‘Three can keep a secret, but only if two are dead‘
– Dead Air
I am delighted to welcome New Jersey born author Michael Bradley today with a piece about the inspiration behind his latest novel, psychological thriller, Dead Air.
“We are surrounded by water, ebbing from the oceans, seas, and rivers. And, in southern New Jersey there is a small lake. This lake isn’t special in any particular way. It is just a lake on the edge of a farm near the interstate. The water contained within isn’t clear like in the Caribbean. It is murky and dark“
Dead Air is described as ‘a suspenseful tale of past misdeeds and present malice‘ and is due for release June 9th with CamCat Publishing.
Guest Post
‘Welcome to the Shallows’ by Michael Bradley
Water. When it is crystal clear, it can be a beautiful thing. Photographs from the Caribbean islands show sandy beaches and blue depths that dazzle and entrance. Water cools and refreshes those who have been in oppressive heat and cleanses those who are dirty. It is part of what is required to sustain life on this planet.
We are surrounded by water, ebbing from the oceans, seas, and rivers. And, in southern New Jersey there is a small lake. This lake isn’t special in any particular way. It is just a lake on the edge of a farm near the interstate. The water contained within isn’t clear like in the Caribbean. It is murky and dark. Although it is not deep, you can’t see the bottom. There is a small sandy beach along one side and a dock that stretches out into the water from the shore. It is a harmless little body of water, used for ice skating in the winter, and perhaps a quick swim in dead of summer.
I’ve seen this lake a thousand times as I’ve driven north up the interstate. Just past exit 10 and down the slope along the right shoulder. The lake has always fascinated me. It looked so quaint and perfect, like one of those old fishing holes you’d hear about on old Andy Griffith reruns. I could picture Andy and Opie sitting on the dock, casting their fishing lines out over the rippling surface of the lake. Not really catching anything but having a good time anyway.
Shortly after my first book was published, my travels took me past the lake again. At the time, my mind was in a dark place. I was working on my next thriller, and its topic had put me in a bit of a funk. Perhaps this is why the lake appeared different to me. That sense of tranquility and perfection was gone. I found myself focusing on the water. The dark and murky water. I wondered what might lie beneath its surface. What secrets might it conceal? What crimes could have been committed along its banks or within its waters? For days after, my mind was frantic with ideas of how to despoil the picture-perfect scenes that I’d once attributed to this small south Jersey lake. Little did I know that these efforts would become the inspiration for something bigger.
Fast forward to two years ago. I was searching for ideas for my third book, which would eventually become Dead Air. This small lake resurfaced in my mind, along with my darker contemplations on its nature and ability to harbor secrets. As ideas formed, the lake took on a personality of its own, and might even be considered a character in itself. It came alive within the pages of the new book. It had a history and a backstory. I even gave it a nickname. It’s this nickname that strikes fear into the heart of my protagonist, Kaitlyn Ashe. She knows of this small lake and has been there many times before. It holds a secret that she’s spent her whole life running from. But her past is about to resurface at a small lake known as … The Shallows.
[ Book Description ]
Three can keep a secret, but only if two are dead.
No one knows that better than Kaitlyn Ashe, who has been running from a childhood secret her whole life. Until now.
Crowned the top-rated radio DJ in Philadelphia, she
is finally ready to settle down with her fiancé and new friends who know nothing about her past. When a sudden flood of anonymous letters threatens her seemingly charmed life, she realizes that someone out there knows. But who?
As the threatening letters escalate, Kaitlyn’s life spirals toward a reunion in the one place she’d hoped to never visit again: The Shallows.
Isn’t her secret buried with the dead?
From the Philadelphia skyline to the rural suburbs of New Jersey, Dead Air weaves a suspenseful tale of past misdeeds and present malice as Kaitlyn plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a mysterious killer who will stop at nothing to get revenge.
Purchase Link ~ AmazonUK
[ Bio ]
Born and raised in southern New Jersey, Michael Bradley spent years in radio broadcasting in New Jersey and West Virginia. He has been “up and down the dial,” working as an on-air radio personality, promotions director and even program director–all jobs that provided a wealth of fond, enduring, and sometimes scandalous moments. Some of them make it into his suspense novels. Particularly into his first, the supernatural thriller Sirens in the Night (2015), which was called a “smart, terrifying, heartbreaking” and “compelling read,” and his third, Dead Air (2020), a “phenomenal read” that will “make you look over your shoulder the moment night falls.”
Michael’s day job as an IT professional has taken him on frequent travels throughout the US and Europe. On his travels he’s met many people from diverse backgrounds, and he is grateful to all of them, as many of their quirks and habits also make it into his novels, albeit in clandestine and anonymous ways.
When he isn’t on the road, working, or writing, Michael hits the waterways in his kayak, paddling creeks, streams, and rivers all over Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. Or he reads to get inspired by writers such as P.D. James, Ian Rankin, Leslies Charteris, Simon Brett, Lisa Unger, and Ian Fleming. Michael is a member of Pennwriters and Mystery Writers of America, and he serves as the technical assistant to the director of ITW’s Pitch Fest and ConsultFest for the annual ThrillerFest conference. Michael lives in Delaware with his wife Diane and their two furry four-legged “kids,” Preaya and Willie.
Twitter ~ @mjbradley88
Website ~ www.mbradleyonline.com
