Rick Acker – författare

USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble and Rick Acker launch their Tupelo Grove series where a crumbling university, stolen artifacts, deep family secrets, and deadly ambitions all stand in the way of a second chance at happiness.

Savannah Webster is trying to find her way forward. She and her husband, Hez, have been separated since tragedy tore them apart and he began numbing his grief and guilt with alcohol. She returned to Tupelo Grove University, which her family helped found over a century ago, to teach history.

When Hez turns up in her classroom asking for a second chance, she rejects the idea immediately. But twenty-four hours later she''s under suspicion for murder, and since Hez is the best attorney she knows, she reluctantly asks him for help. They suspect the murder is tied to someone selling off the university''s pre-Columbian artifacts, but the secrets go much deeper than they realize.

The only hope they''ve got is each other, and they''re going to have to put their past behind them if they''re going to stay alive long enough to uncover all that''s hidden.

Colleen Coble and Rick Acker''s What We Hide is gripping suspense with closed-door, second-chance romance. They''ve "forged a seamless partnership with a singular voice" (Charles Martin), "where secrets simmer and unexpected twists leave you guessing until the shocking finale" (Kate Angelo).

"A heart-pounding tale of stolen artifacts and murder . . . the second-chance romance adds dimension to the well-plotted whodunit, which leaves more than a few secrets to be uncovered in the next installment. Readers will be on tenterhooks." --Publishers Weekly

Looking for more from these authors? Don''t miss their standalone novel I Think I Was Murdered (available now) or the second book in the Tupelo Grove series, Where Secrets Lie (available June 2025). All their novels include discussion questions that are perfect for book clubs.

"It''s a high-octane thriller with the grounding touches of Katrina''s Norwegian heritage, the hygge of North Haven, and a very sweet romance between two likable, vulnerable people. Romantic suspense comfort food--just like waffles with cloudberry cream." --KIRKUS

This timely, high-concept novel delves into the impact of AI on a grieving widow who uses a chatbot to "talk" to her dead husband. What she never expects is the response when she asks it to tell her something she doesn''t know: I think I was murdered.

Reading a novel from bestselling authors Colleen Coble and Rick Acker feels akin to watching a BBC mystery series: by the end of the first scene you can relax, knowing you''re in the capable hands of a story that will have a complex puzzle, character-driven plot, and satisfying reveal.

Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about, married with an adoring husband, and had more money than she knew how to spend. Then her world combusted. Her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Her CEO was indicted, and, as the company''s legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the passing of her beloved grandmother.

Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason''s email, social media backups, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn''t really dead and is right there beside her. She knows it''s slowing her grief recovery, but she can''t stop pretending.

On a particularly bad day, she taps out: Tell me something I don''t know. The cursor blinks for several moments and seems frozen before the reply flashes quickly onto the screen: I think I was murdered.

Distraught, Katrina returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the Northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur and longtime acquaintance, to try to parse out the truth of what really happened. They must navigate the complicated paths of grief, family dynamics, and second chances, as well as the complex questions of how much control technology has. And staying alive long enough to do that is far more difficult than either of them dreamed.

Bestselling authors Coble and Acker deftly combine a high-concept plot with gripping intrigue and closed-door romance in I Think I Was Murdered. Don''t miss it!

"This fast-paced thriller incorporating today''s headline news along with compelling family drama proves that the Coble-Acker partnership (What We Hide) will continue to produce hits. Recommend to fans of psychological thrillers such as Lies We Believe by Lisa Harris and Criss Cross by C.C. Warrens." --Library Journal

Looking for more from these authors? What We Hide (Tupelo Grove, #1) is also available!

USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble and Rick Acker deliver the second book in their compelling Tupelo Grove series (following What We Hide), where a crumbling university, stolen artifacts, deep family secrets, and deadly ambitions all stand in the way of a second chance at happiness.

College professor Savannah Webster is ready to give her ex-husband, Hez, another chance, and she believes he''s finally ready for them to face their many past trials as a team. But when Savannah finds evidence that points to Hez''s old demons resurfacing, the fragile trust they''ve built begins to crumble. And it''s not just their relationship that hanging in the balance--the survival of the university Savannah''s family poured their lives into is also under threat.

Hez is determined to put his past mistakes behind him with his new role mentoring law students at Tupelo Grove University''s legal clinic. His primary focus with the clinic is to help Savannah pull the university out of a pit of debt and bad decisions made by the previous leadership, including her father. But their quest for stability takes a dark turn as they try to root out the dangerous smuggling ring the university is entangled in, and their investigation puts them in the crosshairs of criminals who will stop at nothing to eliminate any obstacle in their path.

The twists continue until the final page as a dangerous world of smuggling and financial instability collides with the complex dynamics of legacy and family.

Colleen Coble and Rick Acker''s Where Secrets Lie is gripping suspense with closed-door, second-chance romance. "With an unpredictable plot, complex characters, and a college campus that holds dark secrets, this mystery will keep you guessing." (Robert Dugoni).

Looking for more from these authors? Don''t miss What We Hide, the first book in the Tupelo Grove series, or the standalone novel I Think I Was Murdered. All their novels include discussion questions that are perfect for book clubs.

Chicago lawyer Ben Corbin has just launched his private practice when Dr. Mikhail Ivanovsky, a mysterious Russian scientist, hires him to sue for possession of a safe deposit box. But when the box’s owner enlists the city’s highest-powered lawyer—and then turns up dead—the Russian confesses: inside the box is an old Soviet biowarfare formula for the deadliest disease known to humankind.

To make matters worse, a technicality called the Dead Man’s Rule now forbids the scientist from taking the stand. With no one to testify—and therefore no evidence—the odds against Ben seem insurmountable.

As the threat of a massive bioterrorist attack looms large, Ben and his team race to rebuild their case and rescue the box. To succeed, he’ll need all his wits and resources and Dr. Ivanovsky’s specialized knowledge—and both men will need to trust in a higher power.

Revised edition: This edition of Dead Man''s Rule includes editorial revisions.

Attorney Ben Corbin travels to Norway to settle a dispute between Karl and Gunnar Bjornsen, feuding brothers on the verge of developing a revolutionary neural stimulant that could turn first responders into superheroes. But more than just the fate of their pharmaceutical empire is at stake.

What starts as a sibling rivalry takes a deadly turn as Gunnar flees with the secret formula and Karl finds himself in the crosshairs of a bribery investigation. As Ben navigates a web of intrigue involving the Russian mob, embezzled funds, and black-market deals, he and his legal team are targeted for violent reprisals. Whoever is behind the attacks, it quickly becomes clear that no one and nothing—including the miracle drug itself—is as it seems.

Will lust for profit and unbridled ambition drive Cain to slay Abel—or will the intrepid lawyer trying to save them from destroying each other pay the ultimate price?

Revised edition: This edition of Blood Brothers includes editorial revisions.

San Francisco attorney Mike Webster does not lose medical-malpractice cases. But his stellar reputation and faith are put to the test when he agrees to defend Dr. Johanna Anderson, a brilliant and beautiful psychologist. Jo is accused of failing to prevent the death of Seth Bell, a senator’s son she was treating with a revolutionary technology-assisted therapy called the Mind’s Eye. The controversial technique provides insights into what patients are thinking and feeling and determines whether they’re telling the truth—so why didn’t it detect that Seth was suicidal?

As the case unfolds, a shadowy firm, Horizon Finance, sees a golden opportunity to profit by seizing the Mind’s Eye and auctioning it to intelligence services around the world. And Horizon will stop at nothing—not even murder—to succeed. As the danger escalates, Mike and Jo feel the heat of a mutual attraction. But when Mike’s loyal paralegal, Val, unearths evidence that could blow the case apart, Mike realizes he stands to lose much more than just a verdict.

Insurance litigator Leigh Collins has a knack for turning up that missing e-mail that wins the day or breaking down complex facts to sway a jury. So she’s hoping to make partner with her latest case: cancer researcher Dr. Elijah Rhodes and his life’s work are lost in a lab fire, and Biosolutions looks to cash in on a $100 million policy. Unfortunately, she’s up against Daniel Rubinelli, assistant general counsel for the biotech giant, who has a personal vendetta against cancer. In court, Leigh and Daniel clash from the beginning, ensuring a grueling case.

But soon greater concerns emerge. The late doctor might have found a “kill switch” for cancer cells—potentially wiping the disease off the face of the earth. While most of his findings were lost in the fire, he likely backed up his data, though encrypted beyond recovery.

Now, in this edge-of-your-seat thriller, two contentious lawyers must set aside their differences to locate the research before the doctor’s greatest discovery falls into the wrong hands…and the secret to life ends in death.

Jessica Ames is desperate. Her college-age son, Brandon, has been arrested for murder, and the evidence is stacked against him. His DNA matches the blood and skin found under the victim’s fingernails, and the murder weapon was recovered near his apartment. Jessica turns to the only lawyer she knows for help.

Nate Daniels is no criminal defense attorney; he’s a highly successful corporate litigator. He also has unresolved feelings for Jessica. As her late husband’s best friend, Nate takes the case pro bono, knowing he has no choice but to do everything within his power to get Brandon acquitted.

As Nate and Jessica work with the public defender to save her son, the loyalty, faith, and love between them grows into something more—even as their investigation is bringing out some very powerful and dangerous enemies…