Behind the Scenes: The Route 9 Killer (A Mystery/Thriller)

 

This “Behind the Scenes” blog is part of a series examining my books. In each blog, I’ll talk about why I wrote the story, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and I might even reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. Warning: Blogs may contain spoilers.

 

Looking for something to read? Why not spend the summer with a serial killer?

The Route 9 Killer is my latest release, and it’s been a long time coming. Years ago, I had an idea for a serial killer/thriller story that was sparked by something simple: I was driving somewhere and I saw a woman’s shoe lying in the road.

Immediately, my writer brain started asking questions: Whose shoe was it? What happened to the woman? Where was the other shoe? Why was this shoe in the road? Strange? Yes. But writers think that way. Anything that catches our attention can spark a flurry of questions and develop into a story idea.

I started wondering about the shoe and then an idea hit me. It was a simple “What if…” premise: What if a woman was abducted and the only evidence left behind was her shoe in the road? I bounced this idea off of a few people, and they scoffed. “Who cares about a shoe? Why would anyone think someone was abducted based on a lost shoe?” But, when I explained my story idea, they were intrigued.

I wrote an outline for the story and filed it in my “someday I’ll write this” folder and moved on to other projects. (At the time, I was writing romances and not focusing on horror/mysteries.) This past winter, “someday” arrived and I wrote the story.

As the title implies, the book is a mystery/thriller involving a serial killer. The hero, Detective Jim Rourke, thinks he has discovered a serial killer operating in Central New Jersey. The only problem is nobody believes him. The women are abducted from different towns in the same county, and their bodies are dumped in different towns in another county. This makes it hard for the police to connect the crimes or even see a pattern. To them, the killings are random.

Detective Rourke is also investigating the disappearance of a woman named Allison Kendrick. When the book opens, her boyfriend is at the police station, reporting her missing. Are the two cases related? Rourke thinks they might be.

The book then switches to the point-of-view of a young woman who wakes up in a strange place, handcuffed to a bed. When I wrote her character, I didn’t want to make her a helpless victim. Yes, she’s hurting, scared, and in a really, really bad situation, but she’s smart, and a fighter. She quickly realizes that she’s responsible for her own fate. Nobody is coming to rescue her.

No thriller would be complete without a peek into the life (and mind) of the antagonist. Our not-so-nice killer has a few scenes of his own. This is where we get inside his mind, see what makes him lose control, and gives a hint at why he does what he does.

Without giving away any plot details or spoilers, I can say that our three main characters come together in the end (very briefly), and the story packs a great twist ending. (If you’ve read the book, please don’t give away the ending!)

But then… there’s the Epilogue, where we get a little more info on Rourke’s case—and another shocker.

Although the story has a very serious/dark subject matter, I stayed away from overt sexual violence toward our heroine. I didn’t want to write anything too dark, too graphic, and nothing along the lines of “torture porn” or an unsettling episode of “Criminal Minds.” I concentrated on Rourke and his investigation. The other characters are there to pull the reader into the story through their points-of-view, and increase the drama and tension. I think it worked.

Can you solve the mystery? Here’s the book summary and order links:

 

The Route 9 Killer

(A Mystery/Thriller)

Detective Jim Rourke suspects a serial killer is hunting women in Central New Jersey. The victims are held captive, brutalized, then murdered and dumped along deserted stretches of Route 9.

There’s no physical evidence, no witnesses, and the killer is smart enough to leave no clues.

Rourke is alone on a manhunt, and time is running out. Eight victims have already fallen prey to this madman.

Can Rourke catch the killer and rescue the next victim before it’s too late?

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Route-Killer-Mystery-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0C63NHC51

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/m2qd16

 

If you’ve read the book and loved it, please post a positive review online (no spoilers, please!).

And looking ahead, I have an idea for another thriller. I’ve decided I’m bringing Detective Jim Rourke back to work on that case, as well. A friend of mine suggested I write a third book and make it into a trilogy. That’s a good idea. What do you think?

I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on social media. You can read more “Behind the Scenes” blogs about my writings here: www.KelliWilkins.com/blog

Happy Reading,

Kelli 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 6 mystery/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories.

Her latest release, The Route 9 Killer, was published in May 2023. This mystery/thriller is set in the Central NJ.

Kelli’s paranormal/mystery romance, In Another World, was released in 2022. She released two horror shorts, More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

 

 

New Release - Madame Gray's Creep Show

 

Hi everyone!

Halloween may be over for another year, but horror isn’t just for Halloween!

My short story “What the Peeper Saw” is included in…

Madame Gray's Creep Show

A veritable smorgasbord of twenty-three deliciously terrifying treats, each one simmered to blood-curdling perfection and seasoned with just the perfect amount of gallows humor. From murder and madness to monsters and the downright macabre, the stories awaiting you within in this superlative anthology push the boundaries of horror to the next level... and way, way beyond!

Order your ebook or paperback copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LZQZ495

Stay tuned to this blog for some changes!

Kelli

New Romance Release - "Love, Lies and Redemption"

Hi everyone,

I’m pleased to announce the release of my western romance, Love, Lies and Redemption. Set in 1877 Nebraska, this novel blends a sensual love story with mystery and danger.

Love, Lies and Redemption

Shot and left for dead, Sam Hixton stumbles into a general store on the Nebraska prairie and collapses into the arms of Cassie Wilcox.

Cassie’s world is turned upside down when the handsome stranger drops into her life. Sam is another complication she doesn’t need: her business is dying and her trouble with the townspeople is escalating. Yet she’s determined to keep the store open — no matter what the cost.

As Sam recovers from his injuries, he hides the truth about his identity and convinces Cassie to let him work in the store. He’s attracted to her and admires her independent nature, but quickly realizes Cassie’s in way over her head. They fight their growing attraction, and Cassie questions whether she can trust her fragile heart to a mysterious stranger. Will he accept her once he knows about her troubled past?

Cassie resists Sam’s advances and represses her feelings until one fateful night when they give in to their fiery passion. Together, they work out a plan to save the store, but find their efforts are thwarted — and their lives endangered — by the locals.

Sam’s secret returns to haunt him and pulls him away just when Cassie needs him the most. Will he regain her trust when she learns the truth?

Cassie has everything invested in the store — can she save it and find true love with Sam before it’s too late?

Order Love, Lies and Redemption here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0849LN73Z

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/mdzL6W

Want more romance? Follow my FB pages:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins

Facebook Historical Romances: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/

In February I’ll be sharing blogs about the making of the book and an excerpt! Stay tuned for more! 

Did you know I have another blog? Visit it here: www.KelliWilkins.com/blog

Happy Reading!

Kelli 

Nightmare in the North - An Exclusive Excerpt

Hi everyone,

My favorite month (October!!!) is just around the corner, and today I’m sharing a look at my latest horror novella, Nightmare in the North. Think of it as a pre-Halloween treat!

Some of you may know me as a romance author, but I also write short horror fiction. I originally started out as a horror author, and nowadays I divide my time between the two genres.

Nightmare in the North is a cautionary tale about traveling alone in the winter and trusting strangers. In my last blog, I talked about the origin of this unsettling story. This week, I’m posting an excerpt from the opening.

NIGHTMARE IN THE NORTH

Stranded during a violent blizzard, Mark hikes to the only house nearby. George, a well-mannered University professor, welcomes Mark and gives him shelter from the storm.

By morning, Mark suspects that everything isn’t what it seems. George’s adult daughter, Kate, who also lives in the house, shares a disturbing and unsettling tale. When questioned, George insists that Kate has a psychological issue and can’t be trusted to tell the truth.

Mark quickly finds himself caught in a game of cat and mouse. Who should he believe? Is Kate’s desperate plea for help sincere? Should he be suspicious of George? Or are both of them plotting something together?

Isolated from everyone, Mark is forced to wait out the storm—and find a way to escape—if he hopes to make it out alive.

***

“You have reached Great Bear Lodge. In three hundred feet, turn right into the parking—”

“Are you kidding me?” Mark jabbed the power button on the navigation system, silencing it. The useless piece of sh*t had done nothing but get him lost.

For the last half hour he’d been listening to the robotic voice lead him deeper into the wilderness. He’d followed the GPS from one secondary road to another, and now he was lost in the backwoods of Nowhere, Vermont.

At least he thought he was still in Vermont. For all he knew, he could be in Canada. Then again, if he was at the border, at least there would be a sign and he could get directions from a Mountie.

He peered through the windshield, squinting into the wall of white. Fat snowflakes coated the car, and he couldn’t tell where the Camry’s hood ended and where the snow began. Who the hell rented a white car in winter? Nobody except him, obviously. He cursed and punched the steering wheel. This trip had turned into a disaster the second he’d crossed the Vermont state line.

The storm had started about four hours ago. At first it was only a few flakes, then more, and more. Then the wind kicked up, and before he knew it there was at least six inches of snow on the road. He had watched the outside thermometer drop from a balmy eight degrees to four, then two, until finally, it had settled at minus four.

There was nothing on either side of the snow-packed two lane road except more snow and a few scatterings of pine trees. He grumbled and kept driving at a whopping 10 miles an hour. He had no choice but to keep going. There was nowhere to turn around.

He probably should have stopped when he passed that house a few minutes ago. The driveway wasn’t plowed, but there was a light on, and he could have asked for directions. But the house might be empty. It was the middle of February. Didn’t most people up here spend the winter in Florida, or—

BAM! The loud bang snapped him from his thoughts and he yelped as the car started spinning. He took his foot off the gas and steered, twisting and turning the wheel as the car slid left, then right, then spun all the way around.

Everything happened in slow motion. A cluster of pine trees went past on the left, then the car rotated again and slid sideways on the road, spinning out of control. He spotted a pine tree three feet from the front end and jerked the wheel hard, shooting the car across the street toward a ditch. “Sh*t!” He hit the gas and cranked the wheel again.

After a few more spins and slides, the car finally stopped. He threw the gearshift into park and slumped over the steering wheel, listening to his heart hammering in his chest. Jesus, that was close. “I hate this state. I hate winter. I swear to God I’m never coming back here,” he whispered.

He took a deep breath and straightened up. It could have been worse, much worse. He could have slammed up against a tree or went flying sideways into the ditch. If he’d gone off the road there wouldn’t be help for hours, maybe even days. He’d freeze to death. Nobody would ever find a white car out here.

But what the hell happened? He’d heard a loud bang before he spun out. Did he hit something? He unhooked his seat belt and got out of the car. Icy air blasted him in the face as he pulled on his gloves and checked the driver’s side front tire. Great, just great. It was flat.

No, not flat. He leaned closer. The tire was… shredded. “What the hell?” He walked around to the passenger side and groaned. That tire was shredded too, right down to the rim. “Beautiful. What the frig did I hit?”

***

Find out how everything gets even worse for Mark in… Nightmare in the North. Order it here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G9QD45X

All other platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/m2vqOk

***

I hope you’ll check it out. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss my other ebooks: Kropsy’s Curse and Dead Til Dawn.

Next month, my blog goes all things paranormal & horror. I’ll be posting about my paranormal romances and my spooky horror fiction!

Happy Reading,

Kelli

An Inside Look at... A Most Intriguing Temptation

Hi everyone,

Today I’m sharing an inside look and spotlighting the making of my historical/fantasy romance, A Most Intriguing Temptation. This book is the second story in the Royal Desires trilogy that began with A Most Unusual Princess and ends with A Most Unfortunate Prince. Together, they make up a fun series, but each story stands alone as a separate read. Why? Because when I wrote A Most Unusual Princess, I never knew I was writing a trilogy.

A Most Intriguing Temptation focuses on the theme of fidelity. Our headstrong Princess Elara wants to test Dalton’s loyalty, so she masquerades as Oonish, a sultry kharim girl in a pleasure palace. She teases and tempts Dalton at every turn and thinks her game is all in fun—until she gets in over her head and lands in big trouble. 

I enjoyed taking Elara out of her element and giving her new experiences. I also got to show a different side to Dalton’s character as he (and readers) learn about his weaknesses and desires. He loves Elara, and yet, Oonish is tempting… This unique storyline was an interesting way to showcase Dalton and Elara’s relationship, discuss their views on trust, and see how they interact and respond to challenges in their lives.

A Most Intriguing Temptation was fun to write. It has a little bit of everything: adventure, humor, sizzling love scenes, an element of danger, and even a drop of sadness. This book also introduces readers to Elara’s charming, womanizing, “bad-boy” brother, Prince Allan. 

When readers ask me if I ever have characters who want to “run away” with a story, I always point to Allan. By the end of A Most Intriguing Temptation, I knew Allan needed his own story, and so A Most Unfortunate Prince was born! I’ll be sharing more about him in my next blog.

Here’s the book summary and a brief (tame) excerpt:

A Most Intriguing Temptation

After only four months of marriage to Princess Elara, Prince Dalton is sent to Emperor Salizar’s pleasure palace on business. Not wanting to be left behind, Elara risks her personal safety and sneaks along on the trip. 

Aided by her mischievous brother, Prince Allan, she disguises herself as one of Salizar’s sultry kharim women and decides to test Dalton’s loyalty. Masquerading as Oonish, Elara goes out of her way to tempt Dalton at every turn. Despite Dalton’s resolve to resist the indulgent girls, he finds himself falling under the spell of the mysterious Oonish. 

After nearly giving in to temptation, Dalton discovers Elara’s trickery and turns the tables on her, making her into his submissive playmate. Their fun and games are quickly shattered when Emperor Salizar learns about Elara’s deception. He holds the royals prisoner and condemns Elara to a fate worse than death. 

Can Dalton save Elara before it’s too late, or will her prank bring about the end of their love?

Bonus! This e-book includes a sneak peek at the third book in the “Royal Desires” series: A MOST UNFORTUNATE PRINCE.

The Excerpt:

Dalton rolled over in his sleep. He heard bells jingling again. What was Oonish doing now? He’d told her to stay in the outer room. He opened his eyes. Oonish trotted around the foot of the bed. The room was dim and shadowy. How long had he been asleep?

“Good, you’re awake, Your Highness. I would not want you to miss anything.”

“Miss what?” he grumbled and tried to sit up. As he did, he realized that his arms were bent over his head. His wrists were tied to the wrought-iron headboard with long pink scarves.

“What is the meaning of this?” He moved his legs and found that his ankles were bound as well. “I order you to untie me, now.”

“Nay, Your Highness. You must stay here and be pleasured. It is my duty,” Oonish said as she unhooked her belt. Her scarves and bells fell to the carpet, revealing her tiny covering.

He looked away. What was she going to do? “I wish for you to--”

“You wish for this,” she said, turning her back to him and wiggling her buttocks.

He swallowed hard. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Oonish was enticing…

Order your copy of A Most Intriguing Temptation here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8P8604

Catch up on Book 1, A Most Unusual Princess, here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CBX43D8

Pre-Order your copy of Book 3, A Most Unfortunate Prince here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DMBYJ6E?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

 Next week, I'll be sharing an inside look at A Most Unfortunate Prince.

Happy Reading!

Kelli