The Iris Code Book Tour and Author Guest Post
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Book Details
The Iris Code: A Tracker Novel
Crime Thriller
Series: A Stand-Alone Story – Part of the FBI Tracker novels
Setting – Fredericksburg, Texas
Publisher : Mystic Circle Books (June 20, 2024)
Hardcover : 318 pages
ISBN-10 : 1958464066
ISBN-13 : 978-1958464069
Paperback: 318 pages
ISBN-10 : 1958464058
ISBN-13 : 978-1958464052
Digital ASIN : B0CW13NLFS
Local reporter and photographer Riley Phillips stumbles upon the unthinkable during a routine
Human Remains Detection canine training session at an abandoned farm near Fredericksburg,
Texas. When her cadaver dog, Milo, unexpectedly alerts, she makes a chilling discovery—a
corpse with a bullet hole in the skull.
Riley’s nose for news is already twitching, but when the unidentified body is stolen, her
journalistic instincts ignite. Who is determined to keep the victim’s identity a secret—and why?
Could her crime scene photos hold the key? What her camera captured propels the elite FBI
Tracker Unit into action and places her squarely in the crosshairs of a killer. Learning the identity
of the mystery man takes on an ominous urgency.
Can Riley and FBI Tracker Cody Lightfoot uncover the truth before a deadly plot
unfolds—or will they become the next targets?
About Anita Dickason
Award-winning author Anita Dickason writes about what she knows, cops and crime. After
twenty-two years with the Dallas Police Department, Anita has an unending source of inspiration
for her plots. Many incidents and characters are based on her experiences. During her tenure, she
served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, tactical
officer and the first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.
Links:
https://www.anitadickason.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AnitaDickasonAuthor
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-dickason-author-7b6b6650/
https://www.youtube.com/@anauthorsworld
https://www.youtube.com/@bookcinema
Purchase Link – Amazon
Author Anita Dickason Guest Post
From Cop to Author: Why I Write the Books I Do
Growing up, I was an avid reader, drawn to the world of mysteries and investigations. My era
was defined by Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Perry Mason. Anyone
noticing a trend? I was captivated by sleuths unraveling puzzles, a fascination that has followed
me into adulthood and now into retirement. While my love for mysteries remains, my reading
tastes have expanded to include crime thrillers and suspense novels.
But simply reading wasn’t enough to guide me toward the kind of books I now write—that is,
until you consider my background. I spent twenty-two years with the Dallas Police Department,
acquiring extensive knowledge of crime and police procedures. I worked patrol, worked the
streets as an undercover narcotics detective, investigated accidents, and even taught advanced
accident investigation techniques. I also served as a tactical officer and the first female sniper
on the SWAT team.
I write crime thrillers and suspense, occasionally infused with a touch of extraordinary abilities,
and light romance. The challenge with genres is that a story rarely fits neatly into a single box,
and mine certainly doesn’t. But why this niche? Why not science fiction, historical romance, or
any of the dozens of other possibilities? The best answer is simple: I write what I know, cops
and crimes, and what I love to read. I was once asked in an interview how much of me is in my
books. My response. “A whole lot.”
Even with that in mind, I still needed a direction for my characters and plots. Who would they
be and why? In my debut novel, I created an elite team of FBI agents, Trackers. The Trackers
don’t fit the mold of the typical FBI agent, even defying some of the traditions of the Bureau.
Once I had the foundation, I could build on the novels. While each story is a standalone, with a
different agent taking center stage, some characters are common to each book.
This concept has been both challenging and deeply rewarding to write. It allows me to explore
fresh, exhilarating plots, with each book offering unique settings and characters. My lead
characters aren’t confined to the Tracker agents. They include homicide detectives, ATF agents,
police chiefs, sheriffs, private investigators, Interpol agents, and even a reporter/photographer,
as well as a dog. This diversity keeps every story alive, opening the door to new thrills and
unexpected twists.
To date, I’ve written five Tracker novels. Sentinels of the Night, my debut novel, is a hunt for a
serial killer. It weaves in a paranormal twist rooted in a Native American myth.
In Going Gone!, a political thriller, agents and a private investigator, hunted by a merciless gang
of mercenaries, race across Texas to stop a deadly plot against the White House.
Au79, an action thriller, delves into a massive theft of explosives, a missing ATF agent, and gold
owned by Texas’s two largest universities. It spirals to an explosive conclusion.
Operation Navajo, a political thriller, revolves around an assassination plot targeting the
Federal Reserve Chairman. Interpol, the Navajo Code Talkers’ WWII encryption, and a cryptic
message from beyond the grave all play pivotal roles.
The Iris Code, my latest Tracker novel, is a medical thriller. A reporter and her cadaver dog
inadvertently discover a bullet-riddled corpse with a deadly secret. When the body goes
missing, the Tracker unit kicks into high gear to find out why.
My hunt for compelling plots has expanded beyond the Tracker novels, leading me into new
territory. With Not Dead, I ventured into paranormal suspense, inspired by an eerie doll used in
haunted houses.
In Deadly Business, the focus is on cattle rustling in Texas, proving the old West is still alive and
well, to the tune of millions of dollars in stolen cattle. Some outlaw traditions never fade.
While crime thrillers have always been my comfort zone, I decided to take a leap and venture
into cozy mysteries. Shifting to a new genre was a risk, considering my thrillers had won
numerous awards. Operation Navajo was even selected by the editors of Kirkus Review and
published in their magazine as a Great Indie Book Worth Discovering.
Writing a cozy mystery series required an entirely different approach. My thrillers focus on the
crime and how it’s solved, whereas my cozy mystery series centers around the characters and
how the crime impacts their lives. The plot revolves around a young hospice nurse on the run
from a killer in Missouri. Drawn to a small Texas town by a mysterious call about an inheritance,
it seems a safe place to hide. Instead, her inheritance, millions of dollars and a historic mansion,
may not be a blessing. It could become her death warrant.
The success of the Tori Winters Mystery Series has far exceeded my expectations. Deadly
Keepsakes, the first book, became a best-seller in three categories, including cozy mysteries on
Amazon. It was followed by Murder’s Legacy, and my latest release is Murder with Wine.
Writing has become an all-encompassing passion in my retirement, opening doors I never
imagined could exist. But beyond the books and accolades, the friendships I’ve built along the
way have been truly priceless.
My heartfelt thanks for hosting my book.
Anita Dickason
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 16 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
June 16 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 18 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
June 20 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW