Diane joins me on Moving Target today from her home in Trinity, Texas, to tell us about Cynthia, one of the villains in the new book. Like all good fiction writers, Diane knows that an antagonist needs to be a memorable character – second only in importance to the hero or heroine. Think of Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter’s nemesis in the Harry Potter books. And Hans Gruber, the really bad guy played by Alan Rickman in the movie Die Hard.
Over to you, Diane.
Authors spend most of their time crafting delightful heroes and
Meet Cynthia. She’s Steven’s ex-wife and shows up at Kayla and Steven’s wedding on the arm of his old chum, Phillip. Cynthia looks like she stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine, sporting styled platinum hair, a perfect figure, an expensive tailored jacket and a tight skirt. She struts up the gangway in five-inch designer heels. She’s not what Kayla envisioned as Steven’s ex. Bright green eyes riveted on Steven, she looks like a predator. Flashing a large diamond ring, she thrusts a manicured hand towards Steven like a queen expecting her subject to bow.
If entertaining wedding guests while guarding six “million-dollar” paintings wasn’t enough stress, Steven and Kayla must dodge this slinky bombshell. Steven wonders what devious plan Cynthia has in mind, but Kayla is convinced she wants to ensnare Steven.
As the ship makes its way through icy waters, truth lies hidden from plain view, much like the treacherous underwater portion of a dangerous iceberg. Greed, jealousy and envy are all potent motives for murder. Will Cynthia be a villain you love to hate?
Diane provides us with a snapshot of Murder for Glacier Blue:
Painted in 1907, Glacier Blue is an oil painting that has recently been appraised at £2 million. Reginald C. Pierpont, the artist who created the stunning masterpiece, studied with the Impressionists in Europe and the bold visionaries who were painting in the Americas. The sole heir to a family fortune, Reggie used his vast holdings and leisure time to experiment with new techniques and daring artistic ideas. Although Glacier Blue failed to turn heads during his lifetime, Reggie’s special painting technique triggers larcenous schemes among modern crooks.
Genuine Fakes, an auction company that sells “authorized copies” of famous paintings, has scheduled six charity auctions of fakes on a cruise to Alaska. Million-dollar originals will be displayed next to the Genuine Fakes at each auction—six opportunities for international thieves to steal a valuable piece of art. Emily Schultz, president of Constellation Cruise Line, needs her crack security team in place to guard the paintings.
After an early auction, one of the reproductions is stolen from the buyer’s cabin, prompting a discreet search for the missing canvas. The stakes rise when a crew member finds a body next to the missing reproduction, and the investigation suddenly takes a deadly turn. As they learn more about the Glacier Blue original, the investigators realize this is no ordinary work of art. The painting’s secret has already triggered one murder, and it becomes easier to kill again.
Emily has given Kayla and Steven a free cruise to Alaska as a wedding present, but she begs them to work for a few days on this voyage. They’d hoped for a relaxing cruise up the Inside Passage of Alaska, filled with glaciers, wildlife, stunning scenery, and a dream wedding on Glacier Bay, but art heists and murder might alter their plans. When Steven’s ex-wife, Cynthia, shows up on the arm of Steven’s school chum, Kayla experiences hate at first sight. The young couple must entertain their future in-laws while trying to outsmart murderous outlaws. What will Kayla and Steven’s special day be like on Glacier Bay?
Thank you, Diane!
You can purchase the Murder for Glacier Blue e-book on Amazon. Amazon Prime members can borrow it for free. Print copies will be offered by many online retailers, and Diane is planning a contest on Goodreads to award free print copies. Visit Diane’s QuickSilver Novels website to learn more about other novels and send her an e-mail to sign up for notices about new books.
And on her Goodreads page.
Follow Diane on Twitter @DianeRapp
(To the left, is a photo of one of the friends Diane made on her recent Alaska cruise.)
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