What is the title of your latest release?
VICTIM #8
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Military aide Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner go undercover once again to unravel a string of murders that may be tied to a nuclear threat capable of igniting a war.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
My main characters both work in Washington, DC, so that setting was a natural fit. The international element that occurs in Istanbul, Turkey came from a visit I made there while on my way home from Singapore. I fell in love with the city, and I loved the idea of being able to bring that part of the world more to the forefront of a suspense novel.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely. Amberlyn Reiner has her flaws, but she is the type of person who would definitely make a good friend.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Loyal, honest, protective.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Serial killers are not common in Turkey. Because of this, I used an actual case as the basis for one of the villains to lend authenticity to the story.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I generally just push through the first draft and edit afterward, but there are moments when I feel like I need a reminder about what I’ve already written. When that happens, I’ll read through my previous pages and do a light edit as I go.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
So many choices, but probably one of my favorites are crepes, both sweet and savory.
Describe your writing space/office!
Believe it or not, my favorite place to write is on my treadmill. I walk while writing about a third to half of every book. Beyond that, I have an office in my home, but I’m just as likely to write while on a plane, sitting at the kitchen table, or in a dentist’s office. Basically, anyplace where I can carry my laptop or word processor is fair game for a workspace.
Who is an author you admire?
This is such a hard question to answer because there are so many talented authors I admire. The two who come to mind in this moment are Brad Thor and Hank Philippi Ryan. Both of them are not only accomplished authors, but I appreciate how they both go out of their way to support others on their writing journeys.
Is there a book that changed your life?
The book that always comes to mind is Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. His story gave me a new appreciation to both the importance of education and the lengths people will go to gain new knowledge, but also a desire to always be a person who is a positive, contributing member to the society in which I live.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I had resubmitted my first manuscript to a publisher after some significant revisions, and I received a phone call from the managing editor. At first, I thought she simply had some clarifying information she might need regarding my submission, but instead I learned my book was being accepted for publication. Thank goodness I was already sitting down!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Even though I write suspense and thrillers and enjoy reading them, my go to is usually historical romance or sweet contemporary romance.
What’s your favorite movie?
While You Were Sleeping
What is your favorite season?
Fall. I love the watching the leaves change colors.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
It’s usually pretty low key, just a dinner out with my husband.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
A Kingdom to Claim by Sian Ann Bessey. I think this might be her best book yet, and that’s saying something.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
French
What do you do when you have free time?
Free time rarely happens for me, but my favorite pursuits are traveling and spending time with my family, usually playing board games and chasing around grandchildren.
What can readers expect from you next?
STAGED EVIDENCE, the second in my Pen & Dagger series will release in April 2026.
VICTIM #8 by Traci Hunter Abramson
Luke Steele
Military aide Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner go undercover once again to unravel a string of murders that may be tied to a nuclear threat capable of igniting a war.
Military aide Luke Steele grapples with self-doubt after a tragic loss during his last mission. 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 eighth 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 the 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.
Thriller Political [Shadow Mountain, On Sale: October 7, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781639934348 / eISBN: 9781649334695]
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About Traci Hunter Abramson
Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children’s teenage years. She loves to travel and recently retired after twenty-six years coaching her local high school swim team. She has written forty-five best-selling novels and is an eight-time Whitney Award winner, including 2017 and 2019 Best Novel of the Year.
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