Death Promise by Jacqueline Seewald

Release date: May 2, 2018

Subgenre: Romantic suspense, Crime thriller

About Death Promise:

 

In this sequel to DEATH LEGACY, New York, psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Reiner is contacted by a woman who claims she was married to his father after his mother’s death and his father’s disappearance from his life. Tiffany Tyler asks Daniel to take charge of the girl she claims to be his half-sister. But when Daniel tries to make contact, it seems the girl has disappeared.

Daniel wants to hire Michelle Hallam to help him investigate the situation in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michelle’s deceased uncle, a former British intelligence agent, operated an international "consulting firm" which she now runs. Michelle and Daniel share some past history as well as a strong physical attraction but Michelle remains wary of him. Daniel has a friendly, warm personality, and urban wit in contrast to Michelle’s outward façade of cool cynicism. Things become complicated and heated in Las Vegas, involving Michelle and Daniel in intrigue, romance and murder. 

This fast-paced novel combines elements of suspense thriller, mystery and romance.

Excerpt:

 

Dr. Daniel Reiner was finishing a turkey sandwich at his desk during his lunch break. The morning had proved hectic. The Park Avenue practice was a busy one. Things had really picked up in the past year. A lot of that was due to Morris Lerner, his partner and fellow psychiatrist. Morris had a thriving practice before Daniel joined him. Morris had too many clients and was looking for a younger doctor who could take some of the burden. Morris also had a demanding wife and two young children. He needed and wanted to spend more time with his family. Daniel, unattached and just starting out, was a good fit. The association was working out well.

Cheryl, their receptionist, buzzed him. Daniel picked up the phone.

“Are you taking calls now?” He appreciated Cheryl’s pleasant Midwestern accent.

“Yes, all done with lunch. When’s my next appointment?”

“You’ve still got a half hour. I think this call might be personal rather than a patient.”

“Okay, put the caller through.”

He heard the click. “Hello, how can I help you?”

“Maybe you can, maybe not. Are you Daniel Reiner? Son of David Reiner?”

He confirmed that he was indeed Daniel Reiner as he wiped away some stinging mustard from the corner of his mouth with a paper napkin.

“You don’t know me but I was married to your father.” The woman’s voice was deep as if she were a chain smoker.

“Then I guess you know my father and I haven’t been in contact for many years.”

“Yeah, I know. He told me about your mother. Tough break.”

Daniel felt a visceral pain. He had been raised by his grandparents after his mother died of cancer. Mom was a beautiful woman, loving and vital. She developed ovarian cancer and died too young. He was only a young child at the time but knew he wanted to be a doctor and save as many lives as possible. He found out years later that surgery wasn’t for me. So he set out to heal people’s minds instead of their bodies.

The woman cleared her throat. “The thing is I don’t know if you were aware but your father died a year ago.”

He felt nothing. He should have felt something but found he could not. Not for the father who had abandoned an orphaned child. Daniel realized his father had been out of his life too long for it to matter. It was as if when his mother died and his father left him with his maternal grandparents, the man had also ceased to exist. Sad but true.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said, his voice lacking emotion, sounding formal and wooden to his own ears.

“Thanks, but your father and I were divorced for close to ten years. The thing is I looked you up because I thought maybe you’d like to know you have a sister.” The woman cleared her throat again.

Daniel’s posture straightened. “Your daughter?”

“Yes, mine and your father’s.”

“How old is she?”

“Seventeen. She’ll be eighteen in six months.”

Daniel tapped a pen against an open notebook on his desk. This was surprising news. He wondered if his grandparents had known and just not told him. He shook his head. That wasn’t their style. They were very open people. Decent, hard-working, honest. No, they would have told him. He conjectured this woman wanted something from him. .If she just intended to connect, she’d have called him a long time ago. His years of training in the field of psychiatry taught him to think analytically without a lot of emotional baggage. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

“I guess you’d like to know more about your dad.”

Amazon | B&N | Paperback | Encircle Publishing

About Jacqueline Seewald:

Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Eighteen of her books of fiction have been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies such as: THE WRITER, L.A. TIMES, READER’S DIGEST, PEDESTAL, SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY MAGAZINE, OVER MY DEAD BODY!, GUMSHOE REVIEW, LIBRARY JOURNAL, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY and THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. She’s also an amateur landscape artist and enjoys listening to blue grass music. She loves hearing from readers. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter