This week, I’m shining the spotlight on DEADLY CHARADE by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood, the thrilling first book in their brand-new series, FBI NEW RECRUITS. Packed with danger, intrigue, romance, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat suspense, the story follows three women fresh out of FBI training and ready to make their mark. If you love romantic suspense with strong friendships, unexpected twists, and characters who find themselves in plenty of trouble, this one’s for you. Read on!
LIGHTNING ROUND
What’s your favorite way to spend an autumn afternoon?
I (Kelly) live in Florida – what is autumn? I do love to be outside, whether it’s the dog park or a farmer’s market. Just having the temperature drop from mega-hot to not-quite-as-hot is exciting. Florida comes alive from Oct-March, and then we reverse hibernate for the summer.
What’s your go-to fall drink, snack, or sweet treat while writing?
I do love coffee and lattes. And I’m a fan of pumpkin spice, but not in my latte. You’d think I like it as a combination, but I’m not a fan of flavored coffee.
THE FALL INSPIRATION
What was the very first spark that inspired this story?
I love the TV show The Rookie. The fish-out-of-water day-one-on-the-job concept made me think about how we all have experienced that at one point in our lives. So, Lynette and I created a concept for the FBI New Recruit series about three women who just graduate the basic field training course with the FBI and are new in their respective fields. They made it through training together and still help each other out on and off the job through their strong friendship.
Tell us about a scene that changed dramatically between your first draft and the final manuscript. What led to the revision?
The first draft and the final never look the same! We did have a prologue that was set in the past that didn’t make it to the final version. It just didn’t serve to enhance the story, and so we jumped in with present day. All revisions help to fine-tune the manuscript to make the story flow, so sometimes scenes look very different from start to finish.
Did any character unexpectedly take the story in a direction you hadn’t planned?
I think the hero and heroine’s journeys came together as Kira and Bryce had similar pasts without knowing it. They thought they were very different people (opposites attract) but by the end, the two shared a lot of the same trials, grief, and rejection in their pasts that brought them closer together in the end. They could relate well to each other. But I thought they were total opposites at first!
Your setting feels like a character in its own right. What inspired you to choose it, and how does it shape the story?
This book is a little unique because it takes place in the big city and in a small, mountain town. There’s a really big contrast between the two settings. At times, it’s the hustle and bustle of Washington DC with lots of restaurants and traffic. And other times the main characters crash a small-town parade. It was really fun to explore both in one book!
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Can you share a behind-the-scenes fact about writing this book together that readers may find surprising?
A lot of people want to know what it’s like to be a coauthor. Lynette has been my mentor for many years now, and our writing styles are very similar. When the opportunity came up to work with her again, I was so excited. We both met to brainstorm and plot the story. Then I wrote the first draft. Lynette gave her input – what worked, what didn’t work, and suggested revisions. I then got to work finishing the draft. It’s great to have her because if I get stuck or if I know something’s not working, she’s just a Facetime call away. Sometimes writing is such a singular process that it’s nice to have Lynette’s expertise to help me dig out of those unexpected plot holes.
Fall is the perfect season to curl up with a great book. What’s currently at the top of your TBR pile?
So many great Fall new releases to choose from! I do love suspense, so FATAL PATTERN by Kate Angelo and HIGH EXPOSURE from Kelly Borjas have been two of my favorites. Right now I’m reading Darlene Turner’s COORDINATES OF DEATH. If you like stories with serial killers (especially for a Halloween vibe) this one would be a good pick. Next on my list is from the dynamic coauthoring duo of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker – SHE WILL END THIS. I love their collaboration!
If readers could step into one scene from your book for a day, which would you choose and why?
I write suspense. There is danger on every page! But I think I’d want readers to step into the very end of the story, when the bad guys are caught and the hero and heroine make an amazing discovery (no spoilers). That scene would be lifechanging to see in real life.
LOOKING AHEAD
Can you give readers a sneak peek at what you’re working on next—without giving away any spoilers?
Book two and three in the FBI New Recruits series! Readers will get to meet Kira’s besties. Violet Bancroft will get her story in book two. She reunites with her ex-fiancé under some very stressful circumstances. They aren’t on good terms, since she left him the night before her wedding.
Where can readers connect with you and stay up to date on your latest books? Please share your website, newsletter, and social media links.
Author Website, Instagram, Facebook
BONUS: The Author’s Playlist
Share 3–5 songs that capture the mood of your book or inspired you while writing.
The theme song to the Indiana Jones movies kept rolling through my mind in a few of the scenes!
DEADLY CHARADE by Lynette Eason, Kelly Underwood
Narrator: Cynthia Farrell
FBI New Recruits #1
One wrong move and their cover is blown. So their charade sparking real feelings is the last twist they can afford.
Special Agent Kira Miller’s new career at the FBI has started‑‑in translations. It’s not the opportunity she was hoping for to show off her skills, until she detects a lead in some paperwork. Now assigned an undercover role, she’s in her element as she gathers intel on an art smuggling ring. She’s daunted not by the mission but by her cover‑‑posing as a married woman to the fake husband she met less than twenty‑four hours earlier.
Special Agent Bryce Lambert’s assignment to go undercover as a newlywed couple with Kira has the two of them moving next door to the prime suspects, and a relationship is the last thing he wants, fake or real. With secret auctions and hidden treasures, there’s plenty to keep them busy‑‑if only they can play the part their lives and careers depend upon while keeping their own hearts in check.
Romantic suspense novelists Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood collaborate in this fast‑paced, clean thriller delivering fake‑dating tension, forced proximity, and FBI intrigue‑‑perfect for fans of Elizabeth Goddard, Irene Hannon, Dani Pettrey, and edge‑of‑your‑seat reads.
Mystery Police Procedural | Romance Suspense | Christian Romance [ Revell, On Sale: October 27, 2026, Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9780800747640 / eISBN: 9781493455539 ]
Buy DEADLY CHARADE: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Libro.fm | Audible | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Lynette Eason
Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty books.
Her books have appeared on the USA TODAY, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. She has won numerous awards including the Carol, the Selah, the Golden Scroll and more. Her novel, Her Stolen Past was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network.
Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), International Thriller Writers (ITW), and Faith, Hope, and Love.
Wrangler’s Corner | Elite Guardians | Blue Justice | Classified K-9 Unit | Danger Never Sleeps | Extreme Measures | Deadly Reunions | Lake City Heroes
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB | AMAZON | BLOG
About Kelly Underwood
Kelly Underwood’s favorite things are reading, writing, and drinking coffee. She was born in New Hampshire, but don’t ask her about snow, because she’s been a Florida girl since she was twelve. Her debut novel with Sunrise Publishing gave Kelly the incredible opportunity to work with Lynette Eason as her mentor and lead author. Defending Honor, part of the Elite Guardians series, was published in October 2022 and earned third place in the Selah Awards and was a finalist in the Carol Awards. Since then, Kelly has continued to captivate readers with multiple romantic suspense novels.
Beyond writing, Kelly shares her love of reading through her blog, Best in Suspense. She also served as the 2024 and 2025 president for the Central Florida chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not plotting twists and turns for her next novel, you’ll find her out and about with her therapy dog—a feisty golden retriever named Maizie—bringing joy to everyone from children to senior citizens. She also loves traveling and has recently fallen in love with Ireland and Scotland—maybe you’ll see these settings as the backdrop to one of her future novels.
Kelly is a sucker for a good suspense novel, the kind you must read cover-to-cover until the mystery is solved and the bad guys are in handcuffs. If you’re looking for her, she’s probably on her back patio with Maizie, a Kindle in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | AMAZON
About Jennifer Vido
Jennifer Vido is the award-winning author of the Gull Island series, a collection of sweet Lowcountry romances inspired by her love of coastal living and small-town charm. Her debut novel, Serendipity by the Sea, won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. Jennifer has been named Baltimore Magazine’s Best Local Author for three consecutive years (2024–2026) and was named The Baltimore Sun’s Best Author in its 2026 Best of Readers’ Choice Awards. When she’s not writing romance, Jennifer shares her love of books through her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, where she spotlights exciting new releases and talented authors.
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