Fatal Exposure

She captured the shot that could change the world. But some secrets should stay buried in the Lowcountry sand.

When twenty-one-year-old photojournalist Kate Miller lands her dream internship at The Washington Post, she expects to chase headlines - not become one. But when she photographs the shocking assassination of an oil minister in Tehran, her images spark an international firestorm and win the paper a Pulitzer. For her own safety, Kate must remain anonymous.

Back in Washington, Kate's instincts pull her into another story - this time, one wrapped in charm and danger. Her heart betrays her when she falls for Jim Rayford, a charismatic congressman from South Carolina with secrets of his own. Their romance takes her from the marble halls of D.C. to the windswept beaches of the Lowcountry, where power and passion collide.

But when a rising political star ascends to the Vice Presidency - and a shocking assassination rocks the White House - Kate's camera may hold the only truth that can unravel a deadly conspiracy.

Fatal Exposure is a smart, atmospheric romantic thriller blending Washington intrigue with Southern heart - perfect for readers of Mary Alice Monroe, Sandra Brown, and Karen White.

Author: Barb Bergwerf
Publisher: Green Ferns Publishing House
Published: 06/02/2026
Pages: 274
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.63lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.25w x 0.62d
ISBN: 9798999604736

About the Author
Bergwerf, Barb: - Barb Bergwerf was born in Chicago and raised in the Midwest suburbs, where her lifelong passion for photography began at an early age. As a child, she eagerly waited to see her developed Kodak film from a small-town camera shop, discovering the power of storytelling through images. A defining moment came when she saw her own photographs displayed in the shop window-an experience that set her creative path in motion.After graduating from high school in Skokie, Illinois, Barb attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., majoring in International Affairs. She began her professional career in government service, working at the Library of Congress while awaiting security clearances and later serving with an intelligence agency. Although photography took a back seat during this period, it remained a constant thread throughout her life.Family responsibilities brought Barb back to Chicago, where she returned to photography through studio work and a position with a local newspaper. She was later recruited as a staff photographer for the Chicago Tribune during the paper's expansion into suburban coverage.Never one to shy away from a creative challenge, Barb went on to open Stained Glass and More, a Tiffany stained glass studio in Northfield, Illinois. For over twenty years, she created award-winning stained glass art and taught thousands of students.Eventually, Barb and her husband, Ben, discovered Charleston, South Carolina, where the Lowcountry's beauty inspired her return to photography. Her work has included collaborations with the Center for Birds of Prey, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Aquarium, and the Island Turtle Team.A lifelong desire to write, combined with advances in technology and the reflective time of the COVID era, led Barb to fiction. Her debut novel, Fatal Exposure, marks the realization of that long-held dream.