Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
Q: What inspired you to write this story for the second book of the “Missing in Alaska” series, particularly the inclusion of a bush pilot and Detective Trevor West?
Elizabeth: This is book two of the series, Missing in Alaska. I knew I wanted to write about a bush pilot because it is part of Alaska and makes for a good adventure. My last book in the “Rocky Mountain Courage Series” had Detective Trevor West and I wanted to bring him into this series. The whole series is based on missing people, so he is looking for his missing sister. I came across a podcast, “Missing in Alaska,” that gave me the idea.
Q: What aspects of the Alaskan Panhandle captured your interest and influenced its selection as the story’s setting?
Elizabeth: I live in the Pacific Northwest. The Alaskan Panhandle includes a rain forest, islands, and waterfalls. Plus, it is so beautiful. It has a lot more to offer regarding the type of stories I want to write, much more than Mainland Alaska. I am showcasing a part of Alaska that people do not hear much about. It has snowcaps, animals, caves, and bays. It is like a character in the book. I love nature.
Q: Can you clarify the extent to which the radioactive elements in your story are based on reality?
Elizabeth: It is fictional, but I do research. I try to find all the possibilities and take something real and create it and make it into my own.
Q: In your own words, how would you characterize Trevor, especially in terms of his emotional journey?
Elizabeth: He is filled with grief and anger at himself. He needs closure to find out what happened to his sister. He is hanging on a slim thread of hope to find her. He is sincere, adventurous, protective, and determined. I think he is relatable and someone readers can connect with.
Q: How do you perceive Carrie as a character, particularly in relation to her strengths and vulnerabilities?
Elizabeth: She is a survivor, spunky, and fierce. She has fortitude, guarded, and resilient. She is also vulnerable and broken.
Q: Could you expand on the significance of Isaac as a mentor figure in Carrie’s life?
Elizabeth: He is the voice of wisdom. She sees him as someone who will keep her safe. He reminds me of the grandfathers I had in my life. He plays a protective role, helping her to start over. He is her savior, her anchor, and a father figure.
Q: What dynamics define the relationship between Trevor and Carrie throughout the story?
Elizabeth: In the past I have written reunion romance. But with this relationship they just met. It was fun to have them with a slow burn. They have an emotional connection. Although they do get underneath each other’s skins. They must get over their past.
Q: What resources or experiences influenced your detailed depiction of flying in Alaska?
Elizabeth: My husband has a very good close friend who is a bush pilot in Alaska. He is an expert I relied upon. He informed me on what could happen.
Q: How would you describe the antagonist, Darius, in terms of his motivations and characteristics?
Elizabeth: He is evil, arrogant, and uncaring. Greed is what drives him to not care about others.
Q: Could you give us a sneak peek into your next book and what readers can expect from it?
Elizabeth: The title is Hidden in the Night, published next year. It involves a lot of the same characters and is focused on Glacier National Park. The hero is the State Trooper Nolan Long.
Shadows At Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard shows why she is becoming one of the top suspense authors. This story is filled with deceit, revenge, and a riveting mystery. There is intrigue, a remote setting, and has some romance. But readers’ interest will sparked from the very beginning when they read the quote, “I can’t think of anyone who might be after me, except the man who killed me.”
The plot has Montana Detective Trevor West arriving in Shadow Gap, Alaska to find out what happened to his sister. She has gone missing for over a year, but the only clues he has are some photographs. After getting a suggestion from Police Chief Autumn Long, he enlists the help of experienced bush pilot Carrie James.
Carrie also has a mystery to solve. She wants to find out who killed her father-like mentor, Isaac. She is indebted to him for saving her life when her boyfriend pushed her out of a plane. Now she agrees to help Trevor on the condition, he help track down Isaac’s killer.
Having the story set in Alaska adds to the tension of the story. There is a dangerous terrain, tight-lipped communities, untamed areas, and a sense of isolation.
As both Carrie and Trevor get closer to some answers, danger rears its ugly head. This plays into the developing relationship that is marred by distrust, dark secrets, and avoidance of any emotional connection.
Readers will be immersed into a world of danger, surprises, and twists. They will connect with the characters from page one. This is a book that people will not want to put down.
