We are delighted to welcome back author Elizabeth Heiter to Omnimystery News today.
Elizabeth's fourth entry in her highly reviewed Profiler series is Stalked (MIRA; January 2017 mass market paperback and ebook formats) and we recently had the chance to catch up with her to learn more about the book.
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Omnimystery News: Suppose Evelyn Baine, the FBI profiler at the center of your series, was interviewing you. What would be her opening question? And what would be your answer?
Photo provided courtesy of
Elizabeth Heiter
Elizabeth Heiter: Since my Evelyn Baine is a profiler for the FBI, her entire job — and much of her life — is focused around the question why. She goes into crime scenes not looking at the standard methods of solving them — by following the suspects or the forensic evidence — but by analyzing the behavioral evidence a perpetrator doesn’t even know he’s left behind. So, if she got to interview me, I think her opening question would be: Why did you decide to write psychological suspense?
My answer is multi-faceted. First, I love the challenge of creating a puzzle for readers to figure out the “whodunit” aspect of the book. Second, I love the thrill of putting myself — and readers — into a dangerous situation with a relatable heroine. And third, I like the idea of creating a world where justice prevails at the end. Because in real life, when bad things happen, sometimes you just have to find a way to live with them. But in books, you can have that vicarious catharsis: at the end of the story, the heroine will succeed and the villain will be punished. There’s something powerful about wrapping all of those pieces up into an entertaining package. And I’m sure my FBI profiler would have a few thoughts on what those motivations say about me!
OMN: Give us a summary of Stalked in a tweet.
EH: FBI profiler Evelyn Baine must find a missing teenager who left a note foretelling her own death — before Evelyn follows the same fate.
OMN: Tell us something about your new book that isn't mentioned in the publisher's synopsis.
EH: While the main focus of Stalked is about Haley Cooke — a teenage girl who disappeared from inside her high school — and FBI profiler Evelyn Baine’s search for her, there is another storyline that also follows Evelyn’s fellow agent — and new boyfriend — Kyle McKenzie. He’s working a case at the college Haley’s boyfriend attends involving possible human trafficking. The cases might be connected — or Evelyn and Kyle’s investigations into both could make the two cases converge, leading to dangerous consequences.
OMN: When starting a new book, which comes first: the cast of characters or the storyline?
EH: Since Stalked is part of a series, of course, I know who the main character will be. So, obviously my character must come first — except it doesn’t really. With every new story in the series, I think simultaneously about three things: 1) What plot idea is inspiring me? 2) How can I make it totally distinct from everything else in the series, and 3) How would this plot tie into my heroine’s internal growth trajectory?
It can get complicated, because each new story idea has to successfully answer all of them, or it gets tossed. I’ve put aside plot ideas I loved because they didn’t fit into the series trajectory in a compelling way. And I’ve tossed ideas that fit into the other two questions because the plotline wasn’t big enough. But ultimately, it’s a fun challenge, because I love tossing my FBI profiler into completely new situations with each book — it keeps the writing fresh for me, and hopefully keeps the series fresh for readers, too!
OMN: What's next for you?
EH: After Stalked (which is part of my psychological suspense series The Profiler) hits stores, I’ll have three more books out this summer in my romantic suspense series The Lawmen (about three foster brothers torn apart as children trying to solve the mystery of their past). I’m also working on a short story for an anthology and a proposal for a brand-new standalone thriller — I’m excited about both, and hope to be able to share more details in the coming months!
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Elizabeth Heiter likes her suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists, and a little romance. Her research has taken her into the minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI Academy's shooting range. Elizabeth graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English literature.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at ElizabethHeiter.com and her author page on Goodreads, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Stalked by Elizabeth Heiter
The Profiler Series
Publisher: MIRA
If you're reading this, I'm already dead …
That's the note seventeen-year-old Haley Cooke leaves behind when she disappears from inside her high school. FBI profiler Evelyn Baine is called in to figure out who had reason to hurt her. On the surface, the popular cheerleader has no enemies, but as Evelyn digs deeper, she discovers that everyone close to Haley has something to hide. Everyone from estranged parents, to an older boyfriend with questionable connections, to a best friend who envies Haley's life.
One of those secrets may have gotten Haley killed. If she's still alive, Evelyn knows that the more the investigation ramps up, the more pressure they could be putting on Haley's kidnapper to make her disappear for good. It's also possible the teenager isn't in danger at all, but has skillfully manipulated everyone and staged her own disappearance. Only one thing is certain: uncovering Haley's fate could be dangerous — even deadly — to Evelyn herself.
— Stalked by Elizabeth Heiter
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