Dive into this gripping legal thriller infused with science fiction and suspense. When Canaries Die (Pierce Evangelista Thrillers) by Luis Figueredo Book Tour with Author Interview & Guest Post

 A deadly pandemic. A broken system. One attorney fighting for justice.

Hotshot Miami attorney Pierce Evangelista is thrust into a world on the brink of collapse as a relentless virus sweeps the globe. Amidst the chaos, he takes on a high-stakes legal battle against the U.S. government, challenging immigration policies that have left thousands of asylum-seekers trapped in dire conditions.

As the virus spreads unchecked and the demand for blood transfusions soars, criminal organizations seize the opportunity—turning human blood into a lucrative black-market commodity. In the lawless border towns of Tijuana, Juarez, and Matamoros, desperation fuels corruption, and survival comes at a steep price.

With powerful forces standing in his way, Pierce must navigate a treacherous landscape of law, politics, and crime to reopen the borders and save innocent lives. But in a world where survival and exploitation go hand in hand, how far will he go to seek justice?

A gripping legal thriller infused with science fiction and suspense, this high-stakes battle for humanity will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Book three in the Pierce Evangelista Thrillers series but can be read as a standalone.

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/WCDFigueredo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223593579-when-canaries-die

Excerpt:

Chapter Forty-Nine

New Orleans

Thirteen high-back chairs stood around a long table. All but two were occupied. One on one end was C. Edward Pettigrew, an accomplished mediator. On the other end, Ben Bowman was seated like the godfather in a gangster flick. To his right, Evan Dunn, his wartime consigliere. Next to him was Frank Collins. The other seven chairs around the table were his team of grim-faced legal assassins, his capos.

Bowman instantly recognized Maggie from her video and stared at her through contemptuous eyes. Pierce and Maggie took the two open seats closest to Pettigrew. Pettigrew gave a few opening remarks before turning to Pierce as counsel for the plaintiffs. He had no set formula for how to conduct his mediations. Pettigrew permitted the parties to determine the course.

Pierce attempted a brief introductory statement. Bowman made it his mission to rattle him and get on his nerves. Each time Pierce spoke, Bowman interrupted him. It was his way of sending a message that he was the one with real power. His money, his rules. How much he spent to settle the case, if he decided to settle, would be completely up to him and not the ivy league penguins sitting around the table.

Pettigrew was predictably appalled. In his long career, he’d come across a few bombastic clients hell-bent on hijacking the mediation, but nothing like Ben Bowman.

“This is a fucking witch hunt,” Bowman growled, pointing a menacing finger at Pierce from across the room. “You should be disbarred. The dead people whose blood you claim I bought from HemaMex were Mexican peasants, not Americans. That blood helped keep Americans alive. Otherwise, thousands more hard-working people in this US of A would have died. All I asked HemaMex to do was to run standard tests on all the blood, like blood type and screening for the Rh antigen. I never asked them to kill people.”

Pierce almost smiled. His gaze was steady, though behind his eyes he was sliding the puzzle pieces into place. He had gotten his measure of the man. He was mean, conniving, and had no conscience. Traits that Pierce planned to expose at trial. Pierce continued to make mental notes of what buttons he could push to provoke Bowman to spiral out of control. The more Bowman criticized and attacked, the more Pierce liked what he saw - an extremely volatile witness that Dunn couldn’t control.

Dunn’s eyes closed slowly. Then they opened again, and he looked at his client with great disappointment. “You’ve said enough, Ben,” he growled in a rare display of anger.

The mediator tried in vain to maintain some semblance of order and move the settlement negotiations along. To Bowman, his entire narrative was nothing but babble. The sole purpose of the mediation, as far as he was concerned, was to send a message that it would be years before Pierce saw a penny. Pettigrew finally gave up, turned to Dunn, and asked sarcastically if he had anything to add to Mr. Bowman’s colorful tirade.

It was 11:20 a.m. Dunn frowned, clearly annoyed by his client’s transgressions. “We’d like to take a break.”

The mediator seemed particularly edgy. “We could all benefit from a long lunch. Let’s reconvene at one.”

* * *

Ninety-five minutes later, Ben Bowman and his legal entourage returned. Bowman took his seat quietly as though he had been slapped across the face. Pettigrew made a couple of opening remarks about maintaining civility in the afternoon session while looking directly at Bowman. “I expect you to behave yourself. If you can’t or won’t, I’m going to terminate this mediation.” The outrage was clear in his voice.

Collins assured the mediator that Mr. Bowman and the rest of the Lighthouse team would proceed in good faith.

Pettigrew raised one of his eyebrows, showing what he thought of Collins’ assurance, and gestured towards Dunn. “Mr. Dunn. The floor is yours.”

Dunn cleared his throat and took center stage. He started by insisting that his client was innocent of any wrongdoing. He explained that the only thing the financial wires to HemaMex represented was that Lighthouse paid its bills. Nothing more. Dunn didn’t dispute that Lighthouse purchased blood from blood banks and supplied hospitals around the country. He argued that during the pandemic, the blood shortage made the United States extremely vulnerable and resulted in a wave of deaths.

“Lighthouse’s ability to pivot quickly towards additional sources when its trusted suppliers could not meet the surging demand stemming from the Kayapo pandemic was both critical and necessary for the nation’s healthcare workers to treat hospital patients.” Dunn insisted that American lives were at stake.

“Lighthouse was responsible for saving American lives. We should be thanking Ben Bowman, not persecuting him.” Dunn paused to underline the empathic statement and then rattled off statistics of how many Americans were treated by the blood supplied by Lighthouse.

Pierce had gotten a glimpse of Dunn’s trial strategy. In the Midwest or in the deep South, like Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and parts of Florida, Dunn’s compelling narrative might be able to convince a jury that the end justified the means and return a verdict for the defendant. But this case was going to be tried in Miami, where seventy percent of the population consisted of Cubans, Colombians, Puerto Ricans, and immigrants from the other Central and South American countries. Given Miami’s multilingual and multicultural makeup, it was likely that most juries would look to make an example of an individual or company that preyed on innocent Latinos. A possibility that Evan Dunn unfortunately could not ignore.

When Dunn was finished, Pierce’s eyes turned from serious to ice. “Mr. Bowman,” Pierce addressed him directly. “I don’t plan on being here all afternoon, so I’m going to cut to the chase. First of all, whether you realize it or not, you’re in a war you can’t win. That’s no reflection on your lawyers. You have a great legal team. I have tremendous respect and admiration for Mr. Dunn. But not even he can turn water into wine or perform miracles . . . and that’s what it will take for you to win this case. It’s going to take a miracle.”

Bowman seethed but said nothing.

Pierce continued to talk in his smooth, even voice, diverting everyone’s attention away from the volatile Bowman. “Here are the undisputed facts. 1) The Mexican cartels murdered thousands of innocent people to harvest their blood; and 2) HemaMex is a front for the cartel.”

Dunn skeptically shook his head. “I object to your characterization that these facts are not in dispute.”

“Evan,” Pierce snapped in a stern voice. “We’re not in court.There’s no one here to rule on your objection. I have the floor. I’ll remind you that you made your argument without any interruption from my side. I’d appreciate the same courtesy.”

The unprecedented rebuke immediately silenced Dunn, and he sat back in his chair.

Pierce nodded at Maggie, who distributed a set of pictures of the video footage captured by Alex. Several pictures captured the migrants being marched by men carrying automatic weapons into the HemaMex facility. Other pictures showed dead bodies loaded onto the trucks. There were also pictures of the mass graves. The last picture showed the license plates of the trucks photographed at HemaMex parked at the Lighthouse facility. “These pictures were taken by a drone that our investigator flew over the HemaMex and Lighthouse buildings two weeks ago.”

Dunn couldn’t keep from frowning. “This may show that HemaMex engaged in questionable acts. But there’s no proof Lighthouse had any knowledge.”

“Then why push so hard to be included in the legislation?”

Bowman’s eyes narrowed. “Why not? The pharmaceutical companies were pushing for it, so why not jump on the bandwagon? Seemed like a prudent thing to do.” Bowman’s words were suddenly short and dripping with sarcasm.

Pierce continued the ambush. “Except, when that didn’t work out, you negotiated an Immunity Agreement with the Department of Justice.”

Dunn’s face twisted with anger. “That is a confidential document. The Judge will never let it in.”

“There’s more than one way to cook an egg.” Pierce replied sardonically. He decided to give Dunn a little peek at one of his cards and slid his witness list with an abbreviated summary of what each witness would testify to across the table towards him. “My revised witness list,” he said. “I plan on adding a few more names by the end of the week.”

Dunn glanced at the list and saw the names of the Department of Justice lawyers that worked on Lighthouse’s Immunity Agreement. The look on his face was one of deep thought. It suddenly clicked.  Pierce didn’t need to enter the Immunity Agreement into evidence. All he was after was a confirmation from the DOJ lawyers that an agreement existed. He’d leave the rest to the jury’s imagination.

“This is thin,” snapped Dunn, pretending not to be overly concerned. “An Immunity Agreement doesn’t prove anything. There’s no evidence or testimony that even remotely suggests that Lighthouse knew about HemaMex’s activities.”

With a nod, Pierce said, “Special Agent Nick Russo will testify that HemaMex’s ties to the cartel were widely known.”

Dunn shook his head. “Still doesn’t prove that Lighthouse had actual knowledge.”

“We don’t have to prove Lighthouse knew, although we will. Conscious avoidance or willful blindness is all we need to prove. I’m sure you’re familiar with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v. SEB S.A. where the court imposed a responsibility on the company to investigate questionable or suspicious circumstances . . . Most would agree that the CNN reports of thousands of bodies in mass graves qualifies as suspicious circumstances.”

Maggie turned in her seat and gave Pierce a look that said he was revealing more than he should. Pierce’s instincts told him he had arrived at the key moment in the mediation.

Turning to Bowman, he said, “The only remaining question is whether you’re smart enough to settle and save your company.”

Dunn nodded at his client, and in a noticeably unenthusiastic tone asked Pierce, “What number do you have in mind to settle the case?”

Pierce shared the number he had in mind for quite some time. “$500 million. Not one dollar less is what it will take to settle this case.”

Bowman’s first reaction was suppressing a laugh. “You must be kidding.”

Dunn responded with a doubtful look.

“The offer is off the table once we start jury selection,” Pierce said with a detached calmness. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take advantage of my visit to New Orleans and treat myself to a beignet. Café Du Monde is great, but for anyone interested, I found an absolutely delightful spot just down the street from the Hotel Monteleone. Wonderful.” Pierce slowly pushed his chair out and walked to the door.

“Gentlemen.” Pierce smiled and left the room. He was gone in an instant, with the door closing behind him. The trap had been sprung; Bowman had been caught. He just didn’t know it.

Bowman exhaled an even long breath. “What the fuck just happened?” Bowman looked bewildered and turned to Dunn. “Is he coming back”

Dunn shrugged and managed a feeble, “I don’t think he is.”

Pettigrew frowned and smiled at the same time.

Maggie stared unflinchingly at the group of pompous little bastards around the table in their dark suits as they sat in stunned silence. Bowman stood and walked around the room rubbing his hair, scratching his chin, and trying to clear his head. Finally, he gawked at Maggie. “I thought this was supposed to be a settlement negotiation. He didn’t even bother to stick around for my counteroffer.”

Maggie did her best to hide her contempt. “There’s where you’re mistaken. This was never a negotiation,” she said, managing a smile. “We came to New Orleans to deliver our terms. Nothing about the settlement terms is negotiable.”

Guest Post

Eerie Predictions

 

The right to seek asylum has offered hope and safety to countless individuals fleeing violence and persecution from the birth of the United States. While my book is a work of fiction, it is deeply rooted in the desire to shed light on the unimaginable realities faced by those at the US southern border.

The fictional Executive Orders in the story are eerily similar to the alarming and rash orders issued in our current climate, declaring a national emergency at the southern border. These real-life decisions have led to the militarization of immigration enforcement, a move that claims to protect states but often harms vulnerable individuals seeking refuge.

This story is not meant to be taken lightly. It reflects my sincere concern for humanity and the painful connections between the fictional narrative and the harsh realities of border issues.

Thousands of young lives are in jeopardy as families seek refuge after fleeing from Central America's "Northern Triangle"—the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These countries are overrun by organized crime, violence, human trafficking, and persecution, and the region has the world's highest homicide rate. 

We should never forget that all U.S. citizens descended from immigrants who fled persecution or were brought to America in chains.  

When Canaries Die draws disturbing parallels and harmful impacts between the real and fictional border situations and explores the devastating fallout when systems and societal norms break down, I hope the book will make my readers think about the border crisis and look at the US immigration policies through a more transparent and sympathetic lens.

Author bio:

Luis Figueredo was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He completed his undergraduate degree in History from Brandeis University in Massachusetts and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He is a partner in the Miami office of an international law firm. His first novel, Dime, was published in 2020.

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/WCDFigueredo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223593579-when-canaries-die

 

Praise:

"The fast-paced plot, rich character development, and ethical dilemmas make this book engaging. If you're looking for a thriller that intertwines law, science fiction, and social commentary. When Canaries Die is a novel you won't want to miss."

– Carol Thompson - Readers' Favorite

 

"When Canaries Die manages to achieve the difficult balance between a realistic portrayal of the justice system and those who work in it and the kind of rip-roaring action-packed extralegal shenanigans featured in the works of John Grisham."

– Erin Britton - Independent Book Review

 

"When Canaries Die is a brilliantly crafted thriller that delivers both suspense and substance. Figueredo's writing is sharp, his themes are relevant and his characters are memorable. This novel is a must read for anyone looking for a fast-paces legal drama that tackles real-world issues." – Literary Titan

Author Q&A

On writing:

 

How did you do research for your book?

One rule of thumb I follow is to write about what I know. Since we all just lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, writing about a pandemic and how it impacted our lives seemed like a good launch point.

 

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

No characters were hard to write. However, some are more enjoyable to write than others. Pierce Evangelista is the easiest to write because he is the protagonist in all three of my novels. Maggie Malone is a new character. She overcame her surroundings and now fights to protect people's constitutional rights, which have historically been denied protection.  I enjoyed writing Maggie's character.

 

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

I get inspiration from current events and personal experiences. For example, the wrongful incarceration of an acquaintance on a Caribbean Island inspired me to write DIME.  I wrote When Canaries Die right after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

There are many books out there about the pandemic. What makes yours different?

The book looks at the pandemic from multiple lenses. It touches on the possibility that COVID-19 wasn't the last or most deadly pandemic we will face. It is a unique story filled with unpredictable twists to keep readers engaged.

 

What advice would you give budding writers?

My advice would be to keep writing. Read authors that write the same genre and pay attention to how they develop their characters and set up their stories.

 

Your book is primarily set in Miami, New Orleans and Hutchinson Island. Have you ever been there?

Yes, I live in Miami and Hutchinson Island, and I visit New Orleans often.

 

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I would be Pierce Evangelista. We share similar backgrounds. We both grew up in the Bronx and attended Harvard Law School. I write Pierce's dialogue from my perspective as if I were having the conversation.

 

Do you have another profession besides writing?

Yes, I’m an attorney.

 

How long have you been writing?

I published my first novel DIME in 2020. 

 

Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

Thankfully, I do not get writer's block often. However, I step away for a day or two when the creative process stalls.

 

What is your next project?

Well, I recently helped open the Apache Lonestar Casino in Oklahoma. During that process, I learned about casino operations. I am writing a story about a black hat hacker who reverse engineers the software in particular slot machines and starts robbing casinos.  

 

What genre do you write and why?

I write legal thrillers because they provide a great platform to explore social issues as they can use the courtroom setting and legal conflicts to highlight societal problems like racial injustice, class inequality, corporate corruption, and more, often by weaving these issues into the central plot of the story and the characters' motivations. 

 

What is the last great book you’ve read?

I finally got around to reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

 

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

My favorite compliment is when someone tells me that they were so invested in the story that they couldn’t stop reading it.

 

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

We're similar in that Pierce Evangelista and I grew up in New York City and got our law degrees from Harvard. Pierce and I approach and solve problems in a manner.

 

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

Pierce Evangelista – Henry Cavill              

 Maggie Malone – Natalie Emmanuel - 

 Moises Black – Harrison Ford -                

 Dode Alexander - Gracie Dove                

 Ben Bowman – Brendan Gleeson -       

 Evan Dunn – Michael Kelly -                

Doctor Sophia Wild- Lucy Fry              

  

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

Below is a long list. However, if When Canaries Die is made into a movie or a limited series, I hope some of the songs listed below are included in the soundtrack.

 

Pitbull - “I Believe That We Will Win”

The Rolling Stones - “Living In A Ghost Town”

Sara Bareilles & John Legend -”A Safe Place To Land”

Celia Cruz – “Rie y Llora”

Michael Bublé / Barenaked Ladies / Sofia Reyes - “Gotta Be Patient”

Luke Combs - “Six Feet Apart”

Bon Jovi - “Do What You Can”

twenty one pilots - “Level of Concern”

Erika Ender- “Back to the Basics”

Tye Tribbett - “We Gon’ Be Alright”

OneRepublic – “Better Days”

Bad Bunny – “Estamos Bien”

 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

The biggest reward I can ever receive is for someone who reads my book to reach out and tell me that my story helped them look at life through a different lens, gain a broader perspective, and see the other side of a refugee’s journey when they leave their homes in search of safety.   

 

What was the road to publishing like?

The road to publishing is like visiting a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream parlor. You have popular flavors like chocolate and vanilla, and the flavors most people order. However, there are many unique flavors, and people enjoy them. Otherwise, Baskin Robbins wouldn’t have more than 31 flavors, so stay true to your voice and keep writing.

 

Which authors inspired you to write?

John Grisham

Michael Connelly

Daniel Silva

 

How long does it take you to write a book?

About 12 months. When I finish the first draft, I go back to the beginning and rewrite the story.  One editor once told me that a prolific and well-known writer rewrote his manuscript three times before turning it in. 

How important are book reviews?

I don't think too much weight should be given to any single review, good or bad. However, reviews are essential. It's a platform for readers to provide potential readers with a critical assessment of a book's content, style, and quality, helping them make informed decisions about whether to purchase or read it. Reviews provide "social proof" and influence potential readers' buying decisions; positive reviews can increase a book's visibility and credibility while offering valuable feedback.

 

On rituals:

 

Where do you write?

I write in my home office with my Newfoundland, Sully snoring beside me.

 

Do you write every day?

Yes, when I’m immersed in the story, I like to write every day for a couple of hours.

 

What is your writing schedule?

I like to start writing around six in the morning and then step away for a couple of hours. Then I’ll write for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

 

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

Sometimes, I will put on music to set a particular mood before writing.

 

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

Yes, sometimes I write a scene on paper and type after. There’s something magical about a No. 2 pencil. 

 

 

Fun stuff:

 

Favorite dessert?

Ice Cream

 

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?

The Bible

An instructional book for building a boat with limited resources.

The Alchemist

 

What’s the most difficult thing you endured during the pandemic?

Not being able to say goodbye to loved ones that died after contracting the COVID-19 virus.

 

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.

I drink root beer before every Jets football game for good luck and they lose most of the time, but I stick with it. 

 

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

I’m not sure how to answer that question. I simply want my readers to enjoy my stories and find the characters relatable. If my stories help them think about and care about social issues. Then that’s how I’d like to be remembered.

 

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

I was a city attorney during the pandemic and viewed as essential personnel, so my work routine didn’t change much since essential personnel were responsible for maintaining city services and helping businesses and citizens impacted by the Shelter at Home order. That kept me very busy, so I was insulated to some degree from some of the challenges like loneliness and cabin fever that some people had to face.

 

What TV series are you currently binge watching?

I just finished binge watching From.

 

What is your theme song?

Owl City – “Not All Heroes Wear Capes.”

 

What is your favorite thing to do in the winter?

Spending time with my children. Going to dinner, sporting events or a comedy club. It really doesn’t matter what we do.

 

What is a favorite holiday memory?

Personally, I enjoy Thanksgiving. Everyone pitches in, and we sit around the table eating, sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. My favorite memory was watching my sister-in-law’s reaction one Thanksgiving when she left her prized Ham within my Leonberger Swayze’s reach. I’m sure that was Swayze’s favorite holiday memory as well.

 

What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?

Eminem – “Abracadabra (Houdini)”.

 

What is something that made you laugh recently?

I watched Sebastian Maniscalco. I think he is the funniest human being on the planet.

 

What is your go-to breakfast item?

The pancakes at Bachour in Coral Gables. 

 

What is the oldest item of clothing you own?

A sweatshirt from law school.

 

 

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