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Dream-Logic Terror
The Dream Killer follows a man who is horrified to discover the body of a missing child prodigy in his basement. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The Dream Killer came straight out of a recurring nightmare I’ve had for years—decades, actually. The first time I had it was in the early ‘90s when the JonBenét Ramsey case was all over the news. I was about ten, so I didn’t really understand what had happened, just that a little girl had been found dead in a basement and that nobody knew who did it. I guess my brain took that fragment of information and processed it into a nightmare.
In my dream, I found JonBenét’s body, and somehow, I knew I was the one who killed her… but I had no memory of doing it. My parents knew too, and they helped me cover it up—hiding the body, making sure no one found out. But the police were onto me, questioning me, circling closer. The overwhelming feeling was this deep, gnawing dread. I was free… but not really. It was just a matter of time before the other shoe dropped before I was exposed and my whole life was over.
And this nightmare kept coming back. It wasn’t always JonBenét (I’m not a total psychopath), but the core of it was the same: I’d find a body, I’d know I was responsible, and the dream was all about covering it up, not getting caught, and feeling the crushing guilt of having done something unspeakable. I’d wake up from these dreams still carrying that feeling—sometimes it would take me ten, twenty minutes to shake it off and realize, Oh. Right. I didn’t actually kill anyone.
Then, a couple of years ago, I had the nightmare again… but this time, it didn’t stop. It evolved. It played out past the usual cycle of guilt and cover-up, into an Act 2 and an Act 3. And in this “sequel nightmare,” I finally got answers: Who am I? Who is the girl? Why was she killed? What does it all mean? I woke up from that version of the dream so excited because I love movies and books that feel like nightmares stuff like War of the Worlds (Spielberg’s version), Eraserhead, The Trial, The Metamorphosis. I’d always wanted to write something that captured that kind of dream-logic terror, but whenever I tried to force it, it never entirely worked. It always felt like… trying too hard.
But with The Dream Killer, I didn’t have to force anything. I’d say 80% of it is the nightmare. I just translated it into a novel. It’s pure id, ego, and superego—raw and unfiltered. And I finally managed to create something that feels like nightmare fuel… because it is nightmare fuel. It comes straight from that part of me.
Which of your characters is most similar to you or to people you know?
Ethan is kind of a cipher for the everyman—he’s technically me, in the sense that he’s the dreamer who finds the body. He spends the story constantly bewildered by the shifting, surreal world around him, which is exactly how I felt in those nightmares.
Sophia Labelle, on the other hand, is this rebellious, film-school-dropout-turned-director—a sort of splatterpunk filmmaker. She came from this idea I had back when I was in film school. I used to always say, “Where’s the female Tarantino? I bet if there was one, people would lose their minds over her movies.” And this was before Julia Ducournau and Coralie Fargeat came onto the scene, so Sophia is kind of my imagined version of that—a cocky, fearless filmmaker who makes these ultra-violent, no-holds-barred films. She doesn’t compromise, and she doesn’t care who she offends.
Was there a risk you felt you took in this book? With your characters or with the plot?
The biggest risk I took with this book was trusting that readers would connect with its subconscious, dreamlike logic. It operates on nightmare rules—things don’t always make immediate sense, but instead of holding the reader’s hand, the story asks them to just feel what Ethan is going through.
I really believe that if you go along with that experience, everything clicks into place by the end. There are plenty of clues dropped throughout, and if you’re paying attention, you’ll start to piece together what’s really happening. What I’m most proud of is that early readers have embraced that challenge. Instead of needing everything spelled out, they’ve leaned into the mystery, becoming detectives in their own right. And hopefully, by the time they reach the twist, it feels like this mind-blowing, cathartic moment that makes it all worth it.
Can we look forward to more books from you soon? What do you currently have in the works?
Right now, I’m working on a book called The End, which follows a man trying to make sense of his girlfriend’s suicide. It explores themes of the afterlife, and I’ve got it fully outlined—but there are still some missing pieces that I need to make it as strong as it can be.
Right now, I’m letting the idea marinate. I know it’s close, but I’m waiting for that spark of inspiration to bring everything together—especially in a way that truly cements it as a horror novel. That’s the missing piece. So for now, I’m just living with the idea, letting it evolve in the back of my mind until writing it feels inevitable.
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His quest leads him to James LaRoche, a scientist who believed people could kill within their dreams. As Ethan unravels a global conspiracy, every clue ensnares him deeper, unveiling horrors beyond imagination. Welcome to… The Dream Killer.
The Dream Killer
Adam Cosco’s The Dream Killer is a psychological thriller that hooks you from the very first sentence and doesn’t let go. The story follows Ethan Webman, a man whose ordinary life is shattered when he becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of a child prodigy, Mary Kay Redding. What begins as an eerie news report soon spirals into a waking nightmare as Ethan discovers her lifeless body hidden inside his own basement carpet. The novel expertly blurs the line between reality and paranoia, leaving the reader questioning what is real and what is part of some greater, sinister design.
Cosco’s writing is vivid and unsettling in the best way. His descriptions plunge you into the thick of Ethan’s growing dread, like the moment he first unrolls the carpet and sees a strand of blonde hair, a slow, horrifying revelation that made my stomach drop. The scene where his mother walks in, unknowingly asking for the same carpet, adds an unbearable tension, forcing Ethan and us to confront the unthinkable. There’s something cinematic about Cosco’s pacing, the way each revelation lands like a gut punch, pulling you deeper into the mystery.
The novel’s greatest strength is its psychological complexity. Ethan is a man drowning in uncertainty, not just about the crime but about himself. The way his past, his father’s illness, and his own isolation intertwine with the investigation creates layers of unease. When Detective Harris enters the picture, the novel takes on a suffocating quality, each interaction a game of cat and mouse where Ethan is the rat trapped in a maze he doesn’t understand. And the symbol, the triangle with three dots lurks at the center of it all, a haunting, ever-present mark of something ancient and unknown.
Cosco’s style leans into slow-burn suspense rather than explosive action, making every discovery feel earned rather than handed to the reader. Some might find the narrative’s dreamlike quality disorienting, especially as Ethan’s grip on reality loosens. But this is what makes The Dream Killer so effective, it lingers, crawls under your skin, and refuses to leave, much like the chilling final scene where Ethan begins to question whether he ever had control over his own actions at all.
The Dream Killer is perfect for fans of dark, cerebral thrillers like Gone Girl or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you enjoy stories where paranoia, conspiracy, and fractured identities collide, this book will keep you up at night. It’s the kind of thriller that makes you glance over your shoulder long after you’ve turned the last page. Highly recommended.
Pages: 326 | ASIN : B0DTMPDJXR
Twists and Turns
A Change in Destiny: Dark Suspicions follows an FBI investigator who loses his prime suspect and a key witness, causing him to turn his attention to the suspect’s wife, only she has an identical twin sister complicating matters. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for this setup on Book II is questions have been left unanswered from Book I.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I loved writing the Boots brother characters. They are complicated as you discover at the end of the book. If any were more difficult it was Brian. His story became more involved as the story progressed.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?
The twists and turns…some were planned others developed. As an author, you may be heading down one road with your thoughts and plans, and then a left turn comes up fast and takes you in another direction.
What will the next book in that series be about, and when will it be published?
I do not plan to write another book for this series, however; I did leave it open to a possible one. I will need to sleep on it.
I am working on a book of short stories, and a new paranormal comedy/cozy mystery series, and have plans for a thriller/horror novella.
There will be two audiobooks released sometime this year, Dark Suspicions and my novella It’s for the Best.
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Charlie is not alone in the spotlight—her mirror-image twin, Dani, adds complexity to the case as a potential accomplice. Brian suspects the twins are concealing crucial evidence. However, their formidable legal defense team hinders any progress. Brian is forced to conceive a risky strategy to uncover a more profound layer of criminal activity. He will deceive those closest to him to discover the truth.
Meanwhile, Charlie and Dani plan to protect their secrets, forging ahead despite Brian’s probing. His relentless pursuit of justice teeters on the brink of an all-consuming obsession. Will his dark suspicions lead to dark consequences?
Stories of Abuse
Hollywood and Velvet is a gripping tale of fame’s seductive and destructive power, following a struggling actor and a faded starlet as they navigate a surreal, volatile bond in the heart of Beverly Hills. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was living in Cincinnati in 2013 and one of my favorite bands, The National, released an album called Trouble Will Find Me. I listened to that album obsessively and over the course of several months, the vibe of the album inspired a narrative of a young guy from Cincinnati who gets out of the military and takes the risk that I never did. He heads to LA on a whim and has some early success in the film industry but ultimately, gets consumed by it. The story has some psychosexual elements to it, so I put the manuscript on the back burner because I felt society wasn’t ready for it. In 2023, I was already living in Florida, but I had the opportunity to see The National live in Cincinnati and their entire set was the entire Trouble Will Find Me album. That concert was a surreal, creative catalyst for me. I went back to my hotel, opened the manuscript, and put the finishing touches on it through the night. Looking at the recent mainstream successes of psychosexual projects like The Handmaid’s Tale and Babygirl, I felt the time was right to release it.
The book offers sharp commentary on the entertainment industry. Was this drawn from personal experience or research?
I had the opportunity in my youth to participate in some film productions and I fell in love with the process. However, even as a teenager in the 80s, I was already aware that the path to being a professional actor leads to heartache 99% of the time so I ended up enlisting in the military after high school and later, pursuing some business ventures which fortunately, ended up giving me the freedom in my 40s to explore my creative endeavors. The narrative I developed for the story was based on a compilation of publicized stories of abuse as well as many that are still circulating throughout Los Angeles but haven’t been made public yet.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
With the exposure of the abuse in Hollywood over the past several years, I have heard a lot of people blame the victims and wonder why they didn’t “just walk away.” That is an oversimplified perspective. When you dedicate your entire life to pursuing a dream, it’s unrealistic to expect someone to walk away from their dreams because of one disgusting person.
I also wanted to explore the complexity of sexual assault and why it is often not reported. It is a trauma that doesn’t come with a natural way to cope. It creates a plethora of emotions and, as we have seen in hundreds of cases, the blame often falls on the victim.
And, of course, I wanted to explore the addictive power of fame. Both of the main characters have had a taste and in their own ways, are seeking to recapture the feeling. Fame can be like a drug. Once you are addicted, you will crave it your entire life.
The dynamic between Velvet and Christian is tense and intimate. How did you approach writing their evolving relationship?
Velvet was the easier character to develop because of the nature of the story. I had some flexibility with her because the reader never really knows the real person. I actually love hearing readers’ retrospective analysis, contemplating which of Velvet’s actions were genuine, which were contrived to manipulate Christian, and which were performance. Christian was a bit more rigid. I had to allow his character to grow and evolve but always maintain his core personality and beliefs. Their relationship was complicated by Velvet’s complexity and constantly changing behavior. I had to carefully consider how Christian would respond to it. It was important to develop him the way I did because a much more assertive or impulsive person would walk away from the situation. Most readers figure out that he was chosen to be in Velvet’s scheme because of his personality.
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First Sign of Ambiguity
Fragmentation Vol II: In Search Of follows a man who attempts to return to a normal life in a chaotic world after finding himself in the desert unable to remember what brought him there. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The setup goes back to the opening of Fragmentation Vol I: The Three of Clubs, which was greatly inspired by Breaking Bad. A former criminal from Miami decides to break good and become a wedding planner. Then, he meets his first bridezilla. This premise allowed the fusion of comedy and thriller. In the first desert chapter of Vol II, the decision was made not to show the reader what happened, from how Vol I ends to Rodrigo waking up in the desert. This mystery casts a shadow through the rest of the book and is the first sign of ambiguity.
The theme of a guilty conscience was inspired by Crime and Punishment. On one level, it is my own interpretation of a fractured psyche that needs to be asked: Can it be fixed?
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well-balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
I always knew sci-fi would be more prominent at some point in this series. In Vol II, there is a long chapter that dives into what I refer to as realistic sci-fi elements. It laid the foundation for what may happen in the future. Much research went into that chapter to ensure it came across as authentic. The payoff for some aspects of Vol II will not come until the next volume.
What was your favorite character to write for and why? Was there a scene you felt captured the character’s essence?
While I loved writing the Jaimie-Lynn character, I would have to return to Rodrigo Santos. It allowed me to show Rodrigo at his most narcissistic with few redeeming qualities in the first book. For many readers, there is a certain relatability of his plight and how deep that guilt is eating away. Does one deserve
redemption for crimes committed in the past?
One of my favorite scenes for Vol II comes from the chapter called Soul. It begins with narration of the state of the music industry and what could have been for Rodrigo. Slowly, there is a shift to more introspection. The song he sings is a double-edged sword. Is it about the soul of the music industry or his own? Rodrigo carries this excessive guilt, and by the time the last act comes, it is an unbearable burden.
Can fans look forward to a third volume in the Fragmentation series? If so, where will it take readers?
Yes. Fragmentation is a long series. Based on the final chapter from Vol II, I cannot give too much away about Vol III. Backstories will be told as the story comes closer to revealing what is going on with Rodrigo. One of the characters from this latest volume is fleshed out in detail. The first ACT in Vol III is written in epistolary format. Look for a 2026 release.
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Rodrigo Santos climbs from his desert grave surrounded by blood and destruction with no recollection of how he got there. Hitching a ride back home, Rodrigo goes back to his life as a wedding planner and club owner in Austin, Texas, convinced it was all a dream.
But Austin is nothing like he remembers. Murders occur everywhere he goes. Bridezillas with wild requests fill his days, while nightmares of a little girl and her teddy bear terrorize his dreams at night. She reminds Rodrigo of the evil of his past, which triggers his OCD in full force.
Suspicions rise as the lines between truth and hallucinations blur, and Rodrigo tailspins into depression. Whether it is mental illness, purgatory, or another dimension, Rodrigo must wallow through his past to find a tether to his reality before he is sent to hell.
Jake Fox: Ties That Blind
Michael Stockham’s Ties That Blind is a gripping blend of suspense, drama, and raw human emotion. The story weaves through the lives of Jake Fox, a lawyer haunted by the loss of his daughter, and Rose Tucker, a teenage girl thrust into a whirlwind of tragedy and danger after her father’s murder. Set in the tight-knit, secret-laden town of Haven, Texas, the novel is a journey through grief, redemption, and the pursuit of justice. It’s a layered narrative, unflinchingly raw yet deeply human.
Stockham does not shy away from heart-wrenching tragedy. The first chapter vividly describes Jake discovering his daughter Lucy’s suicide. It’s haunting, visceral, and almost too real. The palpable grief that drives Jake’s character gives the story its beating heart. Yet, there’s a thread of hope, too. Jake’s visions of Lucy anchor him, a tender, otherworldly reminder that even in despair, there’s something to hold onto. Stockham’s portrayal of trauma feels authentic, unafraid to explore the quiet moments of despair, like Jake’s late-night struggle with a gun and his ultimate decision to keep going. These moments linger long after reading. Rose Tucker, however, steals the spotlight with her resilience. Her storyline of fleeing into the night, grappling with her father’s brutal murder, and navigating her newfound orphaned existence is both heart-wrenching and electrifying. The well-crafted tension in scenes like Rose’s escape to the storm shelter had my pulse racing. You feel her fear, uncertainty, and growing determination to uncover the truth. Her relationship with Margie, a steadfast maternal figure, adds warmth to the story’s darker themes. Margie’s down-home wisdom and kindness give Rose a sanctuary in a world turned upside down. Stockham masterfully builds a world where secrets lurk behind every picket fence and corruption festers in shadows.
Ties That Blind is a story of hope amid darkness, courage amid fear, and the ties, both broken and unbreakable, that define us. Stockham’s prose is evocative and approachable, making the characters’ struggles feel intensely personal. I’d recommend this book to fans of suspenseful thrillers with strong emotional undertones. It’s perfect for readers who appreciate layered mysteries and heartfelt stories of redemption. Whether you’re in it for the twists, the legal drama, or the poignant character arcs, this book delivers.
Pages: 398 | ASIN : B0CQQFZVJJ
Twists and Turns
Muddy the Water follows a detective in pursuit of a suspected murderer who manages to reinvent himself as a reporter for a small-town newspaper in South Carolina. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
In 1997 Matt drove south from Virginia to Hilton Head, SC, to start a job as a reporter for a small newspaper called the Hilton Head Island Packet. That’s when he started thinking: what if he got bumped off and the guy who showed up for work the next day at The Packet was an impostor? After all, Matt had been hired over the phone. No one had any idea what he looked like. That kernel of an idea rattled around in Matt’s head for decades. He even sketched out the plot and wrote down character names. Abraham Mink was one of them. But it never went beyond that until February 2020, when he relayed the rough idea to Jessica during a family dinner. “Let’s write it together” she said, her eyes on fire. A few days later, Jessica had contacted a coroner from Jasper County, SC, to confirm that a dead body could, in fact, travel seventy-five miles downstream and make it largely intact to the ocean. With the coroner’s blessing, we were off!
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
As we mentioned, the kernel of the mystery occurred to Matt as he drove to his first job, but there were 30 more chapters to come up with. One day early in the pandemic, we both woke up before dawn, caffeinated ourselves thoroughly, and got on a Zoom together to map out the plot. On a whiteboard, we outlined about 20 chapters, which we hoped would be enough for a full novel. We found out after about six months of writing that the manuscript was a bit thin so we added a few more twists and turns to flesh it out.
What do you find is the hardest part about writing a mystery story; where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
We find the hardest part of writing a mystery is laying the trail of hints that we leave for the readers. It has to be subtle enough not to give away the big reveal, but clear enough that the reader notices it. There also have to be carefully considered “red herrings” that also catch the readers’ attention and softly distract them from figuring out the ultimate ending. One of the good things about writing as a team is you can bounce those ideas back and forth to determine what will really work.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes! Matt and Jessica are pleased to announce a sequel to Muddy the Water (whose title is yet to be determined) with many of the same characters, including Lillian Grimes, Ben Broome and Florence Park. It, too, will be grounded in facts with lots of believable twists and turns and a fantastic finale!
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When a half-eaten body washes in, it becomes the biggest story in the paper’s history and brings cunning, charismatic Ben immediate success. But it also leads Grimes closer to the truth. She soon teams up with hungry rival reporter Florence Park to hunt Ben down before he can charm-or kill-his way to freedom.
Shown from three perspectives, killer, detective, and reporter, Muddy the Water brings readers inside the newsroom of a struggling small newspaper on the bucolic South Carolina coast and speaks to the concept of identity-and whether anyone ever shows his or her true self.
Muddy the Water
Haversport, Massachusetts, appears idyllic—a serene, coastal haven. That illusion shatters when a beloved fishing captain is discovered savagely murdered. Suspicion immediately falls on Ben Broome, a defiant young deckhand. Detective Lillian Grimes, convinced of his guilt, is ready to make her move, but Broome vanishes before she can act. Months later, he resurfaces in South Carolina, not as a fugitive but as a reporter for a small newspaper. Fame quickly finds him when a decomposed body washes ashore. Meanwhile, Detective Grimes partners with Florence Park, a rival journalist, to track Broome down. Yet, Broome has plans of his own, upending their pursuit in unexpected ways.
Muddy the Water, by Matt Barrows and Jessica Barrows Beebe, unfolds as a gripping mystery-crime novel, skillfully narrated from three distinct perspectives: Detective Grimes, Ben Broome, and Florence Park. This narrative approach evokes the intricate storytelling of Dashiell Hammett and Michael Connelly. By alternating narrators, the authors enrich the story, providing depth and nuance that elevate it above a standard whodunit. Each perspective brings something vital to the narrative. Broome, initially a suspect steeped in mystery, emerges as a multi-dimensional character grappling with moral ambiguity. Grimes, seemingly a textbook detective archetype, reveals layers of complexity that make her both relatable and compelling. Park’s voice, unbiased and sharp, offers readers a clear lens through which to view the escalating tension, grounding the story amid its twists and turns.
The structural ambition of the novel is worth noting. Shifting between three protagonists could have easily disrupted the pacing or diluted the impact, but Barrows and Beebe handle it with remarkable finesse. Their seamless transitions and strong characterizations make the narrative cohesion feel effortless, even as the plot hurtles forward with intensity. Readers will find plenty to admire here. The dialogue is thoughtful and deliberate, adding a contemplative tone to the thrilling plot. The pacing balances moments of quiet revelation with bursts of high-stakes drama. Most importantly, the conclusion is deeply satisfying—a payoff that feels genuinely earned rather than conveniently delivered.
Muddy the Water is more than a murder mystery; it’s a character-driven exploration of truth, deception, and justice. Fans of crime fiction will appreciate its clever twists, while those new to the genre will find themselves captivated by its rich storytelling and dynamic cast. This novel proves that in the hands of skilled authors, even the murkiest waters can yield treasures worth discovering.
Pages: 258 | ASIN : B0DLLHQXWX
LITERARY TITAN 