Friday, October 30, 2026
Let Me Introduce You to Janyre Tromp
It's my pleasure to introduce you to the lovely Janyre (pronounced Jan-ear, not Jane Eyre) Tromp.
Janyre Tromp is an award-winning, best-selling historical suspense novelist who writes fiery myth-laced tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty—even when it isn’t pretty. Her atmospheric books include Burning the Raven Tree, The Scorpion Thief, Darkness Calls the Tiger, and Shadows in the Mind’s Eye. But she’s also a mom, award-winning editor, and wrangler of all things—including her fantastic teens and crazy fur babies. You can find her on social media (@JanyreTromp) or visit her website, www.JanyreTromp.com, where you can download a free novella and subscribe to the Books & Beauty Journal.
Thank you so much for being here today, Janyre. I know it was a bit last minute, so I'm so thankful and honored that you made time for me this week. The Scorprion Thief looks amazing and caught my attention from the first time I read the description, and I can't wait to dive into it.
The Scorpion Thief is a historical novel full of suspense, mystery, and some intense scenes. I love most the idea of the sisters being on opposite sides of the coin.
Why don't you tell us about your new release, The Scorpion Thief? What inspired this story?
The idea for this book dropped into my email inbox without fanfare. The headline declared that the 1970s King Tut tour had a decidedly political purpose. I clicked the link to read more…and dove into a rabbit hole of fascinating history I had never heard of.
When I stumbled upon the historical security failures and then Thomas McShane (the real-life historical FBI art sleuth), I was giddy. I imagined a curator destined to protect the artifacts. But then I uncovered the fact that the communist movement in the US often used stolen art to fund their prolific bombings and activities. And I knew I had a compelling conflict: Two sisters propelled by the same event with opposite conclusions and ideologies. One destined to protect the artifacts and the other to steal them.
Do you have a favorite character in this book?
My favorite character is probably Estelle—she’s fiery, self-reliant, and over and over, she’s forced to admit she isn’t as strong as she wants to be. She’s someone who would rub a lot of people the wrong way because she’s pretty sure she’s always right, but she’s terrified of being weak. Of course as a cruel author, I gave her type 1 diabetes, so she is chained. But she’s also resourceful and heroic, fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Estelle deeply loves her sister. But Estelle is everything Noura is not. Flamboyant, purposed, strong despite circumstances. She knows Noura wishes that she could stuff her little sister into her self made container. But then Estelle would never be able to fit herself in so small a space. Either Estelle would shatter or her big sister would. Unfortunately the two sisters are inextricably headed to that point.
Who was the most difficult character in this book to write?
Despite the fact that she’s really the only one who isn’t hiding more than a few secrets, Noura was definitely the hardest character for me to write. I think it’s because at the beginning of the book, she doesn’t know who she is. She’s spent her entire life bending herself around everyone else just to keep the peace…but she’s utterly failed. So she’s a bit of a mess, still trying to figure out how to create some kind of peace in her life and not sure where to start.
What is your favorite setting from this book?
Oh man. I love both major settings to the book—Cario, Egypt and New Orleans. There’s actually so much about the two settings that overlap—two of the major world rivers, a fascination with the dead, and a sense of the nearness of the other side.
The Cairo Museum in Egypt is such a cool place. It’s dusty, hot, historic, and absolutely eerie. There was so much interesting history from when the American team was there cataloguing King Tut’s treasure for the tour.
But New Orleans is equally eerie and fascinating. The history here (including a real hurricane that hit) was perfect for the uncanny flair in the book.
Did this book require you to do any interesting research?
I actually have a huge binder of information from the New Orleans Museum of Art regarding the tour. There’s only a fraction of the information in the book itself, but I was able to include so many realistic touches because of the information from NOMA. I also read the autobiography of one of the FBI art heist sleuths, who mentioned how easy it would have been for someone to steal King Tut’s gold mask…which launched the mystery part of the book.
How long have you been writing?
My mom says I’ve been telling stories since I was a kid…I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!
But I published a middle grade book about 20 years ago, then took a long break before publishing Shadows in the Mind’s Eye five years ago.
Did you always want to be an author?
I was always an avid reader, but authors were always kings and queens to me—people far above me. So it didn’t occur to me that I could be a writer. In fact I started college as a Chemistry major. I’d planned on being a medical researcher. But I hated it. So I switched to what I loved, never intending to graduate as an English major. Even then, I thought I’d use my writing skills in marketing. When I got a job with a publisher, I was thrilled to work with all the authors. It wasn’t until the managing editor suggested that I try writing a book that I even tried.
The rest is history.
This series is a little different, in what genre would you classify these books?
All of my books land somewhere in the historical suspense genre and they all have a bit of romance as a subplot. One of the things I didn’t do on purpose, but just kind of came out is that all of my books have myth or folklore as part of the story fabric. But those nods to myth are much stronger in the Threads of the Lost Myth series. I cut my teeth on myths and fantasy, so I guess it’s only natural for those themes to come out more heavily now.
If you could be a character inside any one of your books, which one would you choose?
My poor characters go through a whole lot. I’m not sure I’d want to be any of them! If I had to choose, I guess it might be Colwyn from Burning the Raven Tree. I love how that book ended and Marcus is one of my favorite heroes I’ve ever written.
Which of your villains in your favorite?
I can’t answer this without giving away plots! The funny story here is that I always have an idea of who the villain will be when I start writing…and I am always wrong. Every. Single. Time the villain catches even me off guard.
Which do you enjoy more, creating villains or heroes?
Most of my heroes and heroines aren’t sparkly clean characters and most of my villains are pretty sure they’re doing the right thing. So the process of creating the characters is pretty similar for me. But ultimately I like creating the heroes because, in the long run, I think they are the ones who carry hope and light through the end of the book. And man, do I ever need hope and light in my world.
Threads of the Lost Myth Series—Standalone
A Cold War Era Myth-Infused Historical Thriller of Political Intrigue, Family Betrayal, and a Heist Worthy of The Maltese Falcon
Order here: Schuler Books | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Amazon
A deadly Cold War political game.
A cursed Egyptian artifact.
Two sisters: one the treasure’s guardian, the other its thief.
Egyptologist Noura Marquette has spent her life piecing together remnants of the past, but nothing prepares her for the day her sister resurfaces in Cairo. Estranged for years, Estelle unleashes a web of whispered threats and dangerous connections that capture Noura in a treacherous snare of betrayal, art theft, and espionage.
In Washington, Nixon’s administration maneuvers to use King Tutankhamun’s treasures as a glittering tool of propaganda.
From the souks of Cairo to the hurricane-lashed streets of New Orleans, something older than history watches, stalking Noura as loyalties fracture and the lines between history and myth blur. Some curses never sleep, and some debts can never be paid.
“Sweeping and hypnotic, The Scorpion Thief is a deeply researched historical novel exploring the thin veil between love and hate, myth and memory, and the terrible price of unearthing what was meant to stay hidden. Perfect for fans of The Maltese Falcon, Sarah Penner, and Kate Morton.”—Julie Cantrell, NYT bestselling author of Into the Free
Giveaway:
I'm going to giveaway a eBook copy of Janyre's book, The Scorpion Thief to one commenter.
To enter: answer this question.
Would you rather be trapped overnight in an Egyptian tomb filled with scorpions OR spend the night in a museum where the mummies have mysteriously disappeared?
And be sure to leave your email address so you can be contacted if you win.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Behind-the-Scenes of The December Target
Kristen here. I'm feeling grateful and blessed because my new story, Silent Fight, was recently published as part of The December Target, a Christmas collection of three Christian romantic suspense short novels.
Every story starts with a spark or a "what if" moment, and my story in The December Target is no different.
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The first idea for Silent Fight came from the Christmas carol, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" One of the lines includes the phrase, "with a voice as big as the sea." I'm planning this story to be part of a larger series set in Rosemary Beach, Florida where the ocean plays a role in every story.
I wondered, "What if a concert vocalist with a big voice and big reputation suddenly lost it?" From that spark emerged this story.
Though I'm not a concert vocalist and you may not be either, I think we can all relate to the idea of losing something we cherished or life not turning out the way we expected. For my heroine Nadine, she not only loses her voice, but also finds her picture-perfect marriage in shambles--and desperately needing rescue.
What do we do when our dreams crumble, and how do we pick up the pieces? I explore that idea, among others, in this story.
In the Bible, Joseph received impressive dreams for his future, only to have them shattered when his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. But God was working through his slavery and prison years to pave the way for the fruition of those dreams in a way Joseph could never have imagined. As he later told his brothers, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Genesis 50:20 ESV).
Sometimes, what seems like the death of a dream may be a redirection or a new opportunity that can bloom into something beautiful, by the grace of God.
About The December Target
This collection features three stories in one by authors Lisa Phillips, Sara Davison, and me. I hope you enjoy this preview!
Silent Fight - Kristen Hogrefe Parnell
Nadine Rivas’ vocal career crumbles after someone sabotages her private music studio with chlorine gas. For her recovery, she and her emotionally distant husband Dante relocate to their Rosemary Beach condo, where Nadine hopes counseling might save their marriage. As a biotech company executive, Dante wants Nadine to relaunch her career by headlining his company’s Christmas gala. More threats to their lives occur, and Nadine suspects her husband is the real target. She resolves to unmask the perpetrator at the gala, risking everything for the truth and another chance for their marriage.
The Light of Christmas – Lisa Phillips
Newly settled in as sheriff, Beau Mitchell is determined to prove Rend is no longer ruled by fear and corruption. Christmas should be a season of peace and restored trust—but Beau knows the past doesn’t stay buried just because the town strings up lights.
True crime podcaster Heidi Walters arrives from New Hampshire with a secret agenda and no plan to stay. Officially, she’s fixing up a neglected old mansion for the holidays. Unofficially, she’s investigating the cold case no one in Rend wants reopened: her mother’s murder thirty years ago. As Heidi digs through whispers and buried files, strange things at the mansion—footsteps, broken locks, missing notes, personal warnings—make it clear someone knows why she’s there.
When the threats turn real, Beau must decide whether to stop Heidi or help her. Because if her mother’s murder is tied to secrets still alive in Rend, someone will do anything to keep the truth buried.
The Ice List – Sara Davison
Bodyguard Dale Earnhardt Torrens can’t decide who’s his biggest threat—the bad guy threatening his client or the client herself.
Dale isn’t happy when his boss calls him into work as he’s about to go on vacation. His mood goes from bad to worse when he realizes the woman he is tasked with keeping safe is the one who destroyed his life three years earlier.
Forced to go into hiding with the last person he ever wanted to see again, Dale vows to keep whoever is targeting her from exacting his revenge. Now he just has to keep himself from doing the same.
Available in Kindle and Paperback Versions
The December Target is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions, and I also have a special link for a discount on the paperback version.
Special paperback pricing: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=tkETivKTTbxwAIHJqOZrisp31zXjfqRkbeq7pyH289v
Enter to Win a Kindle Copy
Leave a comment, along with your email address, for a chance to win a Kindle copy of The December Target. I'd love to hear from you: What is your favorite Christmas carol, or what Christmas carol do you think could inspire a romantic suspense novel?
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
WHAT'S HOT in Christian Mystery and Suspense
Marji Laine here.
This is the collection of Christmas suspense that I mentioned to you last week. The one involving our own Suspense Sister Kristen Hogrefe Parnell! I'm so excited to grab my copy of this!
The December Target:
A Christian Romantic Suspense Collection
By Kristen Hogrefe Parnell, Lisa Phillips, and Sara Davison
Kristen Hogrefe Parnell
Nadine Rivas’ vocal career crumbles after someone sabotages her private music studio with chlorine gas. For her recovery, she and her emotionally distant husband Dante relocate to their Rosemary Beach condo, where Nadine hopes counseling might save their marriage. As a biotech company executive, Dante wants Nadine to relaunch her career by headlining his company’s Christmas gala. More threats to their lives occur, and Nadine suspects her husband is the real target. She resolves to unmask the perpetrator at the gala, risking everything for the truth and another chance for their marriage.
The Light of Christmas – Lisa Phillips
Newly settled in as sheriff, Beau Mitchell is determined to prove Rend is no longer ruled by fear and corruption. Christmas should be a season of peace and restored trust—but Beau knows the past doesn’t stay buried just because the town strings up lights.
True crime podcaster Heidi Walters arrives from New Hampshire with a secret agenda and no plan to stay. Officially, she’s fixing up a neglected old mansion for the holidays. Unofficially, she’s investigating the cold case no one in Rend wants reopened: her mother’s murder thirty years ago. As Heidi digs through whispers and buried files, strange things at the mansion—footsteps, broken locks, missing notes, personal warnings—make it clear someone knows why she’s there.
When the threats turn real, Beau must decide whether to stop Heidi or help her. Because if her mother’s murder is tied to secrets still alive in Rend, someone will do anything to keep the truth buried.
The Ice List – Sara Davison
Bodyguard Dale Earnhardt Torrens can’t decide who’s his biggest threat—the bad guy threatening his client or the client herself.
Dale isn’t happy when his boss calls him into work as he’s about to go on vacation. His mood goes from bad to worse when he realizes the woman he is tasked with keeping safe is the one who destroyed his life three years earlier.
Forced to go into hiding with the last person he ever wanted to see again, Dale vows to keep whoever is targeting her from exacting his revenge.
Now he just has to keep himself from doing the same.
Monday, October 26, 2026
THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS
We have exciting things planned for you this week on the Suspense Sisters!
On Tuesday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine will tell us what’s hot in inspirational suspense and mystery.
Wednesday, Suspense Sister Kristin Hogrefe Parnell talks about her story, SILENT FIGHT, part of THE DECEMBER TARGET, a collection of three romantic suspense stories that you’ll really enjoy! Kristin is giving away an eBook copy of the book to someone who leaves a comment. Here’s something about Kristin’s story.
SILENT FIGHT
Nadine Rivas’ vocal career crumbles after someone sabotages her private music studio with chlorine gas. For her recovery, she and her emotionally distant husband Dante relocate to their Rosemary Beach condo, where Nadine hopes counseling might save their marriage. As a biotech company executive, Dante wants Nadine to relaunch her career by headlining his company’s Christmas gala. More threats to their lives occur, and Nadine suspects her husband is the real target. She resolves to unmask the perpetrator at the gala, risking everything for the truth and another chance for their marriage.
ORDER IT HERE
Friday, author Gina Holder is interviewing Janyre Tromp about her book, THE SCORPION THIEF
A deadly Cold War political game.
A cursed Egyptian artifact.
Two sisters: one the treasure’s guardian, the other its thief.
Egyptologist Noura Marquette has spent her life piecing together remnants of the past, but nothing prepares her for the day her sister resurfaces in Cairo. Estranged for years, Estelle unleashes a web of whispered threats and dangerous connections that capture Noura in a treacherous snare of betrayal, espionage, and political gamesmanship.
As plans solidify to send King Tutankhamun’s artifacts on an unprecedented U.S. tour, forces far older than any tomb begin to stir. Revolutionaries lurk in the crowded streets. Art thieves circle like vultures. And in Washington, Nixon’s administration maneuvers to use the boy king’s treasures as a glittering tool of propaganda.
What begins as a family reckoning spirals into a deadly game where political agendas and ancient curses intertwine. In the streets of Cairo and the hurricane-lashed bayous of New Orleans, something older than history watches, stalking Noura as loyalties fracture and the lines between history and myth blur. Some curses never sleep and some debts can never be paid.
On Tuesday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine will tell us what’s hot in inspirational suspense and mystery.
Wednesday, Suspense Sister Kristin Hogrefe Parnell talks about her story, SILENT FIGHT, part of THE DECEMBER TARGET, a collection of three romantic suspense stories that you’ll really enjoy! Kristin is giving away an eBook copy of the book to someone who leaves a comment. Here’s something about Kristin’s story.
SILENT FIGHT
ORDER IT HERE
Friday, author Gina Holder is interviewing Janyre Tromp about her book, THE SCORPION THIEF
A deadly Cold War political game.
A cursed Egyptian artifact.
Two sisters: one the treasure’s guardian, the other its thief.
As plans solidify to send King Tutankhamun’s artifacts on an unprecedented U.S. tour, forces far older than any tomb begin to stir. Revolutionaries lurk in the crowded streets. Art thieves circle like vultures. And in Washington, Nixon’s administration maneuvers to use the boy king’s treasures as a glittering tool of propaganda.
What begins as a family reckoning spirals into a deadly game where political agendas and ancient curses intertwine. In the streets of Cairo and the hurricane-lashed bayous of New Orleans, something older than history watches, stalking Noura as loyalties fracture and the lines between history and myth blur. Some curses never sleep and some debts can never be paid.
You’ll love The Scorpion Thief if you enjoy…
• Standalone books with series Easter eggs
• Cold War intrigue
• King Tut and Egyptian mythology
• historical thrillers with a touch of magical realism
• emotionally rich suspense
• smart, capable heroines
• closed-door romantic tension
• questions of loyalty, identity, and redemption
This standalone book is perfect for book clubs who enjoy discussing:
• family loyalty and betrayal
• the ethics of museum artifacts and cultural ownership
• how governments manipulate history for political gain
• sister relationships and forgiveness
• whether curses and legends shape human behavior
• moral gray areas and impossible choices
• Cold War politics and propaganda
• identity, belonging, and inherited wounds
ORDER IT HERE
• King Tut and Egyptian mythology
• historical thrillers with a touch of magical realism
• emotionally rich suspense
• smart, capable heroines
• closed-door romantic tension
• questions of loyalty, identity, and redemption
This standalone book is perfect for book clubs who enjoy discussing:
• family loyalty and betrayal
• the ethics of museum artifacts and cultural ownership
• how governments manipulate history for political gain
• sister relationships and forgiveness
• whether curses and legends shape human behavior
• moral gray areas and impossible choices
• Cold War politics and propaganda
• identity, belonging, and inherited wounds
ORDER IT HERE
Don’t forget to enter our monthly contest!
THE SUSPENSE SISTERS
WE LOVE BOOKS
Friday, October 23, 2026
GETTING TO KNOW ME...
One of my favorite things is hearing from readers, especially when they have questions! Today, I'm answering a few more of them, and there are still plenty to come. I hope you enjoy getting to know me a little better through my answers!
I believed in God even as a child. I never questioned His existence. I grew up in a church that taught people they had to be members of that particular church to go to heaven. Every Sunday was just a list of the things we weren’t doing well enough. Even so, I went to church every time the doors were open, even when my mother and brother didn’t go. On Sundays, after I learned to drive, I carted my friends to different churches. I was searching for God.
When I was in my twenties, a friend of my mother’s loaned her some books by Hal Lindsey. Then she passed them on to me.
First, I read The Late Great Planet Earth. I found it fascinating. After that came Satan Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth. That was mind-blowing. My church never, ever talked about the devil.
Then came The Liberation of Planet Earth. This one was mind-numbing. Every chapter seemed to say the same thing: Jesus came to earth to die for our sins. We could exchange our unrighteousness for His righteousness.
I was incredibly bored and ready to stop reading it.
One afternoon, on my way to work, I stopped at a red light and prepared to turn left toward the building where I worked. The book was on the seat next to me. I looked over at it and thought, This is it. I can’t read another chapter. Every single one says the same thing. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins so we could exchange . . .
And then I stopped.
I’d been taught that Jesus was the Son of God. I knew He died on the cross. When I was baptized in the church I’d attended for so many years, I was asked if I believed Jesus was the Son of God. I said yes, and that was it. Supposedly, I was saved.
But at that moment, for the first time in my life, I understood the cross—that I could trade my sinful life for His righteousness.
If I were a cartoon, there would have been a light bulb over my head. This sounds nuts, but I swear I could see that light bulb!
That night, when I got home, I got down on my knees and accepted the great exchange.
When I stood up, I was a different person.
Eventually, I found another church where I heard the Word and discovered who God really was.
I never turned back.
Mary Gessner asked: I'd like to know how you got the (brilliant) idea to put the names of your fans in your books. It makes reading them feel a little like reading your own story, not to mention feeling somewhat immortalized. But most of all? It's FUN!
I honestly don’t know what made me do that. I might have seen another author do it. But it really is a blast. I use the names of readers and friends in my books—but only with their permission. I’ve never made any of them the bad guy—even though a few thought it might be fun!
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