The dark web. Even though it sounds like it was created for the movies or a James Patterson novel, the dark web is real. And it was integral to KILLER SMILE.
First, a little background on the internet: It has three main parts: surface, deep and dark web. The surface web is what we deal with daily. It’s the sites that Google finds for you. But that’s only ten percent of the internet. The deep web is vastly larger. It houses many password-protected things like emails, databases, medical records and bank accounts. Much of the deep web is transitory and created on the fly.
The dark web
And then there’s the dark web. The dark web is a decentralized network of internet sites designed to make users as anonymous as possible. Communications are routed through multiple servers and encrypted at every step. The dark web is anything not accessible by standard browsers. Any information can reside on the dark web. It’s only considered dark because of its limited accessibility.
But most of the dark web’s sites are of the criminal variety. There are online markets where you can purchase darn near anything. You can find falsified documents, pot, prescription drugs and heroin. And it gets worse from there. If you want to arrange for a murder for hire or get a rocket launcher, it’s probably there. If you want something illegal, you can find it on the dark web.
There might even be a sight where killers get together and chat.
The idea for KILLER SMILE came to me while running on a treadmill at the YMCA. Believe it or not, this was never going to be an exciting part of my day, and my mind wandered.
The idea
Cade Dawkins, the famous detective from KILLER BLONDE, was summoned to a mysterious meeting at the University of Minnesota. A computer science professor researching the dark web has discovered a site comprised of serial killers. These killers used the site to share exploits, brag and offer challenges to one another. At this point, Cade is wondering what this has to do with him and explains since he’s based in Minnesota, he won’t be chasing down killers around the globe. The professor says you don’t understand. When you caught the last killer, it created such a buzz on the site that a new challenge was issued: Come to Minnesota and kill here. Come here and outsmart the famous Cade Dawkins.
When the idea came to me, it gave me goosebumps. Right there on the YMCA’s treadmill.
An unwritten rule for writers is that if an idea gives you goosebumps, you must write it. And I did.
KILLER SMILE takes readers deep into the hidden corners of the dark web, where the most dangerous criminals lurk in the shadows. Detective Cade Dawkins is pulled into a deadly game, where serial killers compete and conspire in anonymity. The stakes couldn’t be higher as Cade must outwit them on his home turf. If you’re ready for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller that blends real-world intrigue with heart-pounding suspense, pick up KILLER SMILE today and see if Cade can survive the ultimate challenge.