BookLife Talks with Edward Izzi
A sponsored Q&A with the author of 'They Only Wear Black Hats'
What is the story behind this book—why and how did you write it?
The story line of this new book involves modern-day vengeance in the truest form. It follows a fictional justice committee of organized community leaders, the Malizia Society of Detroit, who operate underground and below the public radar and are sworn to dole out justice and mortal retribution to those criminals and perpetrators who managed to be the justice system. It has an edge-of-your-seat plotline that I truly enjoyed writing.
This is your eighth book. How has your writing process changed since your debut, Of Bread and Wine?
My writing has become more creative, more descriptive, and certainly darker. I have found more imaginative ways to express my creativity using innovative story lines, with more surprises throughout. I have learned to write with the question “What would the reader think while reading this?” in the back of my mind, and I try to surprise the reader with the occasional twist and turn. I’ve definitely come a long way from the Vatican City in Of Bread and Wine.
Can you speak to the different levels of “justice” at play in the book? And maybe how real life is reflected in it?
The levels of “Mortal Redemption” are a descriptive means of assassinating those who have ruthlessly killed innocent victims and have not received the justice they deserve. They are modeled after an organized crime syndicate, so to speak, with the sole purpose of perfecting the judicial system. The movie The Star Chamber back in the early eighties was one inspiration for this story line. The ending of this book is very similar to the ending of any organized crime syndicate, as they begin to self-destruct after a period of time.How do you imagine readers at this moment will connect to They Only Wear Black Hats?
I’m hoping that readers who enjoy dark, organized crime thrillers will connect to this current plot. It’s not just about a police investigation into a dark, coordinated crime machine. It develops intensely when the Feds get involved and demand that the police and the media step aside. It becomes even more interesting when readers learn that the protagonist actually knows who the killers are but has to turn a blind eye, at least for a while, because the county prosecutor is involved. I’m hoping readers will enjoy this novel as much as they’ve enjoyed my thrillers in the past.
Are you currently working on anything new?
Evil Acts of Contrition is a thriller about a Catholic parish priest who receives the confession of an unknown serial killer. He works in conjunction with the Chicago Police to try to track down this horrific killer. But when dirty cops, trusted friends, and the Archdiocese of Chicago get involved, he discovers that finding this pedophilic murderer is not an easy task.
Never Catch a Firefly is a story of unrequited love. Forty years ago, two teenagers broke up and went their separate ways. The story follows those two people as they each marry others and live their separate lives, never forgetting their first love. He develops a mental illness and she becomes an alcoholic. They continue to recall the parable of the firefly that they memorized years ago when they were in love and discover how their unresolved love for each other affected their futures many years later.
