From that basic idea, the whole of the story developed. The title FIRST DROP came from the rollercoaster analogy – once you reach the top of the first lift hill and hit the first drop, you can’t stop and you can’t get off. You just have to sit tight, hold on, and hope you survive to the end of the ride.
It never occurred to me that my US publishers would pick up this book – number four in the series – and then ask for “Second . . . something” as their next foray. Endless confusion has resulted!
The peripheral characters in FIRST DROP are among my favourites. I particularly like the retired FBI guy, Walt, and have even toyed with making him – and Harriet, of course – the hero of his own story. Maybe one day . . .
FBI Special Agent In Charge, Andrew Till, was another notable character. The real Andrew Till is one of the staff at Lancaster Public Library, who were so supportive of my early work. His colleagues confided that he had always wanted to be a character in a book, and it was my pleasure to include him here.
Please note, by the way, that this book was written during 2003 and first published in 2004. Back then, mobile phones, smart phones, and instant anywhere-access to the internet was nothing like as easy as it is today. I always had Charlie as a bit of a late-adopter when it came to technology. Perhaps the events of this book finally convinced her she needed to catch up a little.
Acknowledgements
Taking Charlie on her first American adventure wouldn’t have been so much fun without the assistance of a number of people. First of these has to be Maryellen and Paul Papadeas of Soundcrafters and organisers of the Spring Break Nationals – the World’s Most Famous Sound-Off. Maryellen and Paul not only graciously allowed me to use their event as the location for some of the action in this book, but were also absolutely wonderful about digging out obscure bits of information on Daytona Beach. If you haven’t been to SBN, then go. Experiences like Charlie’s happen in the pages of novels only!
Richard and Beth Smith of Seattle were another pair of friends who patiently provided excellent and detailed advice on the correct use of numerous Americanisms, and I shouldn’t forget to mention the contributors to the DorothyL website who had their say on teenage speech patterns. Thanks to all of you.
Also, Dr Perran Ross of the Florida Museum of Natural History, who told me all about the feeding habits of alligators; Ian Cottam and Lee Watkin, who taught me how to win a dirty fight; and Glynn Jones for making suitable armament suggestions. Any slip-ups are undoubtedly by my own hand.
Various people eviscerated the first draft to try and help me keep the mistakes to a minimum. A big thank you for this to Peter Doleman, Claire Duplock, Derek Harrison, Sarah Harrison, Iris Rogers, Tim Winfield, and my copy editor, Sarah Abel.
As always, my husband Andy has been my best critic and biggest fan.
Also, grateful apologies go to our temporary neighbours, Robert and Caroline Roper, for putting up with much pounding of computer keys in the flat above them late into the night while I was writing this story.
And finally, thank you to Blake Crouch, who so generously allowed me to include an excerpt from his novel RUN as a bonus feature at the end of this novel; to ZACE-eBookConversion for immaculate conversion of the printed book to e-format; and to Jane Hudson of NuDesign for the wonderful new cover design.
if you’ve enjoyed FIRST DROP, why not try Zoë Sharp’s Other Works:
Buy the Books!
the Charlie Fox crime thrillers
KILLER INSTINCT
RIOT ACT
HARD KNOCKS
(FIRST DROP)
ROAD KILL
Excerpt from ROAD KILL
SECOND SHOT
THIRD STRIKE
FOURTH DAY
FIFTH VICTIM – out in e-format Spring 2012
Short stories – eBook exclusive
FOX FIVE: a Charlie Fox short story collection
A Bridge Too Far
Postcards From Another Country
Served Cold
Off Duty
Truth And Lies
KILLER INSTINCT
Charlie Fox book one
by Zoë Sharp
‘Susie Hollins may have been no great shakes as a karaoke singer, but I didn’t think that was enough reason for anyone to want to kill her.’
Charlie Fox makes a living teaching self-defence to women in a quiet northern English city. It makes best use of the deadly skills she picked up after being kicked out of army Special Forces training for reasons she prefers not to go into. So, when Susie Hollins is found dead hours after she foolishly takes on Charlie at the New Adelphi Club, Charlie knows it’s only a matter of time before the police come calling. What they don’t tell her is that Hollins is the latest victim of a homicidal rapist stalking the local area.
Charlie finds herself drawn closer to the crime when the New Adelphi’s enigmatic owner, Marc Quinn, offers her a job working security at the club. Viewed as an outsider by the existing all-male team, her suspicion that there’s a link between the club and a serial killer doesn’t exactly endear her to anyone. Charlie has always taught her students that it’s better to run than to stand and fight, But, when the killer starts taking a very personal interest, it’s clear he isn’t going to give her that option . . .
‘Charlie looks like a made-for-TV model, with her red hair and motorcycle leathers, but Sharp means business. The bloody bar fights are bloody brilliant, and Charlie’s skills are both formidable and for real.’ Marilyn Stasio, New York Times
‘Sharp deserves a genre all her own – if you are just discovering Zoë Sharp then you are in for a real treat.’ Jon Jordan, Crimespree Magazine
‘Charlotte (Charlie) Fox is one of the most vivid and engaging heroines ever to swagger onto the pages of a book. Where Charlie goes, thrills follow.’ Tess Gerritsen
RIOT ACT
Charlie Fox book two
by Zoë Sharp
“I am a violent man, Miss Fox,” Garton-Jones said, without bravado or inflection. “I can – and will – do whatever is necessary to control this estate. Remember that.”
A self-defence expert with a motorbike and an attitude, Charlie Fox doesn't need to go looking for trouble. It generally finds her. House-sitting for a friend seems like an easy favour at first but the house in question is in the Lavender Gardens estate. Teenage gangs are running riot and Charlie's desperate neighbours have been forced to employ an expensive – and ruthless – security firm to apply rough justice where the legal kind has failed. The situation gets even uglier when a young Asian boy is fatally wounded in what appears to be a racially motivated shooting.
Caught in the middle of an urban battlefield, Charlie's more than able to take care of herself but then she comes face to face with a spectre from her army past. As the tensions rise, lives will depend on Charlie working out just who she can really trust . . .