Isabella Maldonado, author of the Veranda Cruz mysteries, is my guest author today. The first in the series, Blood’s Echo, was the winner of the 2018 Mariposa Award for Best First Novel. It introduced Police Detective Veranda Cruz, who heads up an elite task force in the Phoenix Police Drug Enforcement Bureau. That’s important to know, because Veranda is going to interview Isabella today.
*****
DETECTIVE VERANDA CRUZ INTERVIEWS ISABELLA MALDONADO
ISABELLA: Why are we in an interview room at police
headquarters? Am I under arrest?
headquarters? Am I under arrest?
VERANDA: Did I read you your rights? Are you handcuffed to
the table?
the table?
I: No, but we could be doing this over a latte.
V: I don’t do lattes. I do interrogations.
I: Let’s get to it then. What do you want to know?
V: Are you a sadist or something? Why do I go from one
nightmare scenario to another? I’m lucky if I have a moment to get a bite to
eat before the next disaster.
nightmare scenario to another? I’m lucky if I have a moment to get a bite to
eat before the next disaster.
I: You manage to eat just fine. In fact, I keep hearing from
people who want me to divulge your mother’s recipe for carne asada.
people who want me to divulge your mother’s recipe for carne asada.
V: Don’t mess with mamá. She’ll hurt you. Her weapon
of choice is guilt, which she uses freely on me.
of choice is guilt, which she uses freely on me.
I: People don’t want to hear about routine assignments. They
want the good stuff. The exciting stuff. When I was on the job, people never
asked what I had for lunch, they always asked about my most memorable cases.
want the good stuff. The exciting stuff. When I was on the job, people never
asked what I had for lunch, they always asked about my most memorable cases.
V: Okay, so you were a cop. Are any of the things that
happen to me based on real cases?
happen to me based on real cases?
I: I do borrow scenarios from real life, but the characters
and the specifics are fictitious.
and the specifics are fictitious.
V: For example?
I: Do you remember the DC Beltway Sniper case?
V: Who doesn’t?
I: I was on the job in the DC Metro area at the time, and
I’ll never forget the total panic throughout the entire region. Some parents
kept their kids home from school, gas station owners put up massive tarps so
people could fill their tanks without fear of getting shot, and media outlets
sent correspondents from around the world to cover the story. Tension in the
community and in law enforcement circles was higher than I’d ever seen it. I
used that feeling as a backdrop for the events in the second book in the
series, PHOENIX BURNING.
I’ll never forget the total panic throughout the entire region. Some parents
kept their kids home from school, gas station owners put up massive tarps so
people could fill their tanks without fear of getting shot, and media outlets
sent correspondents from around the world to cover the story. Tension in the
community and in law enforcement circles was higher than I’d ever seen it. I
used that feeling as a backdrop for the events in the second book in the
series, PHOENIX BURNING.
V: So you worked back east, but you write about the desert
southwest. What’s up with that?
southwest. What’s up with that?
I: By the time I retired, I was sick of freezing cold
winters and sticky humid summers. The desert made a refreshing change of pace.
I fell in love with the southwest. As far as my writing goes, I decided not to
feature my own department. Maybe I will down the road.
winters and sticky humid summers. The desert made a refreshing change of pace.
I fell in love with the southwest. As far as my writing goes, I decided not to
feature my own department. Maybe I will down the road.
V: Wait, what? Does that mean you’re going to write about
somebody besides me in the future?
somebody besides me in the future?
I: Don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging, but I do have
other projects in mind going forward.
other projects in mind going forward.
V: In all my stories (I call them my stories because I’m the one getting shot at) there’s a fair
amount
amount
of forensic science. My most recent case, which you wrote about in DEATH
BLOW, genetics and DNA are important. How did you learn about that stuff?
I: When I retired, I was a captain. My last position was
Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics, so I had some background in
that area. I don’t pretend to be a scientist, so I did a lot of research and
interviewed the director of a forensic lab to be sure I got my facts straight.
Turns out the science has progressed since I retired.
Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics, so I had some background in
that area. I don’t pretend to be a scientist, so I did a lot of research and
interviewed the director of a forensic lab to be sure I got my facts straight.
Turns out the science has progressed since I retired.
V: So you research a lot?
I: Absolutely. In the first book, BLOOD’S ECHO, I
interviewed an arson investigator to be sure the facts about fire
investigations were accurate.
interviewed an arson investigator to be sure the facts about fire
investigations were accurate.
V: Don’t talk to me about arson investigators, that’s a sore
subject. I finally get to meet a hunky fireman—who somehow isn’t scared off by
my mother’s not-so-subtle matchmaking—and you just can’t leave well enough
alone, can you? My poor mother is afraid I’ll never settle down.
subject. I finally get to meet a hunky fireman—who somehow isn’t scared off by
my mother’s not-so-subtle matchmaking—and you just can’t leave well enough
alone, can you? My poor mother is afraid I’ll never settle down.
I: Don’t you think you have enough going on without worrying
about changing dirty diapers right now anyway?
about changing dirty diapers right now anyway?
V: Yeah. Thanks to you, I seem to keep stepping in the stuff
that normally ends up in a diaper.
that normally ends up in a diaper.
I: See, that’s exactly the kind of remark that gets you in
trouble. Frankly, you could use more supervision.
trouble. Frankly, you could use more supervision.
V: Seriously? Lieutenant Diaz is all over me. He writes me
up, suspends me from duty, and threatens to take my badge about every two weeks
on general principle.
up, suspends me from duty, and threatens to take my badge about every two weeks
on general principle.
I: As a former captain, I can’t blame him. Unlike you,
Lieutenant Diaz follows orders. If you both worked under my command, I’d have
to support him.
Lieutenant Diaz follows orders. If you both worked under my command, I’d have
to support him.
V: Typical brass. Always sticking together.
I: You’re an excellent detective, Veranda, but not so great
at sticking to procedure. Running headlong into trouble could get you killed
one of these days.
at sticking to procedure. Running headlong into trouble could get you killed
one of these days.
V: Is that a threat, captain?
I: Take it as you wish…
*****
Death Blow is scheduled for release on March 8. Here’s the summary of the book, as provided on Poisoned Pen Bookstore’s website.
Homicide detective Veranda Cruz takes on the most ruthless member of the Villalobos cartel in this fast-paced follow up to Phoenix Burning
Phoenix homicide detective Veranda Cruz is on a mission. After Hector Villalobos tried to destroy her family, Veranda vowed to take down his powerful crime family. Beautiful, shrewd, and lethal, Daria Villalobos is on a mission of her own. Determined to be the first woman to take the reins of her father’s notorious cartel, she hatches a plot to eliminate Veranda, framing a rival to take the fall.
When the investigation blows up in Veranda’s face, the hunt is on to stop the bomber. Now she must battle her department and her personal demons as she takes on Daria. To survive her most cunning adversary yet, will she make a pact with a killer?
*****
Thank you, Isabella. Here’s Isabella Maldonado’s biography.
Homicide detective Veranda Cruz takes on the most ruthless member of the Villalobos cartel in this fast-paced follow up to Phoenix Burning
Phoenix homicide detective Veranda Cruz is on a mission. After Hector Villalobos tried to destroy her family, Veranda vowed to take down his powerful crime family. Beautiful, shrewd, and lethal, Daria Villalobos is on a mission of her own. Determined to be the first woman to take the reins of her father’s notorious cartel, she hatches a plot to eliminate Veranda, framing a rival to take the fall.
When the investigation blows up in Veranda’s face, the hunt is on to stop the bomber. Now she must battle her department and her personal demons as she takes on Daria. To survive her most cunning adversary yet, will she make a pact with a killer?
*****
Thank you, Isabella. Here’s Isabella Maldonado’s biography.
Isabella Maldonado is an award-winning author, retired police captain, and regular contributor on News Channel 12 (Phoenix NBC affiliate) as a law enforcement expert. Her last police position was Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During her career, she was a hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander prior to attending executive management training at the FBI National Academy in Quantico. The first Latina to attain the rank of captain on her department, she received Meritorious Service and Lifesaving Awards. Isabella is a past president of the Phoenix Metro chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives in the greater Phoenix area, where she writes the Det. Cruz mystery series. Her debut novel, BLOOD’S ECHO, won the 2018 Mariposa Award for Best First Book. The second in the series, PHOENIX BURNING, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was named one of the best suspense books of 2018 by Book Riot. The third installment, DEATH BLOW, will be published on March 8, 2019 and is available for pre-order now.
I think this is darker than what I’ve been in the mood for lately.
It might be, Sandy.
I just read Phoenix Burning and it was 'grittier' than I was prepared for, but am anxious to finish out the story with Death Blow.
Yes, the books are gritty, but I'm happy you liked it (and Veranda) enough to want to read the next one, Holdenj.
This was clever, Lesa, and I enjoyed both 'interviews'. I've got the first two books on my Kindle. I'll likely get to them before long and I'm looking forward to it a lot.
Oh, good, Kay. I'm glad you came back to read the entire interview.