KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 24, 2018
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n attorney with a passion for words, Solange Ritchie began writing thrillers in her “spare time” (weekends, early mornings before work) with a mission. Struck by the lack of powerful women as lead characters, she set out to create her own: Dr. Catherine Powers, FBI Special Investigator. In her debut novel, “The Burning Man” (2015), Ritchie tested the strength of her “Cat” against a formidable adversary: a twisted serial killer. In “Firestorm,” her newest novel, Ritchie brings back Dr. Catherine Powers to confront her worst fear — exposing her young son, once again, to danger — and an all-too-familiar demon. As the murders mount, fires rage across Southern California, with increasing intensity and terrifying frequency. With horrors and tragedies swirling around her, Cat grapples to keep a grip on her emotions, assert her authority, and stay mentally sharp — while unaware of the warped avenger who is watching and waiting to claim her. “Many people who read the galley copy told me they felt like they were really in the fire. That’s a real compliment to a writer,” said Ritchie. The observations were formed first-hand from recent fires in California and the obstacles firefighters faced – including steep narrow streets and Santa Ana winds. Born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a French mother, Ritchie immigrated to the U.S. and went on to graduate from St.
KEYS READS
PART DEUX
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Former islander publishes second in a series
Mary Star of the Sea in 1982 in Key West. “I still have lots of high school friends and family friends living on the island,” she said. As a lawyer in Southern California, she was dubbed “the Case Saver” for handling intense legal motions that either make or break a case, especially in the areas of business, labor, and employment law. In 2014, she received the State Bar of California’s Solo and Small Firm Section’s highest award, the Myer J. Sankary Attorney of the Year Award. When Solange was just 37 years old, her first husband died due to gross medical negligence. She began writing creatively as a way to deal with the stress of his hospitalization and death. She now lives in South Florida. Ritchie said the first novel was the most difficult to write, but the second and third in the same series came at “lightning speed.” She’s also working on a standalone novel, tentatively titled “Fiona’s Box,” that is loosely based on the Keys’ own Robert the Doll. “It pushes the edge of noir, like a southern gothic horror novel. The premise is that the curse only affects some people, but as it is passed from person to person the object gains strength to control people,” she said. — Weekly Staff report
Solange Ritchie will be giving short talks and sign books in Key West next week: • Thursday, May 31 6 to 7 p.m. Key West library • Friday, June 1 5:30 to 7 p.m. Island Books, Key West
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