KARMA NEVER SLEEPS by R. John Dingle - Spotlight, Excerpt, Q & A

 

In a small town, the truth can’t always set you free…

When a second woman from a group of friends known as “the posse” is murdered in the woods near the New England enclave of Kendalton, FBI agent and profiler Gus Wheeler and his partner are called in to determine if this is a serial killing. He’s intrigued by a clue hidden on the a memorial picture of a teen who died 25 years ago.

Instead of helping with the investigation, the long-term friends stonewall the agents. But Gus can smell fear beneath their calm masks, fake smiles, and politely vague answers. Digging deeper, he discovers they are being terrorized by cyberstalking, spying, threats and mysterious break-ins. When a third member is hospitalized after a brutal attack, Gus suspects someone in the posse is the hunter instead of the hunted.

Is it the alpha leader Jules, her best friend Maria—married to the chief of police—outsider Mel, or weak link Lizzy? Or someone else bent on revenge? Time’s running out, and Gus’s life depends on his skill at determining who’s the best liar in town.

EXCERPT, Chapter One

Chapter One

Everyone knew Sarah Nelson loved to run. She was a triage nurse, so her days were filled with alarms and buzzers and life-or-death decisions. Running gave her much-needed quiet time, a chance to decompress and get lost in her own head without any distractions from work or kids or social media. She loved the alone time on the trails, just her and her music and the fresh smells of nature. And the endorphins; oh, how she loved the endorphins. Sarah would rave to the girls, the Posse as they called themselves, that as good as sex was with Steve (and it was pretty amazing), when she hit the zone on a run and the world melted away, the endorphins she’d get afterward were simply orgasmic. But, of course, all this was a lie, especially the Steve-sex thing. Sarah hated running, she absolutely loathed it. But deep down she loathed her vile friend, Jules, even more. Jules was a liar and a drunk and a constant thorn in Sarah’s side. Any day Sarah didn’t see Jules was a good day. But worst of all, Jules was a runner and a big-time one at that. And Sarah would be damned if that bitch did anything better than she did.

The drizzle that had been ongoing throughout her run had turned intrusive, the wind thrusting it inside her collar and up her pant legs. All around her, tree trunks were stained a sinister black from the dampness. She fought her way up the steep incline and over the crest of the hill and relief washed over her. This was the three-mile mark and that hill was the hardest part of her run. She knew she’d be at the exit to her backyard just around the next bend. But, as she turned the corner, the first thing Sarah saw was someone lying in a fetal position across the trail, their back arched her way. She stopped short and, peeling wet hair from her face, thought a moment.

She pressed pause on the phone strapped to her bicep and the music in her wireless earbuds was gone. The person wore baggy exercise pants and a form-fitting cold weather running top with its hood pulled tightly over their head. Long arms and legs uncoiled and Sarah heard a low, pain-filled moaning.

Just what I need on my day off, Sarah thought. Another patient.

She kissed the endorphins goodbye and stepped closer. “Oh, hey. You okay?”

The runner twisted their torso and pressed their face into the dirt. “Ah, it’s my knee. My leg bent the wrong way around that corner and I heard a pop. I can’t seem to put any weight on it.”

Sarah knelt down. “Here, let me take a look.”

“Ah, ah AH.”

“Sorry,” she said, sliding the pant leg up. The runner’s leg was a solid, condensed muscle. “The good news is I don’t see any swelling, so it’s probably just a mild strain.” Sarah looked to the opening to her yard a few feet away. “Let’s get you up and bandaged to keep it from swelling.”

“I’m such an idiot,” the runner moaned into the dirt.

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Accidents ha…” Sarah’s words were interrupted by a sharp prick to the back of her neck, and before she knew what was happening her throat and shoulders began to go numb. She swatted at it as if it were a bee sting and, as she did so, scrambled to her feet but not before her cell phone was tugged free from the strap on her arm.

“Wait…what…what the…?” Sarah muttered, confused, stumbling away. She looked at her assailant, who was holding up a scalpel and smiling wide, all traces of anguish and pain gone. Sarah tried to say something but slurred her words so severely even she couldn’t understand what was said. Her mind was racing and she began to have trouble breathing as the numbness made its way to her chest. Her legs wobbled and fear gripped her insides.

She turned to run but a hand grabbed her from behind and she felt searing pain erupt across her lower neck and shoulder. She pulled free and saw a thin red line blooming through her shirt as she began to shuffle-run toward the entrance of her yard. Gusts of wind spread tears across her cheeks like scattering bugs and her legs felt heavy, sluggish, as if she were running on a beach. She tried to focus on the opening in the trees to her yard but her eyes served it up in pairs.

Sarah staggered from the woods and nausea gripped her so severely she vomited down the front of her shirt. She heard a distant voice calling her name before she dropped to one knee. The world spun violently and she collapsed onto her shoulder, then her side, coming to rest atop her flowerless rosebushes. Hot pain consumed her body, her screams of agony trapped in the bile collecting in her throat.

Someone gripped her arm and the back of her neck and it felt like her flesh was on fire. She felt herself lift off the thorny branches as a mix of words and sounds swam to her confused brain. She struggled to peel her eyes open and, when she finally did, terror gripped her once again.

Then the world snapped black.

Q & A 

On writing:

 

How did you do research for your book?

There’s so much information online so that’s where I started. I got everything I needed for the dynamics of an investigation, when the FBI is called in, etc. But I wanted the suspect to be eerily proficient in the use of technology and how they subdued their victims so for those areas I found experts in each field to consult with.

 Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

As a new writer, I found all characters difficult at the start. I was much more comfortable with plot elements and weaving in the cat and mouse dynamics. In the end, I’d say that Gus was the most difficult to get just right and the easiest was Mel, for sure.

 In your book you have a clique of mean girls that are now adults/wives/mothers. How did you come up with this idea? What made you write a book about that?

This story was inspired by an experience of my daughter during high school and I wanted to explore how these traits – jealousy, deceit, betrayal – would manifest in women who were frenemies, wives, mothers. Having lived in small towns my entire life, I’ve witnessed first-hand the sociopathic behavior displayed by mothers in defense of their mini-me daughters. Nudging this behavior just over the cliff to serial killing in a fiction novel just seemed interesting.

 Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

I’ve always enjoyed reading books where there was some different/unique element to the story and feeling that, when finished, I’ve been exposed to something new. A great example of this is Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code and symbology. So in my books, I want to provide that to the readers as best I can to hopefully add to the experience of the book.

 There are many books out there about serial killers. What makes yours different?

Karma Never Sleeps certainly has a serial killer element, but the story is really more about a group of women who grew up together in a small town. They’ve shared all those emotional milestones together – first kiss, prom, weddings, children. But they also have a secret from their adolescence and no matter how hard they try, they simply cannot live around it anymore. And the reader sees the lengths to which some may go to preserve all they have.

 What advice would you give budding writers?

For starters, consult an expert – a writer or editor – before you go too far. There are certain key elements to story arcs and pacing that, if you know early, will save you months/years of time and energy. Then, sit your butt in a chair and write. By the time Karma Never Sleeps was done editing, I wrote 4-5 full novels easily but I’m a far better writer for it.

 Your book is set in Kendalton, MA. Have you ever been there?

Kendalton is a fictitious town but, yes, I’ve lived in small towns like it all my life.

 If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

Oh, Gus, hands down. Gus is one of the good guys – even faced with horrible circumstances he always does the right thing, no matter the cost. He’s dyslexic which provides him with a unique way of seeing things others don’t and connecting very disparate actions/items. He’s super creative and a very accomplished jazz musician that did not come through natural ability but years of hard work.

 Do you have another profession besides writing?

Yes, I’ve been a consultant my entire career focusing on the energy industry.

 How long have you been writing?

About fifteen years, but I got more focused and serious about it six or seven years ago.

 Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

Fortunately, I’ve not (yet?!?) gotten writer’s block. I have had slow times when I just couldn’t get in the groove or rhythm of writing. In those instances, I’ll take a break and go for a long walk in the woods to get away and get back to basics and that usually works in getting me re-charged.

 What is your next project?

Karma Never Sleeps is the 1^st in the Gus Wheeler FBI Thriller series. The 2^nd book is due out in November 2025 and is in the editing process now. I just finished editing a stand-alone thriller I wrote while Karma was being shopped to publishers so we’ll be finding that a home soon. And I’ve just begun writing the 3^rd book in the Gus Wheeler series so lots going on these days and all very fun.

 What genre do you write and why?

I write mysteries and thrillers. I’ve always really enjoyed the cat and mouse dynamics of thrillers where the villain toys with the investigators so try to capture that in my stories. And thrillers lend themselves to fooling the reader with clues and red herrings and I like that aspect a lot.

 What is the last great book you’ve read?

That’s a very tough question. I feel there are so many great books out now, especially in the thriller genre. I’ll read anything Luke Jennings (Villanelle series) or John Connolly (Charlie Parker series) writes. I’d say the latest “great” book I’ve read is Michael Robotham’s Good Girl, Bad Girl. Evie Cormac is such a uniquely fantastic character.

 What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

I feel so blessed at the reception Karma Never Sleeps is getting and I’ve gotten many compliments as a result. But I think my favorite is that the characters are so well-developed that some readers feel they know them intimately by the end of the book. I struggled so much with character development when I began writing that those compliments really mean something special to me.

 How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

Unfortunately, I’m not like Gus much at all. Gus is creative and a very cerebral thinker that can connect very disparate thoughts or actions to see trends or motives or connections most people don’t see. That is decidedly not me (LOL). I like to think I’m similar to Gus in that I try to always do the right thing but, that said, I’ve not been faced with any of the real challenges Gus faces in these books.

 If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

I get asked this question a lot as many reviewers have said this story would make a great television series or movie. I definitely had specific people in mind for several of the characters – some famous actors, some not – but I’d like to keep this little nugget to myself for now. Let’s all try to manifest this to become a question needing answers…LOL.

 If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

My protagonist, Gus Wheeler, is a jazz bassist on the cusp of making it professionally so there would definitely be some jazz tracks in there. But Gus is also an old soul raised by hippie parents so much of his musical influences came out of the 1960’s and 1970’s so think Van Morrison, America, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor playing softly in cafes and coffee houses he visits.

 What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

By far, the biggest reward is when someone writes that they binged the book because they couldn’t put it down and couldn’t guess who was the real villain until the very end. The greatest challenge I had in writing it was character development. I’d say that was easily 70-80% of the edits throughout.

 In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

It was like looking for the red dress in The Matrix.

 Which authors inspired you to write?

My favorite authors – each in their own way, I suppose, were inspirations – include John Connolly, Luke Jennings, Thomas Harris and Stieg Larsson.

 What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

Definitely more events of the villain toying with Gus and his partner, Vanessa. The first version of the book was nearly twice as long and much of that was centered around the games the villain plays with the detectives. But with only about 90k words to work with, that was the area of focus for cuts.

 

 On rituals:

 

Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?

I don’t snack, but I thoroughly enjoy a great cup of coffee (cawfee if you’re from New England) – hot or cold.

Where do you write?

I write in my office that my wife playfully used to call the dining room.

Do you write every day?

Yes, absolutely. I find keeping my head in the story is vital to me getting the finer details woven in, the connections that reach from the ending of the story all the way back to the beginning to form those “oh crap” moments for the reader. And even if I’m not writing, I’m flushing out parts of the outline or researching elements of the story. Writing a novel is very immersive for me.

What is your writing schedule?

I’m an early riser so I like to read a bit to start my day but then I get in a few hours of writing before I start my day job around 8:30 a.m.. I then write a bit in the mid-morning and again in the afternoon. I find that if I let what I’ve written marinate a bit in my brain, the edits that come out make it a far better page/chapter/story.

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

Oddly, yes. My favorite series is John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series and in it Parker works shifts at a real pub in Portland Maine, The Great Lost Bear. So, I’ve got 6-7 t-shirts from there and I try to have one on when I’m writing as a sort of good vibe. I also need jazz music on but with no vocals as they distract me.

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

I am a bit old school so I do scribble thoughts in a notepad and work through sequences in that pad. Physically writing these things helps me work them out. Also, when I’m editing a thread through the book (e.g., a new character trait sprinkled in during editing) I note all the chapters where edits could be made in that pad and check them off as I work through it.

 

Fun stuff:

 

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

I always joke that I’d die a young and horrible death in medieval times – I’m just not built to live that hard of a life (LOL). But I find that I romanticize post-WW2 middle America when life was a lot simpler – no internet, no computers, etc. Children riding bikes until the streetlights came on, families listening to stories on the radio or, if they were lucky, watching a show on TV. Walking to school with your friends. There’s something to be said for that innocence.

Favorite travel spot?

Living on the coast of Maine, it’s hard to come up with something as serene and beautiful as what I see out my window each morning at sunrise. That said, we’ve had the good fortune to have lived in Australia when the kids were young and between there and New Zealand I cannot think of more scenic and fascinating places to travel to.

Favorite dessert?

Ice cream, hands down. It’s an issue.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?

Wilderness Survival for Dummies (yep, looked it up and it’s real).

Angels and Demons, Dan Brown – I could read that book forever.

The Passage, Justin Cronin – a long book and I’d have time and it’s a great story with fantastic characters.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest?

I was fortunate to marry my best friend and she has an amazing sense of humor so I’m guessing the funniest was something we laughed about together. The scariest is easy: we almost lost our 2^nd child at birth and driving alone on the highway headed for Boston where he was being airlifted to and seeing the silent red blinking lights of the helicopter pass me overhead, knowing he was inside, was the scariest, hands down. The strangest: realizing our 200 year-old house is almost certainly haunted.

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

I quit coffee once.

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.

I’m pretty boring, I guess. My hobbies are reading good books and writing books, hopefully also good. I’ve always loved the strange and supernatural so I find myself attracted to watching or reading stories about real life ghosts, UFO sightings, paranormal activities, those sort of things.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

That although I’ve become a world-renowned writer, have won every conceivable writing award, my stories have been translated into dozens of languages and made into blockbuster movies that have eclipsed box office sales of all others before them, that I still most enjoy being home with my wife (and kids when they visit). Signed, future me.

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

Nothing I didn’t already know. I enjoy being home with my wife, walks in the woods and watching sunrises over the ocean. 

What TV series are you currently binge watching?

Paradise, Day of the Jackal and anything written by Taylor Sheridan, it seems. I can’t get enough of Landman and Lioness.

 What is your theme song?

“Moondance” by Van Morrison but I have no idea why.

 What is your favorite thing to do in the spring?

Long walks in the woods with our hound. There’s no better way to clear the mind and re-charge in this technology-laden world.

 What is a favorite holiday tradition or memory?

Christmas is an event around here. My wife transforms the house into a magical place and I cannot help but get nostalgic and feel like a child again when that happens. Everyone needs a little magic in their life and that’s mine.

 What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?

“Lido Shuffle” by Boz Scaggs and I have no earthly idea why. It dawned on me years ago that that song just shows up in my head, it’s so random. I’ve never been a Boz Scaggs fan or listened to his music. I had to look the song up to see who it was from. I gave my protagonist this idiosyncrasy too, maybe hoping it’d stick with him and I’d be rid of it but, sadly, that did not happen.

 What is something that made you laugh recently?

I laugh constantly, it seems, so that’s a tough question. Whatever it was, it was almost certainly an exchange with my wife where we both piled onto something one of us said.

 What is your go-to breakfast item?

Total cereal with blueberries. And when I run out, anything with icing.

 What is the oldest item of clothing you own?

Some of my flannel shirts are older than dirt.

 Tell us about your longest friendship.

My wife and I met when we were 17 and quickly became best friends. And, trust me, that was some time ago.

 Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Farrah Fawcett, like every young boy on the planet growing up in the 1970’s.

R. John Dingle is the author of mysteries and psychological thrillers set in New England. He and his wife currently call a small island in Mid-Coast Maine ‘home’, both living, writing and boating from their restored 200-year old house. The psychological thriller, Karma Never Sleeps, is John’s first novel.R. John Dingle is the author of mysteries and psychological thrillers set in New England. He and his wife currently call a small island in Mid-Coast Maine ‘home’, both living, writing and boating from their restored 200-year old house. The psychological thriller, Karma Never Sleeps, is John’s first novel.