Here we have a highly murderous mystery with a female athlete at its center. Intrigued? Read on! As a struggling twenty-four-year-old tennis professional, Sydney Livingstone has never had a game to die for. But all that is set to change during a tournament that serves as a precursor for the prestigious U.S. Open. Someone from her past with a secret vendetta is trying to kill her before she can make a name for herself in the world of tennis. A bold threat scrawled on her car, followed by a mysterious delivery from a stranger, sets the stage for a wild ride of revenge and murder that will leave you wondering if you can truly trust those around you.
Author Orion Gregory won the metaphorical competition for most twists and turns with his thrilling novel. He doesn’t drop the ball with his smashing ending, either. Talk about trust issues! We were able to ask him some more questions about the concept and characters that come together as the crux of his first book. Game on. Read BookTrib’s review of the murder-mystery novel here.
Q: Your backdrop for Faults is the world of professional tennis. Do you have a connection to this world that prompted the book?
A: Well, yes. I played college tennis for Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. I also have two daughters who have achieved success as college tennis players. As a fan, I watched players like Laver, Rosewall, Connors, Borg and McEnroe when I was growing up. I still love watching the top players of today, including three legends who are competing together at the same time right now: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. As a tennis coach and official, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time at the Western & Southern Tennis Center in Cincinnati, which is the site of a major tournament that precedes the US Open. Some have even hinted that the Western & Southern is the actual setting for Faults. Who knows, those people may actually be onto something.
Q: You have created well-defined characters and intertwined storylines that might force readers to keep track of their thoughts and actions with a scorecard. How did you go about outlining the story? Did you have the ending thought out from the very beginning?
A: For years, I wanted to write a story about a female tennis player who was being stalked while competing on the pro tour. I outlined the story using index cards spread out on top of a large table at my wife’s office. During COVID, she was able to provide me with a private room all to myself. I am not what’s called a “pantser”, who is someone who makes up a story as they go. I knew who the killer was and their motivation right from the beginning. I have great respect for writers who are pantsers. I’m just not one of them. In the book, there are a lot of people in Sydney Livingstone’s life. Strange behavior and a few well-placed red herrings cast suspicion on every one of them at times. Early in the story, Sydney compiles a list for the lead investigator to use. I hope that list helped the readers keep everyone straight.
Q: Tell us about how you present brief “glimpses” of the killer throughout the book using dialogue into his or her thinking to help to build the suspense.
A: Getting into the actual mind of the killer is a fun way to keep the reader engaged and provides a welcome break from the narrator’s point of view. The reader can pick up subtle clues to the murderer’s motive and identity when information is presented from the antagonist’s point of view. I had to be careful when writing chapters from the killer’s perspective, however. I found myself inadvertently revealing too much information about the killer’s identity at times, thanks to some excellent feedback from my wife and two daughters. So while I was writing from the killer’s perspective, I had to pretend in my own mind that the killer was actually someone else, so that I didn’t accidentally reveal too much. Never a dull moment!
Q: Do you use any other writers as your inspiration or models?
A: I love reading mystery and thriller novels, although I tend to avoid books that include the paranormal. As a child, I loved reading Agatha Christie. I usually didn’t figure out the killer’s identity but, at times when I did, it provided me with a wonderful sense of accomplishment. I’ve read works from many different authors over the past 15 years, but I’ve probably read more novels written by James Patterson. I like the way he keeps his chapters short and sweet and doesn’t get bogged down in too much flowery description. His characters are typically very real and their motivations are clear. A recurrent theme from many reviewers is that the story is “fast-moving.” I take pride in that. The last thing I ever want to do is bore my readers. Many readers have told me they read Faults in one or two days.
Q: What would you hope readers would take away from your work?
A: Thank you for asking that question. Faults is more of a murder mystery than a book about tennis or sports. Sure, it takes place in the setting of professional tennis; however, if you like a good mystery or whodunit, you need to read it. Some people have told me that Faults sounded interesting, but that they didn’t read it because they weren’t into the sport of tennis. Trust me, you don’t have to be into sports to enjoy this book. It’s more about people, relationships, friendships, the power of revenge, mystery, and ultimately, justice. I read Agatha Christie even though I’ve never traveled by train. The Phantom of the Opera is an American icon loved by many people who have never been to the opera. Faults is a page-turner and I promise you won’t be bored.
Q: What’s next on your plate?
A: I want to write two more novels in the very near future, both continuing in the murder mystery genre. I have several ideas that I am playing around with in my head right now. In at least one of those novels, the protagonist, Sydney Livingstone, will continue on. In Faults, it is revealed that her tennis career is nearing an end due to a degenerative injury. Her degree, however, is in criminal justice. I am already imagining her as a neophyte detective working in a police department dominated by close-mindedness and sexism. She’s struggled with depression and self-doubt in the past, but she is extremely passionate about her work and refuses to back down when facing a challenge. I kind of like where these roads lead.
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About Orion Gregory:
Greg Milano writes under the pen name of Orion Gregory. He is an award-winning writer in the newspaper and advertising industries and is a nationally published magazine contributor. He is a graduate of Wright State University with a degree in Communication Arts and resides in Southwest Ohio.
