Vincent Zandri - Noir PI Thrillers

Vincent Zandri is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Kindle No.1 bestselling author of more than 30 novels.  Zandri's work has been hailed by critics as "gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting".  As our Author of the Day, he tells us all about his book, The Sins of the Sons.

Please give us a short introduction to what Sins of the Sons is about.

It's based on the true story of a local lawyer who was seen fighting with his girlfriend at a local country club. He stormed off. His car was later discovered parked at the Albany International Airport while his body was found in a patch of woods miles away, It was 20-degrees and he had only his suit jacket on. There was an empty vodka bottle set beside him. He didn't drink vodka. Local police not only botched the crime scene, they automatically called manner of death a heart attack.

Tell us more about Jack Marconi. What makes him tick?

Jack Marconi is the oldest and most mature of my serial PIs. He does the right thing even if it means he's breaking the law.

Why did you pick the 1980s as the setting for you book?

I wanted to write a story about a cold case file, inspired by the True Detective series on cable TV. They delve into the past and I find that fascinating.

What inspired you to write Sins of the Sons?

My personal lawyer has been encouraging me to write the story for a long time, so there you have it.

One reader says that you masterfully interlocked the puzzle pieces in the book.  Did you plan this all out before you started writing, or did the pieces just seem to "fall in place" as you were writing?

I used to map my books out, but now I'm a pantser. Meaning I hope all the details fall in place.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I play drums, and I fly fish. I'm a very mediocre cook.

This book is part of a series. How does it tie in with the other books in the series?

Jack hooks up with his sidekick, Blood and also his contact at the APD, Detective Miller. All my Albany based PIs know one another.

You have received several awards with your thrillers. What, would you say, is the secret to your success?

Persistence and discipline.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

It's not really work.

Are there any authors (living or dead) that you would name as influences?

Hemingway, Mailer, Henry Miller, Jim Harrison, Jim Crumley, Robert B. Parker, Charlie Houston...

How do you force yourself to finish what you're doing before starting the next project when the new idea is nagging at you?

I write everyday, and edit everyday.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

Writer's block just means you need to step away from the desk for a bit. I never get it, anymore than a lawyer gets lawyers block.

What are you working on right now?

A new Dick Moonlight PI thriller, a new STeve JObz PI thriller, and a new trilogy of which the pilot episode is called Primary Termination. It will be published in June. But in April, my novel, The Caretaker's Wife will be published by Polis Books in hardcover.

Where can readers get Sins of the Sons?

Just go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM