ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

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Unexpected Visitors

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He was a very large man.

It was an unfair description. There were other things one noted about him, things that were more concerning and carried greater weight. The way he moved, for example, with athletic grace. The way he sat, elegant, poised, relaxed, but conveying a coiled readiness. The razor-sharp intellect shining in his dark eyes. But the size was the first thing that made an impression. He was six feet and five inches tall. His build matched his height, and the perfectly tailored suit in Argentinian blue expertly accentuated his wide shoulders, broad chest, and narrow waist. He wore a crisp navy shirt under it and the color combination complimented his dark brown skin. His curly black hair was cut short, and a stylish goatee beard and mustache defined his ridiculously square jaw. Our main conference room was large, and he had taken up most of it with his presence.

I was alone across the table. Just me and my tablet. The fewer people were involved, the better.

“I’ll make it simple, Prime Baylor.” His voice was deep and measured. You knew that if this man screamed, the world was probably ending. “I know you have my cousin.”

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Comments

  3. I am starting to go Crazy waiting for Ruby Fever. OMG these snippets just make me want it more!

    That… and more Augustine please. Thank you.

  5. I think that this is the man who offered to help Nevada because he thought she was a victim of domestic abuse and if that’s the case, I am even more excited to read Ruby Fever because I find him fascinating and I would love to learn more about him and his family!

    • I’m guessing this is the cousin that is the reason Regina stays “under the radar”.

      “We all knew that one day staying under the radar would no longer work, and we’d made preparations …” (Emerald Blaze).

      Someone in blog comments had guessed that her cousin was Michael Latimer, and it looks like they were right … how did you do that???

      Yes, snippets are tantalizing when we have to wait so long for the book, but please, keep them coming. Love them.

      • good gravy, I’m so enjoying this! Yes, I think this might be Regina’s cousin. Nothing was ever said, that I recall anyway, about Michael Latimer’s power.

        Shivers went down my spine as I read it!! Thanks!!!!

        • IA have stated in chats that the Latimers are Animators. When a Black animator turned up as Regina and she mentioned a cousin who seemed particularly powerful, some of us immediately twigged that it must be Michael.

      • Ooo…I didn’t even connect that. I thought Latimer was a good guy though. The cousin is in hiding….

        • We don’t know that she’s hiding from Latimer, though. Could be someone else in the family. Could be her hiding out is why Latimer started helping abused women and he’s been looking for his cousin all this time.

        • Regina said that she’d go to her cousin in the last book if Catalina wouldn’t take down the Saito construct and its creator, which tells me that Regina isn’t hiding from him specifically.

  10. A cousin of Bern or Leon?

    Michael from Recordkeepers?

    Prime Latimer?

    Augustine in disguise because, Snippets!

    • “A cousin of Bern and Leon”

      Prime Baylor questions Prime Baylor.

      Oh how the turntables…????

      • I thought Bern and Leon are named Baylor due to adoption by their aunt So they could be related to a different House?

        Though the Regina cousin connection to Prime Michael Latimer makes the most sense. We know Regina said if she told her cousin about Cheryl her cousin would raze the house of the perpetrator.

        These snippets are so magical.

      • Nope, I take it back. I looked it up. Nevada pegged him at 6’3″ or 6’4″, but she was pretty stressed out at the time so probably misestimated. I was remembering more like 6’2″ or 6’3″- memory’s going. Sorry, my bad.

  12. Oh my. This book will be a scorching read. I wait, trying to be patient. I hope that all is improving in your life and frustrations are going away.

  14. Michael Latimer! (swoon!)
    I suspect he’s there about Regina. Hopefully we will find out why she’s hiding from her family.

    • Can someone pls refresh my mind about who regina is? I can’t seem to remember her.
      If that really is michael latimer, thank you very much. After Nevada’s description of him I wanted to know him better but there was no additional info.

      • In Emerald Blaze, Regina is the person married to the head of security (Patricia?). She is in hiding for an unrevealed reason. She’s an animator, has an animated cat, and had a discussion about Saito’s Threshold (??) with Catalina.

  20. Ooh, teaser!
    Can’t wait to find out if this guy is a bad guy they’re hiding the cousin from, a good guy who doesn’t realize the Baylors are also good guys… or someone with bad information?

  21. ML has always intrigued me. Lovely to know we’re going to see more of him! Thank you for the snippet, I hope matters are generally improving for you both.

  25. Ooo!
    Darn I hate waiting! These little teasers are sooo good.

    Thank you. You are torturing me but thank you anyway.

    Time machine – anybody have one available for loan?

  27. I’m channeling my inner Deira (aka Marten) from Blood Heir (which I’m reading right now): Ooooo! Too bad Catalina couldn’t do an evasive maneuver in the meeting room. 😀

    Thank you for this snippet!

    In an announcer voice: “Will Catalina answer the question?” “Who is the person who entered the meeting room?” Tune in next time for another snippet of Ruby Fever.

  28. Is this who Allesandro had on the tablet? Is it a new character? BDH you have me completely confused. Thank you for the snippet.

  29. Snippet!! Thank you!! ????????

    Also, squeee!! ????????
    (And Team-hoping-for-him-to-be Michael L.!!) ????

  31. So the wife of the head of Baylor security has been found by her family. Dun dun dun! Or Runa has made re family than initially thought. Dun DunDun!

  33. Regina did threaten to call her cousin when they were discussing the possibility of sentient constructs.

  34. Ah ha! We all knew this was coming…
    Can’t wait to find out why Regina has been laying low!
    Thanks for the snippet!

  39. Micheal Latimer!!

    But this is not the one Regina is scared of finding her correct?? I remember in Emerald Blaze that she said she would call her cousin when her and Catalina were talking about the thing in the swamp.

  40. Thank you so much for the snippet! In addition to whet our appetites for the new book, I think y’all love watching us go into a tizzy trying to predict who/what/when/where/how will happen. ???? Keep it up! I love reading the speculation, it’s almost as good as the snippet itself!

    Thanks again.

    • +1 I imagine them rubbing their hands together cackling with glee as we all guess wrong. Mwahahaha! ????

      • I can see Ilona rolling her eyes at the Horde’s speculation as to who visited Catalina. ????

      • Hi! Also in Portland OR! HUGE fan of IA! How many of us right here are there? Anyone interested in forming an unofficial book club type of thing for these books? Some sort of get together to just chat about favorite moments and speculate? I want more on Tulip, frankly. Having so much trouble waiting for Ruby Fever! Agree with all those comments!!

        [Edit Mod R: Sorry Susan, we just don’t know who lurks and with what intentions. Better to be safe than sorry with personal data 🙂 . I can recommend the IA fan groups on Goodreads, Facebook and Discord. I know several who have evolved into local reading groups and ofc messaging through there is a tad safer. Good luck!]

  42. I think yes, Michael Latimer & the cousin is Regina. As I recall, when Catalina spoke to Regina about her suspicions that Cheryl C had created a self aware construct Regina made Catalina promise to kill Cheryl – and said she’d go to her cousin & tell him what was going on if that is what it took to end the threat. So whoever Regina’s cousin is, she at least believed her cousin could stop Cheryl & the self aware construct too.

  43. Oh Ilona and Gordon, you guys are killing us!! I loved ML in the Nevada books and guessed he was Regina’s cousin, but man…. 2022!!! HOW WILL WE SURVIVE! Anyway, thank you for the snippet. As a millennial, I guess I always want immediate gratification and its not like you have pulled a GRRM and made us wait over a decade. Hidden Legacy series re-read, here I come

    • This is why I keep checking back, especially on tough days. Not that today is that tough! But if it were, this would make it better.

    • Ms. Kim, when was the last time you bought a summer suit. This is a Canali, retails for about $2,000. Now, that’s not the suit he is wearing, because it’s bespoke, but this is the color scheme. As you can see, the color is in line with luxury summer suits and the color scheme works for that skin tone.

      • Now you have me drooling over thread counts, silk versus a light weight summer wool or even, gasp, an alpaca wool blend. I wonder about the cut, and the fit. With his size, I’m guessing minimal shoulder padding. Squeee…

        Sorry….I’ve reined in my inner tailor.

        But seriously, this was like dropping a glitter bomb in the middle of a kindergarden school gathering. We’re all covered in glitter and some of us are trying to figure out what to with it and what part appeals to us. I imaging a bunch of us are about to run off to the books and read old sections on Latimer and the Baylor’s new security.

        Just thank you for you generousity and whetting our appetites. I am greatful for by your writing skills and pretty much will buy your grocery list if you offer it up. (Hmm…what are they planning to do with apples, raisins, and high gluten flour?)

        • Alpaca is one of the warmest of fibers. I wouldn’t want a suit from it for summer. I’ve had alpacas and llamas

      • Thank you for the visual! I looked up Argentinian blue and it looked more like Wedgewood blue on my screen. That was a nice color, but this is just gorgeous!

      • I’m not a very fashionable person and would not have thought of this color combination but it looks fabulous.

        Thanks for the snippet! Have a great weekend. 🙂

  49. My brother is 6’4 and built like a barrel. Im only 5’3 and when I tell people he is large and close to a giant no one believes me until they meet him. It’s so funny to see their faces.
    I can completely imagine Mr. Latimer making the room feel small.

    • My dad was 6’4″, my grandmother was 5′. She once said in a department store “what do you think, son?” The clerk kept looking at my dad to his mother with a disbelieving look, like “she birthed him?!”

      • Hehe
        My mum is 4’9 and her brother is 5’11. We were in a store once and mum asked him to pass her something from the top shelf and the also quite short sales clerk was like ‘isn’t it great to have a tall husband ☺️‘ and my mum said ‘I have no idea, my husband isn’t tall. That’s my baby brother’. The sales assistant looked shocked and my uncle was mortified. This still makes me cackle

        • My dad was 6’2″, my mum 5′ on a good day. I’m 5’6″ [maybe!] and my “lil brother” is 6′. Give you an idea of what he looks like. He has a black belt in karate. He weighed in for a tournament some years back at 119 lbs!

  50. Ooooooo. Better and better. I’ve been saying for the longest time that I’m going to pre-order this for my Kindle as soon as it’s possible to do so.

    I’m going to pre-order this for my Kindle as soon as it’s possible to do so.

  51. I’m sorry this book is being such a bear, but y’all are doing a great job keeping the quality going. Every snippet just makes me like it more. Maybe the job will get easier. I hope so.

  52. I… Can’t… Wait!!

    I want all the details, I am so excited. But trying to be patient. It will sooo be worth it…. ????

  53. Da da daaa. Sorry just got in the door and as I read the clip the cheesy crime limerick popped into my mind when I finished. Thanks for the tidbit.

    I’ll keep tuned in. Have a great weekend.

  54. One of the many things I absolutely love about you guys as authors is the way you describe the physical appearance of your characters. You do so in such a way that we can actually feel their presence in the room! Love it!

  56. Oh….this is why I trust you as writers. I am immediately engaged in the story and half in lust with the character.

  57. SCREAMING with excitement!!! I Loved Michael Latimer, so happy to see him in this book!!!!

  58. I got lots of eye candy like this one, down to the exacr same proportions, by watching the men’s swimming competitions at the Olympics. Thank goodness for work-from-home. @.@ >o<

  59. I loved this scene. Take as long as you need to write the book. Your fans will wait. I will buy it when it is available.

  61. Hello, Michael Latimer. Between his description and the cousin… yeah, I’m sure of it. I did check out Argentinian Blue, though. Bold color choice with the suit and shirt, I love it when men make bold color choices. =)

  62. I was holding out until a little closer to the release but man, I feel a reread coming on!

  63. No puedo evitar decir… Mi país! Mi país! ???????? Aunque sea solo en el color de ropa ????

  66. I don’t even care how right the guesses are I enjoy the hype and speculation. It’s a fun distraction.

  67. Hmm. Do we know anything about Michael Latimer’s magic talents yet? I don’t recall.

    If Regina is his cousin, maybe she’s hiding from a previous abuser, hence Latimer’s desire to help women in such situations.

    I bet myself that we’d hear more about Latimer sometime because he is such an intriguing character, and didn’t he show up again in an encounter with Rogan and Nevada in a restaurant?

    • The Latimers are animators. IA confirmed that in a chat. It’s what tipped people off to the fact that Michael was the cousin Regina spoke of in EB.

  71. Squeeeee!

    Oh, I do hope that’s Latimer. He’s one of those background/color characters that leave you wanting to know more.

  72. I know this book has been a challenge for you but the snippets are wonderful! Thank you!

  75. Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the post.

    Hmmm. Cousin. Sounds like Regina’s family found her. Also description sounds like Michael Lattimer from the dance prior to the great ferret heist.

    It will be interesting to see if I am correct.

  76. Every snippet just sucks us into the story even more. I like the idea of Michael Latimer and Regina.

  77. Oh Prime Latimer. You have no need to worry about your cousin. If anyone threatens her, that person will be six kinds of dead before they can think about running. Actually, seven kinds, because Frida will run over them with a tank to make sure they stay dead.

    • Really? ????. ML isn’t someone I’d actually considered, tbh. Linus is the obvious choice, which makes me think it isn’t him. Or maybe that’s jus HA trying to fake us out? ????

      In any case, would love to know why you think Michael is Caesar.

      • I was pretty sure at first ML was Caesar too. Now I’ve been all confused with HA’s hints, prods, & nudges!

  82. Michael Lattimer ???????????? though Regina is not a prisoner. Just hiding. Michael seems like a good person. Why would she hide from the Lattimer House? So exciting!

  84. Michael Latimer- awesome!!!
    Can’t wait for Ruby Fever!!!!
    Thank you House Andrews for this little bit of heaven.

  85. I understand you are having a hard time doing the writing, but you are doing a great job. Excellent.

  86. THANK YOU!!! You don’t know how much I needed one of your fantastic snippets today – exhausted from high heat & humidity, resumption of mask wearing & working in a commercial kitchen.

    Technical question: how do you decide to break up your chapters? I just finished a book that had extremely short chapters. I am currently reading a book with each chapter from a different character’s viewpoint. I had started reading a trilogy where there were no numbered chapters and no index, just ellipses breaking up sections – stopped reading into book 2. So how do you decide your chapter format?

    P.S. I have recommended your books to random strangers in bookstores if I see them picking up books and reshelving them. You hooked me years ago with one line in the 1st Kate Daniel’s book, “Here kitty, kitty!” The snark was pure perfection!

  88. I keep picturing either Winston Duke (for the build, the height, and the love of colored suits) or Omari Hardwick (for the voice, his jaw, and the intimidating nature of his character from Power – but he’s too short)

    I think Winston Duke would be perfect but his voice is so soft, I just think cuddly teddy bear under all that muscle. I would be torn between attraction and fear if Omari was low-key threatening me for his cousin. Until I hear otherwise I’m just going to imagine a perfect mix of them both for Michael.

    But it does help that I managed to find Winston in an argentian blue suit

  89. Hmm so good I so want more much more but I will suffer in silence. Beg beg . No pressure. Really. You believe me don’t you?

  91. what a wonderful world you’ve built!! so many things I want to know and see and read-
    -A scene where Nevada tells big bad Mad -Rogan that her baby sister made a deal with the devil to save them.
    -Arabella x ANYONE.
    -Cornelius happily ever after again.
    -Augustine, Connor, Alessandro, Cornelius, Bern, Leon- man night!
    -And Are the Baylor girls part black? Which grandparent was Black?
    -Bern x Runa short story

    If wishes were fishes I’d have a whole bowl full. Thank you for the wonderful book universe

  94. Lol, have to say your good. Description and a sentence and I’m thinking, it’s M Latimer someone I think was described twice and mentioned a few more times. Might be wrong..if so sorry, but still the fact a person, jumped to mind, when I’m rereading Kate Daniel’s and not Hidden Legacy I find very cool

  97. I did not make the connection of Michael Latimer as the helpful, powerful cousin but it checks out. I’m excited he gets more of a role and we’re likely to get more of Regina’s back story. I’ve been itching to find out what happened ever since Benjiro brought up “baggage”.

  98. Is that Michael Latimer? The description sounds familiar (I’m rereading White Hot and just read about him last night, ironically)

  101. Got me. Hadn’t meant to read a snippet. Now it’s harder to wait for the book. Grumbling. (This won’t kill me, and may the reactions to snippets add some to this book writing. Thank you.) Grumbling…

  104. Thank for the snippet. I enjoy them immensely and I look forward to the book, though I know you’re not enjoying the writing process at the moment.

  106. Ooooh… Exciting!
    ML came across as very charismatic first time. Not one to forget. So happy to see him again. Excellent physique, looks, sharp dresser and kind to abused women. Swoon…
    Thank you!

  107. Ooooohhh, can’t wait!!! ???????? I’m so sorry you aren’t having fun writing because I know I’m going to have fun reading!!

  111. Hmmm. The way he says it, ” I know you have my cousin.” It’s so ominous. Like she is being kept instead of choosing to be with them. I know they have taken steps to conceal her presence (if my assumption is correct and it is Regina) but she isn’t locked up anywhere and can leave anytime she wants.
    Snippets can take my brain on some weird tangents that if I read the next line I would never think of. For all I know his next words are “Thank you for protecting her.” But they could also be,”You have 2 hours to release her to me or you will suffer the consequences.” Or something completely different. Because House Andrews never fails to surprise and delight me

  112. Oh, just had a thought about ML & Regina – remember the ball scene where Michael approaches Nevada & offers to get her to a place of safety? Because of her bruised throat he believed she was a victim of abuse. He renewed the offer to Nevada when he approached Rogan & Nevada at the restaurant. So if Regina is ‘in hiding’ & Michael is willing to help abused women, maybe Regina is hiding out from someone who abused her in a previous relationship? Maybe someone who is powerful enough that she felt hiding was her best option?

  114. You guys kill me. (other commenters) You’re able to take the smallest snippets and somehow place them perfectly! I’m more or less going “…well I wonder what that’s about?” And then I read a comment and It’s like everything comes into focus, sharp and clear. “Wow! Why didn’t I see that?” Thank you all. Finding new little details like that is why I re read stories again (and again) because there are ALWAYS little bits and pieces that you miss the first (or second, or third) time through. Note: this only works on the best of stories (pretty much every IA novel, of course) ????????

  120. Im going to throw this out there because why not ???? can alessandro bring his sisters and mother over? Can they join house baylor? Also. I understand why nevada did what she did trying to protect her family but her thrusting it all on catalina as head of house rubbed me the wrong way. Just my two cents lol

  122. Wow, excitement keeps building; we have a powerful new illusion mage there for an unknown reason, and now ML is heating up the screen. I can understand why this book would be hard to write it has so many elements and powerful characters. I love the plots and world building, but it is the characters- primary, secondary and fleeting which keeps me coming back to the House Andrews worlds.

  124. Congratulations. Finally a brother in this series. Love it. Wonderful description. Can’t wait. I can see him in my head.

  125. Yes!!! Michael Latimer, correct?!?!! His immediate support of Nevada when she was covered in conspicuous bruising cemented him as epic hero status! He & his aunt!

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