Member - International Thriller Writers
I am a proud member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) association, and value their benefits and resources. Click on the image or title above to find out more.
Member - Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW
I am a member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW association and participate in the Lake Macquarie chapter meetings, training and critique groups. Click on the image or title above to find out more.
Biography
Steve Shipley
Welcome to the Steve Shipley Author Website! And thank you for your interest in the adventures and intrigue of the Blake Willis crime thriller series.
The first book in the series is FALSE TRUST, is available now with FALSE START and FALSE HOPE to follow in early 2023.
As a semi-retired corporate and IT consultant who has worked in the most difficult global environments, I’ve had a front-row seat to the political intrigue and power brokering that comes with working at the upper echelon of the corporate world and with governments.
My work has taken me around the world, from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and China, to developing countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, where politics and corruption underpin company strategy and decision-making. It is a world where spying on competitors, stealing trade secrets, and buying political favor is the norm.
My writing draws upon my business experiences and love of the rapid and ever-changing advancements in technology used for solving crimes. The series also incorporates an old-world love of whisky, wine, and travel.
Blake and his team solve crimes that take place in multiple settings and stretch across generations, where cultures clash, and ethics and morals, misunderstood.
FALSE TRUST introduces the world to Blake Willis’s evolving character as the reluctant hero and IT consultant tries to save his family and his company from ruin, espionage, and deception.
For more information about my background, writing, and journey as a writer, explore the site. You can also follow me on social media. Sign-up for our regular newsletter, which contains special bonus material and promotions only available to newsletter subscribers!
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Welcome to a world of crime, thrills, espionage — and whisky.
FALSE TRUST
A move from rural Minnesota to Sydney, Australia, seems like a dream come true as Blake and his high school friend Justin, decide to start a cybersecurity business together. But switching continents isn’t the only thing putting a strain on their partnership – and when loyalties and affections are divided, it’s enough to end their friendship.
And so it stands for fifteen years, until Blake decides to overlook old wounds and call upon Justin’s expertise in how to put his grandfather’s secret whisky to auction. However, while his grandfather’s whisky may be smooth, the road to selling it is anything but.
When Blake’s caretaker is murdered, his whisky stolen, and his wife kidnapped, suspicions kicks in and Blake is forced to figure out who he can trust – and who has crossed the line that can never be uncrossed.
Time isn’t on his side, as Blake races to find his wife – before it’s too late.
False Trust, book one of the Blake Willis Thriller series, is available now on Amazon.
Selected books by International authors similar to FALSE TRUST that you may enjoy
Recommended Reading
I have been influenced by a lot of great books and great authors, so I’m sharing some of my favorite reads with you, in case you need something to read before FALSE TRUST is released on 1 March 2022. I am also providing recommendations for my favorite Australian mystery, suspense, and thriller writers. I have enjoyed greatly learning about Australia by reading them, and hope you will as well!
One Good Deed
Book 1 in Baldacci’s recent Aloysius Archer series.
Charlotte Pass
Lee Christine
A great detective story and romantic suspense, involving a 50-year-old cold case plus current day murders. This novel takes place in the iconic Snowy Mountains ski region, and kicks off Lee’s thriller series involving Detective Sergeant Pierce Ryder, of which book 3 is about to be released.
Enemy at the Gates
Vince Flynn (Kyle Mills)
The most recent blockbuster in the Mitch Rapp series. One of my favorite series of all time, and if you like this book, you will also like the other 19 Mitch Rapp novels!
The Kill Artist
Daniel Silva
Daniel Silva is one of my favorite all-time authors. This is the great debut novel in the Gabriel Allon series. There are 21 books in the series and I recommend reading them in order.
The Cartographer’s Secret
Tea Cooper
I love Tea Cooper’s historical mystery and suspense novels with their strong female characters and use of the technologies available at the time. While this novel is about to be released and can be ordered now, I recommend reading her earlier great works covering the Australian region where Tea and I live.
A Clean Kill in Tokyo
Barry Eisler
The first in a great series of John Rain thrillers that take place in Japan and globally. Rain is a trained assassin, with a stringent set of rules, and known for making murder look like death by natural causes. The Rain series evolves as does John Rain’s character with each book in the series.
Crocodile Tears
Alan Carter
The current release in the engaging Detective Philip Kwong thriller series. Make sure to read them all, starting with Prime Cut. If you want to learn more about Australian life, there is no better way than viewing it through Detective Kwong’s eyes.
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Amanda Quick
I love this series of five thriller novels taking place in California in the 1930s. The representation of early camera and other technologies for solving crimes is fascinating, as are the forceful characters.
Half Moon Bay
Helene Young
As a commercial airline pilot and photographer, Helene Young vividly captures Australian life and settings, as reflected in this great romantic suspense novel with many plot twists. Returning home and fighting for what is right is never easy.
Digging Up Dirt
Pamela Hart
Book 1 on Pamela Hart’s newest mystery series, featuring Poppy McGowan, who finds bones under her house while it is being renovated. A brilliant departure from Hart’s earlier work, and a great start to this new series!
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Free Bonus Content
Newsletter subscribers will receive free bonus content and regular updates on the Blake Willis thriller series’ characters, settings, and themes, to both appease and build anticipation for reading FALSE TRUST and the rest of the series.
The bonus content provides a preview of FALSE TRUST, and the story behind the story. We also load our newsletter with promotions, reading recommendations, and factoids on the themes covered in the Blake Willis thriller series, diving deep into everything from digital forensics to whisky.
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Testimonials
What People Are Saying...
"Steve writes to excite and thrill."
"As a political junkie, I can’t wait to read this."
"Fast paced, thoroughly modern cyber crime thriller. Well researched with attention to detail across many disciplines. In the style of Dan Silva. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
"This is a fascinating book that includes murder, kidnapping, deception, fraud and whiskey. Well worth the read."
