The Inspiration Behind No Rest for the Wicked
Every story starts with a spark—an idea that won’t let go, a question that begs to be answered, or a character who demands to be written. For No Rest for the Wicked, it was all three.
I’ve always been drawn to mysteries, especially the kind that blur the lines between reality and the unknown. Paranormal investigations, unsolved crimes, ancient legends—these are the stories that keep me up at night, wondering what’s lurking in the shadows just beyond our understanding. And when I started crafting No Rest for the Wicked, I knew I wanted a protagonist who wasn’t just looking for the truth but was haunted by it.
The Birth of Max West
Max West came to me fully formed: a hardened paranormal investigator with the charm of an old-school detective and the grit of a man who’s lost everything. His backstory—a boy orphaned under mysterious circumstances, raised in the world of fighters, but never able to escape the pull of the supernatural—gave him depth and drive. He isn’t just solving cases; he’s searching for answers to his own past, and that relentless pursuit of truth makes him dangerous to those who prefer their secrets stay buried.
When creating Max, I took a lot of inspiration from Spenser from Spenser for Hire. I always loved Spenser as a character because he was rough around the edges, yet a thinker and a charmer. He had an unshakable moral code, even when the job got dirty, and he never backed down from a fight—qualities that made him both admirable and dangerous. Max embodies that same mix of toughness and intelligence, but in his world, the dangers extend beyond criminals and corrupt officials—he’s dealing with forces that defy explanation.
Why Las Vegas?
Las Vegas might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of hauntings and occult mysteries, but that’s exactly why I chose it. Beneath the neon lights and endless spectacle, Vegas has a dark, hidden history—one of forgotten souls, abandoned places, and money that buys silence. It’s a place where anything can happen, where power moves in unseen ways, and where a man like Max can slip between the cracks, chasing leads that no one else dares to follow.
The Allure of Old Money and Occult Rituals
One of the central mysteries in No Rest for the Wicked revolves around the Davenport family—a dynasty with wealth stretching back centuries and secrets buried just as deep. There’s something inherently chilling about old money and its ties to the occult. Power breeds obsession, and when people believe they’re above the laws of nature, what lengths will they go to in order to hold onto their influence? That question fascinated me, and it became the foundation for the dark rituals and ancient lore woven into the novel.
Egyptian Mythology and Reincarnation
I’ve always been fascinated by Egyptian mythology—its deities, its view of the afterlife, and the idea that death is never the end. In No Rest for the Wicked, these themes take on a sinister edge as Max uncovers a world where past lives aren’t just remembered—they’re manipulated. What if the people you meet today have known you before? What if fate isn’t a mystery, but a trap set long ago? These are the questions that drive Max deeper into the shadows, where the truth is more terrifying than any ghost.
The X-Files Factor
Another major influence on No Rest for the Wicked—is The X-Files. That show, while undeniably cheesy and ridiculous at times, had a way of drawing viewers into strange and fascinating mysteries that took them out of reality for a while. It was never just about aliens or monsters; it was about the thrill of the unknown, the chase, and the idea that there’s always something bigger lurking just beneath the surface. That same sense of intrigue and eerie suspense is something I wanted to bring to No Rest for the Wicked.
A Story That Won’t Let Go
Writing this book has been an exploration of everything that fascinates me—mystery, history, and the supernatural. No Rest for the Wicked is more than a paranormal thriller; it’s a story about obsession, the cost of knowledge, and the ghosts we carry with us, whether we see them or not.
As I finish this journey and prepare to share it with the world, I hope readers find themselves as drawn into Max’s story as I was while writing it. Because once you start digging into the unknown, you never know what—or who—you’ll find staring back.
