Soon to be Released: "DEAD GAME" An Emily Stone Novel by Jennifer Chase

Turn up the sound and enjoy!

While waiting for the release of Author Jennifer Chases's second novel, check out her first novel "Compulsion".

Partners in Serial Murder

In my new novel, Dead Game, Emily Stone is joined by ex-police detective Rick Lopez to hunt down child abductors, pedophiles, and serial killers. This honorable partnership manages to investigate and track these despicable killers, all in anonymity, and then emailing their findings to the local law enforcement agency in charge of the case. This team is driven to save children from the vile evil that lurks in society.

But what would happen if these partners were evil?

The exact opposite effect would be the similar to the couple in England, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, who murdered five children between the ages of 10 and 17 during the 1960s. It was discovered that at least four of the victims were sexually assaulted, throats cut, and bodies buried in a rural area of Saddleworth Moor. This serial killing couple escaped the death penalty because at the time England had abolished it with The Murder Act of 1965.

What prompted this serial killer couple to kill children?

Myra Hindley was called “the most evil woman in Britain” and then was declared criminally insane in 1985. Psychologists described her as “a young woman with a tough personality”. She grew up with a mother and alcoholic father who would beat her regularly as a young child. They lived in extremely poor conditions and Hindley was soon sent to live with her grandmother. At age 17, she took up Judo but had difficulty keeping her anger in check, dyed her hair blonde, and then took a job at an engineering company. She was soon fired from and later obtained a typist position at another company where she would meet Ian Brady.

Ian Brady was the son of an unwed waitress and the identity of his father was never accurately known. As a young child, Brady would take pleasure in torturing animals by breaking legs, setting fire to, and decapitating. The brutality escalated and he was soon hurting smaller children than himself. Before he was 18 years old, Brady would steal, brew alcohol, and threatened another boy with a butcher’s knife. His scrapes with the law continued through most of his youth. Then one day he decided that he wanted to better himself and obtained a set of instruction manuals on bookkeeping from the local library and obtained a clerical job at a wholesale chemical distribution company. He was an avid reader and was infatuated with books on Nazi atrocities.

Hindley and Brady met on the job and then regularly took their breaks together. Their relationship soon turned to dating. Brady gave Hindley reading material from the accounts of Nazi atrocities. It ultimately escalated to talk about “committing the perfect murder”. This couple used an effective modus operandi to stalk and murder their innocent prey. Hindley would drive the car followed by Brady on a motorcycle. Brady would motion to Hindley when he saw a perfect victim. Hindley would give the child a ride and then the murder was sealed. Most victims were sexually assaulted with their throats cut. Their reign of terror lasted from July 1963 to October 1965.

What makes people ultimately commit murder?

There is no easy answer to this question because there are so many things that contribute to criminally deviant behavior: psychological and chemical profile, environment, intelligence, and psychopathic behaviors. As a society, it’s difficult to comprehend these types of heinous crimes, especially against children as illustrated in the Hindley and Brady case.

Again, I feel that it’s important for officials in law enforcement and criminal profilers to study ALL cases involving serial crime and murder. There are definitely distinct patterns of behavior that seem to emerge before such crimes are committed more than just the fact that many criminals have been mistreated as children, abused drugs and alcohol, showed aggressive tendencies toward others, had fantasies of murder, and tortured animals.

There are distinct behavior patterns that develop when these types of individuals are young and even before entering school that need to be addressed along with a more thorough eye on young repeat offenders of theft, burglary, and assault. It’s a difficult road to study and profile such violent people before they become serial killers, but I feel that there are solid answers in young offenders that can shed more light into the mind of an adult serial killer.

Jennifer Chase
Author & Criminologist

The Psychology of Serial Killers is Popular in Movies

The long Thanksgiving weekend is a popular time to make a trip to the neighborhood movie theater with family and friends. Movies like New Moon, The Blind Side, and A Christmas Carol packed audiences into the seats while they digested their turkey and dressing. With movies already on my mind and my natural tendency to find connections with my interest in serial killers and criminal psychology, I thought some of the most popular movies in recent years that have featured murder sprees as well as a strong psychological component. Here are a few that came to mind right away:

1)Silence of the Lambs – This blockbuster movie featured two serial killers, cannibalistic killer and psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter and “Buffalo Bill,” who holds his female victims until they lose enough weight to make their skin useful to his collection. This movie won five Academy awards and gives the phrase “fava beans and a nice chianti” a whole new meaning.

2)American Psycho – Based on a book by Bret Easton Ellis, this movie starred Christian Bale in a role much less heroic than his current stint as Batman. Bale plays Patrick Bateman, a successful investment banker by day and a rapist, cannibal, and murderer by night. The film offered a disturbed insight into the mind of a psychopath.

3.Seven – A serial killer, played by Kevin Spacey, forces each of his victims to die by acting out one of the deadly sins. The entire movie is gray with rain seemingly a constant presence, which adds to the drama. Even the famously beautiful face of Brad Pitt is not enough to keep this movie from being chilling and haunting.

Those are just three examples of films that focus on the psychological horror behind serial killers.

What are some other movies that come to your mind in this genre? Why were they so powerful to you?

Please share your thoughts!

A Brief Look Into "Dead Game" -- Chapter One Excerpt

Chapter One
Tuesday 23:00 Hours

The cold Monterey Bay quickly surrounded her petite body as she eased herself further into its icy grip. She unconsciously took a deep cleansing breath and slowly let out an exhalation.

Fog deftly floated across the boat harbor at Gulls Landing, and then headed east with the usual paranormal flair. The atmospheric ghost continued to gradually suffocate the masts of nearby boats until they were no longer visible.

Her vision was obscured only by the heavy coastal evening weather, but she knew the direction she needed to swim. A child’s life depended upon her expertise and there was no time for any mistakes. It was entirely up to her now.

Emily Stone moved expertly, almost silently, through the water. The eerie sound of silence pounded in her ears as it tried desperately to confuse her equilibrium. She felt a slithering chill try to penetrate her tight wetsuit, but she continued to glide effortlessly, pulled by an unknown evil force. A faint clank reverberated through the many boat slips as they gently rocked back and forth from the subtle changing tide.

A single light reflected through the fog at the end of the last pier. Emily knew it was from the boat that doubled as a prison for eight-year-old Mandy Alvarez. She had been snatched from her safe Salinas front yard only a few days earlier. Mandy had been innocently playing with several of her favorite dolls on the front lawn, when the predator approached and made his bold move. He had watched her for more than a week and studied the neighborhood’s habits. It was easy when the time was right. He grabbed her, picked her up, forced her into his car, quickly restrained her with waiting handcuffs, and sped away. It took only an instant, and then she was gone.

Emily, experienced with criminal profiling and intense investigative techniques, was able to close in on the list of probable suspects and found Simon Gafferty to be one of particular interest. There were several registered sex offenders within six blocks of Mandy’s house, but Simon seemed to fancy eight-year-old girls with long brown hair. He had been suspected of several failed attempts to abduct little girls from the Stockton, California area and now he was residing in coastal Monterey.

The boat was registered to a mutual friend that was serving ten years in Soledad prison for armed robbery, and it would serve Simon well as a safe hideout for his evil deeds until he moved the girl to another location, killed her, and dumped the body. He would then be free to troll again for his next victim.

Emily adjusted her remote headset and softly said, “I wish I could trade places with you right now.”

A quarter of a mile away, at the end of a deserted shipyard, a black Ford Explorer was tucked in next to a decrepit sailboat with peeling blue and yellow paint, which had once been shiny and brilliant cruising on the bay. For just a moment, there was a slight flicker of light from a reflection obscured in the night. Then an outline materialized of a man sitting in the driver’s seat.

Rick Lopez smiled and said, “I’d trade places with you for this cold any day.” He sniffled dramatically as he looked at his laptop computer. A dark green blinking cursor moved across the screen.

Rick continued, “Where are you?” His chiseled jaw tightened with concern as he studied the screen.

Emily made her way toward one of the docks as a shortcut. She whispered in response, “In the water.”

Rick replied, “Funny. What’s your ETA?”

“About four minutes give or take a few seconds.”

“You are just going to take identifying photos, right?” He emphasized.

Emily didn’t answer.

She patted her waterproof pocket that contained her small cell phone and underwater digital camera. She felt exposed and vulnerable without her two firearms, her usual Glock 17 and a Beretta Bobcat that she always carried tucked tightly against her body and in her ankle holster.

“I know you heard me.” Rick waited for her to answer and absently adjusted his headset in anticipation. His dark eyes seemed to grow even darker as he waited for her to answer. He sipped his already lukewarm coffee and imagined a warmer and more comfortable place to be instead of this mission.

Finally she responded, “Of course.”

Rick knew Emily could be impulsive at times and she took too many dangerous chances, but he loved her spirit and he wouldn’t dare do anything that would extinguish it.

Emily could see several large boulder-like outlines along the closest pier and squinted her eyes trying to make out the shapes, but she couldn’t ascertain what they were. The gate entrance was locked and secure, and everything else seemed quiet.

Suddenly, something hooked her left foot, and for a brief instant, she panicked. Her breathing became shallow and her heart rate pounded like an erratic jackhammer. She twisted in the water, which caused her arms to flail with rapid splashes. To her dismay, a rogue piece of seaweed had wound itself around her left ankle. Easily, she untangled the intrusive sea vegetation and continued her cold swim, feeling a bit annoyed with her hasty reaction.

Emily’s thoughts returned to what the little girl must be thinking at this critical moment and how everyone had abandoned her in her time of need. The little girl must have been afraid for her life at every moment, and imagined the evil practices that this man was going to do to her if she wasn’t rescued in time.

Emily moved closer among the pilings beneath the boats. She could barely make out the names painted on the sides of the carefully tended sailboats that read “The Sea Urchin” and “Lil’ Cindy”.

More movement caught Emily’s eye. She waited a moment to try and focus her sight on the large outline.

Nothing.

It was quiet and still as the fog continued to drift over the harbor.

Now, she wished that Rick had accompanied her. Maybe it was just her nerves because of the eerie fog cover in the middle of the night, and the fact that she was all alone that seemed to cast an eerie atmosphere.

Rick tapped his finger with nervous energy on the laptop computer. Movement shifted in the back of the Explorer. A large black Labrador retriever head emerged and pushed a wet nose at Rick’s face.

“Hey Sergeant. You worried too?” He scratched the large dog behind the ears. “You know your mom, she can be so pigheaded sometimes.” The dog seemed to agree with him and started to calmly pant in anticipation.

Emily counted the boat slips that led up to the child abductor’s boat.

There were now only six.

It was deserted on the pier and particularly still. The light began to brighten on her target and she was almost there.

Splash.

Emily froze.

She slowly turned around in the water.

There was a large ring of ripples in the water and it headed straight toward her. Her eyes were now accustomed to the darkness and unsettling fog cover. The large outlines that she had seen previously on the dock were a group of sea lions snoozing quietly on the pier. One curious large male sea lion weighing in at about 750 pounds approached her at attack speed. She suddenly felt a hard glancing bump on her right side as the aggressive sea mammal quickly hit, changed direction and then faced Emily head-on. He positioned himself ready for a battle.

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Chase


Dead Game will be available next month. I will post the release date and all the details when they become available.


Jennifer Chase
Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://www.authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.jenniferchase.vpweb.com/

Come follow me on Twitter: ThrillerNovel

So Many Reasons to Give Thanks

With families gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I am making sure that I take time to reflect on all that I have to be thankful for this year. I have been afforded the opportunity to combine two great interests of mine—forensic psychology and writing—into a book that has been well-received and of which I am so proud. For those of you who have read "Compulsion" and shared your kind words about the book with me, I want to thank you and let you know that you motivate me to be even more diligent in my writing and marketing.

I also am thankful that I have had the time this year to write my second novel, "Dead Game", which will be available for purchase soon. I look forward to sharing this book with all of you. I learned so much through the process of promoting "Compulsion" and I will be applying all of that knowledge to my efforts to find an even bigger audience for "Dead Game".

Although she is a fictional character, I am thankful for Emily Stone. Many other writers have told me that their characters take on a life of their own and end up directing the plot development of the book. I can understand that concept. Emily is a strong, intelligent woman with a noble mission to bring the worst criminals in society to justice and I look forward to finding out what she will do next!

I hope that all of you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and start to the rest of the holiday season. And, don’t forget that "Compulsion" would make a wonderful gift for the reader in your life who loves a good thriller!

Skip the long lines at the store and order online today.

Emily’s Crime Watch – Tip #13

It’s the holiday time again!

This is my heroine Emily Stone’s favorite time of the year. She has some precautions to ensure that everyone has a joyful and festive holiday.

This is the time where many of us are busy, with not only everyday things, but with shopping, holiday decorating, parties, and much more. This is also the time where we need to be careful in protecting our families and homes from burglaries, identity theft, and assault.

The holidays can be a time where potential criminals use it to their advantage because often times we are distracted and staying vigilant.

Here are a few simple reminders for home and shopping safety during the holiday season.

Home safety:

1. Be extra cautious about locking ALL windows and doors when you leave the house, even if you’re gone for only a few minutes. Also, make sure that your windows and doors are properly bolted for added security.

2. Be careful of large displays of holiday gifts visible through windows and doors of your home. This can be too tempting for “would be” burglars.

3. If you’re leaving your home for any extended length of time, have a neighbor, friend, or family member keep an eye on your home and pick up newspapers and mail.

4. Have indoor and outdoor lights on an automatic timer.

5. If possible, leave a radio or television on to give the appearance of an occupied home.

Shopping Safety:

1. Try to do your holiday shopping during daylight hours, if possible. If you have to shop at night, go with a friend or family member.

2. Dress comfortably and casually, and avoid wearing expensive jewelry.

3. Try NOT to carry a purse or wallet, if possible. Always carry your driver’s license or ID card, checks or credit cards that you plan on using for your shopping excursion. Try to keep these items in a front pocket.

4. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Try to pay for purchases with a check or credit card whenever possible.

5. If your credit card(s) are lost or stolen, notify the credit card issuer immediately. Also, if it has been stolen, notify the police and file a report. Make sure to keep a record of ALL your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.

6. ALWAYS stay alert to your surroundings.

7. Avoid overloading yourself with packages. Make sure that you have a clear visibility and are able to move around freely.

8. Keep packages out of plain view in your car. Try to put them in the trunk or out of plain sight.

9. Beware of strangers approaching you for ANY reason. This time of year where there are many “con artists” that will try to distract your attention to take your belongings or money.

Most of all, have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends.

Jennifer Chase
Author & Criminologist

Peruvian Gang Members May Have Murdered Dozens for their Fat

In the study of forensic psychology, we try to learn about what motivates criminals to behave in the way that they do. In particular, I have been fascinated with the psychological make-up of serial killers. Were they driven to become murders by some traumatic experiences as a child? Is there something genetically immutable in these dangerous criminals? Do they get a sexual thrill from the violence and the extinguishing of life? Recent arrests in Peru require another question to be asked. What does it say about people when they are willing to kill fellow humans simply to make a profit off their body parts?

Four members of a gang in Peru have been arrested and charged with the murder of one man, but are being investigated in the disappearance of at least sixty others. These men are being accused of killing their victims in order to sell their body fat to European labs. They have shared with authorities that they received around $15,000 for each liter of fat that they supplied. The accused killers and fat peddlers are part of an Andean mountain culture that believes human fat is a beneficial component of cosmetics and lotions. And, apparently, they convinced some buyers across the ocean of its supposed value as well.

The men have been charged with homicide, criminal conspiracy, illegal firearms possession and drug trafficking. Understandably, the entire country of Peru has reacted in horror to these crimes.

Serial killers often take a part of their victim as trophy of their horrific act. In my book "Compulsion", The Killer (whose real identity is concealed for most of the novel) does take a souvenir from each of his crime scenes. However, he never saw this final act of degradation as part of a future business transaction. Let’s hope that justice comes to all members of the Peruvian gang who were associated with this grisly series of crimes.