Under Cover Of Chaos Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the “Under Cover Of Chaos” book tour celebrating the debut thriller by Liz Wanic alongside her twin sister, Rebekah Wanic. The thriller is set in the Central African Republic , and has a strong female lead, UN official Stella Fairmont. Liz used to work for the United Nations and has done field missions is various countries including Central African Republic. I caught up with Liz to find out about her debut thriller, her time in Africa and working alongside her twin sister. But first, here’s a quick book summary to whet your appetite 😀

BOOK SUMMARY

A serial killer hides behind an untouchable global institution. A broken system fails the victims. One woman vows to uncover the truth.

When young women are found dead in the capital of the Central African Republic, United Nations official Stella Fairmont is reminded of the unsolved disappearance of a friend. As she investigates, she uncovers what may be a chilling pattern: similar deaths in another UN location.

The deeper she digs, the more twisted the view becomes and Stella finds herself up against a system built on compromise, in which accountability is often an illusion. When the truth gets blurred and personal histories can be hidden, the only way to survive is to trust her instincts. But as friendships run thin and time runs out, she must navigate a minefield of lies, moral complexity, and buried secrets — all while trying to stay ahead of someone who would kill to keep the truth hidden.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing (June 18, 2026)

AISN: B0GSWB8XR7

ISBN-10: 1685137598

ISBN-13: 978-1685137595

Print length: 262 pages

THE AUTHORS

Liz Wanic worked for the United Nations for almost a decade in New York and in multiple field missions, including Syria, Mali and the Central African Republic before moving into cybersecurity. Her experiences have given her a sharp eye for detail and a deep understanding of the inner workings of power in complex situations.

Rebekah Wanic, Liz’s twin sister, is a social psychologist, university professor and mindset coach. She focuses on the intricacies of the human condition and the complications of balancing competing demands.

THE INTERVIEW

Hi Liz 👋 and a big warm welcome onto the blog. please introduce yourself 😀

Hi, I’m Liz Wanic. My debut novel, “Under Cover of Chaos,” recently came out and I’m excited to share a few insights from behind the scenes. If you’ve picked up a copy and are wondering who Rebekah Wanic is – she’s my sister, actually, my twin. I’ve also got a short story coming out later this year called “The Assembly” in “Shadow Lab, Volume III,” so please check it out when it arrives (should be in November).

Who or what inspired you to write “Under Cover Of Chaos”?

I used to work for the UN in war-torn countries like Mali, the Central African Republic, and Syria. One day while listening to a coworker’s story about the mercenaries working at a mineral mine, I started thinking about how easy it would be to get away with murder in these chaotic places where I was living. And then, looking around the room, I began to wonder which of my coworkers already had. I took that thought and spun it into this story, which is absolutely fiction but heavily based on my real experiences.

I really enjoyed reading your book, “Under Cover Of Chaos ” and I particularly enjoyed the character of the UN official, Stella Fairmont. What character did you particularly enjoy writing about? What character was the hardest to portray?

I liked writing Philippe. He provides balance for some of the questionable decision-making of the other characters and he gets to be funny sometimes too. I don’t know that any of the characters felt especially hard to portray, but it did surprise me that the Janus chapters were often easier to write than those from Stella’s perspective. And I guess I did struggle a bit with how much to share about the King in this one. There are two more Stella novels in the works, so you get to know more about him as the bigger story progresses.

The novel is based in the Central African Republic. What made you pick that location for the novel?

I wanted to set the story in a place I’d lived that was less well known, that way the setting could also be a character to introduce to the readers.

Growing up, did you envisage yourself as a writer or did you have other career aspirations?

I always wanted to be a writer, but I also assumed I’d need to do other work to make money. As a kid, I thought I’d end up being a dentist. But I studied anthropology, became a teacher, and then worked for the UN. Then I went back to school and now I do cybersecurity, so not a hint of dentistry in there. Here’s hoping that one day I can leave my day job and be a full time writer.

Is “Under Cover of Chaos ” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, it is. The publisher, Black Rose Writing, can ship it, or you can walk into your favorite bookstore around the globe and have them order it for you.

If you could visit any place in the world to inspire your next novel, where would you go and why?

I’d love to visit Egypt – I’ve always wanted to see the pyramids and the Sphinx and take a boat on the Nile River. Also Central Asia – there’s a lot of rich cultures in that region that I know very little about.

Are you a bookworm yourself? If so, what genres (or authors) do you usually like to read? And are you a kindle or “proper book” fan?

I love reading. Thrillers, beach reads, non-fiction, classics – a good book in most genres will do. Generally, I prefer to have a physical book, but Kindle works for travel or my commute.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Anything with color. Even if I’m dressing more conservatively for work, I still need a pop of color. I love deep pinks, blues, greens, and jewel tones, and I try to get mustard yellow involved when I can.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I had a fantastic pair of black and brown cowboy boots that I wore for at least a decade. They finally fell apart and I have yet to find the right replacement. So I’m looking for those and a funky pair of kitten heels that are comfortable to walk in all day.

Boots or Shoes?

Boots – I love ‘em. You can dress them up or down. They’re easy to walk in. And there’s so much variety to choose from – booties, ankle boots, tall boots, leather, suede, rhinestones, pointed toe, round toe, high heel, low heel, no heel, and on and on. Boots are the best.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc (Jodi: I’ll be sending her these links in her media kit)

Purchase a copy of Under Cover of Chaos

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Under-Cover-Chaos-Liz-Wanic/dp/1685137598/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-cover-of-chaos-liz-wanic/1149704853

Booshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/under-cover-of-chaos-liz-wanic/90192c8fc9c6aef3?ean=9781685137595

You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249815724-under-cover-of-chaos?

BOOK TOUR DATES