Author Spotlight: Welcome Back Mystery Writer John David!
What a thrill to welcome fellow Tule author and amazing mystery writer, John David back to the spotlight! When I open one of his books, I know for sure that I’m going to be completely enthralled to the very last page. His latest Pete LeMaster novel, The Pawn, released May 13, so you can find it at your favorite book retailer! Plus, John has a fun giveaway, so check that out, too!
John David is an award-winning mystery novelist whose work combines sharp storytelling with an eye for human complexity. His debut novel, The Bystander, received widespread critical acclaim and earned the 2025 Page Turner Award for Best Mystery. Before turning to fiction, John built a successful career as a public relations and crisis communications consultant, advising executives and organizations on high-stakes issues. When not working or writing, he enjoys fishing, talking about politics, and following the Florida Gators. He and his beautiful wife, Pamela, live in Pinecrest, Florida.
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5 FAQs About The Pawn
By John David
My second novel, The Pawn, is officially out, and over the past few weeks, I’ve started getting a lot of questions from readers, friends, and fellow writers. Since I spend a good amount of time talking about the book anyway, I figured I’d answer a few of the most common questions here.
Where did the idea for The Pawn come from?
While writing my first novel, The Bystander, I went through this really productive and exciting stretch. I wrote the manuscript quickly because I wanted to start pitching it to agents and publishers at the beginning of the following year. This was back in 2023.
I had spent months exercising that creative muscle, and I didn’t want to stop using it. So I started thinking about what another book might look like.
Much like with The Bystander, the spark came from a real news story. WNBA player Brittney Griner had recently been released after being imprisoned in Russia, and I found myself reading more and more about the case. I was fascinated by the fact that she had been jailed for possessing drugs that she could legally have in the United States. What happened to her felt terrifyingly plausible because it could happen to almost anyone under the wrong circumstances.
Then my brain took a darker turn: What if someone did that to another person on purpose?
That question became the foundation for The Pawn, which originally had the working title Locked Up. I brought back my television reporter protagonist, Pete Lemaster, added some viral fame and media frenzy, raised the stakes, and the story took off from there.
That is probably all I should say.
What is your writing process?
I wish I could tell you I wake up every morning at 5 a.m., drink black coffee, and write at least 2,000 polished words before sunrise.
I don’t.
I tend to work in fits and spurts. I usually dictate rough first drafts of chapters and scenes and then clean them up later when I can find time in the evenings or on weekends. It’s not a legendary work ethic, but it works for me.
The only time I truly write every single day is usually the final two weeks before a manuscript is due. Sadly, I’m still very deadline-oriented.
Is writing novels just for fun?
Not exactly.
Right now, I usually describe novel writing as my side hustle. It’s more serious than a hobby, but it’s not quite a second career either. At least not yet.
From the beginning, my goal was to write commercially viable fiction that readers genuinely enjoy. I want my books to entertain people. I want them to feel fast-paced and compelling. And yes, I want to be good at it and successful by traditional standards.
Do you enjoy writing with the same characters?
Honestly, this has become one of my favorite parts of writing a series.
When I wrote The Bystander, I approached it as a complete standalone story. I created a handful of core characters and focused entirely on getting them through that one narrative arc. I was not thinking too far beyond that.
Then I started writing The Pawn and realized how much fun it was to revisit those same people.
Characters who had smaller roles in the first book suddenly had room to grow. Some characters become more important than you originally expected. Others evolve naturally once you spend more time with them.
It also changes how you think about introducing new people. You start asking yourself whether a character is only important for this specific story or whether they might become useful again later. That creates a completely different dynamic when building a cast.
Did you always plan to write a series?
Not at all.
When I started writing The Bystander, my goal was pretty simple. I wanted to write a strong thriller that readers would enjoy. That was the mission.
The idea of creating a series came later during conversations with people in publishing who started describing the book as “a standalone with series potential.” Once I heard that phrase enough times, it started changing the way I thought about the world and characters I was building.
Now with The Pawn out in the world, I can honestly say I’m glad it evolved that way. Returning to Pete Lemaster and the rest of the cast has been one of the most rewarding parts of this entire process.
GIVEAWAY! John would love to send one lucky commenter a signed print copy of The Pawn. Just click here to subscribe to John’s Newsletter by 05/25/26 and you’ll be entered! (Comment below to let us know you subscribed.)
The Pawn
When TV reporter Pete Lemaster gets an after-hours call from a college friend, he doesn’t expect it to catapult him into another big story in his reporting career. Scott “Uncle Scotty” Wilkins—a globe-trotting, charismatic businessman—has been arrested at a Singapore airport with enough drugs to guarantee a life sentence.
The case explodes into an international spectacle. Viral images of Scotty charm the public, fuel conspiracy theories, and attract opportunists eager to profit from the scandal. For Pete, it’s personal—he owes the family a favor. But pursuing the truth could compromise his career.
Teaming up with police lieutenant Rebecca Dawes, Pete follows a trail that leads from glossy boardrooms to Singapore’s prisons. Every clue exposes another enemy: betrayed lovers, vengeful spouses, shady investors, and rivals with millions at stake.
But the closer Pete gets to uncovering who framed his friend, the more he realizes he may be the next pawn in a deadly game of deception.
If you enjoy journalist-sleuth mysteries like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, you’ll be hooked on The Lemaster Files!
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