Shawn Wilson Books In Order

Publication Order of Brick Kavanagh Mystery Books

Shawn Wilson is a popular New York-based writer known for writing mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. She is particularly famous for writing the Brick Kavanagh Mystery series. The first book of this series came out in 2019 under the title of Relentless. Author Wilson was born and brought up in the Hudson Valley of New York. In school, she was a classmate of the daughter of Mickey Spillane. Following her graduation from high school, Wilson joined the Averett College, located in Danville, Virginia. Later, she moved to the Washington, DC area. Wilson obtained her bachelor’s degree from American University in Administration of Justice. It was followed by spending over thirty years working for the United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Administrative Office of the US Courts, and the US Attorney’s Office. During her service, there was never a day when Wilson did not believe that the courthouse displayed more drama than the Kennedy Center.

The government service allowed Wilson to travel and live in as many as five continents of the world. Today, she is settled as a full-time writer and is happy to write from the comfort of her Chicago home. In her debut series, Wilson has depicted the chief protagonist in the role of Detective Brian Kavanagh. He is shown as a senior detective working in the Metropolitan Police Homicide Squad in Washington, DC and commonly referred to as Brick. Throughout the series, he is shown investigating murder mysteries and chasing possible suspects throughout the city. At times, the cases even take a personal turn. But, Brick Kavanagh manages to keep loved ones safe and unravel the mysteries with the help of his wit, intelligence, and determination.

Author Wilson has received a lot of praise for his depiction of Brick Kavanagh and his description of storylines. Several critics appreciated her efforts in coming up with engrossing and gritty tales of murder mysteries. They applauded her depiction of top-notch action sequences in her books. Award-winning author Matt Coyle has said in Wilson’s praise that she has the ability to take the readers to a roller coaster ride. He has also said that her books are filled with intriguing twists & turns and an engaging climax. Booklist has said that Wilson’s ability to write murder mysteries can be compared with the likes of the prominent authors of the mystery genre. Author Wilson claims that she knew from a young age that she wanted to become a writer. She did not have much entertainment to indulge in while growing up in her small town. So, she chose her local library as her entertainment’s main source.

Wilson had to use her skills in creative writing to make her life more interesting than it was. She loved to write letters and term papers. The process of researching used to fill her with excitement and joy. The authors who have inspired Wilson include Michael Connelly, J.A. Jance, Ed McBain, Sue Grafton, and Robert Crais. Apart from the mysteries, she liked to read memoirs. Wilson was influenced by the generosity of all these authors in sharing their knowledge and encouraging aspiring writers like her to do good work in the future. Author Wilson likes to approach the process of writing the same way she approaches her life. She plans things well in advance and also leaves some scope for flexibility.

Wilson spends a large amount of time outlining the story and characters before she actually sits down to write. At times, she uses Q&A interviews of characters in order to get a good hold of their voice, personalities, and motivations. Rewriting an already written part and the subsequent satisfaction is her favorite aspect of the writing process. For writing Relentless, Wilson took inspiration from the immigrants, who have come to the US over the years in search of a better life. She was fortunate to interact with a few of them and learn about their adaptability and work ethic.

Writing about court proceedings and police work sometimes seems tedious to Wilson. She finds it quite challenging to keep the stories realistic and coming up with scenes that not too dramatic. Wilson says that most of her research was carried out by visiting Irish pubs in the town. Now that Wilson has become a published author, her advice to the aspiring authors is to keep writing as much as they can and hone their skills. She also wants them to write a book that they want to read as a reader. Sometimes, it takes longer than expected to turn dreams into reality, but one hangs on to them with determination, they are sure to succeed. Wilson looks forward to writing many more exciting books in the upcoming years and entertain readers with her unique writing abilities.

The debut book written by author Shawm Wilson is entitled ‘Relentless’. It is a part of his Brick Kavanagh Mystery series and features the chief protagonist in the role of a homicide detective named Brian ‘Brick’ Kavanagh. The book was released by the Oceanview Publishing in 2019. Wilson has set the plot in Washington, D.C. Initially, it is described that Washington, D.C. has the most beautiful time during the Cherry blossom season. Tourists arrive in large numbers and enjoy the beautiful season. The government looks forward to hosting more number of tourists than the previous year. However, the festivities get marred by the discovery of a young woman’s dead body in the Tidal Basin. Brick Kavanagh is asked to take charge of the investigation and catch the culprit as soon as possible. When the initial investigation reveals that the woman is linked to another homicide, Brick becomes shocked. He begins to take a personal interest in the case and becomes determined to solve both the murder mysteries. But, he faces obstacles and difficulties due to departmental politics and pressure from the top.

Brick Kavanagh is convinced that justice was not served in the previous case and the authorities have arrested the wrong person. He shows the willingness to risk everything and set himself in search of the truth relentlessly. Later, it is learned that a piece of important evidence was overlooked, which leads to a shocking conclusion and a heartbreaking end. This book was highly appreciated for its intriguing mystery and an excellent set of characters. Wilson’s description of the story from start to end was also liked by the readers in all parts of the world.