Every book begins with a single idea.

For months, A Killer in Shadow has existed only on my computer, in notebooks, and in countless revisions spread across my desk. I’ve spent hours moving clues, refining dialogue, tightening scenes, and asking myself the same question every mystery writer asks:

Will readers see what I want them to see… and miss what I hope they miss?

Today, that question finally has an answer.

One of the most rewarding parts of writing a mystery is knowing that, eventually, the investigation no longer belongs to me.

It belongs to you.

From the moment you open the first chapter, you’ll begin noticing clues, questioning suspects, and trying to stay one step ahead of Samantha Hayes. Some readers solve the puzzle early. Others enjoy following every twist without trying to guess the ending. Neither approach is wrong.

That’s one of the things I love about mystery readers.

Everyone experiences the investigation a little differently.

As an author, I’ve lived with these characters for a long time. I’ve watched Samantha grow from the agent readers first met in Shadows of Silence into someone more confident, more experienced, and even more determined to understand the people she’s investigating.

She’s still guided by the same belief:

People always reveal themselves.

The challenge is recognizing what they’re revealing.

Writing A Killer in Shadow reminded me why I enjoy psychological thrillers so much. They’re never just about solving a crime. They’re about understanding people. Every decision, every conversation, every seemingly insignificant detail tells part of the story.

My hope is that when you reach the final page, you’ll look back and realize the answers were there all along.

Some were easy to spot.

Others were quietly waiting to be discovered.

Thank you for following Samantha Hayes on another investigation. Whether you’ve been with her from the very beginning or this is your first case, I’m grateful you’ve chosen to spend your time in the Velvet Raven universe.

Now…

The investigation begins.

Happy reading.