EXCERPT
Calculated
(Discovered Series Book 1)
(Discovered Series Book 1)
by R.
S. Novelle
Calculated is the first book in the
Discovered Series. Also available: Driven.
This book blitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours. Please be sure to visit the other participating
blogs as well.
Check out The Boyfriend List, the first in Renee Novelle's Boyfriend Books series, in my previous blog post.
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.
Featured Review
By Alan R Gast
A fantastic read -
R.S. Novelle did a great job of keeping you hooked. And just when you think
you've got it figured out - you find out you're wrong! There were just enough
characters to keep up with, and the pace was well delivered. A very
entertaining writer.
I'm not going to
spend time here telling you the plot; it's already up there in the description!
About the Author
Formerly a freelance journalist, Novelle has found placement of her
pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has
written multiple screenplays, and contributed her writing to many non-profit
and for profit organizations. She has launched several blogs over the years,
which garnered international attention.
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.
Links
