"Close Call"

Elise Hart Kipness is a television sports reporter turned crime fiction writer. Like her main character, Kipness chased marquee athletes through the tunnels of Madison Square Garden and stood before glaring lights reporting to national audiences for Fox Sports Network.

Now as an author, Kipness fused her passion for true crime and sports with the Kate Green series. Her debut novel, Lights Out, is an Amazon bestseller and a Men’s Journal top 10 book of 2023.

Kipness applied the Page 69 Test to Close Call, the third novel in the series, and reported the following:

When I turned to page 69 in Close Call, I found the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The chapter that ended had to do with a woman who promised to share information with my main character Kate about her father. Then, at the last second (and on this page), the woman reneges on the deal.The new chapter takes Kate back to the US Open, the setting for much of the action in the book. 

So the question is, did the Page 69 Test work? In a round about way, I’d say yes. On one hand, the page doesn’t contain any reference to the kidnapping at the heart of the story. So that’s a negative. But the page is filled with a very important development in the Kate Green series arc. Namely, why did Kate’s father abandon her as a child.  Just as Kate was about to learn the truth, the woman with the answer, refused to share the information. And that happened on page 69.

“Don’t contact me again, Kate. And if you’re smart, let this go.” 

She turns and steps down the brick walkway and into her car, not once looking back. The disappointment crushes down on me, physically gutting my insides.”

The second part of page 69, which begins the new chapter, is really just a scene setter at the US Open Tennis Tournament. Kate is hanging out with her photographer, Bill, who recently quit smoking. While the page  mostly contains interpersonal banter between Kate and Bill, it does take place at the most important spot for this thriller. So I’m going to chalk that portion up to a win too. So, I’d say the Page 69 Test sort of, kind of worked.

Visit Elise Hart Kipness's website.

The Page 69 Test: Lights Out.

Q&A with Elise Hart Kipness.

The Page 69 Test: Dangerous Play.

--Marshal Zeringue