Cyber Monday is supposed to be about gadgets and televisions. This year, it turned into something very different for me. My spy thriller, Double Exposure, went out as a free Cyber Monday Kindle offer. I hoped a few new readers might pick it up. Instead, it took off like a shutter burst on high speed.
No. 68 Overall
By the end of the promo surge, Double Exposure had climbed into the Top 100 Free in the entire Kindle Store. It peaked at #68 overall. Out of all the free books on Amazon that day, my photographer spy was sharing the screen with romance giants, crime series, and big name thrillers. For a South Louisiana photographer who writes on the side, that felt pretty surreal.
Stunned! No. 1
What really stunned me were the category charts. Double Exposure did not just sneak into a niche list. It planted itself right at the top.
- #1 in Espionage Thrillers, Free in Kindle Store
- #1 in Political Thrillers & Suspense, Free in Kindle Store
- #2 in Conspiracy Thrillers, Free in Kindle Store
Those screenshots where the little orange banner says “#1” are now safely backed up in several places. This is just in case my computer ever decides to test my faith.
Still 5 Stars
At the same time, the reader response stayed strong. The book held a 5.0 star rating during the promo window. Reviews called out the photography angle, the Vienna setting, and the way the story uses a camera as both tool and cover. That matters to me. I have spent more than forty years making images for a living. That is why I wanted the spy work in this book to feel grounded in what it is really like to move through the world with a camera in your hand.
I am not Reed, or am I???
For those new to the story, Double Exposure follows Reed Sawyer, a professional photographer who also happens to work off the books for a very quiet intelligence outfit. He is sent to Vienna for what looks like a simple assignment. A rooftop. A lens. One man to photograph. From the first moments on the plane, Reed can tell something is wrong. The mission drags him into a game where every face might hide a second life. And every image might be used for purposes he never intended.
That setup seems to have resonated with readers who love spy thrillers, espionage suspense. It also resonated with those who enjoy political intrigue with a modern edge. During the Cyber Monday run, thousands of readers around the world clicked that little orange “Buy now” button at the magical price of zero. Many of them have since gone on to explore my other work, including my western romance, Boots and Stilettos. This could not be more different in setting but shares the same obsession with detail and character.
Written by a Real Photographer
The most gratifying part has been the messages and reviews from readers who say things like, “You can tell this was written by a real photographer,” or, “I will never look at a person with a camera the same way again.” That was the goal from the beginning. I wanted a spy story that treats the camera as more than a prop. In Double Exposure, it is a key, a shield, a weapon, and sometimes a very convenient excuse to be exactly where no one thinks you should be.
Cyber Monday Spotlight
Cyber Monday gave the book a spotlight. Readers did the rest. Seeing Double Exposure sitting at the top of Amazon’s free espionage and political thriller lists was a moment I will not forget. Now the real fun begins. New readers follow Reed into the shadows and find out what happens when a simple assignment turns into something much more dangerous.
Still Available
If you missed the free window, Double Exposure is still available on Kindle, in paperback, and in hardcover. It remains part of Kindle Unlimited. If you enjoy fast, grounded spy fiction written by someone who has actually spent a lifetime looking through a lens, I would be honored to have you along for the next shot.