Blog Tour: THE SCHEME by Amethyst Drake

 

THE SCHEME

Amethyst Drake

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GENRE:  Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

Katherine Carson, a former intelligence operative turned private detective, has never been in it for the money. But when a desperate CEO offers double her usual fee to find his missing daughter, she can't refuse.

 

Set in Baltimore, 2009, what begins as a simple missing person inquiry transforms into a complex case of espionage, financial crime, and deep-seated grudges. For Katherine, this case strikes a personal chord, stirring up haunting memories from her own past. As unexpected connections emerge, she must confront her unresolved guilt.

 

Can Katherine and her team of private detectives solve the case before it's too late, or will the turmoil of her past consume her?

 

 

 

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Excerpt Three:

 

Katherine’s mixed emotions reflected the muddle of the Ames’ case. The chilly silence was broken by the ring of her BlackBerry. She answered on the second ring.

 

"Hey, Katie."

 

"Hi, Jake." Katherine unbuckled her seatbelt and straightened up in her seat.

 

"Did you make it inside your apartment?"

 

Katherine slumped back. "You always know, don't you?”

 

"You okay? Seems like this case is getting to you.”

 

"I guess so. I wanted this to be easy money…find a run-away heiress, let the family figure out the relationship mess." Katherine got out of her car and climbed the steps to her apartment.

 

"I suppose nothing is ever that simple."

 

"I suppose not.” Katherine unlocked her apartment door and stepped into the nearly bare living room. “I just wish we had more to go on. The clues we do have seem to conflict with each other. And I think Sammi is on strike.”

 

“Again?” Jake chuckled.

 

Katherine huffed as she removed her coat and bolted the door. “What does she think detectives do? We can’t find missing people by looking into a crystal ball.” Katherine lowered herself onto the soft couch, the only piece of furniture in the room.

 

"Even if we could, she’d probably think that was spying, too.” Jake chuckled louder. “Cut her some slack, Katie. We were all young and naive once.”

 

Jake knew better than most people exactly how young and naive Katherine had once been. He was the closest thing to family she had.

 

“Anyway, I’d like to believe Olivia wouldn’t run off..."

 

Jake finished her thought. “But it’s possible that this Robert character manipulated her into doing something she would not normally do."

 

"If that’s the case, then I want to find Olivia before she does something she’ll regret. I hope it’s not too late."

 

 

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 Describe a compelling scene in your book and why it is important.

“You did all this last night?” Katherine was impressed by Sammi’s hard work. She recalled one of the few lessons from her mother: “People will rise to meet your expectations."

Sammi spoke softly. “I wanted to try to make up for the mistakes I made yesterday.”

“Good work, Sammi. Let me know when you find those addresses. I want to check out the salon this afternoon. And I want you to come with me.”

“Really?” Sammi bit back an excited smile.

Katherine walked to Sammi’s desk. “Yes. You found this clue; it’s only fair you get to help follow it up.”

Sammi jumped up, squealed, and threw her arms around Katherine’s neck. Then she quickly stepped back and bit her lip. She straightened her vest, trying to look professional despite the tears welling up in her eyes. “Gracias.”

This excerpt from the end of Chapter 11 marks the turning point in the relationship between two of my main characters. Katherine heads a small private detective firm. It has been operating for seven years. Sammi has been on the team for less than a year as an administrative assistant. Recently graduated from college, Sammi has dreams of becoming a private detective. She left Puerto Rico to go to college and pursue this dream while living with her aunt and uncle in Baltimore.

Earlier in The Scheme, Sammi oversteps her responsibilities. She and Katherine have an argument about it. Sammi storms out of the office, and it isn’t the first time. In a few other scenes, Katherine expresses her frustration at Sammi’s childish behavior. She may even consider going back on her promise to help Sammi become a detective. But she believes Sammi has the right stuff and is encouraged by friends to “cut her some slack” for being naive.

Sammi, for her part, is full of youthful ambition and idealism. Her enthusiasm is infectious, but sometimes her morals conflict with the job they have to do. Sammi must decide how much gray area to accept in her life. She must also decide if she wants to keep pursuing a career as a detective.

What makes this scene compelling to me is the subtle interaction between Katherine and her administrative assistant. Up to this point, the relationship has been one of a boss and an employee. At the beginning of this scene, Sammi comes back to the office and apologizes. She also has progress to show on her assignment. Katherine then makes a conscious choice to stop being only a boss and start being a mentor. Later scenes depict both women beginning to step into their new roles.

Sammi must learn to take on responsibility, objectivity, and professionalism. Katherine must let Sammi learn from her mistakes, praise her successes, and teach her the ins and outs of being a detective. I believe both women will face a steep learning curve. It won't be the last time we see Sammi and Katherine fight. But both women have acknowledged their mistakes and are working together to shift their relationship. They will both end up growing stronger because of the interaction in this scene from Chapter 11.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Amethyst Drake is a passionate storyteller. She excels at crafting delightful characters and enjoys developing com-plex relationships among them. Mystery has always been her favorite genre to read, making it a natural choice for her writing. She aims to blend her personal experience with mental health and the moral complexities of intricate interpersonal relationships into engaging novels.

 

Amethyst loves reading all kinds of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers and enjoys watching classic detective and espionage dramas like "Murder, She Wrote," "Perry Mason," and "Mission: Impossible."

 

She also loves hearing from readers! Connect by signing up for her newsletter at amethystdrake.com or email amethyst@agswordsmiths.com

 

Links

Author Website https://amethystdrake.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amethystdrake.author

Amazon https://amzn.to/3M5lmJO

Barnes and Noble https://bit.ly/3Z3VsOv

 

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GIVEAWAY 

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