OF GRAVES — and this one will be even better than the first.

To give you some love back, I have a surprise. The cover reveal for the new Samantha Owens book — WHEN SHADOWS FALL, which comes out February 25, 2014. Ready???

Preorder Now!

Isn’t that gorgeous??? Now, remember what happened with THE FINAL CUT? Chickens, I am counting on you to make WHEN SHADOWS FALL a massive bestseller as well. So click on over and pre-order! (Ebook pre-orders will be coming soon!) Here’s a snippet about the book — and trust me, it is a wild ride.

Dear Dr. Owens,

If you are reading this letter, I am dead and I would be most grateful if you could solve my murder...

Forensic pathologist Dr. Samantha Owens thought life was finally returning to normal after she suffered a terrible personal loss. Settling into her new job at Georgetown University, the illusion is shattered when she receives a disturbing letter from a dead man imploring her to solve his murder. There’s only one catch. Timothy Savage’s death was so obviously the suicide of a demented individual that the case has been closed.

When Sam learns Savage left a will requesting she autopsy his body, she feels compelled to look into the case. Sam’s own postmortem discovers clear signs that Savage was indeed murdered. And she finds DNA from a kidnapped child whose remains were recovered years earlier. The investigation takes Sam into the shadows of a twenty-year-old mystery that must be solved to determine what really happened to Timothy Savage. Nothing about the case makes sense but it is clear someone is unwilling to let anyone, especially Samantha Owens, discover the truth.

Tours

Well guess what? I am staying HOME. Sort of. I have a research trip scheduled in October, but other than that, it’s butt in chair time — I’ve got a new book to write!

Get Thee to a Bookstore

...And pre-order WHEN SHADOWS FALL!

I’ve bought a bunch of new books this month that I can’t wait to crack open. (I wish I could tell you I’ll be reading the new Stephen King, but I don’t like scary books. All my friends tell me it’s great, though.)

Alethea Kontis — HERO
V.E. Schwab — VICIOUS
John Sutherland and Stephen Fender — LOVE, SEX, DEATH & WORDS
Nora Ephron — I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK
Nancy Milford — SAVAGE BEAUTY
Jennifer Hubbard — UNTIL IT HURTS TO STOP

I’ve made a commitment to track all my reading this year, so if you’re on Goodreads, friend me, and follow along. I’m always interested in what you’re reading, too!


Contest

I like to give stuff away, so every month there’s a new contest on my site. The October contest is live now — enter to win a $25 gift card to your choice of bookstore.

And another great contest, thrillerpalooza — win 23 books from 24 authors! You have to see it to believe it.

October Recipe — Louisiana Style Shrimp and Grits

I had so much fun visiting New Orleans last month for our signing at Adler’s Jewelers, and I ate some of the best food ever. This was one of my favorites — a spicy, deliciously creamy shrimp and grits. I can’t get enough, and I’ve never been a fan of grits!
This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 pinches salt
• ¾ cup grits
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced tasso ham (Pancetta can be substituted)
• ¼ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
• 40 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, green parts only
• Optional: ½ cup shredded cheese — Fontina would be perfect

• Bring water and 1 pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan and slowly mix in the grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer grits until tender and smooth, about 20 minutes; stir often. Set aside and keep warm.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir tasso ham until crisp. Stir in onion and green bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Lightly stir the shrimp with the vegetables and olive oil just until pink, 30 to 45 seconds; remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
• Pour white wine into the skillet and stir, dissolving any browned bits of food in the bottom of the skillet; slowly add the cream, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Divide the grits onto 2 serving plates and line the edge of each plate with 10 shrimp. Pour cream sauce over grits (and cheese if you’re using it) and sprinkle each serving with chopped green onion tops.
• An Ellison amendment — stir the shrimp into the wine and blend with the grits instead of making it pretty. Devour!

Again, I can’t thank you enough for supporting THE FINAL CUT. Here’s to a beautiful, fun-filled, gloriously colored and spooky month!

xoxo,