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Duane Swierczynski is the New York Times bestselling and two-time Edgar-nominated author of fifteen novels including Expiration Date, Canary and the forthcoming California Bear, as well as the graphic novels Breakneck and Redhead. Along with James Patterson, Duane co-created the Audible Original The Guilty, starring John Lithgow and Bryce Dallas Howard, and co-wrote the private eye thriller Lion & Lamb. He’s also written over 250 comic books including Cable, Deadpool, The Immortal Iron Fist, Punisher, Birds of Prey, Bloodshot, Star Wars: Rogue One and The Black Hood. His first short story collection, Lush & Other Tales of Boozy Mayhem, was recently published by Cimarron Street Books. A native Philadelphian, Duane now lives in Southern California with his family. California Bear NONE OF YOU ARE SAFE “KILLER”: Jack Queen has been exonerated and freed from prison thanks to retired LAPD officer Cato Hightower. But when guilt gnaws at Jack, he admits: “I actually did it.” To which Hightower responds: “Yeah, no kidding.” You see, the ex-cop has a special job in mind for the ex-con… THE GIRL DETECTIVE: Fifteen-year-old Matilda Finnerty has been handed a potential death sentence in the form of a leukemia diagnosis. But that’s not going to stop her from tackling the most important mystery of her life: Is her father guilty of murder? GENE JEANIE: Jeanie Hightower mends family trees for a living, but the genealogist is unable to repair her own marriage. And her soon-to-be ex may have entangled her in a scheme that has drawn the bloody wrath of… THE BEAR: A prolific serial killer who disappeared forty years ago, who is only now emerging from hibernation when the conditions are just right. And this time, the California Bear is not content to hunt in the shadows… From two-time Edgar nominee Duane Swierczynski, California Bear is clever, moving, and surprising as it takes aim at the true crime industry, Hollywood, justice, and the killers inside us all. Visit his website at: https://www.gleefulmayhem.com/ or on X: @swierczy IG: @swierczy Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Elizabeth K. Kracht is a literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates and a freelance editor. She often participates in writers’ conferences nationally and internationally and lives in Tiburon, California. The Author’s Checklist: An Agent’s Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript An Indispensable Guide for All Writers in All Genres The bad news: even really good manuscripts have weak spots that are enough to garner rejections from agents and publishers. The good news: most of these problems are easy to fix — once the writer sees and understands them. After several years of evaluating manuscripts, literary agent Elizabeth Kracht noticed that many submissions had similar problems, so she began to make a list of the pitfalls. The Author’s Checklist offers her short, easy-to-implement bites of advice, illustrated by inspiring — and cautionary — real-world examples. Most aspiring authors yearn for a friend in book publishing. The Author’s Checklist is just that. Visit her website at: https://elizabethkracht.com/ or on X: @ElizabethKracht IG: @ElizabethKracht Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Tessa Wegert is the author of the popular Shana Merchant mysteries, which include Death in the Family, The Dead Season, Dead Wind, The Kind to Kill, Devils at the Door, and The Coldest Case, along with the upcoming North Country thriller series. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she co-founded Sisters in Crime CT and serves on the board of International Thriller Writers (ITW). The Coldest Case News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she'll never forget. It's February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars' worth of luxury gifts. The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous - especially for city slickers who'll do anything to get the perfect shot. So when Cary doesn't return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst. With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team is dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant. Where is Cary - and what is it that Sylvie's not sharing? With aspects of the case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm is coming - and if she doesn't solve both crimes soon, she may become the island's next victim . . . The latest taut, thrilling small-town mystery featuring New York State senior investigator Shana Merchant, and set against the beautiful backdrop of the Thousand Islands, is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware. Visit her website at: https://www.tessawegert.com/ or on X: @tessawegert IG: @tessawegert Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Robert Dugoni is a critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author, reaching over 9 million readers worldwide. He is best known for his Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle. He is also the author of the Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels including The 7th Canon, Damage Control, The World Played Chess, and Her Deadly Game. His novel The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell received Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, and Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award. Washington Post named his nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary a Best Book of the Year. Several of his novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award. Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages. Visit his website at: https://www.robertdugonibooks.com/ or on X: @robertdugoni IG: @robertdugoni Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Steve Stratton started his military career at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of President’s Ford and Carter, Vice President’s Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. His work took him around the world introducing him to new cultures, ways of thinking, and the various agencies tasked with projecting and protecting American interests abroad. The jump to the US Secret Service was an easy transition but after several years and an election campaign, Steve left for the commercial sector. Steve was awarded his Green Beret in 1986. From the 80’s through 2000 he deployed with 20th Special Forces on counter-drug and training missions in the SOUTHCOM region. His civilian contractor time includes support for USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, and several intelligence agencies. Today he is retired but advising cyber security companies that support the warfighter and intelligence community. When he is not writing, you can find him mountain biking, trout fishing, or hunting in Colorado. His first novel, Shadow Tier, was named a 2023 Bronze Medal winner by the Military Writers Society of America. Caribbean Harvest On the run from Mexican law enforcement and the military, the infamous drug lord El Chapo has set his sights on expanding his empire to Cuba. With the demand for heroin rising, he aims to turn the tropical island into a hub for opium production. As rumors swirl of his presence in southern Cuba, Wolf and Parker fear the worst. The U.S. president sees capturing El Chapo as critical to boosting his party's chances in the upcoming mid-term elections. With the pressure on, Wolf and Parker must race against time to stop El Chapo before Cuba becomes the next Afghanistan. Utilizing their unique mix of military and law enforcement skills, they aim to bring the notorious criminal to justice—this time in a Cuban prison. In this high-stakes thriller, the game of cat and mouse unfolds in an international arena, blending politics, crime, and intelligence operatives in a battle for justice. Visit his website at: https://www.stevenstrattonusa.com/ or on X: @stevestrattonbooks IG: @stevestrattonusa Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Megan Beatie, a veteran publicist with more than 25 years of experience in publishing, is President and CEO of Megan Beatie Communications (MBC), a book publicity and marketing agency. Megan has forged publicity campaigns for numerous bestselling authors including Linda Ronstadt, Robert Dugoni, Soman Chainani, Tess Gerritsen, Jenny Mollen, Ian K. Smith, Lee Goldberg, Becky Albertalli, Maureen Johnson, Marcia Clark, Melissa de la Cruz, Attica Locke, Tembi Locke, and Neil Gaiman and launched the debuts of many novelists such as Deborah Falaye, Victoria Lee, Robinne Lee, Sandhya Menon, and Amber Smith. She has represented authors in nearly every conceivable genre including literary and commercial fiction, mysteries and thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels, as well as nonfiction books covering pop culture, film, entertainment, health, lifestyle, parenting, and relationships. MBC Communications Megan Beatie Communications (MBC) is a boutique book marketing and publicity agency headquartered in Los Angeles. Our reach is global, and personal attention is our top priority. We are highly selective in the books we represent and bring to each one a carefully considered and customized strategy. We develop and execute campaigns over the course of many months. From long before publication, through the release, we utilize print, broadcast, and digital media at the local, regional, and national levels to secure each book and author the widest possible attention. Visit his website at: https://www.meganbeatie.com/ or on X: @Mbeatie IG: @MBC_Books Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.

Award winning author J. M. Adams is an Emmy nominated journalist with more than 15 years of on-air television journalism experience, reporting for major news affiliates across the United States and abroad. Besides his Emmy nomination for news reporting, highlights from his career include accompanying the Navy on sea patrols after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and reporting from Kuwait and Iraq while the Air Force enforced No-Fly Zones over Iraq. He also reported on location from a number of hurricane and wildfire disaster zones and covered multiple high-profile federal court cases around the country. Second Term A lame duck president's desperate power grab threatens democracy in the United States—can former intelligence operative and single mother Cora Walker prevent catastrophe? September 2012. Cora Walker, a DIA defense operative, learns of a terrorist plot in Benghazi and rushes to a secret installation to stop it. When her superiors ignore her dire warnings, she's forced to mount an unsanctioned attempt to thwart the attack. Her team barely repels the large force of invaders determined to kill Americans. Sixteen years after her heroic actions in Benghazi, Cora is the press secretary for the Speaker of the House. As a single mom, she's struggling to balance her demanding job and her home life. Soon, things get more complicated at work as the lame duck president suspends habeas corpus and begins arresting members of Congress in a desperate attempt to retain power. Cora springs into action to save the Speaker and prevent catastrophe. She'll have to work strategically to keep everyone safe—alliances turn sour, and her trust in others begins to falter. It's an uphill battle for Cora until an explosive finale exposes what can really happen to democracy when political extremism reaches new heights. Visit his website at: https://jmadams.com/ or on X: @JM_AdamsAuthor IG: @JMAdamsAuthor Don’t forget to pick up Overmatch, anywhere books are sold. Jeff Circle: www.jeffcircle.com X: @Jeff_Circle IG: @jeffcircle_books John Stamp: www.johnstampwriter.com X: @JohnStampWriter IG: @JohnStampBooks Thanks to Forget the Whale for the music.