The Book of Revelation

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

I’ve been hard at work on a new Rita Mars Thriller. It’s called The Book of Revelation.

When people hear that title, they immediately think of the apocalypse or the end of the world. Or destruction or death. But “apocalyptic” really doesn’t mean end of the world, or the end of our lives or the end of anything. The term refers to a “reveal.” That’s what happens in this book.

Rita Mars is hired by her attorney to help with a case of a child being held by her grandparents against her mother’s wishes. Rita’s mission is a tricky one. What is so heinous that the grandparents kidnapped a little girl from her own mother?

 Rita walks a fine line in her investigations. She rejects the tenets and actions of the mother’s family, but she must observe an objectivity that is elusive at times. She must maintain an impartial analysis of facts when she could so easily fall into the bias trap and find ways to present information stacked against the grandparents. She needs a cool head and a measured approach.

 Not an easy job in this case – the leader of this effort is a minister from a small elemental church. This congregation is no stranger to violence. Church followers hound her, threaten her. Their means are never subtle and often involve the risk of real physical harm.  Rita is wary and she relies on her hacker, Roswell, to help keep her safe. Forewarned is forearmed.

In a time when facts turn flexible and rancor is a constant undercurrent, Rita Mars navigates a course in a divided world. On one side are those depending on her to bring them out of the chaos and on the other are those led by authority figures whose sole interest is imposing his will.

 This is a story we’ve all heard. Good is portrayed as evil. We see it everyday in the news. How do we change it? We pull together with help from our friends. Rita is no exception. She is going to challenge, every time, the fallacies and the lies and the superstitions. She is everywoman seeking the truth.

Get ready for a powerful reader experience when you follow Rita Mars in The Book of Revelation. Coming to Amazon soon. See the other books in the Rita Mars Thriller series here.

Who is Beverly Hills?

by | May 15, 2025 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

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When I had my first inklings of writing a detective novel, I considered that my main character would need a posse. Every detective has a posse.So what sort of people would comprise Rita Mars’ inner circle? They had to be fun, trusted, effective. I discovered over time that some of the most knowledgeable and effective folk didn’t always look the part.

And what is the part of Rita Mars’ assistant and work confident? That role had to be someone Rita would trust when her natural approach to anyone was keeping her distance. Rita Mars does not often ask for help. She does not assume a person is a friendly just because they

present as such. She relies on those she knows have been through the fires of battle, whether that battle is prejudice or war or plain old garden variety bigotry players in the Rita Mars saga.

When I considered Beverly Hills as a character I thought of a good friend I worked with so many years ago.Larry was a gay, black man. In 1967 he was attending Boston University. On his way to class one day, he drove through Boston’s Roxbury district where he was surrounded by a mob, dragged from his car and thrown through a plate glass window. It took more than a year for him to walk again. He emerged from his trauma strong and determined not to let haters dictate his life. I knew he would be the right model for Rita’s right hand.

In The Rita Mars Series, Bev meets Rita as she’s working on a serial case where gay men are stalked and killed in a Baltimore at a notorious “meat market” park in a very upscale part of Baltimore.Rita is determined to find the killer when she mistakes Bev for the murderer as he’s presenting himself for bait to try and catch the killer himself.In the backstory from my first book, DRIVEN, Rita and Bev team to successfully solve the case.

Beverly Hills served his country in Afghanistan when he was known as Charles Tyrell Wheatly.As a kid from the projects in Baltimore, his opportunities had been limited so he joined the Army.Bev served admirably in her tours in Afghanistan.She had taken IED shrapnel when she tricked a suicide bomber into prematurely detonating his explosives vest which saved a platoon.For th0se heroics the Army awarded Bev a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross.

When she returned home, she not only had PTSD to manage but that notion that she had fought all her 30-some years. The time in hospital for her wounds made it impossible for her to stuff the idea that while her body might be male, her head was definitely not. Bev has not yet chosen transition. That idea remains a chasm to leap for her.In the meantime, she’s dressing as it pleases her and the hell with the haters.

Teaming with Rita on the serial killer gave her not only an accepting friend but gave Bev a safe place to work as she considers where decision and circumstance takes her.She is devoted to Rita and often acts as her bodyguard.It is Bev who keeps the office running for her adrenalin-fueled friend and boss.

So why did I tap Larry as my main model for Beverly Hills?Like Bev, he stood up to hate with strength and dignity.He was never out-of-control angry; something it took me a long time to understand.However, he was also not going to allow the prejudice of others to shape his character. Bev, like Larry, is a person of courage, of loyalty and one never swept away in the grip of hate. She will always be one of my most favorite players in the Rita Mars saga.

Check out the Rita Mars Thrillers on Amazon.

Where did Rita Mars come from?

by | Apr 17, 2025 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

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 In the upcoming monthly posts, I’m going not only to present the profiles of my thriller cast, I want to share how they got to be who they are.

IN THE BEGINNING…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Me – I need to create make-believable characters.  Not as hard, one would think, as I only had to personify the traits from which each player operated.   These would be traits I wanted to exploit or explore.  And, while I wasn’t going literally to breathe them into the physical world, I knew that I had to make them real.

Rita Mars

If I told you that I am not a part of Rita Mars, you’d know I was full of it.  I think of each book’s protagonist as a construct incorporating the author’s view point, a bit of the author’s personality, hunks of author ideology and her larger-than-life response to the main character’s challenges.  In thrillers and mysteries, we get to be the protagonist as hero in the end.  (Of course, I love this bit!).

 Where did Rita Mars come from?

This author has been a rebellious sort forever.  I was the bane of my mother’s social senses.  I spent a good deal of my youth protesting wars and racism and hate in general.  Rita, therefore, is that woman who will charge like the Light Brigade if she believes in the cause.  She views people in high places as simply another human who puts their underwear on same as everyone else.  Rita speaks her mind and sometimes gets away with it and sometimes she doesn’t.  She’s just not going to stop speaking out when she disagrees.  Rita will always let the chips fall . . ..

In my career of developing law enforcement and security applications, I had the most instructive education ever in work with federal agencies as well as local authorities.   I was honored to work with people who were dedicated.  They were smart.  They understood the stakes. 

I soaked up the war stories from these men and women.  They taught me the nuances of surveillance.  They recounted the cases that haunted them, the murders, the disappearances, the deaths they could not prevent.  Theirs was a passion for holding the line.  The toll it took in broken families and splintered relationships could be enormous.  Nonetheless, they believed in their mission and they carried their grief and fear in silence.  Their stories are part of Rita’s.

Her father had been one of those whose beliefs carried him into the Viet Nam war. It was not the fear of battle that shattered his sense of place in the universe, it was the disillusion borne of his awakening to the savage stupidity of war and the absurd idea that we must coerce everyone to our personal projection of what is right. In the end Robert Mars released himself from his loss of faith. The blow from that escape left Rita Mars clear-eyed about the evils of judgement. It also engendered a stance to keep that small, vulnerable flame of self-belief guarded; to shun intimacy and embrace emotional armor.

 The last I’ll say about Rita – it is the wall of self-preservation that hampers Rita’s attachments.  While not a battlefield veteran, she’s witnessed the ugliness of betrayal, the infinite appetite of greed, the foundational loss of those we have loved.   Underneath her willingness to step into the cage, Rita Mars harbors the belief in a just world and that she will forever nurture the internal spark of that belief against what may come.

Thrilling Cybercrime Unleashes Chaos in Rita Mars’ Latest Adventure

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

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Award-winning author Valerie Webster, known for her captivating storytelling, has just unleashed the highly anticipated second book in the Rita Mars Thriller series – Objects of Desire.

In this heart-pounding crime fiction, Rita Mars faces a relentless assault on her career, plunging readers into the sinister world of cybercrime. Set against the mysterious backdrop of Chesapeake Bay’s marshy swamps, the story races through a high-speed chase, weaving as many plot twists and turns as the wetlands themselves.

Valerie Webster, drawing from her 30+ year career in cyber and real-life security, introduces readers to Rita Mars, an ex-investigative reporter fighting crime around Washington D.C.’s beltway and beyond. The protagonist, based on Webster’s real-life experiences, confronts police accusations and dives headfirst into uncovering a financial fraud threatening a beloved charity. Political motives lurk in the shadows, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

“In Objects of Desire, Rita Mars is running on the edge,” says Webster. “Cops are trying to pin her down, but she’s determined to expose the truth behind the accusations and unravel a web of deceit that could shatter the foundation of a popular charity.”

Webster’s debut novel, Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller, received critical acclaim, earning the 2022 Silver Award in LGBTQ fiction from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. With more than 7,000 copies sold since its release in May 2021, Webster has firmly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the thriller genre.

Rita Mars, a tough, left-brained pragmatist with a vulnerable side, navigates through her complexities, making her a relatable and compelling character. As a lesbian facing ex-lover issues and grappling with family dynamics, Rita Mars brings a unique and authentic perspective to the genre.

Objects of Desire is now available for Kindle on Goodreads and Amazon, with paperback copies also offered for purchase. Readers can expect a rollercoaster of emotions, as the twisting plot lines keep them on the edge of their seats.

Valerie Webster, a prominent cybersecurity speaker in the Colorado region, is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Alongside her thrilling novels, she maintains a Rita Mars Thriller blog, providing insights into her writing process and the world of crime fiction. For more information about the author and her work, visit www.valeriewebster.com.

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PHOTOS/CUTLINES:

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Colorado and Maryland’s Eastern Shore author and speaker Valerie Webster has released Objects of Desire, the second book in her Rita Mars Thriller series. The high-speed chase of this crime-fiction read takes place in the dark underworld of the Chesapeake Bay’s marshy swamps, with as many plot twists and turns as the wetlands weave. Webster’s debut novel Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller received critical accolades from readers and is the recipient of the 2022 Silver Award in LGBTQ fiction from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA). Webster has sold more than 7,000 copies of Driven since first publishing in May 2021.

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About Author and Speaker Valerie Webster:

Valerie Webster, a native of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, currently resides in Longmont, Colorado. A distinguished member of Sisters in Crime and past president of the Boulder Writers’ Association, she holds her Education degree from Salisbury State College–now Salisbury University, and a Master’s degree in Modern American Literature from the University of Tennessee. With a cybersecurity career spanning more than 30 years, Webster has taken her expertise worldwide. Inspired by her real-life experiences and LGBTQ+ identity, she crafts the Rita Mars Thriller series, captivating readers with each thrilling installment. Webster continues to engage audiences on cybersecurity topics, particularly for seniors and is actively working on the third book in the series.

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Sneak Peek: Objects of Desire

by | Oct 12, 2023 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

A new Rita Mars Thriller is coming this fall! Here’s a sneak peek:

Close-up of a bright orange carrot with green tops on a white background.

“I ain’t here to clean the house.”  The person on the porch blocked the usually sunny opened doorway.

“I’m sorry?”  The woman inside the house stood waiting for an answer.  She was a tiny person, slim, noticeably agitated by the unexpected break in her routine. 

“I brought you something.” 

 “I have a meeting this morning.  I’m afraid I have to get ready. Maybe later.” The woman inside started to close the door, but a booted foot wedged in the frame to stop progress.

 A broad hand with thick stubby fingers rested against the door.  “Just take a minute.”

The woman inside hesitated, irritated, undecided.

“Promise.  A minute.”  The boot in the door sill stayed in place.

“Uh, ok. “The woman ran a hand through her hair.  “But I really need to finish dressing for my meeting.”

“No problem.”   The beefy palm touched the door but did not push.  The woman inside opened her house.

The figure outside stepped in, overshadowing the home owner by almost a foot.  “Nice house.  I always wondered what it was like in here.”

“You have something for me?”   asked the woman.

“I do.”  The visitor took time surveying the foyer and living room as the two stood by the still open door.

 “Can we hurry this up, I need to leave.”  A trickle of sweat beaded at her temple.  She glanced toward the kitchen where her cell phone lay on the counter.

“Ok, so let’s get you ready to go.”  The figure’s paw snagged the woman’s arm and clutched it so that the woman’s sleeve crushed with the pressure.

 “Hey, let go.”  The woman pulled against the grip but she was no match. “Stop.”  She dug her nails into the grasping arm.

“Let’s go upstairs.”  The woman was half dragged, half lifted toward her stairwell.

 “What is the matter with you?  I’m going to call the police.”  The woman threw all her weight away from her trapped arm trying to loosen it.  “Stop,” she cried.  She began to flail with every ounce of strength.

 The intruder shook her head.  “Now you know you don’t want to do that.  We need to get you packed up and ready.”

 The woman now grabbed the banister as the intruder strong-armed her up the steps.  She could not hold against the brute strength of her attacker who easily drew her upward.

“Gotta suitcase?”  The attacker maintained the commanding grip.

The attacker held fast while she went through the woman’s chest of drawers, her closet and bathroom, throwing clothes and toiletries into a small roll-aboard that had been in the bedroom closet.  All the while, the impinged victim wrestled, clawed and dug her teeth into the arm that tightened around hers.

The woman screamed again, but the free meaty hand covered her mouth.  The attacker drew out a roll of duct tape and secured the woman to a vanity chair.  She then took a pillow case and made a gag.

“Get you all set up here,” said the attacker.  “You’ll need stuff. Now I know this is a little bit of a surprise for you.  But don’t worry, I will take care of you.”

The woman in the vanity chair bowed her head as tears streamed down her face. 

“Ok, so we’ve got everything, I think.”  The attacker shut and snapped the suitcase closed.  “I wanna take that pillow case off your mouth but you need not to scream.  You gonna be good?”

The woman nodded and her intruder unknotted the pillowcase.

“Uh, I think I should leave a note,” said the woman.

“I don’t think so.” The intruder had removed the gag, but made no move to release the woman from the vanity chair.

The woman’s eyes roved quickly back and forth as she scoured her brain for an escape plan. “People will wonder where I am and we don’t want them to know, do we?”

 “That’s my girl,” said the attacker.  “Good idea.”

Driven is a 2022 EVVY Award Winner!

Driven is a 2022 EVVY Award Winner!

by | Sep 2, 2022 | Blog, The Rita Mars Thrillers

On Monday, August 29, Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller, took the Silver Award in the Fiction, LGBTQ category. I want to thank all my readers who took the time to review my work, who sent messages of encouragement and who rolled up their sleeves to help get my book produced and promoted. I could not have asked for more caring support. 

About the EVVY’s

The CIPA EVVYs™ is one of the longest-running book award competitions on the Indie publishing scene, running for nearly 28 years. This annual contest is sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers’ Association (CIPA).

The CIPA EVVYs™ was founded by Evelyn Kaye twenty-eight years ago. Ms. Kaye was instrumental in bringing independent aspiring authors recognition for their literary endeavors. It is open to all types of independently published books from small presses that are too often overlooked by the giant publishing houses. The contest has grown to receive entries from as far away as England, Belgium, South Africa and Dubai. This year alone, the competition drew more than 400 entrants.

There are over 50 categories eligible to compete which allows a wide range of genres. The panel of judges is comprised of teachers, business leaders, critics, editors and, of course, readers. In this competition, judges must follow strict CIPA qualification process.

Awards are given to the top three highest scorers in each category. To achieve an award is certainly an honor. 

The CIPA EVVY’s continue to be a leader in providing a pathway for independent authors to gain recognition for their work.