✍The First Page: Hollywood Underworld by Lindy S. Hudis

 

 HOLLYWOOD UNDERWORLD

By Lindy S. Hudis

Publication Date: August 4, 2021

Crime Thriller

Nick Savage was supposed to be the next sexy Hollywood heartthrob, until he turned up dead…

His personal manager, Dani Foxx, is a seductive former actress with spunk, guts and a take-no-prisoners attitude. She lives in the Woodland Hills section of the San Fernando Valley with her teenage daughter. They must survive and protect each other in the world’s most glamorous and sin-filled city. Then an unidentified body discovered under the Santa Monica pier is found to belong to the up-and-coming young actor.

Dani’s partner, the dashing and charismatic A.J. Tarentella, is the son of a mob boss, raised in a ruthless crime family. He now is the proud owner of the Tarantella Agency, a Private Investigation Company located in the heart of Beverly Hills. He used his father’s work ethic, connections and family ties to build his powerful business empire, and now he is always there to help those in need.

When another gorgeous nubile actress on the brink of getting her breakout role mysteriously vanishes as the body of a beautiful young girl is discovered in Runyon Canyon Park in the Hollywood Hills, Dani realizes this is no coincidence. Who is targeting young Hollywood stars? And more importantly, how can Dani stop them before the next body surfaces?

Together, A. J. and Dani find themselves tangled in a web of organized crime, Hollywood secrets, and a vengeful faded movie star with a lethal vendetta.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tinseltown’s Seedy Underbelly Exposed

PRAISE:

“They say Hollywood is a dream factory, and having worked in the film business myself, I can say that can be true. But the reality behind the facade can sometimes be the stuff of nightmares. For every big break, there’s a thousand broken dreams. And for every actor hustling to land a role, there’s another who decides the compromises required just aren’t worth the damage it does to a person’s soul. This novel is about reality, the pain, the moral compromises, the crime, and the shattered lives that litter the streets behind the scenes. This book, though fiction has a lot of truth in it, and the novelist pulls no punches. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!” – Amazon

Hollywood Underworld is available at Amazon.

 

 

 

                     

Los Angeles, California

Spring

“Kill her.” The irate and imposing male voice bellowed into the phone.

“Who?” The nervous - and not too bright - hitman swallowed hard and butted out his cigarette.

“Who do you think, moron?”

“Uhm…. I don’t….”

“Dani Foxx.”

“Oh, of course…Whatever you need, boss, I’m all over…”

“And I want it taken care of today, do you understand me?”

“I understand.”

“Don’t screw it up again, I want this problem solved.”

“Don’t worry, boss. The bitch is as good as dead.”

“She better be!”

“I’m on it, boss.” He reached for his shoulder holster and checked his gun.

“Then get on it. Now!” The angry boss slammed down the phone.

“Yes, boss.” The hitman pulled on his coat and dashed out of his North Hollywood apartment.

 

 

 

Lindy S. Hudis is an award winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City.

She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld – A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime, mystery series.

In addition, she has written several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”.

Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including ‘Best Short Film’ at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Fransisco International Film Festival.

She is also an actress, having appeared in the indie film Expressionism, the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children” , “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film “Indecent Proposal” . She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

Website & Social Media:

Website/Blog ➜  https://lindyinparadise.wordpress.com/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/Lindyscribe

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/LindyScribe/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/lindys.hudis 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470478.Lindy_S_Hudis

 
 

✍The First Page: Her Dying Kiss by Jennifer Chase

 

HER DYING KISS: DETECTIVE KATIE SCOTT BOOK 10

By Jennifer Chase

Publication Date: July 17, 2023

Crime Fiction

She wakes to the dawn light streaming through the window and rolls over to whisper good morning to her fiancé. But panic floods her veins. His side of the bed is empty and cold. Blood trails towards the open door. All trace of him is gone…

It’s been one month since Detective Katie Scott’s fiancé, Chad, went missing without a trace. Devastated Katie is still working tirelessly day and night to track down the love of her life, barely sleeping and chasing every new lead. But now the case has gone cold.

When the body of beautiful Gina Hartfield is discovered among the pine needles in a clearing on Lookout Ridge, Katie swallows her own pain and knows she must focus on finding Gina’s killer. The young woman was found with a pink velvet blindfold shading the hollows where her eyes had been removed. Katie is certain she is chasing a sadistic individual who will soon take another life…

But the autopsy reveals Gina’s body was washed before being abandoned, leaving no trace of evidence behind. And with no witnesses to Gina’s disappearance, the women of Pine Valley are terrified to go out alone.

Desperately combing the crime scene, when Katie sees a newspaper article about her previous cases pinned to a nearby tree, she is certain Gina’s murder is personal. Then tire tracks found in the forest are matched to a truck seen following Chad in the days leading up to his disappearance. Katie’s blood runs cold.

Is there a link between Chad’s disappearance and Gina’s brutal murder, or is the killer playing a twisted game with Katie? Can she find out the truth before they take another life?

Here’s what critics are saying about Her Dying Kiss!

“I couldn’t put it down… action-packed with excellent plot twists… I had no idea what was coming next… so gripped with many twists and turns.” Goodreads reviewer

“Excellent, nail-biting thriller with a plot that’s had me enthralled from page one… I’ve been gripped through each twist and turn… jaw-dropping and totally unexpected… brilliant.” NetGalley reviewer

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookouture

 

 

 

 

                     

There was a dead body, which was the focus of the
synchronized police search. A deceased woman had been found
by the utility company during its routine check and mainte‐
nance of the meters along the roadway. The body was e"‐
ciently wrapped in a large piece of dark brown burlap that had
been rolled several times leaving only her head exposed. If not
looking closely, you would misinterpret the dumped body for
some type of discarded rug.

The victim was a brunette woman with long, perfectly
combed hair with the strands resting on the burlap. At #rst, it
seemed she was relaxed and had merely gone to sleep, when in
fact, there were pink velvet pieces of fabric covering her eyes, as if shading her view of something.
 

John Blackburn, Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department’s forensic supervisor, kneeled down and carefully lifted one of the pieces of velvet, revealing the dark empty socket the eyeball had once occupied. The eye had been cleanly detached.

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.

Author Links  

Website | BookBub | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

✍The First Page: PRETTY BROKEN DOLLS by Jennifer Chase

PRETTY BROKEN DOLLS

by Jennifer Chase

In the thin light of the moon, the woman’s limp body hangs from the iron fence amongst the redwoods. Looped over the railings is the little gold locket her mother gave her when she turned sixteen. The picture of the girl inside smiles out at a future she’ll never see…

As day breaks over the fairground, Detective Katie Scott forces herself to take in another disturbing scene in front of her. A woman, the same age as her, found slumped in the carriage of the Ferris wheel, red lipstick dragged across her lips, her throat cut.

Katie doesn’t want to believe that the serial killer picking off women across the state has found their way to the small town of Pine Valley, California, but when her team finds a gold engagement ring hanging nearby, it’s a terrifying, but undeniable fact.

With a twisted killer on her doorstep, Katie knows if she doesn’t act fast, she’ll find more women left out in the cold like broken dolls. Her team hit dead end after dead end, but only she can see the vital link between the victims: a connection with Katie herself.

Katie has spent years pushing traumatic memories of her years in the military far out of reach, but she must confront them now or more innocent women will die. But as the killer circles closer and closer to Katie, what if the only answer is to give him what he wants? There must be another way…

Warning – This absolutely unputdownable thriller will keep you up all night! Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh better hold on tight for a nail-biting rollercoaster ride!

PRAISE

5 Stars! “This is the first book in the series I have read – and I want more! Suspense up to the end, characters I enjoyed, and K9 units. Loved it!” – NetGalley

5 Stars! “As always this Jennifer Chase thriller just cries out to be read in one sitting. Here we see Katie get tangled up with a serial killer although it takes time before anyone takes her seriously. Great characters and a great story, I loved this book.” – NetGalley

 

 

 

The front door stood ajar. It bumped gently against the jamb in rhythm with the evening breeze. The screen remained wide open and was bent precariously around the aluminum frame. Pieces of broken glass from a shattered light bulb above had scattered across the porch, leaving behind a shadowy darkness draped across the front of the small house. 

The neighborhood remained quiet; the light blue one-story cottage eerily so. No outside illumination or motion lights flooded the front area. The blooming climbing vines and perfectly manicured bushes were eclipsed by the darkness. 

Headlights approached.

A small, dark vehicle pulled into the driveway. Waiting a moment before turning off the engine, a woman pushed open the car door and stepped out. The young redhead was dressed for the evening, in a sparkly blouse and tight black pants. Wavering a moment in her spiked sandals, she looked at the house in curiosity—and then in disappointment. Quickly grabbing a warm jacket from inside the car and slipping it on, she walked up the driveway. 

“Jeanine, where are you?” she whispered and headed to the front door, ignoring the shattered light bulb on the step crunching under her feet. She knocked on the door. “Jeanine,” she said, more loudly, leaning closer to the opening. “We waited for you… you missed a great party.”

No response. 

The front door pushed open, revealing a darkened interior.

 

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today BestSelling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers. 

For More Information

·                     Visit Jennifer Chase's website.

·                     Connect with Jennifer on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.

·                     Pick up your copy of Pretty Broken Dolls at Amazon.