Harlequin is taking a new approach to the serialized release of its Tough Justice mystery-suspense series. Each of the eight installments of the digital-first series, which will all be released on January 12, is written by a different author and ends with a cliffhanger. By publishing all the installments on the same day, the publisher is trying to mimic the "binge-watching" consumption model created by streaming television.
“We are emulating the experience and enjoyment people receive from binge-watching a television series on one of the streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon or Hulu,” said Loriana Sacilotto, executive v-p of global editorial at Harlequin.
Writers of the eight-episode serial include Harlequin authors Carla Cassidy, Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson, and Gail Barrett. The publisher described the series, which is cut up into 30,000-word episodes, as a “high-octane, suspenseful and addictive FBI thriller.” It features a New York special agent named Lara Grant who harbors dark secrets.
Episode 1, Exposed by Carla Cassidy, is free to download, while subsequent episodes cost $1.49 each. Tough Justice is available via digital retailers and at Harlequin.com.
