Today I am excited to participate in Renee Novelle's Book Blitz for her novel, Calculated.
The author is sharing an excerpt from the book which you can find below, enjoy!
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Calculated by Renee Novelle
Book Description
An
investigative journalist gets an unlikely tip from a mysterious informant.
Dismissing it as impossible, she disregards the information and drops the
story. Until the informant turns up dead, as predicted.
Plunged into
the murky waters of a seedy underground prostitution ring, this psychological
thriller provides twist upon dark twist in a story that would ultimately pin
the church and several government officials in the largest murder cover-up the
city has ever witnessed.
But is it true, or has the
journalist merely been used as a pawn in a greater scheme? And how many people
is she willing to sacrifice trying to figure it out?
Excerpt:
When she arrived at the little
facility her building provided, a quick look around confirmed she was the only
one there. Just as she’d hoped, and exactly how she liked it to be. Smiling in
satisfaction, she flipped on the television that was perched on the wall, and
turned up the music on her iPod as loud as she could handle it. The multiple
distractions would help her get through the extra mile she was planning to
conquer. With chilled water bottle in place, she cranked up the treadmill to a
nice brisk pace.
As her breathing picked up speed
and her muscles began to warm, Ana’s eye caught a red flash along the bottom of
the screen. Breaking News filled the bar, and the
too-chipper-for-their-own-good reporters were suddenly getting serious. Since
the volume was still muted, Ana couldn’t understand exactly what was going on,
only that they were showing the wide stretch of river that ran along the
outskirts of the city. She wiped the first beads of sweat from her brow, and
used the remote to turn the volume of the television higher while
simultaneously adjusting her music.
As the reporters spoke,
home-video footage of something floating in the water rolled before her eyes.
The camera zoomed in, the frame ever so shaky, and it became clearly apparent
that the “something” was a person - face down with long brown hair spread out
like a Catholic halo. It appeared another victim had been pulled out of the
water; the count was quickly tallying up. A young woman this time, and possibly
one who had gone missing the night before.
Ana’s pulse skipped a few beats
as they replayed the video over and over. There was something familiar about
the long, lean body. Slowing the treadmill to a stop, she ripped the ear buds
from her head to give the segment her entire attention.
...it appears at first glance
that the victim suffered from a deep cut to the throat, and received multiple
stab wounds to the chest...
The beads of accumulated sweat
turned cold on Ana’s brow. She immediately reached for her phone and dialed
Kylie’s number.
“What the hell, Ana?” Came her
friend’s groggy voice.
“Turn your TV on. Channel four.
Hurry.” Ana said, eyes transfixed to the screen in front of her. “Recognize
that face?”
...It’s thought the victim may be
one of the young girls recently reported missing. The screen flashed candids of
three possible women. All brunettes. All tall and thin. All roughly the same
age. Among them was a photo of Mara, just as Ana had expected there would be.
But the body was too bloated and
disfigured to be absolutely certain, and an autopsy would be needed.
... The body will be taken in for
processing where officials hope to shed more light on the case in the near
future. In the mean time, they’re cautioning residents to avoid....
“Did you see that?” Ana’s voice
escaped in more of a demand than a question. “Please tell me I’m seeing
things.”
“Oh my god...” Kylie whispered
into the receiver, confirming the dread that was building in Ana’s stomach. “Do
you really think it’s her?”
“I know for a fact it is.” Ana
declared, the pull in her gut getting stronger by the minute. “The autopsy will
confirm it.”
“So, what does this mean exactly
now?”
“That maybe I should have been
listening a little closer when I was talking to Mara.” She said with regret as
she swiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “And maybe I should have
asked more questions. There’s a story here, I’m sure of it now.
“What are you going to do?”
Kylie’s voice was decidedly more alert now.
Ana shook her head. “I have no
idea.”
Though if she were to be truthful
with herself in that moment, she’d already made up her mind. Ana flipped off
the television, and left the little gym to get started.
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About Renee Novelle
In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love –
fiction. Writing under the names Renee Novelle and R.S. Novelle, she has a
publication schedule that includes Psychological Thrillers, Suspense,
Paranormal Fiction, Contemporary Women’s fiction, Chick Lit, and New Adult.
Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science
in Communication, summa cum laude, she considers herself a constant student of
the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and
rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for
theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is
simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She
believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where
you’re meant to be.
You can find
out more about her books and connect with her here:
Website:
www.RSNovelle.com
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/RSNovelle
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ReneeNovelle
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RS_Novelle
Sales Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1lX9WEg
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/394253
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