NY, UNITED STATES, December 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — Acclaimed author Frank Norwood returns to prose with his gripping new thriller, “Hotline.” This edge-of-your-seat novel masterfully combines suspense and ambience, immersing readers in a tense, high-stakes narrative set in the heart of the Deep South.
Frank Norwood, known for his critically acclaimed works published by major New York houses, including “The Burning,” has crafted a powerful and haunting story in “Hotline.” The novel follows Becky Bale, a young suicide hotline worker whose life takes an unexpected and perilous turn when a call connects her to a dangerous sociopath. What begins as a night of routine work spirals into a life-and-death struggle that unfolds during one fateful night in the Louisiana bayou.
With its fast-paced storyline, unpredictable twists, and richly atmospheric setting, “Hotline” delivers a reading experience that is both intense and deeply engaging. While Norwood masterfully avoids didacticism, the novel subtly resonates with broader societal concerns, exploring themes of isolation and the fragility of human connection.
The author brings a unique perspective to this engrossing novel, drawing on his background as a social worker to create a deeply empathetic and multidimensional protagonist. Becky Bale’s resilience and humanity anchor the narrative, making her a heroine readers will root for until the very last page.
“Hotline” (ISBN: 9781966799016) can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The hardcover retails for $23.99, the paperback retails for $15.49, and the ebook retails for $2.99. Review copies and interviews with the author are available upon request.
From the Back Cover:
At twenty seven, Becky Bale feels that her life is moving in the right direction. Recently engaged, comfortable in her nine to five, she works a suicide hotline as a volunteer several evenings a week in Houma, Louisiana. Then she takes a call that ends with the caller, Stan, telling a joke followed by a gunshot. The police think it was a hoax but Becky isn’t sure. With a clue from the call, she and her fiance Jeff drive out to the swamps, where they find the ramshackle house the call came from and that Stan is dead. His killer, Henry Hank, is a good old boy psychopath with the gift of gab. The night quickly turns into a waking nightmare as Henry kills Jeff. Pursued by Henry, Becky manages to escape into the swamps where Henry isn’t the only threat, and where Becky has to use all of her wits and resources to survive before the drama plays out in the empty past midnight streets of Houma.
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Michelle VanSledright
Manhattan Book Group
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