News & Reviews

WORD: Gericke to follow ‘Blown Away’ with second crime thriller

Shane Gericke’s debut novel Blown Away (Kensington Publishing imprint Pinnacle Fiction) -- a crime thriller about a female police detective who solved a brutal case of serial murder -- became a national bestseller just three weeks after it launched in 2006. Gericke is now set to publish his follow-up, Cut to the Bone, as the second part of a two-book deal.

Pinnacle Fiction slated Cut to the Bone as a paperback original, with a publication date of June 2007. Gericke told WORD’N’BASS.com that he "wound up adding last-minute stuff" to the novel, which will bring back detective Martin Benedetti and police detective Emily Thompson as they battle another serial killer in a Chicago suburb.

In Cut to the Bone, Gericke delves into the mind of a twisted psychopath known as The Executioner, who leaves his victims cut with chilling precision and then savagely mutilated. A bevy of big-name authors are already offering advance praise for the novel.

According to Douglas Preston: "Cut to the Bone arrives with the impact of a large-caliber handgun fired at point-blank range. From the opening scene to the last line, the book is a frightening thrill ride, with beautifully drawn characters, sharply observed detail, and exceptional writing. This is a damn fine book."

Before becoming a novelist in 2006, Gericke polished his writing craft as an editor and reporter for various publications. He most recently worked for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he was an award-winning senior financial editor. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers Inc., and a member of Mystery Writers of America, Society of Midland Authors, Sisters in Crime, and The Newspaper Guild. For more information on Gericke, check out his website.

Agent Bill Contardi with Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents in New York City handled the two-book deal with Kensington. As previously reported, after closing the deal with Pinnacle, Contrardi had targeted offshore rights for Blown Away in several regions worldwide. It is now being translated into Chinese, Slovak and Turkish, Gericke said.

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