Excerpt: A date to die for by Bonnie Paulson

When dating ends in deaths and threats, Molly might be better off staying single. During one of Molly’s weekly meet-ups with her girls at their regular bar, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends and begins the aggressive dating they sign her up for online where the pairings are questionable… and dangerous. They’ve entered her in an evening of speed dating. But at the end of the evening she finds an item from her past that raises questions, grief… and danger.

When the number of deaths surpass Molly’s goodnight kisses, her past pushes into the present and Molly loses much more than she gains. A stalker has focused on Molly and refuses to let anyone else date her. But she refuses to be single for the rest of her life.

Is Molly doomed to a life of singledom wrapped in fear – or will the stalker turn on her

                                                               Excerpt:

“You’re going to prove it.” His voice moved, but not closer to the camera. Hands again in the shot appeared to pick her up and throw her in the direction of the bed. She stumbled, falling against the footboard. A large, bulky but not fat, figure came into view – just the back – and he grunted as he picked her up and threw her on the mattress. 

Squeaks from the springs lent a horrific rhythm to the moment. As if with a mind of its own, my hand reached for Tricia, spreading fingers over the lower portion of the screen. I wanted to touch her, but I couldn’t bear to cover her, not see her. Even in pain. 

And suddenly the video stopped. White text on black background replaced the action of my sister being assaulted by a man on a bed in some room I’d hopefully never visit. 

The text simply stated: I want you, Molly. 

Claudia reached around my frozen form. I couldn’t move if I wanted to. I really wanted to go back to the point when I’d recognized Tricia sitting there. Pause it. Stare at her. The last few minutes of her life had been emailed to me by someone who wished to stay anonymous. Claudia used the mouse and clicked on rewind. But a red bouncing ball scratched across the window and everywhere it rolled it covered in black until the screen had been eaten by a big black hole.