Hannah and Tatiana: A Unique Duo
When I started getting into the third book of the series, titled Paris Noir: Deadly Obsession, I knew I wanted to include Tatiana in my story. When Hannah met her, she was at a point in her life where she felt like she couldn’t do anything right. But meeting Tatiana marked a turning point for Hannah. Their conversation on the plane as they headed back to Paris made me reflect on my own life and reminded me that life is short. When you feel others trying to bring you down, hold on to a memory that made you feel proud — revisit that moment and you’ll find yourself feeling stronger.
As Tatiana is a witness to what goes down near the end of Paris Noir, I knew I wanted to include her in my fourth book as well. Her life has shifted in many ways by the time we reach this next installment; she has become someone who goes out and does what she does best—changing people’s lives in the most unexpected, quietly profound ways. Much like she is to me in real life, in Hannah’s life Tatiana is the light that appears when everything feels dark and uncertain. When we last left Tatiana, Hannah had just asked her to become Shayla’s godmother, a role that promises to deepen their bond and send both of their lives in new, surprising directions.
At the start of the fourth book, Smith asks Hannah where Tatiana is. Hannah explains that Tatiana has stayed behind in Miami to care for Shayla while Hannah pursues leads and tries to solve Laura’s murder. As the story unfolds, readers will notice just how much Hannah’s relationship with Tatiana has deepened and how much Tatiana’s steady presence has helped her grow. While Hannah and Rafael, accompanied by Stu, travel to Lucerne to seek the antidote at Die Klinik den Geist Zu halen, Tatiana remains devoted to watching over Shayla, tending to her needs and doing everything she can to keep her safe.
As the story progresses, Tatiana does something especially thoughtful and chooses to surprise Hannah, bringing Shayla along so she can be close to her. That simple act of kindness confirms to Hannah that she made the right choice in naming Tatiana her daughter’s godmother. After Shayla is kidnapped, Hannah is understandably furious with Tatiana, but once Shayla is safely rescued, Hannah’s anger toward Tatiana gradually subsides. As the narrative draws toward its conclusion, Tatiana becomes more involved when Rafael ends up in the hospital; she remains by his side, while Hannah departs for Giethoorn to pursue the answers she needs to unravel the murders and to search for the antidote.
When they all return to the states, Tatiana explains to Hannah her dilemma. Writing Tatiana’s dilemma was perhaps one of my favorite parts to craft, because it highlights just how much she has grown. Once an illusionist, she has become someone people can genuinely look up to. Hearing her predicament brings Hannah closer to cracking the case, and in the end Tatiana is the one who must take responsibility for saving Rafael and everyone else, especially because of skills she learned in her former life. In the fifth installment of the Hannah Walker Mystery Series titled Shadows of the Past A Deadly Riddle, she will have an even bigger role in which she will turn into the hero, along with Hannah and Rafael
