Elise in the News

With its bracing twists and turns, this thriller is an immensely entertaining dive into the high-octane world of competitive tennis.

– Tess Gerritsen,

NYT bestselling Author

Whip-smart and instantly entertaining!  Kipness knows her stuff, and will have you turning pages as fast as you can.

– Hank Phillippi Ryan,

USA Today bestselling author

This electrifying page-turner will keep you guessing until the final, jaw-dropping reveal.

– Liv Constantine,

NYT bestselling author

Elise Hart Kipness serves up an ace with the latest installment of her addictive series.

– Lisa Gray,

WSJ bestselling author 

Author

Elise Hart Kipness

Elise Hart Kipness is a USA Today bestselling author and former national TV sports reporter. She is known for the acclaimed Kate Green thriller series, LIGHTS OUT (2023), DANGEROUS PLAY (2024), and CLOSE CALL (2025), which has been optioned for television by Universal Television and Mary J. Blige’s Blue Butterfly.

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Available Now

Dangerous Play

Fast-paced thriller that follows a sports reporter’s
journey to the Olympics where murder
and buried secrets take the field

  • Kate Green series optioned by Universal Television for development into a TV series, with Mary J. Blige’s production company, Blue Butterfly
  • Woman’s Day Reads Selection
  • Scripps News Beach Reads Selection
  • Hollywood Reporter Feature
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A surefire winner

– Reed Farrel Coleman

A must-read thriller

– Sarah Stewart Taylor

Another big win

– Tessa Wegert

Crisp character portraits…both relevant and well executed

– Kirkus Reviews

The twisty plot will keep you turning the pages 

– Lisa Gray

Available Now

Lights Out

Fast-paced bestselling thriller that follows a sports reporter’s journey off the court and into a world of murder and deception

  • Kate Green series optioned by Universal Television for development into a TV series, with Mary J. Blige’s production company, Blue Butterfly
  • Men’s Journal Top 10 Books of the Year
  • Woman’s Day Reads Selection
  • News 12 Connecticut’s Suspenseful Thrillers Pick
  • Fresh Fiction Subscription Box Selection
Learn More

Starts at breakneck pace and never lets up

– Luanne Rice

Fast-paced suspense you’ll read in just a couple of sittings

– Megan Collins

A scandalous, page-turning thriller!

– Wendy Walker

Grabs you from the beginning and keeps on building

– Chad Zunker

A skillfully constructed story…I devoured every page

– Tessa Wegert

A triumph…shoots straight and hits the bullseye dead center

– Jon Land

Behind the Scenes

2001 US Open

I was really excited when I got to interview Venus Williams after she beat her sister in their first Grand Slam face-off. Venus was so nice and down to earth. I was six months pregnant at the time and she was very solicitous about how I was doing, especially in the heat. 

2000 National League Championship Series
Shea Stadium

I really enjoyed covering baseball, especially when it came time for the playoffs. There was something magical about being on the field under the lights in October. 

1998-99 NBA Lockout
Interviewing former NBA Commissioner David Stern

The NBA lockout was a “hurry up and wait” story where reporters spent hours waiting outside conference rooms. Moments like these inspire a lot of the situations Kate Green finds herself in, and some of the creative ways she corners elusive characters.

2000 March Madness

Yes, covering March Madness is as fun as you would expect! I had the great luck to be assigned to report on Coach K and Duke Basketball. Here’s a little secret: As a petite (5’) reporter, I needed all the height I could get when interviewing players, which is why I always stood on a milk crate.

1999 Olympic Stadium, Montreal

This week I spent more time in the airport than on baseball fields. In addition to covering Tony Gwynn’s 3,000th hit in Montreal, I saw Sammy Sosa hit his 60th home run for a second consecutive year and Wade Boggs join the 3-thousand hit club.

1999 Raymond James Stadium

Covering the NFL was a blast. I got to report on one of the NFL’s star coaches, Tony Dungy, when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the team’s first division title in 20 years.