Derek Nikitas Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Author Derek Nikitas’ was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on December 13 (which is St. Lucia’s Day) and he has has written some novels that are from the thriller genre, while also writing some for young adult readers. After going to State University of New York College at Brockport, he got his BA in the subject of English, and got his MFA in fiction writing from University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Now, he teaches both Creative Writing and English at University of Rhode Island. At one point in time, he haddirected, taught at Eastern Kentucky University MFA creative writing program in the Bluegrass Writers Studio. He has also co-written many “Bookshots” with bestselling author James Patterson. His work has been translated into different languages, some of which include German and Japanese.

“The Long Division” was one of the Washington Post’s Best Books of the Year. “Pyres” was nominated for an Edgar in the best first novel category. Joyce Carol Oates nominated his story “Wonder” for Pushcart Prize.

His short fiction has found its way into many publications, some of them include: Thuglit, The Ontario Review, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, New South, and Plots With Guns; as well as the anthologies: The New Dead (the stories in this one are about zombies), and Killer Year.

Derek likes these authors: Vladimir Nabokov, Gustave Flaubert, James Ellroy, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Thomas Hardy, Dashiell Hammett, and Denis Johnson.

“Pyres” is a stand alone novel and was released in the year 2007. Lucia Moberg, a fifteen years old kid, steals a CD from a store in a shopping mall; then her and her father get into their vehicle. They hear a knock on the window, and the next thing Lucia knows, her dad’s brain matter land on the dash. It looks just like an apparent stickup that went wrong. The killer ran off.

That is what Lucia does, though. She is a punk, steals CDs, and argues with her mother; she also desires the rebel boy that lives next door to them.

It sets off a fire that consumes the women that it touches. Like the mother, whose life is mysterious, an outlaw who is about to have a child and wants security in her life, and a family cop that is making up for her own family falling apart. Then there is Lucia her own self, caught in all the violence and peril that is around her.

There is some harsh brutality and violence in the book, making it hard for some to finish. But due to the fact the story is hard to put down, that should not be much of a problem. Fans of the novel found this to be a stellar debut, and psychologically challenging read. It is an extraordinary coming of age story that was worthy of its nomination for an Edgar Award. This is a highly entertaining mystery and thriller novel. The book will keep you up at night, because of its twists and turns, and the way it just gets into your mind, making you have to know just what happens next.

“The Long Division” is a stand alone novel and was released in the year 2009. A house cleaner leaves the nothing life that she has in Atlanta, so that she can join her son that she gave up to be adopted. He joins his new found mother on an illegal road trip that shows them they have a lot to lose after they have found each other.

A deputy has to find a shooter in a double murder where drugs are involved. Before the other police officers working the case find out his shady ties to the case. The shooter he is looking for is a college kid that is unbalanced. He is also hunted by other drug dealers and the cops. The kid is haunted by his loves that are either forbidden to him or dead.

The renegades show up, sins from their past and present schemes get them caught up in the deadly endgame between both the killer and the deputy.

This novel is stylish noir with some literary flourishes. It has strong prose and the voice is an original one never seen before in a novel. Here are three perspectives that are brought together nicely, and full of flawed characters that just want some order in their messy lives. Fans of the novel enjoy reading about separate story lines that are supposed to connect to each other by the end of the story. And this one delivered an excellent story out of that. Part of the fun of reading the novel was seeing how they were all brought together, especially while knowing that they all would come together by the end. This is an author that can tell a story, that is for sure.

“Extra Life” is a stand alone novel and was released in the year 2015. Russ gets a message, and it is from himself. Right when things felt like they were falling apart. The message was recorded by a future Russ, he says that the bad day he was having can be fixed with use of an app that will transport him twelve hours back in the past.

Russ is happy to oblige, because he figures he that day should not be able to get any worse. Boy is he wrong. He introduces glitches right when he tampers with space and time. These glitches are dangerous that he is unable control, there is even alternate Russ. Russ’ sanity and those he cares about are at risk should he be unable to get control of his life. The future one, the past one, and the present one.

This novel was hard to put down, and kept readers flipping the pages, even though it was early in the morning when they should be getting some sleep. Fans of the novel enjoyed this, especially when things started heating up. This is an interesting that does things a little different than other reads. The book is able to do unexpected things in both the time travel and young adult genres. The novel has a protagonist that is both flawed but sympathetic with a strong voice that keeps the break neck pace moving right along.