i AM THRILLED TO TURN MY BLOG OVER TO A FELLOW rave reviews book club member, suzanne burke!
Hello, and welcome to the Cover Reveal of my New Psychological Thriller.
“The Reckoning Squad.”
The Reckoning Squad
By
S. Burke
Available to Pre-Order NOW.
Release Date: Monday FEBRUARY 24th, 2020.
Mystery>Psychological Thriller & Suspense >
It is such an exciting time for an author when releasing a new book! I would be remiss in not sharing my heartfelt thanks to the marvelous people who gave of their time so readily to beta read my latest book. Their valuable insights helped me enormously when crafting “The Reckoning Squad”
At long last, I’m able to share the cover and blurb for “The Reckoning Squad” my latest Psychological Thriller.
“The Reckoning Squad ” is due for release on Monday, February 24th, 2020.
It is NOW available for Pre-Order.
I have many good friends sharing this cover across the blogosphere today and tomorrow, so you’re likely to see it pop up in various places. Thank you to everyone participating in my cover reveal splash, and to everyone dropping by to share in my excitement. Here’s my new baby . . .
With much gratitude to Eeva Lancaster at The Book Khaleesi for the cover creation.
Cover Created by Eeva Lancaster at The Book Khaleesi
Presenting “The Reckoning Squad” A Psychological thriller.
“The Reckoning Squad“
BLURB:
The Reckoning Squad was the new name being whispered in the darkened corridors of the powerful in Washington. The name was whispered with awe, and the whispers grew louder.
Twenty people had been carefully vetted and recruited to undergo specialized training. Training engineered to break them utterly, intended to shatter everything they once believed themselves capable of surviving. Only the best of them made it through the twelve weeks of hell. They now formed a cohesive black-ops unit, known as The Reckoning Squad.
Their facility is breached, and the team’s numbers are decimated. The survivors know that they’re in a fight for their lives. They have been betrayed from within. Trust has now become a rare commodity. They want answers.
The betrayers don’t understand just what they’ve unleashed.
But they are about to find out.
The Reckoning Squad are coming, and they have just rewritten the rules.
#
Here’s an extract from the Prologue.
Prologue.
New York: November 8, 2003.
Chastity Adams checked the time, ran a brush through her long blonde curls and hurriedly grabbed her school books. She shoved them into her backpack and slipped on her gloves. One quick look from her bedroom window was enough to tell her just how windy it was outside. The last of the fall leaves still clung bravely to the branches all the while knowing it was futile. The others swirled in small angry spirals across her backyard. She grabbed her coat, pulled on a beanie, and loosely draped a scarf across her shoulders. Chastity was unaware of how pretty she looked with her long curls falling in a soft curtain around her. Her mind was too busy to cloud it with vanity.
She suddenly recalled a decision she’d made yesterday.
Chastity hurried down the hallway to her brother Nathan’s room and knocked on the door.
Nathan stood looking down at her from his 6′ 3″, rubbing his eyes and leaning on the wall. “What’s up, squirt?”
Chastity ignored the nickname, she’d be thirteen in a couple of days then she’d ask her big brother to quit using it, “I was just wondering if you had some gloves and maybe a beanie or scarf you don’t ever wear.”
“Why would you need them?”
Chastity flushed a deep shade of pink, “There’s this boy at school, he kinda always looks cold. He’s still wearing the same stuff he was wearing back in June. It’s way too cold now for shorts and a tee-shirt. So, I figured maybe his folks just didn’t have enough money to buy him some warmer stuff, you know? I mean he could have one of mine, but he already gets picked on enough and adding bright girl colored stuff would just make it worse.”
“You off on another one of your missions to save the world, squirt?”
“I’m not! But it just doesn’t seem right that some folks have too much and some folks never have enough. That’s all.”
Her brother looked at her closely and nodded. “Okay. I guess I have some stuff I don’t really need.”
His sister flung her arms around him. “You are the best brother ever! You wouldn’t maybe have an old hoodie as well?”
Nathan knew he’d lose an argument with his kid sister. He had never been able to deny her anything. And the little minx knew it.
His eyes followed her as she left the room with her donated bootie. He tried to shrug off the thought that his friends may start looking at his kid sister a little differently, and soon.
Then he grinned and was comforted by the knowledge that the squirt was capable of laying them out flat on the ground, courtesy of the karate lessons she’d undertaken since the age of five. If she didn’t dissuade them they’d have to come through him. That wasn’t about to happen. This whole big brother thing had suddenly altered in a way he hadn’t anticipated happening quite so soon.
***
Travis Wilson shivered as he stepped outside and hurriedly locked the front door behind him. The baggy shorts and tee-shirt he was wearing gave him no armor to fight off the cold November wind. He steeled himself to brace it, picked up his violin case and hurried to catch the school bus.
He climbed on and made his way quickly down to the back corner and grabbed the window seat. He spoke to no one and kept his eyes averted, but he couldn’t shut his ears off from hearing the nasty comments from the other kids that sat nearest to him. “You going away to a beach somewhere, freak? Don’t much like your choice of swimwear.”
The guy had secured himself a good laugh with that one.
Then the other comments started. Kids seemed to grow braver when they formed a pack. Travis knew they weren’t all cruel, not normally, but the need they had to belong trashed all over their distaste at what they were doing. Driven by the desire to be considered popular inspired them to be as cruel as they could be. Their words lacerated his already damaged soul and Travis felt his face darken with the shame of it. He didn’t respond either by word or action, knowing they’d soon become bored with their bullying of him and move their spiteful tongues on to some other kid they deemed to be weak and an easy target.
He looked out the window and sighed with relief when he spotted Chastity Adams and her best friends readying to climb on board at the bus stop. Chastity was different from the rest of them. He always felt a little better about his day when she’d seek him out and give him a smile. He looked across at her then, just as she turned. He knew she had caught the wistful look on his face. She simply smiled across at him and turned back to her chattering best friends.
He caught the smile and burned it into his memory. He would remember it when the darkness descended again. It would help keep him warm.
***
Purchase The Reckoning Squad on Amazon.com
Again my grateful thanks to the generous folks sharing my Cover reveal with you today.
I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Suzanne Burke Amazon Author Page
Soooz, your cover is gorgeous!!! And the story sounds too good not to be added to my list! Thanks so much for helping us celebrate Suzanne, Jan!
Thank you, Mar!
Thanks so much, Mar! I’m delighted that you love the cover. I appreciate you stopping by and sharing in my excitement. 😊
What a striking book cover! I see that it is by Eeva 🙂 talented artist.
Lovely post!
I’ve always been a fan of the book covers for Sooz’s books and this one is another one that’s absolutely awesome!
Thanks, Jan! I’m so delighted with the great response to the cover. Happy-dancing down under!.❤
Thanks so much for stopping by, Patricia. Eeva has designed my last three book covers and I couldn’t be more delighted with the response.
Great pleasure, Suzanne. I remembered your profile pic from Twitter 🙂 Best of luck with your new book. xx
Jan, a great share and I feel I’m becoming very familiar with Suzanne’s book. The cover is a winner and superb blurb! I wish her all the best with the launch of ‘The Reckoning Squad’! It sounds and looks like a hit! 😀
Thank you, Annika! I couldn’t agree with you more. I appreciate you stopping by!
Thanks again for the great comment and support, Annika.
Awesome to see the amazing support celebrating your release, Soooz! Love it. Big cheers to you, my friend! 🙂
Many thanks for sharing, Jan, as always. Happy Tuesday!
Thanks, Natalie! The support has been absolutely amazing, and I couldn’t be more delighted. 😁
Thank you for stopping by to help support Soooz, Natalie!
You’re everywhere today, Soooz. I’m tweeting them all out.
Thank you SO much for sharing, Craig!
Thanks so much, Craig! I’m having such a marvelous time.😊
This cover is great, Soooz! Congratulations! Thanks, Jan.
Thanks for stopping by, Linda!
❤Thanks so much, Linda!
A new book, how exciting, Soooz!!! Remember to list it in the RWISA catalogue as well as RRBC (if you haven’t already).
Thanks so much, Wendy! I’ll be listing it in the RWISA catalog before it goes live.
It is exciting! I can’t wait to read this one! Thanks for your comment, Wendy!
Congrats on the upcoming release and fabulous book cover! Can’t wait to read it:)
Thank you again, my friend.❤
Thank you, Denise!
I’m seeing Suzanne everywhere today, Jan. A great cover and a super post.
I can’t stop smiling this morning! I’m having a marvelous time. Thanks again for stopping by!
Yay, Robbie! That is the idea – to see her everywhere! Thanks for commenting!
Jan, I can’t thank you enough for generously sharing in my cover reveal today. I count myself blessed to have your friendship and support.😍
It is a great pleasure, Soooz!! And I too count myself blessed to know you and call you friend!
😍
Sooz is a fantastic writer! Wishing you great success. Thanks for sharing Jan.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Balroop.
I totally agree, Balroop! Thanks for stopping by!
The cover looks great and the book sounds exciting! Congrats, Soooz!
Thanks so much, John. I’m so delighted with the response to the cover.
Hi, John! Thanks for stopping in to support the new release from Soooz!
I absolutely love this cover! Soooz has another winner on her hands.
Awesome share, Jan, and a HUGE congrats to Soooz on her upcoming release. I have my copy on pre-order!
I love the cover too, Mae, and agree that Soooz has another amazing winner here! Thank you for your support!!! Hugs!
Thanks again, Mae! The cover is earning such a positive response. I couldn’t be more delighted.😁
Soooz is a gifted author, and the book cover looks great! Thanks for sharing, Jan!
I couldn’t agree with you more, Mark! Soooz is a very gifted writer with the ability to get deep into the psyche of her characters. Thanks for stopping by!
My pleasure!
I can’t stop smiling this morning! Thank you, Jan!❤
Thanks again, Mark!
You are more than welcome. All the best with your new book! I know you’ll ‘knock it out of the park’!
I’m so excited for Suzanne! I’ve ordered her latest and can’t wait until it arrives!! Thank you, Jan.
Thank you for your awesome support, Gwen!
Thank you for the continued support, Gwen.❤