Bomb Blast: A Thriller
Thriller
4th in Series
Middle River Press (February 24, 2023)

Synopsis

In the fourth novel in the Dr. Catherine (Cat) Powers series, top FBI forensic pathologist and special agent Dr. Cat Powers is called as two Syrian-born bombers wreak havoc on “soft targets” in the United States.

Starting with the New York Stock Exchange, these bombers are intent on causing as much murder and mayhem as they can. As their bombing spree takes them cross-country, Cat is appointed the eyes and ears of the president of the United States. Teamed with Special Ops and bombing expert Sam Patterson, Cat must figure out who these bombers are, what their motives are, who is funding them, and ultimately, if they can be caught. As the bombings become more violent and deadly, Cat and Sam are in a race against time to catch these savage killers before they kill again.

Will they succeed or will the bombers avoid detection and escape?

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Guest Post

Interview with Dr. Catherine (Cat) Powers for Bomb Blast

Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Catherine Powers, although most folks call me Cat. I am an FBI special agent, profiler, and a forensic pathologist. I am called in to handle the “worst of the worst” criminal cases in the United States when local authorities are at wits end and need help.

So, a little personal information. I am the mother of a son, Joey, who is 9 years old at the time of this interview. He is quite literally the center of my universe.  The hardest thing about my job is being away from him for extended periods of time. He is a smart, fun-loving boy who loves to swim in our pool and play with his Golden Retriever, Max. Joey is an only child which is one of the reasons he and I are so close. The other reason is that 3 years ago, Joey was kidnapped by a madman, that the media dubbed “The Burning Man.” He killed my ex-husband and kidnapped Joey to try to get to me. I will never forget those days and nights searching for him or how it all ended, with “The Burning Man,” whose real name was Eric Dupont, getting away. I was able to bring him to justice about a year later when he resurfaced from hiding.

So, what would you like to know about me? As I mentioned I am a single mother which I find very challenging especially with my career. Like most women, somehow, I make it work, although the stress takes a lot out of me. I love what I do. For me, it is not just a job. It can’t be if you must work 18-to-20-hour days. I am driven and dedicated to my work with the FBI. When I am doing an autopsy, I always treat the body with the greatest respect. After all, this is someone’s wife, daughter, sister, aunt or mother. This was someone’s father, brother, uncle, nephew or close friend.  This person has a family that is looking for answers.  In doing an autopsy on them, I become their voice and their truth.

I also love tracking down the killers. In the case of “Firestorm,” I had not one, but two serial killers to track down.  One was my old friend, “The Burning Man.”  The other was a serial arsonist hellbent on burning entire Southern California neighborhoods.

As a scientist and a doctor, I take great care with every detail of a criminal case. Sometimes, it is the little things in a case that make all the difference in the world to solving the case and bringing a grieving family closure. I am fortunate to have a bit of a sixth sense in solving crimes that only comes to me in times of great stress. In Bomb Blast, you will learn for the first time where this “gift”, if you can call it that, comes from. It is something I share only with those very close to me.

In Bomb Blast, I am called in after two horrific bombings in New York City in that many days. The first kills the head of the Federal Reserve as he is leaving his posh New York apartment – a car bomb that literally blows it to smithereens. The second, the day after is a bombing at the New York Stock Exchange. With both bombings, the bombers have a very clear message – they intend on causing turmoil in the financial markets in the US and abroad. For a short while, they accomplish those goals. That is until, US President, Paul Cosgrave, teams me and Special Ops and bombing specialist, Sam Patterson, together to hunt down these killers. We must figure out their motives, their financing and try to determine when and where they will strike next. Not easy tasks, I can assure you, as these bombers spread terror and mayhem across the United States. Their intentions are simple – strike fear into every American heart. They want to make people afraid to leave their homes, afraid to do simple things like going to the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon.  These bombers what to shake the very core of American society. Neither I nor Sam have any intention of letting that happen. As we start to put the pieces together, it seems that the bombers are one step ahead of us. They are bombing soft targets – like the famous Water Tower shopping center in Chicago and a football game in New Jersey with reckless abandon. Then, Sam and I catch a break as one of the bombers gets to close to his own work and is blown up by his own bomb.  This creates a situation where Sam and I, for the first time, are able to get one step ahead of the remaining female bomber. Sam, with his Special Ops team was able to track down and capture “the money” behind this bombing operation, a sheik located in the desert in the Middle East. Sam brings him back to the US and then down to Gitmo in Cuba at the request of the President, where Sam forces him to talk. Well, I won’t give you the rest of the story. No spoilers here. Suffice it to say, the story is a compelling one. Sam and I work well together as a professional team as well as romantically. Oh, did I forget to mention that. Yes, Sam and I are a couple. My ten-year-old son, Joey is thrilled with our relationship and has accepted Sam, a fact for which I am grateful.

So, what does the future hold for me? I will continue to work tirelessly for the FBI. Even when the nights grow long, I still have a passion for what I do. That will never change. I will continue to raise Joey the best that I can. I want to be a good mother for him, although sometimes it is hard because my work takes me away from him for long periods of time. That is one of the reasons I am so glad to have Sam in my life. And in Joey’s life. I am sure that there will be more cases to solve in the future. More criminals to bring to justice. That will never end.

On a personal note, now that Covid 19 is over, I plan to do more traveling. Whether it’s taking Joey to Belize like I did last year, or finally going on that Kenya safari I had always planned to do, I am definitely making more time to travel and see the world. If Covid taught me anything, it is that tomorrow is not guaranteed, and we must live our lives to the fullest each and every single day. So, for me and Joey and hopefully Sam, that means a little globe-trotting. I’ve been fortunate to have travelled to some far-off destinations so far in my life, 19 to be exact. So, I’ll be adding to that list.

Because of the stress of my work, I am a bit of a loner. I don’t have too many close friends. I view Joey as really my best friend in the world, with Sam running a close second. Our Golden Retriever, Max, runs next in line. That dog does the craziest things, especially when he is with Joey. There was one time I made the mistake of leaving a fresh baked peach pie on the back to the stove to cool before taking it to a friend house for a dinner party. I left Max in the kitchen for fine minutes to get dressed for the party and came back in the kitchen, only to find three quarters of the pie gone and Max looking at me with “I didn’t do it” look on his face. I wanted to get mad, but I couldn’t because it was really my fault. If you know anything about Golden Retrievers, they love food. I was my fault for leaving the pie out where Max could get to it. I really couldn’t blame him a bit.

What do I see for the future between Sam and I, you ask? Well, at this point, I don’t want to over think it. We are both grown adults enjoying life and each other’s company. I don’t want to place expectations on our relationship – long term – because that could really destroy the trust and love that we have for each other. So, for now, I am just happy to take things day by day. No pressure. No stress. No promise of happily ever after. Just here and now. And happiness.

Well, I hope that gives you a little glimpse into my life. Joey’s life and Sam as well. Hope you enjoy reading Bomb Blast.

About the Author

BORN ON THE BEAUTIFUL TROPICAL ISLAND of Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a French mother, Solange Ritchie (then Solange Levy) immigrated to the United States at age eleven. Since then, she has become a dynamic force for change. Fed up with thrillers that start with a fizzle and longing to see more powerful women as lead characters, Solange decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, she accomplished her ambitious goal by rising each morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing, and even spending her vacation time writing. Solange is fortunate to have traveled to over 19 countries in her lifetime.

Words have always been Solange’s passion – now so more than ever.

Solange achieved a successful writing career while doing “last minute trial,” mostly in Southern California. Dubbed “the Case Saver,” Solange handled intense legal motions that either make or break a case, especially in the areas of business, labor, and employment law. In 2014, she received the State Bar of California’s Solo and Small Firm’s Section’s highest award, the Myer J. Sankary Attorney of the Year Award. It is given to only one attorney each year in California.

When Solange was just thirty-seven years old, her first husband, John, died due to gross medical negligence at a leading Southern California hospital. This life-altering experience helped shape her into the person she is today. She began writing creatively to deal with the stress of his hospitalization and his death.

Solange’s first psychological thriller, The Burning Man, featuring FBI forensic pathologist Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers was published in 2015. Her second novel in the series, Firestorm, was released to critical acclaim, on May 15, 2018. Dying Declaration is the third novel in the Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers series. Bomb Blast is Solange’s fourth novel in the series. Solange plans at least two more books in the Dr. Catherine Powers series. A fan of things that go bump in the night, Solange has also penned a Southern Gothic novel called Fiona’s Box, which will be released shortly.

Solange lives in Southern Florida. She enjoys traveling, writing, gardening, time with her family, as well as good food and conversation. Solange is available for speaking engagements. She especially enjoys talking with book clubs.

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