John Mefford > Recent Status Updates

I was so busy yesterday signing books and responding to emails, I forgot to let everyone know that...

AS GOOD AS DEAD is live! https://mybook.to/DHAsGoodAsDead

Early feedback has been incredible:
"Dynamite."
"Gobsmacked."
"What a twister!"

I hope you enjoy the novel.

Only six days until the release of AS GOOD AS DEAD (11.13.25).: https://mybook.to/DHAsGoodAsDead

Ozzie uncovers a full-blown conspiracy at the heart of this bizarre kidnapping. But the man responsible is just getting started. When Ozzie tries to force his hand, an edict is given. Ozzie has 48 hours to do the unthinkable.

Will Alex be able to stop him…Or is she the intended victim?

We're less than three weeks until the launch date for AS GOOD AS DEAD (11.13.25): https://mybook.to/DHAsGoodAsDead

ARCs are out and it's close to white-knuckle time.:)

Ozzie has forty-eight hours to choose: sacrifice his own conscience, or lose everything he cares about.

As the body count rises, Ozzie discovers that not all enemies hide in the shadows—some are standing right beside him.

We're under a month until the launch date for AS GOOD AS DEAD (11.13.25): https://mybook.to/DHAsGoodAsDead

Fear has a name.
And Ozzie just heard it whispered from the shadows of his past.

Today was a big day. My editor just finished the proofread for AS GOOD AS DEAD. And now it's off to the book formatting person.

This weekend I'll send out the ARC to the Mefford Dream Team, a group of readers who've been with me for ten years or more.

The book launches on 11.13.25. Can't wait to share it with you.
https://mybook.to/DHAsGoodAsDead

New excerpt: Ch. 1
"But the solitude gave my mind—the part that clung to negatives like arthritis to old bone—too much freedom, and my thoughts were hijacked. The spiral began, sucking me into the abyss. The steel-like talons of the Beast—what I called the voice that fueled my anxiety—clawed and stripped every nerve raw."

Excerpt from ch. 7 (Ozzie):
Talk about a close call. I grabbed the vial off the dresser, then opened one of the many PI apps to which we subscribed and did a search on Daphne Maxwell. A twenty-two-year-old lived in Daffan. That was my destination.

My acting routine had worked on Nicole. My wife. My best friend. My lover.

My lies.

I wondered if there was anything I wouldn’t do to protect my secrets.

My editor is about 90 percent done with the edit. Her comment to me: "John, you tried something really different, and it worked. This is the best book you've ever written."

AS GOOD AS DEAD (Nov 13) will be my 56th thriller. So, to read that comment from my long-time editor is both humbling and jaw-dropping.

The roots of this story are based upon real-life events. It's a history that is not taught. I had to dig for it. And when I found it, the idea for this novel came to life.
We all have to come to terms with our bloodlines, including Alex. What she uncovers will shake her to the core. But only if she survives.

Love this latest review: "Mefford's development of Alex and Ozzie over the years has been nothing short of remarkable."

I'm really thankful for this latest review from a long-time reader:

"Mefford's development of Alex and Ozzie over the years has been nothing short of remarkable. This latest edition of the Austin underworld is well worth reading. I do suggest reading where and when there are no distractions."

Alex is self-aware enough to recognize her unbreakable spirit was hardened by a tough upbringing. Her family name had never brought her joy or even a hint of pride.

In Dead At Midnight, she's met with new information. How will it impact her investigation into a missing young woman?

More than she can possibly fathom.

Fun (scary?) fact: While Dead At Midnight is fiction, a key element of the novel is straight from the history books.

And it will shake you to your core.

A recent reviewer included the following in his 5-star review:

An edge of your seat mystery. So many twists and turns. An action-packed page turner.

Love it!

Today is pub day for DEAD AT MIDNIGHT! I'm so thankful for all the reviews.
Here's one that stood out to me:

"An exciting and mind-blowing story."

Only 1 day until pub day!
For Alex, solving the case means confronting the bloodline she can’t outrun.

https://mybook.to/DHDeadAtMidnight

2 days until pub day!

Another good tagline: Two women missing. One past unburied. Time is running out for Alex...

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...

Another strong tagline:
When the past resurfaces, no one is safe—not even the truth.

New tagline: The sins of her ancestor make Alex feel like a pariah—now they might make her a target.

Early feedback from one of my advanced readers: "A great story. Gave me chills."

New release launches on August 7th: https://mybook.to/DHDeadAtMidnight

First paragraph:
He glanced into the rearview mirror. The mirror didn’t lie. He was a green-eyed monster, a freak—just like they all said. They didn’t know the half of it.
Behind those eyes was a truth that was better left hidden. But it would not stay veiled forever.