Seductive Suspect by Thea Landen 💗 Fun Facts, Book Tour & Gift Card Giveaway 💗 (Erotic Romantic Suspense)

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A murder mystery weekend goes awry when the guests start dying for real. Veronica is desperate to survive and escape, but can’t deny her growing attraction to Adam, the handsome man staying in the room next door. Can she trust his intentions, or has she wound up in the arms of a cold-blooded killer?

Thirteen Fun Facts About Seductive Suspect!

1. It’s not an accident that main character Veronica Campbell has the same initials as Vera Claythorne, a central character in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (which help inspired this book).

2. Along those same lines and adding to my homage, love interest Adam Christensen’s initials aren’t an accident, either.

3. Also intentional: Adam’s roleplaying character at the start of the book is Colonel Mandrake. I “borrowed” the name from the first film adaptation of And Then There Were None, where General Macarthur’s name was changed to General Mandrake.

4. To further add to my tributes, ditzy French maid Babette/Brittany is described as wearing a uniform similar to that of Yvette’s in the movie Clue (another source of inspiration).

5. Brittany is named for a really irritating acquaintance I had at the time I started writing, who also, unfortunately, wasn’t the brightest person around. I’m pleased to report I don’t have to interact with her anymore.

6. I brainstormed with friends and asked for help when plotting out the murders in the book. I didn’t want my Google history to become too questionable, after all.

7. Similarly, we brainstormed to come up with a good name for Dylan’s alias he uses for his gaming channel. I wanted something that fit the stereotype of the “dudebro gamer”, and that wasn’t already used by anyone notable. If anyone out there wants to hide behind the handle of The Savage Sniper, it’s up for grabs!

8. Whether or not I have an outline before I start writing depends on the project, but for this book, I had a lengthy, detailed outline before I wrote the first word. Due to the mystery aspect and the structure of the plot’s timing, I didn’t want to screw anything up!

9. One of the challenges in outlining the plot was determining how to strand all the characters in one location. Back in the day, it was a little easier for writers to round up their characters to torture them, but with newer technology, there are more obstacles in the way. One device I used was a bad thunderstorm that knocked out the nearby cell towers. You can’t be truly stuck someplace if you can still use your cell phone!

10. While plotting, I wanted all the murders to be realistic. One interesting benefit, though, of writing in the first person, from Veronica’s point of view, is that she doesn’t necessarily need to know exactly how everything happened; she’s only reporting on what she sees herself. In my notes, I do have the more specific details written down (what kind of poison might have been used, how a trap might have been sprung, etc.). When the killer is revealed in the climactic scene, I did explain a few key points, but otherwise kept them simple so I wouldn’t ruin the momentum by hashing out every single one.

11. This was my first book with such a large cast of characters that’s present at all times. As the characters developed while I wrote, it was interesting to see their interactions with each other and how their feelings about the others emerged. I always claimed to be in complete control of my characters, but here, to an extent, they did start writing themselves.

12. A large part of one of the later chapters was handwritten in a notebook while I spent several days in the hospital. Don’t worry, I’m fine now!

13. Veronica drinks pinot noir and loves coffee. Coincidentally, so do I. ;)

The crisp mountain air no longer felt so cold. Heat spread over my body. His head ducked down, and he captured my mouth in a gentle kiss. Soft lips pressed against mine. I melted farther into his embrace. His tongue slid forward, and I welcomed it, reveling in his sweet taste.

I ran my hands over his shoulders and laced my fingers behind his neck. Lost in his kiss, I pretended we were two normal people surrounded by beautiful scenery, doing nothing more than succumbing to a mutual attraction in one exhilarating moment. Even if something terrible happened to me later on, I could say I chose happiness over fear.

Our kiss grew more fervent, and his grip on me tightened. I let out a small whimper when he pulled away, but he beamed at me.

“Stay with me tonight,” he said.

The edge in his voice sent a shiver through me, although my cheeks burned hot.

“Since we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, let’s be together now.”

A tremble shook my knees, and I was glad his strength supported me. Several tiny wisps of doubt flitted through the back of my mind, yet my desire for him overpowered them.

“Okay,” I said, the single word all I managed to get out.

Adam took me by the hand and led me toward his room. I floated across the balcony behind him in a dreamy haze. Once he opened the door, though, all semblances of tenderness disappeared.

Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and two children. She strives to encourage creativity and passion in all those around her, and uses writing to help inspire. Though she reads and writes in nearly all genres, she has a special fondness for science fiction, fantasy, and adventure and anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games.