Thursday, August 30, 2018

Breaking News ~ Susan Page Davis ~ Giveaway

Breaking News
by Susan Page Davis

Image courtesy pixabay.com
 What inspired this book?
In the 1920s, Judge Joseph Crater owned a summer cottage in Belgrade, Maine, my hometown. Judge Crater’s disappearance in 1930 was considered the missing persons case of the century.

After reading about Judge Crater’s case, I considered writing a book about it. Instead, after much thought, I decided to write a novel instead. The story is not about Judge Crater but was inspired by his story.


Writing about fictional characters is always easier than writing about real people. You can make them act and speak any way you wish. And you can resolve a mystery in any of several ways, rather than sticking to history.

Rather than confine myself to the facts of the judge’s true case, I decided to place a later disappearance in the same location, this time making the person who vanished a senator.

By moving the event to 1968, I was able to tell the story in a contemporary setting through the eyes of middle-aged people who remembered the event. I created a family, the Fairmonts, who lived near the senator’s cottage, and a pair of kind neighbors—news editor Kurt Borden and his wife, Janet—to get involved.

Kurt sees the mystery unfold from the official perspective when his reporter, Mick Tyler, goes to write a story about the senator and ends up missing, too. Kurt deals with the police and the news staff covering the story. Janet sees it from a more personal angle. She gets to know the elderly neighbor’s children—adults now, but boys and girls when the senator vanished. Piece by piece, Kurt and Janet solve the mystery of the two disappearances.

My main characters in this book have deep faith in God. Because of this, I was able to bring the story to a much more satisfying conclusion, in my opinion, that Judge Crater’s story.

In real life, we don’t always see the solution to mysteries we encounter. I hope you will enjoy Breaking News and the ways Kurt and Janet find to help their friends, neighbors, and coworkers with the problems they suffer because of an old crime.

When news editor Kurt Borden sends his star reporter out to do a story on a senator who disappeared more than 40 years ago, the reporter goes missing too. 

Kurt’s wife, Janet, finds an elderly neighbor ill in his home. The old man begs her to give a cryptic message to his grown children. Could the two mysterious events in small-town Maine be connected? 

To help unravel the mystery, Kurt and Janet must rely on their faith and use all their wits and diplomatic skills.

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 80 books, in the mystery, suspense, and historical romance categories. She is a past winner of the Carol Award, the Faith, Hope, two Love Readers’ Choice Awards, and two Will Rogers Medallions. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband Jim.

Contact Info/Social Media Links:
·       Website: www.susanpagedavis.com
·       Twitter: @SusanPageDavis



Giveaway: Susan will give either a paperback (US only, please) or an ebook copy of Breaking News. To Enter, simply leave a comment below with your contact information. Giveaway ends one week from today on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at Midnight Central Time.

Peg here: For an extra chance to win, simply become a follower of this blog (see left sidebar) and mention it in your comment. 




31 comments:

  1. I love mysteries based on history! It sounds like you enjoyed creating Breaking News tremendously.
    I'm already a subscriber, but please enter me into the giveaway. Thanks.

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    1. Him Linda, I appreciate you stopping by. Your name has been thrown in the hat -)

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  2. Thanks, Linda. I do enjoy writing this story. The setting was a plus for me, and when the plot came together it was smooth sailing.

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  3. We have Susan's books in the Church Library.
    Our readers love a good mystery and I do too.
    I'm already a follower of your blog.
    Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Glad to hear it, Janet. Keep on reading!

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    2. Hi, Janet, thanks for visiting. You're in the drawing.

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  4. Susan, thank you so much for being my guest this week. This new book of yours sounds like something I'd like to read. Guess I'd better put it on my TBR list.

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  5. Love Susan's books! This one sounds great!
    I follow your blog.
    smincer10 (at)gmail (dot) com

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    1. Hi, Susanne, thanks for stopping by today. You've been entered in the giveaway.

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  6. Hi, I can't wait to read this book it sounds so intriguing! Thank you, Peggy!
    mjscoffee@gmail.com

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    1. Hello, Anon ... appreciate you dropping in. You've been entered in the giveaway.

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  7. Love your books! jarning67@hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Joan, so good of you to drop in for a visit. You're name is in the drawing.

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  8. The storyline sounds very intriguing! I love mystery and suspense and like how you worked a real case into a fictional novel. It sounds like a great read! Thank you.
    perrianne (DOT] askew (AT) me (DOT) com
    Perrianne Askew

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    1. Oops, I am a follower.
      perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com
      Perrianne Askew

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    2. Hi, Perrianne, thanks so much for stopping by. You've been entered in the drawing.

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  9. I really enjoy Susan's books, especially the Maine Justice Series. This one sounds really good too.
    marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com
    I am a follower

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    1. Hi, Mark, thanks for stopping in. You've been entered in the giveaway.

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  10. This sounds like an awesome book. I love Susan's writing! Thanks for the giveaway. bcrug(at)twc(dot)com

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    1. Hi, Connie, thanks for visiting today. You've been entered in the giveaway.

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  11. Don't know why I'm just now getting a notice for this, but glad it is still open. I thought I saw on CBD where these were paperbacks now. rayorr@bellsouth.net

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    1. Hi, Linda, thanks for stopping by. Yes, Susan is giving away either a paperback or eBook copy of this book. Winner's choice. Your name is in the drawing.

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  12. I love a good suspense and Breaking News sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading! Thanks for sharing the story behind this story, Susan! And thank you for a chance to win a copy of this book!!!

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    1. Oops! I forgot to mention that I am a follower of this blog for an extra chance to win. Thanks, Peggy! :)

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    2. Since I don't know your name, I'll just say "Hi, AG" :=) Thanks for stopping by. You're entered in the drawing ... twice.

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  13. Sounds like another page turning story! Looking forward to it.
    annby(at)centurylink(dot)net

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    1. Andrea, thanks for stopping in. I agree! I've added it to my toppling TBR list. Your name is in the drawing.

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  14. Don’t leave me in suspense! 😂
    Smithsinva4@msn.com
    Anita Smith

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    1. LOL, Anita. Still a few days before the drawing, but your name will be in the hat. Thanks for dropping in.

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  15. And ... we have a winner! Congratulations, JOAN! Susan will be contacting you to arrange for delivery of your gift. Thanks for taking part in her giveaway.
    THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

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