by: K.D. Richards
Series: West Investigations
Genre: African American Romantic Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: August 24, 2021
Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue
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To bring her sister home for the holidays
They’ll put everything on the line.
Private investigator Shawn West is stunned when the attack victim he rescues is Addy Williams—the one woman he never forgot. She’s turning a quiet upstate New York town inside out to bring her missing sister home by Christmas. Shawn offers to help if she'll provide a cover for his own investigation into a suspicious company in town, but can they work together to find Addy's sister…or are they already too late?
Hello. I’m great. Thank you for having me.
You released your first book and series with Harlequin Intrigue earlier this year. Congratulations. Before we get into your books, I have a burning question. What’s the difference between a Harlequin Intrigue book and a Harlequin Romantic Suspense book?
Great question. Intrigue plots involve some sort of crime that the main characters work together to solve. They also tend to have more action/thriller elements than Romantic Suspense. But there is overlap between the two lines and I think anyone that likes Intrigue should check out the Romantic Suspense line and vice versa.
Can you please tell me about the West Investigations series? What can readers expect from it?
The series focuses on brothers that run an elite private investigations firm. They take on cases that may otherwise get overlooked. The main characters are all strong, accomplished men and women who are seeking to right some wrong and finding love in the process. There’s a lot of action and romance of course, but the books also explore sibling relationships, parental relationships, and platonic friendships.
The second book in the series, Missing at Christmas was just released. What can you tell me about it?
Missing centers on Shawn West, the youngest West brother, and Addy Williams, his former flame who got away. They are thrown together when Addy’s sister goes missing. Addy and Shawn work together to find her and in the process work through their own issues that have kept them apart.
Please tell me about Shawn West and Addy Williams.
I love Shawn, in particular, because although he’s a tough PI he’s also vulnerable and he owns it. He’s the baby of the family and even though he’s in his thirties now, his older brothers still like to treat him like the little brother. You can see his frustration with that in this book but at the same time, he’s also the most laid back of the brothers, the most likely to make a joke, which also plays into how his brothers view him and treat him.
Addy is also close to my heart. She’s helped to raise her sister who’s finally left the nest so she’s got a bit of a sister/mom thing going on. I think of all the women in the West series she’s most like me – cautious, a planner, maybe a bit scared of getting hurt, but fiercely loyal and protective, willing to do whatever it takes to find her sister.
Without giving anything away, could tell me more about Addy’s sister?
Cassie is like any young ambitious college student. She’s ready to take on the world. Maybe a bit reckless, a little naïve but smart. Like Shawn and Addy, she’s a New Yorker so she’s no wallflower!
What attracts Shawn and Addy to one and another?
I think this is a case of opposites attract. Addy is very much a type-A personality. She’s a corporate lawyer. She makes lists and plans and calls her sister every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 6 pm on the dot. But she also has layers as the reader will see as the story progresses.
Shawn is more laid back – let’s see where the day takes me. He’s a serious person, intelligent as well as street smart, but he’s never made a list in his life!
What was your favorite part of Missing at Christmas to write?
My favorite part was the end. I can’t really say too much more about that but Addy proves she’s a badass, not to be messed with. There’s a point where Shawn realizes that Addy is the one for him but he doesn’t tell her because he’s afraid of getting hurt again. So often it’s the women we see that are terrified of getting hurt but men have the same feelings and insecurities so I wanted to show that.
Can you please tell me about one of your favorite scenes from the book and why it’s a favorite?
There’s a scene where Addy and Shawn have been run off the road by the bad guy. Shawn’s trapped and the bad guy is shooting at them. Addy grabs Shawn’s gun, leans across him, and gets off a perfect shot. I love it because Shawn is like ‘what are you doing’ and Addy’s like ‘hold my purse’. Addy told him she lived in Texas until she was a teen. The woman knows how to shoot.
I love Christmas. Thus, because Christmas is in the title and the story takes place around Christmastime, I have to ask….What’s your favorite memory or tradition related to Christmas?
My mother is the Queen of Christmas. Walking into her house in December is like walking a Christmas Wonderland. But we had a tradition growing up, actually started by my father, that two Saturdays before Christmas we put up the tree (which gets taller every year). While we do this we have a set musical playlist that The Temptations’ Give Love On Christmas album was the centerpiece of. We’ve shifted the tradition a bit since my brother and I can’t be there for decorating the tree anymore but now we play the playlist while we open presents. And I still have the playlist on while I decorate my family tree with my husband and sons.
What’s next for you?
More books, please. The third book in the West Investigations series comes out October 1, Christmas Data Breach. And I’ve been working on the first book in a new series that ties into the West Investigations series. I also write suspense thrillers as Kia D. Richards and I’m working on a new thriller as well. I like to keep busy.
You don’t have to answer this question, I’m just curious. What does K.D. stand for?
The K stands for Kia. The D…well, I am a suspense writer, I think I’ll leave you in suspense on that one.
Thank you so much K.D.
Adelaide “Addy” Williams’s feet ached, and a headache throbbed behind her temples as she pulled the restaurant door open. The bells above the door jangled, drawing the attention of the middle-aged man behind the host podium. The smell of fried onions and beef slapped her in the face as she stepped toward the man.
He gave a tight smile, probably annoyed to have a customer come in less than an hour from closing time. “Dining in or taking out?”
“Neither.” Addy pulled the photograph of her sister from the oversize purse she carried. The bottom edges were creased from having been taken in and out of the purse all day, but Cassie’s effervescent smile remained unblemished. “I’m looking for my sister.” Addy thrust the photo at the man. “Have you seen her?”
The man flicked a glance at the photo then back to Addy. “No.”
Addy fought back the annoyance swelling in her chest. She’d gotten the same reaction from at least half the people she’d shown Cassie’s picture to over the last two days. Indifference or outright irritation was the most common reaction from people when she explained her nineteen-year-old sister was missing. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d have gotten the same reaction if Cassie had blue eyes and blond hair instead of caramel skin and coarse coils.
“Please, look again,” she said, thrusting Cassie’s photo closer to the man.
He sighed, but pulled a pair of glasses from the pocket of his suit jacket and slipped them on before taking the photo from Addy. A lock of dark brown hair fell over his forehead as his studied the picture. After a moment he said, “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen her.”
“Are you sure?” Addy pressed, taking the photo back. She’d been in the restaurant earlier that day and had gotten the same response from the young woman behind the podium at the time, but she’d hoped she might have better luck with the evening staff.
The man sighed. “Yes, I’m sure. Now, I’m sorry about your sister, but if you aren’t going to order something, I have to ask you to leave.”
As if on cue, Addy’s stomach rumbled.
The man’s dark eyebrows rose, making it clear he’d heard her body’s protestations. She’d forgotten to stop for lunch, propelled by the ticking clock metaphorically hanging over her head. Addy knew the statistics. The longer a young woman was missing, the less likely it was that she’d be found alive.
“Kitchen is closing in five minutes, but the dining area is open until nine.”
Addy glanced at her watch—8:25 p.m. Living in Manhattan, it was nearly impossible to imagine a restaurant closing up shop so early. But Bentham, New York, was no Manhattan.
“Miss?” the man said.
“I want to order. I’ll take it to go.”
The man grabbed a plastic-clad menu from the top of the stack on the podium and thrust it into her hands. It listed traditional Mexican fare. She ordered a chicken burrito.
“Have a seat.” The man waved vaguely toward the nearest cluster of tables. “Your order will be out momentarily.” He dropped the menu back on top of the stack and turned.
“Do you mind showing this photo to the kitchen staff? Please?” Addy added at his frown. “She’s my sister.” She fought to get the last words out around the sob lodged in her throat. Showing vulnerability in front of a complete stranger was not something a tough-as-nails corporate attorney from Manhattan did. But if she had to beg this man to help her, she would. She couldn’t leave any stone unturned.
The man’s eyes finally softened. He took the photo from her hand. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He gave a tight smile, probably annoyed to have a customer come in less than an hour from closing time. “Dining in or taking out?”
“Neither.” Addy pulled the photograph of her sister from the oversize purse she carried. The bottom edges were creased from having been taken in and out of the purse all day, but Cassie’s effervescent smile remained unblemished. “I’m looking for my sister.” Addy thrust the photo at the man. “Have you seen her?”
The man flicked a glance at the photo then back to Addy. “No.”
Addy fought back the annoyance swelling in her chest. She’d gotten the same reaction from at least half the people she’d shown Cassie’s picture to over the last two days. Indifference or outright irritation was the most common reaction from people when she explained her nineteen-year-old sister was missing. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d have gotten the same reaction if Cassie had blue eyes and blond hair instead of caramel skin and coarse coils.
“Please, look again,” she said, thrusting Cassie’s photo closer to the man.
He sighed, but pulled a pair of glasses from the pocket of his suit jacket and slipped them on before taking the photo from Addy. A lock of dark brown hair fell over his forehead as his studied the picture. After a moment he said, “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen her.”
“Are you sure?” Addy pressed, taking the photo back. She’d been in the restaurant earlier that day and had gotten the same response from the young woman behind the podium at the time, but she’d hoped she might have better luck with the evening staff.
The man sighed. “Yes, I’m sure. Now, I’m sorry about your sister, but if you aren’t going to order something, I have to ask you to leave.”
As if on cue, Addy’s stomach rumbled.
The man’s dark eyebrows rose, making it clear he’d heard her body’s protestations. She’d forgotten to stop for lunch, propelled by the ticking clock metaphorically hanging over her head. Addy knew the statistics. The longer a young woman was missing, the less likely it was that she’d be found alive.
“Kitchen is closing in five minutes, but the dining area is open until nine.”
Addy glanced at her watch—8:25 p.m. Living in Manhattan, it was nearly impossible to imagine a restaurant closing up shop so early. But Bentham, New York, was no Manhattan.
“Miss?” the man said.
“I want to order. I’ll take it to go.”
The man grabbed a plastic-clad menu from the top of the stack on the podium and thrust it into her hands. It listed traditional Mexican fare. She ordered a chicken burrito.
“Have a seat.” The man waved vaguely toward the nearest cluster of tables. “Your order will be out momentarily.” He dropped the menu back on top of the stack and turned.
“Do you mind showing this photo to the kitchen staff? Please?” Addy added at his frown. “She’s my sister.” She fought to get the last words out around the sob lodged in her throat. Showing vulnerability in front of a complete stranger was not something a tough-as-nails corporate attorney from Manhattan did. But if she had to beg this man to help her, she would. She couldn’t leave any stone unturned.
The man’s eyes finally softened. He took the photo from her hand. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Purchase Missing at Christmas from:
The West Investigations Series:
Christmas Data Breach releases September 28, 2021
K.D. Richards was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs just outside of Washington, D.C. A writer since a young age, after college Kia earned a law degree and worked as an attorney and legal instructor for fifteen years but never stopped writing fiction. She currently splits her time between Toronto and Maryland with her husband and two sons.
Places to find K.D. Richards:
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Nice interview, I liked hearing about the book, but also about the Intrigue/Romantic Suspense line info. I look forward to reading this, and finding the first one from earlier this year!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely looking forward to reading this book.
DeleteIf you go to Harlequin's website, you'll get more of the excerpt. It's so good.