Simon Wood

Posts Tagged: thriller

I’ve got something fast and dirty for you in the guise of a short story collection, FAST CRIMES.

I made my professional bones writing short fiction, and fairly short fiction at that. When I started out, there were plenty of markets looking for stories only a few pages long. The stories featured in this collection saw publication in Woman’s World, the side of a coffee can and in a Vegas soft porn magazine, just to name a few.

The jacket copy goes like this:

“Crime happens in a moment and so do the stories in the Fast Crimes collection. These short mysteries start in the moment and build to a climax in a snap. Murders are plotted and carried out. Heists are planned and foiled. Investigators hunt and apprehend criminals. And it all happens in a handful of pages.

It’s a smash and grab experience…so strap in.”

The book comes out on April 14th…my birthday. You can preorder it here.

Categories: Uncategorized

Read more

My frustrated DJ self emerges yet again for a playlist for my the latest Aidy Westlake book, HALF-INCHED. The playlist reflects the various themes and plotlines from the book series. If you’ve read the books, these songs will make a lot of sense and if you haven’t, it should give you an inkling as to what to expect. Either way, the songs should result in a shake of the head…or a groan.

So here’s what’s on the playlist:

“The Distance.” – Cake

“Fast Car.” – Tracy Chapman

“Jerry Was Racecar Driver” – Primus

“The Road To Hell” – Chris Rea

“Shut Up And Drive” – Rhianna

“Cars” – Gary Newman

“Road To Nowhere” – Talking Heads

“Keep The Car Running” – Arcade Fire

“Everyday Is A Winding Road” – Sheryl Crow

“One Headlight” – The Wallflowers

“Passenger Seat” – Death Cab For Cutie

“Drive” – The Cars

“Passenger Side” – Wilco

“Granddad” – Clive Dunn

If you have any musical suggestions, leave them in the comments and I’ll add them to the playlist.  Now just hit play to listen. Enjoy!!

Categories: new book shelf life

Read more

I thought I’d share some fast facts about my latest Aidy Westlake adventure, HALF-INCHED.

1. “Half-Inched” is cockney rhyming slang for pinched as in to steal.

2. Aidy Westlake is named after former Watford Football Club’s had coach Aidy Boothroyd and the late, great writer Donald Westlake.

3. HALF-INCHED was inspired by a British journalist who was discussing high value car thefts in Europe where the vehicles ended up in Moldova.  The police in Moldova rarely investigated the thefts as they didn’t occur in their country…but the police would turn a blind eye if the owners chose to steal their property back. As soon as I heard that I knew I had a book!   🙂

4. Readers, Mary-Frances Lascuola & Barb Kreisel, provided the title for the book when I was struggling to come up with one.  They won my contest to see who could come up with a better title than me!

If you’ve read the book, I hope these tidbits have given you some additional insight into the story.  And if you haven’t read the book, I hope you’ll give it a go.

Categories: Uncategorized

Read more

It’s that time of year, so if you’re looking to give a book for Christmas and you’re going to make it one of mine, bless your heart. If you want to get a book autographed or personalized to that special someone (even if that special someone is you) go to my bookshop. Used the code GORDO10 to get a 10% discount.

Alternatively, I can mail out a bookplate or sign ebooks via Authorgraph.com. Just email me with your requests and I’ll do my best to make it happen. All the details are on the bookshop.

Categories: Uncategorized

Read more

Aidy Westlake is back!!  The full-time racecar driver and part-time investigator returns in HALF-INCHED.  Again, Aidy and his crew are up to their necks in trouble.  The storyline is as follows.

“Christmas has gone sideways for racecar driver, Aidy Westlake. Aidy’s grandfather, Steve, was just putting the finishing touches on a classic Ford GT40 he was restoring for a British millionaire when it was stolen from his workshop. They quickly establish that the supercar was stolen to order and is in now in Moldova in the hands of the notorious gangster, Lupul. There’s a wrinkle. The police in Moldova don’t care. The theft of a rich man’s toy doesn’t rank high on their priorities. The client’s ultimatum is simple—cover his one million pound loss or recover the car by Christmas Day. With the threat of financial ruin hanging over his grandfather’s head, Aidy’s crew has only one option—steal the car back.”

This story takes place between the novels DID NOT FINISH and HOT SEAT.

The book comes out on Christmas Day but you can preorder it from Amazon and Amazon UK.  I hope you enjoy it.

Categories: Uncategorized

Read more

There’s a 2nd edition of La Ragazza Senza Passato (The Italian version of THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY) from Newton Compton with a slightly tweaked cover.

Hopefully, they’ll remember to send me a copy.

Categories: new book shelf life

Read more

I’m on a mini book tour this September.  I’ll be traveling around Washington for a few events and I hope you can join for one of them.  Here’s where I’ll be:

September 8th: I’m the keynote speaker at this year’s Southwest Washington Writers’ Conference, at Centralia College in lovely Centralia, WA.  If you’d like to attend the conference or be at the book signing, let me know.

September 9th: Noon in Seattle.  I will be entertaining a mystery book club.  This is a super secret event.  If you’d like to attend drop me a line.

September 10th: South Hill Library at 7:00pm.  I’m the topic of the library’s Book Discussion Group in Puyallup (where my wife grew up).  It’s open to the public and all are welcome.  Details here.

 

Categories: shelf life

Read more

Please enjoy this “Shelfie” as it represents twenty years of writing (although not twenty years of being published). It does look like I am going to need a bigger set of bookshelves.   🙂

Categories: shelf life

Read more