Book Spotlight & Giveaway

Welcome. Today I have with me author Susan Frances, giving away a FREE copy of her book, The King Maker!

BLURB:
Cullen Danes never believed in love at sight, but when the investigator for the British Aviation Ministry meets the girl in his dreams, he surrenders to the emotional currents that consume him. Nina Holt is far too concerned about finding a job in her chosen field of public relations to abandon her quest and put her faith in the stranger with the piercing blue eyes; yet, when Cullen’s life is in danger, she has no other choice but to save him from suffering the same fate as his friend, American pilot Steve McKenna, whose involvement with an international crime ring concludes with his murder.
Together, Nina and Cullen uncover a web of illicit activities that includes government officials, financial institutions and global industrialists. Though the perilous circumstances they encounter tests their mettle, Nina and Cullen's true test comes when he asks her to take a major leap of faith. Torn between jumping into the unknown or remaining in a static position, Nina has to decide whether to take the biggest risk of her life, that is, if the King Maker does not have them killed.

EXCERPT:
They headed to Ninth Avenue and ducked into a small doorway that was an entranceway to an apartment building. Cullen shot a quick glance down the street towards the convention center, checking to see if they were being followed. The narrow wedge of illumination coming from the street light above them revealed a block that appeared desolate. They listened for footsteps in case they missed somebody lurking in the dark crannies of the commercial and residential buildings that littered the street. Only a few taxi cabs flashed past them.
“Who were those guys?” Nina broke through the silence.
“I don’t know. Come on.” He led her across Ninth Avenue and cut across to 32nd Street .
“Where are we going?” She asked. “I think we lost them. You can let go of my hand now.”
“No, I can’t. Those guys have something to do with my friend’s murder and I don’t know if they saw you. They’re part of a crime ring that has been smuggling credit cards into the UK . Those guys will kill anyone who gets in their way, so no, I can’t let you go.”
“But both of those guys were at the conference. They had clearance to be there.”
She couldn’t have stopped him faster if she hit him with a sledgehammer. “What do you mean they were at the conference?”
“I didn’t let them in. I saw them follow you and Dorian Bercovici into the Beecher Exchange for the Q&A session.”
Before she could say another word, he clutched her upper arm with his hand and moved her even faster. She was stunned to see Cullen’s character make a complete one eighty degree turn before her eyes. He was totally in command of his actions and hers. Her only choice was to keep silent as she let him lead her through the city streets. They stopped at another corner so Cullen could check to see if they were being followed.
He put his hands on her shoulder and turned her to face him. “I don’t want to take any risks with your life in case they decide to go after you too. They know that I spoke to a man from Scotland Yard, and if they can find that information, they can find you, unless you’re experienced at evading mercenaries.”
She shook her head. She had no idea what was going on, but she understood that if she wanted to live, she was going to have to trust Cullen with her life.
“All I know about those two guys is they have no reservations about killing anyone they believe is a threat to their organization.”
“What do they want with you?”
“Information.”
“About what?”
“About what my friend Steve McKenna knew. He learned about their illicit operation and he revealed everything he knew in his last correspondence to me. He knows the guy who is behind it, and I want to bring that bastard to justice.”
She tried to wrap her head around what Cullen was saying. Her loss of speech caused him to slow down a notch and stare at her. The arresting glint in his eyes sent chills down her spine as if he was memorizing every square inch of her face. She liked the intensity she saw. If she never saw him again, she wanted to remember him just the way he looked now. “What are we going to do?”