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LIFE OR DEATH
by Andrea Kane
March 16 – April 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
FORENSIC INSTINCTS
Who killed Ryan McKay’s cousin?
In suburban Westchester County, just outside the frenetic pace of New York City, a deadly murder occurs. After a violent struggle, FBI agent Shane Walsh is dead and his wife, Caitlin, has vanished. At the urging of a mysterious text, the Walshes’ nine-year-old daughter, Kennedy, has been safely whisked away by a close family member. The FBI is determined to bring down whoever assassinated one of its own and is focusing on Caitlin as a prime suspect. Ryan McKay, Forensic Instincts’ chief technology officer, as well as Shane’s cousin and lifelong friend, vehemently disagrees. Ryan knows the Walsh family well. He insists that Caitlin is innocent, and that she, herself, is in danger. After convincing his team to cast a wider net, Ryan leads FI on a zigzag course across two continents to locate Caitlin, sidestepping the FBI at every turn, and protecting Kennedy at all costs. But the FBI is on the warpath, and threatens to permanently shut down Forensic Instincts if they don’t back off. Undeterred by the FBI’s threats, FI goes underground in pursuit of their rogue mission. As the pace quickens, Kennedy becomes the target of unnerving text messages. Both The FBI and the Forensic Instincts teams sense that the end game is near and that the chess match is spiraling to a stunning conclusion. Determined to declare “checkmate” before the killer, Forensic Instincts must not only protect Kennedy but make sure that their team doesn’t end up as collateral damage when the king falls.
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Praise for Life Or Death:
“Life Or Death is a riveting read that explodes right from the opening pages with the shocking murder of an FBI agent – then takes the reader on a non-stop, roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense during a desperate search to find the victim’s missing wife and to protect his 9-year-old daughter. Andrea Kane really delivers the goods in this book, the 11th in her Forensic Instincts series.” ~ R.G. Belsky, author of the Clare Carlson mystery series “An adrenaline-fueled joyride. Andrea Kane doesn’t pump the brakes in LIFE OR DEATH. Centered around family ties, and who can you really trust when shadowy forces close in? Combustible pacing and a cast of characters you can’t get out of your head long after the last page.” ~ James L’Etoile — award-winning author of River of Lies and the Detective Nathan Parker series “Life or Death, the latest heart-stopping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Andrea Kane, delivers nonstop tension, emotional depth, and a twist-filled chase that spans continents. When an FBI agent is murdered and his wife vanishes, the elite Forensic Instincts team must outsmart the Bureau itself to uncover the truth. Ms. Kane once again proves why she’s a master of psychological suspense. Fans of razor-sharp plotting, unforgettable characters, and fast-paced suspense will devour this one!” ~ Marjorie McCown, author of The Hollywood Mystery Series “Forensic Instincts’ leader, Casey, is recovering from an injury sustained in a previous case when tragedy strikes. An employee’s cousin is murdered, and his wife has vanished. Left behind is their traumatized eleven-year-old daughter, Kennedy. As the FBI and Forensic Instincts compete to solve the case, Kennedy’s close-knit family and the FI team surround her with love and support. Life or Death, the eleventh book in Andrea Kane’s gripping series, draws readers into an emotional high-stakes race for the truth.” ~ Stacy Wilder, author of the Liz Adams Mystery series.
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Life Or Death Trailer:
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Book Details:
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Published by: Bonnie Meadow Publishing, LLC Publication Date: March 17, 2026 Number of Pages: 304, HC ISBN: 9781682320686 (ISBN10: 1682320685), HC Series: Forensic Instincts, Book 11 | Each is a stand-alone novel
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | RBmedia, Audiobook Links
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MY REVIEW
Character driven stories are among my favorite reads. It makes the reading experience genuine when you learn their ins and outs and what drives them. This series is very much character driven, with something cool thrown in. Let me give you some background as this is the 11th in the series. Forensic Instincts, FI, is a team of people who help people who can’t help themselves. Each team member has their unique training and instincts. Some with extra abilities.
I jumped into this series near the middle. Yeah, I’m one of those. The good thing about that was Andrea filled me in on those parts I’d missed that would have made it difficult to enjoy the plot. And what a plot. Danger, mystery, personal and team conflict, and some globetrotting. Once the plot was clear in my mind the rest of the book felt like I was chasing a stone rolling down a hill. Or, remember the little game where you have to roll the little bee bees around and get them in all of the holes. Like that. Full tilt with some hiccups.
I keep meaning to go back and read the series from the beginning, and I will. It’s so good.
5 STARS
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Enjoy this peek inside:
Bronx River Parkway Friday, 3:55 p.m.
It wasn’t rush hour—not quite yet. So the drive was an hour plus away. That now left a short distance to go. Ryan remained quiet and tense, staring out the passenger window as he had throughout the trip to Westchester County. “Where are we going in New Rochelle?” Marc finally asked, glancing at his GPS, aware that he didn’t recognize the address Ryan had given him. “To my cousin, Shane Walsh’s, house,” Ryan replied. Marc nodded as they reached their exit and he eased his car around a loop and off the parkway. “Tell me only what I need to know. I’m not going to pry.” “You’re not prying. I’m just really freaking out.” Ryan cleared his throat and relayed the entire situation to Marc. Marc took it all in. “You’ve mentioned that you had a cousin with the Bureau. But that’s about all you’ve said, other than the fact that he has a wife and a young daughter.” Ryan shrugged. “Shane’s a private guy, so I don’t talk about him much. He’s a Special Agent, Violent Crimes division, at the New York field office. He’s been there since he joined the FBI about eight years ago.” “Does Hutch know him?” “I never asked. But I doubt it. Hutch is in charge of all the Violent Crimes divisions. That’s too high up to know every agent who works under him.” Ryan pointed, shifting to the edge of his seat, and reiterating what the GPS was already showing them. “Make your next right. Two blocks down and make a left. Go through a few lights. You’ll see a cul-de-sac on your right. Marigold Terrace. Shane’s house is number 15.” Marc understood that Ryan’s redundant supply of information was a manifestation of his anxiety. He just nodded again, then pressed his foot a little harder on the gas pedal to speed them up without accelerating too much. Suburban cops lived for speed traps. Four minutes later, Marc turned onto Marigold Terrace and eased slowly around the curvy road. “Three down on your left,” Ryan instructed. “White clapboard house, blue shutters.” His tension intensified as Marc reached Shane’s home. “That’s Caitlin’s car parked in the driveway. And Shane’s parked in his usual spot on the street. If they’re both home…but they don’t want Kennedy there… Shit.” Ryan flung open the passenger door before Marc had brought the car to a complete stop. He was halfway to the front door, digging in his pocket for the key Shane had given him long ago, when Marc reached his side. “Ryan, wait.” Marc grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. “Why?” Marc tugged out the two pairs of latex gloves and shoved one pair into Ryan’s hand. “Put these on.” Ryan gritted his teeth, while he and Marc worked their hands into the gloves. “Can’t leave any new fingerprints,” he muttered. “In case this is a crime scene.” He sounded ill. “Is the door unlocked?” Marc asked, quickly assessing the garage door, which was up. He might have suggested accessing the house through there, but Ryan was already in motion. And time was precious. Ryan jiggled the doorknob. “No.” “Okay, use the key. I’ve got my Glock. Let’s go.” Ryan’s hands were shaking as he turned the key and pushed open the door. He and Marc stepped inside. The foyer was empty and quiet. In fact, the whole house was silent in a way that suggested no one was home. “Shane?” Ryan called. A pause. “Caitlin?” No response. No sound of footsteps. Nothing. Marc eased his way in front of Ryan, then crept ahead, sweeping the area with his gun. Ryan followed behind him, aware that, not only was Marc armed, he was former FBI. He was trained at this. Ryan was not. They’d barely gone fifteen feet, when Marc caught something in his peripheral vision, and swerved to his right. “Shit,” he muttered. Ryan peered around him and gasped. Just outside the bathroom was a crumpled body, unmoving and lying in a pool of blood. Beside it, were two shell casings and a cell phone that had been crushed. On the other side of the cell phone was a jagged line of blood. The inconsistency of the blood pattern struck Marc at once. Reflexively, he whipped out his cell phone and took a few quick photos. Ryan was in a whole different headspace. Pushing past Marc, he strode over, squatting as he reached the body. “Shane,” he managed. “Oh my God. Shane.” Marc was beside Ryan in a heartbeat, restraining him from doing anything that would contaminate the scene. He leaned over Shane’s body, checking for a pulse, a breath—any sign of life. There were none. Marc gripped Ryan’s arm, standing and pulling him to his feet. Ryan’s entire body was stiff with shock, but Marc knew that consolation would have to wait. “Ryan, we’ve got to get out of the house,” he said, visually sweeping as much of the ground floor as he could. “The killer might still be inside. He might have Caitlin.” A hard swallow, as Marc considered the possibility that she might also be dead. That additional jagged line of blood didn’t bode well. “I’ll call 911 as soon as we’re on the front lawn.” Ryan didn’t budge. He was staring, wild-eyed, down at Shane’s lifeless form. It was only when Marc tugged insistently at his forearm that he regained some semblance of awareness. “No, Marc.” He gave a firm shake of his head. “I have to stay with him.” “He’s gone,” Marc stated simply, placing a supportive hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “But Caitlin might not be. Let’s get the EMTs and the cops here. We might be saving her life.” Slowly, Ryan turned, allowing Marc to lead him outside the house and to the front lawn, where he sank down on the grass, still unable to process this horrific occurrence. Marc kept his Glock at the ready—just in case it was needed. “I’ll watch the windows and the doorways to block any attempt at escape,” he told Ryan. When there was no response, Marc glanced down, giving Ryan a worried look. The poor guy was staring off into space and wasn’t even hearing him. Stationing himself close to his friend’s side, Marc took out his iPhone and called 911. “What is your emergency?” was the immediate response. Marc supplied his name, the address of the crime scene, and then, in staccato phrases, the necessary information. He disconnected the call, knowing that it would be two minutes, at the most, before the ambulance showed up. He used the time wisely, pressing the button to Hutch’s private cell phone line. One ring. Then, “Marc?” “We’re in New Rochelle,” Marc said. “Ryan’s cousin, Shane Walsh, has been killed at his home. He worked for the Bureau, New York field office, Violent Crimes. I called 911, so the locals must already have been dispatched.” Not even a heartbeat of a pause. “Text me the address.” “Already done.” “Then I’m on my way.” *** Excerpt from Life Or Death by Andrea Kane. Copyright 2026 by Andrea Kane. Reproduced with permission from Andrea Kane. All rights reserved.
About Author Andrea Kane:
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Andrea Kane is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirty-three novels, including nineteen psychological thrillers and fourteen historical romantic suspense titles. With her signature style, Kane creates unforgettable characters and confronts them with life-threatening danger. As a master of suspense, she weaves them into exciting, carefully-researched stories, pushing them to the edge—and keeping her readers up all night. Kane’s first contemporary suspense thriller, Run for Your Life, became an instant New York Times bestseller. She followed with a string of bestselling psychological thrillers including No Way Out, Twisted and Drawn in Blood. Her latest in the highly successful Forensic Instincts series, Life or Death, forces this eclectic team of investigators to navigate a high wire act between the FBI on one side and a vicious killer looking to terminate the rest of a young family on the other. The first showcase of Forensic Instincts’ talents came with the New York Times bestseller, The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, followed by The Line Between Here and Gone, The Stranger You Know, The Silence That Speaks, The Murder That Never Was, A Face To Die For, Dead In A Week, No Stone Unturned, At Any Cost, Struck Dead and Life or Death. Kane’s beloved historical romantic suspense novels include My Heart’s Desire, Samantha, Echoes in the Mist, and Wishes in the Wind. With a worldwide following of passionate readers, her books have been published in more than twenty languages. Kane lives in New Jersey with her family. She’s an avid crossword puzzle solver and a diehard Yankees fan.
Catch Up With Andrea Kane:
AndreaKane.com Amazon Author Profile Goodreads – @akane BookBub – @writetome1 Instagram – @AuthorAndreaKane X – @andrea_kane Facebook – @AuthorAndreaKane TikTok – @author.ak RBmedia Audiobooks
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