The talented Robin Rowan has lent her magical voice to all sorts of fiction, including my own Deadly Ties. She counts mysteries among her favorite sort of books, and has worked with debut novelists and veteran bestsellers alike. One of those bestselling authors is Libby Fischer Hellman, a past president of Sisters in Crime and who, according to her website, writes “Compulsively Readable Thrillers.” She’s published eleven novels and twenty short stories, edited an anthology, and currently runs a communications firm where she writes and produces videos and conducts speaker training programs.
Libby’s books cross the spectrum of crime fiction: suspense mysteries; historicals; PI novels; amateur sleuth; police procedurals; and a cozy mystery. Her fiction has been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and Edgar awards, and has repeatedly garnered Readers’ Choice awards (see the entire list here.)
For those who like to know how a series starts, I highly recommend her book ToxiCity, which is narrated by Robin. This is the prequel to her Georgia Davis PI series; it’s well suited for fans of dark thrillers and police procedurals. J. Carson Black, the bestselling author of The Shop and Darkness on the Edge of Town, has this to say about ToxiCity:
Libby Fischer Hellmann’s thriller TOXICITY is as gritty as it is spellbinding. Populated with fully-realized characters, TOXICITY introduces us to Hellmann’s signature heroine, Georgia Davis. But we meet Georgia ten years earlier, when she is a young and determined rookie on a Chicago police force. In Georgia’s debut, we see her tenacity and strength, but also her vulnerability: the seeds sown for the woman she will become. TOXICITY works on all levels, drawing the reader inexorably into a web of deceit, heart-crushing loss, and righteous fury. This wicked brew explodes in a stunning and satisfying conclusion that answers every question. Hellmann pulls no punches.
You can find the trade paperback here, and the Kindle edition here. Prefer audio? Listen to an audio sample here. And speaking of audio editions, Libby and I share something else in common. The books Robin has narrated for us are set for “Whispersync for Voice.” According to Amazon, that means you can switch back and forth between reading the Kindle and listening to the audio edition. Plus, there’s a special reduced price of just $1.99 available to eligible customers–check it out, and add this one to your collection of thrillers today!