Rio Seduces. Then It Devours. Inspired by True Events, Richard Grace's Debut Novel, Rio Insidious Connections, Rips the Mask Off a City Built on Sun, Sin, and Scandal.

BOSTON, Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fueled by lust, driven by lies, and desperate for truth, two best friends from Boston dive headfirst into Rio's seductive underbelly in this blistering, raw-to-the-bone thriller. The rhythm's intoxicating. The danger's real. And getting out clean? Never part of the plan.

Richard Grace and Steve Archer arrive in Brazil chasing dreams and samba nights, convinced paradise hides no illusions. But a chance encounter with a burnt-out Special Forces operator gone rogue pulls Richard into the heart of Rio's most violent favela—and into a deadly web of international intrigue involving the CIA, the Russian mafia, Brazilian drug lords, and psychopaths operating far from the postcard image of paradise. While Steve parties in the glittering decadence of Copacabana's beachfront clubs, Richard is lured deeper into the madness—and into the orbit of Andrea, a formidable, Ukrainian-born operative trained by the KGB and covertly working with the CIA.

Swept up in passion and adventure but torn by divided loyalties, Richard is dragged toward a reckoning he can't outrun. What began as a tropical getaway spirals into a collision of espionage, betrayal, and survival. With the visceral punch of The Beach and the layered, true-world intrigue of Bruce Porter's Blow, Rio Insidious Connections is a gut-wrenching story of cultural clash, secret alliances, and the brutal price of chasing infatuation.

"This story was born from unforgettable moments I lived and witnessed—the good people I met, and the ones I wish I never had," Grace says.
"While fictionalized, it reflects the emotional roller-coaster of a time when my world,
and my sense of right and wrong got flipped upside down."

Backed by a pitch deck and teaser trailer, Rio Insidious Connections is primed for screen adaptation. It's storytelling written like the movie you've been waiting for.

About the Author: Richard Grace is a writer, martial artist, and global traveler whose stories are forged from years navigating the landscapes and underground currents of Latin America. A native of Acton, MA, and Colby College graduate, Grace trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio, earned a Black Belt in American Kenpo, and owned a café in Porto Seguro, Brazil. He draws from those intense personal experiences to craft fiction that hits close to the bone. Rio Insidious Connections is the first installment of The Insidious Trilogy. He's currently completing Book Two, The Colombian Confluence—Twisted Paths and working on the third, Panama—The Final Chapter. 

Now available—ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Order at RichardGraceAuthor.com, Amazon, or wherever books are sold.
Watch the official YouTube trailer: https://youtu.be/lV8XKFaA-uo 

For media inquiries or interviews, please contact: Richard Grace | [email protected]  | 978-764-2207 | RichardGraceAuthor.com

SOURCE Richard Grace