Traci Hunter Abramson

ABOUT THE BOOK

Military aide Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner go undercover to unravel a string of murders that may be tied to a nuclear threat capable of igniting a war.

After a tragic loss during his last mission, Luke Steele grapples with self-doubt. But when a trusted American journalist is killed in Istanbul, Luke must push past his grief to prepare for a new assignment.

The Turkish police report the journalist as the 8th victim of a serial killer. But US intelligence considers the suspicious death a murder at the hands of an international threat and fear that the journalist could have had top-secret information that is now in the hands of an enemy of the United States. The president tasks Luke to join with FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner to investigate. 

As the two delve into the cause of the journalist’s death, they unravel a conspiracy that reveals a chilling plan for the assassination of the president and a potential nuclear strike on the United States. Going undercover as a couple, Luke and Amberlyn travel to Istanbul to connect with a Russian source who holds key information to the case—if they can find him in time.

In this crucible of danger, Luke must rediscover his confidence and trust the bond he has forged with Amberlyn as they fight to save the president of the United States and stop a perilous nuclear plot poised to kill millions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Traci Hunter Abramson, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, was born in Arizona and later studied abroad in Venezuela. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the CIA for six years before leaving to raise her family. She credits the agency with providing her with a wealth of ideas for her thriller novels and the skills needed to navigate her children’s teenage years. 

Traci has written more than 45 bestselling novels and has received multiple awards, including the 2025 Silver Falchion Judges’ Top Pick – Thriller, the 2024 Whitney Award – Outstanding Achievement Winner, 2022 Rone award finalist, 2021 Swoony Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Romance, and is a ten-time Whitney Award winner, including Best Novel of the Year in 2017 and 2019. Recently retired from coaching high school swimming for twenty-six years, she enjoys traveling and spending her time as a popular writing instructor, keynote speaker, panelist, and attendee at conferences, including Bouchercon, Killer Nashville, Thrillerfest, and ALA.

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. You worked in the CIA for 6 years. What was it like transitioning from that type of work, which I imagine is more structured than creative, to storytelling and writing fiction? 
2. How does your real-life experience in the intelligence community shape your characters, plots, and authenticity?
3. As an author of both thrillers and romances, what is different about how you approach each genre? Are there specific things you love about each? Did your cross-genre experience inform how you developed this story?
4. This is the second Luke Steele novel. Had you originally envisioned this as a series? Can the books be read out of sequence or as stand-alones? 
5. In this story, Luke Steele is once again paired with a female FBI Special Agent. How did you develop that character and their relationship?
6. This novel includes an international element. What inspired you to take the intrigue from Washington, DC to Istanbul? 
7. You took the photo (at the cistern in Istanbul) that graces the cover of Victim #8. What can you tell us about that trip (that included Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia) and your experiences as an international traveler?