Spotlight & Giveaway: Death Watch by Carol Light

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Carol Light to HJ!

Hi Carol and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Death Watch!

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

In Death Watch, Tim Birch faces his biggest problem yet as the new police chief in
Crossroads, Arkansas, when his youngest deputy dies from an accidental exposure to
fentanyl at a routine traffic stop. With his team grieving, Tim is determined to track down
whoever is responsible for selling the deadly drugs to the young people in the area.
Jana Nance returns to Crossroads to be near her dying grandmother. A widow with two
grown but still needy daughters, Jana accepts the newly created position of tourism
director for the town not realizing her boss is her old high school nemesis. When she and
her committee discover the body of her godson, Eli, in a deer stand at the town’s new
park site, Jana is convinced his death was murder, not suicide. But a stash of drugs is
found with his body. Had Eli been selling the drugs? Or, was there another reason for him
to be silenced?
As Tim tracks the source of the fentanyl and Eli’s killer, he realizes not everyone on his
team wants him to succeed. Jana, too, is determined to prove herself, but her actions to
keep the park development on schedule have unintended consequences, some of them
deadly. Like her grandmother, Jana’s days may be numbered—unless Eli’s killer is
caught before she becomes the next victim.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

Jana’s grandmother, Nana Sue, is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. During Jana’s
visits, Nana mistakes her for women from her past. Here’s how Jana sees her mental
state:

It was as if her brain had shuffled all her memories and scattered them like a deck of
cards in a game of fifty-two pickup. She was still convinced that Nana—the grandmother
she knew—was somewhere in the resulting chaos of her mind.
I also like this memory Tim has of how his father talked to him as a boy:
He was also careful to use words Tim understood when they were together. When he’d
cut himself opening a Lego package or found the trash can tipped over and garbage
scattered on the street, he’d say, “Son of a bee!” for example. Tim knew that meant his
father was really angry. He knew how much bee stings hurt.

What inspired this book?

I was interested in writing about a female protagonist who was more mature in age. Jana
is forty-eight, and she’s had important life experiences, including the loss of her mother
as a teenager, marriage, childbirth and raising two daughters, the death of her husband,
and disappointment in her career. She’s ripe for a change and a fresh start in life, and, to
her surprise, she finds it in this unlikely place.

I was also excited about returning to the community in Southern Arkansas I created in
Deadly Inheritance, the first Southern Secrets mystery. Crossroads is similar to the town
where my grandparents lived that inspired this series. It’s fun to revisit a place that was
dear to me in childhood.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

Jana Nance is a natural caregiver and an energetic woman who likes helping people. She
overcomes obstacles and stays positive, and she’s had lots of experience doing that. She’s
also creative. Working in tourism has been her career, so when her ideas weren’t being
appreciated in Indiana, she knew it was time to find a new challenge. Fortunately, the
newly created job of tourism director in Crossroads, Arkansas, also offers her the chance
to be near her grandmother, who’s living in a nursing home. Unfortunately, Jana has
some bad memories from high school that she attributes to Deeann Donahue, who’s now
her new boss and the town’s mayor. I was surprised at how tightly Jana wanted to hold
onto her teenaged assumptions about Deeann, but I think readers will identify with her
insecurities and the difficulty she has in reconciling her past experiences with her present
need to make this relationship work.
Tim Birch has been police chief of Crossroads for less than a year, and he’s still working
on winning the trust of the older officers on his team. A single father, Tim is finding his
work responsibilities encroaching on his time with his young son. The police force is
short-staffed, especially after one of his officers dies, and Tim can’t afford to sit in his
new office doing paperwork or keep regular hours. Fortunately, Tim has lived in
Crossroads all his life and knows many of the people he serves. His leadership and
detective skills make him the right man for the job of chief, as long as he can keep his
officers safe on the streets and root out any who may be sabotaging him.
I create character sketches for my protagonists before I begin writing. I also find a photo
online of how I picture each of them. Jana made me think creatively in solving the
problems she had to overcome as the tourism director tasked with planning a new park.
WWJD (what would Jana do) pushed me to make her character more assertive than I was
at that stage in my life!
As for Tim, he was an important character in the first book of the series, Deadly
Inheritance. I have a good sense of who he is at this point. I’ve put him under more
pressure in this book, so some sharper—and softer—edges emerge.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I always enjoy writing action scenes, but this scene makes me smile and brings back
many good memories of times spent with my Arkansas family. Newly arrived in town,
Jana is walking in the city park, which has a small zoo and a path around a pond. She
encounters a jogger who will become a good friend. And yes, there is a romance in this
story!

The cry of a peacock startled her out of her reverie. The city had a small zoo in
the park, and occasionally, a male peacock would air his gorgeous feathers, which had
never failed to make her feel like Mother Nature was bestowing a gift especially for
her—and anyone else who happened to see it.
“Showing off the wonders.”
The jogger who’d just passed her stopped and turned around. “Excuse me?”
He was around her age, late forties or early fifties, judging by the lines around his
eyes and graying hair. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt on a body that suggested he
did more than run to stay in shape.
Oh god. Did he think she was talking about him?
“I, um, I was thinking about Mother Nature.” Her cheeks were hot. “She shows
off her wonders, like peacocks spreading their feathers. Or rainbows,” she finished
lamely.
He cocked his head. “Peacocks, sure. I haven’t seen a rainbow in a while. Have
you?”
“No, it’s been a while. It was just an example—the first that came to mind, after
peacocks that is. I guess because of the beautiful colors.” This was ridiculous. She stuck
out her hand. “Jana Nance.”
He grinned, probably accustomed to women acting like tongue-tangled idiots
around him. “Clay Bailey. Nice to meet you.” He released her hand. “It’s a beautiful spot.
Underutilized, but that’s ideal for those of us who come here to exercise.”
“Is it always this quiet? It’s such a beautiful park. I used to come here to the zoo
with my grandparents. Back then, the big attraction was a three-legged alligator, but
someone told me he’d frozen to death.”
Clay’s mouth opened and then closed. To her surprise, he burst out laughing.
“Sorry. I’m just having trouble imagining that happening here. Maybe because it’s
August and the heat index is in triple digits this week.”
“I suppose someone could have been pulling my leg.”
He laughed again. “Maybe that’s what happened to the gator.”
She grinned despite herself. “Come to think of it, my uncle might have told me
that story. He also said the pond here was half its current size before he and his buddies
started throwing beer bottles in it when they were younger.” She’d also believed that
story since Uncle Jasper was an alcoholic.
“He sounds like a character.”
“I suspect he was then. He lives up in Jonesboro, sober for almost twenty years.”
“That’s good.” His cell phone rang. “I have to take this call. Nice to meet you,
Jana Nance. You’d better keep moving to avoid freezing to death.”
“Very funny.” She wasn’t sure he’d heard her as he was already answering his
call, but he raised his arm and waved without looking back.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The most difficult scene to write was when Tim Birch, driving home from work, sees a
patrol officer’s vehicle parked on the side of the road behind a car she’s apparently pulled
over. No one is visible, so Tim stops to see what’s going on.
Two people lay in the grass. The young man was moaning, his head turning
restlessly, but the woman, dressed in her Crossroads PD uniform, lay still, her eyes
closed. A white Narcan dispenser lay just beyond her fingertips as if it had fallen out of
her grasp. The carton lay open next to the male victim.

“Josie!” He reached out to check to see if she was breathing and then remembered
their recent training about fentanyl and other even more dangerous drugs starting to
appear around the country. If that’s what this was, he wouldn’t help her by going down
himself due to an accidental exposure.
But seconds counted. The Narcan package she’d opened near the male victim held
an unused second dose. He freed it from the package. Tilting her head back, he
administered the nasal spray to his deputy, hoping he wasn’t too late.
“Come on, Josie!”
There was no noticeable change. She needed another dose.
Scrambling to his feet, he hurried to his SUV and grabbed his kit. Keeping his
voice as calm as he could, he called in for paramedics as he tugged on a pair of gloves.
“Dispatching an ambulance now, Chief,” the operator said. “Do you have Narcan?
It sounds like your officer may have been exposed to fentanyl.”
“Affirmative. One dose administered.”
“Is she breathing, Chief?” the dispatcher asked. “If she isn’t, you’ll need to do
CPR. Be sure to—”
He didn’t wait for her to finish.
Josie’s face was as pale as the moon, her lips dark. Oh god—he couldn’t lose her.
“Come on, Josie,” he urged, beginning chest compressions.
Her rib cage seemed so small, not at all like the overweight man he’d resuscitated
two years ago. He pressed as hard as he dared, afraid to break her ribs. He counted to
himself to set a steady pace and not think of the outcome he feared. “Breathe, Josie,
breathe!”
The young man moaned louder, but Tim wasn’t about to stop. Fortunately for
both of them, the guy rolled to his side just before he vomited, probably saving his sorry
ass from choking.
Josie’s heart-shaped face was deathly still. Her lips had darkened into a dusky
purple. Tim pumped harder, willing air into her lungs, her brain.
He wasn’t sure how long it was before he heard the sound of a heavy vehicle.
Flashing red lights confirmed the arrival of the paramedics.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

I think it showcases my style, although I’m always attempting to improve my writing.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

I hope readers will admire Jana. She refused to stay stuck in a job where she probably
wasn’t going to be promoted and in midlife made a major move. She also sees the value
in being part of a community and helping to make it better.
Many small towns are fighting for their existence in our increasingly urban society. It
takes people like Jana, Tim, and the others in this series to work together to keep their
community thriving. I’ve tried to portray a hopeful future for Crossroads and towns like it
in this series. Of course, my books are mysteries, so there are crimes to be solved…

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I’m currently working on the third book in the Southern Secrets trilogy, Fatal Silence, to
be released in March 2026. The female protagonist is a young woman who has grown up
in Crossroads and has known Chief Tim Birch all her life. When she becomes the victim
of a crime, Tim’s protective instincts kick in, but he’s also busy solving a murder.
Many of the characters from the first two books return, including Merritt Quinn and Jana
Nance. Reporter Jack Huddleston is still obsessed with the illegal dumping of toxins in a
local pond and mending his relationship with Tim. But it’s Cal Kinney who uncovers a
criminal conspiracy that will shake the town to its foundation.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

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Excerpt from Death Watch:

Chapter One

Tim Birch hoped there were leftovers at home, maybe some more of that beef stew Aunt Becky had cooked up two nights ago. Sure would go well with a piece of her corn bread. He’d be lucky. Audra, Becky’s sister and a retired nurse who hated to cook, was staying with his six-year-old son Adam tonight. She’d practically salivated when he’d mentioned Becky’s leftovers in the fridge this morning.

If he’d been home in time for supper, he might have had a chance, but there was too much work this week at the station with several officers taking a late-summer vacation before school started. As police chief, he was helping out where he could so no one else resigned. As it was, he had three patrol officer vacancies going unfilled for the third month in a row. There hadn’t even been a nibble of interest. Another retirement or resignation or a flu epidemic and they’d really be hurting. He could advertise again through the state universities’ job boards. The town couldn’t offer the salary and benefits the larger cities offered, but Crossroads wasn’t a bad place to live.

Ahead, red lights from one of the patrol units flashed at the side of Cypress. Tim slowed. The driver’s door of the Kia sedan parked in front of the police vehicle was open, but both vehicles appeared to be unoccupied.

Edging forward past the civilian car, he watched for movement in the dark yard beyond. There hadn’t been a radio call about a pursuit. He passed the front of the civilian car.

“Shit!” Tim whipped over to the side of the street and jumped out.

Two people lay in the grass. The young man was moaning, his head turning restlessly, but the woman, dressed in her Crossroads PD uniform, lay still, her eyes closed. A white Narcan dispenser lay just beyond her fingertips as if it had fallen out of her grasp. The carton lay open next to the male victim.

“Josie!” He reached out to check to see if she was breathing and then remembered their recent training about fentanyl and other even more dangerous drugs starting to appear around the country. If that’s what this was, he wouldn’t help her by going down himself due to an accidental exposure.

But seconds counted. The Narcan package she’d opened near the male victim had an unused second dose. He freed it from the package. Tilting her head back, he administered the nasal spray to his deputy, hoping he wasn’t too late.

“Come on, Josie!”

There was no noticeable change. She needed another dose.

Scrambling to his feet, he hurried to his SUV and grabbed his kit. Keeping his voice as calm as he could, he called in for paramedics as he tugged on a pair of gloves.

“Dispatching an ambulance now, Chief,” the operator said. “Do you have Narcan? It sounds like your officer may have been exposed to fentanyl.”

“Affirmative. One dose administered.”

“Is she breathing, Chief?” the dispatcher asked. “If she isn’t, you’ll need to do CPR. Be sure to—”

He didn’t wait for her to finish.

Josie’s face was as pale as the moon, her lips dark. Oh god—he couldn’t lose her. “Come on, Josie,” he urged, beginning chest compressions.

Her rib cage seemed so small, not at all like the overweight man he’d resuscitated two years ago. He pressed as hard as he dared, afraid to break her ribs. He counted to himself to set a steady pace and not think of the outcome he feared. “Breathe, Josie, breathe!”

The young man moaned louder, but Tim wasn’t about to stop. Fortunately for both of them, the guy rolled to his side just before he vomited, probably saving his sorry ass from choking.

Josie’s heart-shaped face was deathly still. Her lips had darkened into a dusky purple. Tim pumped harder, willing air into her lungs, her brain.

He wasn’t sure how long it was before he heard the sound of a heavy vehicle. Flashing red lights confirmed the arrival of the paramedics. The first one to jump out was his best friend, Curt McMillan.

“Fentanyl?” Curt said snapping on gloves.

“I think so.”

Curt knelt beside him and told him to stop compressions. He felt Josie’s wrist for a pulse.

Tim waited, hardly daring to breathe.

Curt’s lips tightened. “Was she like this when you found her?”

“Yeah. I gave her a dose of Narcan.”

“Any response? Did she gasp or move?”

“No.”

“We’ll try shocking her.” He rose.

Tim resumed compressions.

“Chief,” called the other paramedic, an older guy named Mike. “How many doses has this guy had?”

“Just one, I think. I gave the second dose in the open package to Josie.”

The interruption had caused him to lose his rhythm. Please breathe, Josie. You’ve got to stay with us!

Curt placed a defibrillator on the ground and opened it. Tim stopped long enough to jerk Josie’s T-shirt up and expose her chest. He continued CPR as Curt applied the pads on either side of his hands.

“Stop compressions.” Curt squeezed his shoulder. “You’re going to need to stand back.”

Tim moved out of the way. Curt tried several shocks.

There was no response.

Curt removed the pads and lowered Josie’s shirt. “We’ve got to transport these two now.”

Tim prepared to resume compressions, but Curt stopped him. “You’ve done all you can here. Doc needs to see them. Come on. Let’s get her on a gurney.”

Mike already had his patient ready to load into the ambulance. Disoriented and agitated, the guy was shouting about needing to go home. Soon both victims were inside.

“Josie?” The owner of the deep voice jostled Tim aside.

“Out of the way.” Tim grabbed him and jerked him back. It was enough to allow Curt to shut the doors.

“Is she okay?” Sergeant Ed Robbins demanded. He had twenty years and about as many pounds on Tim, all muscle. He wasn’t in uniform. Someone must have called him about Josie.

“They need to get her to the clinic. Looks like she’s been exposed to fentanyl.”

“Goddammit!” He shook off Tim’s grasp as the ambulance started. “I told you she wasn’t ready to go solo.”

For a moment Tim was certain he was about to be punched. A struggle played out in the usually stoic sergeant’s face as they stared each other down. Go ahead, Tim wanted to urge him. Instead, training—much of it provided by the man squared off against him—kicked in. “She needs you, Sarge,” he said in a firm voice. “Go to the clinic. Let her parents know too.”

Rollins glared at him a moment longer. His fists were still clenched at his side as he stalked toward the street where his motorcycle was parked. He kicked the stand up and roared off.

And then Tim was alone on the scene.

He peered into the opened door of the Kia. A baggie containing blue tablets lay on the passenger seat. Grabbing an evidence bag from his utility belt, he secured the drugs after snapping a photo of them as they’d been found. He didn’t want anyone else finding them or touching them.

Fentanyl in Crossroads. They’d had the first overdoses last weekend. Four kids about to start their senior year of high school had scored some similar-looking pills laced with the powerful opioid. They’d chosen to party at a vacant house that fortunately had an observant neighbor who’d seen them go inside and called the police. By the time an officer had arrived, three of them were already unconscious. The fourth kid, who’d brought a bottle of vodka, was texting on his phone, oblivious to the life-and-death crisis his friends were in. Fortunately, the dose had been small enough and the Narcan administered quickly enough to save their lives.

Josie hadn’t been so lucky. If he’d left work a little earlier or listened to Sarge about her readiness for patrol on her own, she might have had at least a fighting chance. Tim swore, furious with himself. He’d been so sure Sarge was just being overprotective. Officer Josephine Rollins was his niece.

Illegal drugs weren’t new to Crossroads, but fentanyl? One of their local dealers was now selling a deadlier poison or there was a new player in town. Either way, someone had just declared war.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

A dangerous killer is hunting for more than deer in this southern forest…

New police chief Tim Birch is too late on the scene to save his youngest officer from fentanyl exposure at a routine traffic stop, and the grief cuts deep into his department. Someone is trafficking dangerous pills in Crossroads, Arkansas.

Jana Nance has returned home to steer the town’s tourism and be close to her dying grandmother. But when she and her committee visit lakefront property designated to become a park, they discover the body of her godson, Eli Carson, fatally shot in a deer stand. Jana is convinced it’s murder and not suicide.

She might be on to something. Fentanyl pills were found with Eli’s body, but was he a victim or the dealer? Unfortunately, not everyone on Tim’s team wants him to uncover that answer.

It’s Jana’s job to bring change to Crossroads, and she’s determined to succeed—even though her plans threaten a lucrative illegal activity. Unless Eli’s killer is caught, Jana’s death watch may be her own.

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Meet the Author:

Carol Light is an avid reader and writer of mysteries. She loves creating amateur sleuths and complicating their normal lives with a crime that they must use their talents and wits to solve. She’s traveled worldwide and lived in Australia for eight years, teaching high school English and learning to speak “Strine.” Florida is now her home. If she’s not at the beach or writing, you can find her tackling quilting in much the same way that she figures out her mysteries—piece by piece, clue by clue. You can also follow me on BlueSky.
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