Books
Saving Myles
When the FBI can’ t help, an unassuming banker takes matters into his own hands to bring his son home
Wade, a respected banker in La Jolla, CA, and his estranged wife, Fiona, make the unbearable decision to send their teenage son, Myles, away to an expensive treatment center after a streak of harmful behavior. After a year of treatment, Myles comes home, seemingly rehabilitated. But soon, he sneaks off to Tijuana to buy drugs— and is kidnapped.
When the ransom call comes, Fiona is frantic and accepts help from Andre, the Quebecois whose charity Fiona runs. Wade is wary of Andre’ s reputation and the bank he owns, but seeing no other way to secure a kidnap negotiator or the ransom, he swallows his doubts to get his son home.
In order to get the ransom money, Wade makes a deal with Andre— he’ ll work for Andre’ s bank in exchange for the cash. But as Wade races to rescue Myles before his kidnappers lose their patience, he realizes he’ s wrapped up in more crime than just a kidnapping— he’ s now indebted to a cartel.
Reviews
“From the opening of his tour-de-force thriller Saving Myles, Carl Vonderau had me hooked. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. But Saving Myles isn’t just a tightly woven and utterly compelling thriller. It’s also a profound exploration of the sacrifices we’re willing to make to protect the people we love. Vonderau is an author whose storytelling ability promises a great future. I, for one, look forward eagerly to whatever he’ll offer readers next.”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times best-selling author
“How far would you go to save your child from harm? Wade Bosworth is about to learn that what’s being asked of him is too far. Take a breath and hang on.”
—Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author
“Saving Myles is chilling, immersive, and utterly heartbreaking. This propulsive international thriller about sacrifice and family loyalty—with compelling characters forced to make impossible choices amid intense danger and breathtaking duress—will have you racing to the gasp-worthy ending.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today best-selling author
“Saving Myles takes readers on a tense journey into the heart of a family pushed to the limit, then beyond, to rescue their teenage son. Carl Vonderau has given us an intense and suspenseful story of love, loyalty, and danger.”
—Meg Gardiner, New York Times best-selling author
“[Saving Myles] tells a twisty, expertly plotted, and character-driven tale of kidnapping, cartels, and family upheaval.”
—Matt Coyle, author of the Shamus, Anthony, and Lefty Award-winning Rick Cahill Crime Series
Awards
- Pencraft. Seasonal Book Award Spring Competition. Fiction—Suspense Genre
- American BookFest Best Book award for Mystery/Suspense. Finalist for Thriller/Adventure.
- National Indie Excellence. Winner of the Thriller category.
- Reader Views 5 Star Rating
- American Bookfest. American Fiction Awards Winner for Thriller.
Murderabilia
A DARK SECRET..
No one was supposed to know that banker William McNary is a serial killer’s son.
Until one night… the phone rang.
*** Left Coast Crime Award for Best Debut Novel
*** San Diego Book Award for Best Mystery/Suspense
*** Kops-Fetherling Gold Phoenix Award for Best New Voice: Fiction
William MacNary’s father stamped his picturesque post-murder photos onto the nation’s horrified consciousness.
He was eight years old when his father went to prison.
Since then, William has carefully built a life as a family man and private banker for the very wealthy. He tries to forget that his father murdered, dismembered, and photographed thirteen women. Those exquisitely composed black and white photos of severed hands, heads and feet won him the moniker, The Preying Hands, and launched the “murderabilia” art market.
William has not spoken to his father for thirty-one years. No one at his tony bank knows whose son he is. His secret remains safe until he receives an anonymous call from someone claiming to be his brother… and his wife’s colleague is murdered and displayed in the style of The Preying Hands.
All the evidence points to William.
Arrested and thrown in jail, he’s terrified that his family will be attacked and his children’s lives shattered.
Only one person can understand the copycat killer… the monster William hasn’t seen since he was a child.
William must persuade his father to help before the killer strikes again and harms his family.
But to do that, he has to reconcile with his own dark past.
Read Murderabilia to slice open the sins of the father today!
Reviews
“Murderabilia [is] a story that will lay a cold finger of dread on the back of your neck. Vonderau is a terrific writer who has written a terrific book.”
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times best-selling author
“Murderabilia is a fascinating crime novel and a look into the human soul and all that makes us the men and women we become. An excellent read!”
―Heather Graham, New York Times best-selling author
“Murderabilia explores the dark corners of the soul in a riveting story sure to grab your attention and keep you reading till the final page. This is a superb debut from a striking new voice.”
―William Bernhardt, New York Times best-selling author
“Murderabilia is a dark, tense, sophisticated story about just how deep and far the sins of the father can reach into the innocent lives of his children. Carl Vonderau is a new (and very scary) voice.”
―Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times best-selling author
“Murderabilia offers a rare insider’s view into the mysterious world of private banking. International landscapes, deep family secrets, and religious overtones create the perfect backdrop for a brilliant debut. Vonderau’s fresh prose and heart-stopping twists promise that he is a writer to watch!”
―K.J. Howe, best-selling author of Skyjack
From the Inside Flap
My career — my life — was carefully constructed to appear normal. Until two years ago.
That’s when a simple cell phone call unraveled the layers of my facade. When I answered, I was standing beneath the glass cupola in our bank’s main hallway.
A voice distorted beyond recognition said, “William McNary. That’s not your real name, is it, Tex?”
I pushed my palm against the wall to steady myself. “Tex” was my childhood nickname when we lived in Illinois. The name my father gave me.
“Do you ever think about hands? He thought about hands a lot, your daddy did. Right, Tex? You there?”
An electronic warble could have been a laugh.
“Who… who is this?” I asked.
“Your brother. The only one who really knows you.”
The line went dead.
I don’t have a brother.
I stumbled down the hallway toward the bank’s reception area. I could go down the elevators and get some air. But instead I turned and lurched the other direction, toward the fake French doors that led into the banking department. Passing the rows of offices inside, I was aware of Ambrose Hines pitching on the phone, her index finger jabbing each benefit in the air. Everyone else was out seeing clients. I ducked into the cover of my own office. With my door shut, I sank my head into my hands.
The whole country knew of Harvey Dean Kogan, but no one suspected that I was his son. My boss and clients would be shocked. Why didn’t you tell us? What about the bank’s reputation?
But worst of all was what this might do to my kids. No child should grow up knowing that monster was part of their family.
~ William McNary
Banker, Son of a Serial Killer