The books in Irene Hannon’s Men of Valor suspense series are linked because the main characters are brothers, but each can be read as stand-alone stories. Her latest volume in the set is Tangled Webs (Revell).
What is Tangled Webs like?
Fans of Alfred Hitchcock’s brand of psychological suspense will enjoy this one, which features a villain who is a good man caught in a web of deceit that gradually tightens, and a hero and heroine who are pretty much left on their own to figure out how to stay alive.
Some suspense authors fall into the action/adventure category akin to a James Bond movie, but I’m firmly in the Alfred Hitchcock camp, with tension ratcheting up throughout the book until it builds to an explosive climax—often literally!
How does Tangled Webs differ from the first two books in the Men of Valor series?
Since there are no job-related impediments to romance in this book, that element is a bit more front and center than in the previous two novels in the series. The villain is also completely different. In a lot of ways, I think readers will sympathize with his plight, if not his choices.
What elements of the first two books in the series can we expect to reappear in Tangled Webs?
Lots of fun repartee between the brothers, some very high-action moments, an ongoing threat of danger snaking through the entire book, a heartwarming love story, and a riveting climax.
Tangled Webs is a balance of romance and suspense; which aspect is easier for you to write?
I enjoy writing both—but neither is easy! It takes a lot of hard work to create both—and then to weave those elements together in a way that comes across as smooth and effortless to readers.
In what ways would you say your faith is worked into the book?
Faith is organic to all my stories, as I write from a Christian worldview. I don’t “work it into” my stories. It’s portrayed naturally in the way my characters act and react, so more often than not it’s a subtle element communicated through action rather than words.
What theme(s) do you hope readers will take away from Tangled Webs?
The importance of carefully considering the big choices in our lives—and the far-reaching consequences of those choices. I also hope readers finish the book with a sense of hope that no matter how tough life gets, a happy ending is always possible.
Should we expect to see more suspense novels from you in the future?
Absolutely! My next suspense series, Code of Honor, will debut in fall 2017. In the meantime, I’ll take readers back to my charming seaside town of Hope Harbor next spring with Sandpiper Cove.