The good, the bad, and the ugly

Dear friends,

It’s been a while since I was able to check in and give you an update. This is one of the most challenging things that I ever wrote, because the past months have been very difficult for me. My father was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of November, so the holidays were dark and grim in my family. Just when the first spring sunrays seemed to head our way, war started in Ukraine. I live in Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine. It’s fortunate because we are able to help hundreds of thousands of refugees, but it also makes the horrors of war too close for comfort. However, I have no right to complain. I can’t even imagine what the poor people across the border have to endure every moment, living and dying in constant bombardment, as their country is destroyed, inch by inch.

The thought that this destruction might extend throughout the whole world is daunting. I’m only thirty-six years old, and already I’ve lived through a pandemic, the terrible illness of a loved family member, and now I am witnessing a war.

Needless to say that all of this has affected my creativity. I want to apologize to you all. I know you’re waiting for the next books, and I am struggling harder than you think to write the best mysteries that I can. That includes a lot of research, endless brainstorming, writing, deleting, not to mention mustering the physical and emotional state to write. I’ve had a lot more bad days than good, so the progress is slow, but I try to celebrate the small victories, like hitting the first 10k of a new book!

It’s a new series, which I’m very excited about. I can’t tell you anything about it yet, so please be patient with me. I just hope you will continue to share these small joys and make these baby steps with me.

In the meantime, I would love to offer you a free short story from my Lovestruck collection, which is available exclusively on my website, melindadeross.com. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! 🙂☘️

Also, I have another series that I would love to recommend, because as a friend of mine says, we all turn to books for solace when reality becomes too harsh to endure.

If you would like to help the people of Ukraine in any way, fellow AB author Stephanie Queen has generously put together an anthology of ten stories, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to support Ukrainian refugees all over the world. Please consider buying this box set, so that someone who had to abandon their home can have a hot meal, medicine, or a bed for the night.

Stay safe,

Melinda

S is for Strike!

Hi, friends!

I hope this post finds you and yours well and safe. This has been a challenging year for all of us, for some more than for others. Personally, I often felt like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel—and that the tunnel is underwater. But despite everything else, I kept my conviction that hard work pays off, and I dove into my work, giving it everything that I had.

This is how Silent Strike came to life, and I am thrilled to announce that today is Launch Day for my next Irish Garda Squad novel, which several early reviewers say is the best of the series so far.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Gripping and page-turningly fantastic from the very beginning. Silent Strike is not to be missed!” — IND’TALE MAGAZINE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Colt Strikes Gold Once More” — Goodreads

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Lots of mystery with some romance and unexpected emotion to keep you on a roller coaster of a ride.” — Goodreads

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I enjoyed a REAL mystery, one that I had to look at all the suspects and figure out whodunit” — Goodreads

So what’s this book about? Well, I’m happy that you ask! 🙂

Detectives Aidan Connor and Jenna Darcy never had compassion for vigilantes—until now.

A politician’s murder is always big news, but Detective Aidan Connor isn’t sure if landing the high-profile case is a blessing or a curse. The late senator was not as well-liked as everyone claims. As the investigation advances, the problem isn’t that Aidan has no suspects—he has too many.

Pressured to close the case quickly, Aidan partners with Detective Jenna Darcy, the finest cybercrime expert from the Irish Garda. As they dig into the politician’s life, the secrets they uncover go from dirty to shockingly disturbing. Aidan and Jenna start to wonder if the killer is the true villain…

Don’t worry if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series. Each story in the Irish Garda Squad series is a stand-alone, so you don’t have to worry about previous backstories or cliffhangers.

If you’re still on the fence, I need to mention that Silent Strike is launched at the special price of 99 cents, which is a very limited time deal.

You can buy it as e-book or paperback from:

Amazon   *   Kobo   *   Nook  *   iBooks  *  Google Play

So go grab your copy, then after you finish reading, shoot me an email and let me know what you thought of it!

Until next time, Mr. Colt and I wish you a Happy September!

 

Fondly,

Melinda