Dee Davis, whose romantic comedies have entertained us, returns to the Lair with her new foray into romantic suspense, the A-Tac team in Dark Deceptions. Dee's many contest wins and placements include winning the Booksellers Best, Golden Leaf, Texas Gold and Prism awards and being nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Holt Medallion and two RT Reviewers Choice Awards. I've always loved her romantic suspense and am delighted to see her publishing in that sub-genre again. Welcome, Dee! Your last visit, we chatted about Set-Up in Soho. I gather that the A-Tac team will be very different in tone from The Matchmaker Chronicles. Tell us about it.
Romantic Suspense has always been my first love. And after a brief departure into romantic comedy, it's great to back writing thrillers. A-Tac is an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college. Brilliant, badass, and seemingly bulletproof, the members of A-Tac are assigned to the riskiest missions and the most elusive targets.
For more on A-Tac check out the microsite at www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/darkdeceptions/DarkDeceptions.html
Who are the heroine and heroine of Dark Deceptions?
Nash Brennon
Physical Profile: 6'2". Wavy brown hair. Brown eyes. Muscular build. Identifying scars on torso.
Psychological profile: Independent, almost to the point of being a loner. Questions authority. Dislikes technology, especially computers. Loyal to other A-Tac members, particularly Tyler Hanson and Avery Solomon. Popular with students. Past history with ex-CIA operative Annie Gallagher should be noted.
Background: Long term CIA operative with exemplary record. Original posting in Eastern Europe. Recruited to A-Tac by Avery Solomon. Born in Austin, Texas. Graduate of University of Texas. No living relatives.
Present position: A-Tac's second in command. Covert operations expert. Recognized political historian. Chairman of the history department at Sunderland.
Annie Gallagher
Reason for interest: Possible terrorist threat involving American Ambassador.
Physical profile: 5'6". Long, dark red hair. Hazel eyes. Wiry, good physical shape. No current stats.
Psychological Profile: Loner. Comfortable in her own skin. Not a team player. Thoughtful hunter. Has the ability to out wait and therefore outmaneuver opponents.
Background: Ex- CIA. Trained as a sharp-shooter. One of a handful of the best in the country at time of disappearance. Betrayed her partner (Nash Brennon) and then dropped off the grid after an operation gone bad. No abnormal activity until recent intel indicating her involvement in assassination plot.
What's the biggest threat they face, and what's the biggest obstacle to their romance?
He thinks she's a traitor and betrayed him years ago. She believes he chose his career over a relationship with her. Theirs is a dance with a history that threatens to destroy them.
Ooh, I love that phrase- "a dance with a history that threatens to destroy them!" Would you like to share an excerpt?"We were good together, and you know it." The minute the words came out, she regretted them.
"You don't have to remind me, angel," he said, taking a step closer, his gaze colliding with hers.
She swallowed, steeling herself against the onslaught of memories. "I was talking about our business relationship."
"I wasn't." He moved closer, his breath warm against her cheek.
"Nash, I-"
His lips crushed down on hers. She opened her mouth, welcoming him inside, reveling in the feel of his tongue. It was take-no-prisoners contact. As much a battle of wills as an expression of emotion.
The power of his touch was almost more than she could bear . . .
For a longer excerpt go to www.deedavis.com/bookshelf/darkdeceptions.php#excerpt
Are there other books in this series?
Currently there are six books scheduled in the A-Tac series. The second, Dangerous Desires, will be out in July. And the third, Dangerous Deeds will be out in August. Book two features Drake Flynn. And book three, Tyler Hanson. Books four, five and six will be out in 2011 and 2012.
Any more Matchmaker books in the offing?
After her adventures with Andi, Althea is taking a well-deserved break. I think somewhere in the south of France with her mother, Harriet. But sooner or later she's bound to come home, and who knows what mischief she'll be up to next?
For more about Dee and her various books, visit her website.
Dee is giving away one copy of Dark Deceptions to a commenter today, so tell us one or more of these things--what's your favorite action team? Do you prefer spies or police/FBI or military adventure? US settings or international intrigue? Who are your favorite lovers with a painful history at the start of their book? Dive in and let us know!
59 comments:
Hi Dee!
Oooo those are some tough questions! Ok - I love Booth and Brennan on Bones. Do they count as action? FBI Yes... otherwise - I just started watching Justified- but Raylan is a loner. A not exactly government team - Michael and Fionna in Burn Notice.
:) It seems I watch more action shows than I read RS. One of my new favorite shows is Deadliest Warrior. Spies are interesting - I think I like them more in books - the whole cerebral aspect works.
Your new series sounds exciting - and I loved the excerpts and character descriptions!
Well done lime have fun with him
Dee this series sounds awesome I love romantic supsense and books in a series for me excellent. I have just started reading The Bad Agency books by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love and boy am I loving them.
I love books about FBI Spies all the intrigue and the loud bangs as things are blown up and shot up so the answer to your question is all of them LOL and of course the adventure along the way to the HEA they always seem to get themselves into some tight spots that are very enjoyable getting out of.
Thanks Nancy for inviting Dee along today. Great interview.
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Dee,
I love your Last Chance trilogy. I've got my copy of "Dark Deceptions" and I can't wait to start the book. I can't choose between the military and FBI adventures, I like them all. One of my favorite action teams from books is Cindy Gerard's Black Ops Inc. I also love the team from NCIS, which includes the agents, ME and lab tech.
Hi Dee,
Heard so much about your books lately :) But still haven't lucky enough to read one.
I love to watch and read about spies and FBI.
so CSI series, Flash forward, Bones is some of my favorite tv shows. and Bourne movie series..yummmm :)
I love shows like Bones and Numb3rs. And I love to read about spies, FBI etc. What's not to like?
The Police - Every Breath You Take
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs&feature=fvst
Hi Dee - welcome back to the Lair!
I'm so looking forward to your latest as I've loved all your other romantic suspenses.
I enjoy all kinds of team shows and books - from Mission Impossible to The Closer to the Oceans gang! From Suz Brockmann's Troubleshooters and SEAL teams to JD Robb's cops, Debra Webb's Coby Agency and Merline Lovelace's OMEGA series.
Hi Dee!
Wow, romantic comedy to RS....multi talented.
Your A-Tac team sounds exciting! I like spies first then military I guess. Can't have either of those without the three letter govt agencies I guess. Either way, a good story is what matters and yours sounds like the best!
Hi guys! Apparently my mind went on overdrive when I was talking about the other books in the series. The second book is Dangerous Deceptions. And the third is Desperate Deeds. Must be all those D's -- I got them mixed up :) Anyway, for me on the TV front -- started early with shows like Man From Uncle and Mission Impossible, right through to Alias, MI-5, the Unit and 24. Love Bones as well. A recent discovery for me. As to Last Chance, Jane, good news. Harrison Blake is back! Last Chance's IT specialist makes an appearance in Desperate Deeds (out in AUG) and I've got a feeling he's going to stick around for awhile.
Bookwise (and Spywise)--love Robert Ludlam's books. The Bourne books are so much better than the Bourne movies and I liked them alot!
Well, heck, I did it again... clearly I need more coffee. Book number two is DANGEROUS DESIRES. Whew... finally got it right. LOLOLOLOLOL
Limecello, congrats on the rooster! I think Bones counts as action, yes. And I love Michael and Fi. Can't wait for Burn Notice to come back this summer.
Helen, glad you liked the interview. Yes, it sounds as though you pretty much like all types of action stories. :-)
I like the BAD Agency, too, and there's a new one just out today in the US, Silent Truth.
Jane, I loved the Last Chance group, too, and that's one reason I'm so excited about this new group. I also have the book but haven't had a chance to read it yet.
I'll have to check out Cindy Gerard's Black Ops.
Mariska, the Bourne movies are favorites of mine. I read the book The Bourne Identity years ago, and I don't think the movie resembles it much, but I enjoyed the movie enough--and had read the book long enough ago--that I didn't much care.
Minna, I don't get to see Numb3rs much--comes on at an odd time for me, but I've liked the episodes I've seen.
Anna, that's quite a list you've given us! You clearly like a wide range of action shows.
I like MI-5 (Spooks in the UK), which I understand BBC America used to show. I wish they'd do it again. It's on PBS here, but they bump it just whenever they want to.
Hi, Joan--"three letter government agencies," you said. Love it!
Spies first and then military. Then police?
Dee, I've just found The Unit on TV. It also comes on at an awkward time in the evenings, but one of our satellite channels is running marathons of it, so I have a chance to catch up.When I have time to sit in front of the marathon, which isn't often.
I love Alias, too, and MI-5, and retain a soft spot for UNCLE as well. Love David McCallum on NCIS!
Hi, Dee! Welcome back to the Lair. I'm so happy you've got these wonderful-sounding RS's coming out; that's my favorite genre. The A-Tac team series sounds right up my alley.
I love stories where the h/h have a troubled past -- real or imagined betrayal or secrets that pull them apart.
Can't wait to read this one!
Hey Lime! You nabbed him! Grins.
Hi Dee! Welcome back to the Lair. I have to second you on the "books are better than the movies" comments about the Bourne books. I love all the Ludlum books. Wish he was around to write more. Michael Crichton too, on that score...
On TV, I love all the cop and FBI shows from Bones to NCIS to CSI. Grins.
Looking forward to this A-Tac book! Woot!
Oops, forgot the question. I tend to like procedural stories and American settings rather than international. I like the threat to be on home territory, so to speak LOL. More danger that way for me.
Love the ensemble TV shows like Leverage (which we talked about yesterday), Bones, and The Closer. In books, Brockman's Troubleshooters and all of Robert Crais' and Michael Connelly's books!
Jo, Love Michael Crighton--can't believe he's gone. Did you guys know the guy in Spooks (MI-5 here in the US) is the same actor who played Darcy in Keira Knightly's P&P? First two seasons are the best -- and you can netflix it.
Re TV suspense -- also love procedurals -- Closer, Law and Order, and In Plain Sight. Re romance on TV saw a fun movie called Elevator Girl on the Hallmark Channel. Was really good.
Joan, to be fair, I'd written ten romantic suspense novels before writing the two romantic comedy/chick lit books -- so really this is more like coming home for me.
Hi Dee, your books sound fantastic! I love romantic suspense! All that you mention sound great to me as far as heros I love them all! I do prefer the setting in the US though for some reason! I guess I go more for the Police/FBI type.
Drew, this Ashes to Ashes show sounds intriguing. We get BBC America. Are you watching on regular BBC?
I also love Spooks/MI-5.
Hi, Jo--I think the romantic conflict gets going faster when the characters have a shared and painful past.
Jeanne, the first Ludlum I read was The Matarese Circle--might've been the first thriller I read--and I remember liking it but no longer remember the book. Maybe it's time to pull it out again.
Hi, Virginia--The US setting goes well with police/FBI stories. Hard for the FBI to function overseas. That's more CIA. I haven't read Dark Deceptions yet, but I'm eager to, once I get past the press of school. Semester's end is always a little nuts!
Dee, the guy who was in both MI-5 and Pride & Prejudice was Matthew McFadyen. And the MI-5 box set is on my birthday list. :-)
Dee, your book sounds awesome. I love high stakes romance, and seriously, if he thinks she's a traitor, it doesn't get much higher.
I love the group in Elizabeth Lowell's Blue Smoke and Murder. St. Kilda Consulting, kind of a bodyguard protection service. It's a very exciting read.
I just took the blog down for a second to fix the title of the second book. It should be right now.
Gillian, the bodyguards sound interesting. More bulk for the TBR pile . . .
Hey Nancy, I was watching it on BBC Canada, Looks like it is starting on BBC America May 11 (I checked the website) there are 3 seasons, 8 episodes each, BBC America is starting at the beginning.
I think you would like this, it is a sequel to 'Life On Mars' in that one, A cop (male) went back to the 70's! Cheers~
Ooh, thanks, Karyn/Drew--Our local video place has Life on Mars. I'll have to check that out.
Welcome back, Dee! Dark Deceptions sounds fabulous and I loved the excerpt! Can't wait to read it *g*
As those who read my post yesterday know, the crew of Leverage is one of my favorite action teams. I also love Criminal Minds :-)
I also just got into Jessica Andersen's Final Prophecy books and the Nightkeepers are definitely faves now!
Beth, I'm so glad to have put the Nightkeepers in front of you. I love those books.
I think you'll enjoy Dee's RS as well. My copy of Dark Deceptions is sitting here, and I won't have time to read until the weekend, at the earlist. Which is annoying. :-/
Hey, Dee! Huge congrats on your new series. I like the idea of them being under cover at an Ivy League school.
Okay, this is a post and run. Must...get...proposal...written. :)
Interesting about foriegn soil vs America for settings. My guys are CIA but they operate both in this country and out. Book one is set mainly in NY (both upstate and in the city) and book two is set almost completely in the Andes in Colombia. And for book three we're back in NY. Book four is starting out in New Orleans. But since Sunderland college is in NY I suspect we'll be back there again before we know it. I've also set RS in Vienna, Ireland, Austin, Idaho, and Atlanta. So guess we can go almost anywhere, really.
Thanks Trish, re the setting. It's all based on the college in Arkansas I attended Hendrix. I loved it there, and so just moved it to upstate NY and renamed it Sunderland.
Oh, I didn't answer the question --I was a big A-Team fan when that was on and am interested in seeing the new one. And I like the look of the movie coming out this week, The Losers with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, etc.
On TV, I love the gang on Bones (Booth, Bones and the squints) and the team on Fringe.
I just finished Catherine Mann's "Hotshot" - a dark ops novel - and the main characters had a troubled past. I like them all since I like a variety.
Hey, Trish--Good luck with the proposal!
Trish, I may go see Losers, just to watch stuff blow up. I liked The A-Team but didn't realize a remake was in the works.
Catslady, I like Catherine Mann's Dark Ops books, too. Have you also read Renegade?
Thanks for letting me chat with you guys today. Lots of new books for me to add to the TBR pile! And a couple of new shows to watch as well.
Dee, welcome back! Nancy, great interview! The new book sounds fabulous. Oh, my poor aching TBR pile!
Anna C., I feel for your TBR pile. Did you know we had to reinforce our floors because of bookcases?
Sorry to be late to the party!
Thanx so much for joining us again today Dee! And BIG THANX to Nancy for inviting you back to the Lair.
I LOVE that cover! Such a defiant stance and all that manly stubble... (Aunty drifts off for a moment)
OOPS! Sorry!
Congrats AGAIN on the GR Lime. There's no keeping the two of you apart, I'm afraid.
AC
Hi, AC--Isn't that a great cover?
Just an aside, totally love Catherine Mann's books! And Suz Brockmann's when it comes to suspense and romance. And at the moment she has a play off b'way. Way cool!
OOOO, I'm late to the party (I know, you're all shocked, right?)
Dee, welcome, and thanks for telling us about your new series. I want to read the Nash book now. *grin*
Lessee...I guess I prefer military or ex-military heroes/heroines. Maybe because I know that world better and believe the motivations of the protagonists more. Super Secret Squirrel agencies--lots of room for intrigue there for certain. But of course, those agencies often recruit the ex-military types....
It sounds to me like you write fabulous chemistry between hero and heroine, and if that's the case, I don't much care what letters of the alphabet are on their IDs. I really like your premise of hiding them in a school. That's unusual. You may have answered this already, but how did you decide to go that direction? (off to read the comments to see if I'm asking a redundant question)
What? Brockmann has an off-Broadway play? Details! We want details!
Hi, Cassondra--why would we be shocked? This is Vampire Prime Time. *g*
I like the alphabet soup people, I think. I also enjoy police/FBI and military, of course. There's something about the spies, though. Maybe it harkens back to The Man from UNCLE.
They had all the UNCLE episodes on DVD at the Spy Museum in DC. I was so tempted, but I resisted. Barely.
My favorite action/adventure heroes
can be spies, military, or police/
FBI in both U.S. or international
settings. In fact, all the action
shows currently being seen are on
my list: Bones, NCIS, CSI Miami,
White Collar, Burn Notice, Closer,
Mentalist, etc. As for couples who
start out badly, I'm currently reading Tammy Barley's Love's
Rescue in which the hero kidnaps
the heroine as the book begins!
Pat Cochran
Forgot to mention my fave action
books: Suzanne Brockmann's Seals
& Troubleshooter's series, Cindy
Gerard's Bodyguards, & Christina Skye's Code Name books. I love
Izzy!!
Pat Cochran
Pat, that's a great list! Thanks.
Most of my favorite action shows turned up today, too. :-)
Hi Dee,
I love the cover and romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres!
I love the Troubleshooter series by Suzanne Brockmann and the Bodyguard series by Cindy Gerard.
I all the action teams mentioned and prefer international intrigue!
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