In Suspense

From the latest issue of Suspense Magazine:

COLD SHOT TO THE HEART by Wallace Stroby

Readers are introduced to an extremely strong lady by the name of Crissa Stone, who is working on building her retirement nest egg. Crissa is a criminal of the first degree and is ‘in demand’ for various robberies. The one thing she’s not interested in is bloodshed.

Crissa never works close to New York, to keep on her toes and ahead of the police by not working with the same people, and to plan her jobs very carefully. Crissa received this education from the man she loved who is now in jail. He will soon be free, so Crissa is doing absolutely everything she can to get money so they can go on a vacation. She needs something quick and lucrative and hears about an illegal card game with a huge amount of money on the table.

On the other side of the coin is Eddie Santiago, known to everyone in the world of crime as ‘Eddie the Saint.’ After spending five years in prison, he has been released and is upset. Eddie took the blame for a crime in order to save his boss, and now figures that the boss owes him. Unlike Crissa, Eddie wants to disappear with the cash and spend his retirement in a nice, balmy place where no one will ever bother him again, and doesn’t care how much blood must be shed in order to attain it.

The robbery goes bad when a member of Crissa’s crew shoots someone who knows Eddie’s boss. Eddie is persistent and knows he will get a larger payday if he can bring his boss the bad guys. What he doesn’t expect is Crissa’s relentlessness when it comes to keeping the cash.

Don’t expect “happily ever after” because it’s not going to happen. But readers who like stories that move super-fast, with characters that have the charm, wit, and skill to become imbedded in their minds long after the book has been read, will love this novel.

Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of “Tallent & Lowery - 13,” for Suspense Magazine