Meet my cast of characters from RETRIBUTION. This is how I pictured them when I was writing the book…
6 teenage girls have been kidnapped, brutalized, and murdered in the Washington DC area and the FBI’s SPCD Unit – the Sexual Predators of Children Profilers – are nowhere close to finding the monster responsible. How are the victims chosen? How does the killer find them, contact them, lure them into his sick web? Questions the team has no answers for.
When a high-ranking US Senator’s daughter is the next victim, SPCD team leader, Tucker Petrie, is forced to call upon retired profiler — and his last partner — Kella O’Brien for help. Kella’s been out of the game for 10 years, but her expertise and insights into a serial killer’s mind are unparalleled. If anyone can discover who this madman is, it’s Kella.
But as the team rushes to prevent another young girl’s death, clues the killer leaves behind have Kella wondering if his endgame is all about…her.
RETRIBUTION releases in just 11 days, so, today I want to share with you five tropes in the book
The ANTAGONIST trope -in this book, the SERIAL KILLER is the antagonist. This person is the bane of the SPCD’s existence. I had such a good time writing the killer – their backstory, their road to what led them to kill.
The KINDNAPPED trope – 6 girls have been kidnapped in the Washington DC Area – one every 21 days for 6 months. This also leads to the RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK trope in order to save them.
The WOMAN IN PERIL trope. Not only the 6 girls, but the other two women in the story fall into this category as well. No spoilers here as to how, why, or even when, lol!
The ORPHAN trope – if I told you why this one is in the book you would know too much before you read it. So…read it!
The LOVE TRIANGLE trope. Again, this one will play itself out in the book, but if I told you about it now, it would spoil some of the discovery.
There are a few more I’ve added, such as the SCAR ( physical or emotion) trope, best friends, the protector trope, the red herring trope, and the hidden identity one as well.
It’ll be fun when you read the book to see if you can find any more!
You can order your copy from me, directly, here: RETRIBUTION
Because RETRIBUTIONreleases in just 14 days, I figured today would be appropriate for another little snippet from the book.
Brainstorming is the best way for the SPCD team to come to a meeting of the minds about who the killer might be. Here’s a quick little scene after they find the most recent dead girl.
“The cause of death in all the victims, including Brittany Chasen, was massive blood loss from surgical trauma, namely the removal of the girls’ reproductive organs. From the preliminary drug result data, no systemic anesthetics were used, and I couldn’t locate any topical applications either.”
Anna inhaled sharply.
“This sick creep opened these girls without providing any kind of pain relief. I can only hope they were unconscious, or already half dead when he did it.”
“Any physical findings?” Tucker asked.
“There was substantial muscle decay, indicating they were starved for the length of their captivity. You know about the ritual cutting of the arms and legs. Nothing that was deep enough to kill, but some of the open wounds were topically infected. Each girl had evidence of sodomy, vaginal rape, and swollen pharynx indicative of oral rape. Microscopic investigations showed no fibers, no DNA, no blood, nothing. Their bodies were scrubbed clean inside and out with bleach, probably postmortem, before they were dumped.”
Tucker nodded. “Anna?”
Referring to the device at her fingertips, she said, “Interviews with the parents of each victim have proved fruitless so far. All were somewhere other than they were supposed to be when they disappeared. Brittany was thought to be at soccer practice and instead was seen at a music store. Emily Johannson was due at school play practice but was last seen going into a CVS. Margaret Pearl had a piano lesson she skipped and went to a local mall instead. Erin Heuser missed a guitar lesson to go to a Quick-Mart. Paula Killarney dodged basketball practice for a coffee shop. And Magdala Profinsky was due to babysit for her cousin and wasn’t seen anywhere after her last class of the day. There’s no common link between them. All six attended different schools, lived in very different neighborhoods and came from widespread financial and social backgrounds. They didn’t know each other and there are no friends that link them. They were, for all intents and purposes, total strangers.”
“What’s the common thread?” Tucker asked, removing his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief.
“Physically, they resembled one another in basic makeup,” she said. “Each was approximately five feet three to five feet five inches tall. Each was a blonde with shoulder-length or longer hair, blue eyes, and trim physiques. White. None of them weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds. Two were vegans. Four played a sport, and two played instruments. Nothing stands out.”
Today’s five are a few more things about RETRIBUTION that I hope enthrall you and make you want to read it. These are all little pieces of info about and concerning the book,
this was the first full-length book I’d ever written. I penned it 20 years ago, stuck it on a file on my desktop and then forgot about it. When VELLA became a thing I published it to that venue and had a great deal of positivity come back to me, so I decided to update it and publish it for real.
I was serial killer obsessed back in the day. I’m that girl NETFLIX documentaries about them was invented, (LOL) and still am, to this day.
there is no real-life team called the SPCD ( Sexual Predators of Children DIvision) at the FBI, but there should be. I know there are a few dedicated to child trafficking and plain ol’ serial killers, tho.
shouting a gun ambidextrously ( as Kella and Anna can) is more common than you’d think.
The psychology of studying the serial killer mind is relatively recent in history, starting in the past 1880’s. With the advancement of criminalists and forensics, it has become much easier to target a serial killer’s crimes, if not the actual killer.
Today’s little sumthin’ sumthin’ comes from RETRIBUTION, which is releasing on 4.23.24 YOu can order is on Amazon or from me, directly at the above link. You’ll get your print copy autographed that way, hee hee.
After Kella is outed by the Assistant FBI Director to the press, the team worries she’s now compromised and will leave. This scene is the aftermath of that.
Kella was disconnecting a cell phone call when they came into the room.
Frowning, she looked up at Tucker from her chair.
“Don’t tell me, I already know,” he said, putting up a restraining hand. “Sean’s furious and wants me dead. You can tell him I feel pretty much the same way.”
Kella leaned forward, grabbed his hand, and said, “Yes, he’s furious, but no, he didn’t say anything about killing you.”
“That’s because he’s smart and doesn’t want you tagged as an accessory.”
Good humor restored, she grinned and squeezed Tucker’s hand. Hard. “You’re an idiot, but I love you anyway. The one saving grace, in Sean’s opinion, is that the Assistant Director didn’t give the media my name.”
“That’s a very small comfort, Kel, because those people are human bloodhounds. Especially people like Donovan Rule who make their living off people’s secrets. My guess is that by the end of today, one of the major networks will find out who you are and broadcast it all over the airwaves, official confirmation or not.”
“He’s right, you know,” Anna said, pouring two mugs of coffee. She handed one to Tucker and kept the other for herself.
Kella watched as he absentmindedly took a sip of the brew, closed his eyes, and sighed.
“I figured you needed that,” Anna said. “That press conference was anything but pleasant.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Tucker told her. Kella knew that he never noticed the hint of a pleased blush that spread across the younger woman’s cheeks. “Well, so much for keeping you out of the limelight.”
“It couldn’t be helped, Tuck. Myrna Rowlands is big news,” Kella said.
He nodded, sipping his coffee. “I’m sorry. I did my best.”
She squeezed his hand again and said, “I know.”
“Does your husband want you to come home?” Anna asked, sitting down across from her.
“If you can believe it, no.”
“I’m safe for another few days, then?” Tucker asked, his face and expression deadpan as always.
“Actually, no,” she told him. “He’s flying up as soon as he makes sure everything’s okay at home and at the restaurant.”
Tucker took a moment to register her words. “Is he going to stay?”
“That’s the plan. He says he knows I want to see this through to the endbut he says there’s no way I’m staying here without him. He thinks the same way you do, that the media hounds will find out who I am. He wants to be there if they do and keep me protected.”
Anna couldn’t help herself. She sighed, loudly, and dropped her chin into her fist on the table. “He really loves you.”
Tucker turned to her.
Kella’s smile was wide and open. “Yeah, he does. So it looks like you’re going to have to find us a hotel. Both of us can’t stay with Anna. And the FBI’s paying,” she added, a stern warning look in her eyes. “That is if you think you still need me. I’d like nothing better than to go home and let you and the Posse finish this up.”
“No. You’re staying,” Tucker said. “Not another word.”
Just a reminder, kids, that my GOODREADS GIVE AWAY for a FREE Kindle copy of RETRIBUTION ends tomorrow, March 1. If you haven’t entered yet, now would be the perfect time to do so.
And don’t forget to add it to you WANT TO READ list on Goodreads, too!
Staring at the phone, Tucker debated calling Kella. It had been two days since she‘d been given all the case information. She should have gone through it by now.
Just as he decided to call, his secretary buzzed through.
“Yes, Marcia?’
“Call for you on two. I almost didn’t believe who it was.” Tucker could feel her smile through the office wire. “It’s Kella. I haven’t spoken to her in I don’t know how long.”
“Put her through.”
A second later he said, “Kella?”
“Hey, Tuck.”
“Please tell me you’re done with the profile.”
“I’m fine, and how are you this lovely morning,” she asked, a laugh in her voice.
Tucker tossed his glasses on his desk and rubbed his eyes. “Kella, I don’t have time –”
“You never did,” she told him, the mirth still in her tone.
“What have you got?”
“Well, to backtrack a little, I went through everything you gave me. This is one disturbed man.”
“That goes without saying.”
“Yeah well, you and the Posse probably have a baseline profile. Male, twenty-five to forty, trouble with relationships. Lives alone, no friends, menial job, poor education. How’m I doing?”
“Right on the nose.”
“Well, you can throw it away. None of it’s accurate, except for the gender.”
Tucker sat bolt upright, put his glasses back on, and pulled a legal pad and pen across his desk.
So because I’ve got three things running at the same time for RETRIBUTION, my 4.23.24 release ( Goodreads Giveaway, Booksprout read and review, Preorder) you just have to know I need to tease it today, lol!
In this scene, the bane of Tucker Petrie’s existence, newspaper reporter Donovan Rule, is being his obnoxious self and Tuck can’t take it anymore. Donovan will have a pivotal role toward the end of the book.. but this scene shows just how much Tucker can’t stand him.
“There’s more press here than when we went in,” Anna said, glancing around at the dozen of news vans and waiting reporters.
“They’re like vultures,” Tucker said. “Useful at times, but still bloodsuckers.”
As they made their way back to the car amid shouts and questions being hurled at them, Anna saw Rule and his cameraman approaching them from the other direction.
“Get in the car,” Anna said, shoving Kella. “Keep your face down.”
Just as she collapsed into the back seat, the reporter descended upon them. “Agent Petrie, who is that woman?”
“Go away Rule,” Tucker said, guarding the windows of the car with his body so the camera couldn’t film through them. For once he silently thanked the car salesman for insisting that tinted windows were a necessity.
Nonplused, the reporter shoved his microphone under Tucker’s chin and asked, “So does The Butcher have Myrna Rowlands? Is that why you and Agent Langdon, along with your mystery guest, are here?”
“Neither myself nor any member of my team has any comment for you, Rule, so get lost. Now.”
Tucker shot into the driver’s seat and in one motion, shoved the key into the ignition, locked the doors, and gunned the engine.
“Think he’s gonna move?” Anna asked.
“He’d better, or he’s roadkill,” Tucker answered, putting the car into drive.
Without a glance at the annoying team, Tucker pulled the car from the curb.
A loud scream filtered through the windows as he moved into the side street traffic.
Anna turned around and saw Rule sitting on the curb, his foot nestled in his lap.
“I think you ran over his foot,” she said, trying not to laugh.
“Is he breathing?” Tucker asked.
“Looks like he’s screaming.”
Tucker nodded. “Then he’s not dead and I can’t be charged with vehicular homicide.”
Intrigued? LOL. 4.23.2024 is the release date. Check out all the links above if you’re interested in reading it.
I put RETRIBUTION up on Booksprout for anyone who reads and reviews on that platform.
Remember – this is not a romance! This is a grisly, gruesome serial killer suspense novel about a predator who abducts teenage girls, tortures, then murders them, and the FBI team who is charged with bringing him to justice.
If you don’t read and review on Booksprout but would still like to read the book, here’s the Amazon preorder link: RETRIBUTION
So, I’ve been hinting ( or hitting you over the head, you decide which, lol!) with notices about my upcoming 4.23.2024 release of RETRIBUTION. Today, I decided to do a little background story about how this project came to be.
If you’ve read anything by me before you should know this book is a huge departure from the lighthearted, small-town, romance books I usually write.
And you may be upset by that. I get it. This book is so not a lighthearted rom-com.
But before I ever wrote a word in the romance genre, I wrote short stories and books about death, dying, and serial killers.
I’m the girl Netflix invented the serial killer binge-watch for, lol.
Serial killers, and people who murder in general, have always fascinated me ever since I was in nursing school. I attended Hunter College, Bellevue School of Nursing and one of the years I was a student, a group of foreign nationals held a failed terror attack on New York. Several of the injured would-be-terrorists were treated in Bellevue’s ER and then sent to the prison wing of the psych lockdown unit. Having narrowly missed becoming a statistic, I found myself fascinated about what would compel someone to kill like this. The pseudo-vigilante group, the Guardian Angels, took up residence outside my dorms during this time as a protection blanket for the students.
In my junior year of nursing school, Mark David Chapman shot and killed John Lennon. That day will live in my mind forever as the day I decided that psychiatric nursing was calling my name. Unfortunately, I already had a job in a medical/surgical unit waiting for me when I graduated. But while working, I learned everything I could about the criminal mind, and centered on killers and serial killers, what made them tick, why they needed to kill, and how their minds worked.
I know: Not exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from someone who writes Happily Ever Afters.
RETRIBUTION was written almost 20 years ago on my very first home computer. At the time, I wrote it simply for me, and it was called VINDICATION. Once done, I left it in a file on my desktop and never thought about it again while I continued writing more grisly short stories. Many of them were published in short story magazines of the day and last year I compiled a collection of them in the book Death Between the Pages the same time, Kindle Vella was launched and I thought, why not put up the first real book I’d ever written?
So I did.
The response was wild. Good reviews- and some really nasty ones – later, I decided to update the story and publish it to print.
I won’t be abandoning my sweet-to-sexy romance stories any time soon, so don’t worry. But I really needed to get this one out into the reading world, so…
When I have preorder or order links, I’ll post. For now, here’s the cover and blurb:
6 teenage girls have been kidnapped, brutalized, and murdered in the Washington DC area and the FBI’s SPCD Unit – the Sexual Predators of Children Profilers – are nowhere close to finding the monster responsible. How are the victims chosen? How does the killer find them, contact them, lure them into his sick web? Questions the team has no answers for.
When a high-ranking US Senator’s daughter is the next victim, SPCD team leader, Tucker Petrie, is forced to call upon retired profiler — and his last partner — Kella O’Brien for help. Kella’s been out of the game for 10 years, but her expertise and insights into a serial killer’s mind are unparalleled. If anyone can discover who this madman is, it’s Kella.
But as the team rushes to prevent another young girl’s death, clues the killer leaves behind have Kella wondering if his endgame is all about…her.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 