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How Criminals Think
Drowning My Suspicions follows two friends who investigate the death of their friend and find that it might not have been an accident and the killer may be lurking. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I am an avid watcher of detective and investigative stories. I have always wondered how criminals think and how they act when greed and power take over in a person’s mind and nothing will stand in their way. I try to look at the motivation that drives them and incorporate that into the story.
The characters in your story are interesting and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
The characters in the book are developed behind the ideals of wanting to find justice, character flaws that they try to correct, and from background, whether it be home life or friend’s influences. I think it is important to see each character from the events in their lives that shaped them and formed them. I also shoot for a blend of what I know about real people and what I would like my readers to see in these characters. The blend of those two things are important when I am bringing those characters to life.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some themes that were important were justice, the frailty of the human mind, relationships and the outcomes when they turn bad. People can become very selfish and cold hearted. When opportunity becomes a series of sordid events to make that opportunity a reality for a person, their mind is clouded and judgment is affected. They get trapped and instead of doing the right thing, they are caught up into making one mistake after another until the climax builds a situation that becomes desperate. People are affected psychologically by the things that happen in their life, both the good and the bad. I want my readers to seriously consider that in their own lives when it comes to understanding others.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book will be the fourth in the Mike Parsons series, “Mirror Image”. I have three previous books in this series that you can find here at the following link: The Mike Parsons Trilogy (3 book series) Kindle Edition (amazon.com). The book will be available sometime in the late fall of 2021.
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Braden lands the job of his dreams and he leaves his girlfriend Arial behind to accept the position. Once he starts his new career, but realizing he’s still hung up on Arial, he wants to go back to her. However, his agent Tyler, and Braden’s best friend investigative reporter Larry, try to convince him to forget about Arial and move on, but when Braden falls ill he has to make a decision on what to do with his life.
Arial Kramer is furious when Braden dumps her for a ‘job’. She vows never to depend on a man again and makes the decision to use men to get what she wants. Power, money and fame. Then, at an inopportune time, she gets a call informing her he’s sick and wants to get their relationship on track again. Braden admits he made a mistake and she reluctantly takes him back. She wonders if he will find out she is involved with some seedy characters in a fraud scheme.
When Braden meets an untimely demise and his friends, Larry and Tyler start to investigate what really happened that night at Arial’s place. Was it an accident or was it murder? Who could have done what to their friend?
In this thriller filled with greed, lust, money and power, Larry and Tyler set out to find the truth and ensure that justice for their friend, Braden McDermott is served.
Drowning My Suspicions
![Drowning My Suspicions by [Malcolm Tanner]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51l2FWPqoNL.jpg)
Drowning My Suspicions by Malcolm Tanner is a captivating story of Braden McDermott, a well-established sports broadcaster and close friend of Larry Mattingly, an investigative reporter. Larry narrates his journey to investigate his friend’s death, which he believes was not justly resolved by the law. The story is action-packed and moves smoothly between an ongoing court case and the series of events leading up to the trial in a succession of flashbacks. As Larry delves into his friend’s acquaintances and connections stemming from Arial Kramer, an ex-girlfriend, he follows a path of deceit and crime that stems over several years, leading up to Braden’s unfortunate fate.
Malcolm Tanner writes with an exciting, fast-paced tale that keeps you engaged immediately from the beginning. The story quickly shifts into past events tied to the court testimonies and witness accounts, focusing on specific individuals and their connections to the case. The author leads the reader into layers of circumstances and events surrounding Braden, Larry, Arial, and a few key players in the story. This process creates an atmosphere of mystery about the death and how what appears to be a straightforward story is far more complex. As new events and developments occur, new characters and situations emerge, drawing the reader deeper as the story digs far below the plot’s surface.
The author steadily builds momentum, along with unexpected twists, holding the reader’s attention until the end. Larry’s investigation takes in a lot more as the story moves to include peripheral characters and instances that weave into a much larger role in the plot. He is a likable character with a keen eye for finding justice with an unrelenting nature. Each chapter is short and concise but descriptive enough to keep you moving forward without pause. It’s an addictive read that ignites a sense of getting to the bottom of the case. I felt that longing to solve the mystery like a jigsaw puzzle that continues to grow, adding more pieces along the journey.
As a reader who enjoys character development and complexities, I found Drowning My Suspicions an enjoyable read, with a layered plot that kept me moving from one riveting scene to the next. Drowning My Suspicions is a hard-boiled mystery with an engaging storyline, fascinating characters, and a plot that will engross you.
Pages: 243 | ASIN: B08V57XXPM
LITERARY TITAN 