Behind the Scenes of Beside the Dead - And a Giveaway!

 Well, Happy Friday Everyone!

^{This is the release week for Beside the Dead, the follow up book to Among the Innocent.}

^{For those of you who have read Among the Innocent, Beside the Dead answers the question of what happened to Harrison Troyer thirteen years earlier. His story has been an interesting tale to write as he emerges from victim into hero.}

^{At seventeen, Harrison left St. Ignatius, Montana after a threat against him was so credible, it sent him fleeing, leaving behind his family and friend—and the Amish way of life. For thirteen years, he’s lived “off the grid” in Alaska fearing his past would find him. He trapped for a while until a chance encounter with a private investigator changes his life when he’s offered a job.}

^{Harrison’s first biggest challenge comes through chasing a missing person’s case from Alaska to Evergreen Falls, Maine. It will not only bring answers to the mother of the missing woman, but it will bring Harrison closer.} 

^{As soon as Harrison arrives in Evergreen Falls, there’s an overwhelming feeling of evil hanging over the town. The nightmare that unfolds soon after his arrival matches what he left behind.}

^{On the outside, Evergreen Falls is the picture-perfect small town near the North Woods. The type where nothing bad ever happens and people don’t lock their doors at night. But there’s a secret that’s been simmering beneath the surface for twenty-three years. Two missing persons cases from the past are eerily similar to Harrison’s missing woman. No matter what the cost, he’s determined to get answers for the missing woman’s mother. Even if it means going to the sheriff’s department for help.}

^{Eden, the heroine in the story, takes advantage of an unexpected opportunity presented during a blizzard to escape the monster who has held her hostage for as long as she can remember. She has no memory of her past beyond being locked up in an underground bunker for years}

^{After escaping, Eden runs out into the road and is rescued by Harrison. As her story unfolds, it becomes clear, Eden’s imprisonment is related to Harrison’s case.}

^{In Beside the Dead, the setting is a quaint little Maine town that should be the safest place to live, only it soon becomes apparent it’s all a front for a killer who walks among the people of Evergreen Falls undetected.}

^{The time of year, (January) and the blizzard taking place during the beginning of the story help create a suspenseful backdrop for the story and act as an additional villain to overcome.}

^{I loved getting to write Harrison’s story. I wanted to give him a happy ending that included being reunited with his family and finding out the truth about what really happened to Leah Miller’s family.}

^{Eden was a complicated character to write. She has no memory of most of her life until she finds herself safe with Harrison. That security allows her memories to return. Little by little we learn Eden has been held captive since she was a child. And the connection she has with the town and the killer will hopefully surprise everyone.} 

^{There are a lot of secrets that come to light in Beside the Dead; from Harrison’s past and from Eden’s but in the end they both have the happy ending they deserve.}

^{I’ll be giving away an ebook copy of Beside the Dead. To be entered, tell me what’s your favorite location for a suspense story to be set. A small town like in Beside the Dead? A big city that hides many secrets. Perhaps a ranch or something else. Be sure to include your email address so that I can get the book out to you.} 

^{Until next time, dear friends,}

^{Happy Reading!}

^{All the best. . .}

^{Mary Alford}

^{www.maryalford.net}