She Knew Too Much
by Victoria Weisfeld
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GENRE: Suspense
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BOOK BLURB:
Travel writer Genie Clarke arrives in Rome seeking inspiration, but her trip turns deadly when she overhears two mafia operatives discussing a secret "Project." Before she can escape, she's attacked and left for dead. Awakening in a hospital-alive but hunted-Genie finds the police unwilling to believe her. Only Detective Leo Angelini takes her seriously, uncovering ties between her assault, a murdered woman, and a powerful criminal network.
With the threat escalating, Leo moves Genie into hiding, where she becomes both key witness and prime target. Cut off from safety and unsure who to trust, Genie must outthink the conspirators determined to silence her.
From Rome's bright piazzas to its shadowed alleys, she faces a terrifying fight for survival-and an unexpected connection with the detective risking everything to protect her. She Knew Too Much is a lean, suspenseful psychological thriller about fear, courage, and the price of knowing too much.
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EXCERPT TWO:
No time for second-guessing.
The usually busy street was unaccountably deserted. Where was everybody? I reached a corner and again glanced behind. He wasn’t running, but the distance between us was closing.
How was this happening? To me? As a seasoned traveler and, I believed, savvy woman of the world, I told my readers how to have fun while staying out of trouble. Thousands of them relied on my advice. They emailed and tweeted and messaged to tell me so.
My gaze darted left, right, looking for refuge, a person in a doorway, help of any kind. A side street to the left was jammed with parked cars. No people. On the right, a trattoria a few doors down. Closed. Even the cats slept. Hearing the clomp of boots from behind, I kicked off the annoying sandals and ran.
The sound of the boots grew louder, faster, racing my pounding heart. My mouth filled with the metallic taste of adrenaline. Another few strides and, ahead on the right, was the Anglican All Saints’ Church. I knew that church. I’d been there!
I dashed across the Via di Gesu e Maria—Thank you, Jesus and Mary! Through the church’s main doors and into a hallway alongside the nave.
“Hello?” I panted as I streaked past unattended offices. Silence. Desks abandoned. Phones stilled. Empty on Sunday? Nobody counting the collection, choir practice—nothing?
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GUEST POST #1:
Everyone loves a hero! Tell us all about this genuine character and the inspiration behind their development.
Genie Clarke, the protagonist of my new destination thriller, She Knew Too Much, has appeared in a number of my published short stories. Because she’s a travel writer, she pops up in different locales, and because she’s observant and detail-obsessed, she pays attention to what’s going on around her—even when she shouldn’t! In the first chapter of this book, set in Rome, she overhears several gangsters’ conversation and realizes they’re planning a crime, but before she can figure out what the crime is, they notice her. From that moment on, she’s on the run. In some ways Genie is like me (a writer), so I know what that’s like, but I wish in other ways I was more like her. If she thinks she’s right, she doesn’t hang back.
Rome at Night
PC: Victoria Weisfeld
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GUEST POST #2:
Bring on the boos! Everyone loves to hate the villain! Tell us all about this truly loathed character and the inspiration behind their development.
Four young mafia gangsters are on Genie’s trail, and they’re all very different. Gianni is preoccupied with his place in the organization and has visions of himself as an important Player, capital “p.” But readers will see he’s full of hot air. Marco, for various reasons, is becoming disillusioned with the criminal life, and not sure of his place in it. He’s in it mainly because of the influence of his cousin. The cousin, Lama, just does whatever he’s told, doesn’t ask questions, and doesn’t think too much about it. The fourth man, though, he’s the dangerous one. Nic likes the violence. How these four young men support, antagonize, and play off each other was fun to write. I hadn’t thought about how different in personality they were before I considered your question. I’m glad you asked!
I hope your readers take the opportunity to read She Knew Too Much. I think they will find it a fast-moving story with touches of romance, humor, and a big dose of humanity. I welcome their responses. Thank you for inviting me to share these few words about the story’s heroes and villains.
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AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:
Vicki Weisfeld is a Midwesterner (Go Blue!) transplanted to New Jersey. Her short stories have appeared in leading mystery magazines, including Ellery Queen, Sherlock Holmes, and Black Cat. Find her work also in a variety of anthologies: Busted: Arresting Stories from the Beat, Seascapes: Best New England Crime Stories, Murder Among Friends, Passport to Murder, The Best Laid Plans, Quoth the Raven, and Sherlock Holmes in the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe. She's a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, which awarded "Breadcrumbs" a best short story Derringer in 2017, and the Public Safety Writers Association, which gave a similar award to "Who They Are Now" in 2020. She's a reviewer of New Jersey theater for TheFrontRowCenter.com and crime/mystery/thriller fiction for the UK website, crimefictionlover.com.
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Thank you for featuring SHE KNEW TOO MUCH.
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