Write to Die

Jessica Kallan #1

by Susan C. Richards

A young investigative reporter, a best-selling author and a twenty-year old murder converge in a deadly dance. Jessica Kallan thinks working for her favorite author, Ethan Miller, is the job of a lifetime, until she realizes that researching a decades-old cold-case has resurrected a killer.

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2020

About the author

Write to Die is the first book in the Jessica Kallan mystery series, published by Camel Press.

Write to Die introduces Jessica, author Ethan Miller, and his eclectic household. Jessica and Ethan seem to have resurrected a murderer as they search to solve a twenty-year-old murder case. Now they must race to find the truth before someone else ends up dead.

Dead Write, brings Jessica and Ethan together again in another murderous adventure at a small private college in southern Missouri.

Book three in the Jessica Kallan series is currently in the works.

Where Secrets Live, written under the name, S. C. Richards, is a novel of suspense, published by Crooked Lane Books. Liz McCallister searches for her sister's killer and quickly discovers that her family is buried in decades of ugly secrets.

Where Secrets Live was a finalist in the Mystery/Suspense category of the 2018 Daphne du Maurier contest.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Susan C. Richards, currently resides in Northern Minnesota.

Stop by for a visit at: https://susancrichards.com/

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a great premise - reporter gets to interview reclusive write that she has idolized from afar all her life.

That quickly lead to all kinds of dead bodies and deadly hijinks.

I feel like this would have been a better story if it had stuck closer to the premise. Our reporter goes off and gets herself followed a million times, is repeatedly injured (but seems to not that hinder her running all over the countryside), and takes a bunch of naps. I would have liked this better if we had seen more of Ethan, who seems to be a sort of Hemingway-esque figure, and is almost bigger than life (almost but not quite because he doesn't appear that much). The 20 year old mystery that he is trying to solve sounds interesting but upon further examination just seems odd.

I felt like the villain would have been predictable if we had known that person better. The caves were interesting but do not seem plausible as a hiding spot. I guess I would have just liked more - more plotting, more character development, and more connecting the dots.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've ever read by Susan C. Richards, but I enjoyed this book. It's an interesting mystery that will keep you guessing as to who the killer is. I liked the main character, investigative reporter Jessica Kallan. Jessica is pulled into a cold case that clearly someone doesn't want solved, putting her and others in danger. The pacing was a little uneven, but I still really liked the book and plan to read the next book in the series.

[Megan Merchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a small twist I didn't see coming until much later, but I knew who the killer was by page 115. That being said, it was a pretty good book, engaging and easy to read. The author did a good job of subtly keeping the many characters straight for the reader to remember who is who. All in all it was a pretty good who done it.

[Cherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a cozy mystery - at all. Murder happens on the page. Overtones of serious danger and nothing happy in the whole thing. My "Cozy" Mystery Book Club leader chose this and it's okay but not what I wanted to read.

[Cheri Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read page turner! Kept me guessing and easily held my interest. Can't wait to read the next installment in this collection.

[Brian Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, Agatha Christie-style mystery with unexpected twists and turns. The characters are interesting and developed. The plot moves at a quick pace. This was a fun read.

[Megan Kroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good mystery. Always have, always will. This one I thought I had figured out, but it totally took me by surprise so I have to give it 5 stars :)

[Harlequin Books]

Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
A Jessica Kallan Mystery

[Tribefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has great plot, very neat and clean as it spirals and twists around the hiring of a reporter, Jessica Kallan, to assist in researching a 20-year-old murder for a famous author’s forthcoming book. As Jessica’s research deepens she encounters a number of suspects, some shady and some not, right there at the author’s mansion - as well as accidents, histories, hidden relationships, and a wealthy family whose own secrets are intertwined with those of a small town.
I really enjoyed this debut mystery by Susan C. Richards, and look forward to reading more about Jessica Kallan!