Date Published: 02-10-2026
Publisher: Oliver-Heber
Her partner, Xander Holt, a former Navy SEAL with ice in his veins, lives by the same brutal code: no attachments, no lines crossed. But as missions turn bloody, the fragile boundary between partner and lover begins to blur—and desire becomes its own kind of danger.
Across the country, Detective Anaya Nazario faces a nightmare of her own. A synthetic “zombie drug,” deadlier than fentanyl and immune to Narcan, is ripping through Los Angeles. Her investigation exposes a network of dirty cops shielding Ryker’s empire—and puts a target squarely on her back.
Two women on opposite fronts. One war against corruption and cartel power. And a single truth—every betrayal leaves a body behind.
Interview with S.Z. Estavillo
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
For this book, I didn’t take a specific research trip, but I did a deep dive in other ways. The story required me to understand the logistics and psychology behind black-ops–style assassin groups—how they’re structured, how they operate in the shadows, and how authority, control, and secrecy function inside those worlds. That meant a lot of true-crime watching, investigative reading, and cross-referencing real cases and covert operations to ground the fiction in something believable.
Because the book is set largely in Alaska, I also spent a significant amount of time researching the region—its geography, climate, isolation, and the way remoteness changes how crime, travel, and survival work. While I didn’t physically go there, I made sure I understood enough to write it authentically. Alaska isn’t just a backdrop in this story; it shapes the tension, the danger, and the choices the characters are forced to make.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
Probably researching how different medications might interact with one another in a way that could be fatal. I was trying to understand realistic medical consequences for a fictional scenario, nothing more—but that research did not translate well online. I actually asked a question on Quora, clearly stating I was a novelist, and the responses escalated fast. People genuinely thought I was planning to murder someone. Despite explaining it was for fiction, the reactions were intense enough that I ended up deleting my Quora account entirely. It was a sharp learning lesson in how certain research questions—especially taken out of context—can look alarming. Let’s just say I no longer crowdsource that kind of research in public forums.
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
Definitely science—especially in my latest book. The Serpent’s Order centers around a very real and very dangerous drug often referred to as tranq dope, sometimes called the “zombie drug.” It’s a combination of fentanyl and an animal tranquilizer, and I didn’t even know it existed until I started researching for this story.
Once I discovered it, the science became essential to the worldbuilding. I needed to understand how the drug works in the body, why it’s so destructive, and what makes it uniquely dangerous. From there, I pushed the concept further for fiction—creating a more lethal strain that still felt medically plausible. That meant blending science and medicine just enough to make it believable without overwhelming the story. For me, realism sharpens the stakes, and that’s where the research really earns its place.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
Absolutely. One of the earliest moments that shaped me happened when I was in second or third grade. I was placed in a special class because I was struggling with reading, and the goal was to improve my literacy skills. Instead of drilling worksheets, the teacher had us write stories. They’d take us outside, ask us to touch leaves, feel textures, and describe what we experienced. The teacher had an English background and cared deeply about language and observation.
One day, after I turned in a short story, they looked at my work—messy handwriting, imperfect punctuation and all—and told me, very plainly, You’re going to be a writer someday. I remember being confused, even a little offended. I was young and thought success meant being a doctor or a lawyer—something practical, something that made money. Writing didn’t feel like a compliment at the time. But I never forgot that moment. That teacher saw something in me long before I could see it in myself, and that kind of belief stays with you.
Years later, that same theme repeated itself. I had a literary agent for five years and went on submission with four different manuscripts. Two of those books essentially “died on sub,” meaning they were passed over by multiple publishers and had to be shelved. After so much rejection, it wears on you. Then an editor at the small press I’m with now—Oliver-Heber—read my work and believed in it. Two of the four books that were supposed to die on sub were acquired—and that became the launch of my eight-book contract. When she told me my latest book, The Serpent’s Order (Book 4), was my best yet—that my writing was stronger, sharper—it mattered deeply.
After years of hearing no, having someone say, This is really good—this is worth publishing is powerful. That belief, whether it comes from a teacher or an editor, can carry you through a lot of doubt. Sometimes it’s exactly the validation you need to keep going.
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
Yes, I do. I’m very much a crime-thriller author. That said, I didn’t start out writing only in this genre. Earlier in my career, I experimented quite a bit—I wrote commercial fiction, offbeat dramedy, comedy-drama, straight drama, romance, and romantic comedy. One of the first books I ever took out on submission was a romantic-comedy-leaning novel, and I quickly learned how difficult that space can be to sell.
At the time, I was heavily influenced by books like The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick and This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper—offbeat, commercial, dramedy-style stories that feel almost cinematic. Both of those novels were eventually adapted into films, and I was drawn to that tone. But when I tried writing in that lane, I realized it was a harder fit for the market—and, ultimately, not where my deepest instincts lived.
I’ve always had a strong pull toward thrillers and true crime. Part of that comes from my background. On my father’s side, law enforcement runs deep—multiple police officers in the family, a father who worked as a U.S. Border Patrol and Customs agent, and an uncle who became the highest-ranking Puerto Rican three-star officer in New York’s history. Growing up around those stories, that sense of duty, danger, and moral complexity, shaped the kinds of stories I’m naturally drawn to tell.
Once I found my footing in crime thrillers—and especially after signing my eight-book contract with a small press—I stayed firmly in that genre. It’s where my voice feels most authentic. That said, while I’m not a multi-genre writer, I am very much a multi-genre reader. I believe reading across genres makes you a stronger writer overall. You learn something different from each one—whether it’s pacing, emotional depth, structure, voice, or character—and all of that inevitably finds its way back into your work.
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