Book Title: Devious Web - A Novel by Shelley Grandy
Category: Adult Fiction, 272 pages
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Publisher: SparkPress
Publication Date: October 2024
Content Rating: PG -13 rating for: There are no f-words but there is some violence (attempted murder) and some non-explicit references to sex, alcohol and recreational drugs.
Gone Girl's twists, The Social Network's scheming, and Agatha Christie's sleuthing come together in this suspenseful novel, a bingeworthy mystery set in Toronto that spans corporate intrigue, murder, and marital mismatch. Who would want to harm a well-liked CEO at the top of his game, and why? In the summer of 2021, Canadian tech entrepreneur Tom Oliver is considering selling his company to a Silicon Valley buyer when he becomes the target of an unknown perpetrator. As his friend and homicide detective Jason Liu investigates a web of secrets and deceit, Tom's inner circle of family and colleagues comes under scrutiny.
Devious Web brings you into the world of business, US politics, social media, and family drama. If you were enthralled watching Suits and Succession, you'll enjoy the high suspense, fast pace, and unexpected plot twists of this compelling novel.
Shelley Grandy is a Canadian communications professional whose type-A personality and honors journalism degree from Ottawa’s Carleton University fueled a career that started in newspapers and progressed to twenty-five years at high-tech
company Nortel.
She subsequently founded Grandy Public Relations Inc. and has supported tech sector clients in Ontario and Quebec for the past sixteen years.
After writing countless press releases and technical articles for trade media, Devious
Web is Shelley’s debut fiction novel.
When not writing, Shelley enjoys intriguing Netflix-style productions and is known to frequently reference scenes from Grace and Frankie.
You can also find her at the boarding stable with her horse, Briosa. Shelley lives in Trenton, Ontario, Canada, with husband of thirty-plus years Roy, husky dog Luka, and cat Otto, within spoiling distance of her beautiful granddaughters, Emilia and Olivia Oulds.
Interview:
April 9, 2026
1.
What literary
pilgrimages have you gone on?
About a decade ago, my early print-runsigned copy of“I Married Adventure” by Osa Johnson—the colorful story of adventurers in Africa—was inadvertently thrown away during a downsizing move. Not only was ita monetary loss given that the book hasincreased in value as a collectible, it was also a personal loss because the book had belonged to my late mother. I went looking for a copy as close to the original as possibleand had success througha small-town Canadian independent bookseller. I still regret losingmy mom’s original,but I treasure the replacement copy found on my ‘pilgrimage’.
2.
What is the first book
that made you cry?
I read “The Red Pony” by John Steinbech when I was young and I was devastated by the plotline invoking the boy’s pony becoming sick with strangles and dying. I was always ‘horse-crazy’ and loved animals in general, so stories involving tragedy or mistreatment are difficult for me to read.
3.
Does writing energize or
exhaust you?
I’m energized by writing and that’s because, after formulating plotlines and characters in my mind, it’s exciting to let them spill out onto the page. Writing with passion means sometimes the keyboard can scarcely keep up with the pace of the story. I tend to get immersed in writing and become oblivious to how much time has passed, much as I lose track of time at the stable with my Friesian horse, Briosa.
4.
What is your writing
Kryptonite?
Artificial Intelligence, especially my favorite platform ChatGPT, is like Superman’s Kryptonite for doing the research behind my writing. Need to know what a certain geographic area looks like in less than three minutes? Want to know more about the US electoral process? Just ask your favorite AI platform and you’ll have the answers in record time. But while AI is useful for background information and context, I agree with those whopushback against AI-generated content that threatens authentic creativity.
5.
Did you ever consider
writing under a pseudonym?
No, I never thought of being like “Lady Whistledown” in theNetflix seriesBridgerton, who writes under a nom de plume. Being an older writer with a debut novel, I’m pleased to put my name on it as the author. What I did find interesting was how long it took me to accept that I had a published book and to describe myself as an author because it was such a newexperience.
6. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
My author friends and contacts write in different genres, not mystery. The help they’ve provided has related less to the writing itself and more to encouraging my publishing process. A prime example is Kelley Keehn, a prolific non-fiction finance writer who contributed a blurb for my novel’s cover. I have paid forwardthe supportfrom others by providing blurbs and reviews on behalf of fellow authors who also published with SparkPress.
7. Do you want each book to stand on its
own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each
book?
My plan for Devious Web and the sequel I’m currently writing is to have continuity for readers of both books,while at the same time enabling the sequel to stand on its own for new readers. Even though the debut novel will not be a prerequisite for enjoying book number two, I would recommendthat readers enjoy both books in sequence.
8. 8. What authors did you
dislike at first but grew into?
Perhaps surprisingly, renowned Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s heavily descriptive style challenged me when I was younger. But I’ve discovered that her work is an acquired taste, nowimparting timeless messages that resonate with me and countless others as evidenced by the renewed popularity of The Handmaid’s Tale.
9. 9. What’s your favorite
under-appreciated novel?
Is it presumptuous to say my own😊? What I mean by under-appreciated is that I have a lofty goal for Devious Web, and that is for the book to be made into a Netflix short series or a movie. So far Hollywood has not come calling, but seeing other authors’ works adapted for the screen is exciting. Examples are the Netflix productionThe Lincoln Lawyer based on books by Michael Connelly, and the movie version ofThe Housemaid by Freida McFadden.Having heard myown charactersbrought to life by the narrator of my audiobook, it would be exciting to take the next step with a screen adaptation of Devious Web.
10. As a writer, what would you choose
as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I was born in the Chinese Year of the Horse and my spirit animal is a horse. Not only have I owned horses for the past 45 years, but I relate to the characteristics attributed to a horse spirit animalincluding desire for personal freedom, inner strength, and powerful forward momentum in life. Writing has been a huge part of that forward momentumthrough dedicated effort, from working as a journalist, to corporate communications and public relations, to becoming an author.
11. How many unpublished and
half-finished books do you have?
Numerous random story ideas have popped into my head over the years, but the only one that truly resonated was Devious Web. I first jotted down ideas for the book over a decade ago and tucked them in a desk drawer in deference to my day job. The book idea resurfaced at Christmas 2020, and after discussion with my daughter about the viability of the storyline, I finally tackled the writingin 2021. I have only one half-finished book—the sequel to Devious Webstarted in February this year and nearing first-draft completion, fingers crossed.
12. What did you edit out of this book?
I had intended to include a Prologue in Devious Web, andI wrote a couple of versions.But I soon discovered it was more effective to jump into the story without preamble. I also rearranged some chapters to bring intrigue closer to the start of the book.My favorite reader comments reference action starting quickly,andliking the pace of the book overall.
13. If you didn’t write, what would you
do for work?
An aspect of my roles in corporate communications and public relations was media trainingtechnology sector executives in Canada and the US. I enjoy preparing spokespeople for interviews,especially in response to crisis situations, so my non-writing career would be in executive media coaching.
14. Do you hide any secrets in your
books that only a few people will find?
Like Alfred Hitchcock who famously had a discreet cameo in each of his films, I have invoked some personal references within Devious Web that will notnecessarily stand out to the reader. When choosing character names,I drew from business mentors I have admired as well as family surnames—Wilson and Armstrong for example—that only other family members might recognize. I also sprinkled into the story my personal mantra of“the best revenge is massive success” attributed to Frank Sinatra, and my father’s adviceto be careful what bridges one burns in business.
15.
What is your favorite childhood book?
The book I valued most as a child was a beautifully illustrated copy of Aesop’s Fables which was the prize for my first academic achievement in early public school. Unfortunately, my young border collie chewed the binding and edges of the book,so my prize had a short shelf life. But I loved the message behind each of the fables,brought to life by animals imbuedwith human traits. The stories speak to the fact that human nature has not changed throughout the ages, given that Aesop is believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BC.
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connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ linkedin ~ goodreads
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