Secret Identity is coming!
Hi friends! Happy New Year! It’s been a minute. I hope you’re doing as well as can be during this insane time and staying healthy.
Just popping by to remind you that Secret Identity, my noir novel set in the comic book industry of 1975, hits on March 15. That’s less than two months away! You can preorder it here. As a reminder, preorders are hugely important to authors - so if you know you want a copy, please reserve one with your favorite indie bookstore.
The novel stars Carmen Valdez, a Cuban-American woman who moves from Miami to New York City to pursue her dream of working in comics. She lands a secretarial job at third-rate publisher Triumph Comics, but can’t get her foot in the door when it comes to writing. But when a young colleague asks her to co-create the company’s first female superhero, The Legendary Lynx, she jumps at the chance. But there’s a catch - her work must remain anonymous, her friend says. She hesitantly agrees, and the comic becomes an immediate hit. The only wrinkle? Her friend is murdered, so no one knows Carmen created The Lynx. So now Carmen must put on her amateur detective hat to not only discover what happened to her friend, but to reclaim her character. The novel features lovely, authentic comic book sequences from The Legendary Lynx comic of the novel drawn by the amazing Sandy Jarrell and lettered by Taylor Esposito. Here’s a page:
Stunning, right?
I’ve been blown away by the response to the novel and it means so much to hear people say nice things about it. The book has gotten a jaw-dropping three starred reviews from key trade publications Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews.
What’s a starred review? Well, it’s basically an enthusiastic thumbs up from these key tastemakers. But don’t take my word for it - here’s what they had to say:
"Segura’s book works on so many levels, it’s almost hard to keep track—as a love letter to comic books, it’s as powerful as anything since Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (2000). And as a thriller, it’s smart, perfectly paced, and wonderfully atmospheric—Segura captures the intense, grimy milieu of 1970s New York with aplomb. You don’t have to be a comics fan to love this novel; it’s a masterful book filled with real heart and soul. A triumph."—Kirkus Reviews
"Darkest noir meets the vibrant world of comics in the hands of Segura... His reverence for the medium comes across vividly here.... A superlative one-of-a-kind novel." —Booklist
"Outstanding... Segura’s infectious passion for superheroes shines in this page-turning mix of murder mystery and coming-of-age story." —Publishers Weekly
And, speaking of preorders, if you order a copy of Secret Identity from stellar indies Book & Books, Murder by the Book, or Kew & Willow Books, you’ll get a signed bookplate. More details can be found here.
In addition to the starred reviews, Secret Identity has also been getting a ton of wonderful buzz - including being a part of “most anticipated” lists from Goodreads (twice!), Paste Magazine, Autostraddle, Crimereads, Bookpage, and BookRiot, to name a few. It’s been a wild ride and I really can’t wait for readers to meet Carmen and the Lynx on March 15.
Thanks again for your support, and please remember to preorder and spread the word!
If you’re a blogger/reviewer/social media superstar or a librarian/bookstore owner, you can also request an advance copy or “ARC” via NetGalley or edelweiss. You can also add the book to your Goodreads shelf, or review it there if you’ve gotten an early peek!
It’s not all about me either, I ptomise. There are a ton of other great books hitting in 22! I’ve compiled a list of my most anticipated books here. But I’d like to spotlight five must-read novels you need to order immediately:
Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian
Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
Kismet by Amina Akhtar
I had the pleasure of reading all of these books and, believe me, they’re all remarkable. Yes, they’re all written by friends - but what can I say? I’m pals with talented people!
Anyway, I’ve rambled long enough. Next time, I’ll share some news on The Dusk (we’re almost done!), The Awakened (artwork!), and perhaps some other novel and comic book news.
In the meantime, have a great start to the year and thanks again.
Best,
Alex