About the Book

 

Book: Mind Games  
Author: Nancy Mehl  
Genre: Suspense  
Release Date: December, 2018  
Publisher: Bethany House 

FBI Behavioral Analyst Kaely Quinn’s methods may be highly unorthodox, but her talent is undeniable. She’s done her best to establish a new life for herself after being demoted and transferred to St. Louis when a reporter revealed she’s the daughter of an infamous serial killer. But when that same reporter claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a string of murders, ending with Kaely’s, it seems her old life

has followed her.

 

When a body is found that fits the poem’s morbid predictions, Kaely and her new partner, Special Agent Noah Hunter, are forced to move past his skepticism of her approach and work together to unravel the deadly riddle.

 

With a brazen serial killer who breaks all the normal patterns on the loose, Noah and Kaely are tested to their limits to catch the murderer before anyone else, including Kaely, is killed.

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About the Author

Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of more than thirty books, including the Road to Kingdom, Finding Sanctuary, and Defenders of Justice series. She received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.

 

Guest Post from Nancy

 

 

Writing Mind Games is a dream come true. I’ve been interested in FBI profiling for years. I’ve read about it, studied it, and watched every TV special I could find on the subject. So when the chance finally came to write the book I’ve always wanted to write, I jumped at it. Thankfully, through the help of another writer, I was hooked up with a retired FBI profiler. I was so excited. Until I found out I had almost everything wrong. Yes, I had some understanding about profiling, but I knew nothing about the FBI and how it works.

 

First of all, the FBI doesn’t call the men and women who profile criminals, profilers. They’re called Behavioral Analysts. The plot for Mind Games had my analyst running around the country solving crimes while she was stationed in St. Louis. Uh, no. Behavioral analysts do travel, but they all work out of Quantico in Virginia. So…I rewrote.

 

There were ways around my conundrum, but one solution led to more and more problems. We finally worked through them. Then I spent the next few months learning acronyms. CIRG, CJIS, NCAVC, HRT, UNSUB, CNU, THU, ViCap, CODIS, SWAT, ERTU, OPU, THRU, ERT… Well, the list goes on and on. The FBI is made up of many specialized units. And a plethora of acronyms, it seems.

 

I rewrote Mind Games three times before my source said we were good to go.

 

If you assume I’m out of the woods now, you’d be wrong. I haven’t had the nerve to open up the manuscript I sent her for book two in my Kaely Quinn Profiler series. I figured I had Fire Storm right but… Well, I can tell from her email comments I’ll be doing more rewriting. Sigh.

 

So is it worth it? A resounding yes! I love learning, and as long as my analyst friend hangs in with me (she has the patience of Job), I’ll keep at it.

 

I hope you enjoy Mind Games. It’s edgy but fun. Kaely Quinn is a quirky character. She was thrown out of Quantico because her version of profiling is… Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

 

 

 

 Nancy Mehl has definitely moved onto my list of must-read Christian authors! “Mind Games” reads like an episode of “Bones” or “CSI” and yet at the same time manages to be unique. It has certainly raised my expectations in the suspense field. The tight writing and sense of anticipation reminds me of Jaime Jo Wright’s novels, although whereas Wright’s works tie together historical fiction with a present-day story, Mehl takes full advantage of a contemporary setting in order to lead the reader down the rabbit hole of modern crime solving. Since the main characters are FBI agents, the reader is treated to details about the Bureau’s inner workings and how cases are solved. Some of the details are gritty, and there are a few disturbing scenes, but there is no profanity and the book is a clean read.

Psychological thrillers are among my favorite reads, and “Mind Games” surpassed my hopes for several reasons. From the start, I liked and related to Kaely Quinn. She is mostly a loner and a workaholic who believes in getting the job done and not stopping until she does, and she is a perfectionist. Despite her past and her trust issues, she is a Christian, and this aspect of her life is expressed in the narrative in a few compelling scenes that illustrate a growing faith. The way in which Mehl reveals Kaely’s prior history and walks the reader through Kaely’s work as a behavioral analyst is skillfully done. Not only is it fascinating, but it allows the reader to step into Kaely’s shoes (and occasionally the other characters’, as well) and experience the tension as it unfolds. As an avid mystery and suspense reader, more often than not I figure out whodunit by at least the halfway point. Although I had narrowed the suspects down, I did not definitively identify the culprit until right before the reveal, which really enhanced my enjoyment of the novel. “Mind Games” is both well-plotted and well-executed, a taut combination that makes for a thrilling read for fans of the genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

 

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