Raymond Benson

“In the Hush of the Night” May 15, 2018!

Raymond’s new thriller, IN THE HUSH OF THE NIGHT, will be published by Skyhorse Publishing on May 15, 2018!

From the New York Times bestselling author and former James Bond novelist comes a gritty, riveting tale of modern crime, featuring a female FBI agent embroiled in a Russian human trafficking case.

Chicago Special Agent Annie Marino examines the case of a dead young woman who possesses a tattoo Annie has come across before―that of bloody bear claws. Several deceased women with the tattoo have turned up over the past few years, all suspected of being involved in a vast human trafficking operation.

Annie’s neighborhood friend, Jason Ward, is a young writer engaged to be married into an upper-class family from a posh Chicago suburb. Jason believes his future brother-in-law, a war veteran, is definitely a bully―but does he also have ties to the Russian mob?

Yana Kravec, a woman from St. Petersburg, Russia, has been fraudulently lured into a trafficking scheme and thrown into a horrid and seemingly hopeless situation. She is, however, determined to fight back and escape her captors.

Annie’s investigation eventually uncovers a sordid plot of procuring slaves overseas and marketing them in the US. Her interests soon coincide with those of Jason and Yana, bringing the trio together to fight against a deadly network of criminals. As the separate lives of these characters collide, their paths ultimately converge in a night of terror and survival in a Michigan forest, where they become the prey of evil men who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

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“Bringing to light the often-hidden underbelly of human trafficking crimes, Benson spins a riveting, suspenseful narrative that is as much a cat-and-mouse procedural as it is an exploration of the victim’s humanity. The FBI detail is impressively realistic and the dynamic Special Agent, Annie Marino, is terrific!”
―John Douglas, former Chief of FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and co-author of Mindhunter, the basis for the Netflix television series

“With can’t-stop-reading suspense, In the Hush of the Night splits open an ugly international criminal underworld that includes Russia’s vicious FSB. Rich with details, this insider thriller has far-reaching tentacles that FBI Special Agent Annie Marino pulls together through a joint operation of the FBI, ICE, local police, and sheriff organizations across six states. Turn on your reading light and settle in for an exciting ride.”
―Gayle Lynds, New York Times-bestselling author of The Assassins

“Chilling and laced with menace, In the Hush of the Night deftly tackles a horrifying, timely, and too-often-overlooked crime of our day. Annie Marino is a great character, and the author’s knowledge of the underworld is more than a little frightening. If you’re not reading Raymond Benson, you’re missing out.”
―Marcus Sakey, author of the bestselling Brilliance Trilogy and Afterlife

“A gritty, realistic story of human trafficking that introduces Annie Marino, an FBI agent unafraid to work the toughest cases. Benson’s stellar novel In the Hush of the Night twists and turns to the explosive and satisfying ending. You’ll want to hear more from Annie Marino.”
―Jamie Freveletti, internationally bestselling author of Blood Run

“In the Hush of the Night sucked me in and kept me glued to the page. Raymond Benson’s book is an intense and frighteningly authentic portrayal of the harrowing experiences inflicted on human trafficking victims by the depraved men who prey upon them for profit and twisted pleasure. FBI Special Agent Annie Marino’s compassion, strength, and dedication to the pursuit of justice for these women makes her exactly the kind of realistic hero readers crave. A captivating story that will stay with you long after you reach the end.”
―Diane Capri, New York Times- and USA Today-bestselling author of The Hunt for Jack Reacher series

You can pre-order the hardcover, e-book, and audiobook from the link on the Fiction page.

“Secrets on Chicory Lane” $1.99 E-Book Sale!

THE SECRETS ON CHICORY LANE is enjoying a $1.99 #BookBub E-Book Sale for one week only, beginning February 22, 2018! Now’s your chance to pick it up for your e-reader (any platform).

“Benson, a master of suspense, has crafted a story as compelling as any thriller but with a depth of feeling few thrillers achieve. And the ending, I guarantee, will leave you breathless.” –William Kent Krueger, Edgar Award Winning Author of “Ordinary Grace”

Here are links to some retailers:
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook

Spread the word!

“Torment–A Love Story” now in Trade Paperback!

Raymond’s 2011 ghost story/horror novel, “TORMENT–A LOVE STORY” (previously only available in English as an e-book and audiobook, and in print in Italy), is now available as a trade paperback from Crossroad Press, available from Amazon! A story of voodoo and obsession delivers thrills and chills… and yes, it’s a love story, too! Order it from the Shop: Fiction page!

“The Secrets on Chicory Lane” is Here!

Raymond’s new stand-alone novel, THE SECRETS ON CHICORY LANE, will be published October 10, 2017, by Skyhorse Publishing (note revised pub date), but it is trickling into stores now. The book is also listed on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Links to retailers can be found here.

Reviews will be posted here as they come in.

Raymond has signing events scheduled for October 4, October 8, and November 5 in the Chicago area, and signed books can be pre-ordered from these outlets as well prior to the appearance date.

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From the New York Times bestselling author comes a new novel of suspense involving a small town neighborhood street where first love, a child abduction, and abuse collide.

Sixty-one-year-old Shelby Truman, a best-selling romance novelist, receives a request to visit her childhood friend, Eddie, who is on Death Row. Though mentally ill, Eddie is scheduled to be executed for murder.

As Shelby travels home to Texas for the unnerving reunion, she steps into the memories of her past, recalling her stormy five-decade-long relationship with Eddie in order to understand what led the beautiful and talented—but troubled—boy who lived across the street to become a killer.

Shelby fears that her flashbacks, whether they occurred in the nearby public park, in their respective houses, or in their “secret hiding place” where they could escape Eddie’s abusive father, might be shocking . Most significant was the tragedy of one summer that set in motion a lifelong struggle against an Evil—with a capital “E”—that corrupted their all-American neighborhood.

With only a few days left for Eddie to live, Shelby braces herself for a reunion that promises to shed light on the traumatic events that transpired on her street, changing everything Shelby thought she knew about the boy on Chicory Lane.

Pre-Order “The Secrets on Chicory Lane”

Raymond’s new stand-alone novel, THE SECRETS ON CHICORY LANE, will be published October 3, 2017, by Skyhorse Publishing. The book is now listed on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for pre-order. Links to retailers can be found here.

Reviews will be posted here as they come in.

Raymond has signing events scheduled for October 4 and October 8 in the Chicago area, and books can be pre-ordered at these outlets as well.

* * *

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a new novel of suspense involving a small town neighborhood street where first love, a child abduction, and abuse collide.

Sixty-one-year-old Shelby Truman, a best-selling romance novelist, receives a request to visit her childhood friend, Eddie, who is on Death Row. Though mentally ill, Eddie is scheduled to be executed for murder.

As Shelby travels home to Texas for the unnerving reunion, she steps into the memories of her past, recalling her stormy five-decade-long relationship with Eddie in order to understand what led the beautiful and talented—but troubled—boy who lived across the street to become a killer.

Shelby fears that her flashbacks, whether they occurred in the nearby public park, in their respective houses, or in their “secret hiding place” where they could escape Eddie’s abusive father, might be shocking . Most significant was the tragedy of one summer that set in motion a lifelong struggle against an Evil—with a capital “E”—that corrupted their all-American neighborhood.

With only a few days left for Eddie to live, Shelby braces herself for a reunion that promises to shed light on the traumatic events that transpired on her street, changing everything Shelby thought she knew about the boy on Chicory Lane.

Black Stiletto E-Books Again On Sale!

Once again! THE BLACK STILETTO: THE COMPLETE SAGA e-book (5 books in 1!) is on sale for $2.99 on Amazon Kindle & KOBO thru July 17! The five individual titles are only 99 cents each. Sandra Brown says about The Black Stiletto: “…one of the most original heroines I’ve read in a long time.” Here’s the Amazon link.

20 Year Anniversary of “Zero Minus Ten”!

It was twenty years ago this month (April 1997) that Raymond’s first James Bond novel was published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton. ZERO MINUS TEN marked the first time an American author assumed the mantle of penning original adult 007 books. It was published in the US in May ’97 by Putnam, and was serialized in Playboy magazine (April and May ’97). The locations include Hong Kong/Kowloon, Macau, China, Australia, England, and Jamaica.

From the jacket flap: “In ten days, Hong Kong will pass into the hands of the Chinese–and 007 is on his way there to undertake his most dangerous and thrilling mission yet. In the Australian desert, a nuclear bomb explodes. There are no survivors, and no clues about who has made it or detonated it. In England, two police officers are shot dead when they apprehend a cargo vessel in Portsmouth dock. Vast quantities of heroin are later found on board. And in Hong Kong, an explosion rips through one of the colony’s famous floating restaurants, killing the entire Board of Directors of EurAsia Enterprises Ltd, a multi-billion dollar shipping corporation. The People’s Republic of China is about to resume control after a century and a half of British rule–and the colony is a powder keg waiting to explode. The tension reaches breaking point when a solicitor from one of Britain’s most prestigious law firms is killed in a car bomb at Government House. These apparently random events are connected–and Bond must find out how and why. From the seedy strip clubs of Kowloon, 007’s investigations bring him into conflict with ruthless Triad gangs, a power-hungry Chinese general–and a beautiful night club hostess called Sunni Pei. All enquiries seem to lead to EurAsia Enterprises Ltd–and its assassinated owner. James Bond is about to come up against one of the most formidable adversaries of his career. A new era of high adventure, intrigue and danger begins for James Bond with Raymond Benson’s eagerly awaited 007 thriller–a story of sensuality and nonstop excitement.”

The novel is currently in print in the trade paperback anthology, CHOICE OF WEAPONS, as an e-book on Amazon Kindle, and as an audiobook. Original print copies of the UK or US hardcover or paperback are often available on Amazon Marketplace and eBay. You can find Amazon links here.

Black Stiletto Complete Saga 99 Cent BookBub Sale!

#BookBub is at it again! For ten days only, March 15 through March 25, 2017, THE BLACK STILETTO: THE COMPLETE SAGA e-book is on sale for only 99 cents. That’s all five books in the serial contained in one e-book! It’s available for Kindle, Nook, and other e-book formats. Here is the link for Amazon Kindle.

Lee Child says, “If the Black Stiletto series is under your radar, there’s something wrong with your radar. This is a five-book sequence of the highest quality, full of thrills and suspense, and fun and humanity, too.”

RB Collection 1/2 Price Sale at Smashwords!

Smashwords, the alternative online source for e-books, is having a half price sale on selected titles beginning March 5 (Sunday) through March 11 (Saturday). During that period, all of the “Essential Raymond Benson Collection” titles published by Crossroad Press will be half price (usually anywhere between $1.50 – $2.00; discount will be applied at checkout)!

You can get the e-books in ANY format (Kindle, Nook, PDF, Sony Reader, etc.).

The Essential Collection includes–
* THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION (classic 1988 edition with a new introduction)
* 12+1: TWELVE SHORT THRILLERS AND A PLAY (anthology of short fiction)
* EVIL HOURS
* FACE BLIND
* SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS
* A HARD DAY’S DEATH
* DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE
* ARTIFACT OF EVIL
* TORMENT–A LOVE STORY

Go to this link. If you’re not a member of Smashwords, it’s free and easy to sign up. SEARCH for “Raymond Benson” or for any of the titles listed above. The sale price should be already listed.

And that’s not all! In a couple of weeks, Amazon will offer THE BLACK STILETTO: THE COMPLETE SAGA (all five books in one e-book) for only 99 cents… but that’s another message. You can be sure a reminder will be posted. 🙂

Short Story Thriller “The MacGuffin” Now Available!

A new short story is now available as an exclusive e-book for Amazon Kindle readers for only 99 cents! “The MacGuffin” is a darkly comic action thriller (originally serialized by HOP.media in 2016 as “The Purple Bag”). Wikipedia defines a MacGuffin as “a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivator that the protagonist pursues, often with little or no narrative explanation.” In this case, the MacGuffin is a purple bag recovered from an airport baggage claim. The CIA, MI6, Middle Eastern operatives, Japanese Intelligence, and the Mafia all want it… but does anyone really know what’s inside? One thing is clear–whoever’s in possession of it won’t have very long to live.

Order it today!… Scroll down to the Short Stories category on the Books/Fiction & Non-Fiction Page!