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In this crime and spy novel from 1961, the merchant bank known as Bonavias is declining. However, a upstart competitor approaches them, offering an amount 20% over Bonavias’ market value. Series hero Col. Russell must become interested when he learns that also part of the deal is a research start-up called Radarmic. There is suspicion that an unfriendly power wants access to the radar technology Radarmic is developing. The rep of the unfriendly power would stoop to criminal violent means to take over the bank and the start-up.
Haggard, an Englishman, was an intelligence officer in India during WWII and then worked in Whitehall after the war. So he has the knowledge and experience that we trust in a writer of intelligent crime and espionage stories. Back in the day, Haggard’s novels were not popular in the US, though critics often praised his work as “James Bond for adults.”
Like William F. Buckley’s series hero Blackford Oakes, hero Col. Charles Russell, head of the Security Executive is a “man of the right.” The department minds odd security issues that fall in the grey areas where no clear authority to act exists. Russell is a cheerful conservative who maintains his cool in stressful situations. Russell doesn’t do much except think and talk to people in posh clubs and stuffy offices. He spends much time being perplexed. I don’t know how Haggard makes this fascinating and un-put-downable. But he does.
Haggard’s ability to take the reader into the closed worlds of research, government, criminal syndicates and spy agencies is irresistible. At least to readers who like John le Carré, John Bingham, Emma Lathen, or Alan Furst.
Thank you so much for doing this interview for the PaperBackSwap blog!! I have really enjoyed reading the 3 books in the Steele Shadows Security series.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a wife to the ultimate alpha male, mother of two angels who remind me every day how precious life is, daughter to my real-life hero and heroine, mom to two stinky mutts, die-hard Titos lover (very important to mention that), and someone who wandered aimlessly through life until I found writing. I’d always struggled with what I was meant to do professionally. Post college, my world was cheap power suits, grey cubicles, PowerPoint presentations, quotas, and butt-kissing. I knew this was not my path. I wanted to be the person who said, “I love what I do so much that it doesn’t feel like work.” After decades of sending positive energy into the world, hoping I would find my dream-job, the quest finally ended after I wrote the first paragraph of my first book (that was so terrible it never saw the light of day). I fell in love instantly and never looked back.
I myself do not like to read “romance novels”, but I love mysteries. For some reason your books seem more mystery with a bit of romance thrown in. What gave you the inspiration for the Steele Shadows Security series?
Steele Shadows Security was an unplanned spin-off from the Berry Springs Series. I like to think of it as Berry Springs’ steamer, darker, grittier, bad-boy brother. The series was created when I finally submitted to the unrelenting voice in my head telling me to write something more intense, more emotional, and more alpha. With blind faith, I wrote Cabin 1, which became my first #1 bestseller. It was a good lesson to follow inspiration and have faith in your gut instinct!
You really brought these stories to life with your writing and made me feel like I was right there with the Cabin residents! How much of your experiences and background played into this?
I was born in a small, southern town that has more cows than people. Big trucks, American flags, cowboy hats, sweet tea—all the fantastic clichés. From a very early age, I loved two things: reading and the outdoors. For me, inspiration sparks when I’m in nature. There’s something about being out in the mountains, that can be magical and enchanting, but also dark, creepy, and extremely lonely—which makes one heck of a backdrop for a murder mystery series. Nature plays a huge part in every one of my books and is as much as a character as the hero and heroine. I visualize each scene as I write it, and try to feel the world happening around that moment with hopes its transfers through to the reader.
The men in the security company come out as very strong until those layers are peeled back. Are the men in your life them?
Absolutely. You’ve probably noticed most of the heroes in my books are former military or service men. I come from a long line of military men and woman and I truly believe that soldiers, combat veterans, and first responders carry a shield of armor that others simply don’t, and this manifests in many different ways within each person (all those layers and layers!). I have the utmost respect for them and I hope that shines through in my writing.
How long did you take to write these books?
I’m someone who loves schedules, plans, and consistency. Spontaneity scares the crap out of me. So I keep myself on a tight schedule packed with deadlines. I write every day, no matter what. I find that this helps keep the same tone through the book, and keeps my creative juices flowing. There’s nothing more frustrating than opening my computer and staring at the screen for thirty minutes trying to figure out what my next word should be. Writing every day helps to avoid that. I also have a daily word goal, and I’m pretty hard-core about meeting it. I’ve been known to set my alarm for 3:30 a.m. to get in some writing time before the kids wake. Thanks to this restless nature, I can usually write book a book in a few months.
Did you stay within your planned outlines, or did you ever write yourself into a situation you could not get out of?
When I begin a new project, the first thing I do is write a detailed outline—bulleted, of course. Although the story develops as I go, I try to stick to that outline as much as possible. I’ve realized that if I don’t, the story becomes scattered, filled with major plot holes. And no one likes a massive plot hole.
How do you deal with the times you may encounter writer’s block?
I step away from the computer and take a walk outside. I focus on my breathing and just still myself. I truly believe in the healing power of nature. If it’s epic writers block, I meditate. It’s amazing what clearing your mind can do you for creativity and attitude!
Do you enjoy reading books yourself? If so, what types of books do you enjoy?
I’m a sucker for romantic suspense/mystery. I love the delicate mix of romance, intrigue, and heart-pounding suspense, and of course the grand finale of it all, the happily ever after ending! And let’s be honest, a swoon-worthy hero doesn’t hurt either. As a reader and a writer, pacing is very important to me. One of my favorite things about the genre is that the stories are fast-paced. Nothing pulls me out of a book more than slow pacing or that ever-dreaded lagging middle section. When I write a book, I focus on creating a page-turning experience and making the reader feel a mix of emotions—fear, anticipation, shock, lust, you name it. If he, or she, goes to bed thinking about my book, or stays up all night just to finish it, I’ve done my job.
What’s next? Do you have other books already published, and are you working on another book?
2020 is going to be a big year for the McKinney Machine! I’m carrying out the Steele Shadows Security series with three more books (at least)! I am so excited to continue these character’s stories! I’m talking kid-in-a-candy-store excited. The books will have everything you’d expect in a McKinney novel—hot romance, alpha males, strong females, fast-paced suspense, and mystery, but will be standalone novels. No cliffhangers!
Where are your books available?
I am currently exclusive to Amazon, but plan to reach new retailers later this year.
Do you have a website / blog / Facebook page?
My website is the hub for all things McKinney— www.amandamckinneyauthor.com. But the best way to stay up to date on new releases, enter fun contests, and get tons of freebies is to sign up for my newsletter here.
Thanks so much for spending time with us today!! I can’t wait for your next books!
Ms. McKinney has generously offered an brand-new autographed copy of her book, Cabin 1 to a PaperBackSwap Member who comments here on the Blog. A Winner will be chosen at random. You must be a PaperBackSwap Member in good standing to win.
Good Luck to everyone!
Our series hero Albert Campion makes his debut in this 1929 whodunnit. A reader’s response depends on the reader’s patience with tried and true customs of the Golden Age of the Mystery. Yay or nay: it is melodramatic in places, Campion is silly-simple on a Bertie Wooster level, and the detecting part of things is slighted. Plus or minus: the setting is a gloomy country house, characters are paper-thin, a romantic angles arises, ceremonials use a ritualistic dagger. It’s all rather over the top, but if that floats your boat….
After a friend of her boss is murdered, female PI Sharon McCone finds herself drawn into a case that takes her to a ranch, a mansion, and skid row, all of which have well-conveyed atmosphere. Another strength is in the believable characters, from homeless people to hypocritical yuppies to friends on the way to becoming alcoholics. I hope I do not make this outstanding mystery sound like a downer, because it’s not. McCone mysteries end on an upbeat note, leaving the reader looking forward to the next one. Readers into old-school Seventies mysteries can’t go wrong with Marcia Muller.
In the 22nd novel starring the lawyer with super-powers and his trusty sidekicks Della Street and Paul Drake, Gardner shows that he’d mastered his way with punchy dialogue. Plenty of clues make the plot elaborate but not bewilderingly complicated: a clock set to sidereal time; the “truth serum” scopolamine in the vic’s body; an uncertain time of death; and finally Gardner’s trusty old “two revolvers” confusion.
The Mason novels that Gardner published during WWII make passing references to war-time culture, such as blackouts, tire rationing, frugality with gasoline, and internment of Japanese-Americans (it was California, after all).
Also, readers who’ve read many of his novels will recall that Gardner tended to look at reality with no illusions. For instance, in this one Gardner tweaks home-front pieties when the returning veteran says that instead of giving a “flag-waving” speech at a luncheon, he bluntly told them that winning the war was going to take a lot of hard work and that the US could be defeated in the conflict. Even more shockingly, Mason bluntly asserts that there are no ethics when dealing with the police.
Perry Mason fans regard this 1942 mystery as one of their favorites. The plot is crystal clear, and for once, he plays fair with the reader, laying out all the clues.
The end of a year is a time of reflection for most people. We think about the past year, the highs and the lows, and we look ahead to a new year full of promise and new beginnings. For me, as a reader, I have a tendency to look back on the authors who left us in the past year. 2019 was a rough year in that we lost some bright stars.
So, in alphabetical order, we must say goodbye to:
Dorothea Benton Frank (Sept. 12, 1951 – Sept. 2, 2019): I’m not sure South Carolina was even on the map before Ms. Frank came 
along and shared her love of this beautiful area with all of us. Her 20 novels bring to life Charleston and surrounding areas, and the families living there. Her last novel was Queen Bee, but she was also known for Plantation, Sullivan’s Island, and Shem Creek, just to name a few. Just by opening one, I think I can smell the sea and feel the sunshine of her beloved Lowcountry.
Ernest J. Gaines (Jan. 15, 1933 – Nov. 5, 2019) : Mr. Gaines wrote of the struggles of African-Americans in such novels as A Lesson Before Dying and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, focusing on a time before the civil rights movement in this country. He wrote eight novels and many short stories, and was honored with numerous awards, culminating in the National Medal of Arts bestowed on him by President Barack Obama in 2013.
Tony Horwitz (Jun. 9, 1958 – May 27, 2019): A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Mr. Horwitz authored several books, and is probably
best known for Confederates in the Attic. He took us all over the world: Australia, Bagdad, the deep South, islands in the Pacific. His books embodied the best of armchair travel combined with history and a peek at various cultures, some foreign, and some perhaps very familiar.
Judith Krantz (Jan. 9, 1928 – Jun 22, 2019): She started out by giving us Scruples in 1978, and she really didn’t let up for almost 20 years. Her first novel was published when she was 50 years old, which should give every aspiring author a great deal of hope. She retired from writing at age 70, after the publication of Spring Collection.
Johanna Lindsey (Mar. 10, 1952 – Oct. 27, 2019): If you are of a certain age, I can almost guarantee you started your career in romance reading by picking up one of Johanna Lindsey’s 50 novels. She started with Captive Bride (1977) and not only gave us wonderful love stories set in various historical time periods, but who didn’t love the Fabio covers?? I remember my grandmother catching me reading one of Ms. Lindsey’s books—and after confiscating it, and reading it herself, asking me if I had any more.
Robert K. Massie (Jan. 5, 1929 – Dec. 2, 2019): My love of Russian history and the tragic story of Nicholas and Alexandra came directly from Mr. Massie’s powerful biography of the two doomed rulers. His biography Peter the Great won him the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1981, and his final book, Catherine the Great, earned him the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, and the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography.
Vonda McIntyre (Aug. 28, 1948 – Apr. 1, 2019): Ms. McIntyre began her career in the early 70’s, winning her first Nebula Award for Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand. This novelette soon expanded into the novel Dreamsnake (1978) for which she won both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards. She was a trailblazer in the field of science fiction, and is probably best known for writing several Star Trek and Star Wars novels.
Toni Morrison (Feb. 18, 1931 – Aug. 5, 2019): Words fail me here. From The Bluest Eye, her first novel, through her last novel, 
God Help the Child, and up to her last book, a work of non-fiction titled The Source of Self-Regard: Essays, Speeches, Meditations, Ms. Morrison enriched our lives. The list of her awards is incredibly long and impressive. She will be missed.
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat (Nov. 12, 1928 – Mar. 12, 2019): Every beginning reader from the early 1970’s on has picked up a Nate the Great book and been thoroughly entertained by the boy detective. Ms. Sharmat is the author of over 130 books, and the Nate books alone have been translated into 24 languages.
Gene Wolfe (May 7, 1931 – Apr. 14, 2019): Not only was Mr. Wolfe an accomplished science fiction author, best known for his multi-volume work The Book of the New Sun, but he had an amazing life. He had polio as a child; he was a Korean War vet; he was an industrial engineer, and we can thank him for the machine that makes Pringles potato chips! His final novel, Interlibrary Loan, is due to be published in 2020. And of all the authors in this list, he has had the most books written about him.
Herman Wouk (May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019): That’s not a typo. Mr. Wouk almost made it to 104, bless him. He gave us The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and the sequel War and Remembrance, and several works of non-fiction. His final work was Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year Old Author (2015). Now that seems like a book worth reading, and it has been added to my TBR pile.
And so we say goodbye, and thank you. Thank you for the sound foundation of reading, for the history, the romance, the imagination and the glimpses into other cultures, other times, and other worlds. We will be forever grateful.
