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WORK TITLE: In the Company of Killers
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WEBSITE: https://www.eloracookauthor.com/
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Female.
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PERIODICALS
Booklist, March, 2025, Aurora Dominguez, review of In the Company of Killers, pp. 98+.
Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2025, review of In the Company of Killers.
School Library Journal, March, 2025, Emma Carbone, review of In the Company of Killers, pp. 86+.
ONLINE
Elora Cook website, https://www.eloracookauthor.com/ (September 10, 2025).
Nerd Daily, https://thenerddaily.com/ (March 14, 2025), Elise Dumpleton, author interview.
Elora is an author of young adult fiction who loves to write about ambitious girls living glamorous and dangerous lives. She grew up outside of Toronto and now travels often to and from the East Coast. Her name comes from the movie Willow, which destined her for a love of storytelling.
In the Company of Killers is her debut novel.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did you start writing?
I've been writing since grade school! I can still remember dreaming up a short story about a wild horse who was the underdog of his herd and going off to find the princess horse. I loved writing it and reading it out loud to my classmates. So much so that the following year, I wrote a sequel and was adamant I would publish it! At fourteen, I tried seriously writing a full-length novel, but didn't actually complete one until I was twenty years old. Since then, I've written six books and continue to dream up new ones. In the Company of Killers is my third book.
How long did you work on In the Company of Killers?
I first came up with the initial concept on the way to university class in November 2018, but didn't start actually drafting it until March 2019. I finished the first draft around June of that year, revised it and signed with an agent in December 2019. I wouldn't go on to sell it to a publisher until April 2023 though as I ended up rewriting it two more times, shelving it for a bit and writing two more books, then returning to it once we sold. So about five years on and off. It definitely wasn't a linear journey!
How did you get an agent & publisher?
That's a question I could spend over an hour explaining! The nitty gritty is I spent 10+ years getting both and it wasn't easy. I won't go into much detail over my experience or tips since I write about it in my newsletter and it's been explained better by others. So instead, I will highly suggest you check out Susan Dennard's "For Writers" section of her website which gives loads of amazing advice for all stages of the process. I also recommend The Writers Conservatory for those looking for masterclass-type help from seasoned authors and don't mind dishing out some $.
What's next after your debut?
The wheels are always turning behind the scenes, but being able to talk about it publicly takes a while! I can't share anything concrete yet, but please know I am working away on the next thing and will update this page and across my socials once I'm given the OK to share!
Q&A: Elora Cook, Author of ‘In The Company of Killers’
Elise Dumpleton·Author InterviewsWriters Corner·March 14, 2025·7 min read
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We chat with debut author Elora Cook about In The Company of Killers, which is a fast-paced drama about a teenage mafia heiress who would do anything to avenge her family, even join forces with her handsome enemy—think Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos.
Hi, Elora! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Happy to! I’m a Canadian gal who grew up obsessed with books, horses, video games, Nutella, and rewatching the same shows and movies over and over again until I had them memorized. I went to school in Toronto and nearly had a career in television, but decided to pivot back to books in my early twenties. I’m currently in a chapter of my life where I split my time between Ontario and the island of Newfoundland thanks to falling for a man who is my version of a perfect book boyfriend.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
When I learned how to read, essentially! There’s a moment that’s still a firm memory in my mind of writing my first short story at six-years-old for class where the teacher chose a few students to read theirs out loud. As a resident Horse Girl, I’d written one that was heavily inspired by my love for the animal featuring an underdog horse and a missing horse princess. I can still remember sharing it out loud while my classmates quietly listened. The experience filled me with such a thrill and a deep need to continue writing my own.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
The first book you ever remember reading: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
The one that made you want to become an author: The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’m about to cheat here but both the Divine Rivals duology by Rebecca Ross and Sadie by Courtney Summers!
Your debut novel, In The Company of Killers, is out March 18th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Moody, intoxicating, propulsive, romantic, and fun!
What can readers expect?
They can expect a fast-paced read that challenges them as much as entertains them! Writing about teen heirs to powerful criminal families gave me a lot of room to write about morally gray characters throughout the book who make choices that they feel is the right one even when that choice is up to interpretation by the reader. Of course, there’s also lots of yearning, angst and romantic moments between our leads, Tasha and Leo, who have a complicated history and now have to work together to stop a new mystery Mafia without catching feelings!
Where did the inspiration for In The Company of Killers come from?
For a long time, I didn’t have a solid answer to this question. Even to me, it seemed like a story about a teen heiress to a powerful New York Mafia came out of nowhere, but when I dug deeper into my psyche to figure out where the inspiration came from, it became clear the seeds for the story were planted years before I started writing it in many different ways.
Despite what some have thought, I didn’t watch Gossip Girl (one of the main comps to it) until after I started working on the book (I do, however, love the original series)! Instead, my inspiration came from places like Phantom of the Opera which I was obsessed with as a kid, to the point where I begged for a Christine Daaé costume for Halloween, which has that dark, yet romantic storyline and setting. Same with, and this one was funny to me when I realized it, the original Pokémon series. Team Rocket and their leader Giovanni, are an organized crime ring, and I inhaled anything related to the famous franchise as a kid. I also love fantasy books with that classic feisty female main character who takes on a powerful group as she fights for her kingdom and may or my not be the long-lost princess, too. Fantasy is actually where I got my start in writing and those classic tropes can be seen in my debut despite it being a contemporary.
For that moment that actually ignited the flame of inspiration for this story, I give credit to an experience I had at eighteen in Paris, France. I had the opportunity to stay at the luxury hotel, Le Meurice with my family during our trip. It was a total fish-out-of-water feeling being surrounded by such wealth and glamour. During the stay, I was standing in the lobby when an impeccably-dressed man walked by carrying only a briefcase with a very large bodyguard behind him. All I could think was, who is that man and what important item(s) could be in that briefcase? I can’t explain why my mind went to something nefarious, but it did, haha. It’s a question that stayed with me and went into hibernation for a few years before I returned to it when I was ready to write this book!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
This answer will always belong to my main character, Tasha. She’s so unlike myself and yet, she also represents so much of the teen girl I secretly wanted to be in terms of her confidence, strength, and no-BS attitude while still having a deeper, vulnerable side that she’s scared to reveal. I’ve spent six years getting to know her from the first day I started writing her story to the day this book releases. She, and I, changed a lot during those years and no matter how many more stories I write, she’ll always hold a tender place in my heart. I always had this gut feeling she’d take me on a momentous journey and despite the hurdles it took to get here, there’s no other character or story I’d rather have debuted with.
See also
Q&A: Elizabeth Lim, Author of ‘Her Radiant Curse’
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Oh, so so many, but not all had to do with the actual writing of it. The essence of In the Company of Killers poured out of me quickly and stayed fairly similar throughout the rewrites I later put it through. The real challenge was finding the team I needed who understood the vision I had and believed in it the same way. I’ve been vague about this in the past, but the journey to publication for the book had a lot of starts and stops over the six years I worked on it. YA Mafia stories aren’t exactly the main genre publishers are buying. A few times after particularly devastating experiences related to the book, I wondered if I could ever push through and find my love for writing again. Thankfully, I did through other books I went on to write, and then in an amazing plot twist, I finally did find the team who understood the book and wanted to see it on shelves! It’s absolutely a full-circle moment that the same month I first started writing the book, March 2019, is the same month six years later it’ll be published.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
See above, haha. In all seriousness, when I first decided to seriously pursue publication when I graduated high school, I had no idea the long, windy road I was about to embark on. My journey was not an easy or linear one by any means. Both with my debut and also with the books that came before it. While I can’t say I wouldn’t change it for the world (some of those really low moments I would prefer never to revisit), I can appreciate the time it took and challenges I faced to get here. I’ve made amazing author/writer friends who’ve uplifted me through the years and the many “not yet’s” I received helped me re-evaluate and grow in my craft as an author (it has also given me much thicker skin which is essential in any type of creative industry). The difficult journey has only deepened how proud I am of myself for reaching this long-held dream. Knowing that I’ve faced countless rejection while still pushing forward has made it clear that I am stronger than I realize and this dream will not be a blip in my resume, but the start of a budding career.
What’s next for you?
I’m working away at a few different things that I haven’t been given the green light to talk about yet, but hopefully soon!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
Oh, there are so many exciting new titles to add to my ever-growing TBR! Specifically, I can’t wait to get my hands on THE GLITTERING EDGE by Alyssa Villaire—family curses and love triangles? Heck yes! BOYS WITH SHARP TEETH by Jenni Howell sounds perfect for any devious hearts, DIFFICULT GIRLS by Veronica Bane sounds like a such an intriguing who-dunnit, THE WHISPERWOOD LEGACY by Jo Schulte promises to bring all the spooky theme park vibes, HOUSE OF HEARTS by Skyla Arndt promises an insidious underbelly so naturally, I’m so there, and BITTEN by Jordan Stephanie Gray has everything I love in a swoonworthy YA paranormal romance. As you can see, I will be (happily) drowning in books this year!
* In the Company of Killers. By Elora Cook. Mar. 2025. 384p. Little, Brown, paper, $12.99 (9780316574150). Gr. 7-12.
Cook's gripping debut dives deep into the tangled web of power, betrayal, and vengeance among New York's Mafia elite. In the wealthy town of Scarsdale, where a glamourous surface hides sinister secrets, Tasha Nicastro oozes with confidence. She's a seemingly untouchable high-schooler with an attitude to match her family's connected background, as well as some hidden talents to go along with her sharp edges. But everything changes when tragedy strikes and her father and sister are murdered. Suddenly, Tasha's privileged life is shattered and the dark truth about her family's criminal empire is revealed, sending her into a state of heartbreak and confusion. Meanwhile, the perfect touch of romantic tension comes in the form of a "relationthing" with Leo, her former best friend and heir to a rival mob family. As they embark on a quest of revenge together and Tasha's anger fuels her thirst for vengeance, their chemistry sizzles, adding complexity to the story's high-stakes intrigue. Cook's engaging storytelling, richly developed characters, and razor-sharp dialogue will hook readers from the first page. Teens seeking a thrilling, character-driven drama will relish this page-turning blend of action, emotion, and gray-area morality.--Aurora Dominguez
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 American Library Association
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Dominguez, Aurora. "In the Company of Killers." Booklist, vol. 121, no. 13-14, Mar. 2025, pp. 98+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A847202290/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bb9c8a5e. Accessed 27 July 2025.
COOK, Elora. In the Company of Killers. 384p. Little, Brown. Mar. 2025. pap. $12.99. ISBN 9780316574150.
Gr 9 Up-Natasha "Tasha" Nicastro, 17, is always at the top of the social ladder. But even with her shrewd social acumen, Tasha is shocked to learn that her family's status comes from more than generational wealth and strong investments. In reality, they are the most powerful mob family in New York, and her father wants Tasha to take on a bigger role in the family business. But then her father and beloved older sister are shot down in front of her, and Tasha is left with a misogynist mafia that's unwilling to follow her, scattered clues, and a thirst for revenge. Hoping to bring the killer to justice, Tasha seeks help from Leo Danesi--her former best friend and the son of the Nicastro's closest mob rival. With a protagonist reminiscent of Regina George from Mean Girls crossed with Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, Cook's novel shines a light on a seedy financial underbelly where acts of violence are as over the top as the obscene wealth of the main characters. That Tasha and the other mafia families are Italian feels largely surface level with income status serving as the dominant culture marker. Chapters alternate between Tasha and Leo's first-person narrative highlighting their deep reluctance to engage with their family's respective criminal activities until it is more expedient. This shift causes both Tasha and Leo to read as reactive and lacking in agency. VERDICT Cook delivers exactly what readers would expect from a mafia romance for the teen set complete with a jaw-dropping finale that fans will hope signals a sequel.--Emma Carbone
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Carbone, Emma. "COOK, Elora. In the Company of Killers." School Library Journal, vol. 71, no. 3, Mar. 2025, pp. 86+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A836878381/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=910b43ca. Accessed 27 July 2025.
Cook, Elora IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS Little, Brown (Teen None) $12.99 3, 18 ISBN: 9780316574150
A high schooler joins forces with her ex-crush-turned-enemy to avenge her family.
Behind all the glitz, glamour, and designer clothes of the wealthy elite of Scarsdale, New York, lie betrayals and deadly secrets that rising senior Tasha Nicastro has been shielded from--until the night her father and sister are brutally murdered during a party at their mansion. She's shocked to be made the new boss of the Nicastro Mafia and to learn that since childhood she's been groomed for the role. Tasha must decide if she has what it takes to run the state's most powerful crime family--and track down the traitorous mob boss who killed her loved ones. Leo Danesi has avoided his mob ties for as long as he can, but he's finally forced to reckon with his family's past and future, as well as his feelings for Tasha, when his mom accepts a surprising invitation and he ends up at the Nicastros' party. At times, the weak and unclear motivations behind the complicated decisions made by some of the characters, who are largely cued Italian American, distracts from the action-packed drama. But the story, told in Tasha's and Leo's alternating first-person perspectives, brings the characters to life through distinct voices that together paint a picture of a violent and sinister underworld of organized crime.
A fast-paced and unpredictable mafia page-turner with an enemies-to-lovers duo hot on the case.(Thriller. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Cook, Elora: IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A821608342/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2395a139. Accessed 27 July 2025.