Authors Interviewing Characters: Melinda Leigh

YOU CAN TELL ME

Crime writer Olivia Cruz is drawn into the dark secrets of a missing friend in a terrifying novel of suspense by #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up—not today.

Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.

It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap?

Interview with Olivia Cruz  by Melinda Leigh

Let’s introduce you to readers – who are you and what do you do for a living?

My name is Olivia Cruz, and I’m a former investigative journalist turned true crime writer. I’ve written a couple of bestsellers, but I’m always looking for a new cold murder case to solve. 

Why did you choose that profession?

I loved being a journalist, but the world changed. Print newspapers and in-depth articles were replaced by digital, click bait media. So, I changed professions. I still get to do the investigating I love and help bring resolution, justice, and closure to the families and victims of cold cases that have baffled law enforcement. 

Where do you live? 

I live in Scarlet Falls in a little house I inherited from a relative. I didn’t think I would like living so far from the city, but it turns out I love it! My house is quiet, and I get a lot of writing done. And, of course, I met Lincoln here. Our developing relationship has made my life much more fulfilling. 

Do you have any help with your work? 

My boyfriend, Lincoln Sharp, is a private investigator. He’s as nosey as I am, so we’re a great fit professionally as well as personally. He and his team—which includes PI partner Lance Kruger and defense attorney Morgan Dane—are always ready to help me with a project. I have a lot of contacts from my previous career in journalism, so the arrangement is mutually beneficial.  

How did being kidnapped affect you?

I’ve written books about violent crime, but now that I’ve been a victim myself, I have a deep, intimate relationship with damage it leaves behind. When you’re the victim of a violent crime, it changes you forever. Evil is no longer a concept or intellectual idea. It’s a reality, and you start to see it everywhere. The abduction was terrifying. I almost died. The experience was a blow to my confidence, and I’m still working to regain my independence, something I used to take for granted. 

Is this also affecting your work?

Definitely. It’s presented new challenges. To solve a crime, you have to interview unsavory characters and snoop around potential murderers’ lives. That’s hard to do if you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. 

When you’re investigating a murder, even a cold one, you must remember that you’re are looking for a killer, one that has literally gotten away with murder. You are the thing that could change that. You could ruin their life. They’ve killed before, so there’s no reason they won’t commit another murder. 

Are you working on a book now? 

I’ve been procrastinating my next project, but my good friend, Zoe March, has vanished. There aren’t any obvious signs of foul play, so the police aren’t investigation. I’m dropping everything to find her. Zoe is a podcaster. Like me, she investigations true crime, and I’m afraid her research—and her dogged determination—could have gotten her into trouble. 

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#1 Amazon Charts and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh has sold over 16 million books. As a fully recovered banker and a life-long lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity while raising her kids. Melinda’s debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was an International Thriller Award finalist. Since then, she has garnered numerous writing accolades, including two RITA® Award nominations and an induction into the NJ Romance Writers Hall of Fame.

Melinda holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate. She’s dabbled in Arnis stick fighting, studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and taught women’s self-defense. She lives near the beach with her family and two spoiled rescue dogs. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark nature of her imagination.

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing