A ski slope and a concert stage may seem like separate worlds, yet both demand discipline, confidence, and complete concentration. For Kate Skinner and Elise Johansen, those qualities become difficult to maintain when an unseen attacker begins controlling their lives.
Marie Louise Stevens brings these worlds together in Winners, a romantic suspense novel driven by cybercrime and an urgent race for survival. The story follows two talented friends whose careers, relationships, and safety are threatened by spyware capable of exposing their most personal moments.
When Privacy Becomes a Dangerous Battlefield
Kate has devoted herself to competitive skiing and is approaching a World Cup run that could define her future. Elise has pursued excellence as a violinist, hoping her musical ability will earn the worldwide recognition she deserves. Each woman understands the pressure of performing publicly, and each has already endured setbacks on the path toward success.
Their challenges become deeply personal after a spyware worm gains access to their private lives. Sensitive moments appear on social media and beyond, causing humiliation and damaging their professional prospects. The exposure leaves Kate and Elise anxious about their surroundings, uncertain about their devices, and fearful of what may surface next.
Marie captures the psychological impact of being watched without permission. Privacy once gave the women room to recover from professional pressure. After the cyberattack, that sense of refuge disappears. Their confidence is shaken, and everyday choices become sources of concern.
The spyware also creates a powerful contemporary threat. Its creator can invade lives from a distance, influence public opinion, and turn personal information into a weapon. As the harassment escalates, it becomes clear that the attacker’s intentions reach far beyond embarrassment. Kate and Elise are dealing with someone willing to place their lives in direct danger.
Their friendship becomes essential during this ordeal. They understand the emotional cost of the attacks because both have experienced the same violation. That shared struggle helps them resist isolation and continue pursuing the careers they value.
Four Lives Converge Before the Final Countdown
FBI Agent Pete Burke enters the story after spending months undercover in search of the person who developed the illegal worm. The case has demanded patience and careful investigation. His new assignment places him closer to the victims when he’s asked to protect Kate.
Pete’s professional focus soon becomes connected with his feelings for Elise. Their growing relationship raises the emotional stakes of the investigation, since every development now affects someone he deeply cares about. Elise works alongside him, bringing her insight, resolve, and personal understanding of the stalker’s methods to their search.
Kate’s coach, J.P., faces a different responsibility. He’s helping an elite athlete prepare for a major competition while watching the cyberstalker’s threats damage her sense of security. Training requires focus, yet Kate carries the weight of public humiliation and genuine fear into every session.
As Kate and J.P. grow closer, their bond gives her another source of emotional strength. Their romance develops within the demanding environment of professional sport, where the smallest distraction can influence performance. J.P. recognizes Kate’s vulnerability while continuing to respect her ability and determination.
These relationships create warmth within the mystery and allow each character to contribute meaningfully. The group gradually becomes a united team, combining investigative experience, personal knowledge, emotional loyalty, and courage.
Everything leads toward the minutes before Kate’s World Cup race. The cyberstalker has become a killer, and the four must find the attacker before another life is lost. At the same time, Kate faces the competition she has spent years preparing to enter. The tight deadline gives the climax an exciting rhythm as personal survival and professional ambition meet at a crucial moment.
Released on August 27, 2026, Winners is available through Pegasus Publishers.
About the Author
Marie started her professional journalism career while attending Northwestern University. She worked for two newspapers during graduate school and later received two Pulitzer Prize nominations for critical writing. Her achievements also include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Ford Foundation.
During her consulting career, she produced research studies, workbooks, monographs, and educational texts. She eventually brought her extensive writing background to fiction, focusing on suspenseful romance and determined female characters.
Winners is Marie’s debut novel. She lives in rural Montana with her husband and two Golden Retrievers, continues writing full time, and is currently working on her third novel.
The Strength Behind Every Win
Winners combines digital danger, competitive pressure, romance, and enduring friendship in a story with timely appeal. Kate and Elise show that courage can survive humiliation, uncertainty, and fear when people remain committed to their goals.
Through their struggle, Marie offers an uplifting view of resilience and human connection. The result is an engaging romantic thriller that celebrates women who protect their dreams and find the strength to stand together when every second counts.
We had the privilege of interviewing the author. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Hi, thank you so much for joining us today! Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
I’m a full-time novelist, working on my third book. Winners is my debut book. I started writing novels a few years back when I was having sleep problems and would devote two or three hours in the middle of the night to writing. Now I write during the daytime!
Please share your journey with our readers.
My journey has been from journalism to writing reports and nonfiction documents for clients to finally sitting down and writing the fiction I have wanted to write!
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
Strategies I use include writing an outline and scaffolding the book, and doing as much research as possible to help the story ring true. I read a lot, and reading other authors is always a tremendous help. It is also really helpful to have support at home: my husband never asks “what are you doing” when I am sitting and thinking about something for a book!
Writing is a solitary practice, and you have to be comfortable being alone with your thoughts for a long period of time every day. For me, the sense of solitude was not hard, as I had grown up in the world of competitive classical piano and spent hours a day at practice.
Any message for our readers?
I think everyone should try to be a writer. Everyone CAN write. It is like music; it takes practice and the willingness to keep at it. Read a lot, and write: those are the two mantras that I would share with anyone.
Thank you so much, Marie, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!
