Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 novels, including Cold Light of Day, Shadows at Dusk, and Hidden in the Night, as well as the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award, and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
In this interview, Elizabeth shares some thoughts regarding Hidden in the Night, the second book in her Missing in Alaska Series.
FF: Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel Hidden in the Night?
Ivy Elliott goes to Alaska to find an unpublished Jack London manuscript, but her mission quickly shifts to the search for a young woman who has witnessed a murder. Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long joins Ivy on the search, and together they face the harsh Alaska winter as well as dangerous men on both sides of the law.
FF: This is the third in a series of romantic suspense novels that take place in Alaska. Can you tell us why that setting resonates with you?
Simply put, I love the beauty of God’s creation, and nothing is more stunning than the pristine landscape of Alaska. I think, too, that the Alaska setting lends itself to raising life-and-death stakes and increasing conflict.
FF: What kind of research did you have to do to bring the setting of Alaska in winter to life?
As with all my books and settings, the research takes as much time if not more than the actual writing. In this case, Southeast Alaska is much different from mainland Alaska, so I had to be careful that every detail I added was true to the region.
FF: An unpublished Jack London manuscript plays a big role in the plot of this story. Tell us about why you chose this object to kick it off. Why Jack London in particular?
This is all thanks to my brainstorming partners. I was looking for some thing to get “lost” to fit in with the theme of “missing in Alaska,” and someone threw out a Jack London manuscript as a possibility. I was all over that. I loved reading his stories in middle school, and Call of the Wild is one of my all-time favorites. For the story, I took a deep dive into London’s life—much deeper than I had as a child, of course—and was even more fascinated with what I learned, especially the fact that he was the first writer to earn a million dollars from writing. Also, he has inspired many writers with his diligent efforts to become a success.
FF: Ivy is struggling with a lot at the beginning of the book, including having shot someone in the line of duty, dealing with her mother’s diagnosis, and trying to keep her deceased father’s secret. How does her personal emotional situation affect her as she sets out on this quest?
I think it’s important to throw a lot of personal conflict at a character even as they are working toward a broader goal in the story. All of the issues pull her in different directions psychologically, and she has to overcome and dig deep to master her emotions and stay focused enough to finish the mission.
FF: Tell us about the budding relationship between Ivy and Nolan. What sparks their attraction and what obstacles do they face when it comes to developing an actual relationship?
Ivy and Nolan had been thrown together for a few days, separated from the rest of the world, with a blizzard raging outside. Given the time and space and the opportunity, they opened up and shared a few deep, dark secrets and connected with each other like they had never done with anyone else. Then when the blizzard was over and they went back to their own worlds, they couldn’t simply forget. Couldn’t stop thinking about each other. Their emotional connection was deep and only added to their physical attraction. Then they’re given a second chance, thrown together again, and this time they both know they want more. But how can they give their romance a chance when they live so far apart? Geography—distance—is a huge obstacle when it comes to a budding romance.
FF: The character of Danna, who has taken the manuscript, is a native girl who was formerly trafficked. How does her personal history affect her actions, and what are the dangers she faces?
Danna has been through a lot, and she is trying to stay safe and find a better life when she is thrust into survival mode. She knows enough to run for her life, escape at all costs, and stay hidden. Since she witnessed a murder, she can identify the killer, but also, she possesses the manuscript, which holds dangerous secrets.
As the story progresses, we learn that the current events surrounding the Jack London manuscript are connected to a long-buried secret.
FF: What can you tell us about that secret without giving away any spoilers?
The manuscript is thought to be connected with cursed gold, but Ivy and Nolan learn that the gold is only the tip of the iceberg.
FF: What do you hope readers will gain from reading Hidden in the Night?
I hope they come away breathless and feel like they’ve just been on an adventure in Alaska.
Hidden in the Night
Missing in Alaska Series #3
Elizabeth Goddard
Revell
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN-10: 0800742060
ISBN-13: 978-0800742065
Book Summary:
In this breathtaking race for the truth, not everyone will get out alive
At the behest of her ailing mother, former FBI special agent turned rare-book collector Ivy Elliott arrives in Alaska to secure an unpublished Jack London manuscript kept secreted away for decades. When she learns the manuscript is gone—taken by the granddaughter of the woman who possessed it—Ivy sets off in pursuit. She wants to save the priceless manuscript, but more than that, she must rescue the vulnerable girl, who was previously trafficked and has no idea what she’s getting herself into.
Joining forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, Ivy must battle a blizzard, sabotage, and the worst of an Alaskan winter as the search goes on. But every answer they find only raises more questions—and the danger to their lives and to the missing girl may be only the tip of the iceberg.
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