The first book in an explosive new series

FATAL INTRUSION  introduces Carmen Sanchez, an agent with the little-known Homeland Security Investigations division of DHS and Jacoby “Jake” Heron, an eccentric but brilliant professor and penetration tester whose job is to protect against what he sees as the number-one threat facing us today: intrusion into every aspect of our lives. Over the course of just seventy-two hours, the storyline speeds non-stop as the duo joins forces in a desperate attempt to stop a serial killer in Southern California.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, August 2024 (Pre-empt)

• Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards Judge’s Top Picks: Best Thriller Category
• Publishers Weekly Global Rights Deal of the Week
• Parade’s Best Mysteries of 2024
• Readworthy by Bookbub‘s Best New Thrillers
• Winner AudioFile Magazine’s Earphones Award
• Featured on Your Life Arizona
• Best Thriller Books Next Favorite Thriller
• Nerd Daily feature
• Featured by The Real Book Spy

“Slick, cinematic action and fastidiously detailed investigative work bring this series launch to life. Deaver and Maldonado make a good match.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Deaver’s interest in social media and Maldonado’s law enforcement background blend well in this fast-paced crime novel. For readers who enjoy serial killer chase stories.”
—Library Journal

“In this exciting introduction to a new crime thriller series, Deaver and Maldonado take readers on a case of mindboggling proportions…This novel is captivating, detail driven, and intentionally misguiding until the final reveal.”
—Booklist

“Deaver and Maldonado have crafted a white-knuckle ride… the insider’s look at an unfamiliar agency, its intricate plotting and complex Latina agent make Fatal Intrusion one that thriller readers will relish.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Jeffery Deaver teams up with Isabella Maldonado to launch a new series about Carmen Sanchez, a by-the-book Homeland Security Investigations Agent must team up with cyber security whiz (and rule breaker) Professor Jake Heron if she’s going to have any chance at stopping what looks like random murders spurred on by a darknet collective. Deaver and Maldonado look like an easier match: Fatal Intrusion leaped onto the charts and they’re hard at work on book two for next fall.”
—Parade

“Dennison Fallow is a villain not to be trifled with, which makes this extremely clever cat-and-mouse game so intriguing. I applaud combining the talents of Deaver and Maldonado and look forward to revisiting these memorable characters in the very near future.”
—BookReporter

“A fast-paced nonstop thriller … action-packed story filled with twists, turns, and well-developed characters, good and evil.”
—AudioFile Magazine

“Fatal Intrusion is one of those thriller novels that truly is hard to put down. Fortunately, it is the first book in a series that I’m looking forward to following.”
—Glenn Perrett, Toronto.com

“Chilling and thrilling, Fatal Intrusion is a harrowing tale filled with twists and turns, investigations and technology, and dogged determination by the righteous versus sociopathic motivations by the malevolent”
—Steve Netter

“Fatal Intrusion is a must-read, and everyone will be dying for the next book.”
—Jeff Ayers

“Fatal Intrusion will grab ahold of you quickly and sink its hooks into you for the duration. The plot is fast and suspenseful, and the intensity of the investigative chase is unrelenting. But it’s the compelling and intriguing characters that make this story so scintillating. This is a really fun, exhilarating and captivating novel. Looking forward to seeing where these fantastic authors take this series next.”
—Best Thriller Books

“The meeting of two literary giants is exciting, and anyone who’s read Deaver’s or Maldonado’s work knows this is a sure bet to thrill, making it a no-brainer to pre-order.”
—The Real Book Spy

“Based on this first outing, Deaver and Maldonado are off to a thrilling start. The plot has all the twists and turns that define works by these two writers. Sanchez and Heron are intriguing characters whose relationship can grow in future entries. There are hints that Sanchez and Heron were romantically involved at one point. Another story line that will keep us reading.”
—Woman Around Town

“Deaver and Maldonado’s own skills and interests are on display in this new book featuring an unusual team. Deaver has demonstrated an interest in social media and the Internet and what can go wrong. Maldonado was the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, and retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. Her law enforcement background is obvious in this novel.”
—Lesa’s Book Critiques

“The main characters are unique and well-developed, as well as the supporting characters who are mostly bad guys. As is the case in a good thriller, the dénouement is a surprise and readers will be kept on the edge reading to find out the outcome…It is a new series that will appeal to most thriller readers who like something new in this computer age.”
—Bella Online

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Large Print

• Thorndike

Foreign

• Bulgarian: ERA Media
• Czech: Grada
• French: Editions Bookmark
• Italian: Longanesi
• Japanese: Bungeishunju
• UK/Europe Large Print: Ulverscroft

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Optioned for television by Netflix

Perfect couples are his perfect victims. Now he’s hunting those hunting him in a riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado.

A wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron, discover that the tragedy is the third in a series of similar deaths and conclude something far more sinister is at play.

The two uncover chilling evidence pointing to a serial killer who has taken evil to the next level. Dubbed the Honeymoon Killer, this man isn’t interested in his victims but in creating his own macabre masterpiece from their graves—focused on the survivors and reveling in their grief. And now his dark obsession has turned to Carmen and Jake…

The Honeymoon Killer has decided they are the perfect next target. Take one out and delight as the other crumbles. Time is running out as a deadly game between predator and prey begins.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, September 2025

“The Grave Artist by co-authors Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado features memorable characters and a wealth of unexpected, gut-wrenching, cliff-hanging, unexpected plot twists and turns. Original, cleverly constructed, compelling, and a fascinatingly compulsive read from cover to cover. Highly recommended.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Authors Deaver and Maldonado deliver another entertaining thriller with differing takes on grief, strong female characters, familial discourse, and an internal knowledge of law enforcement proceedings and departments.”
—Booklist

“Captivating and intense, The Grave Artist is a suspenseful thriller that grips you by the collar and won’t let you breathe until it concludes.  Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado have crafted a second straight banger with great characters, a gripping plot, sinister mystery and emotional attachments.”
—Best Thriller Books

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Large Print

• Thorndike

Foreign

• Czech: Grada
• French: Editions Bookmark
• Italian: Longanesi
• Japanese: Bungeishunju
• UK/Europe Large Print: Ulverscroft

An FBI agent with a background in cryptography. A brilliant game maker bent on revenge. A deadly battle of wits and wills. An ingenious thriller.

FBI agent and former military codebreaker Daniela “Dani” Vega witnesses a murder on a Manhattan sidewalk. The victim is chief of staff for a powerful New York senator. The assassin turned informant is Gustavo Toro. His code: hit the target and don’t ask questions. When Dani suspects a complex conspiracy, the only way to take down the mastermind is from the inside, forcing her to partner with Toro. Together they must infiltrate the inner circle at a remote facility.

Except it’s a trap. For all of them.

Locked in a subterranean labyrinth and held captive by an unseen host, Dani, Toro, and others must fight for their lives. Now Dani must stay undercover, unravel a bizarre conspiracy, and survive lethal puzzles. But will Toro be friend or foe? Because in this killer’s game, everything is real: the paranoia, the desperation, and the body count. And only one person can make it out alive.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, May 2023

• Bookbub’s 11 New Mysteries Featuring Deadly Games and Puzzles
• Amazon Books’ editors’ pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Series
• Real Book Spy’s Most Anticipated Books of 2023
• The Strand’s Top Summer Reads
• Medium Magazine’s 9 Summer Reading Must Reads

“Maldonado keeps the plot boiling and the bodies dropping to the end.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Intense, gripping, and compulsively readable, A KILLER’S GAME goes from zero to ninety on page one and never slows down. FBI agent Dani Vega is a heroine to cheer for—tough, inventive, and highly capable. A winner.”
—Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Explosive, absorbing and absolutely fascinating, A Killer’s Game is a knock-down, drag-out brawl of a thriller with themes of revenge, justice and survival. The story is exhilarating, the pacing is at breakneck speed, the characters are tremendous and the action is ruthless.  It’s not to be missed.”
—Best Thriller Books

“This is an awesome action thriller. Once they get locked up, the action is ramped up, and you do not want to put this book down. Another great novel from author Maldonado.”
—RedCarpetCrash

“…virtually brought to life by the truly exceptional narrative storytelling skills of Almarie Guerra and Feodor Chin…an unreservedly recommended pick.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Everything [Maldonado] writes is solid gold. If you’re not already reading her work, don’t wait any longer. This book is fantastic.”
—The Real Book Spy

“You should pick it up. It’s quite the ride.”
—The Mark Thompson Show

“A lot of fun for readers. A great summer book.”
—WPHM

“[Isabella is] one of the top authors right now in the country, if not the world. Her work has caught on like wildfire.”
—WKXL

“Described as Squid Game meets Criminal Minds, A KILLER’S GAME is a high-octane thriller set in an escape room filled with lethal puzzles. The story, featuring a strong Latina main character, will have readers trying to crack codes and solve clues while on the edge of their seats.”
—Medium Magazine

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Foreign

• Czech: Grada
• Russian: Exmo
• Ukrainian: Bookchef

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Optioned for television

An FBI agent tracks a brilliant serial killer in New York—right back to her own cold-blooded past in a riveting thriller

FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega was seventeen when her mother murdered her father. Ten years after Dani’s own damning eyewitness testimony sealed her mother’s fate, she’s starting to have doubts. What if she got it all wrong?

A veteran NYPD homicide detective agrees to reopen the closed case on one condition—Dani must help him find a serial killer who’s been operating throughout New York City for the past decade. If anyone can decipher his patterns, and his riddles, it’s a trained codebreaker like Dani. The killer knows this too. And his next riddle—and victim—are meant just for her.

For Dani, stopping a killer—and learning what really happened to her father—becomes more personal and more dangerous with each new twist. As secrets of the past are unearthed, the truth could forever change Dani’s life…and the lives of everyone she loves.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, March 2024

• Edgar® Award Nominee Best Paperback Original
• International Thriller Writers Thriller Award Nominee Best Series Novel
• Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards: Best Thriller Finalist
• Shelf Reflection Most Anticipated Books of 2024

“Maldonado’s years of law enforcement experience continue to add grit and texture to the series, and she supplements those details with a barn burner of a climax. Readers will clamor for the sequel.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Dani Vega is the kickass heroine we’ve all been waiting for! Former Army Ranger, current hardcore FBI Agent, she can outthink, outfight, and just plain outclass any opponent around. Welcome to your next favorite series!”
—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Maldonado’s expertise in the criminology field really shines through in her books…. She covers her bases, does her research, and creates a realistic investigation and chase that is compelling and engaging!”
—Shelf Reflection

“Filled to the brim with suspense and danger, A Forgotten Kill is one of those great reads that crackles with nervous energy from start to finish. A book that urges you forward with a desperate desire to learn the outcome as quickly as possible.”
—Best Thriller Books

“A complex, riveting narrative with precise, gritty prose that builds suspense and tension to an unputdownable climax. The story takes readers on a tumultuous journey, filled with clues, suspects, and misleading trails, challenging them to solve the mystery alongside the protagonist. Maldonado’s insightful and engaging storytelling, enriched by her extensive experience in law enforcement, makes for an enthralling addition to the crime fiction genre. This novel not only offers a thrilling experience but also leaves readers eagerly anticipating more adventures with FBI Special Agent Daniela Vega.
—Mystery & Suspense

“With relentless action, this gripping mystery will captivate listeners from start to finish.”
—AudioFile Magazine

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Foreign

• Russian: Exmo

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Optioned for television

A dead man’s riddles—and secrets—thrust an FBI codebreaker into a deadly cross-country race for justice

During a recent undercover sting gone bad, hit man Gustavo Toro died in the arms of FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega. But Toro had secrets he refused to take to the grave.

In the event of his death, Toro left behind a video that promises to expose a mysterious mastermind who has been operating with impunity for decades. But there’s a catch. Dani’s team must follow Toro’s cryptic clues on a cross-country hunt for justice, and piecing together his past is more twisted than Dani could have imagined.

But as Dani and her team race to gather the evidence, it’s clear this powerful adversary will stop at nothing to keep their secrets—including eliminating those who threaten to reveal them.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, January 2025

• BookRiot’s 13 New Mysteries, Thrillers, & True Crime for January 2025

“As in the previous books, Maldonado leverages her law enforcement background to lend the proceedings weight and authenticity, while flashbacks predating Toro’s death ratchet up the suspense. This series continues to impress.”
—Publishers Weekly

“For fans of FBI procedurals, cross-country hunts, and cryptic clues!”
—Book Riot

“I would definitely recommend this book and the other books in the series! They are action-packed thrillers with likeable characters and a strong female lead. There are no caveats. Maldonado is just a great author!”
—Shelf Reflection

“The author brings her law enforcement experience to the page, adding realism and grit…this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in 2024.”
—Mystery and Suspense Magazine

“An incredible feat that can only be pulled off by an exceptional author. And Isabella Maldonado is absolutely at the top of her game.“
—Best Thriller Books

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

•  Brilliance Audio

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Optioned for television

TO A CUNNING SERIAL KILLER, SHE WAS THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY. UNTIL NOW…

FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera escaped a serial killer’s trap at sixteen. Years later, when she’s jumped in a Virginia park, a video of the attack goes viral. Legions of new fans are not the only ones impressed with her fighting skills. The man who abducted her eleven years ago is watching. Determined to reclaim his lost prize, he commits a grisly murder designed to pull her into the investigation…but his games are just beginning. And he’s using the internet to invite the public to play along.

His coded riddles may have made him a depraved social media superstar—an enigmatic cyber-ghost dubbed “the Cipher”—but to Nina he’s a monster who preys on the vulnerable. Partnered with the FBI’s preeminent mind hunter, Dr. Jeffrey Wade, who is haunted by his own past, Nina tracks the predator across the country. Clue by clue, victim by victim, Nina races to stop a deadly killer while the world watches.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2020

• Wall Street Journal Bestseller
• #1 Amazon Charts Bestseller
• Amazon Editors’ Pick: Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
• Forbes 30 Top Mystery Books of All Time
• Publishing Perspectives 12 titles with International Potential (the only US title)
• Ms. Magazine: Top Thriller Must‐Read Books by Women Writers of Color
• Remezcla’s 5 Thriller Books by Latine Authors If You Like Prime’s “Reacher”

“The survivor of a vicious crime confronts her fears in a hunt for a serial killer…forensic analysis, violent action, and a tough heroine who stands up to the last man on earth she wants to see again.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“[In] this riveting series launch from Maldonado…the frequent plot twists will keep readers guessing to the end, and Maldonado draws on her 22 years in law enforcement to add realism. Determined to overcome her painful past, the admirable Nina has enough depth to sustain a long-running series.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado is a nail-biting race against time.”
—POPSUGAR

“Maldonado does a superb job of depicting a woman who’s made a strength out of trauma, and an even better job at showing how a monster could use the internet to prey on the vulnerable. Maldonado spent 22 years in law enforcement and her experience shines through in The Cipher.”
—The Amazon Book Review

“A heart-pounding novel from page one, The Cipher checks all the boxes for a top-notch thriller: sharp plotting, big stakes, and characters—good and bad and everywhere in between—that are so richly drawn you’ll swear you’ve met them. I read this in one sitting and I guarantee you will too. Oh, another promise: You’ll absolutely love the Warrior Girl!”
—Jeffery Deaver, New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author

“Wow! A riveting tale in the hands of a superb storyteller.”
—J.A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

“Intense, harrowing, and instantly addictive, The Cipher took my breath away. Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable heroine in Nina Guerrera, a dedicated FBI agent and trauma survivor with unique insight into the mind of a predator. This riveting story is everything a thriller should be.”
—Hilary Davidson, Washington Post bestselling author

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio
• Egmont (Swedish)

Foreign

• Brazilian Portuguese: Culturama
• Bulgarian: Ciela Norma
• Chinese (Complex): Spring International Publishers (pre-empt)
• Chinese (Simplified): Yilin Press
• Croatian: Egmont
• Czech: Grada Publishing
• Dutch: Egmont
• Finnish: Egmont
• French: MxM Bookmark
• German: Edition M
• Hungarian: Konyvmolykepzo
• Italian: Longanesi (auction)
• Italian Bookclub: Mondolibri 
• Japanese: Hayakawa Publishing
• Macedonian: Sakam Knigi
• Polish: Dressler Świat Książki (auction)
• Portuguese: Presença
• Romanian:Bookzone
• Russian: Exmo
• Slovak: Grada Slovakia
• Spanish: Duomo (auction)
• Swedish: Egmont
• Turkish: Altın Kitaplar Yayınevi
• Ukrainian: Bookchef

Large Print

• Thorndike

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Previously optioned by Netflix and Nuyorican Productions for feature film on behalf of Jennifer “JLo” Lopez (auction)

FOR NEARLY THIRTY YEARS A SERIAL KILLER HAS BEEN HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT. SO HAS THE KEY TO AN FBI AGENT’S DARK PAST.

A family is murdered as they sleep. FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera and her new team are tasked with determining whether there is any link between this attack and another triple homicide from four years earlier and more than two thousand miles away. In the process, they’ll discover a serial killer so cunning that his grisly trail of death spanning nearly three decades has gone undetected. Each crime scene reminds Nina of the ghostly Latin folktale of La Llorona, which terrified her when she was an abandoned and vulnerable child. Now it’s back to haunt her.

Nina has known evil, but these macabre reenactments are as disturbing as they are baffling. Now she must uncover the meaning behind the rituals as the evidence leads her in an unexpected direction—far closer to home than anyone could have imagined. As the team narrows in on a suspect, the present collides with Nina’s past in a twist of fate that forces her to make the ultimate sacrifice.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2021

• Wall Street Journal Bestseller

• 2022 International Latino Book Award

“A horrifying crime, cat-and-mouse detection, aha moments, and extended suspense”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Maldonado expertly ratchets up the tension as the pieces of the puzzle neatly fall into place. Suspense fans will be enthralled from the very first page.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A killer of a novel. Fresh, fast, and utterly ingenious.”
—Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A thrill-ride from the very start. It starts off fast and never lets up. It’s one of the best thrillers of the summer.”
—Red Carpet Crash

“A Different Dawn is a heart-stopping journey on parallel tracks: police detection and personal…Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable hero in Nina Guerrera.”
—Criminal Element

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Foreign

• Czech: Grada
• French: MXM Bookmark
• German: Edition M
• Romanian: Bookzone
• Russian: Exmo
• Slovak: Grada Slovakia
• Ukrainian: BookChef Publishing

Large Print

• Thorndike

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Previously optioned by Netflix and Nuyorican Productions for feature film on behalf of Jennifer “JLo” Lopez (auction)

A SERIAL KILLER WANTS TO PLAY. FBI AGENT NINA GUERRERA HAS NO TIME FOR GAMES.

Six female undergrads at an elite university vanish. The media descends. The families demand action. And as Special Agent Nina Guerrera follows clue by chilling clue, she realizes she’s tracking the most cunning predator of her career.

The case takes a turn for the worse, and the bizarre, when several victims are found perfectly preserved. No signs of violence, no hint of how they died. Just more evidence that the killer is cruel, calculating, and a master of mind control.

With her mission compromised, Nina must face her greatest failure—and greatest fear—to stop a deadly hunter before he claims another prize.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2022

“Packed with excitement, action, investigative brilliance and stomach-churning crimes…engaging, enraging and enthralling.”
—Best Thriller Books

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

Foreign

• Czech: Grada
• French: MXM Bookmark
• Romanian: Bookzone
• Russian: Exmo
• Ukrainian: BookChef Publishing

Large Print

• Thorndike

Media Rights: Film, Television, Stage & Podcast

• Previously optioned by Netflix and Nuyorican Productions for feature film on behalf of Jennifer “JLo” Lopez (auction)

A PHOENIX DETECTIVE’S VENDETTA AGAINST A RUTHLESS CRIME FAMILY UNRAVELS GENERATIONS OF SECRETS AND LIES—AND POSSIBLY HER VERY IDENTITY

Years of painstaking investigation are about to pay off. Detective Veranda Cruz is ready to put handcuffs on Bartolo Villalobos, heir apparent to a powerful criminal dynasty, when the operation goes horribly wrong. Veranda’s informant is murdered. Her task force is dissolved, sending her career into free fall.

Reassigned to the Homicide Unit, Veranda is desperate for justice—and vindication. She finds an ally in her new partner, senior detective Sam Stark. As they build a case against Bartolo, they discover the extent of his ruthlessness. And his unsettling fixation with Veranda.

No one suspects the truth behind Veranda’s vendetta against the Villalobos family empire, but she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Her investigation takes one shocking turn after another, sending her reeling. With adversaries on both sides of the law, she must follow the trail of blood wherever it leads.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2025

• Winner of the Mariposa Award for Best First Novel

“A highly entertaining police procedural . . . Hang on tight for the ride of a lifetime across Southern Arizona as Maldonado rises to her written challenge to entertain, enthrall and engage readers in this high-octane thriller.”
—Suspense Magazine

“Maldonado ratchets up the tension with each page, leaving you breathless as you race to the end.”
—Robin Burcell, New York Times bestselling author

“Isabella Maldonado is off to a great start, giving us a tense thriller with a strong sense of place and an insider’s look at some of the most dangerous work in law enforcement. This first Veranda Cruz novel will leave readers eagerly awaiting her next adventure.”
—Jan Burke, New York Times bestselling author

“Taut, tense, and relentlessly authentic.  Isabella Maldonado—with her unique personal knowledge of the danger, conflict and emotional toll of law enforcement—is an important new voice in crime fiction.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha, and Mary Higgins Clark award winning author

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Tantor Audio (pre-empt)

Foreign

• Czech: Grada

WHEN A BRUTAL TURF WAR HITS PHOENIX, DETECTIVE VERANDA CRUZ IS FORCED TO CONFRONT A DEADLY ADVERSARY WHO HOLDS A SECRET THAT COULD DESTROY HER

Detective Veranda Cruz is still reeling from her last battle with the Villalobos crime family when one of their enforcers carries out a brazen attack in the heart of Phoenix. The terrified public demands action, and Veranda is named lead detective of a new task force. Their mission: stop the violence before it engulfs the city.

Adolfo Villalobos is next in line to rule the criminal dynasty. Cunning, ambitious, and tech-savvy, he devises a brilliant strategy to sabotage the task force and humiliate Veranda before killing her. He begins by manipulating a police operation to eliminate his competition, then leaks devastating information that costs Veranda her gun and badge.

Framed as a traitor and left to her own devices, Veranda has only one chance at redemption: stay out of Adolfo’s crosshairs long enough to stop him before he also takes away her family, her freedom—and her life.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2025

• One of Book Riot’s Best 25 Suspense Books of 2018
• Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“Maldonado’s a writer to watch, and she showcases her own extensive law enforcement background in this tightly plotted police procedural.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Maldonado, a former law enforcement officer, brings her experience and expertise to this gripping police procedural. With its gritty heroine, this action-packed mystery will attract readers who enjoy crime novels.”
—Library Journal

“Phoenix may be burning, but Maldonado’s star is rising. Gritty and gripping.”
—J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

“Delivers a brilliant and complicated heroine, accentuated by a take-no-prisoners plot…It’s spicy, smart, and entertaining.”
—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

“Maldonado’s writing always bristles with urgency and authority.”
—Mystery Scene Magazine

“Author Isabella Maldonado, a retired police captain, and graduate of the FBI National Academy, draws on her experiences and real life in her endeavor to create a fictionalized world of corruption, crime and violence in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix Burning is an intriguing thrill ride; a gripping and realistic tale of choices and tragic consequences; of retaliation and retribution; entitlement, family, dominion and power.”
—The Reading Café

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Tantor Audio (pre-empt)

PHOENIX DETECTIVE VERANDA CRUZ’S PURSUIT OF JUSTICE AND REVENGE PITS HER AGAINST HER MOST LETHAL ADVERSARY YET

An explosion at a storage unit in Phoenix nearly kills Detective Veranda Cruz and her team. Evidence at the scene points to the Villalobos crime family’s most feared enforcer, Salazar. But he’s not the only one who wants Veranda dead.

Daria Villalobos is determined to inherit her father’s criminal empire. She’ll crush anyone who gets in her way, including members of her own family. To prove she’s ready to take the reins, Daria intends to scorch the earth under Veranda’s feet. Nothing is off limits as Daria sets out to destroy everything and everyone Veranda holds dear.

With two killers after her, Veranda will have to be every bit as cunning and ruthless as they are. Is the enemy of her enemy her friend or have Salazar and Daria combined forces to lure her into a deadly trap?

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2025

“Now three books into her series, Maldonado’s franchise is heating up in a big way, as Cruz joins the ranks of Jon Land’s Caitlin Strong and Meg Gardiner’s Caitlin Hendrix as one of the premier female protagonists in the genre.”
—The Real Book Spy

“If you’re in the mood for a nonstop exposé of every fear you’ve ever had about cartel crime, Veranda Cruz is the woman to follow.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Finally! A kick-ass female protagonist and an author who knows firsthand the world she writes about. The combination makes for an explosive read that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go.”
—Alex Kava, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

“A gritty, gut wrenching, page turning thriller featuring a woman cop bent onbringing down a twisted cartel leader for reasons of her own. Death Blow grabs you from the first jaw dropping scene to the last and Maldonado’s stellar writing weaves it all together.”
—Jamie Freveletti, Internationally bestselling author

“Gritty, raw, and realistic, Isabella Maldonado’s Death Blow is the real deal.”
—Bruce Robert Coffin

“Red alert to all readers of police procedurals with a strong thriller bent: Maldonado’s Death Blow delivers non-stop action with substance, grit and surprises.”
—Lisa Preston

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Tantor Audio (pre-empt)

DETECTIVE VERANDA CRUZ’S ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN WITH THE PATRIARCH OF A NOTORIOUS CRIME FAMILY TESTS HER LOYALTY, COURAGE, AND IDENTITY

Detective Veranda Cruz’s single-minded mission to destroy the Villalobos crime family has cost her more than she ever would have imagined, both professionally and personally. And put her squarely in their sights.

A brutal enforcer has agreed to turn state’s evidence, offering vital information that will end the Villalobos dynasty’s thirty-year reign of terror. But when an extradition operation crashes and burns, a new series of murders terrorizes the city. As Veranda navigates increasingly deadly threats, she realizes the mastermind pulling the strings is the organization’s notorious patriarch: Hector Villalobos.

After she deals his empire a stunning blow, Hector declares all-out war, arriving in Phoenix for a final showdown with Veranda. She has no choice but to confront him and the twisted ties that bind them. It’s a battle only one of them can survive.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, 2025