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Defusing Theories
In Serial Obsession, a journalist-turned-cold case investigator discovers new information in the case of a serial killer and sets out to uncover the truth behind a wrongful accusation. How were you able to strike a balance between suspense and romance?
I always want my novels to be plot-heavy and use the sex and intimacy as just a part of what’s really going on. I want there to be purpose for the relationship, and that purpose will usually be that the main characters find it more advantageous and a lot more fun to work as a duo. Naturally, this arrangement creates depth in the relationship and helps it develop into something almost surreal. The danger and the unknown seem to pull the lovers in even closer, making their connection not only fiery but also a testament to mutual respect and loyalty. Serial Obsession is a great example of how a story creates the relationship, and the lovers’ romance enhances the story.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing a series? The most rewarding?
The Map Dot Series is different than most book series because the books are actually stand-alones. We call it a series because every book has a common thread—the action takes place in a little Midwestern map dot town. The town is real, and even the locations such as Whittle’s Pub and Grub from Serial Obsession are real, but the story and the characters are entirely from my overactive imagination. These books have no reading order and are only numbered to show the order of release. So, in this case, my challenges were minimal.
Honestly, I spend a lot of time defusing theories about who’s who because everyone thinks there’s a little truth woven into the plot and characters. But that’s just not the case. I just like to build my stories around the places I know best because it helps me visualize and keeps me from taking too many liberties with the flexibility of fiction. Most definitely, the most rewarding aspect of creating this series is going to the little towns, talking with the people there, and getting feedback on the books.
Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 3 of the Map Dot series? Where will it take readers?
Desperate Measures, Book 3 in the Map Dot Series, comes out this spring. This time, the unassuming little map dot town is Argenta, Illinois, and the location is partially the town pub, Bargenta. This book was inspired by my upcoming participation as an attending author on the Love Lit Cruise in February 2026. The main character is a romance novelist who suffers tremendously with the details of her own love life. And, yes, she is embarking on an adventure on the high seas aboard the Love Lit Cruise early in the book. But let me remind you, my characters are not based on anyone real, despite the fact that everyone will assume I am Poppy Wallcroft (sigh). This superficial description of the book might seem like I’m venturing into a more traditional romance subgenre; however, Desperate Measures contains my signature female power character, plot twists that will have your head spinning, and thrilling danger that makes you gasp. Words Matter Publishing and I are shooting for an April release.
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“I’m so sorry, I just came out here half-dressed like I owned the place.”
“…please don’t apologize for making my day,” he said, flashing her a look from those sexy blue eyes. “I never knew that old t-shirt could look so good.”
Camille Hargrove is a serious cold case investigator. When a tip leads her to Lake of the Ozarks to reopen the Kelcee Meyer rape and murder case, Camille vows to find justice for Kelcee and her family. In the process, she encounters Ross Paine, the innocent man framed for the crime. The investigation heats up when Camille and Ross give in to their fiery attraction and become partners in more ways than one. When they expose Shane Simpson, the real killer, Camille becomes his target, and they discover that Shane’s connection to Ross is more complicated than they ever suspected. Unravel the mystery and catch a killer with this sexy duo in Serial Obsession, Marcy Bialeschki’s second stand-alone novel in the Map Dot Series.
Serial Obsession
Serial Obsession is a romantic suspense novel set around the Lake of the Ozarks, and it opens with a chilling hook. A serial killer named Shane Simpson hunts a young woman, Kelcee Meyer, and frames an innocent man, Ross Paine. When journalist turned cold-case investigator Camille Hargrove stumbles onto new information, she heads into the small Midwestern “map dot” towns to uncover the truth. The story weaves between a murder mystery, a wrongful accusation, and a slow-building connection between Camille and Ross, all against the backdrop of a community shaken by fear and rumor.
I felt pulled in by how grounded the world was. The lake towns feel authentic. People work long shifts, drive beaten-up cars, and deal with messy families. The author leans heavily into the genre’s blend of romantic suspense, giving us both danger and desire, and she doesn’t shy away from intensity in either direction. Sometimes the scenes get gritty, sometimes tender, and sometimes downright chaotic, but that unevenness actually made it feel more like real life. I liked that Camille isn’t a perfect detective. She’s passionate, stubborn, and occasionally a hot mess, and that combination kept her relatable.
The book moves quickly from plot to plot: murder, investigation, flirtation, danger, repeat. I realized the speed mirrors Camille’s own momentum. She throws herself into things whether she’s ready or not, and the narrative matches her energy. Ross, meanwhile, is written with this quiet heaviness that lingers. You feel the injustice hanging over him. The contrast between his guarded calm and Camille’s spark gives their scenes a natural tension. Even the villain gets space to be more than a shadow. We see the twisted logic behind his actions, which made the thriller element feel more unsettling.
By the end, what stayed with me wasn’t only the mystery but the themes simmering under it: how communities rush to judgment, how a rumor can ruin a life, and how hard it is to rebuild trust once it’s been shattered. The romance adds warmth, and the suspense keeps the pages turning, but there’s also this thread of “fairness” running through the story that gives it more weight than your typical thriller.
If you like romantic suspense that leans into both sides of the genre, with small-town atmosphere and characters who feel bruised but determined, I think you’ll enjoy Serial Obsession. Readers who want a gritty mystery wrapped in a relationship-driven plot will probably get the most out of it.
Pages: 356 | ISBN : 978-1968542061
LITERARY TITAN 