The Sleepy Hollow Incident IV by P D Alleva picks up where Book III left off. This Gothic horror story needs to be read in order. The eerie atmosphere in the town of Sleep Hollow covers up what lurks underneath. Marc had sacrificed himself to save Lori once, will he be here, at the end, to save her again? I am eager to find out how P D Alleva will wrap it up.
Blood, guts and gore run through the streets, whispers floating on air.
P D Alleva’s writing has the story unfolding in vivid detail. I couldn’t stop reading. Many bodies will fall, and I wonder who will be left when the story is done. And the house? Hmmmmm…Just because the story is over, does that mean that the evil is done? Would you want to visit Sleep Hollow?
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The final descent into hell has begun.
Winter thickens over Sleepy Hollow as shadows rise from the soil and the ancient evil behind Marc Saduj’s bargain prepares to claim its throne. A buzzing veil of dread smothers the town. Shops are shuttered, streets abandoned, and whispers in the fog speak of a darkness older than time itself.
Detective Stephen Carver, bloodied but unbroken, stumbles back toward the Hollow after surviving betrayal and near death. Every step draws him closer to the cavern at Patriot’s Park, where the veil between worlds is tearing. Lori Francon, clutching Marc’s cryptic notebook, fights to find the man she loves—though what waits in the crypt may no longer be Marc at all.
Beneath the town, torture and sacrifice fuel the rise of the Man in Black, whose true demonic form now emerges. Ghost demons, covens, and corrupted souls gather as the astral plane cracks open, threatening to unleash Baphomet’s reign on earth.
As Marc confronts the horrifying truth of his bond with the Man in Black, he stands on the knife’s edge between redemption and damnation. Lori must decide how much she is willing to risk—her body, her soul, her very sanity—to pull him back from the abyss.
The battle for Sleepy Hollow is no longer about survival. It is about salvation—or surrendering the world to eternal night.
Gothic, romantic, and unrelenting in its terror, The Sleepy Hollow Book Four concludes PD Alleva’s chilling saga with a storm of forbidden love, supernatural horror, and cosmic dread. Perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and The Haunting of Hill House, this finale asks one haunting When love itself is a curse, can it also be the cure?
Genre: Angels and Demons, Fiction, Gothic, Horror, Parnormal, Romance, Supernatural
Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 9, 2025 by Chamber Door Publishing LLC
Series: The Sleepy Hollow Incident IV
ABOUT P D ALLEVA
I write books, that’s what I do. Horror, scifi, thrillers, fantasy, and sometimes a literary gem. Good ones, crazy ones, fun books, entertaining books, terrifying books that are absolutely insane, books with depth and thrills, and stories that rip out the heart of humanity and tosses it on a slab to be feasted on. Yeah, that’s what I do, I write books. Any questions?
My current projects include: the Pulp Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy series, The Dark Veil:The Rose Vol. III; the horror thriller novella series, Girl on a Mission; the supernatural thriller series, The Hypnotist; and a follow up to Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, tentatively titled The Sleepy Hollow Incident.
Your free book is waiting. Join the PD Newsletter at https://pdalleva.com and score a free book.
Scaring And Daring is an anthology of short stories that takes something familiar and twists and turns it into something new, by a collection of award winning authors. The target audience may be for children eight to twelve, but can also entertain that child in you.
Do you like fairy tales and folklore? Do you like when someone takes your favorite story and turns it into something fresh? Some familiar tales are Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes, Jules Verne and others that are sure to entertain. I love short stories. If I only have a few minutes, I can read a story and set the book aside to be resumed later.
Eric Guignard is great at creating collections that can entertain for hours
4 Stars
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Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!
Get ready for a terrifying spin on some of literature’s most beloved tales—no story is safe! From Captain Hook’s run-in with dark magic to Sherlock Holmes narrowly escaping graveyard spirits to a happily never after for Cinderella, this horror anthology is anything but a bedtime story. In this terrifying new collection for young readers, the best-loved stories from the literary canon are revisited and reimagined with a deadly twist by some of the top authors working in middle grade today.
Featuring tales from New York Times bestselling authors Jonathan Maberry and Kelley Armstrong, Carlos Hernandez, Lisa Morton, Maurice Broaddus, and many others, this collection will haunt you long after you turn the last page. Read on—if you dare!
Created by award-winning editor Eric J. Guignard.
• In “The Hound of the Basking Villas,” a wily girl teams with young Sherlock Holmes to search for a missing boy in a fae-haunted cemetery.
• In “The Boy of La Mancha Rides a Ghost Horse,” a young Don Quixote, along with his stalwart companions, seeks honor and recognition by capturing (before time of his mother’s curfew) a ghost horse that terrorizes all of La Mancha.
• In “Hook and the Hand of Fate,” Captain Hook trades a promise for the return of his hand, but learns that barters cannot be broken in Neverland.
• In “Prince Badi az-Zaman and the Ogress Fattan,” a young prince sets out to find an ogress responsible for mayhem among his people, only to learn not all is as seems.
. . . and more!
Genre: Anthology, Childrens, Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
304 pages, Hardcover
Published August 12, 2025 by HarperCollins
ABOUT ERIC J GUIGNARD
ERIC J. GUIGNARD is a writer and editor of dark and speculative fiction, operating from the shadowy outskirts of Los Angeles, where he also runs the small press, Dark Moon Books. He’s twice won the Bram Stoker Award (the highest literary award of horror fiction), been a finalist for the International Thriller Writers Award, and a multi-nominee of the Pushcart Prize.
Outside the glamorous and jet-setting world of indie fiction, Eric’s a technical writer and college professor, and he stumbles home each day to a wife, children, dogs, and a terrarium filled with mischievous beetles. Visit Eric at: www.ericjguignard.com, his blog: ericjguignard.blogspot.com, or Twitter: @ericjguignard.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jes Bogg will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
He only wanted to help. Now he’s being hunted.
When community carer, Baz Bexon, discovers a murder victim at a new client’s home, his life unravels. With unrestricted access to the property, he and his colleagues fall under suspicion.
Determined to clear his name, and wishing to safeguard the disabled occupant he’s employed to assist, Baz turns amateur sleuth on the seedier backstreets of Hull.
But his questioning arouses the interest of a killer. One fixated on revenge…
A Murder On Call is the gripping first novel in the Baz Bexon series. If you enjoy unlikely heroes, break-neck action, and gritty blends of mystery and thriller, dive into Jes Bogg’s debut.
Read an Excerpt
The house remained silent, apart from the background buzz of the central heating.
“I reckon she’s still in bed,” Baz said.
“Yup. Let’s go.” Shell took the lead. When she glanced through the open doorway beside the kitchen, she halted, staring into the darkened room.
“Hey, warn me when you’re gonna do that, would you?” Baz chided, stepping aside so as not to plough into her.
“Oh, crap!” Shell motioned through the door.
Baz followed her gaze. Someone lay on the threshold between the dining room and lounge.
“She’s fallen.” He swallowed.
They hastened to put on their disposable gloves, Shell pausing to turn on the dining room light.
A woman wearing a pink fluffy nightgown and matching slippers was curled on her side, her auburn hair pulled back in a tight bun and a pair of round-lensed spectacles askew on her large, aquiline nose.
Baz crouched beside her and took her hand with care. It chilled his palm.
“Jasmine, can you hear me?” His voice sounded foreign to his ears.
No response.
Pressing his fingertips into the woman’s neck, he felt for a pulse. Nothing.
He held his wrist to her mouth, hoping to feel the faintest tickle of a breath.
Again, nothing.
Pulling aside her robe, he checked for chest movements and froze.
A large kitchen knife protruded from her stomach, sticky blood coating the inside of her gown. He snatched his hand away and leaned back. “She’s dead.”
About the Author:
Jes was born, raised and continues to reside in England’s northern city, Kingston Upon Hull. She lives with her mother, eight-year-old daughter and their Abyssinian cat, Petrie.
Growing up, she was inspired by Point Horror stories, Sweet Valley High and anything by K A Applegate, and as an adult she was gripped by the writers Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Peters, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Lee Child and Scott Mariani.
As an advocate of breastfeeding, Jes volunteers for a local trust, assisting mothers to feed their children, in addition to promoting the benefits of human milk to their relatives. She has also taken on a new role at a nearby gymnastics club, a sport she loves to watch if unable to participate in.
A fair warning—don’t get her talking about ancient Egypt or cats, you’ll never get away.
Throughout her adult life, Jes has always been the one persuaded to produce thank you cards, letters of complaint, résumés, advertisements, and much more for family and friends. The constant excuse being, “You know how to write.”
I am familiar with James L’Etoile’s name, but I have never read any of his work. His books sound right up my alley, so when I saw Illusion Of Truth and had the time to read it, I grabbed a copy. James does not disappoint.
Detective Emily Hunt is used to running towards danger, so when her boyfriend, also a cop, Brian Connor, is hurt in a church bombing, she will stop at nothing to find who is responsible. She has no idea how deep the conspiracy goes. By choosing to go slow with their relationship, did she lose her chance at happiness? She also has to cope with her mother’s dementia. How long before she doesn’t recognize who Amanda is?
It seems the villain is targeting the police. Why? What grievance could they have that would cause them to go to such extremes? Mystery and danger abound.
James L’Etoile supplies us with a hefty dose of suspects. I looked for the villain through a process of elimination, but he was not on my radar when James finally exposed him. I do love a story that keeps me guessing until the end.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Hunter becomes the hunted Sacramento Detective Emily Hunter is exposed to inhumanity on a daily basis—it’s the unfortunate baggage that comes with police work, and she’s mostly learned how to shoulder the load. But it all turns personal when her fellow cop and boyfriend, Brian Conner, is caught in the blast of a targeted church bombing. Brian is gravely injured, suffering a traumatic brain injury. But the attacks don’t stop there—soon, more officers come under fire, and Emily searches for a connection. She and her partner, Javier Medina, discover that Brian and the other injured officers share a common past—a past that now has them targeted for payback. Battling with heartbreak, Emily has to identify who’s responsible for the string of attacks and stop them before there are more casualties. Will Brian ever be the same again? Already grappling with her mother’s progressing Alzheimer’s, Emily can’t bear the thought of losing both of the people she loves most. Though it feels impossible, Emily must stay focused on finding the criminals who uprooted her life—and making sure that justice is served. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Michael Connelly While the novels in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence Face of Greed River of Lies Illusion of Truth
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Police Procedural
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 6, 2026 by Oceanview Publishing
ABOUT JAMES L’ETOILE
James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies, Served Cold, and Sins of the Father are his most recent novels. Look for Illusion of Truth coming soon.
I only had to crack open one of Leslie Wolfe’s novels and I knew she would be on my must read author list. Her writing fits me so well, she could have been writing her books just for me. If you love suspense that has you holding your breath and peeking between your fingers as you read the words on the ‘printed page’, Leslie Wolfe is for you.
Everyone thinks that Amanda Davis has a perfect life. House, fabulous. Career, successful. Husband, hunkalicious. But, we all know things are not always as they seem. Secrets hide behind closed doors. When Amanda’s husband, Paul kills someone, she is a witness. What do you think happens next? Well, she doesn’t go to the police, and that is her first mistake. She had wanted our of her marriage and now, Paul is refusing to let her go, manipulating her into keeping his secret.
As the story unfolds, Amanda makes more than one mistake and I never saw that happening. Leslie Wolfe writes some of the most wonderful endings, almost impossible to predict and sure to have you saying, WT. Yeah. All good for me…and you.
The short chapters make the book easy and quick to read. The story flows smoothly, like floating down a river on an inner tube, until…wham, bam, thank you ma’am. That sure woke me up. There were some predictable moments, but with the quantity of books out there, that is to be expected. It didn’t stop me from loving and devouring A Beautiful Couple by Leslie Wolfe.
If you are looking for a suspense/thriller author to add to your must read list, look no further.
4 Stars
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“Leslie Wolfe is a rockstar storyteller. I wanted more – how she managed it I do not think I will ever know. You will feel encouraged. You will think what just happened? Most importantly, you will want to read everything Leslie Wolfe has ever written.” Amazon Reviewer Sderebery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her husband killed someone. She’s the only witness.
Amanda Davis has it a beautiful home, a thriving career, and a charismatic husband who is the darling of television news. But when Paul kills someone in a disturbing accident, Amanda’s perfect world shatters. Pulled into a web of manipulation, deceit, and dark secrets, she becomes his unwilling accomplice, trapped in a twisted, dangerous existence that tests the limits of love and loyalty.
As the weight of the secret bears down, Amanda begins to see a side of Paul she’s never known—cold, manipulative, and dangerously unpredictable. His charm fades, replaced by a chilling determination to keep their secret at any cost. The walls are closing in: the police are investigating, strange events unsettle her, and Paul’s behavior grows more menacing by the day.
Trapped and isolated, Amanda realizes she’s not just covering up an accident—she’s become a prisoner in her own life. With her sanity and safety on the line, she must How far will she go to escape the web of lies? And who can she trust when the one person she thought she knew best becomes a threat?
In this gripping, twisty psychological thriller, Amazon Charts and Kindle #1 best-selling author Leslie Wolfe masterfully crafts a tale of chilling deception, dangerous secrets, and the terrifying lengths we go to in order to keep up appearances. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Lisa Jewell, and Jeneva Rose, A Beautiful Couple will leave you breathless and questioning everything you thought you knew about love, loyalty, and trust.
Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.
Leslie released the first novel, Executive, in October 2011. Since then, she has written many more, continuing to break down barriers of traditional thrillers. Her style of fast-paced suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology, has made Leslie one of the most read authors in the genre and she has created an array of unforgettable, brilliant and strong women heroes along the way.
A recently released standalone and an addictive, heart-stopping psychological thriller, The Girl You Killed will appeal to fans of The Undoing, The Silent Patient, or Little Fires Everywhere. Reminiscent of the television drama Criminal Minds, her series of books featuring the fierce and relentless FBI Agent Tess Winnett would be of great interest to readers of James Patterson, Melinda Leigh, and David Baldacci crime thrillers. Fans of Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni suspenseful mysteries would love the Las Vegas Crime series, featuring the tension-filled relationship between Baxter and Holt. Finally, her Alex Hoffmann series of political and espionage action adventure will enthrall readers of Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and Lee Child.
Leslie has received much acclaim for her work, including inquiries from Hollywood, and her books offer something that is different and tangible, with readers becoming invested in not only the main characters and plot but also with the ruthless minds of the killers she creates.
Leslie enjoys engaging with readers every day and would love to hear from you. Become an insider: gain early access to previews of Leslie’s new novels.
Journalists existed to search for and tell the truth. PR people existed to manipulate and obfuscate it. They were paid mouthpieces, spin masters, shills. Old school reporters referred to them as flacks.
Curt Hinton was a journalist and he saw the writing on the wall.He was becoming obsolete. Angel offered him an out, to come to work for the same company he worked for, Balco, the Bay Area Logistics Company. Curt’s first day on the job, he finds out his best friend, Angel, was killed. Curt wants answers.
I love a good vigilante story. Of course, in real life, we can’t all seek justice for ourselves. It would be the Wild West all over again. That doesn’t stop me from loving a character that sees wrong and calls out the wrongdoers.
The Flack went to a place I didn’t see coming. Dark and dangerous, Curt doesn’t shy away from doing the right thing. Of course, that puts a target on his back. Curt is naive and I had a little problem with that, but I can’t really talk about it. You’ll have to learn what I’m talking about by reading The Flack yourself.
I loved The Flack. I was drawn into the story early and, as the mystery grew, so did my curiosity. The more I read, the more involved I became. I wondered how Brad Parks would wrap it up. Great job.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
His final Don’t take the job. Just run. Curt Hinton and Angel Reddish are like a Hollywood buddy flick come to former college roommates turned lifelong best friends who always have each other’s backs. So when Angel offers Curt the chance to leave his job at a failing newspaper and take a lucrative position as head of corporate communications at Balco, the Bay Area Logistics Company, Curt takes the leap. Nothing bad can happen with Angel at his side. That illusion is shattered on Curt’s first day at Balco, when he learns that Angel was killed the night before during a carjacking. Tasked with writing a press release about the crime, Curt quickly discovers the carjacking wasn’t random—it was a targeted attack by professional killers. Who would murder Angel? And why? The Oakland Police don’t have any answers. Neither does the FBI. As Curt is drawn into the mystery of his best friend’s death, he discovers there are many possible suspects—and that there’s a lot more danger swirling around his new employer than he could have ever imagined. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Jodi Picoult
Expected publication February 3, 2026 by Oceanview Publishing
ABOUT BRAD PARKS
International bestseller author Brad Parks is the only writer to have won the Shamus, Nero, and Lefty Awards, three of American crime fiction’s most prestigious prizes. His books have been translated into 16 languages and have earned starred reviews from every major pre-publication journal.
A father of two and a husband of one, Brad is a slow runner and an even slower swimmer. He’s grateful for his readers, because otherwise he’d just be a guy who has a lot of conversations with himself in his own head.
For more information — or to sign up for the newsletter written by his impertinent interns — visit his website at www.bradparksbooks.com.
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
Hi Everyone. Well, it has been cold and wet here in (not) sunny Florida. We have some even colder weather moving in…and I’m not happy about it. Sure, I don’t really miss the 100 degree days, but, come on, 40s and 50s are out! 🙂 At least it’s great reading, blogging and Christmas decorating weather. I hope to have most everything done in the next few days. What’s your weather like? For those who celebrate Christmas, how’s your decorating coming along? Have a super week.
Sabree Warner’s biggest mistake wasn’t taking the job—it was being born.
Drowning in grief and desperate for work, brilliant cancer researcher Sabree Warner leaps at the chance to join Montague Pharma, one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical dynasties. Her first assignment seems straightforward: investigate why promising drug compounds were mysteriously abandoned before they could be developed into life-saving medicines.
But someone doesn’t want her digging. A car nearly runs her down on a quiet street and speeds away, and her apartment is vandalized. Undeterred, Sabree probes further and uncovers a twisted game of corporate espionage. The abandoned drugs weren’t shelved by accident—they were buried to hide a secret that could destroy the Montague empire.
Then Sabree discovers her connection to the powerful Montague family runs deeper—and deadlier—than she could ever imagine. As a vicious succession battle rages, someone has been watching her every move, someone who has already killed to keep the truth about her identity buried. In this world of ambition and ruthless power games, Sabree is fighting for more than answers.
She’s fighting to stay alive.
Because in the Montague family, secrets don’t stay hidden, they get eliminated.
Gledé Browne Kabongo writes twisty, unputdownable psychological thrillers about resilient women navigating dark secrets, deadly lies, and impossible choices. A multiple award-winning indie author, her books resonate best with readers who enjoy thrillers with complex characters, dark secrets, multiple deceptions and betrayals, unforgettable twists, and intellectual and emotional engagement.
Readers have described Gledé’s work as “unbelievably addictive,” “brilliant,” “unputdownable,” and “haunting and complex.”
Gledé has spoken at multiple industry events including the Boston Book Festival, Sisters in Crime (SinC) New England Crime Bake, and the Women in Publishing Summit. She lives outside Boston with her family.
The cover for Gifts Between Us by C C Adams is simple, yet effective. It sure caught my eye and the title made me curious. Of all the places the story could go, I was surprised at the blurb…and curious. I had to know what the low down was. The story is pretty gross. Not like vampires sucking your blood, or werewolves tearing you apart, but more like zombies, though Michael dines on something other than brains. Gifts Between Us by C C Adams was a quick read, and I read it within a couple of hours. It’s worth the read, and even though it didn’t bowl me over, I would still recommend it.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Elderly Londoner Augustus has lived a long, miserable life. Having driven his few remaining loved ones away years ago, he now whiles away his time drinking rum and hoping for the end.
One night his death wish is nearly granted by a mugger, but a local youth called Michael intervenes. Much to the old man’s horror (and fascination) Michael promptly begins to devour the mugger’s body.
Slowly, Augustus and his mysterious saviour form an unlikely friendship, one built on sharing the gifts of trust, camaraderie, and acceptance.
And one last a secret. It is the cause of Michael’s cannibalistic nature. And, perhaps, a reason for Augustus to go on living…
Genre: Fiction, Horror, Novella
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2025 by French Press Publishing
ABOUT C C ADAMS
London native C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as But Worse Will Come, Misery And Other Lines, and Downwind, Alice. His work appears in publications such as Weirdbook Magazine, DeadSteam, and Corona Books of Horror Stories.
A member of the Horror Writers Association, he still lives in the capital. He lifts weights, cooks – and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy.
I am so happy to have Edward Parr on fundinmental today.
Edward Parr’s Tamanrasset: Crossroads of the Nomad
Writing about the Maghreb
When I first decided to write my novel Tamanrasset: Crossroads of the Nomad, which is inspired by the amazing body of action-adventure stories written about the French Foreign Legion set in the tumultuous early 20th century of northern Africa, I knew it would be a challenge. Algeria, which had become a French colony almost unintentionally in 1830, would erupt into a bloody decolonization war that lasted from 1954 to 1962. Morocco, which became a French protectorate in 1912 and endured a violent period of pacification, did not obtain independence until 1956. Tunisia, also a French protectorate since 1881, obtained independence following violent uprisings in 1956. Unsurprisingly, the attitude of native inhabitants towards Europeans was adversely impacted by these events, and losses on both sides left mistrust and anger.
While not all of the adventure stories written in the first half of the 20th century glorify the colonizers or demonize the native insurgents, many do. Nevertheless, taken in isolation, in the spirit they were written at the time, such stories remain entertaining despite all subsequent events. However, I could not write a new story and simply ignore what we know happened. If I was to tell a story that harkened back to the earlier time period, I would need to do so with a more contemporary understanding. The events at the turn of the 20th century were complex, multifactorial, with many vested interests wanting different things. It was not for me to judge who was good and who was bad; even if I did, readers would still come to my novel with their own biases, and I would have to let them draw their own conclusions. All I could do was present information that was (for someone who is not a professional, academic historian) basically true. This would allow readers to see and learn something they had perhaps not considered before. I decided I would intentionally not make the Europeans nor the native Arabs-Berbers-Africans-Tuareg-Etc. better or worse than they really were and rely as much as possible on actual facts.
Unfortunately for me, a great deal of the history of early 20th century northern Africa which was recorded contemporaneously was written in French, which I can minimally read, and not many of those materials are accessible online anyway. Moreover, such materials were written from the perspective of the French colonizers who were occupying Algeria and Morocco and represent the worldview of those who saw European colonization as a benefit to Africa. As for the other point of view, well, I don’t read Arabic or speak of the any native languages of northern Africa, so that information – even just finding out the names the tribes – was very difficult. And as much as I enjoyed the French Foreign Legion adventure stories, they are generally vague about regional history, even when reasonably accurate as to the experience of being a Legionnaire. In the end, I used a variety of dependable academic sources to create a chronology of major events for myself and learned more about those events that stood out to me as significant. Ultimately, I choose to focus on a specific swath of time, 1900 to 1908, basically the entire period of time that Abd al-Aziz al Alaoui was the Sultan of Morocco (and acting on his own without a Regent). Events in that time period had a clear arc in my mind and revealed interesting characters that I knew would play into the story that spoke to me from that place.
In the end, sure, I’m not a historian, and I may have oversimplified some things, but I think there’s still a lot there that’s right. And I believe it is, in a meaningful sense, true, whether that’s good or bad.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
TAMANRASSET by Edward Parr
GENRE: Historical Fiction
BLURB
TAMANRASSET is historical fiction set on the edge of the Sahara as the ancient world begins to fade and great empires collide. Four strangers—a mature Foreign Legionnaire, a Sharif’s wrathful son, an ambitious American archaeologist, and an abandoned Swedish widow—become adrift and isolated, but when their paths intersect, the fragile connections between them tell a story of survival and fate on the edge of the abyss. Blending the sweep of classic adventure with the horror of a great historical calamities, Edward Parr’s TAMANRASSET is a saga about the crossroads where nomads meet.
EXCERPT
The Sun had not yet risen above the ruins of the Mechouar Palace, but at the mosque nearby many Muslim people of the city of Tlemcen were already at their morning prayer. It was a great privilege to be admitted to one of the oldest mosques in Algeria, over eight hundred years old, and an even greater privilege to be allowed to pray before the mihrab there among the great white columns that lined the enormous hall. As the prayers ended, there was a gentle rustling of movement as the faithful rose and exited to the open and airy marble-tiled courtyard of the mosque, still quiet in the twilight of dawn. Isabel retrieved her leather boots and exited a side door beneath the shadow of the towering brick minaret. Covered by her tightly drawn dark brown burnouse, khaki pants, white shirt, and a black hijab, Isabel walked along the great stone wall to the main gate of the palace. The few buildings in the complex that were still usable had been made into offices for the French army, but the pool and gardens of the central courtyard were peaceful and shadowy. She passed an alcove that featured Islamic calligraphy carved into the stucco, and Isabel stopped to read it: “Allah is God, there is no god but He: the King.”
A quiet voice behind her asked: “Madame Pedersen?”
She turned to find a short, elegantly dressed French officer approaching her. His flat-topped white hair was soldierly, but his crisp, tailored uniform, polished boots, and wide waxed mustache displayed a carefully composed appearance.
“Peace be with you,” she said, casting her eyes downward and crossing her arm over her chest as she nodded.
“Peace be with you, Madame. I apologize if I disturbed you; will you come inside?”
“As you wish.”
She followed the French colonel to a charming wood-paneled room overlooking an orchard of citrus trees bearing large green fruit. The colonel sat on a bare wood chair beside a wide wooden table, crossed his legs, and twirled the end of his wide mustache. Isabel stood silently before him in a respectful posture.
“I have the greatest respect for your beliefs, my dear, but it would be helpful to me if you would sit and speak to me informally. Would you be so kind?”
“Of course,” she said and she sat on the chair beside his. Her demeanor now expressed more of her experience and self-assurance, her hijab more a symbol of her confidence than of her humility. The colonel raised an eyebrow in appreciation of her serene face and brilliant blue eyes.
Edward (“Ted”) Parr studied playwriting at New York University in the 1980’s, worked with artists Robert Wilson, Anne Bogart, and the Bread and Puppet Theater, and staged his own plays Off-Off-Broadway, including Trask, Mythographia, Jason and Medea, Rising and an original translation of Oedipus Rex before pursuing a lengthy career in the law and public service. He published his Kingdoms Fall trilogy of World War One espionage adventure novels which were collectively awarded Best First Novel and Best Historical Fiction Novel by Literary Classics in 2016. He has always had a strong interest in expanding narrative forms, and in his novel writing, he explores older genres of fiction (like the pulp fiction French Foreign Legion adventures or early espionage fiction) as inspiration to examine historical periods of transformation. His main writing inspirations are Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Bernard Cornwell, Georges Surdez, and Patrick O’Brien.
