Exploring the Intricacies of Lies,
Spies, and Family Ties in Avanti's Thrillers

An Exclusive Journey into Avanti Centrae's Literary Universe

Photo: Author Avanti Centrae: Masterfully weaving intrigue, action, and mystery into international bestsellers. Photo by:Michelle Ocken

In this edition of Reader's House magazine, we have the honour of delving into the intriguing world of bestselling author Avanti Centrae. Her literary prowess has taken her thrillers to the esteemed Top 100 bestseller lists across various global platforms, including Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook stores. Avanti's works, including the acclaimed VANOPS thriller series and the award-winning Cleopatra’s Vendetta, are a fusion of heart-pounding action, historical intrigue, and gripping mystery.

Avanti's journey through professions, from Silicon Valley IT executive to adventurous raft guide, has woven a rich tapestry of experiences into her writing. Her tales are spun with a blend of espionage, cryptic clues, and adrenaline-inducing action, evoking a cinematic experience within the pages of her novels.

In this exclusive interview, Avanti sheds light on the intricate web of lies that fuel her thrillers, the dynamic interplay of familial bonds within her stories, and the profound impact of her childhood reading habits. Discover the influences that have shaped her writing career, from esteemed authors to the captivating realms of literature.

Explore Avanti's literary universe, where readers traverse globe-trotting escapades akin to blockbusters like Mission Impossible and The Da Vinci Code. Her narrative style, described as cinematic, invites readers into a world brimming with immersive settings and compelling characters.

Delve into the mind of an author whose work has been acclaimed for its depth, engaging plotlines, and emotionally charged storytelling. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind Avanti Centrae's gripping thrillers, exploring the realms of action, suspense, and the intricate threads that bind her stories together.

Avanti Centrae is the author of the international bestselling VANOPS thriller series and the multi-award-winning novel Cleopatra’s Vendetta.

Her smart, heart-pounding action thrillers have hit the Top 100 bestseller lists in the United States, Canadian, and Australian Amazon Kindle stores as well as the Barnes & Noble Nook store.

She’s appeared on multiple radio shows, including NPR, and has been featured in dozens of podcasts and interviews to discuss her trademark blend of intrigue, history, science, and mystery. Authority Magazine, Mystery & Suspense Magazine, and Thrive Global have published her articles and she was mentioned in Newsweek.

Avanti graduated from Purdue University and has spent time in a spectrum of professions, from raft guide to Silicon Valley IT executive. When not traveling the world or hiking in the Sierra mountains, she’s writing her next thriller in Northern California, helped by her family and distracted by her German shepherds.

Thanks for being with us today. Lies, Spies, and Family Ties is a catchy phrase to describe your work. Tell us how do “Lies” play a part in your thrillers?

Thanks for having me here! I’ve had four thrillers published to date, and each has some element of falsehoods. Many times, the antagonists fabricate stories to suit their evil plans. Occasionally, even the good guys need to lie in the pursuit of justice. My latest novel, Cleopatra’s Vendetta, involves spouses lying to themselves, along with conspiratorial propaganda on an impressive, multi-generational level.

How about “Spies?” Do you write classic cat-and-mouse spy thrillers?

There’s often a layer of international intrigue. My work tends more toward cryptic clues and rib-cracking action than classic intelligence gathering. Think Da Vinci Code meets Tomb Raider.

Many great works of fiction involve “Family Ties.” What familial bonds are present in your work?

The VanOps series revolves around a set of twins. When the story begins, computer app-designer Maddy Marshall is an intelligent, independent truth-seeker with special martial arts abilities. Suddenly, she's thrust into a dangerous world where her non-violent martial arts skills aren't enough to save herself or her country. Tall, dark-haired Will Argones, Maddy's twin brother, is a skeptic who has made his living as a successful test engineer. Like many twins, they’re constantly bickering. In Cleopatra’s Vendetta, Tim and Angie Stryker have been fighting since the loss of their infant son, but when she’s kidnapped, he’ll do anything to get her back.

What kind of reader were you as a child? 

Sneaky! I learned to read at a young age and devoured everything from encyclopedias to Nancy Drew. I remember being bored by grade-school lectures and slyly reading novels during class.

What books and authors have impacted your writing career?

Too many to count, but especially works by Steve Berry, Gregg Hurwitz, Robert Jordan, and PD James.

You’re organizing a party. Which two authors, dead or alive, do you invite?

How fun! Let’s invite Sun Tzu to discuss The Art of War, and Agatha Christie to talk shop.

Critics have acclaimed your work as having a “cinematic style.” What does that mean to you?

To me, that means that my books read like movies. Readers have said the novels are immersive, and have just the right amount of description to easily visualize the characters and the plot.

What would your books would be like on the big screen?

The VanOps series and Cleopatra’s Vendetta are globe-trotting high-stakes thrillers reminiscent of films like Mission Impossible, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The DaVinci Code, and Taken. I think the action, settings and plot would translate well. Like many movies, what the characters are thinking, plotting, and scheming would be a little more challenging to show, but with a good director, that would be clear as well.

What’s the last great book you read?

I recently had the opportunity to read an Advance Review Copy of Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart. It had it all: kick-ass action, timely twists, and a dash of humor, all tied up in an emotionally powerful bow.

What moves you most in a work of literature?

I love pulse-pounding action but find it shallow without a compelling character journey. Having 3D characters who not only bleed but scream, cry, and grow moves me.

PHOTO: Avanti Centrae is honoured to have won thirteen literary awards, including a Chanticleer Genre grand prize for both The Lost Power and Solstice Shadows. This new multi-award-winning standalone
thriller is a fast-paced bombshell of a story about royal secrets and epic lies.

Praise:

Avanti Centrae is honoured to have won thirteen literary awards, including a Chanticleer Genre grand prize for both The Lost Power and Solstice Shadows. The Doomsday Medallion won Best Political Thriller at the annual BestThrillers.com contest and Cleopatra’s Vendetta took home a gold medal in the Conspiracy Thrillers category at the Readers’ Favorite Awards ceremony.

“Combines historical mystery and cutting-edge science into a masterwork of international intrigue.”
~ James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"With a jaw-dropping, rewarding twist at the end, every mystery, crime, and thriller fan should read Doomsday Medallion."
—San Francisco Book Review

“Epic.” 
—BestThrillers.com

"Centrae is a masterful storyteller." 
—The BookLife Prize

"Delightfully capable and convincingly vulnerable characters."
— Kirkus Reviews

"From Mexico to Jordan, the action never stops until the nail-biter of a conclusion."
—Chico Enterprise Record

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