“Fresh Faces in Espionage Fiction”
Kinney and Reed are anything but your standard agents. In Kinney’s Quarry, they go undercover not just to complete their mission, but to stay one step ahead of the agency that betrayed them. The book is packed with offbeat allies (like a French film star and her bodyguards), plenty of villains, and a biting sense of humor that makes even the darkest moments entertaining.
I first learned about Verlin Darrow through the book world’s word-of-mouth network and was immediately struck by his unconventional bio. Darrow’s lived experience—from sheet metal work to spiritual teaching and beyond—brings a sense of authenticity and unpredictability you rarely see. Dive deeper into Verlin’s story at verlindarrow.com.
Kinney’s Quarry by Verlin Darrow
A High-Octane Thriller with Unexpected Twists and Razor-Sharp Wit.
Kinney used to be a lethal operative, but a near-death experience changed him.
Now, he takes on non-lethal missions—until someone forces his hand. When a mysterious organization hires him to assassinate a powerful South American military leader, Kinney refuses.
But refusing isn’t an option when his family’s safety is at stake.
Kinney, along with his equally dangerous and unpredictable partner Reed, must turn the tables on their would-be employers.
As they dive into the deadly game of deception, they must outmaneuver international criminals, corrupt intelligence networks, and an FBI agent with a grudge. With a sharp mind, a sharper wit, and combat skills that leave enemies broken before they hit the ground, Kinney and Reed will have to fake a murder, uncover a conspiracy, and take down the men pulling the strings—all without becoming their next target.
Packed with razor-sharp dialogue, humor, explosive action, and an antihero you can’t help but root for, Kinney’s Quarry is a pulse-pounding thriller perfect for fans of Lee Child, Robert Ludlum, and Barry Eisler.
If you love high-stakes espionage, relentless action, and a hero who doesn’t always play by the rules, this book is your next must-read.
Get your copy today and dive into a world where the lines between friend and foe are as dangerous as the mission itself.
Author Interview
What is your favorite part of writing your books?
I like the way dialogue and plot flows during a first draft—when the story is still open-ended and anything goes. That is, I’m not beholden to a plan or what I previously wrote that I need to match up to. I never know any more than the reader does as the book progresses. Where will the story end up? How will it get there? (Picture me elaborately shrugging). To me, that’s fun. It’s like solving a puzzle via a creative process. Later, the drudgery appears, but by then I’ve created critical mass—lots of words—so it feels worth it to finish.
How did you do research for your book?
I’m very much a seat of the pants writer. I start with one idea, one character, and one setting. Then I see where it goes, inventing any details that come along. Afterwards, I check to see what I came up with that doesn’t match reality, and I change things.
Who was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
I struggle with female characters and regret choices I made about them early in my writing career. I was happy with the ones in Kinney’s Quarry. This time, the hardest character to write was the head of the unnamed government agency that Kinney works for since even I wasn’t sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy until the end.
How did you decide on your book’s title?
I like two or three word titles—they stick in my head. I also like phrases that have intriguing sub-parts. One of my titles is Blood and Wisdom, another is Coattail Karma. So I started off trying to come up with something similar that reflected my latest book’s content. Is Kinney’s Quarry about an adversary or a literal rock quarry? The reader has to do something to find out more, which gives me an opportunity to entice them with more than the title and cover.
What philosophy can you share to help fellow writers ?
Don’t fight reality. It’s bigger than you are and it will win. Be realistic and work within the realm in which you have ownership. Let go of the rest—the outcomes that are beyond your illusion of control. Focus on a good faith process and find a way to cooperate with the way things need to be down the line. As Stephen Batchelor wrote: Anguish emerges from craving for life to be other than it is. I think this especially applies to writers, given the state of our industry.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes, I’m a psychotherapist. I’ve also been a professional volleyball player, a singer/songwriter, a newspaper columnist, a storeowner, a short order cook, a factory worker, a taxi driver, a university instructor, a tech recruiter, a carpenter, and an NCAA coach. The first half of my life was continuity-challenged.
How has your work as a psychotherapist influenced your writing and the books that you write?
In therapy, clients work toward change and I do my best to facilitate this process. I offer wisdom, practical suggestions, compassion, and humor. Some people need psychic glue to keep from falling apart. Some need solvent to loosen up concretized points of view. Others need to reframe the stories they’ve created about what’s happened to them. Some need to release their feelings. It’s the same with characters in a book. If they don’t go through changes, I’m not engaged as a reader for long. I know how and why people change, and my work is infused with realistic portrayals of these, even as fantastic things happen to my characters.
Is there one particular job or career that stands out to you as the most rewarding or exciting?
Being a therapist has proven to be the most rewarding career/job I’ve ever had. Playing professional volleyball in Italy was certainly the most exciting. As a therapist, I utilize all my hard-earned life experience, insight, professional skills, emotional and spiritual development, and whatever else gets pulled out of me in sessions in service to others. As I’ve aged, a lot of things that used to be important to me have dropped away, leaving helping whoever I can as the remaining worthy activity. After all, we’re truly all in this together.
Tell us about your protagonist.
Kinney is a Black Ops agent who has a near death experience and is no longer willing to kill anyone. He considers himself to be a benign sociopath, using his skill set in the interests of national security. When he is recruited by a shadowy organization to help them assassinate a foreign leader, he goes undercover, gets caught up in a conspiracy, and with his partner Reed, solves a series of mysteries to stay alive. Throughout the book, he finds a way to see the humor in what he encounters, even as he’s kicking butt.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with (include name of book and author):
I’m hesitant to toot my own horn, but in my mystery—Blood and Wisdom—the P.I.’s assistant is truly witty—more than I am—and still makes me laugh when I reread my novel (once a year.) Given that elevator rides are short, I think he’d be the one most likely to entertain me with a few sentences.
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