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Unimaginable Lengths
In Run, a woman must protect her son after he witnesses a crime and the gang responsible sets out to silence them both. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration for this story is loosely based on a real-life experience. When my son was a teenager, he was jumped by two gang members who put him in the hospital for two weeks with a serious injury. During the investigation, and before his subsequent arrest, one of the gang members involved moved into the same condominium complex we lived in, constantly harassing us, and eventually necessitating our relocation. After his arrest, he continued to contact us via a cell phone smuggled into jail, threatening my son if he testified against him. Needless to say, I was frightened for my son’s life and was very close to moving him out of the area until the trial started.
That experience made me think about what I would do to protect my son if the situation escalated and the police couldn’t protect us. What would I do? Where would I take him? And how would we ever be able to resume our normal lives after that? Of course, my book is fiction, and very loosely based on our experience, as thank goodness, things turned out well for my son and his perpetrators are still in prison today.
Are you a fan of the crime thriller genre? What books do you think most influenced your work?
I have always been a fan of the thriller, suspense, and adventure genre. I am a huge fan of David Baldacci, Harlen Coben, and Lee Child, to name a few of the all-time greats.
Do you find that you relate to any of your characters? If so, which one(s)?
I can definitely relate to my protagonist, Kendra Thompson. She had to make some tough choices, but it was all done in the name of protecting her son. I believe most mothers can understand going to unimaginable lengths to save your child. Even when they are a typical snarky teenager with attitude, as Kendra’s son is!
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am just wrapping up my next thriller, which will be released on December 5, 2024. This next book is centered around a young woman named Megan Hamilton, who has just been dumped by her fiancé. After her mother guilt-trips her into going on a cruise to Mexico with her to heal from the heartbreak of her failed relationship, Megan meets a charming man onboard. However, no one is who they appear to be and when Megan goes missing, she soon realizes the truth is much worse than anything she could have imagined. Her perfect vacation is about to turn into a total nightmare. You’ll think twice before booking your next getaway.
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Now Kendra and her son are running for their lives, hunted by a vicious street gang with eyes and ears everywhere, who are determined to silence Kyle forever. In a deadly race to stay one step ahead of a ruthless gang, a crooked cop, and a corrupt politician, Kendra is the only one who can save him from a web of corruption that leaves her with almost no one she can trust.
Their lives hang in the balance as two strangers become their best chance for survival-a gutsy truck driver and her brother, a retired DEA agent with a questionable past.
Kendra’s fierce determination to save her son and outmatch their pursuers is put to the test as she discovers just how far she is willing to go and what she will sacrifice to protect her child.
But where can a desperate mother turn for help when she can’t trust anyone, and everyone has a stake in finding them?
Run
Run, by Christy Cooper-Burnett, is an action-packed contemporary novel that immerses its readers in the harrowing life of Kendra Thompson, a nurse and single mother. The plot thickens dramatically when her son, Kyle, becomes an unintended witness to a gang crime, thrusting them both into imminent danger. This novel echoes the tension and intrigue of classic thrillers, where survival is contingent on outwitting pursuers.
Set in a modern American setting, Cooper-Burnett skillfully merges the urgency of a high-stakes chase with the mental strain of being relentlessly pursued. The author’s adept storytelling grips the reader from the onset, employing a rapid pace and convincingly realistic characters. A distinctive feature of this novel is its exploration of the gang’s ties to influential figures, a development that not only elevates the risks involved but also challenges the protagonists’ reliance on the justice system for safety. The journey of Kendra and Kyle, navigating through perilous and unpredictable circumstances, is engaging and maintains suspense throughout.
Cooper-Burnett demonstrates a talent for sustaining a tense atmosphere, underscored by a pervasive fear of the unknown. The alternating perspectives of mother and son add depth to the narrative, offering varied viewpoints that enrich the plot. The characters’ unwavering uprightness amidst the story’s darker elements effectively injects moments of humanity and relief into the narrative, which is otherwise marked by continuous tension. This contrast serves to retain the reader’s engagement, offering a balanced rhythm that prevents desensitization to the story’s swift developments.
Run is not exclusively for aficionados of the thriller genre but is equally inviting for newcomers intrigued by such storytelling. The novel presents a riveting combination of unceasing action and intricate ethical quandaries, marking it as a noteworthy contribution to contemporary thriller literature.
Pages: 275 | ASIN : B0CW1GGG38
