Dave Wickenden's Blog

January 8, 2025

Huge News!

Huge news!
My novel, The Origami Deception, has advanced to the shortlist in the Chanticeer International Book Awards in the Global Thrillers category.
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Published on January 08, 2025 19:28

September 9, 2024

The Origami Deception review

Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers’ Favorite

The Origami Deception by David Wickenden is set in a mining area in Canada. The main characters are Lucas Kuchar and Jamie Coleman, journalists who work for the local newspaper. Initially, there is tension between them as their boss Felix takes the story of a strike at the local mine away from Lucas. He asks him to focus on the trouble between local prostitutes and their pimps. Jamie is to follow up on the strike on the mine. However, both stories are linked, and, working together, Lucas and Jamie uncover a much greater deception that has worldwide implications for the planet. Explosions at the mine caused havoc during a strike, destroying an area of the local town. Was it linked to a disaster in Mexico that obliterated a whole village and caused numerous deaths? Who is behind the sabotage and why? Lucas and Jamie are shocked by what they discover and what they can and cannot make public. The mining interests deal with the refining of heavy metals, toxic waste, and massive and lethal air pollution. The stakes are high. When news leaks out of a second planned attack, it’s a joint effort to protect life and the environment.

At first, I was confused by David Wickenden’s title, The Origami Deception, but the reason for this became clear toward the end and I realized how clever it was. I also loved learning about metal refineries. His descriptions of the disasters as they happened and the tower's collapse were so vivid that you were there amid the devastation. I warmed to all the characters, including poor Jaren from Mexico, who was used as a pawn by the saboteurs. The political aspect was plausible and may include aspects of the truth, but the facts about mining in third-world countries are hair-raising. Writing about the story is difficult as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but this fast-paced thriller is a page-turner that so cleverly knits two, even three, unrelated stories together. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it highly. I shall look for more books by this author. A well-deserved five stars.
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Published on September 09, 2024 08:44 Tags: journalists, new-book, thriller

July 15, 2024

Arcs available for review

Hi everyone.
I have a fast-paced thriller that sees two journalist investigate explosions at a mine site that has international implications. They also must determine how the beating of a prostitute plays into the bigger picture before the group attacks again. The company, the city and the reports are all mere pawns in this international game.
I have epub, pdf, and mobi available. Would like reviews on Goodreads, Amazon if possible and anywhere else you are able.
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Published on July 15, 2024 18:52 Tags: journalists, new-book, thriller

New Book

Get ready!
The Origami Deception
My latest thriller features two reporters taking on an international group of saboteurs who are attacking a Canadian Mining company.

Lucas, a veteran journalist, sees a big story brewing within a strike at a local mining company when explosions rip through the plant, but he gets bumped by Jamie, a junior reporter. To keep his finger in the pie, he agrees to mentor the new journalist while following a second story about a sex-worker found half beaten to death.

As the attacks escalate, the two must work together to determine if this is a global threat or the first volley in an international trade war. As the clues of both stories add up, they realize that there is a common link, and they race for the full picture before more attacks take place. One thing is for certain, the mining company, the city, and the country are mere pawns, in a game that could kill thousands unless they can expose the truth and avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
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Published on July 15, 2024 13:27 Tags: journalists, new-book, thriller

February 4, 2024

Huge News!

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Published on February 04, 2024 09:08

November 21, 2023

Huge news!

My latest novel, The Home Front has made the long list in the 2023 Global Thriller High Stakes Awards hosted by the Chanticleer International Book Awards.
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Published on November 21, 2023 03:46 Tags: cancer, freedom, nazi, seniors, the-home-front, veterans

October 26, 2022

Cover Reveal

Check out the cover on my latest thriller! The Home Front by Dave Wickenden, David Wickenden
The print copy is available through Amazon, and the ebook will be available everywhere as of November 15, 2022.

Premise:
Cantankerous, old-fashioned, and stubborn as hell, Donald Wilson, was the first American soldier to enter Dachau, and has suffered with the horrors ever since. Now at ninety-five, he grapples with a recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis and believes there is nothing left to live for.

When neo-Nazis fire-bomb synagogues in his Pennsylvania hometown, he finds he has one last battle to fight. He only has months left to do this or the evil could rise again and plunge not only America, but the world back into the horrors of the Third Reich.
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Published on October 26, 2022 17:25 Tags: far-right, honor, racism, seniors, thriller, wwii-vet

April 25, 2022

Sell Your Book

Attention all Authors!
Looking to find more readers and sell more books?
Look no farther. I had the same problem before I found the secret that works for me and I offer all my ideas in my new ebook that is available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...
I offer everything I used to sell an average of 1000 books annually. It is time-consuming, but so worth it. You'll sell more books and grow your readership.
Check it out!
David
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Published on April 25, 2022 09:50 Tags: authors, book-marketing, readership, reviews, sell-book

February 6, 2021

2021 reading list

This year, I am making an effort to read new authors. I am currently reading Karen Slaughter, having heard good things about her, I recently finished Jeffery Deaver, Stephen Leather, and Michael Connelly and really enjoyed these authors.
Can't wait to meet new author friends.
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Published on February 06, 2021 11:07 Tags: newauthors, thrillers

February 3, 2021

Beta Reader

If you want a beta reader that will work with you to better your manuscript and help you avoid issues with plot, theme, characters, minor editing and grammar, and even offers a posted review on publication, please visit https://davewickenden.wixsite.com/dav... and see what others think about my process.

I spell out everything I look for when diving into your story on my website. I will dissect your novel through the eyes of both a reader and an author of 5 novels and 5 screenplays.

Your success is my only goal. Drop me a line. Email is on the website.
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Published on February 03, 2021 17:07 Tags: betareader