Steadman's Blind: An explosive adventure brimming with peril and suspense

by Joslyn Chase

Caught in a pursuit that will change his life forever. Or end it.Step into the world of Chief Randall Steadman, a masterful interrogator with the uncanny ability to read people's thoughts and motives. But when his skills fail him at the poker table, Steadman spirals into a series of unexpected events that will challenge everything he knows.Watching his poker stake evaporate, Steadman hits rock bottom – until fate deals him a more devastating blow, sowing disaster and leaving an innocent girl in danger with a ruthless killer on the loose.Determined to make things right, Steadman embarks on a perilous journey with his untested partner, Detective Cory Frost. Their quest for justice takes them down a treacherous path to the scene of a shocking triple homicide and pits them against a menacing volcano and a brutal crime ring.Brimming with suspense, Steadman’s Blind will send you to the edge of your seat. Gripping and fast-paced, this explosive tale explores the limits of trust, the price of redemption, and the lengths one will go to protect the innocent.If you like books by C.J. Box, Thomas Perry, and Jeffery Deaver, you’ve just found a new favorite in Steadman’s Blind!Excerpt of interview with the For those who’ve read the tie-in novel, Nocturne In Ashes, you say they’ll now get “the rest of the story?” How does Steadman’s Blind relate to Nocturne In Ashes? Nocturne In Ashes shares the same time and setting as Steadman’s Blind—during the devastating aftermath of Mt. Rainier’s eruption. In Nocturne, a series of murders occurs and Steadman and Frost are dispatched to the scene of the crime. When you read Nocturne, you see it takes them three days to arrive. When you read Steadman’s Blind, you find out why. This book is the story behind those three days. And so much more. I get it. Intriguing idea. So, do the two stories ever come together? The stories do intersect during a couple of chapters, so if you’ve read one book, you’ll get to see some of the scenes through another character’s eyes. I think that makes it more fun and interesting for the reader, getting those different perspectives. And do you have to read one book to get the full impact of the other? No, you don’t have to, but I highly recommend it. Each can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s more fun reading them together!

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2023

About the author

Joslyn Chase is a prize-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. Any day she can send readers to the edge of their seats, chewing their fingernails to the nub and prickling with suspense, is a good day in her book.
Joslyn’s story, “Cold Hands, Warm Heart,” was chosen by Amor Towles as one of the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 and “A Band of Scheming Women” was a finalist for the Derringer Award in 2025. In addition, her thriller novel Staccato Passage was a 2025 semi-finalist for the Adventure Writer’s Grandmaster Award.
Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Malice Domestic's Mystery Most Devious, Thrill Ride Magazine, Fiction River, Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem, Mystery Magazine, and Pulphouse Fiction, among others.
Known for her fast-paced suspense fiction, Joslyn’s books are full of surprising twists and delectable turns. You will find her riveting novels most anywhere books are sold.
Her love for travel has led Joslyn to ride camels through the Nubian desert, fend off monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar, and hike the Bavarian Alps. But she still believes that sometimes the best adventures come in getting the words on the page and in the thrill of reading a great story.

Reviews

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joslyn Chase knows how to tell a story well. It was fun to meet up with some characters who had been introduced in her previous novel, Nocturne in Ashes. This novel explores the aftermath of the same volcanic eruption through the experiences of different characters. I expect all readers will fall in love with Mattie and her struggle to survive at the hands of a murderer, the two officers who deal with the wrack of the elements as they pursue another, and especially Steadman's personal journey to right the wrong done to his sister. Good story.

[Manie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Nocturne in Ashes by the same author, I really looked forward to reading this book, Steadman's Blind, as well.
Set in the same milieu as Nocturne in Ashes and having the eruption of Mount Rainier as a pivotal point in both books, I was rather curious as to how the author, Joslyn Chase, was going to prevent a huge overlap in the two mentioned thrillers. I need not have worried. Except for two chapters in Steadman's Blind that simply touched on the events in Nocturne in Ashes the book Steadman's Blind is a completely separate, stand alone thriller and even more of a suspenseful compelling thriller that just about thrilled me to bits.
The interaction between Chief Randall Steadman and Detective Cory Frost is especially insightful, leaving no doubt in my mind that I would love to read a whole lot more of these two characters in future.
And who would have thought there is so much psychology and plain street sense to be garnered from a game of poker?
Author Joslyn Chase now confirmed my first impressions of her being a formidable suspense writer bound to make readers sit up and take notice.
Trying to emulate the success of a first book is tough enough to do when following up with the second book, as is Steadman's Blind here, but Steadman's Blind exceeds all expectations with the greatest of ease. This is one suspense thriller writer sure to make note of and to diligently follow in future.
Enjoy.

[Thomas Greenbank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via the Book Sirens ARC service in return for an honest review.
This is not the first time I've read one of Ms Chase's books. It probably won't be the last.
Jocelyn has a great knack for wringing the most in terms of drama and tension out of a scene.
Her characters are believable and her villains are despicable. Just how I like them.
This is a spin-off from an earlier book, Nocturn in Ashes, and features some of the characters from it. The story is a gripping drama with nice twists set against the backdrop of an eruption of Mount Rainier. We have a serial killer, a psychotic serial kidnapper, and a Chief Deputy determined to solve both cases. We also have a good personal back-story that adds to the human element.
All in all, a damn good read!

[Teresa Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unusual combination of an epic natural disaster, a police procedural, and a revenge plot. The story grabbed this reader's attention from the very beginning and kept me engaged until the very end. There were a couple of places where I had to momentarily suspend disbelief, but it wasn't enough to destroy or even interrupt my enjoyment of the story. It is fast-paced, with wonderful characters, plenty of action, and bad guys you love to hate. I hope Ms. Chase is planning to make this a long-running series and not just one book. I will miss these characters if there isn't more to come

I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens and this is my honest opinion..

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steadman starts out trying to help his sister and BIL , and finds a whole lot more along the way. The Dart episode made me sick to my very core, and I barely kept my lunch down. The mountain eruption really puts a spanner into all the efforts at justice and adds dangerous elements to the story. The Lizardos are like a bad fungus and hard to contain and deal with. It was suspenseful, dangerous, and full of twists . This will amp up your adrenaline. I voluntarily read a free copy of this provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Fred Masek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deputy Chief Steadman and Detective Frost have their hands full with. Mt Etna eruption, Hank’s brutal beating, Poker lessons, Dart’s luring of Maddie to and locking her in his cabin, Detectives cleaning guns while in their underwear, crooked cops, and drugs. The fast paced action never stopped. The characters were well defined, and the locations aptly described. Once picked up it was impossible to put down. I enjoyed this book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed thrills with the most despicable evil awaits readers in this exciting, twisting book by Joslyn Chase. Steadman's Blind will take the reader on a suspenseful, multilayered adventure with a volcano, murders, and criminals. A truly gripping read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joslyn Chase knows how to capture your attention. As the story unfolds, you can tell she has done her research. Her characters, and the situations they find themselves in are believable, with plausible outcomes. Steadman and his "newby" partner Frost, are men who can be relied on to do their best in any given situation. If you enjoyed Nocturne in Ashes, you will love Steadman's Blind.

I received a free copy of Steadman's Blind through BookSirens and I have chosen to leave a review.