When Serial Killers Terrorize a California Beach Community, One Woman Stands in Their Way
Emily Stone doesn’t have a badge. But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps — and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.
Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity — unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women — and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?
Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.
Emily Stone doesn’t have a badge. But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps — and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.
Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity — unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women — and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?
Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.
Street Talk with Jennifer Chase:
BH: What or who most influenced your writing?
JC: My intense interest in crime and forensics along with my love for books has influenced my writing the most.
BH: What is the one thing you want readers to know about your book(s) and/or writing?
JC: I enjoy crafting a thrilling ride for readers to enjoy.
BH: What is your next project and when can we expect to read it?
JC: I’m currently working on another fiction/thriller story and it will be available before the end of this year.
Jennifer Chase holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology. Her intense curiosity in the psychological aspect of crime is what drives her to write crime fiction. She lives in California, where she’s currently at work on her next book in the series.
Welcome to Bookland Heights, Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteI'm always interested in how authors develop plots. For you, do you let your characters tell you what will happen, or do you have the whole storyline before you begin writing?
Diana
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's great to be here.
First, I usually have a simple plot idea in mind and then I begin to move more into the characters. With Compulsion, I began to develop the premise of a woman hunting down serial killers and then I let the characters tell me what was going to happen next. A few things changed along the way, but the story felt right to me.
I usually form an outline before jumping into writing my chapters. I know that some writers feel that it takes away from the creative process, but it's really setting a solid blueprint to the book. The creative process is still a fun and easy going experience for me.
Jennifer
I have to know, Jennifer, what got you into criminology and police forensics?
ReplyDeleteDiana
It's not what you might think. I had a next door neighbor who was a psychopath (violent at times) and he threatened my life consistently for 2 1/2 years. My experiences would make a scary TV movie. I can laugh about this now, but at the time it was quite frightening.
ReplyDeleteDuring that time, I became interested in forensics. This was a time when it wasn't common to hear about CSI. I was also intrigued by this neighbor's behavior because it was criminology textbook behavior. I met many of the local law enforcement people and they were supportive. I was basically hooked! I really became interested in why criminals commit certain types of crimes. With my passion for writing and books, it seemed that these two things worked well together.
I have to honestly say if it wasn't for my neighbor, I might not have studied these fields.
Oh, my god! That is an incredible story, Jennifer. 2 1/2 years is a long time to be threatened, to live with that kind of emotional turmoil and fear.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad for you that particular life story had a happy ending, that it brought you to where you are now.
Oh, what we endure for the sake of creativity!
Best,
Diana