Sheena Kamal – författare

The case of a runaway teen forces a jaded Vancouver woman to confront the ghosts of her past in this intriguing psychological thriller series debut.The call comes in just after five in the morning. . . .It begins with a phone call that Nora Watts has dreaded for fifteen years—since the day she gave her newborn daughter up for adoption. Bonnie has vanished. The police consider her a chronic runaway and aren’t looking, leaving her desperate adoptive parents to reach out to her birth mother as a last hope.A biracial product of the foster system, transient, homeless, scarred by a past filled with pain and violence, Nora knows intimately what happens to vulnerable girls on the streets. Caring despite herself, she sets out to find Bonnie with her only companion, her mutt Whisper, knowing she risks reopening wounds that have never really healed—and plunging into the darkness with little to protect her but her instincts and a freakish ability to detect truth from lies.The search uncovers a puzzling conspiracy that leads Nora on a harrowing journey of deception and violence, from the gloomy rain-soaked streets of Vancouver, to the icy white mountains of the Canadian interior, to the beautiful and dangerous island where she will face her most terrifying demon. All to save a girl she wishes had never been born.

The heroine from the "utterly compelling" (Jeffery Deaver) The Lost Ones searches for the truth about her late father in this suspenseful thriller.Growing up, Nora Watts only knew one parent—her father. When he killed himself, she denied her grief and carried on with her life. Then a chance encounter with a veteran who knew him raises disturbing questions Nora can''t ignore—and dark emotions she can''t control. To make her peace with the past, she has to confront it.Finding the truth about her father''s life and his violent death takes her from Vancouver to Detroit where Sam Watts grew up, far away from his people and the place of his birth. Thanks to a disastrous government policy starting in the 1950s, thousands of Canadian native children like Sam were adopted by American families. In the Motor City, Nora discovers that the circumstances surrounding Sam''s suicide are more unsettling than she''d imagined.Back in the Pacific Northwest, former police detective turned private investigator Jon Brazuca is looking into the overdose death of a billionaire''s mistress. His search uncovers a ruthless opiate ring and a startling connection to Nora, the infuriatingly distant woman he''d once tried to befriend. He has no way to warn or protect her, because she''s become a ghost, vanishing completely off the grid.Focused on the mysterious events of her father''s past and the clues they provide to her own fractured identity and that of her estranged daughter, Nora may not be able to see the danger heading her way until it''s too late. But it''s not her father''s old ties that could get her killed—it''s her own.

A female PI and her daughter are targeted by a killer in "a dark, moody, complex thriller with a complex woman protagonist . . . I love love love these books" (Roxane Gay, New York Times–bestselling author of Hunger).A People Magazine Best New Book PickNamed a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by CrimeReads, LitHub, and Book Riot!Find your enemy. Before he finds you.Nora Watts has a talent for seeing what lies beneath strangers'' surfaces, and for knowing what they''re working hard to keep hidden. Somehow, it''s the people closest to her she has trouble truly connecting with. In the case of Bonnie, the teenage daughter Nora gave up for adoption, she has to keep trying. For Bonnie has a target on her back—and it''s all because of Nora.Two years ago, Bonnie was kidnapped by the wealthy Zhang family. Though Nora rescued her, she made a powerful enemy in Dao, a mysterious triad enforcer and former head of the Zhangs'' private security. Now Dao is out for revenge, and she needs to track him down in order to keep herself—and Bonnie—safe.On Dao''s trail, Nora forms an unlikely partnership with Bernard Lam, an eccentric playboy billionaire with his own mysterious grudge to bear, and reunites with Jon Brazuca, ex-cop turned private investigator and Nora''s occasional ally. From Canada to southeast Asia they pursue Dao, uncovering a shadowy criminal cabal. But soon, the trail will lead full circle to Vancouver, the only home Nora''s ever known, and right to the heart of her brutal past."A dynamic addition to a consistently thrilling series." —Kirkus Reviews"Fans of thrillers starring strong women will enjoy this Vancouver set story of love facing down evil." —Booklist

On a surveillance assignment for a child custody case, PI-in-training Nora Watts finds herself ensconced in a small farming community on a beautiful hippie island in the Pacific Northwest, a place with a reputation for being welcoming to outsiders. But when she arrives there, she discovers her welcome quickly wears thin. Perhaps too quickly. Salt Spring Island, with a history as a refuge for African Americans fleeing the bonds of slavery, is not a place of refuge for her—and, she suspects, may not be for the people who live there, either. As she investigates, nothing about this remote community seems to add up. It gets personal as Nora confronts her own complicated feelings toward her estranged daughter and becomes increasingly concerned about the child she''s been tasked to surveil. She discovers that small, idyllic communities can hide very big secrets. Included with this short story is a sneak peek at the next Nora Watts novel from Sheena Kamal, It All Falls Down

It's been a month since Trisha's dad was killed, wandering out drunk in front of the car Trisha is driving, and her mother grabs the wheel. To try to avoid him? To try NOT to avoid him? Trisha doesn't know exactly what happened that night, but she's afraid it's going to happen again ...Love and violence. In some families they're bound up together, dysfunctional and poisonous, passed from generation to generation like eye colour or a quirk of smile. Eighteen-year-old Trisha's trying to break the chain, channelling her violent impulses into Muay Thai kickboxing, an unlikely sport for a slightly built girl of Indian descent. She's the Canadian daughter of Trinidadian parents, whose own ancestors came over as indentured servants from India, replacing the Africans in the sugar fields after slavery was abolished. All that love and violence, identities warped and lost, passed on to her family, played out in every punch her father lands on her mother. Until the night he wanders out drunk in front of Trisha's car, and everything changes for ever.

It''s been a month since Trisha''s dad was killed, wandering out drunk in front of the car Trisha is driving, and her mother grabs the wheel. To try to avoid him? To try NOT to avoid him? Trisha doesn''t know exactly what happened that night, but she''s afraid it''s going to happen again ...Love and violence. In some families they''re bound up together, dysfunctional and poisonous, passed from generation to generation like eye colour or a quirk of smile. Eighteen-year-old Trisha''s trying to break the chain, channelling her violent impulses into Muay Thai kickboxing, an unlikely sport for a slightly built girl of Indian descent. She''s the Canadian daughter of Trinidadian parents, whose own ancestors came over as indentured servants from India, replacing the Africans in the sugar fields after slavery was abolished. All that love and violence, identities warped and lost, passed on to her family, played out in every punch her father lands on her mother. Until the night he wanders out drunk in front of Trisha''s car, and everything changes for ever.

''An extraordinary debut - highly recommended'' LEE CHILDIt''s late. The phone rings.The man on the other end says his daughter is missing.Your daughter. The baby you gave away over fifteen years ago. What do you do? Discover your next unforgettable suspense thriller, perfect if you loved Behind Her Eyes or Close To Home.------Praise for EYES LIKE MINE''Suspenseful, atmospheric and often deeply moving'' - Alison Gaylin''A taut, compulsive thriller . . . Beautifully imagined.'' - Irish Examiner''Eyes Like Mine is filled with action and dark truths . . . not your ordinary crime story'' - The Sun''Complex, unusual and gripping'' - Irish Independent

FOR FANS OF SHARON BOLTON AND PETER SWANSON COMES ANOTHER GRIPPING READ FROM THE AUTHOR OF EYES LIKE MINE. Nora Watts is being hunted . . . When Nora Watts is approached by a man claiming to know her late father, she is thrown into turmoil. Struggling with the imminent death, from cancer, of her friend and mentor Sebastian Crow, she is unprepared for the memories that this encounter brings back. What happened to her father that made him kill himself and abandon Nora and her sister?Heading to Detroit to try and find some answers about his life there, Nora expects to discover a reason behind his suicide. Instead, she finds more questions than answers. But trouble always follows Nora, and it's found her in Detroit, a city that is as broken as she is. 'Suspenseful, atmospheric' ALISON GAYLIN'A brave, unflinching heroine' LEE CHILD'The next Gillian Flynn' IRISH INDEPENDENT

FOR FANS OF SHARON BOLTON AND PETER SWANSON COMES ANOTHER GRIPPING READ FROM THE AUTHOR OF EYES LIKE MINE. Nora Watts is being hunted . . . When Nora Watts is approached by a man claiming to know her late father, she is thrown into turmoil. Struggling with the imminent death, from cancer, of her friend and mentor Sebastian Crow, she is unprepared for the memories that this encounter brings back. What happened to her father that made him kill himself and abandon Nora and her sister?Heading to Detroit to try and find some answers about his life there, Nora expects to discover a reason behind his suicide. Instead, she finds more questions than answers.But trouble always follows Nora, and it''s found her in Detroit, a city that is as broken as she is.''Suspenseful, atmospheric'' ALISON GAYLIN''A brave, unflinching heroine'' LEE CHILD''The next Gillian Flynn'' IRISH INDEPENDENT

FOR FANS OF SHARON BOLTON AND PETER SWANSON COMES ANOTHER GRIPPING READ FROM THE AUTHOR OF EYES LIKE MINE. Nora Watts is being hunted . . . When Nora Watts is approached by a man claiming to know her late father, she is thrown into turmoil. Struggling with the imminent death, from cancer, of her friend and mentor Sebastian Crow, she is unprepared for the memories that this encounter brings back. What happened to her father that made him kill himself and abandon Nora and her sister?Heading to Detroit to try and find some answers about his life there, Nora expects to discover a reason behind his suicide. Instead, she finds more questions than answers.But trouble always follows Nora, and it's found her in Detroit, a city that is as broken as she is.'Suspenseful, atmospheric' ALISON GAYLIN'A brave, unflinching heroine' LEE CHILD'The next Gillian Flynn' IRISH INDEPENDENT

'A brave, unflinching heroine and brave, unflinching writing adds up to an extraordinary debut - highly recommended' LEE CHILD'Utterly compelling, rich with voice and psychological insight, populated with heartbreakingly real characters, Eyes Like Mine will stay with you for a long, long time. Perhaps forever' JEFFERY DEAVERIt's late. The phone rings.The man on the other end says his daughter is missing.Your daughter. The baby you gave away over fifteen years ago. What do you do?

'A brave, unflinching heroine and brave, unflinching writing adds up to an extraordinary debut - highly recommended' LEE CHILD'Utterly compelling, rich with voice and psychological insight, populated with heartbreakingly real characters' JEFFERY DEAVERIt's late. The phone rings.The man on the other end says his daughter is missing.Your daughter. The baby you gave away over fifteen years ago. What do you do?

From the award-winning and bestselling author of Eyes Like Mine comes the new thriller featuring Nora Watts, ''a brave, unflinching heroine'' (Lee Child). This time in order to protect her daughter, Nora is willing to risk everything. Meet Nora Watts. She''s not your average heroine, but she''ll go above and beyond for those she loves. For fans of Jeffery Deaver''s The Never Game and Karin Slaughter''s The Last Widow comes a book about family, loyalty and love.''Sheena Kamal''s writing is as fearless as her protagonist'' LINWOOD BARCLAY''Will stay with you for a long, long time. Perhaps forever'' JEFFERY DEAVER****Find your enemy. Before he finds you . . .Nora Watts is used to being hunted. Since she rescued her biological daughter, Bonnie, two years ago, from the criminal gang that had kidnapped her, Nora''s been targeted by the ruthless Dao. He wants revenge, and he will use whatever he can to get to Nora - including Bonnie.So, Nora has no choice: the hunted must become the hunter.But as she chases after Dao, from the snow-laden streets of Vancouver to the sun-bleached beaches in Indonesia, she knows that it''s only a matter of time before they come face to face - and this time, only one of them can walk away.It''s a mother''s job to keep her child safe, at all costs, so can Nora find Dao and stop him - before it''s too late?''I''d follow Nora Watts (and her dog) anywhere'' A. L. GAYLIN''The next Gillian Flynn'' IRISH INDEPENDENT

From the award-winning and bestselling author of Eyes Like Mine comes the new thriller featuring Nora Watts, 'a brave, unflinching heroine' (Lee Child). This time in order to protect her daughter, Nora is willing to risk everything. Meet Nora Watts. She's not your average heroine, but she'll go above and beyond for those she loves. For fans of Jeffery Deaver's The Never Game and Karin Slaughter's The Last Widow comes a book about family, loyalty and love.'Sheena Kamal's writing is as fearless as her protagonist' LINWOOD BARCLAY'Will stay with you for a long, long time. Perhaps forever' JEFFERY DEAVER****Find your enemy. Before he finds you . . . Nora Watts is used to being hunted. Since she rescued her biological daughter, Bonnie, two years ago, from the criminal gang that had kidnapped her, Nora's been targeted by the ruthless Dao. He wants revenge, and he will use whatever he can to get to Nora - including Bonnie.So, Nora has no choice: the hunted must become the hunter. But as she chases after Dao, from the snow-laden streets of Vancouver to the sun-bleached beaches in Indonesia, she knows that it's only a matter of time before they come face to face - and this time, only one of them can walk away. It's a mother's job to keep her child safe, at all costs, so can Nora find Dao and stop him - before it's too late?'I'd follow Nora Watts (and her dog) anywhere' A. L. GAYLIN'The next Gillian Flynn' IRISH INDEPENDENT

»Eine mutige, unbeirrbare Heldin und eine mutige, unbeirrbare Schreibweise ergänzen sich zu einem außergewöhnlichen Debüt – höchst empfehlenswert.« Lee ChildNora Watts ist die perfekte Jägerin - als ehemaliges Mitglied der Canadian Forces hat sie ein untrügliches Gespür für Lügen. Sie ist die beste Privatdetektivin Kanadas. Doch ihr Leben ist hart, immer wieder verfällt sie dem Alkohol. Sie vertraut niemandem, lebt heimlich in einer Abstellkammer unter dem Detektivbüro in Vancouver und spricht nur mit ihrer Hündin Whisper. Bis ein Paar sie um ihre Hilfe bittet. Ihre Tochter Bonnie ist verschwunden. Nora stellt entsetzt fest, dass es sich um ihre eigene, vor fünfzehn Jahren zur Adoption freigegebene Tochter handelt. Nur wenn sie sich jetzt zum ersten Mal wieder den Menschen öffnet, kann sie sie retten. Aber Bonnies Entführer sind auch hinter ihr her, und bald wird die Jägerin zur Gejagten ...»Extrem spannend, mit ganz eigener Stimme, psychologischer Tiefe und herzzerreißend lebensnahen Figuren. Untiefen bleibt im Gedächtnis, noch lange nachdem man die letzte Seite gelesen hat. Vielleicht für immer.« Jeffery Deaver»Kamals Debüt ist anders als die üblichen Vermissten-Thriller – rau, brutal und provozierend. Eine Autorin, die man im Blick behalten sollte!« Library Journal

De pequeña, Nora Watts solo conoció a uno de sus progenitores, a su padre Sam. Cuando este se suicidó, ella se negó a sentir dolor y continuó con su vida. Pero un encuentro fortuito con un veterano de guerra que lo conoció le hace enfrentarse a preguntas y emociones oscuras que no puede ignorar. Si quiere hacer las paces con el pasado, debe plantarle cara.Para descubrir la verdad sobre la vida de su padre y sobre su muerte, Nora viaja de Vancouver a Detroit, donde se crio Sam Watts. En la Ciudad del Motor, Nora descubre que las circunstancias que rodearon al suicidio son más inquietantes de lo que había imaginado. Sin embargo, por mucho que se aleje de Vancouver, Nora no logra dejar atrás los problemas. De vuelta en el noroeste del Pacífico, Jon Brazuca, exdetective de la policía convertido en investigador privado, está investigando la muerte por sobredosis de la amante de un multimillonario. Su búsqueda destapa una despiadada red de contrabando de opiáceos y un sorprendente vínculo con Nora.Centrada en los misteriosos acontecimientos del pasado de su padre y en las pistas que estos le proporcionan para entender su propia identidad y la de su hermana, tal vez Nora no logre ver el peligro hasta que sea demasiado tarde. Pero no son los viejos contactos de su padre los que podrían matarla, sino los suyos propios.«Un thriller impactante y emocionalmente absorbente».Kirkus reviews

Pensaba que su pasado había quedado olvidado. Se equivocaba…La llamada se produce poco después de las cinco de la mañana…Nunca antes había oído el nombre de Everett Walsh, pero, según dice, yo podría saber algo sobre una chica que ha desaparecido. Sin embargo no me dice de qué se trata. Me planteo no quedar con él, pero parece desesperado y, si hay algo que me atrae más que la perseverancia, es la desesperación. Pese a que me gano la vida encontrando a gente, ¿qué podría saber yo sobre una chica desaparecida que justifique una llamada a estas horas?".Todo comienza con una llamada telefónica que Nora Watts lleva temiendo quince años, desde que renunció a su hija recién nacida y la dio en adopción. Bonnie ha desaparecido. La policía la considera una fugitiva crónica, de modo que no se molesta en buscarla, y sus padres adoptivos, desesperados, recurren a su madre biológica como última esperanza.La propia Nora es el producto del sistema de acogida y adopción: transeúnte, vagabunda, marcada por un pasado doloroso y violento, poseedora de unos ojos oscuros capaces de absorber la luz a su alrededor y de ver hasta el alma de una persona. Ella sabe bien lo que les ocurre a las chicas vulnerables en las calles. Sin poder evitar implicarse, se propone encontrar a Bonnie, aunque se arriesga a reabrir viejas heridas que nunca llegaron a curarse, y se lanza a la oscuridad con la única protección de su instinto y su asombrosa capacidad para distinguir la verdad de la mentira.En su búsqueda, Nora destapa una compleja conspiración y se embarca en un tortuoso viaje de engaños y de violencia, desde las calles grises y lluviosas de Vancouver hasta las montañas heladas del interior de Canadá, y de ahí a la preciosa y peligrosa isla donde se enfrentará a sus peores demonios. Todo para salvar a una chica que desearía que no hubiera nacido nunca.

O telefone toca passados apenas cinco minutos das cinco da manhã…Nunca tinha ouvido falar do nome Everett Walsh antes, contudo, segundo a pessoa que me ligou, poderei saber alguma coisa sobre uma miúda desaparecida. Embora não me diga o quê. Ainda considero a hipótese de não me encontrar com ele, mas parecia desesperado e, se há coisa que me atrai mais numa pessoa do que a persistência, é o desespero. Apesar de encontrar pessoas fazer parte da forma como ganho a vida, o que poderia eu saber sobre uma miúda desaparecida que justificasse uma chamada a esta hora?Tudo começa com uma chamada telefónica que Nora Watts receou durante quinze anos — desde o dia em que deu a sua filha recém-nascida para adoção. Bonnie desapareceu. A polícia considera-a uma fugitiva crónica e não anda à procura dela, levando os pais adotivos a procurar, como última esperança, a mãe biológica.Resultado de uma relação multirracial e proveniente de instituições de acolhimento, transiente, sem-abrigo, apavorada pelo seu passado repleto de dor e violência, e amaldiçoada com uns intimidantes olhos escuros que absorvem toda a luz circundante — e com a capacidade de penetrar bem fundo na alma de uma pessoa — Nora sabe intimamente o que acontece a raparigas vulneráveis na rua...

Quando era pequena, Nora Watts só conheceu o pai. Quando este se suicidou, recusou-se a sentir dor e seguiu em frente com a sua vida. Contudo, um encontro fortuito com um veterano de guerra que conhecera o pai fê-la fazer-se perguntas que não podia continuar a ignorar, para além de criar emoções sombrias que não conseguía controlar. Para se livrar do passado, terá de o enfrentar.Ao descobrir a verdade sobre a vida do pai e sobre a sua norte violenta, Nora viaja de Vancouver para Detroit, onde Sam Watts foi criado, longe do seu povo e do lugar onde nasceu. Devido a uma política governamental desastrosa que começou na década de 1950, milhares de crianças nativas canadianas, como Sam, foram adotadas por famílias americanas. Na Cidade do Motor, Nora descobre que as circunstâncias que rodearam o suicídio de Sam são inquietantes.No entanto, por muito que se afaste de Vancouver, Nora não consegue deixar os problemas para trás. De regresso ao noroeste do Pacífico, Jon Brazuca, um antigo detetive de polícia que se tornou investigador privado, está a investigar a morte por overdose da amante de um multimilionário. A sua busca expõe uma rede desumana de contrabando de opiáceos e um vínculo surpreendente com Nora, a mulher distante e irritante de quem, certa vez, tentara ser amigo…Abrasador... É inevitável fazer comparações com os trabalhos de Stieg Larsson e Lisbeth Salander.Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)"Kamal impregna a sua narração de uma melancolia palpável, capturando efetivamente a decadencia urbana de Detroit enquanto destaca a energia e a esperança das pessoas que a habitam. Com um final explosivo que abre o caminho para as futuras aventuras desta heroína cativante, complicada e imperfeita. Um thriller incrível que se conecta com as emoções."Kirkus Reviews (crítica estelar)

Hän uskoi, että oli jättänyt menneisyyden taakseen. Mutta hän oli väärässä.Eräänä päivänä tulee puhelu, joka kääntää Nora Wattsin maailman päälaelleen. Bonnie, tytär, jonka hän on antanut adoptoitavaksi, on kadonnut. Koska tyttö on aiemmin karannut kotoa useita kertoja, poliisi ei ota asiaa vakavasti, ja Nora, joka työssään etsii kadonneita henkilöitä, on epätoivoisten adoptiovanhempien viimeinen oljenkorsi.Nora on myös itse asunut kadulla ja tietää, millaiset vaarat voivat uhata yksinäistä teinityttöä. Vasten tahtoaan hän päättää etsiä Bonniea. Hän lähtee Vancouverin sateen kastelemilta kaduilta Kanadan lumipeitteisten vuorten kautta saarelle, jossa hänen täytyy kohdata pahin pelkonsa – vain pelastaakseen sen lapsen, jota hän ei koskaan halunnut.---Sheena Kamal syntyi Karibialla ja muutti lapsena Kanadaan. Sheenalla on valtiotieteiden tutkinto ja hän on työskennellyt aiemmin tutkivana rikostoimittajana elokuva- ja televisioteollisuudessa. Tänä päivänä hän asuu Vancouverissa. Kriitikoiden ylistämä Kadonneet sielut on hänen esikoisromaaninsa, joka on myyty viiteentoista maahan.