About the Tough Justice Series:
FBI Agent Lara Grant has finally put her life as an undercover operative behind her and started a new assignment in New York City. But her past and present collide and become ever more twisted as a spate of murders send a message that is cruelly, chillingly personal…
Part 1 is currently FREE!
Four Must-Watch Crime TV Shows When Writing A Chilling FBI Thriller
A guest post by romantic suspense author Gail Barrett
Do you know how many crime shows there are on TV? According to Wikipedia, there are 487 crime series on American TV alone – and until recently, I’d only seen three (Charlie’s Angels, Colombo, and Longmire). I know. Shocking, right? It’s just that I’d rather read a book than watch TV. But when I was invited to write two episodes in the Tough Justice series and my editor cited various TV shows as examples of the tone they were looking for, I realized I had some serious catching up to do.
Armed with a list from my editor, I got to work. The first series I watched was MI-5 (also called Spooks in the UK). Even though Tough Justice is set in New York, not Britain, and the characters are FBI, not spies, I could see why my editor recommended it. The characters were complicated and flawed, the plots gripping, giving the series an edgy, fast-paced feel. And it didn’t hurt that it starred Matthew Macfadyen, who I’ve loved since Pride and Prejudice (sorry all you Colin Firth fans, but he’s still my favorite Darcy!).
Alias was next on my list. This was another spy show, this time about a young woman named Sydney Bristow (aka Jennifer Garner) who works to bring down SD-6, a worldwide criminal organization. She was another conflicted character, but this time with lots of angst about her parents, something she has in common with Lara Grant, the main character of Tough Justice. (Lara’s mother was murdered when she was young.) I loved how courageous Sydney was and admired her kick-ass fighting skills – another trait she shares with Lara Grant. Both women react to setbacks by coming up swinging, making them formidable characters as they battle the dangers that come their way.
After that I watched The Blacklist. This show was way too violent for me, but it still managed to keep me riveted to the screen (sometimes with my eyes closed, I confess). I really liked the premise – FBI agent Elizabeth Keen has to work with one of their most wanted men to take down even worse criminals across the globe. I also liked how she has doubts about her parents, not to mention her husband, who isn’t the devoted man he appears to be. Lara Grant was equally deceived by a man she loved, a devastating lesson that haunts her throughout the episodes.
The last series I watched was Covert Affairs. This was another CIA show with interesting characters and a complicated plot. But I have to admit that what really held my interest was the romance between Annie Walker and Auggie Anderson (the blind guy). I was beyond disappointed when things didn’t work out for them and gave up watching after that.
Of course, I didn’t turn off the TV. Once I’d concluded my research, I started watching other shows for fun: The Glades, Burn Notice, and Damages, just to name a few. Thanks to my editor, I’ve now caught the crime series binge-watching bug. And the best news is…I’ve still got 480 more shows to go!
Be sure to check out part 1 of Tough Justice, EXPOSED, available to readers for FREE!
Get part 1 of TOUGH JUSTICE for FREE:
Gail Barrett is the award-winning author of over a dozen romantic suspense novels. A former RITA® finalist, Gail has received countless awards, including the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion, The National Readers’ Choice Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in romantic suspense, and Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart. For more information, visit her website: http://www.gailbarrett.com.
Gail Barrett is the award-winning author of over a dozen romantic suspense novels. A former RITA® finalist, Gail has received countless awards, including the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion, The National Readers’ Choice Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in romantic suspense, and Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart. For more information, visit her website: http://www.gailbarrett.com.
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