Cover Reveal: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE by Matthew Farrell
Thomas & Mercer; October 1, 2018
Can we collectively agree that “don’t judge a book by its cover” isn’t a must-follow rule? I hope so - because today I’m so excited to share a fantastic cover reveal with CBTB readers for a Fall 2018 debut thriller! Matthew Farrell’s WHAT HAVE YOU DONE goes on sale in October 2018 from Thomas & Mercer, and if the cover is any indication, it’s one that belongs on your radar for fall! On top of its gorgeous cover, this book has also already received early endorsements from crime writing greats including Lisa Scottoline, Robert Dugoni, and Eric Rickstad - yet another reason to pay attention to this upcoming release.
In addition to this book’s stunning cover, I’m also sharing a Q&A with Matthew on his debut thriller in this post. CBTB readers will have the chance to get the inside scoop on the book, learn how much involvement Matthew had in the cover-selection process, and more! Read on for details on WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, a mini Q&A with the author, and, last but not least, the official cover reveal!
About WHAT HAVE YOU DONE:
Family is not what it seems in this raw, edgy thriller that New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline says “you won’t be able to put down.”
When a mutilated body is found hanging in a seedy motel in Philadelphia, forensics specialist Liam Dwyer assumes the crime scene will be business as usual. Instead, the victim turns out to be a woman he’d had an affair with before breaking it off to save his marriage. But there’s a bigger problem: Liam has no memory of where he was or what he did on the night of the murder.
Panicked, Liam turns to his brother, Sean, a homicide detective. Sean has his back, but incriminating evidence keeps piling up. From fingerprints to DNA, everything points to Liam, who must race against time and his department to uncover the truth—even if that truth is his own guilt. Yet as he digs deeper, dark secrets come to light, and Liam begins to suspect the killer might actually be Sean…
When the smoke clears in this harrowing family drama, who will be left standing?
Meet Matthew Farrell:
Matthew Farrell was born into a police officer’s family and raised in Peekskill, New York. His short stories have been featured in the world-renowned fantasy/horror publication Heavy Metal Magazine, and he has done spec script writing for Hollywood. Matthew continues to live in the Hudson Valley with his wife and two daughters.
Mini Q&A: Matthew Farrell
Crime by the Book: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE is your debut thriller - congratulations! Can you give us a little sneak peek into what readers can look forward to in this thriller?
Matthew Farrell: Thriller is the right word. I think readers are going to be blown away by the nonstop action from the first page to the last, with a solid police procedural mixed in. My editors and I worked really hard to trim any scene that didn’t move the book along, and the result is this story that starts the reader at the top of the roller coaster and goes from there. I think a lot of people will finish this in one sitting. There aren’t many places to put it down.As for themes, I think the bond of family and the false sense of security one can fall into regarding that bond is a major theme in the book. My father was a police officer so I have firsthand knowledge of how strong an officer’s bond is with other officers and their families. I coupled that with the connection two brothers would have who grew up without parents, then played that against a backdrop of deception, secrets, and murder.
CBTB: You have previously written short stories that have been featured in Heavy Metal Magazine. Are there common themes or topics you've previously explored in your short stories that you now dig into in WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Or is this a totally new direction for you?
MF: I think the pace of the stories in terms of being thrillers are common, but the stories themselves are more on the horror side than thriller/suspense. I grew up on Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, and every horror movie you can think of, so these shorts were opportunities for me to let some of that creatively out without having to be pigeonholed into being a “horror writer.”
CBTB: If you had to describe your novel in three adjectives, which would you choose?
MF: Thrilling, Suspenseful, Shocking
CBTB: When you're not writing crime fiction, do you enjoy reading crime fiction, too? If so, could you share with us a few crime novels you've recently read and enjoyed?
MF: I absolutely love to read, and I think reading in your genre is critical for writers to help with their craft. It exposes you to pace, plot, character development, and story structure, all of which change over time with the market. If you’re not reading, your writing will suffer. That being said, I’ve recently read some books that were incredible. Randall Silvis’s, TWO DAYS GONE was not only a great story, but his voice is amazing. Don Winslow’s THE FORCE is, hands down, the best police story I’ve ever read. Mark Edwards’s THE LUCKY ONES was awesome in its creepiness. Eric Rickstad’s ALL THE DEAD GIRLS was a fabulous combination of crime and creepy that kept me reading. I’ve read a few Robert Dugoni books from his Tracy Crosswhite series, and they’re so fun and entertaining. Hard to put those down. Finally, I currently reading AJ Finn’s THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, and I love it. His voice is so natural and the structure of the story is a slow build that really pulls you in. And when it comes to crime novels, we can’t forget Michael Connolly. He’s the master.
CBTB: And last but not least - let's talk about this cover!! It's gorgeous. I think readers are always so curious - did you have any input in or approval on the cover design? It turned out great, I'd say!
MF: Yes, I had some initial input, but the Thomas & Mercer team definitely exceeded expectations. The one thing I really wanted to do was have, what I call, an old school cover. Back in the 80's and 90's book covers had some really great art in them. Two of my favorite covers of all time are the original hardcovers version of Stephen King’s NEEDFUL THINGS and IT. I wanted to harken back to that and have my cover reveal a scene in the book that was more artistic than simply a big title and some lines or a photograph of something. I think what they came up with was absolutely what I had in mind and then some. I’m so happy with it and can’t wait until readers have it in their hands. This has been an amazing experience and I’m thrilled to share this reveal with everyone!!
Many thanks to Matthew for taking the time to answer my questions! And now, on to the cover reveal...
Such a great cover!! Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for giving CBTB readers an early glimpse at this one - I'll look forward to checking out Matthew Farrell's WHAT HAVE YOU DONE this fall!
Book Details:
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE is available for pre-order from your favorite book retailer!
Hardcover
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (October 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1503902404
ISBN-13: 978-1503902404
Crime by the Book is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the above book.
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