Why am I passionate about this?

When I say I enjoy stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations, Iā€™m talking about characters who donā€™t have law enforcement or Special Forces training, who arenā€™t martial arts experts, KGB agents, or CIA officers. I like those characters too, but they typically engage my head, not my heart. Thrown into dangerous situations, ā€œordinaryā€ individuals can show tremendous courage and quick-wittedness. I can easily put myself in their shoes and empathize with their plight, which gives me a real stake in the storyā€™s outcome. If a story is well-written, the creative ways characters respond and the strengths they discover within themselves make them true heroes to me.


I wrote

Architect of Courage

By Victoria Weisfeld,

Book cover of Architect of Courage

What is my book about?

The summer before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the orderly life of successful Manhattan architect Archer Landis is upendedā€¦

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The World at Night

Victoria Weisfeld Why did I love this book?

In the early days of World War II, a Paris-based film producer tries to carry on working as usual and ignore the Nazi occupiers. Given the chance to give some minor aid to the British secret service, he agrees, and with each step, heā€™s drawn deeper and deeper into danger. His bestā€“and onlyā€”weapon is his wits. Maybe at first he doesnā€™t think heā€™s taking much of a risk. But, with hindsight, I know how precarious his situation is, and Iā€™m silently begging him not to do it! Furstā€™s riveting spy tales are what first attracted me to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

By Alan Furst,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The World at Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Paris 1940. The civilised, upper-class life of film producer Jean Casson ends with the German occupation of the city. Out of money and almost out of luck, Casson attempts to work with a German film company but finds himself drawn into the dark world of espionage and double agents. More used to evading jealous husbands than the secret police, Casson becomes a reluctant spy, torn between honour, patriotism, love and survival.


Book cover of Disappeared

Victoria Weisfeld Why did I love this book?

Two American housewivesā€”sistersā€”are on vacation in Morocco (a place Iā€™ve really enjoyed visiting) and one of them disappears. Her sister is determined to find her, but neither has any preparation for the dangers they face. A foreign setting is mysterious, exotic, and always holds unknown possibilities. Finding themselves in a rural area, the women donā€™t know whom to trust, and they cannot rely on the usual social safeguards. The police and military are actually a threat. For me, a standalone thriller like this packs extra tension because you canā€™t be certain the characters will survive!

By Bonnar Spring,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Disappeared as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

These two sisters are about to be permanently "disappeared"

Julie Welch's sister, Fay Lariviere, disappears from their hotel in Morocco. Although she leaves a note that she'll be back in two days, Fay doesn't return.

Julie's anger shifts to worryā€”and to fear when she discovers a stalker. Then, an attack meant for Julie kills another woman. Searching Fay's luggage and quizzing the hotel staff, Julie discovers Fay's destinationā€”a remote village in the Saharan desert. Convinced her sister is in danger and propelled by her own jeopardy, Julie rushes to warn Fay.

By the time she reaches the village, Julie findsā€¦


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Book cover of The Devil To Pay

The Devil To Pay by Gary Blackwood,

Some knowledge is dangerous... especially in the wrong hands...

As the conflict in Vietnam heats up, Simon Hannay is pursuing his Masters in Comparative Literature at a Midwest university, teaching karate on the side and doing his best to avoid the draft. He's not overly excited about his thesis... untilā€¦

Book cover of Cover Story

Victoria Weisfeld Why did I love this book?

This jigsaw puzzle of a psychological thriller involves a world-class con artist. So, so cleverly done. I didnā€™t put all the pieces together until the very end, which took my breath away, literally! Most of the story is told via the diary of a naĆÆve college dropout, who wants desperately to work for a fashion magazine. She wangles an internship with an important publication and reveals to the diary her growing admiration for one of the magā€™s high-living senior editors. Memoranda and phone messages of other people reveal the authorities are suspicious of the editor, as the intern works merrily on. I wanted her to wake up! I unsuccessfully tried to telepathically communicate the danger signs to her, but no.

By Susan Rigetti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cover Story as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Netflix's Inventing Anna and Hulu's The Dropout meets Catch Me If You Can in this captivating novel about an ambitious young woman who gets trapped in a charismatic con artist's scam.

A Most Anticipated Book by Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, Parade, New York Post, Shondaland, E!, Fortune, PopSugar, and more!

"It's exciting, it's surprising, it's satisfying, it's darkly funny, and it will keep you guessing."-Linda Holmes for Today.com

After a rough year at NYU, aspiring writer Lora Ricci is thrilled to land a summer internship at ELLE magazine where she meets Cat Wolff, contributing editor and enigmatic daughter of aā€¦


Book cover of Razorblade Tears

Victoria Weisfeld Why did I love this book?

In small-town Virginia, the Black owner of a successful landscaping business and a white alcoholic neā€™er-do-well who lives in a broken-down trailer might seem to have little in common, but they do. Their gay sons married each other and were murdered. Now both dads regret how they hadnā€™t accepted their sonsā€™ choices. They form an uneasy alliance to track down the killers. They want more than revenge. They want redemption. And justice. The narrator of the audio version (Adam Lazarre-White) is absolutely brilliant. I especially liked how Cosby doesnā€™t shy away from fundamental, painful issues in American society and treats them with intelligence and compassion. I felt like a better person for reading it.

By S.A. Cosby,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Razorblade Tears as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* One of Barack Obama's Recommended Reads for Summer ā€¢ New York Times Notable Book ā€¢ NPRā€™s Best Books of 2021 ā€¢ Washington Postā€™s Best Thriller and Mystery Books of the Year ā€¢ TIME Magazineā€™s 100 Must-Read Books of 2021 ā€¢ New York Public Libraryā€™s Best Books of the Year ā€¢ Goodreads Choice Award Nominee ā€¢ Book of the Monthā€™s Book of the Year Finalist
ā€œProvocative, violent ā€” beautiful and moving, too.ā€ ā€”Washington Post
ā€œSuperb...Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times.ā€ ā€”Michael Connelly
ā€œA tour de force ā€“ poignant, action-packed,ā€¦


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Book cover of Blood of the White Bear

Blood of the White Bear by Marcia Calhoun Forecki,

Virologist Dr. Rachel Bisette sees visions of a Kachina and remembers the plane crash that killed her parents and the Dine medicine woman who saved her life. Rachel is investigating a new and lethal hantavirus spreading through the Four Corners, and believes the Kachina is calling her to join theā€¦

Book cover of Fierce Kingdom

Victoria Weisfeld Why did I love this book?

A young mother and her four-year-old son are leaving the zoo at closing time. She hears a strange popping noise, and when they near the exit, she sees a number of dead or dying people on the paths in front of them. Finding a place to hide and to keep her voluble, demanding son quiet will take all her skill as a mother. The childā€™s behavior is so expertly conveyed, every parent will cringe with anxiety every time he talks too loudly or gets ready to wail. Phillipsā€™s excellent writing was so terrifying, I had to take breaks so I could breathe.

By Gin Phillips,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Fierce Kingdom as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the New York Times Book Review's Best Crime Novels of 2017

"Warning: you'll finish this in one sitting." -TheSkimm

"Expertly made thriller . . . clever and irresistible." -The New York Times

An electrifying novel about the primal and unyielding bond between a mother and her son, and the lengths she'll go to protect him.

The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gateā€¦


Explore my book šŸ˜€

Architect of Courage

By Victoria Weisfeld,

Book cover of Architect of Courage

What is my book about?

The summer before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the orderly life of successful Manhattan architect Archer Landis is upended by the murder of the woman he loves. When, to his surprise, the authorities link her to the Arab American community, their reflexive conclusion is ā€œterrorist.ā€ Landis sets out on a journey full of twists and turns to prove them wrong. But additional mysterious attacks target everyone and everything he holds dear. In responseā€”and to surviveā€”Landis must confront prejudice, self-doubt, the limits of loyalty, and a need for redemption that transcends revenge.

Book cover of The World at Night
Book cover of Disappeared
Book cover of Cover Story

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Broken Mirror by Cody Sisco,

A fractured mind or a global conspiracy? Uncovering the truth can be hell when nobody believes youā€¦ and you canā€™t even trust yourself. 

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