Interview with Leanne Kale Sparks, author of Every Missing Girl (Kendall Beck Thriller series, Book 2)
Today it gives the Indie Crime Scene great pleasure to interview Leanne Kale Sparks, whose novel Every Missing Girl (Kendall Beck Thriller series, Book 2) has its debut on February 7.
Every Missing Girl is your second novel in the Kendall Beck Thriller series, and the sequel to The Wrong Woman. Kendall Beck is an FBI Special Agent. What can you tell us about Kendall and where she finds herself at the start of the novel?
At the start of Every Missing Girl, Kendall is called to the scene of a double homicide where a young girl who has been missing for a few months resurfaces. She is once again working with Detective Adam Taylor, who is investigating the homicides. For Kendall, it’s just another day in the life of an FBI agent working the Crimes Against Children unit, but she is still unsettled by her best friend’s death, and the inadvertent role she played in it.
Kendall’s friend and partner in solving crime is Denver Homicide Detective Adam Taylor. What’s the difference between an FBI Agent and a local Homicide Detective and how do they work together?
The main difference between the two is jurisdiction—what areas each agency is able to work in as law enforcement officers. The FBI covers federal crimes, whereas police detectives work on the local level (think city or county). The FBI does not get involved in local law enforcement
While it is true the two don’t cross over into the others’ jurisdiction often, there are some circumstances where they work together. When the FBI puts together a sting to bring in sex traffickers, local law enforcement is essential for success because they have a better bead on the community and the people who live, work, and commit crimes there. Additionally, local law enforcement can request assistance from the FBI in the event they have special knowledge, etc. that can aid the police. A lot of times it is the ability to use the FBI laboratories. In Every Missing Girl, Adam and Kendall are working together because there is a double homicide where a child, who has been missing for a few months, is discovered. Adam works the homicides while Kendall works the missing child case, since she is part of the Crimes Against Children unit with the FBI.
You yourself worked as a criminal lawyer. How much has your career as a lawyer informed your writing?
A great deal. I lean on my experiences of how defendants act, as well as law enforcement, district attorneys—anyone involved in the criminal law arena—has lent some knowledge I can fall back on. It also helps me understand that, while I strive to be as accurate as possible, sometimes there are parts of criminal law which are tedious, and dare I say, boring. So, I’m able to fudge it knowing it is not a critical element. That doesn’t mean I don’t get called out on it, but because my books are fiction, there are times when accuracy must be sacrificed for the good of the story.
How far has working in the law made you aware of the details of crime reporting and given you a unique perspective in your writing?
Again, my experience working in law provided invaluable experience that is woven into my stories. The criminal mind is intriguing, but sometimes lacks common sense. And there are victims who are not mentally strong enough to confront perpetrators in order to bring them to justice. Sitting across from people who are guilty but attempt to justify their actions was a part of the job I didn’t realize would benefit me as much as it has as a writer.
Kendall’s work and quest for justice leads her into some dark places, searching for missing children. How difficult is it to write about such crimes and to enter the mind of the perpetrators?
It sounds weird to say, but it’s not that difficult. I’m not coming at it as a person actually committing the atrocities in my books. My mind is solely focused on the story, and how it unfolds. So, when there are things which would normally turn my stomach if I knew they had actually happened to someone, I am able to disconnect when writing the same scenario because it’s not real. To me, it is what will move the story forward and provide entertainment to an audience looking for the next cringeworthy moment—the more gruesome the better.
The Wrong Woman dealt with the return of a notorious serial killer, the Reaper. Why do serial killers continue to fascinate readers - and writers?
I really believe it is because we—writers and readers—cannot fathom why serial killers kill. No two serial killers are alike, and what we thought were hard and fast rules for becoming or recognizing a serial killer, have now become guidelines (all serial killers were abused as children and killed animals, for example). A serial killer seems to have a reason (and even no reason at all is a reason) for killing multiple times. It is different from a mass killer who kills many at one time. I believe mass killings are typically a statement where the perpetrator knows they will die (either by his/her own hand or the police). That’s different from a serial killer, who has one victim at a time (typically), may have a ritual which satisfies whatever need or fetish is driving them, and kills the victim before moving onto the next. What drives people to pick a certain type of victim, over and over, and kill them? Non-serial killing murders are usually a crime of passion—the killer does the unthinkable due to something that has happened and kills in a moment of weakness. But each serial killer is a puzzle to uncover why? Sane people can’t wrap their heads around it, so it becomes an exercise in trying to get into the mind of a killer.
Every Missing Girl is set against the backdrop of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, where you grew up. What can you tell us about that landscape and the part it plays in the novel?
I haven’t used the landscape as much as I should because it is a great place to have kidnappers and killers running around. I do, however, love to write of the beauty of the state and the dichotomy of good versus evil in such a gorgeous, yet rugged, environment. And then there is always the weather, which I do rely on in the story, where it is not uncommon to have every season represented in a single day. (Colorado’s real motto: Layering = survival).
When you research your novels, do you return to the places that inspired them? How important is local detail?
It is harder for me to return to the places I write about as often as I would like, but I do love to see the various locations for myself. I don’t believe it is essential for writers to be familiar with where their stories are set, but it is an advantage to “getting it right”. That said, it doesn’t mean I don’t take creative license with the setting when necessary. In Every Missing Girl, I needed an ice rink in the middle of an actual park in Denver. There is no ice rink in the park, but I put one there anyway for the sake of the story.
Tell us about Detective Adam Taylor. What sort of man is he and how does he work with Kendall?
Adam—I love him. He is great at his job because he loves it and firmly believes he can make a difference. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect him. He is a gentle soul with a kind heart, which sometimes makes him at odds with Kendall’s more rough, cynical personality. For the most part, they balance each other. And it helps that he is as sarcastic as she is—she is just quicker with her wit than Adam.
As a woman writer (and former lawyer) do you bring a different perspective to cases that involve violence against women?
Only because it provides an advantage of having seen it. It is heartbreaking to have repeat abusers/offenders come through the criminal courts, knowing that most of them will be out of jail and back to abusing because their victims aren’t strong enough to leave and press charges. I admire the women who get away, despite the fear of constantly looking over their shoulder for their abuser. But the women who stay deserve the same amount of admiration. It is a difficult thing to understand, but they have been abused emotionally and mentally, on top of physical abuse. As frustrating as it can be to understand and accept why they stay, I hope I show them empathy and respect in my stories.
How important is the forensic or CSI aspect to your writing?
It is very important because readers expect it. Not unlike actual criminal cases, people believe forensics is the key to solving crimes. It is an important aid, but it is not solely responsible for discovering the perpetrators and the truth. Just as important is getting the forensics correct. Many crime fiction readers are true crime junkies, as well, and know as much about forensics (if not more) than the authors. So, for the sake of the story, and the readers, correct forensics is essential.
Does Kendall work as part of a team, or is she a solitary figure?
While it seems like she is on her own a great deal (simply because it is easier with the storyline and her relationship with Adam), she is part of a team. In Every Missing Girl, the rest of the teams, both FBI and Denver PD, are a bigger part of the story.
Why are crime thrillers so popular and what explains their continued appeal
to readers?
As I said, I believe most crime fiction readers are also true crime fans. There is a separation between real and make-believe. Seeing how horrible and depraved humans can be to each other can be draining on the psyche. Escaping into a world where the reader gets to be a part of everything as it unfolds, being able to follow along with the investigation where the reader can come up with conclusions and theories and see if they play out, is more enjoyable than being a spectator of things that have happened.
Who do you read to relax and what writers have influenced you?
I read everything. While I do love crime thrillers, especially Harlan Coben, I do venture outside the genre, as well. Reading is enjoyment, and so the act of reading is relaxing, no matter the book.
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