Blurb:
Sworn enemies. A stolen nuclear weapon. And the clock's ticking.
When Dr. Lillian Whyte learns a nuclear weapon is on the loose in Europe, she collides with a ruthless mercenary from her past. Isolated from her husband, a former CIA operative, Lillian tries to covertly help track the weapon. As she he joins the race to stop the bomb, she is drawn into a deadly game of chase. Despite her efforts, those intent on global catastrophe remain one step ahead of her.
As Lillian faces the fears of her past and deadliness of the present, can she secure the future of the world?
When Dr. Lillian Whyte learns a nuclear weapon is on the loose in Europe, she collides with a ruthless mercenary from her past. Isolated from her husband, a former CIA operative, Lillian tries to covertly help track the weapon. As she he joins the race to stop the bomb, she is drawn into a deadly game of chase. Despite her efforts, those intent on global catastrophe remain one step ahead of her.
As Lillian faces the fears of her past and deadliness of the present, can she secure the future of the world?
Excerpt:
“Dr. Whyte,” a guttural voice greeted her.
Her blood turned frigid and her stomach lurched as her heart thudded against her ribcage. As long as she lived, she would never forget that deep German accent—the voice of one of her captors nine years ago in Kenya.
The one that got away.
She was fairly certain Ivan Kleist would have only one reason for tracking her down: revenge.
Springing from the bench seat, she lashed a leg out into his gut. She saw a brief look of surprise on his pale face before she took off in a sprint.
Why now? Nine years he had waited.
The calculating killer had waited until she was out of the United States and away from Sean to corner her. She dashed in the direction of her hotel. Would she be safe in the lobby? In her room?
She slung her purse over her shoulder. Her phone was in the outer pocket, but she would have to slow down to make a call. Not happening. She would not slow until she reached the hotel.
Could she beat him to the hotel? His legs were longer, but she was ten years younger. But he probably hadn’t already logged twenty-six thousand steps for the day, as she had.
From her peripheral vision, Lillian saw an enormous object barreling toward her like a freight train. She barely had time to brace herself before Ivan plowed into her. She felt like she had been tackled by a linebacker. His large arms encircled her as she sailed to the ground. They rolled through the grass, her body encased by his.
He was so large he could probably crush the life out of her with his arms. She gasped for air. He wasn’t crushing her, but his grip was immobilizing.
Grunting, he hauled her to her feet. “Settle down, hase. Little white rabbit.”
Lillian, still dazed and sucking wind after her sprint, hardly put up a fight as he dragged her into an alley. Looking around frantically, her eyes couldn’t focus long enough to see anyone within shouting distance. She clawed at his large hand blocking her mouth from screaming.
Author Musings
One of the fascinating aspects of writing is how much I learn while writing a novel. I enjoy the challenge of taking knowledge and imparting it on the reader in a way that is enjoying and captivating without being burdensome to read. Since the main character in The Dr. Whyte Adventure series is an emergency room physician, there are medical emergencies in the books, but the novels are also rich with history—African history in Black Gold, biomedical warfare in Whyte Knight, and nuclear warfare history in Gray Horizon. One other fascinating aspect I pulled into Gray Horizon was Norse mythology. This was a perfect fit because the main character, Lillian Whyte, travels to Iceland for vacation (before getting blindsided by an enemy from her past).
Lillian finds herself relaxing in Café Loki in Reykjavik, as she enjoys her leisurely vacation. In the café, she observes a mural on the wall where multiple tales of Norse mythology are woven into one vibrant painting. Asgard, Loki (in his many forms), and Thor are represented. From this point onward, I weave in a few stories from Norse mythology throughout the novel using information from online sources and Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology (I highly recommend the audio book, read by the talented author himself).
Wait? Why are we talking about Norse mythology in a thriller book? Well, it turns out, the stories play quite nicely into a suspense thriller about a nuclear weapon on the loose. Lillian dreams of the nuclear weapon detonation in parallel with Ragnarok (the Norse equivalent of Doomsday). Her CIA husband searches for information about the stolen weapon with the tenacity of Odin searching for knowledge (perhaps not quite the extreme of Odin since he sacrificed an eye to drink from a well to gain knowledge). And one of the characters sees Lillian as something akin to Eir—a healer and Valkyrie with the power to save us all.
So, enjoy the thriller and have fun learning a little mythology on the side.
Don’t forget to visit the other stops on the tour.
Author Bio and Links:
Christina is a practicing physician, mother of two boys and a terrier, and wife to a caring and supportive husband.
“I grew up reading Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, and the Bourne books. I write seeking to create that level of action and intrigue but with female heroines. I love the quote, ‘She needed a hero. So she became one.’ My novels have empowered women overcoming powerful obstacles and the strong men who support them.”
Buy Link:
*Other links pending as book is currently in KU but will go wide Nov 1st.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really good book!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really interesting! thanks so much for sharing
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