For this Author Spotlight, I’ve had the chance to interview Amazon Charts bestselling author Karen Kutchur about her newest novel The Greedy Three. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s in education. She lives in northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. Her most well known work is the Northampton County series.
The Greedy Three is a new thriller perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Jennifer Hillier, Mare of Easttown, and the Coen brothers. When a kidnapping goes awry, three desperate characters find themselves trapped inside a remote cabin with a baby and a bag full of money.
Noah is a kidnapper, hired to buy a baby from a human trafficking ring and smuggle her across the Canadian border for a cool half a million dollars. Eve is a teenage runaway, who takes the infant—and the sack full of cash—away from him. Hester is an outcast, living alone in a backwoods cottage, harboring secrets of her own. When their paths cross, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll come out on top. With the law hot on their trail and the traffickers’ hired guns closing in, this unlikely trio is soon holed up together—and at one another’s throats. They’ll stop at nothing to save their own skins and escape with the loot and child. But which of the greedy three will be the last one standing? One thing’s for sure: no one will emerge unscathed . . .
What prompted you to write a novel whose plot seemingly is somewhat comedic versus continuing the writing streak of murder mysteries?
I have to admit that I didn’t sit down and say, ‘I’m going to write a dark comedic crime thriller.’ It just sort of happened. I wasn’t under contract at the time, and I think this gave me the freedom to try something new. It was
during the pandemic, and I was burned out and not in a good place creatively. I needed something to distract me. I’ve always had a love of black comedy in crime dramas. Some of my favorite movies/series are Fargo, Ozark, and
Goodfellas, to name a few. They are all dark and violent and surprisingly funny. I think The Greedy Three is a natural extension of what I enjoy watching and reading.
What is the biggest obstacle you face when you write crime thrillers?
Every book creates its own challenges, but I think a pretty big obstacle in crime fiction is choosing the idea for the story that is unique and doesn’t fall prey to all the usual tropes in the genre. I really try to stretch my imagination and come up with something different. I mean, there are definitely bits and pieces of plot tropes in all books and coming up with a new spin on them can prove to be difficult. It’s also the part that makes it fun!
The character dynamics of Noah, Eve, and Hester all seem to work well on their own but comes together well. What was your inspiration behind such characters?
I wanted each character to have their own personal motivations for wanting the money. They were all dealing with something in their past that left a very big hole inside them. Greed became the catalyst to fill that hole. Having them trapped inside a cottage together allowed the dynamics between the trio to shift as circumstances changed. I wanted them to be enemies, then partners, and then back to enemies, etc… Sometimes they worked together and sometimes they worked against each other. I think the inspiration behind the idea was that I wanted to write a full cast of quirky characters that were similar to and yet different than some of my favorite crime dramas.
What was your favorite scene to write, or in general, that you can give readers a sneak preview?
There were so many scenes that I had so much fun writing. Hester is one of the most unique characters I’ve ever created and many of her chapters still make me giggle. I love the chapter where she’s staging the crime scene to
make it look like a hanging, but the dead guy falls and breaks his hip, and she tries to snap it back in place. Or when she’s shaking the baby doll (the doll, not the real baby!) trying to make it cry. She’s so unhinged!
In your writing experience, how does The Greedy Three differ from your other novels such as your Northampton County series?
The biggest difference in The Greedy Three from my other novels is the comedy behind what is essentially a dark and violent thriller. I think it adds levity to some serious topics that are otherwise just too depressing. But I
don’t think it’s a big stretch from my overall brand. My books tend to be character-driven with an atmospheric setting as well as part police procedural.
What is some advice that you wish to tell an audience who’s hesitant to pick up your book?
For anyone who picks up the book, my advice is to have fun with it. It’s darkly funny and maybe sad at times, and wholly entertaining.
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Thank you so much Karen for taking the time to answer my questions! I’d also like to thank Elena Stokes and Brianna Robinson from Wunderkind PR. I was so glad to hear they were interested in continuing to work with me after the first Author Spotlight I did with them at Hofstra University where I interviewed James Murr and Carsen Smith. Excited to work with you again! I also want to thank them for giving me a DRC of The Greedy Three. Be sure to support your local independent bookstore by purchasing Karen’s novel!