Author Photo: ©2003 Exley Photo, Inc.

I'm always delighted when fans embrace a new character I've created. When ex-cop, now horse trainer, Elena Estes was so welcomed after the publication of DARK HORSE, it was a gift to me from the readers.

But the best was yet to come—readers kept telling me to "bring back Elena Estes" and "give us more Elena!"

So more Elena it is! She returns in THE ALIBI MAN. And not only will you get to share in another of her adventures, but you'll come to learn a lot more about the woman herself. Elena is a favorite of mine, as she blends my personal passions—police procedural thrillers and the world of horses. (As I've shared with many of you before, I actively participate in Dressage.)

I enjoy the freedom of writing stories with different heroes and heroines. It allows me to choose the time and place and circumstances of each novel. But Elena Estes called out for more. I hope you enjoy her return in THE ALIBI MAN.