Sandman built his dubious reputation by turning the dreams and nightmares of others into harsh reality. Now he’s pursuing his own twisted dream; the beautiful Maria Milan. But she doesn’t want to become a player in Sandman’s sordid fantasy.

Michael Sykora is a hit man who kills for justice. Sean Riley is a hit man born to kill. Together, they’re out to take down Sandman and his organization. Whether mercy is given depends on who catches him first.

What genre is it?

Suspense/Thriller.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?

I’d hope it appeals to everyone who loves a good story! This book is not for the squeamish. There are some violent scenes and strong language when fitting for the character and action. But the story is much more than gratuitous blood and gore. There is a strong psychological component, a fast pace, and a few surprise twists. Killing Instinct will hold appeal to everyone who enjoys the mystery/suspense/thriller genres.

It’s part of a series, isn’t it?

Killing Instinct is the third book in my Michael Sykora Series. The plot involves obsession, revenge, a bit of madness, and a love story, though not in the traditional romantic sense.

I’m careful to make each of the books in this series work as a stand-alone read. Readers who’ve yet to meet Michael Sykora should have no problem picking this book up and understanding his character.

That’s good to know, but please tell us a bit more about him anyway.

Michael Sykora is an average guy who happens to kill people for a living. He’d once lived a normal life, with a regular job and a fiance. Then his fiance was brutally raped and murdered by a repeat offender, and Michael’s entire world changed. His desire for justice led him down his current career path as a hired assassin who only kills the worst offenders. He always doublechecks to be sure he doesn’t kill an innocent, and never tortures or hurts anyone unnecessarily. The tragedy in his life drives him to pursue justice for those whose lives have been forever altered by violence.

And Sean Riley?

Sean Riley is Michael’s partner, and also the hit man Michael originally hired to kill the man who’d murdered his fiance. Sean has a darker personality. He doesn’t have much of a conscience and has no problem torturing someone to obtain information he needs. Despite this, Sean is a likeable guy and would give his life to protect someone he considers a friend.

They sound like quite a pair.

I’d like for readers to feel connected to the characters and the story, like they’ve experienced it all more than having just read the words.

There are a lot of things I could say about various messages within this story, both obvious and subtle, but to list them would change the way people read. I don’t want anyone going into my books with expectations of messages. What people take from any book often has more to do with the place they come from and their own life experiences than with the story and author’s intent. In the end, what I most want readers to feel is that their time has been well spent. And maybe I want them to feel a little sad that the story is over.

How did you choose the title of this book?

The idea for the title came partly from Sean’s character. He had a complicated, tragic upbringing and, because of that, has a certain killing instinct. He’s very good at his job. The title also reflects the book’s content, plot, and the subjects explored. Are people born with a killing instinct? Do some people have a compulsion to kill? And is fantasizing about murder different than the actual act? These are some of the questions explored in this book, making Killing Instinct an apt title.

We know you’ve written other Michael Sykora novels, but do you have any other titles to your name?

Killing Instinct is my tenth book, and the third in my Michael Sykora Series. The first two are No Justice and Beyond Salvation. As I mentioned previously, each can be read as a
stand-alone, so it’s not vital that they be read in order.

All of my books are some form of suspense. The books in my Michael Sykora Series are probably my darkest, most graphic titles.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

This question always makes me feel like I’m filling out a bio on a dating site, except I’m married so that would be awkward. My husband and I started out as pen pals while he was serving in the first gulf war. We’ll be celebrating our thirteenth anniversary on July 4th. Fortunately I’m not superstitious about numbers. Our home is ruled by fur babies. We currently have three dogs and one extremely vocal cat.

I love sunshine and warm weather, and hibernate when the temperature drops below 75. I don’t like to cook or wear shoes. I believe no one should be forced to think or perform social niceties before 10 a.m.

Put that in your manifesto and we’ll vote you president! Have you got a website where we can keep up with your work?

My website is: http://www.QuietFuryBooks.com
I can also be found at: http://www.DarciaHelle.com

Both URLs go to the same website.

How can we follow you on social media?

Twitter:  @DarciaHelle

Facebook Books Page: http://www.facebook.com/quietfurybooks
Facebook Personal Page: http://www.facebook.com/darcia.helle

What’s next?

I plan to start work on the fourth Michael Sykora Novel. I have the story in my head waiting to be told.