Blog

Today’s featured author is Amelia Diane Coombs, whose mystery debut Drop Dead Sisters is a chaotic—but ultimately loving—exploration of what happens when three sisters and their dysfunctional family mix with a dead body.

I loved this quirky, outdoorsy murder mystery, so I was thrilled to chat with Amelia about sister sleuths, writing mystery, and more.

Connect with Amelia on Instagram, her website, and her newsletter. Grab a copy of Drop Dead Sisters here.

Hi Amelia, thanks so much for joining! Drop Dead Sisters follows Remi Finch and her two sisters as they reunite on a family camping vacation—only to test their tenuous relationship by finding a dead body. What do you love about this trio of sisters? What makes them—or perhaps doesn’t make them—a great detective team?

Thanks so much for having me! All three Finch sisters are so close to my heart, in part because I have two older sisters myself. I think the dynamic between siblings is a fascinating one, especially as siblings come back together as adults. So much has changed on a personal growth level, while the family unit tends to remain fairly static; it’s a situation that’s rife for tension. And that’s before you throw a dead body into the mix. 

I loved the dysfunctional Finch family that added a nice touch of chaos to an already chaotic mystery. Can you share a bit about how you put together your cast of characters? And/or, why do you think family and murder work so well together?

Sure thing! Early on in the process, I knew I wanted the extended family to be a bit kooky, if only to further show how isolated Remi feels in comparison. I thought the perfect foil to Remi’s more anxious nature would be parents who are loving—but inherently invalidating—of her anxiety. I grew up in Northern California, in somewhat of a rural area, and drew inspiration from the crunchier, “hippy” personalities I’ve met over the years. The rest of the family fell together pretty easily after that.

Murder and family go well together because everyone has a family, whether it be the people who raised them or a found family. It’s universal. Whereas murder isn’t. (Or I sure hope it’s not!) And family isn’t just universal, but it’s also great for, as I mentioned in another answer, naturally occurring tension. The interpersonal relationships are what draw the reader in, not the dead body. There’s just so much to dig into with family that can help carry a murder mystery forward, while also helping the story remain grounded.

After previously penning four young adult novels, what have you learned when making your adult debut with Drop Dead Sisters? Specifically, what did you find most enjoyable and most interesting about writing a murder mystery?

Honestly, writing my YAs and Drop Dead Sisters wasn’t as wildly different as I was worried it’d be, in terms of shifting age groups. The bigger hurdle was learning more about the mystery genre and its conventions. I’m a huge true crime fan and read a lot of mysteries and thrillers—so I had that as a solid foundation—but actually writing a mystery was (and still is!) much harder than contemporary. Layering in clues and information, without giving away your hand, can be tricky. But I love puzzles, which is basically what writing a book is: one big word puzzle.

The most enjoyable part, for me, is the ability to have fun and push the envelope. I love writing more grounded, contemporary stories, but Drop Dead Sisters gave me an opportunity to ask myself, “Okay, but what if this happened? And how ridiculously funny would it be if this happened as a result?” Personally, I love dark humor and comedy of errors, and it’s been so fun to explore that part of my creativity.

One of Remi’s most prominent traits is her anxiety, which naturally kicks into high gear once she discovers the murder. I found her anxiety both humorous and serious, adding some relatable levity while also being a source of insecurity, frustration, and derision from her family. How did you build that side of Remi’s character? Why do you think incorporating mental health themes into any story, especially a mystery, is important?

Remi’s anxiety is based on my own experiences and struggles with anxiety, so it was the easiest element of the book for me to write. I’ve always included mental health themes in all my books, and I knew that I wanted to carry that through-line into my adult debut, no matter what it ended up being.

But the way mental health plays with mystery is super interesting, especially anxiety. Remi’s instincts in the book are almost always right—but she doesn’t trust herself due to her anxiety disorder. And at times, she even blames herself for what happens surrounding the inciting incident. Solving a mystery is all about listening to your instincts and trusting your gut, and to me, it’s fascinating to have a character who deeply struggles doing just that. As the author, at least, it made for a fun and rewarding character arc.

Lastly, what are you currently working on? Can you tease some info about book two in the Finch Sisters series, Sisters Before Misters, and/or anything else you’re looking forward to?

Right now, I’m working on wrapping up my first pass of edits on Sisters Before Misters! I’m not sure how much I can share, but the sequel takes place a year later in Seattle, on Halloween, when a character goes missing under strange and possibly violent circumstances.

Thanks so much to Amelia for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s interview is a three-for-one deal: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (a.k.a. Team W) join the Cluesletter to chat about their latest collaboration, The Author’s Guide to Murder.

Fans of zany, laugh-out-loud murder mysteries will find something to love in this deadly adventure set in the Scottish Highlands. I would know—I thoroughly enjoyed it!

In the interview to follow, Team W and I discuss the characters, writing a mystery, and how they collaborate on projects.

Connect with Team W on Instagram collectively, and individually: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White. Grab a copy of The Author’s Guide to Murder here.

Welcome, Beatriz, Lauren, and Karen! The Author’s Guide to Murder is a quirky, heartwarming murder mystery set in a remote Scottish castle. Authors Cassie, Emma, and Kat are pretending to be best friends writing a book together. But when the host of their writing retreat is found dead, they might just have to solve the crime—if only to clear their own names. How did you craft these characters? Did you take inspiration from anyone in particular, and/or do any of you perhaps feel connected to one character over the others?

Part of the origin story behind this book starts with a question we’re asked often while on book tour: Are you really best friends, or were you put together by your publisher, like the Spice Girls? The answer is yes and no, respectively, but it got us thinking. What if we wrote about three women writers who are put together by their shared editor to write a book together . . . but they secretly hate each other? 

We had to give our characters three separate identities—not just different personalities, but distinct backgrounds and writing genres. They also couldn’t be anything like the actual members of Team W to avoid the obvious comparisons. That’s not to say that we didn’t gather bits and pieces of other authors to create Cassie, Emma and Kat, but all sources shall remain secret, of course. And because we created all the characters together, we feel connected to each of them equally—you might say we’ve arranged joint custody!

I’m afraid I have to ask the obvious question: With the three of you working on one novel, how did you organize your input? What tips do you have for maintaining balance on a collaborative writing project?

We always get together at the beginning to plot out and outline our collaborations. We don’t outline our individual books, but it would be very difficult not to have some sort of map for the three of us so that we end up in the same place. Then we retreat to our respective corners of the country and begin writing round-robin. The outline, although detailed, is also left open enough so that each author has room to develop her character within the guardrails of the plot. And if we ever get stuck, we have the other two Ws to bounce ideas back and forth. After we type The End, we meet up again to do the final edits and clean up—and then we break out the prosecco when we email the manuscript to our editor.

It’s easy to maintain balance because our books are always arranged around three viewpoint characters, each of whom get equal page time and are equally important to the plot. We plot the book together and no one knows which character she’ll be writing until after we’ve outlined, which means we’re fully invested in all of the characters. Of course, life always intrudes, but part of being a good working team means we’re honest with each other about what we can do and what we can’t at any given time. We take turns picking up the slack, knowing that it all evens out in the end.

While primarily a mystery, The Author’s Guide to Murder is also a satire on the literary world, a feel-good story about female friendships, and an homage to the Scottish Highlands (and, of course, the romance novels it has inspired). Other than the mystery itself, what were your favorite parts of the book to write?

Is “all of it” a wrong answer? Because in all seriousness, this book was a joy to write for all three of us. We had so much fun with the Scottish setting that we might have gone a little overboard at times, but we think our readers will enjoy the gleeful spirit in which we went over the top. We also relished writing about female friendship for the chance to explore our own experiences of discovering and nurturing our “found family” in each other, while navigating the complexities of the publishing world. Just like Cassie, Emma and Kat, we know the importance of having someone who’s always got your back. (And who also knows where the bodies have been buried.).

Your past collaborations were all historical novels with multiple timelines. What elements of writing a contemporary mystery challenged you, and/or what did you find the most rewarding? How did you approach plotting the crime in the novel?

This was the first time we had all three characters interacting together on the same page, so that we were writing each other’s characters in our scenes. But because we had created and developed Cassie, Emma and Kat together, all three of us had a thorough understanding of their experiences and their motivations, and we trusted each other to bring those characters to life on the page. It wasn’t so much of a challenge as it was a new way to exercise our writing muscles.

As for the plotting, we took inspiration from the world of the cozy mystery—think Murder, She Wrote and Father Brown. While none of us had experience writing in this genre, at least one W is a devoted fan of Golden Age mysteries and their many variations . . . and we had so much fun putting our own spin on the tropes that this might not be our last glimpse of Callie, Emma, and Kat!

Lastly, what are you currently working on? Can we expect more books (perhaps more mysteries) from you three, and/or what are each of you looking forward to?

We’ve started outlining the next collaboration, but it’s still early stages so we can’t really say more about that. Individually, we are all working on individual books. Karen will have two new books out next year, Lauren has a historical true crime mystery out in March, and Beatriz has another Winthrop Island novel hitting bookstores in late summer.

Thanks so much to Beatriz, Lauren, and Karen for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

I’m so pleased to welcome Kerry McGee, co-founder of Literary Adventure Society. Kerry and her team produce immersive literary mystery boxes—like “Loveday Brooke in the Mystery of the Black Bag,” featured in the 2024 Cluesletter Holiday Catalogue. 👀

I invited Kerry for an interview because I was genuinely so interested in LAS and their boxes—I mean, how do you adapt, produce, and craft a mystery experience? In the interview to follow, Kerry shares their process, company history, and plenty more.

Connect with Kerry and Literary Adventure Society on Instagram, TikTok, and their website. Plus, keep a keen eye out for “Loveday Brooke in the Mystery of the Black Bag” in the 2024 Cluesletter Holiday Catalogue! (Link here!)

Kerry, thanks so much for joining the Cluesletter! Literary Adventure Society (LAS) was founded in 2020—can you share a bit of backstory to you and to this endeavor? How, and why, did you start the company?

In addition to being an owner at LAS, I’m also the Artistic Director of a classical theatre company (We Happy Few Productions). I’d written two mystery play adaptations that we were going to produce in rep in the fall of 2020, but then the COVID pandemic hit and all the theaters closed. Our company was still interested in making art together, and we were interested in creating at-home entertainment that could rival a night out at the theatre. So, we created our experience boxes: a fully produced audio play that came with elements to set the scene at home. We encouraged people to gather with their family and/or pods and share a night-in at the theatre. They were a huge success, and we continued to expand and refine the boxes. When live theatre returned, I helped launch Literary Adventure Society as a new home for our at-home mysteries.

While still very theatrical, we’ve worked hard to heighten the immersive and play-along aspects as well. The whole idea is to feel like you’ve stepped into the book or story: you can set the scene, follow the story-line, interact with objects that the detectives do, and try your hand at solving the crime.

Your boxes feature Sherlock Holmes and Loveday Brooke, both nineteenth century literary detectives. How do you incorporate these characters and their famous mysteries into your experiences? (I’m of course most curious about Loveday Brooke, created by Catherine Louisa Pirkis in 1893. Why Loveday—how did you discover her, and what do you love about her as a character?)

Loveday Brooke is probably one of the coolest detectives out there. She is considered to be one of (if not THE) first female detective written by a woman author in 1893. Which means that she is a huge part of the development of the mystery novel, and yet so few of us have ever heard of her. My husband found an article about early lady detectives and sent it to me. I read all the stories I could find, and Loveday was my favorite. Even among her contemporaries, Loveday was singular: she was a detective by trade, not as a hobby. It was a way to support herself and she was good at it. Which put her way ahead of her time in 1893. So many people have told me that after playing our Loveday Brooke box, they’ve gone on to read her original stories. I’m so excited that our mysteries are a gateway for people to explore literature!

I’ve had a lot of fun adapting Loveday and Sherlock stories for our mystery experiences. These stories predated the fair play rules that the Golden Age of Mystery set forth, so I’ve gotten to think backwards, working clues in earlier than they appear in the original stories. Additionally, I’ve wanted the physical clues to be integral to the mystery-solving—so sometimes I have to find different avenues for our literary detectives to get to their conclusions, all while still keeping as much of the original story intact as possible. It’s a really fun writing challenge.

Each box includes clues, souvenirs, world-building elements, and goodies like a candle and loose-leaf tea, all accompanied by a professionally-acted audio mystery. How do you decide what to include in the box? What’s involved in the creation process?

We wanted to use all five senses to transport someone into the story. The audio play provided the narrative and the ambient sounds of the world. The candle scent brings you into the environment (the Sherlock candle scent is leather and tobacco—we wanted it to smell like 221B!), the tea and drink recipes appeal to the sense of taste, and the clues and newspapers provide visual and tactile clues. Everything is designed to be either a clue or something to aid in the world-building aspect of these boxes.

Plus we wanted to include a souvenir or two to remember the experience. I think about when I finish a book that I love: I want to find a way to keep it alive for a little bit longer. We thought even after the mystery was done, someone could still light the candle or frame the postcard, and linger for a little bit longer in the world of the story.

I absolutely love the collaborative nature of these experiences. What do you love about solving mysteries as a group activity? What do you hope audiences get out of the experience?

I’m very interested in activities and forms of entertainment that bring people together. I love theatre, but more often than not, you spend your evening sitting in a dark room. Despite other people being there, it’s still a very solitary experience. I wanted people to be able to talk with each other, and theorize, and comment, and collaborate, and gossip, and catch up with each other: all while also still being entertained. And it was really important to find a mostly-analog way to do that too. I love screens as much as anyone else, but it’s really nice to take a break from them. I’ve talked to people who have hosted mystery nights with their friends and had a blast, and people that have done these with their kids and grandparents. I love the idea that our mystery boxes are bringing people and families together in a shared experience.

Lastly, are you working on anything exciting for Literary Adventure Society? What are you currently looking forward to?

I have so much in development! My husband and I are creating a live Sherlock mystery experience that we can perform with a crowd. He does the voice of Sherlock for our audio plays and will play the detective in our live event. We have one coming up in Washington, DC on November 22 [link here!]. I’m creating outlines as we speak for a new Loveday and Sherlock mystery, and I’m hot on the trail of another almost-forgotten detective that I want to create a mystery experience for. It’s a dream to be able to spend so much of my time rooting around in the world of mystery and detective fiction.

Thanks so much to Kerry for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s interview is with Sydney Leigh, who has had not one but two releases this year, kicking off two different series. Instagoner: A Bark and Blog Mystery is her latest, and we talk about it (and more) in the interview to follow.

Connect with Sydney on Instagram and her website. Grab a copy of Instagoner here, and Peril in Pink here.

Hi, Sydney! In your latest release, Instagoner, lifestyle blogger Emily Dalle gets thrown into detective work after a controversial talk show host shows up dead. To help, she turns to her online audience for tips. What do you love about Emily’s character? What traits of hers make her an excellent cozy sleuth?

Hi Manon! Thank you so much for having me on today. I’m thrilled to be here, talking about Instagoner. Emily is such a fun character to write. She feels like a real person to me and when I’m not working on a book featuring her, I think about her (which is great since I have a contract for two more books!). Emily is curious, loyal, and straightforward. She shares her day-to-day life with her audience so she is self-aware and open with her feelings. One of my favorite things about Emily is her relationship with her ride-or-die best friend, Fitz. He can read her like a book and serves as a great sidekick for all her (mis)adventures.

You also had another mystery—your debut!—come out earlier this year. Peril in Pink stars B&B owner Jess Byrne, who investigates a murder on her property. How did writing this book compare with Instagoner? Can you share a bit about your mystery plotting and writing process for both books?

I’m a wannabe plotter. There it is, I’ve said it. With each book I start out with the best intentions to have a master plan, a brilliant outline that I will follow from start to finish. But, so far, that hasn’t happened. The days I set out to plot a book I usually end up doing things like baking cookies, going for extra long walks with my dog, and (attempting to) stand on my head (in my defense, I’ve always wanted to learn how to do a handstand). Eventually, I get to the point where I recognize it isn’t happening and I start to write the book. Pantsing (writing by the seat-of-your-pants) requires a tremendous amount of re-writing and editing, but for me, it’s what’s worked so far.

There’s a quote that resonates with me: “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” — E. L. Doctorow. 

With two new books out just this year, what have you learned about the writing and publishing process so far? What advice has been most helpful to you, and what would you tell other writers (or your past self)?

Hmm . . . that’s a stumper. I’d say you need to remember that things take time. A lot of the process is out of your control. But the thing you can always do? Keep writing. 

What have you learned so far about building readership and an online community? 

Thank you so much, Manon! I’m a people person. I love to connect with others, online and in person. Writing is a solitary activity but publishing isn’t. I’ve made some great friends who understand the ups and downs of the industry.

Also? Bookstagrammers are my superheroes. They are champions of books and their love of reading is infectious. Whenever I’m not sure what to read for my next book, I’ll scroll through Instagram and search some of my favorite book lovers accounts to see what to read next. They often inspire me to pick up a book I haven’t heard of and dig in.

Lastly, what’s on your horizon? Can we expect more books in either of your series, and/or what are you currently working on and looking forward to?I finished the first draft of the follow-up book to Instagoner. It needs a lot of revising but it’s a start. While I let that simmer, I’ve switched to a different book which I’m VERY excited about. New characters, new setting. I can’t share too much about that one yet, but hopefully in the not-too-distant future . . .

Thanks so much to Sydney for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today is a Cluesletter first: I’m interviewing a children’s book author! Marci Kay Monson joins us to talk about her new children’s book adaptation of The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie.

I can attest: the illustrated book is a delight to read, and it was perhaps even more delightful to interview her about the process of adapting a murder mystery for kids. (Yes, it’s possible!)

Connect with Marci on Instagram and her website. Grab a copy of The Mysterious Affair at Styles from your retailer of choice, including Gibbs Smith and Bookshop.org.

Hi, Marci! Thanks so much for joining. Your retelling of Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first in a series of interactive picture book mysteries for children. In addition to the story, the book includes activities, games, and puzzles. How did you approach adapting this famous mystery? What challenges did you face, and what did you most enjoy about the process?

Hi! I work for a publishing company called Gibb Smith. We are probably best known for our line of BabyLit books that are board book versions of classic novels. Once Agatha Christie’s books started coming into the public domain, I kept thinking, “someone should do that same treatment for her books!” I thought this for multiple years before I finally thought, “Ohhh wait. I should be the one to do that!” I started writing in 2020, but I was scared and kept putting it off. It was such a big undertaking! How do you take the Queen of Crime’s work and turn it into a 32-page picture book?

I did some research by reading other mystery books for kids, but found there really weren’t a lot of options for the age range I was looking at. This could either be a great sign because that means there’s not a lot of competition, or a bad sign saying there’s no market for them!

I knew early on that I wanted the kids/readers to feel like they had helped “solve” the case. This is where the interactive part came in. I did struggle with how much to let on in the clues and activities. One of the aspects of Christie’s books is that they’re often hard to guess the endings (even if she gives all the right clues). But I think there’s enough interest and fun throughout the book that even if they guess early on, they won’t guess the full twist.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had is imposter syndrome! I only started reading Agatha Christie books in the past decade, and I’m well aware that there are some intense fans out there. I’m still nervous they’re going to read my version and tell me I totally messed up this time-honored story. Or even worse, that I totally misunderstood the book and got the ending wrong or something.

Another challenge is taking the extremely intricate storytelling of Christie and boiling it down into something understandable to much younger readers. There are times that I read her mysteries and it takes me a minute to understand things. And even though she writes mostly cozy stories, there are often affairs, misdeeds, and other things that we maybe don’t want to introduce children to quite yet. Of course, I am introducing them to murder, but that’s a different story! 🙂 So, keeping true to the basics of the original text while also making them work for kids is always a bit of a puzzle. While it is a murder mystery, there is no gore or detail of the death, and all you see in the illustration is the victim’s feet.

This book is specifically designed for children (or, should I say, budding detectives). Why do you think mystery, as a genre, is especially great for young readers? What effect(s) do you hope The Mysterious Affair at Styles will have on its readers?

I think young readers are the perfect age to start reading mysteries. They can believe in a little magic, a little mystery, and give themselves up to the unknown. They’re not cynical enough yet  to wonder why so many unexplained crimes all happen in a quaint little town in England. Kids’ imaginations are incredible, and I think adding in some mystery will lead to great imaginative play in young readers’ lives.

I grew up reading Nancy Drew books and I loved all the twists and turns. What crazy thing would happen to Nancy next? I love reading mysteries now because I feel incredibly smart if I can solve things by the end, and if I don’t, I love putting the pieces together along with the narrator. There are few books I want to reread right away more than a good mystery.

I hope that kids will finish my book and want to pick it right back up to see if they can put the puzzle pieces together this time through. Then maybe they’ll go out and solve mysteries of their own. What happened to my missing toothbrush? How can I solve the case of the broken toy? I hope I create a whole group of little kids with magnifying glasses and fake mustaches out on their own adventures!

Can you share a bit about the production side of this project? For example, the gorgeous illustrations, the interactive activities, and other original elements—how did you put it all together?

One thing people may not know is that in traditional publishing, the author rarely gets to pick their illustrator. Mine was picked by my publisher, and I am SO lucky that they picked Greg Paprocki. I have long admired his work and I was thrilled to work with him. His illustrations are so detailed and bright. The detail makes for even more fun in a mystery book, and the brightness helps keep things from getting too heavy in a murder mystery for kids.

I wrote the activities at the same time as I was writing the book. They had to go hand in hand as I would occasionally change the wording of the book to work with the activity on that page, and vice versa. Like I said earlier, I wanted readers to feel like they were solving the mystery along with my narrator, Hercule Poirot, and the best way to do that was through activities on each page. I did a lot of online research and asked parents in my life what activities would keep kids engaged and excited.

One major change I made from the original text was changing the character of Arthur Hastings. In the original, he is the narrator and helps Hercule Poirot. In my version, Hastings is a mouse that can be found on every page. This was one of those changes I made to help make the story a little simpler for younger readers. It’s hard enough to keep track of so many characters, so I had to make the choice to remove or repurpose a few.

Because I work in publishing, I have seen finished manuscripts for other picture books. This meant that as I was writing, I was able to create in a way that was (hopefully) helpful to the publisher and illustrator. So on each page I would write illustration prompts and give direction for what I pictured happening and how to incorporate the activities. Greg did an incredible job of taking that and adding in his style and imagination. Some of those pages are exactly what I imagined and others are even better.

 Since this is your debut book, can you share a bit about the experience for you? Was there anything in the publishing process that surprised you, challenged you, or otherwise stood out?

Publishing a book has been a lifelong dream of mine, but one I kind of never saw coming true. I don’t feel like I have the imagination to write hundreds of thousands of words or create new worlds or tell stories in ways that I feel other authors do. It’s such an incredible art to create story. So I kind of cheated and used someone else’s story to make something new. Hopefully Ms. Christie would approve.

I have worked for five years now in the publishing industry and for most of that time I’ve worked directly with authors as a publicist and marketer. I’ve always been surprised when some other authors aren’t falling over themselves with excitement when they publish a book. It is so incredible to see your name on a book cover! And it’s so incredible for other people to read your work and be excited about it too. While most of the publishing process hasn’t surprised me, I’d say I’m surprised and delighted any time someone gives me a good review and genuinely seems to like my work. And it’s not even just my parents saying nice things!

Another surprise is how much work it is to market a book. I’ve always been the one giving authors marketing advice and tips, and I can now vouch from the other side that it can be exhausting! Selling yourself and your work feels uncomfortable sometimes, but it’s necessary. If you’re not excited about your work, who else will be?

Lastly, what are you currently working on? Do you have anything in the works that you’re excited to share?

I am so excited that this is going to become a series of books called Mini Mysteries. The hope and plan is to publish one a year in the series for as long as they sell. For now I will continue on with Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot books, but it would be incredible to expand that to Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes,  or other classic mystery books.I just turned in the manuscript for book two, The Mystery of the Blue Train. Talk about editing for kids! There are multiple affairs in that book, and I somehow had to find a way to tell the mystery without getting into some of the more lurid details. It’s scheduled to be published in September 2025!

Thanks so much to Marci for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s featured author is KB Jackson. Kate’s latest release, A Matter of Life and Depths, is a delightful cozy set on board a cruise ship. I enjoyed its healthy balance of humor, emotion, and murder. (Really, what else could you want in a book?)

In the interview below, Kate and I talk about the new book, plus her middle grade mysteries, and more.

Sleuths! Connect with Kate on Instagram, TikTok, and her website. Grab a copy of A Matter of Life and Depths here.

Welcome, Kate! It’s so great to have you. A Matter of Life and Depths is book two in your Cruising Sisters Mystery series, in which sisters Charlotte and Jane live together on a luxury cruise ship. In this installment, the ship’s head chef is found murdered en route to Japan. What do you love about a cruise ship for a murder mystery setting?

When I first proposed the series to my agent at the time, she said series set on a cruise ship were a hard sell. Initially we found that to be the case, but ultimately the story won over four different publishers. I think the fear is that it can grow stale, which is why Charlotte’s story arc was so integral to keeping each book fresh.

My favorite part of the setting is the theme nights. In book one, Until Depths Do Us Part, they were traveling to Alaska, so I kept the theme nights generic like 80s prom and the roaring 20s. For book two, since they were sailing to Yokohama, I could play with both the beauty of Japanese culture and the silliness of putting people in those blowup sumo suits or bad karaoke singing. Book three starts in New Orleans just before Halloween, so I added a hint of Cajun and Creole culture, myths, and spookiness to every themed activity.

I loved the supportive—and still fun—dynamic between Charlotte and Jane. While Charlotte is the main character, the pair solve mysteries as a team. How did you decide on a sister duo for this series? What about their two characters make them excellent sleuths?

Charlotte and Jane were inspired by my grandmother Charlotte and her sister Jane. I always loved watching their relationship. They were fiercely devoted to each other—they even bought their retirement condos across the street from each other—and laughed a lot. However, I knew all along that this was Charlotte’s story and Charlotte’s journey.

I believe what makes them good sleuths is that they are both former librarians, so they are well-read, particularly in the mystery genre. Reading mysteries is a great way to hone puzzle solving skills.

You also write middle grade mysteries: the Sasquatch Hunters mysteries, one of which was just nominated for an Anthony Award (congrats!). How do you approach writing middle grade versus adult novels, especially in the mystery genre? Do you find one more challenging, or more rewarding, than the other?

I love writing both for middle grade and grownups. I was a big reader as a kid, and I find that writing middle grade allows me to connect with that little girl inside me who allowed her imagination to run wild. However, I find that writing mysteries for adults lets me challenge myself, process my thoughts and life experiences, and rewrite some endings to situations that feel unresolved.

While I consider myself mostly a writer of mysteries for grownups, I don’t ever want to give up writing for kids because visiting their schools, being able to show them that anything is possible, and to have them share their work with me is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I love how involved you are with mystery events like Left Coast Crime, Killer Nashville, and Bouchercon (where we just met in person!). What do you like about staying active in these spaces? What are the advantages of attending in-person events, and/or do you have advice for authors thinking about doing the same?

My husband is worried I’m becoming a convention junkie. Writing is such a solitary endeavor, but when I get to spend time with mystery lovers, whether writers or readers or both, I feel like I’m not alone on this journey. In addition to getting visibility through panels, speed dating, new author breakfasts, etc., you can make new friends and gain readers. Plus, where else can you just casually walk past Harlan Coben or Shawn (S. A.) Cosby?

Lastly, what’s next for you? Do you have another Cruising Sisters Mystery out soon, and/or any other exciting projects in the works?Cruising Sisters book three, Frightened to Depths, is scheduled for release at the end of January 2025. My third Sasquatch Hunters book releases November 5th. It’s called The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui and takes the kids to the Highlands of Scotland, where a bigfoot-like creature is said to roam on the hills above Loch Ness. I’m currently writing Chattertowne book three and I’ll be trying my hand at a short story this month, because I’m scheduled to read at the Seattle Noir at the Bar Ladies Night on October 24th at Pike Place Market’s Alibi Room.

Thanks so much to Kate for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s feature is Will Dean, who joins us to talk about his latest thriller, The Chamber. Set in a hyperbaric chamber, six saturation divers find themselves under a mysterious threat. It’s as claustrophobic as you can imagine (and, trust me, you’ll learn a lot about saturation diving).

In the interview to follow, Will and I talk about his research process, writing thrillers, and more. Dive on in.

Sleuths! Connect with Will on Instagram, X, and YouTube. Grab a copy of The Chamber here.

Hi Will, thanks so much for joining! The Chamber follows six experienced saturation divers locked inside a hyperbaric chamber—a routine job, until one of them is found dead. Reading this felt like I was diving alongside these characters (cue the claustrophobia). With such a specific premise, how did you prepare to write the book? What kind of research into saturation diving did you do?

Thanks for having me. The Chamber is And Then There Were None meets The Last Breath. The research was intense. I am quite a hermit (living off-grid in a Swedish forest) and I tend to disappear down rabbit holes when I discover an interesting niche or unknown world. Saturation diving is such a subject. I researched every aspect of this profession (the apex of the diving world: breathing gas, living at pressure for twenty-eight days at a time, working to maintain oil infrastructure on the seabed) intensely for many, many months.

My books are always character-driven, focusing on the psychology of the characters, but with The Chamber I knew I had to get the technical details correct (or as correct as I could) to build a sense of authenticity, and also a strong sense of place. I like my readers to feel utterly immersed (if you’ll excuse the pun) in the imaginary world I create. That being said, 95 percent of my research didn’t make it into the final book, but it’s essential for me to understand which 5 percent to include.

The Chamber has two unique constraints: a cramped and isolated location, and a four-day countdown. How did you approach plotting a mystery to work within these constraints? Can you compare this setup to those of your other books?

I relish constraints. They help me to visualise the story, removing the temptation for extraneous characters and locations. Constraints help me to go deep on character, and they help readers to truly believe in the setting.

With The Chamber the constraints are pretty extreme (I was born in the late ’70s so stories like Alien, The Martian, Misery, and Das Boot were important to me). The six main characters spend almost all of the novel locked inside a chamber the size of a minibus. Six bunks, one table, two benches. They breathe heliox and they cannot leave, not even if there’s a major problem. After the first body is found they start an emergency decompression process.

It will take four days.

And that’s only the beginning of their problems.

This setting certainly gave me challenges regarding how a possible perpetrator can act without being detected. It pushed me.

Most of my other books are set in remote or closed-off locations. The Last Thing to Burn (Misery meets Room) takes place in a tiny isolated farm cottage. First Born is set in Manhattan (which can feel claustrophobic thanks to its vertiginous buildings). The Last One takes place on an ocean liner (minus all the passengers) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. My Tuva Moodyson series (Fargo meets Twin Peaks meets Fleabag) takes place in a small town in a remote area of Sweden, and that town is usually cut off to outsiders by snow and ice.

I like to stretch myself.

I also like to scare myself.

Ellen Brooke is the sole narrator of the book, and the sole woman diver in the group. Why did you choose to write from Ellen’s perspective? What elements of her character make her a good diver, and a good narrator for a thriller?

I’m a visual writer. When I had the idea for The Chamber (just before I fell asleep one night) I ‘saw’ a locked door with a round window. I looked inside and saw a woman and I understood immediately that she was both extremely proficient, and terrified. I wanted to know why. I didn’t know at that point if she was in a prison, on the International Space Station, or in a diving chamber.

The story unfolded, in my mind, over the coming weeks and months. I’m a fast writer in one sense (my first drafts take three to five weeks, which I do not recommend), but I am also a very slow writer. I need a long lead-up, with plenty of time for visualisation and day-dreaming. I require that time in order to build up the bare minimum amount of confidence to face a blank screen and write that first line.

What draws you to thrillers, as a genre? What is the most difficult aspect of writing crime, and what is the most exhilarating?

I read all genres. Some people don’t think my books even qualify as thrillers. I don’t know about that but I do like stories which cross genres and stretch conventions. I adore tension. It’s what keeps me reading or watching or listening. Hitchockian tension. I crave intense suspense. I don’t need violence or action but I do need a protagonist I care about and a sensation that something is not quite right.

The most difficult aspect of writing crime, or writing anything, is (for me) the transfer process from mind to page. I can ‘see’ and ‘feel’ a story for years. It will crystalize and take on a life of its own and become clear. The characters will feel real, and the relationships will genuinely move me. And then when I write it down I might lose 30 percent of that beautiful, perfect, ephemeral idea. Plot, character, theme, prose, pacing: all difficult. But the biggest challenge is achieving a high degree of fidelity during that three-to-five week transfer process.

Lastly, what’s next for you? Is there anything you’re currently working on that you’re looking forward to?

I have a book out in November (Ice Town) – a standalone Tuva Moodyson book. I’m also busy with several screen adaptations of my work. I’m working on my 2025 book (in the same vein as The Last Thing to Burn – think Demon Copperhead meets Sleeping with the Enemy meets Shutter Island). And the 2026 book is currently marinating in my head (I’m about to start the first draft). I can’t talk about it yet but I suspect it will challenge me on a whole other level. I’m equal parts terrified and excited.

Let the transfer process begin.

Thanks so much to Will for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s featured author is Annie McEwen, who is celebrating not one, but two launches this year! The first two books in her Northwoods Mysteries series, Resort to Murder and Dead, White, and Blue, are out now.

She joins us to chat about the series, social media strategy, and her perspective as a debut author. Read our joyful interview below.

Connect with Annie on Instagram, Facebook, and her website. Grab a copy of Dead, White, and Blue here. Plus, join the Murder, They Write Facebook group here!

Welcome, Annie! It’s so great to have you. 2024 has been a busy year for you: two books in your debut cozy mystery series, the Northwoods Mysteries, are out now. Set in northern Wisconsin, the series stars an interior designer moving home to her family’s lake cottage resort. What do you love about this setting, especially for a cozy mystery series?

Hello, Manon! Thank you for having me. It has been a whirlwind, for sure, but I’m soaking it all in. Northern Wisconsin is not only beautiful, but you feel refreshed when you’re up there among the lakes and trees. It’s the ideal setting for a cozy series because of all the opportunities for storylines with the changing seasons, tourist industry, the landscape, and the inspiration of the interesting characters I’ve met there over the last forty years.

Your sleuth’s career as an interior designer mirrors your own. What do you love about Emmy’s career? Are there any other parts of Emmy’s character that are personal to you, or that you admire? (I’m also curious about your current career as an x-ray technician—do you think that will ever be reflected in your writing?)

Emmy’s and my design careers were different in that she worked for an elite architectural firm while I had my own little business. She’s a designer while I was a decorator. (Believe me, designers will make sure you know the difference! LOL!) Emmy mirrors so much of my personality that friends and family will text or call me as they read the books and say, “Emmy is you!” or “That’s exactly what you say! I can hear your voice.” I think the part of Emmy I love the most is that even though she has trouble standing up for herself, she will fight for those she loves. As for the X-ray tech part, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can work that into another series or even a fun character in this one. Stay tuned!

I admire your social media presence! It seems like you’ve really built a community around your books—can you talk about your approach to social media and your marketing strategy in general?

Aww! Thanks! The mystery community, cozy in particular, is so incredibly lovely—readers and authors alike. Being a brand-new author, it’s been tough to get followers. That’s where fellow authors and wonderful people like you have come in and shared my pages and books. BookTubers asking me for interviews . . . what?! So kind! I return the favor by promoting them. We all have to lift each other up. Honestly, I don’t post as much as I should or want to. I go through phases depending on what’s going on in my life. But when I do, I reply to every comment and try to let people know I appreciate them.

As for marketing, it’s social media, newsletters, hitting my local bookstores, attending conferences, being involved in Facebook groups . . . anything to get my books out there without spending a lot of money. My newest adventure, which I’m proud to be a part of, is a cozy mystery Facebook group called “Murder, They Write.” It’s a group of ten of us cozy authors who met through our literary agency, Blue Ridge Literary Agency. We all bonded, and now we have this fun gang!

As a new author, what have you learned so far about the writing and publishing journey? Is there any wisdom you’d like to give to aspiring authors, and/or anything you might do differently?

There’s a lot more to it than just putting those words to paper! Do your homework and research about the publishing industry. Take a class, whether it be from your local community college or library, or an online masterclass like I did through Ellie Alexander. The information I gleaned from it was invaluable. Make connections with other readers and authors. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions of fellow authors. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve found everyone to be absolutely lovely.

Lastly, what’s on your horizon? Can we expect more Northwoods Mysteries, and/or is there anything else in the works that you’re excited to share?

My third book is set to be released in January . . . get ready for a snowy Wisconsin murder! I have several ideas for more adventures with Emmy Cooper and her buddies, so hopefully, my fabulous publisher, Gemma Halliday Publishing, will want to keep the Northwoods Mysteries going. I’ve been jotting down some storylines for a couple of other series ideas: another modern-day cozy and a historic cozy set in the 1880s. I’m a huge history buff and have always wanted to write something in that time period.

Thanks so much to Annie for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.

Today’s featured author is Tom Mead, whose latest Joseph Spector mystery sees the magician sleuth untangle a web of murderous secrets at a grand country estate. As I shared on Instagram, this one is for you if you enjoy locked room mysteries/impossible crimes, Golden Age vibes worthy of the Detection Club, and puzzling whodunnits with a strong cast.

In our interview, Tom and I chat about the new book, writing short stories, Golden Age mysteries, and more.

Read on—the game is afoot!

Connect with Tom on Instagram, Facebook, and his website. Grab a copy of Cabaret Macabre here.

Hi Tom! Thanks so much for joining. Your latest release, Cabaret Macabre, is the third novel to feature retired stage magician Joseph Spector, who solves crimes in 1930s London. What about Joseph’s character, whether it’s his background, personality, or both, make him an excellent detective?

That’s a great opening question! Joseph Spector is a retired music hall magician, which means he’s still got the kind of brain that can unravel how magic tricks are done. It’s this mentality that helps him to solve the bizarre kinds of crime that crop up in Cabaret Macabre. But he’s also an inveterate performer (an old ham, you might say) which can be helpful in different ways because it enables him to wrong-foot suspects. People tend to underestimate him—which is always a big mistake!

The Joseph Spector books are locked room mysteries, and Cabaret Macabre includes multiple puzzling murders. What draws you to impossible crimes? What do you love about writing them, and how do you plot such intricate?

I love magic (as in stage illusion) and to me a locked-room mystery is a kind of magic. It’s all about misdirection and sleight-of-hand, as well as the wonderful intricacy and ornateness of a puzzle. But there’s also a sense of spookiness, of something otherworldly afoot, which I absolutely adore, as I am a sucker for all things Gothic. Added to that, I am a huge theatre aficionado, so channeling all of my particular passions into a single piece has always been the aim. But in terms of plotting, I have learned to be very methodical and to piece things together in stages, like an elaborate tapestry.

In addition to full-length novels, you’ve also penned a number of short stories, some even featuring Joseph Spector. What do you enjoy about writing short-form mystery? What are the joys and challenges of this format, specifically when writing crime fiction?

It certainly is a challenge, but that’s why I love it. I started off by writing short fiction simply because I wasn’t sure my ideas were sufficient to sustain a full-length novel. But creating a short story from scratch is a surprisingly addictive exercise, and oddly moreish—as soon as I’ve finished, I can’t wait to get started on another! I have often likened a mystery novel to a magic show, and a mystery short story to a game of three-card monte; in both cases you need considerable skill to pull it off successfully, but in the latter you are considerably more “exposed” if it goes wrong. It’s like walking a tightrope, I suppose. If it works, you feel absolutely fantastic.

I have to ask—as a Golden Age aficionado, can you name some of your favorite Golden Age mysteries? Are there any you’d recommend for new readers of the era, and/or perhaps some that you think are underappreciated? (Short stories and novels welcome!)

My go-to author is always John Dickson Carr, the acknowledged master of the locked-room mystery. The Hollow Man (a.k.a. The Three Coffins) is probably his greatest achievement, but as a starting point for readers who are new to his work I would recommend The Red Widow Murders, which was reissued last year by Mysterious Press as part of the American Mystery Classics series (I wrote the introduction). I love Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen very much, but in terms of lesser-known names I recommend Helen McCloy’s Basil Willing series and Christianna Brand’s Inspector Cockrill mysteries. As for short stories, the Simon Ark series by the inimitable Edward D. Hoch offers some real masterclasses in the impossible crime, though he was writing long after the Golden Age (he died in 2008).

Lastly, what are you currently working on? Can we expect more Spector investigations, and/or is there anything else you’re excited to share?

As a matter of fact I recently finished a draft of the fourth Joseph Spector mystery, and am currently awaiting edits. This is always a nerve-wracking time, so I’m diving immediately into something new and completely different. It’s still a murder mystery, and still a locked room, but set in the present day and with considerably more of a “dark academia” feel to it.

Thanks so much to Tom for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.