Several years ago, I featured Caridad in a piece I wrote and recorded for NPR. It turned out to be the most downloaded piece on NPR and ran constantly. Listeners found Caridad and her books as fascinating as I do.
When I first featured you in an NPR piece, you were writing mysteries (thrillers?) set in South Beach. I loved the setting, the plot, the action. What drew you to write books in Florida? And I see that you still do!
I love setting books all over the country, and after setting several in the Pacific Northwest, I wanted to give readers a taste of something different and you couldn't get more different than Miami. It was fun showing readers a slice of that culture and also the nearby areas, like the Everglades.
How much research do you do for your books? When I read COLD CASE K-9, I was impressed by the amount of detail and gritty realism that went into it.
I often spend several hours creating a bible that has information on all the characters and the locations for the book. If I can, I try to visit the real locations, but if not, I rely on using the Internet to get information about the locations. I will also consult with people who are familiar with certain things, like what guns a female police officer would use.
Why do cold case files offer such dramatic possibilities?. I see you've returned to this theme from time to time.
I love true crime and cold case shows. I think the cold case files, in particular, appeal to me because there seems to be a lack of justice and closure for the families when a crime goes unsolved. Because of that, I love writing stories where those families finally get answers to what happened, and hopefully, justice.
I read LOST IN LITTLE HAVANA (South Beach Security, Book 1) and was hooked on the series. Can you tell me more about this series?
This is a series about a family-run investigative and security agency. I love creating the family dynamics and showing how different all three siblings are, but how they all contribute to solving cases. I also loved the cousins in the stories, Robbie and Sophie, and wanted them to shine on their own. That's why I created the spinoff Crooked Pass Security series, where Robbie and Sophie get to work on various cases.
I remember that when you worked as an attorney in Manhattan, you wrote on the train every day. And I believe you were the first woman partner in an intellectual property firm which is quite an accomplishment.
Yes, I did most of my writing while commuting on the train to New York. I loved being an IP attorney since I had many interesting clients and was able to travel to many unique places. I loved helping people build their businesses. I retired at the end of 2019 to write full-time, and although I miss the work, I love being able to focus on my passion for writing.
You describe yourself as a Jersey girl who just wants to write. And I hear that you still love the Jersey shore. Is that your happy place? Along with South Florida?
I love South Florida and get there often since we have friends there. But I have fallen in love with the Jersey Shore, and when I retired, hubby and I downsized and moved to a small town on the Jersey Shore. The pace of life is very different. I can walk to restaurants and the library, and hubby and I stroll the boardwalk often. It's inspired series like the At the Shore contemporary series which highlights a fictional seaside town based on the towns in my area.
You seem to work on several series at once. How do you juggle that?
I focus primarily on the one I am writing, while brainstorming or promoting a second series. It helps me to have another proposal ready for my editor once I am done with the current series.
You founded Liberty States Fiction Writers and I'm so glad I joined. Was it difficult to manage one more responsibility or do you take it in stride?
I wouldn't have gotten published without the help of other writers who were willing to share their time and expertise to help me improve my craft and learn about the publishing business. Because of that, I wanted to do the same for others, and that led to the idea for Liberty States Fiction Writers. I love being able to help other authors attain their dreams, like my daughter Samantha Ann. She grew up around authors and the group, and she's now a bestselling Amazon author who writers K-pop and K-drama-inspired romances.
What's new on the horizon? Will you be continuing your ongoing series? Or adding a new one?
Crooked Pass Security is getting a K-9 Division spinoff that starts with K-9 TRACKER in November. I am also currently working on a new proposal for Harlequin Intrigue, as well as a single title, standalone romantic suspense.
Any appearances coming up? Book signings, conferences, workshops? Readers have told me that you are so gracious when they meet you at book signings. I have the feeling you enjoy the energy you get from your fans.
I love meeting fans because so many are friends as well. I've spend so much time with them online, and I love it when I get to meet them in person. It's a lot of fun to spend time with them. I have several events coming up and readers can find out about them at www.caridad.com.
Crooked Pass Security #4
A man and his K-9
Will defend her from danger
When Sergeant Mark Dillon’s K-9 police dog, Rocky, alerts him to something off a mountain path, he doesn’t expect it to be a young woman. Luckily, “Amanda” is alive—but her memory is gone and she has no idea who has left her for dead. As the investigation grows, Mark suspects Amanda is a witness who knows too much. Since she only trusts him, this undeniable connection means Mark and Rocky will do whatever it takes to uncover her buried truths…and keep her alive.
From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.
Romance Suspense | Thriller Police Procedural [ Harlequin Intrigue, On Sale: May 26, 2026, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781335690708 / eISBN: 9780369771087 ]
Caridad Pineiro is a transplanted Long Island girl who has fallen in love with the Jersey Shore. When Caridad isn’t taking long strolls along the boardwalk, she’s also a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author with over a million romance novels sold worldwide. Caridad is passionate about writing and helping others explore and develop their skills as writers. She is a founding member of the Liberty States Fiction Writers and has presented workshops at the RT Book Club Convention, Romance Writers of America National Conference as well as various writing organizations throughout the country.
Mary Kennedy is a licensed psychologist and the author of the Talk Radio Mysteries and the Dream Club Mysteries. She’s written nearly fifty novels and has four million copies in print. Her first thirty-five books were young adult novels published by Scholastic nationwide and in several countries. She lives in the northeast with an eccentric cat. She’s tried unsuccessfully to psychoanalyze him but she remains optimistic.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2026