Behind the characters in standalone thriller mysteries, IN COLD DAYLIGHT and IN FOR THE KILL

One of the essentials of a good novel is a strong central character, someone the reader can have empathy with, urge on, and sometimes get angry and frustrated with. He or she doesn't have to be perfect, far from it, after all who is? And strong doesn't mean the character has be forceful, on the contrary he or she can find strength of kind, an inner strength say through experience and overcoming adversity i.e. the plot/s Here's a look at what shapes two of my fictional sleuths in my standalone thriller mysteries IN COLD DAYLIGHT and IN FOR THE KILL.

In Cold Daylight a mystery thriller by Pauline Rowson

In my thriller, In Cold Daylight, Adam Greene is a reluctant hero. A successful marine artist he wants nothing more than to be left alone to paint. He opts for an easy, quiet life leaving the ambition to his successful career wife, Faye. He wants to forget the past, including his mental breakdown following the tragic death of his former girlfriend, for which he holds himself responsible.He is always overshadowed by the legacy of a lack of self esteem caused by a domineering father and a highly successful manipulative brother. But all that changes when Adam is forced to take up the quest to find the truth behind the death of  his closest friend, firefighter, Jack Batholomew after Jack is killed in a fire. In doing so Adam has to face the demons of his past. He has to discover why so many fire fighters from one watch have died of cancer and why Jack himself was killed in an attempt to hide a scandal that goes to the heart of government. Adam puts his life on the line. He is tested to the limit and is finally forced to examine his past and confront his relationships with his over ambitious wife, his father and brother.  He has to find an inner strength through experience and overcoming adversity.

In For The Kill thriller mystery by Pauline Rowson

Alex Albury, the protagonist in my thriller, In For The Kill, has it all; a successful business, loving wife and kids and a glowing reputation. Then someone steals his identity and executes a skillful and clever campaign against him by planting fraudulent information on his computer.

Before Alex can fully understand what has happened he finds himself convicted for fraud and embezzlement and serving a prison sentence. His life, as it was, crumbles.  On his release from prison he sets out to discover who has ruined his life and why. He has nothing left to lose. He's set on revenge with a pathological aversion to using any form of modern technology for fear the perpetrator will strike again.

With his life and reputation destroyed he no longer cares what happens to him. His goal is to kill. But when it comes to it can he do it?  Will he become the criminal that he is supposed to be or do his original values reassert themselves?

The characters in my novels are very real to me and if they're real to the writer then they will be real to the reader.

Both the above are available in paperback and as an ebook.