Second Life

1978, Jonestown.909 dead—two children survive.Where are they now?In the shadow of one of history''s darkest chapters, a chilling secret awaits...Two children, survivors of the Jonestown nightmare, fled through the treacherous jungles in Guyana to escape the madness. Upon their return to America, they were granted new identities, a fresh start, and the hope of a "second life."But almost forty years later, the past resurfaces in an unexpected and ominous way. In the heart of San Francisco, crime reporter Will Finch stumbles upon an abandoned Armani jacket in an inner-city playground. Little does he know that this seemingly innocuous discovery holds a cryptic message, one that threatens to shatter the lives of Will Finch and his partner Eve Noon — and make them the next victims of the Jonestown massacre.Inspired by true events, Second Life will grip you from the very first page and refuse to let go until you reach the final, heart-pounding sentence. D.F. Bailey masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense that catapults you on a mesmerizing journey from an historic catastrophe to a prophecy of mass annihilation.Second Life — where the past awakens, and the future teeters on the precipice of darkness.Author Q & A with D. F. BaileyQ: Your title, Second Life, hints at something more than a dreary 9-to-5 existence. How does it fit into your thriller series?DFB: The title is derived from an ancient quote by Confucius: “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” When I first read that sentence, I thought, now here''s a different way of looking at things. It really struck me with its insight. When you consider our brief life here on Earth, this sort of awareness can inspire people to take up a cause. For good—or for evil. So I drew my title from it since it suggests a noir murder mystery.Q: You’re known for your crime fiction series and psychological thrillers with a twist. How do they relate to the Jonestown disaster?DFB: Until 9-11 the Jonestown massacre marked the largest civilian slaughter in American history. It took place in South America, in a remote jungle in Guyana, but the victims were mostly Americans, followers of Jim Jones’s Temple which was once based in San Francisco. Some argue that the event wasn’t a massacre—that it was mass suicide—but over a third of the victims were children led to their deaths by their utterly deluded parents. The trite phrase, “They drank the Kool-Aid,” is their enduring legacy. It serves to warn us of the malignant power of religious cults.Q: And two of those children escaped?DFB: That’s the fictional premise. I wanted to explore what might happen to children who survived the disaster on November 18, 1978. That’s where Will Finch comes in. If you’ve read the first three books in the series you know that Finch is not a superhero. However, he’s smart, tough, determined. Bent, but not broken.Q: Other than Will Finch and Eve Noon, do any characters from the previous novels appear in Second Life?DFB: Absolutely. Fiona Page and Wally Gimbel are alive and kicking. And Gabe Finkleman, who was introduced in Lone Hunter, is now a rising force at the San Francisco eXpress.Q: I thought the first three books—Bone Maker, Stone Eater, and Lone Hunter—formed a trilogy. Does Second Life change your mystery and suspense series books into a quartet?DFB: No, the trilogy stands as a complete, three-part unit. Second Life is the first of what I hope will be a continuing thriller series that builds on the characters introduced in the trilogy. If you liked the trilogy, I think you’ll enjoy Second Life, too.