Title: Killer Image
Author: Wendy Tyson
Publisher: Henery Press
Pages: 324
Language: English
Genre: Mystery/Psychological Thriller
Format: Paperback ($14.96) & eBook ($2.99)
Purchase at AMAZON
As Philadelphia
When
Allison’s latest Main Line client, the
fifteen-year-old Goth daughter of a White House hopeful, is accused of the
ritualistic murder of a local divorce attorney, Allison fights to prove her
client’s innocence when no one else will. But unraveling the truth brings
specters from her own past. And in a place where image is everything, the
ability to distinguish what’s real from the facade may be the only thing that
keeps Allison alive.
Book
Excerpt:
It
started to drizzle. Cold, steely drops that threatened to morph into sleet. The
rain hit Allison’s windshield, slithered in rivulets to the corners, and turned
to ice, so that she had to scrunch down and squint to see the road. She
fingered the envelope that sat on the seat next to her. Her head ached.
Home. She turned the word around on her tongue,
flipped it backward and forward, and swirled it around until the nausea passed.
At home lived a different Allison. Fat
ankles. Uneven bangs. A preference for peanut butter right from the jar.
“Self-reinvention
is the key to survival,” Mia had told her when she was first hired by her
mentor’s image-consulting firm. “In this line of work and in life.”
“Yeah,
right. There’s no escaping the past,” Allison had wanted to say in response.
But she’d been twenty-five, poor, and disillusioned. Funny how an empty bank
account can make one into a believer.
And
so she’d Jennifer Aniston-ed her hair and painted her lips and learned the
difference between Gucci and Prada, first for herself and then for her clients.
She traded her third-floor studio in Ardmore Wayne
At
times, she missed the old Allison. She missed the energy of idealism and the
ease with which someone who has nothing can move through the world. She knew
this new life was based on the perpetuation of a lie, of a million little daily
lies. But the lies, if told often enough and with enough enthusiasm, could
become truth.
Just
look at her.
Allison
kept one hand still on the steering wheel and used the other to peel back the
flap of the envelope. Wedged between the stiff edges of her mother’s official
documents sat the sickly yellow of an old newspaper clipping. She knew without
touching it, without reading the bold-lettered headline, what it said. Man Drives over Embankment in Apparent
Homicide/Suicide Attempt. Her father. Her mother. And over twenty years
later, the pain still blanketed her like a low-lying fog.
She
pushed the article back into the packet. Miraculously, her parents had lived
through the ordeal with few serious injuries, but the emotional wounds had
never really healed. Your mother has Alzheimer’s, Allison, her father had said
back then, as though that simple fact explained everything. It’ll be uphill
from here. So the years before that, the
mom-has-a-migraine-and-is-in-her-bedroom-make-us-some-dinner-watch-your-sister-Allison
years, were the easy ones?
Allison
shook her head. The contents of that envelope didn’t tell the full story any
more than a pile of individual timbers resembled a finished house. Where were
the court hearings, the social workers with their shopworn empathy and
mind-fuck questions, the belt beatings, the experimental drugs and doctors’
visits and furtive glances when the electricity went off because no one had
paid the bill?
The
rain stopped.
Allison
flicked off her wipers and made a left onto her parents’ street. Tiny ranch
house after tiny ranch house, all with tiny yards and chain-link fences. She
pulled up to their home, behind a grit-sprayed Ford. From the outside, nothing
much had changed. Same peach-colored stucco, same white stone-filled flower
beds, same crumbling walkway. Though it was nearly spring, a woven-wicker doe
and fawn, leftover Christmas decorations, remained in the front yard. The doe
lay on her side. The fawn stood over her, as though in mourning.
About the Author:
Wendy Tyson's background in law and psychology has
provided inspiration for her mysteries and thrillers. Killer
Image, published by Henery Press in October 2013, is the first novel in
the Allison Campbell mystery series. She
has also authored The Seduction of Miriam
Cross, published by E-Lit Books, the first in the Delilah Percy Powers
mystery series. Find Wendy at www.WATyson.com.
Connect & Socialize with Wendy!
TWITTER * FACEBOOK * GOODREADS
Guest Post:
Mystery solved: tips for a better image from an image-consulting sleuth
One of the advantages of writing about an image consultant-turned-sleuth has been the research. Sure, I get to delve into interesting things like murder weapons, legal ethics, corporate misdeeds and police procedure, but I also need to dive into real-world image consulting. Anyone who has read KILLER IMAGE will tell you that Allison is into much more than fashion, but the crux of her professional life is helping others succeed. And part of that success is cultivating a great image. I think Allison would tell you that a great image starts with a great self-image. And the basis for a healthy self-image is learning to recognize the beauty and worth that lies within.
Here are a few Allison-approved tips for feeling and looking good based on my research for KILLER IMAGE and my own background in counseling:
Cultivate gratitude. A good image starts with positive feelings about yourself. Too often, we judge ourselves by what we are not rather than what we are. Learn to love and appreciate the inherent beauty of your own body. When we stop to appreciate all the things our bodies can do, we cultivate positive feelings of gratitude. So next time you feel like criticizing yourself for some perceived physical flaw, concentrate on the positive and think about the things you and your body can accomplish.
Nurture your body. Take care of your body and that care will show. Treat yourself with healthy food, plenty of water and regular exercise. While it’s tough to avoid stress, learn techniques for handling stress in healthier ways–go for a walk, write in a journal, talk to a friend or counselor, meditate, take a relaxing bath, get a massage. The key is finding what works for you.
Watch your posture. Good posture can help you feel better and project confidence. Confidence is incredibly alluring!
Learn to accept compliments. I will admit, I am terrible at this. When someone says something nice, I immediately feel awkward and want to respond with something self-deprecating to cover it up. Don’t! Learn to make eye contact, say “thank you” and leave it at that.
Wear clothes that make you feel good. Comfort is important–avoid anything too restrictive or tight that could make you feel self-conscious. Think about the style you want to project, and then choose clothes that fit you well and make you feel good while projecting the look you want. Below are a few things I learned about balancing fashion and comfort:
· Invest in a few good pieces. Pay attention to the details and focus on quality over quantity. Good pieces–including good shoes–can go a long way toward creating a fashionable image while maintaining comfort. A few basic, well-constructed pieces that fit your body appropriately can be the basis for a great wardrobe. Don’t feel like you need to be a slave to whatever is the latest trend. It’s more important that you choose clothes and shoes that give you confidence. Again, confidence is sexy.
· Consider before you buy. Take a hard look at your closet. What do you wear regularly? What have you bought with the idea that it would look great, but in actuality you hardly ever wear it–either because it doesn’t fit right, is uncomfortable or because, while appealing, it doesn’t reflect the way you want to appear? Be thoughtful about your purchases and learn from your own buying history.
· Add a splash of color. Even if you have a job that requires very conservative apparel, you can add flash with color. For example, a black or charcoal suit can be livened up with a colorful blouse, a fun scarf or a pair of shoes in an unexpected hue.
· Accessorize. Comfortable basics can be paired with jewelry, scarves, bags and watches. This is another way to add color to a neutral wardrobe or to add flash in a way that doesn’t compromise how you feel in your clothes. Plus, for those of us on a budget, accessories that cost less can help to stretch out a limited wardrobe. I struggle with accessorizing (silver hoops are my go-to), but when I dress for my day job, I try to channel Allison. Accessorizing is a simple way to perk up an image.
Do things you love. When your mind and body are engaged in activities you feel passionate about, the enthusiasm shows in the way you express and carry yourself. So, most importantly, remember to keep the joy in your life and have fun!
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My Review:
This was a really great mystery. The beginning starts off with someone getting hit in the head. Then the book takes you up and down through Allison's world. I had no idea what was going on. The author did a great job of leaving clues that sent my mind in one direction, even when the author was getting ready to insert another twist. The end made me cry, it was bitter sweet and I can only imagine how Allison felt. This was a dark novel, and had some great goth elements to it. However it was a perfect balance and in no way overly nasty. I enjoyed this different take on detectives, and liked that it was not your normal investigation type. Allison is different and she goes with her gut. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
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