Death by Association
Naya Assad’s marathon running days ended when she developed multiple sclerosis, but that doesn’t hinder her abilities as a software specialist or her investigative skills. It’s true her physical strength has been affected—some days she has no problems with mobility, other days she needs a cane or even a walker—but her keen mind and determination are as strong as ever.
Leeson Rask heads a prominent architecture firm. Naya met him at her gym, where she couldn’t help but note that he was in a wheelchair. But when the police suddenly show up and arrest him for three murders, it becomes clear that he can walk perfectly well.
So she’s surprised when he appeals to her for help. The police believe he’s guilty and aren’t looking for any other suspects. Naya’s not a lawyer or a private eye, but she solved a difficult case last year, and Leeson is confident she can find evidence to prove his innocence. Reluctantly, Naya agrees to look into it.
On visiting his firm’s offices, she discovers that their IT networks and accounting records are a total shambles. She volunteers to help sort things out, and in the process learns that jealousy and conflicting agendas are simmering under the surface. Then Naya herself comes under attack.
This book will keep you guessing to the end—and hoping to see Naya again as the series continues.
Madona Skaf ‘s degree in biology led to a career in mining research, but did not end there. She was an early applicant for Canada’s astronaut program when it was launched; she made it through the first round of cuts but did not end up in space. Instead she began writing science fiction, producing numerous short stories and several novels. Though none of these found a publisher, they served as an apprenticeship for the second act of her writing career: crime fiction.
She’s had short crime stories published in anthologies by the Ladies Killing Circle (the launching pad for several Ottawa-area women crime writers) and Toronto Sisters in Crime. One of the stories, “First Impressions”, was a 2015 finalist in the Arthur Ellis award for excellence in Canadian crime writing.
A few years ago, she developed multiple sclerosis. Her experiences dealing with MS inspired the character of Naya Assad in her debut novel, Journey of a Thousand Steps. Naya appears again in Death by Association, the second novel of the series.
She has always used her maiden name (Skaff) for work and writing, but decided when her first novel was accepted that she’d hyphenate it with her married name. So her novels appear under the name Skaff-Koren, in acknowledgement of her family and their support of her writing. She lives in Ottawa with her husband and daughter, along with Ginger, their rescue dog.
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