When a young deaf entrepreneur
rents a guest house from a stranger at a coffee shop, she soon finds
herself entangled in a web of intrigue and danger.
The Guest House
Silicon Valley Series Book 2
by Bonnie Traymore
Genre: Psychological Thriller
"This twisty, spine-tingling thriller will have you hooked to the very last page." - Leslie Lutz, Award-winning author of Fractured Tide
Wow! What a ride. I was hooked from
the first page. I did not see that ending coming. Full of suspense and
intrigue. A good follow-up to book 1, but it could be read as a stand-alone.
There's an entirely new storyline, but it also returns to wrap up some
unfinished business from book 1. The addition of a deaf protagonist with a
cochlear implant who can sometimes hear and sometimes not was original and
refreshing. It added another dimension of complexity and sense of danger. A
great read. - Netgalley
He holds out his business card, and she plucks it from his fingers without
touching them. “Hope to see you around, Allie Dawson,” he says. That was over a
month ago. It seemed too good to be true, but Allie told herself to ignore the
nagging feeling in her gut. That was her first mistake.
When she saw Laura Foster’s email welcoming her into a cohort of grant
recipients, Allie literally jumped for joy. She was headed to Silicon Valley
with a chance to bring her innovative product to market.
But she had no idea how tight the rental market would be, or how cutthroat
the competition is for everything from housing to venture capital. So,
after a futile search to find a short-term apartment she could afford, she
rented a guest house from a chummy real estate agent who approached her at a
coffee shop.
But it’s clear now that she should have trusted her instincts. Because
there’s something off about her landlord. And his moody wife. And the
cryptic Hungarian guy renting his master suite.
Are they after her technology? Did he see her, peeking out the window when
he was dragging a suspicious duffel bag across the lawn? She knows
what it feels like to see her life flash before her eyes, and she doesn't need
that kind of stress right now.
So why is she still living there?
And has she already seen too much?
Innovation, greed, and danger collide in The Guest House, Silicon Valley
Series Book 2, a stand-alone sequel to the best-selling hit
page-turner The Stepfamily.
For fans of Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena, Daniel Hurst, Shalini Boland, and
Kaira Rouda.
This was such a good book! I loved the characters, and their story. The
dialogue was realistic and enjoyable. I was very surprised by the ending! -
NetGalley
This was a quick and easy read for me.
As a reader who loves a psychological thriller it’s sometimes easy to see
through the plots, but this story had me guessing for the most part until the
end. Just the right level of spooky for me without the blood and gore that some
authors choose to use. Would definitely recommend. - NetGalley
INTERVIEW
What is something unique/quirky about
you?
I have a lot of fears. Turns out that most of us who write these kinds of books do, which is why we come up with these crazy stories. I don’t like elevators because I’m claustrophobic, I can’t watch medical dramas because I’ll start thinking I have every disease on the planet. I’m afraid of spiders. Heights. And sharks, of course, but that’s a prudent one. I still swim in the ocean, but not too far out. But I try not to let them paralyze me, and I push myself out of my comfort zone. More importantly, I put the fears into my books and characters which is therapeutic.
Tell us something really interesting
that's happened to you!
I’ve been chased up a tree by a one-horned rhinoceros and circled by sharks at ninety feet depth in the ocean. As I said, I try to push myself out of my comfort zone. And both of those incidents were very uncomfortable! P.S. both of those events happened decades ago, and now most all my adventures are fictional.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
I was reading a review of one of my books. I think it was The Stepfamily. And it said something like “another great book by Bonnie Traymore. I love this author.” I was like, I’m this author?? Holy crap! And no, it wasn’t my husband. I swear.
How did you come up with the concept and
characters for the book?
Book 1 was inspired by one of my former students who became a successful entrepreneur. She’s from Hawaii and talked about how she had to learn to assert herself in the world of venture capital, as the culture in Hawaii is very different. Since I lived in Hawaii and Silicon Valley, I thought it would be interesting to have a protagonist who grew up in Hawaii and moved to Silicon Valley, and that was the basis for Laura Foster. My husband worked in biotech there, like Peter in the book, so I knew that world. But that’s where the similarities end as far as the husbands! All his exes are still alive and well, I promise.
Book 2 was inspired by my daughter who, like the protagonist, is deaf with a cochlear implant. In it, Allie Dawson comes to Silicon Valley after receiving a grant from Laura Foster, to bring her captioning device to market. I wanted to educate people about what it’s like to sometimes hear, sometimes not, and most of the time, not be able to hear very well. Cochlear implants have internal and external parts, and the external part can’t get wet. They don’t work as well in noisy places. I tried to pepper this into the scenes and not hit readers over the head with it. Just enough to get the feel of what it’s like. Advance reviews have been positive.
Convince us why you feel your book is a
must read.
If people only read one book of mine, I’d like it to be The Guest House. It’s important to me because of my daughter, and my desire to honor her struggles and accomplishments. I also think it makes for a great thriller read, playing with the different senses that need to compensate for not hearing. I’m most proud of this book.
How long on average does it take you to
write a book?
I usually spend about 3-4 months on a first draft. Then I’ll have my alpha readers give me feedback. It’s important to have people you trust enough to show them your crappy first draft and give you feedback on the plot. I don’t want to waste a lot of time perfecting the prose if I’ve somehow given away the murderer too early, or if it’s dragging, so getting that reader feedback is critical. I know some writers who feel like they need to have it perfect before they show it to anyone, but with my genre, I think it’s a waste of time. After I know the plot works, then I’ll go back and smooth out the dialogue, add more description, and make it pretty. I feel bad that the people closest to me have to read my book when it’s at its worst, but I’m lucky to have that option.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
I believe in thinker’s block. When I’m stuck, it’s because the story hasn’t progressed enough in my mind. If that happens, I go for a walk or do some cardio at the gym and let it play out in my head some more. Once I can envision the scenes, I write like the wind. A bomb could go off outside my house and I’d keep going. Oh yeah, I’m afraid of bombs too. And crowds. Psychos. Clowns. Etc.
Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Guest-House-Psychological-Thriller-Silicon-ebook/dp/B0CQHSYZCR
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203937915-the-guest-house
The Stepfamily
Silicon Valley Series Book 1
"I couldn't
put it down!" - Amazon
"Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. Definitely
one of the best books this year." - NetGalley
Laura Foster's not the type to go looking for trouble. But it seems to be
looking for her.
Laura’s on the verge of living the life she’s always wanted. At the age of
twenty-seven, she put her career plans on hold, married handsome widower Peter
Foster, settled down in his Silicon Valley home, and helped raise his two
children.
Twelve years later, it’s her turn to shine. Her career is thriving, the kids
are out of the house, Peter’s company is on the verge of an FDA approval that
could garner a windfall in stock gains for them, and she's training for the
Kona Ironman. But when a series of freak accidents can no longer be
chalked up to bad luck, it becomes clear that someone is out to get her.
Is it someone from work, jealous of her promotion? Or is it perhaps someone
more dangerous? Someone closer to home?
Laura has no enemies that she knows of, but she senses that husband Peter
is keeping secrets. And when she starts digging into the family’s past, a
twisted and unsettling story starts to slowly reveal itself. But with the
walls closing in on her, she needs to find out why someone would want to harm
her…and what really happened to his first wife.
Before it's too late.
EXCERPT
PROLOGUE
One
thing I’ve realized over the years is that not everyone has what it takes to go
the distance when the time comes. If you want something done right, you need to
be prepared to do it yourself. I’m committed to reaching my goals, whatever the
costs.
If I could achieve them without spilling any
blood, of course, that would be my preference. I have killed before though, and
I’ll do it again if that’s what it takes to succeed.
But only if I have no choice. That’s what separates me from the crazies. I get no pleasure out of harming people. In fact, it leaves me feeling very empty. But I won’t stop until I get what I need. And I’ll eliminate anyone who stands in my way.
ONE
Allie
I’m
half awake when I feel a thud reverberate through my apartment and shake the
bed. I spring up, and my heart is immediately in my throat.
Is this what an earthquake feels
like?
Grabbing my phone, I check to see
if there’s an alert. It’s 3:17 in the morning, and there’s nothing of concern
on my phone, but maybe it takes a while to get the word out. I’m new to
California, so I have no idea what an earthquake feels like or if anyone even
bats an eye at something like this.
I hold still for a few minutes, and
I don’t feel any more shaking. I reach for my speech processor on the
nightstand. I’m deaf, and without my cochlear implant I hear nothing. Now I’m
concerned there might be an intruder or some other threat lurking outside my
door.
The small guest house I rent sits
behind a stately, expensive home, and the owners have been away for the last
week. There’s a boarder who rents a suite inside the main house. I thought he
was still around, although it’s hard to tell with him. The guy’s kind of a
ghost, and I don’t normally run into him much.
Once my speech processor is in
place, I notice some kind of intermittent scraping noise outside. A tingling
sensation crawls up my scalp. They have a dog, and she’s not barking. But then
I haven’t heard her at all this week, come to think of it. Maybe they took
her with them?
I peek out the window, poised to
call 9-1-1 if someone is burglarizing the house, and I spot my landlord—at
least I think it’s my landlord—dragging a large duffel bag across the lawn. It
seems heavy, and he’s straining to move it. He whips his head around towards
me, and I quickly duck down and out of sight.
Did he see me?
My heart starts to race.
I hear a voice call out. “Hurry up,”
it says.
A woman’s voice?
I’m terrified of the dark, so I
keep the bathroom light on when I sleep. I’m hoping it’s not bright enough for
him to see inside my place. I lift the curtain just a hair and look out again.
His back is to me, so hopefully he didn’t notice me.
What the hell is he doing?
I thought they were away until
tomorrow. Did they come home early and I didn’t hear them? But this is strange.
And this living arrangement made me uneasy from the start. Maybe I need to look
for another place, although the thought of that puts my stomach in knots. It’s
a nice unit at a decent price, and the rental market is extremely tight here.
Perhaps he has a good explanation for what he’s doing, although I can’t imagine
what it could be.
I double-check the dead bolt on the door, turn off the bathroom light, and get back into bed. I’m not taking my speech processor off though, so I probably won’t be able to get back to sleep; I’m used to total silence. I grab my phone, hold it under my comforter, and start thumbing through apartment listings as I wait for the sun to rise.
One
month earlier
TWO
Allie
I
rush into Starbucks to grab a pick-me-up before I embark on my next round of
apartment viewings. It’s packed in here, and I need to use the bathroom. Badly.
I’ve never been to this Starbucks before. Rancho Shopping Center, according
to my app.
“I’ve got a to-go order,” I say to
the barista. “Is there a restroom in here?”
“Over there,” she says, pointing
towards the other side of the café. “Past the pickup area.”
I’m also hungry and hot. But I’m on
a tight schedule, so although I’d like to chill for a while, I need to keep
going. I locate the restroom and, thankfully, there’s no line. When I come out,
I rush up to the counter to look for my drink order. I pick up a few cups that
could be mine and examine them, but my latte’s not ready yet. I let out a long
sigh and glance at my watch.
A frazzled worker glares at me but
quickly softens her look. I offer her an apologetic smile, not wanting to
stress her out any further. I’m surprised she heard me over the whir of the
blenders and the milling of the coffee grinder. They’re very backed up and seem
hopelessly understaffed. I worked my way through college at jobs like that, so
I know exactly how she feels. And if I can’t get my idea off the ground before
my funding dries up, I might be right there behind that counter with her.
But I can’t be late for my next
appointment, so if my order doesn’t come up soon, I’ll need to leave without
it. I’ve just finished a two-week boot camp along with the other women in my
cohort, a requirement of the organization that gave me the funding for my
start-up venture. I’ve also been looking at apartments on this visit, and I’m
starting to think I might have to give up and go back to Milwaukee, at least
for now, which is not an ideal option.
The man standing to my right says
something, but I don’t catch it. I can’t hear anything out of my right ear, and
the background noise is making it harder. And I remind myself that this is
exactly why I’m here, trying to bring my concept to market.
I turn to face him so I can read
his lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”
“New in town?” he asks.
“Yes. Is it that obvious?”
“You went to the wrong side of the
store for your pickup,” he says, “and you’re holding a rental car key.”
His wandering eyes look out from a
kind, almost jovial face. I glance down at the key in my hand, wondering if I
should be more discreet. I don’t need to advertise the fact that I’m a single
woman traveling alone.
“You’re very observant,” I say.
“Not always,” he replies.
I hope he’s not hitting on me. He’s
nearly twice my age if I had to guess.There are a lot of rich guys around here
who can probably get women half their age to go out with them. He’s dressed
down in jeans and a t-shirt, sporting a Patek Philippe on his wrist—and not an
entry-level one. Money’s a compensating factor for some women, but not for me.
Not for that big of an age gap. Then I notice a wedding ring and relax a
little. Perhaps he’s just being friendly.
“Looking for a place to live?” he
asks.
“Um, yes.”
“I’m in real estate,” he says.
“Oh.” I nod.
That explains it.
Now I’m going to get the sales
pitch. I should tell him to move on and not waste his time. I’m not planning to
buy. But I realize he’s just doing his job. Maybe I can learn something from
him. Networking in person isn’t my strong suit, and I need to get better at it.
“Mike Tabernaky,” he says.
“Allie Dawson,” I reply.
“Is it just yourself, or do you
have a family?”
“Just me.” Saying that out loud
makes me feel vulnerable all of a sudden.
“Well, it just so happens we have a
guest house behind our home that’s become available. It’s nearby, in Cupertino.
Just over the border from Los Altos. Perfect for a single person.”
Generally, I’m a trusting person,
but this seems a bit too good to be true. My mind flashes to the shower scene
in Psycho.
“That’s great, thanks. But I think
I may have found something.”
He nods as he chews on his lower
lip.
“Allie? Your order’s ready,” the
barista calls out.
“Well, that’s me,” I say. “I need
to run. Nice to meet you, Mike.” I offer him a fluttery wave and flash my best
Midwestern-girl smile. If I end up living in this neighborhood, I’ll probably
see him again, so I don’t want to seem rude or unappreciative. Plus, he might
know some venture capitalists he can introduce me to.
“Here. Take my card. In case it
doesn’t work out.” He reaches out to me with his business card perched between
his thumb and forefinger. I pluck the card from his fingers without touching
them.
“Thanks,” I say.
“You’re welcome, Allie Dawson. Hope
to see you around.”
I head outside and mentally prepare
myself for another round of apartment viewings, trying to lower my
expectations. The market’s supposedly softening for renters, but it doesn’t
feel that way to me. And without a steady stream of income, I’ve been having a
hard time qualifying for a place to rent. I gave up my stable job as a luxury
branding specialist to pursue this opportunity. At the moment, I’m hoping that
wasn’t the biggest mistake of my life.
It’s a competitive market, and I’m
sure there are a ton of prospective renters who seem more desirable, with
longer track records in the area. That’s why I’m a little overdressed for the
occasion, in my red cap-sleeved Tory Burch dress paired with strappy black
sandals. I want to make a good impression and try to appear a bit more mature
than my twenty-nine years.
When I open the door to my rental,
a white Kia Soul, the heat inside the car hits me and nearly knocks me off my
feet. It’s late August, so hopefully it will cool down soon. They say it
doesn’t get this hot here too often—just my luck. I see heat waves radiating
off the black vinyl interior. I run around to the other side and open the door
to air it out a little. I don’t want to show up sweaty and disheveled. Then I
shut the passenger door, head back over to the driver’s side, and hop in.
The seat is warm but, thankfully,
not burning hot. I sit down, strap myself in, and realize that I still have the
business card in my hand. I tuck it into my wallet, start the car, crank the
a/c, and pull up the address on my app. Then I take one last look in the
rearview mirror, apply some lipstick, and fluff my hair. I make a mental note
to find a hairdresser. My dirty blonde roots are showing, and I’m badly in need
of a trim. Still, I’m presentable enough.
The dark circles under my eyes are
gone because the loud people renting the front half of my Airbnb left yesterday
morning, and I finally got a good night’s sleep. I’m not used to sleeping with
my speech processor on, so any noise at all bothers me. I felt vulnerable
sleeping without it in an unfamiliar place though, so it seemed safer to
sacrifice deep sleep. Last night was better, and the extra hit of caffeine is
starting to kick in.
I can do this.
***
Today’s apartment search was even
worse than the previous ones, probably because it’s Saturday and everyone’s
available. I had four appointments, and each rental had a steady stream of
prospective tenants, including the unit that was totally unacceptable to me
with no air conditioning, smelly, dog-pee-soaked carpets, and communal laundry.
Even the cramped one-bedroom suite
I’m sitting in right now is better than that one, but I can’t afford this
Airbnb for much longer, even if I could stand sharing part of a house with a
revolving door of random travelers. I’m burning too much cash and energy on
this trip, and although I filled out applications at the other three
apartments, I’m not holding my breath.
Now I’m taking some time to
regroup. I decide I’ll reach out to the organization that helped me with my
pre-seed funding and see if they can give me some suggestions. I reach into my
wallet to grab the executive director’s business card. But I come across the
card I got from Mike Tabernaky, the real estate agent I met at Starbucks, with
the guest house. I pull that out instead. He’s a luxury property specialist and
the principal broker at the firm. Maybe he does have a pipeline of
wealthy venture capitalists he can introduce me to. At the very least, I should
try to connect with him on social media.
But why would he be giving his card
out to people at Starbucks when the rental market is this hot? Perhaps
he doesn’t want to deal with a parade of random strangers at his home? Or maybe
he wants a single person, but he can’t say that in the advertising because of
antidiscrimination laws. I do a search and find his website. It’s a small firm
with two other agents and a few upscale listings on the site.
I tell myself that if I’m going to
be a successful entrepreneur, I need to take some risks. If an opportunity like
this dropped in my lap, maybe it’s fate. Part of the success story I’ll tell
one day about how I was ready to give up when I found a place to live from a
random guy I met at Starbucks who introduced me to so-and-so…and then it all
fell into place.
Am I this desperate?
Yes, but I’m also not stupid. I’ll
make an appointment to see the unit, and I’ll have my brother on the phone with
me when I go see it, just in case.
It’ll be fine.
I pull out my phone, take a deep breath, and punch in Mike’s number. I’m a little surprised when it goes to voicemail and a little relieved. It would be more concerning if he was sitting around waiting for my call. Perhaps it’s rented already and I missed my shot. The thought of that makes me want it more.
I open up my email and start drafting a message to Mina Rao, Executive Director at Start-Her, the accelerator that’s sponsoring me, hoping that something comes through before I have to hang it up and head back east rather than burn through the money they gave me before I even get started.
"I devoured this in a few short hours. Very easy to read and the
story keeps you coming back for one more chapter." -NetGalley
"Full of suspense and twists and turns!" - NetGalley
For fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Shari Lapena, Shalini Boland,
Miranda Rijks, or Minka Kent.
**On Sale for Only
.99cents 3/1 - 3/8!**
Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stepfamily-Psychological-Thriller-Silicon-Valley-ebook/dp/B0C17WZBTK
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126510138-the-stepfamily
About the Author
Bonnie Traymore is the
award-winning, Amazon best selling author of page-turner mystery/thrillers that
hit close to home. Her books feature strong but relatable female protagonists.
The plots explore difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and
the impact of psychological disorders, but she also includes bits of romance
and humor to lighten the mood from time to time. She's an active status member
of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Author
Links
Website: https://www.bonnietraymore.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnietraymore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/btraymore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonnietraymore/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bonnie-l-traymore
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bonnie-Traymore/author/B09Y92P6FZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22411066.Bonnie_L_Traymore
Giveaway
$10 Amazon
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This sounds like a really good story.
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