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IF I SHOULD DIE by Allison Brennan + Giveaway!
One of my favorite things about blogging is talking about books.
Writers are readers first, and I discovered my love of reading young. The first series I remember was Trixie Belden. Now, Random House is reissuing the series. My copies, all in trade paperback, are yellowed and well read, and my 8-year-old daughter is now reading them.
After Trixie, I graduated to Nancy Drew, then moved to Agatha Christie by the time I was 11. Sure, I read Judy Blume and Paula Danziger and Lois Duncan and many other “young” young adult books, but there were very few books published for tween and teen-age girls in the 70s and 80s. Today, my kids have a far bigger selection of YA books, but when I was a young adult, the YA section of my library was tiny.
I always loved mysteries (which may be pre-ordained considering my mother named me after a character in an Ed McBain book) but after Agatha Christie, there wasn’t much of interest to pre-teen. I read police procedurals by Lillian O’Donnell and others, though I was probably too young for them. The romances my mom had on her shelves were the sweeping, epic sagas or glitzy books that I didn’t care for, with the one exception of the John Jakes Kent Family series.
So maybe it’s no surprise that I, like many of my YA peers, moved into “adult” books early. At 13 I discovered Stephen King through THE STAND—still one of my all-time favorite books—and I’ve read most everything he’s published. In the 90s I started reading romantic suspense—the early Nora Roberts books from Bantam, Jayne Anne Krentz, Susan Anderson, and more. And I realized that I loved the genre—the mystery and suspense I craved coupled with a happy ending between two worthy people. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find enough to read in the genre.
Fast forward more than a decade. At 31, I was on maternity leave after giving birth to my third child. I had a career, a mortgage, a husband, and now three kids. I didn’t realize that one of the sacrifices I made was reading less. It was one of those gradual things that happens—like gaining weight—where all of the sudden you look at yourself in the mirror and realize you’re twenty pounds heavier. I’d gone from being a 4+ books a week reader to 1 book a month reader because of all the demands on my time.
I stacked all the books I wanted to read on two shelves and started in. During the four months I was on leave, I read 77 books.
I have always been a writer as well as a reader, but like many women, family and career took precedence over dreams. It wasn’t until I read THE SEARCH by Iris Johansen and THE THIRD VICTIM by Lisa Gardner that I realized not only did I miss reading, I missed writing. They books were gritty, edgy, heavy on the suspense and light on the romance. But because they were romantic suspense, they had a happy ending—and after what Iris and Lisa did to their characters, they deserved the happily-ever-after. These were exactly the types of books I’d been waiting for. This was what I wanted to write.
Those two books changed my life. They not only rekindled my love of reading, they motivated me to finish one of the over 100 stories I’d started.
When I “discovered” Nora Roberts and Susan Anderson, and later Lisa Gardner and Iris Johansen, I soaked up their backlist—through the library, borrowing from my mom, or buying new.
What are some authors you discovered them then bought their backlist – or more books in the same genre because you found a whole new world of books to love?
Remember 5 books are given to randomly chosen commenter’s weekly — winners announced on Sunday – good luck!
If I Should Die is Allison Brennan’s 17th romantic thriller, and the third book in the Lucy Kincaid series. Fresh fiction says of If I Should Die, “Non-stop action, spine-tingling suspense … a wonderful addition to a great series.” And Joyfully Reviewed made it a recommended read. “If I Should Die is a spine-tingling chiller that will wrap you up in its mystery and take you on a heart-pounding race to the breathtaking finale!” Allison lives in Northern California with her husband and five children.
I’m amazed by all the fabulous kids books and YA available now. Makes Christmas shopping for my niece and nephew way easier. To be honest, though, despite all the great new books, I got my niece A WRINKLE IN TIME because I wanted to start her early on the paranormal romance
I WAS Meg and Calvin was so cute.
I loved A WRINKLE IN TIME! I read it in fifth grade. My younger daughter is 8 and she might be too young for it, but maybe I’ll get it anyway for her for Christmas
…
I am currently working my way through Suzanne Brockmann’s backlist after one book was recommended to me. Wow!
I had a Trixie Beldon habit a long time ago. I wonder if the books are in my parents’ basement…
I read a bunch of Suzanne’s backlist after reading GONE TOO FAR … that was such a great book!
One of the sales people at Borders told me to try Suzanne Brockmann a couple of years ago and I got hooked and went back in order of all of hers, don’t usually buy hardcovers so waiting for my NOOK to get her new ones.
OMG. I used to save my allowance and buy a new Trixie Beldon book!! I gave a few to my granddaughter (she’s a reader like me). I guess the first author I read and then devoured her back list was Nora Roberts, then Julie Garwood. Cant wait for the new Lucy Kincaid book.
My favorite Julie Garwood book is KILLJOY. I just LOVED that book, and read a whole bunch of her books after that … I haven’t read anything recent, but my mom just finished her last book. I’ll have to ask her what she thought!
Nicholas Sparks and Luanne Rice.
I haven’t read Sparks, but I have read some Luanne Rice and my mom has most of hers, too. My mommy and I share lots of books
I am disabled so I spend my time reading, I have so many authors I enjoy and have friends always telling me about new ones. I’ve read all of your books Allison. I keep up with Dean Knootz, Nicholas Spark’s and Janet Evanovich to name only a few. Pat
Thank you Pat! I recognize your name from Murder She Writes
… I read all of Evanovich up through #11, but for some reason stopped there … my mom has them all. I might need some reading candy over Christmas and finish them up (but I’m behind on the JB Robb books and vowed to catch up over Christmas …) And Dean Koontz is amazing. I don’t love all his books, but I like most of them, and I really enjoyed the first two ODD THOMAS stories. I have the rest but need time … sense a theme here???
I found Iris Johansen when a friend gave me a book for a gift. I became obsessed and had to read every book in the correct order. I bought all the books and still reread my favorites when I get in a reading slump.
I rarely re-read books … I just need to read the back cover copy and I remember exactly what happens. And I have so many books to read! LOL.
I haven’t read any of her books, but I am hearing so far that she is great. I love finding out about great authors to read.
Thanks Tiffany!
I’ve read most of all Mary Balogh books . Ive been waiting for her new ones
I was lucky enough to participate in the Levy Bus Tour with Mary Balogh and she is one of the NICEST, SWEETEST, FUNNIEST people I’ve every met. I adore her. I buy her books for a friend of mine (I rarely read historicals — too many books, too little time!!!) but I’ve bought Mary’s, Monica McCarty, Maya Banks, and Karin Tabke’s medieval books for my mom’s best friend. Now she buys the new ones herself!
Authors I discovered and then read their backlists were Nora Roberts, Kristin Hannah, LuAnne Rice, Diana Palmer, Lisa Marie Rice, Teresa Mederios, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn.
Wow, with all those authors that’s a lot of backlist titles! I’ve read most Nora Roberts romantic suspense titles and some of her trilogies. Really loved the first book of the bride series, but haven’t read the others.
I started J D Robb’s In Death at #13 and fell in love with it, went back and got all the previous books. Same with Christine Feehan; I had never tried her until a friend gave me one of her books, so I got the previous ones for her too.
Love JD Robb — started at #7 but never read the first few (I don’t know why, though I did buy them!) I’m about 5 books behind and want to catch up over Christmas.
Oh gosh, I’ve found a lot of authors through recommendations or by stumbling upon them and then voraciously reading through their back list. The two that come to mind right off the top of my head is Janet Evanovich and Julia Quinn. I haven’t read any of yours yet, Allison, but now that I’ve stumbled across them I will!
Thanks Gena!
I love Catherine Anderson and Mary Balogh. When I picked up their books I new I had to have more the same with Anna Campbell and Teresa Medeiros.
All fantastic authors!
Aloha, Alison! Congrats on your new book. I recall meeting you at RT/Daytona in 2006 … and I have been buying your books since then (so no need for a backlist).
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kim, are you the Kim who does the military book drive? I hope I’m not getting my Kim’s confused! If not … thanks anyway! LOL
I loved that RT — it was my favorite of the 3 I’ve been to.
My cousin gave me a Julie Garwood book, “The Prize”, when I was in the hospital and I became a fan. Other authors were recommended to me, I ‘discovered’ others (ie: Catherine Anderson, Robyn Carr, Lorriane Heath,etc) from short story complitations.
Dolores F.
Great testament to short stories! (My mom is a big fan of Robyn Carr — she found her first book at a UBS and then bought the new books new
I found an Erin McCarthy book on a sale table at Books A Million. It looked good so i bought it, loved it, and now reading the whole series.
I love sales!
After too many years of not reading and 2 children grown and doing well I started to rediscover the joy again, picked up Barbara Freethy’s first shelter cove book because I found it at the drug store, I haven’t stopped for the past 2 years. Getting a NOOK for Christmas although I quite often share my books with my daughter who lives away from me and I miss her. Happy Holidays !!!
I know what you mean about kids! I read a lot of PICTURE and beginning chapter books, but few *me* books when I had little kids. I love Barbara Freethy! We used to be on a blog together. You’ll be happy to know that she’s put most of her backlist up digitally at great prices, you can glom onto her when you get your Nook for Christmas
Charlaine Harris. Surprisingly enough I have read several Berkley Crime authors but had never come across her until my wonderful husband noticed her Sookie Stackhouse books from a co-worker reading them. He actually went to the local library himself on the way home and checked out every Sookie book that was available. For as much as I loved those books, to me they still weren’t as gripping as her Aurora Teagarden books or the Harper Connelly books. I only happened to discover those because my husband was unable to find the remaining Sookie books at the library and brought those ones home instead and I have since gone out and bought every book in those two series with the exception of The Julius House, I can’t seem to find that one in store and I’m more of a brick and mortar store book buyer than an online buyer. I’m a bit obsessive when it comes to some authors though (i.e. Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Iris Johansen, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, Amanda Quick/Jayne Anne Krentz and a host of others I have the complete written works of). If I happen to find an author I REALLY like then I will blind buy as many of their books that they’ve written as I can without so much as a peek at the back cover and I am usually not disappointed. My husband swears that if I am ever capable of taking all of my boxes of books out of storage, that I would need a whole library to shelve them all LOL (honestly, I only have like 6-7 medium sized boxes of books in storage and each box only holds maybe 30-40 books so obviously he exaggerates LOL)! What can I say? I love to read!
Husbands just DON’T understand our need to surround ourselves with good books
I love my bookshelves! LOL on being a bit obsessive. I discovered JD Robb @ book #7 and have read nearly every book since, but never the first few (though I bought them! Need to read them … ) my friend Toni Causey was reading the entire series when we roomed together at RWA and Thrillerfest — I think she read 6 while we were there, LOL.
I have been an avid reader for many years, but I think the series by Jane Auel…Clan of the Cave Bear, actually got me hooked and made me start reading more genres…I love romantic mysteries, and also the Black Op, and FBI guys. Also love Vince Flynn’s books…not so much romance, but a lot of excitement.
I read all the Auel books in junior high/high school … haven’t read the last two in the series. Vince Flynn is a great storyteller, I haven’t read him recently, but remember his first two books well! But my heart belongs to romantic thrillers …..
Jude Deveraux, and although they were romances she was always changing it up and I fell in love!
Ironically, that’ how I found you. My library has a used book sale table and one day there were several by Allison Brennan. I noticed because my daughter (who was 7 at the time) had a fellow student in her grade named Allison Brennan! I bought the books that were there, then read or purchased the rest of the books that were out. I also read Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, but I never went to Stephen King. I went to Dick Francis because of the mystery and the horses. Now I read romantic suspense because I like the danger, mystery, and action with some romance and always a happy ending. And I am always looking for new authors, so I look at reccomendations from authors I read and from readers of the authors I read then I go out and look at the library or bookstore to find them
Thank so much Sue! I think the library is the best place to discover new favorite authors
I wanted to be Trixie Beldon. I loved those books. Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins, Harriet the Spy… then I read biographies. Amelia Earhart is still one I read about to this day.
Constance O’Banyon I bought all of her back list and still have them. Some of them I had to get used just to get them because they were out of print.
My latest find was Christy Reece. I picked up one of her books at a thrift store and fell in love. I then had to have all the others in the series. It’s so fun to find something new that really works for you.
I did not start reading “romance” genre until I was doing relief work and had to find a book at Wal-mart. That is where I found Lisa Jackson’s Montoya/Benz series. Until then I was reading a lot of sci-fantasy books (robert Jordan’s Wheel of time that I started in college to use as relaxation from studing.) Found your series- Kill, Hunt, Prey. Now I have several authors that I follow. Right now I have found Gennita Low. But will be reading the next Lucy book next.
Thanks so much Linda!
I also started with Trixie Belden plus Sue Barton RN, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I then went on to read about cars (hot rods) and historical fiction. Then I discovered Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. I was in adult fiction by the time I was out of grade school.
I didn’t start to read romance until the mid 80s and then I read about 60 books per month. I could read 1.5 of a series book just during my commute to & from work plus lunch. I still prefer to read than do anything else. My books are my family.
Amen! We have a lot of the same tastes …. Mary Stewart is amazing, I haven’t read her in a long, long time. Might have to remedy that ….
Cherry Adair, read one of her books and then had to order the whole backlist.
Yes, reading Cherry is like eating candy!
I started out collect Taylor Caldwell and James Michener and then discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss and Julie Garwood. My newest found author is Kathryne Kennedy with romantic/fantasy/paranormal.
All great authors, though I haven’t read any Kathryne Kennedy …. my daughter loves fantasy, I might have to get her one and see what she thinks!
J.A. Jance – picked up one of her Beaumont books and had to read the reat along with her
her three other series.
Once I discover an author I enjoy, I am compelled to buy all their books. If it’s a series, I wait till I can read them all in order.
Jance is an amazing storyteller!
oops – meant his/her books
I read Davinci Code and then preceeded to buy all of his books just because they are amazing. Then one day I discovered Madelyn Alt’s “The Trouble With Magic” and fell in love. I can’t wait for the next.
I’ve heard so many great things about The Trouble with Magic! I need to get that …
Mary Balogh, the Slightly series. I fell in love with her and series books. Now, I have loads of series favorites. Sometimes, it frustrates me. They arent marked clearly most of the time. So its easy to buy doubles or way down into the series without realizing. I do wish they would mark what number. They could still add, ‘But you can read them individually.”
Lisa, I agree with you — but publishers are reluctant to do so because they fear if it’s book four, no one will pick it up unless they read the first three … and they know that many readers will read one and get hooked.
My books are in order on my website, and I think most authors do the same. My books all stand alone with recurring characters. The Lucy series is a true series (same character) but I strive to write each book with a complete story, and am slowing building Sean and Lucy’s relationship so that if someone misses a book, they won’t miss EVERYTHING or not enjoy an earlier book.
Hi,
The books I like and love are Nora Roberts’series. The book I’m reading right now from her is Angels Fall. I love the movie too!
Angels Fall! That’s one of her best!!! I also particularly loved HIGH NOON and still love her first romantic suspense titles, including DIVINE EVIL and SWEET REVENGE. But I’m particularly partial to the JD Robb books
There were plenty over the years bit most recent is Christy Reece’s Last Chance Rescue, Erin McCarthy’s Fast Track and Deidre Martin’s Blade series.
My mom loves Christy Reece’s books — she’s read them all!
I discovered Julia Quinn when I read her last Bridgerton book. I loved it, so I went back and read all the rest of the series.
I love it when I can read a book by an author late in a series and not feel like I’ve missed anything …
I found both Iris Johansen and Gena Showalter by accident at the local library. I was instantly hooked on both and had to get every book either at Amazon or from the library..
I discovered most of my favorite authors at the library too–either the San Carlos Library where I grew up, or my mom’s private library in her living room!
Well odd … I just responded to a bunch of comments, but the post isn’t showing up! I must have been tagged as spam because I’m posting too much this morning, LOL. Hope this comes through!
Thank you all for commenting and sharing your favorite backlist authors! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Linda Howard, Julie Garwood and Catherine Coulter. I’ve glommed on to them and they are always auto buys. I own all of their books!
Three AMAZING writers!!! I’ve read much of their work. One of my all-time fave books was Coulter’s THE MAZE and another was Garwood’s KILLJOY and another was Howard’s OPEN SEASON and CRY NO MORE.
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Robyn Carr several years ago and boy am I glad I did.
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Auhtors who I found several years after they started writing are: Stepheni Meyer, Charlaine Harris, JR Ward. I have read all their books backwards.
inga
charline harris is 1. i love her auroa teagarden series
I love suspense books and have discovered so many – Harlan Coben, Allison Brennan, Karen Rose to name a few.
What is pingback?
Some authors who’s backlist I’ve bought are Rosemary Rogers, Shirlee Busbee, some Bertrice Small, Johanna Lindsay, just to name a few.
I read a book by Maya Banks and then bought everything she has written. I absolutely love everything she has written and will write
I read one of Dee Davis’ books of her A-Tac series then read the rest of them. That happened with Stephanie Lauren’s Cynster series also.
If I read a book by an author that I really enjoy reading, I try to read all of that author’s books. Anne Gracie and Sandra Brown are 2 of those I read all of their books.