Three dead. And more to come… A fascinating blend of fact and fiction pushes the boundaries of the crime fiction category and will keep readers guessing on every page.
THE DEEPEST BLACK
by Randall Silvis
Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks, August 2022
A triple homicide in a small Pennsylvania town is no small event. And when one of the locals is a writer with a hefty dose of curiosity, the secrets that people have been trying their best to hide never stay hidden for long… Acclaimed author Randall Silvis pushes the boundaries of crime fiction with THE DEEPEST BLACK, a gripping and twisty novel written in the style of a true crime memoir that blends fact and fiction and leaves the reader guessing every step of the way.
Randall Silvis is the internationally acclaimed author of more than a dozen novels, including Two Days Gone and the other Ryan DeMarco mysteries. His essays, articles, poems, and short stories have appeared in various online and print magazines. His work has been translated into ten languages. He lives in Pennsylvania.
In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.
After her husband’s death, Lexi has refused to return to the Pinecrest Estate on the Florida Keys, too many hard memories on the tiny strip of land. Memories of meeting her husband as a teenager on the set of an iconic horror movie shot at the dilapidated manor house. Of being cast as an extra, of watching herself get killed on screen. And of scoffing at the rumors of the Pinecrest Estate “curse,” until she witnessed a cast member die that very summer. But when her daughter insists on visiting her grandfather, legendary horror movie director Rick Plummer, Lexi finally agrees. That’s when a Category Four hurricane changes course, and hits the southern coast.
Natalie Walker is the reason her brother and sister went to jail over 15 years ago. As a result, she hasn’t spoken to her family since. On the same day she expects to be promoted at her job (until her boyfriend Paul swoops in and takes the position), Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer in Santa Cruz saying her mother has died and the only way for her children to inherit their family’s large, historical home is for all three adult children to come back and claim it.
Tess Morelli is living a dream: she was selected for an incredible exchange program in Rome, where she’s spending a month taking in the beautiful sights and sounds and tastes of Italy. Her Italian counterpart, Sofia, is staying with Tess’s family while she’s away. Sure, her host parents barely speak English, but they seem cool enough.