COLD PURSUIT - Nancy Mehl - One Free Book

Bio: Nancy Mehl is the author of over fifty books, a Parable bestseller, as well as the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne Du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for two Carol Awards, and the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson.

With strong characters at the helm, Nancy Mehl’s fans know and love her for penning electrifying romantic suspense novels filled with treacherous circumstances. Debuting an

exciting new series following two former FBI analysts as they investigate cold cases, Mehl delivers a spine-tingling thriller perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock, Colleen Coble, and Irene Hannon that will keep readers up all night with Cold Pursuit, book one in the  Ryland & St. Clair series.

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, River moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair.

They’re soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son who disappeared four years ago. River knows there’s almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy’s trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way.

As River and Tony race to stop him before he kills again, an even more dangerous threat emerges, stirring up the past that haunts River and putting her in the path of a man determined to put an end to her future.

Welcome back to my blog. Please tell us a little bit about your new novel, Cold Pursuit, book one in the Ryland and St. Clair series?

Nancy Mehl: River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are recovering from a run-in with the Salt River

Strangler in Arizona. River has been diagnosed with PTSD, and Tony is recuperating from

being shot while attempting to save River’s life. Not long after their encounter with the

Strangler, River’s mother calls to ask for help. She’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. River

and Tony make the decision to leave the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Virginia, and head

to St. Louis, where River’s mother lives. River moves in with her mother, and she and Tony

open a private detective agency. Tony is certain they can make a go of it, but River isn’t

convinced. They finally get a case, a mother whose only son disappeared several years ago. The

police have given up, but River and Tony decide to help the distraught mother, even though

they’re certain the boy is dead. As they begin their search for the truth, they find themselves

caught in the crosshairs of two killers who will stop at nothing until they’re dead.

What inspired the idea behind a series that would center around cold cases? Is that the connecting element between each novel in this series?

NM: I’d never written about cold cases before and wanted to try it. Yes, the cold cases not only connect the books, but thanks to a great idea from my editor, I’m setting all the stories in winter so they’re not just cold, they’re very, very cold. LOL!

Your two main protagonists River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are not just friends—they were once partners at the FBI. What kind of history do these two have?

NM: River and Tony were both part of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Analysts at the BAU are usually safe since they work behind closed doors, but a call from a friend led them to the banks of the Salt River where the Strangler tried to end their lives. Now, besides their shared history, they must work together to recover from their traumatic encounter. Their experiences have bonded them in a way that most people can’t understand. In St. Louis, they are attempting to start their lives over together. They are not just friends—they are best friends.

As former FBI analysts, River and Tony have unique job experience. What kind of research was required to portray these characters and their occupations?

NM: I’m blessed to have the help of a retired FBI Behavioral Analyst. The first book she

advised me on was Mind Games. She’s helped me through two series now and will also advise

me on this one. Because of her expertise, I was able to create believable characters while

keeping abreast of proper FBI procedures. I couldn’t have written any of these books without

her.

What was the most interesting thing you learned during your research for this novel?

NM: One of my main characters has a trait called synesthesia. It’s a fascinating condition that

causes the senses to become jumbled. For example, some words may evoke aromas or colors.

My character not only has this trait, but he also suffers from schizophrenia. The two conditions

combine to make him a very disturbed individual who is triggered by his anger and the color

red. Of course, neither one of these diagnoses causes violent episodes. The character’s own

pattern of thinking has led him to become dangerous to others.

What role does faith play in this story?

NM: River was raised in a very religious family. Her parents were terribly legalistic, and it

turned her away from God. When she is about to die at the hands of the Strangler, she cries out

to Him, but after she is rescued, she once again turns her back. She deals with a lot of guilt over

her decision, and wonders if God will ever give her another chance. Tony, who is a Christian,

teaches her who God really is, and slowly but surely, she begins to see Him as Someone who

loves her unconditionally. Through His love, she is beginning to heal from her past and the

trauma she’s endured.

How is this series different from other romantic suspense novels you’ve written?

NM: This is the first novel I’ve written about retired FBI agents. Also, it’s my first book about

a private detective agency. I love learning new things, so this has been fun.

Can you share what you’re working on next?

NM: I just wrote book two in the series, COLD THREAT, and am plotting out book three,

COLD VENGEANCE. These books will continue River and Tony’s story. I hope readers will

enjoy them.

How can readers connect with you?

NM: Readers can reach me through my website, nancymehl.com; my blog, the Suspense

Sisters, at suspensesisters.blogspot.com; and on Facebook.

Thank you for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I love your books.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Pursuit-Ryland-Clair-Book-ebook/dp/B0BLW7L25W/ref=sr_1_10?crid=RV0YQQ1M3TR1&keywords=cold+pursuit&qid=1696017712&s=books&sprefix=Cold%2Cstripbooks%2C91&sr=1-10

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