Praise for Time Under Tension

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 Kristina Fox offers up a fresh take on the amateur sleuth genre with her debut novel Time Under Tension: A Kelsey James Fitness Mystery. Kelsey James is living her best life; a spunky go-getter with energy that just doesn’t quit, she spends her days coaching clients at her private gym in gorgeous Oakview, California. But when one of her clients comes to her for help after finding her mother brutally murdered, Kelsey makes it her business to find out who the killer is, after all, she is the Chief of Police’s daughter, and Tina is more than just a client: she’s a friend. Things get extra complicated when Tina is kidnapped right out of Fox Fitness’ doors shortly after her mother’s murder, and Kelsey takes it upon herself to find her friend, and the killer, before it's too late. Fox delivers an immensely satisfying amount of intrigue and mystery into every chapter, driving the fast-paced storyline forward to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. 

While I was definitely expecting some twists and turns, the complexity of the story, the dead ends and fake-outs, calculated suspicions, and innocence revealed honestly left me guessing until the end of the book and definitely didn’t end up where I thought it was going. The thing that really sold the story, though, as action-packed as it is, was the genuine and completely relatable way the characters reacted to all of the danger and intrigue. It was immensely refreshing to see a group of characters acting like real people in a dangerous situation rather than the often overblown and exaggerated manner that often accompanies the amateur sleuth trope. I would even go so far as to say that this novel could be slotted into the cozy mystery section without looking amiss. The ride-or-die yet somehow still platonic companionship Kelsey has with Justin and the close-knit circle of friends that have her back at every turn absolutely radiates a found family motif. When you add in the actual family drama that Fox deftly weaves into the plot, it adds an extra dimension to an already solid story that completely knocks it out of that park. 

Time Under Tension would be perfect for cozy mystery readers who want to dip their toes into something more along the lines of a psychological thriller. Fans of Gigi Pandian’s elaborate plots or Laurie Cass and Lila Dare’s strong female leads will love this book!—Beatrice Toothman, San Francisco Book Review

 Kelsey James is a vibrant fitness instructor who shows great care for her clients at Fox Fitness. She is greatly concerned about her regular/friend Tina, who has been experiencing some issues with her father. Kelsey’s worries are magnified the night Tina shows up at her door, covered in blood. Fortunately, the blood doesn’t belong to Tina, but it belongs to Tina’s newly deceased mother, Anna. Tina doesn’t know what happened, whether it was an accident or murder, but she is too distraught to even think straight. On the other hand, Kelsey is the daughter of the local police chief, and she possesses the instincts of an amateur sleuth. The evidence points to Tina’s mother's death as a homicide. <br><br>While Kelsey begins to investigate the case inconspicuously, Tina is kidnapped from the gym. Their fear for Tina is not assuaged when the kidnappers are Tina’s relatives, who believe they are shielding Tina from harm as they believe her mother’s killer might be her father. Tina is soon extricated from her involuntary confinement and placed under protective custody. While Tina is seemingly safe, Kelsey has been receiving messages warning her to back off the case, and she has a new man in her life who is keeping a secret of his own.<br><br> The apparent dysfunction Kelsey witnesses from Tina Scott’s family is unnerving, but Kelsey is in for a shock when she learns about a skeleton in her family’s closet. Anna Scott’s murder has reverberations for more than a few people in the town of Oakview. <br><br><em>Time Under Tension</em> is the excellent debut mystery novel by author Kristina Fox. The story begins unassumingly with the introduction of the affable protagonist and develops into an absorbing narrative involving murder and familial intrigue. Kelsey James is the apple of her father’s eye and respects his authority, but she proves herself capable of acting independently when it comes to assisting a friend in danger. Her love and loyalty to her family and friends are admirable and charming. The crux of the plot line revolves around family and secrets and what one will do to protect those closest to us. The families, as written by Fox, are flawed but human, providing the story more authenticity. Fox does an exemplary job of allowing the suspense to slowly build throughout the book and keeping the reader guessing until the excellent climax. Fox has a bright future as a mystery writer with her inaugural offering.—Philip Zozzaro, Chicago Book Review

 "Murder, kidnapping, great food, and a few squats, this crime thriller has it all. Imagine Nancy Drew, all grown up and working as a personal trainer. But pay attention, there are as many suspects as there are twists and turns. With intrigue and suspense doing the heavy lifting, any crime fan will want to sweat out this mystery." — Eric Smith, Chicago Book Review

Kelsey James isn't just a great personal trainer. She's as skilled as they come. Sure, she'll demand those burpees, push you to finish out that set of hammer curls, spot you for those bench presses. You'll leave encouraged and thoroughly butt-kicked after every session. But if you've got issues at home or elsewhere, there's also a good chance she'll take a crack at being your personal investigator, too. 

Kristina Fox's Double Progression, her second Kelsey James Fitness Mystery, begins with our main character still savoring the satisfaction of her first case, in which she helped a client solve a grisly murder. Ready to lunge into another mystery, we meet Jennifer Miller: established client, friend, entrepreneur, mother of three, and wife to a seemingly perfect husband. If he would only spill the beans about what he's been up to. Grayson Miller has always gone away for business trips, as anyone would expect of a successful hedge fund manager, but the trips are becoming longer, and the laundry and aromas he returns with don't jive with his stated destination. Inquiries about how this-or-that trip went are met with deflections or vague, one-word answers.<br><br>With Kelsey on the case, it's soon discovered that the office he claims to be visiting is not only closed for remodeling, but he doesn't even work for that company anymore. What at first seems like an open-and-shut case of infidelity quickly spirals into a twisty tale of organized crime, undercover law enforcement, and stakeouts. For a personal trainer moonlighting as an investigator, Kelsey is surprisingly resourceful, using everyday objects and services with such skill that she's about as effective as the law enforcement operating alongside her.

A heaping helping of exercise and cooking talk rounds everything out. You'll stand next to Kelsey and her co-workers as they run through exercises tailored for each client, and sit with the gang at dinner, complete with mouthwateringly vivid descriptions of what everyone ordered (sometimes down to the garnish). Crafty readers could probably put together a nice workout routine, not to mention a decent menu.<br><br>Fox’s writing is refreshingly accessible, with a colorful cast of characters at whom she’s unafraid to poke fun. She precariously straddles the line between crime fiction and farce, evoking an unlikely combination of Janet Evanovich and P.G. Wodehouse. Double agents, triple agents, safehouses, medical emergencies, unexpected family connections, murder, and even adult twins swapping places to conduct recon in each other's homes (all revealed at the most convenient times) are just a few of the exciting twists and fake-outs employed in Double Progression. Readers will find a lot to love in this lighthearted and fun crime mystery. —Ben Haskett, Los Angeles Book Review

"If you’re looking for a novel with fast-paced intrigue, page-turning suspense, and an amateur sleuth that doesn’t know when to stay down, then look no further because Kristina Fox has done it again with her second installment of the Kelsey James mystery series: Double Progression. When one of her clients suspects her husband of cheating, Kelsey puts her detective skills to the test; after all, that’s what friends are for. But what appears to be a cut-and-dry case of marital infidelity turns into an ever-widening dragnet of deceit, deception, and murder. Full of enough twists and turns to keep even the most avid of mystery buffs on the edge of their seats, Double Progression is perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Lucy Foley." —Beatrice Toothman, San Francisco Book Review

I found Double Progression incredibly authentic. The client trainer relationship is captured perfectly the boundaries, the confidences, the trust that can easily blur. Kelsey’s professionalism mixed with human curiosity makes her believable. Fox doesn’t glamorize the industry, she shows its real pressures while using it as a backdrop for a clever, high stakes mystery.