The Story Behind the Story

You'll Never Find Me -- Angelhart Investigations Book 1

You’ll Never Find Me was released into the wild this week — available wherever you buy your books, audio books, or ebooks.

I love this book.

But I don’t want to jinx it. Sometimes, I feel that the books I love the most — those that turned out better than I thought, or where I particularly love one of the characters — are the books that don’t sell as well. Looking at my numbers, I can see that’s not true, but still … sometimes I fear if I say something out loud, it’s going to come back to bite me in the butt.

(I know I’ll get this question — what is my favorite book? I don’t have a favorite … just like I don’t have a favorite child. I’ve written 45 books and I like them all for different reasons. But … Lucy Kincaid #5 STALKED I really felt for Peter; Lucy Kincaid #11 THE LOST GIRLS was one of the most emotional books I wrote in the series; the two brothers in Maxine Revere #3 POISONOUS have stuck with me for years and I wonder how they are now; and Quinn & Costa #4 SEVEN GIRLS GONE really showed Kara Quinn at her best and worst. I loved how she grew in that book, and how her friendship with father-figure Jim Esteban evolved.)

So — I don’t have a favorite, but there are things that stick with me and I think about long after the book is done.

What has stayed with me after writing You’ll Never Find Me is how complex Margo Angelhart turned out. I can’t take all the credit — she really took over her chapters and practically wrote them herself.

Voice

Margo has a unique voice. I started writing the book in third person, which is the point of view I write almost all my books in. I’ve only dabbled in first person a few times — isolated chapters here and there from a secondary character’s POV, or in short stories. But about a quarter of the way through the book I realized that I had started writing in first person.

I did not plan it. But it slipped in and I knew that was how this story needed to be told.

While some readers don’t expect first person stories from me, it works for Margo. I went back and edited her scenes in first person and they flowed so smoothly that I knew it was the right way to write. The other characters — her brother Jack, sister Tess, the bad guy Peter Carillo — are all in third person (clearly indicated at the beginning of the chapter).

Some of my favorite authors have done this — Robert Crais writes Elvis Cole in first person and Joe Pike in third. Lisa Gardner has D.D. Warren in third and Flora Dane is in first. While it’s not common, it’s not really uncommon, either.

I worried a bit — because this was a departure for me in so many ways. Yet, Margo Angelhart is a private investigator, and there’s something about PI stories that demand a first person narrative.

I’ve written a PI character before — Sean Rogan is a licensed private investigator. But he doesn’t really act like a PI, he’s more into corporate and computer security, and the books are more about Lucy Kincaid and her cases and how Sean assists her. But I’ve never written a story about a private investigator, and that’s one reason I’m so invested in the Angelhart Family. I’m writing something new for me … yet still a suspenseful mystery that my readers expect. A win-win!

Story & Character

I’ve wanted to write about a family of private investigators for quite some time, but it was a loose idea, barely formed. A series of events happened (you can read about them here on my last blog) and once I realized where I wanted to set the series (Phoenix), everything else fell into place.

Margo Angelhart is the core of the story. I feel like I know her well, but still have a lot to learn. Her siblings Jack and Tess, and to a lessor degree Nico and Luisa, are a part of You’ll Never Find Me and I also know them pretty well.

Character is the most important part of any book — especially the first book in a series. Margo is independent, loyal, and compassionate. She is always compelled to help the underdog, and will defy rules when justified. She’s practical, rational, and spontaneous and while she takes personal risks, she’s smart about it. She is also flawed — as all real people are. She works to control her anger (usually snarky or cutting remarks); she doesn’t easily forgive and rarely forgets; and she can be stubborn. She says she takes after her mom. And sometimes, because she has a hard time forgiving and forgetting, she loses people she doesn’t really want to lose.

To read a conversation with Margo, visit Fresh Fiction!

Jack Angelhart is Margo’s older brother. He recently (three years ago) went through a divorce he didn’t want and has an 11 year old son who he is desperate to spend more time with. He had been a Phoenix PD officer, then detective, and is extremely loyal and family-centered.

At the start of the series, Margo is estranged from the family. Three years ago, her father, a doctor, pled guilty to a murder Margo is certain he didn’t commit. She wanted to investigate the case, her mother said no. This has caused a great division in the family, as Margo isn’t going to let it go … and her mother isn’t going to let her pursue it.

But the first book only touches on this conflict. You’ll Never Find Me focuses on two cases — a young mother leaving her abusive husband, who happens to be a cop. And a corporate espionage case that Jack and Tess are working that collides with Margo’s adultery investigation. I wanted to have two stories that parallel each other to better show character, heighten suspense, and highlight the realities of PIs juggling more than one case at a time.

Setting

I chose Phoenix because so few books are written in America’s 5th largest city, and I wanted to rectify that. (Aside: my friend Christina Estes, a local reporter, has a debut novel out this year — a mystery also set in Phoenix! You can read more about Christina and her book Off the Air on her website.)

Christina Estes & me at Barnes & Noble in Chandler.

Since moving to Arizona five years ago, I’ve fallen in love with the state (except for the months of July and August …) and so setting a new series here was a no-brainer. Once the characters and core idea formed, I was off to the races … and You’ll Never Find Me is the result.

I really hope you love this book as much as I do. If you live in the greater Phoenix area, Christina and I are having a chat and signing at the BN in Arrowhead on Friday, June 28 (tomorrow!) at 6 PM. 7401 West Bell Road, Peoria, AZ 85382. I hope to see you there! Event details here.

Buy links and more on my website.

Thank you for reading!