Book 3 of the Bloodstone Series
Historical Suspense/Thriller
Date Published: February 28, 2020
Publisher: Books to Go Now
The killer whispered-“A pretty damsel...worth a pretty risk.”
A veteran, Detective Rudyard Bloodstone has fought a brutal battle and
witnessed war horrors that haunt his nightmares. Now one of those horrors
has followed him home from Africa.
A vicious predator, the Cape cobra, can kill a man in thirty minutes. A
suspect using the snake as a weapon in robberies is terrorizing
London.
When the crimes escalate into murder, a victim’s daughter, Honoria
Underhill, becomes the focus of the killer. After several attempts on her
life, Scotland Yard threatens to take over the high profile case. With few
leads to follow, Bloodstone and his partner must now fight department
politics and catch the killer before Underhill becomes another murder
victim.
Interview with Chris Karlsen
For those
interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where
should they start?
A Venomous Love
is the third book in my Bloodstone series. I’d suggest starting
with book 1, Silk. I like to write each book
from the POV of Detective Rudyard Bloodstone, my protagonist, and
from the killer’s POV. I like to play with the back and forth
between the two, the action/reaction. In Snifter of Death,
book 2, the killer is unusual. I strive to make each
killer different in the why and how they go about choosing victims.
I am not a fan of slasher type stories and try, and hope, I succeed
in getting into the head of the killers, their motivation.
Detective
Bloodstone is my favorite character to write. I really enjoy creating
a world for him filled with all sorts of people, good and bad. Over
the length of the series, I’ve especially enjoyed developing his
personality.
How did you become
involved with the subject or theme of your book?
The weapon used by
the killer in A Venomous Love is a highly
poisonous snake. I based the use of the snake on a story a London
Metropolitan police officer told me a few years ago. She was on
vacation in Morocco and checking out of her hotel. While at the desk
a British couple ran into the lobby yelling they’d been robbed at
snake point. She and I had a fun talk about other strange or funny
cases we both handled. At the time we discussed the snake crime, I
tucked the unique attack away in my memory, thinking I might someday
use a snake in a story.
The
snake in my story is a Cape Cobra found in what is now South Africa
and very deadly. Detective Bloodstone served ten years in the army in
Africa and hated it. The snake gave me the opportunity to explore and
share what he knew of the animal and some of his experiences in that
area of the world.
Anything you would like to say to
your readers and fans?
The book is set in Victorian
London. I chose this time and place as I can’t think of a more
interesting setting for murders. I find the intense difference in
classes of the time fascinating. I try to bring that to life without
making the contrast too dark or too falsely positive.
What did you enjoy most about
writing this book?
I love writing Rudyard. As a
retired detective myself, I am as much a part of his investigation
as he is. There’s no DNA or other science he has to aid him in
solving the crimes. I walk through the crime scenes with him trying
to see what he can take from each as a clue when he only has his
senses, instinct, and if he’s lucky, witnesses. I like him very
much as a person and that makes for an enjoyable write. I truly
enjoy writing each and every person in his life that is important to
him.
Can you tell us a little bit about
your next books or what you have planned for the future?
In between the Bloodstone books, I
have started a World War 2 romantic novella series. My first book,
Moonlight Serenade, was released last year. It
was set in Australia and America. I am currently writing the second
book in that series called, The Ack-Ack-Girl.
It is based England. Ack-Ack girls were part of the anti-aircraft
units in Britain and my heroine falls in love with an RAF pilot. I
hope to have it released after the holidays.
How long have you been writing?
I started in 2003, after I retired
from the police department. I wasn’t published until 2007.
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in A Venomous Love?
As I mentioned my
primary character is Rudyard Bloodstone, he is
from Wales. He grew up in a big family where there was always food
on the table and a roof over his head but money was scarce. He lied
about his age to get into the army and served in Africa. He won the
Victoria Cross (the British version of the Medal of Honor) for his
actions in the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. He doesn’t see himself
as a hero and is very humble about the honor. He does suffer from
bouts of PTSD as a result of the battle. He has a lady love,
Honeysuckle
Flowers.
Honeysuckle
is a star in the London music hall world. She grew up in the theatre.
Her parents are performers. She is candid, independent minded,
thoughtful, and a wonderful companion to Rudyard.
Will
Bloodstone is Rudyard’s brother. He spent 18 years in
the army serving in India. His goal was to serve 22 years and get
recommended to be a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London. An injury
forces him out of the military before he has the necessary service
time. He is a bit less “open-minded” than Rudyard. Will was a
Sergeant Major and still carries that stiffer military attitude as he
tries to navigate the civilian world.
Archie
is Rudyard’s partner. A devout family man with a cheeky wife and
two daughters he adores. He is gentle and patient when Rudyard can’t
be. They make a great team as a result.Those of some of
the folks in Rudyard’s world.
If you could spend the day with one
of the characters from A Venomous Love who
would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character,
where you would go and what you would do.
I would
choose Rudyard Bloodstone. I feel we have the most in common. I
understand how he operates as a detective. I never went to war but
have a deep empathy for what he went through. I enjoy his sense of
humor and his candor. I’d like to walk around his favorite part of
London, then go to dinner at the Criterion, or other nice restaurant
and then go for drinks to his favorite pub, The Boot and Bayonet.
The pub is run by a good friend and veteran of the Crimean War.
About the Author
I was raised in Chicago. My father, a history professor, and my mother, a
voracious reader passed on a love of history and books along with a love of
travel.
I am a retired police detective. After twenty-five years in law enforcement
I decided to pursue my dream of writing. I write a historical-time travel
romance series called Knights in Time and a historical suspense called The
Bloodstone Series.
I am also working on a world war two series of novella romances. The first
is Moonlight Serenade and currently available. The second is my work in
progress at the moment and will be titled, The Ack-Ack Girl.
Contact Links
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1 comments:
I want to thank The Avid Reader for this opportunity to feature my book and discuss all my stories.
Chris Karlsen
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