Today’s featured author is Kellye Garrett, whose latest thriller, Missing White Woman, explores popular domestic suspense tropes from the perspective of a woman who feels she doesn’t belong.

In the interview to follow, Kellye and I talk about the new book, Missing White Woman syndrome, her writing habits, and much more.

Keep reading to solve the case.

Connect with Kellye on Instagram, Facebook, and her website. Grab a copy of Missing White Woman here.

Hi Kellye, thanks so much for joining! Your latest novel, Missing White Woman, is a thriller following a woman on vacation, who wakes up to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone. Caught in the middle of a media-famous missing person case, Bree sets out to find the truth. What do you love about Bree’s character? What elements of her personality make her a tenacious investigator—even when she’s thrown into the role by accident?

Hi Manon! First, thanks for inviting me for this interview. I’m excited. Missing White Woman is my fourth book and Bree is by far the most vulnerable main character that I’ve written. When we meet her, her life has been on “pause” for ten years because she was wrongly convicted of having drugs in her car after her junior year of college. She never graduated, still lives in the same studio apartment as college and even has the same low paying job.

In terms of her personality, I think it’s her loyalty to her boyfriend and her stubbornness that drive her throughout the book. She knows that Ty had nothing to do with Janelle’s disappearance and she’s hardheaded enough to make sure the rest of the world (wide web) knows as well.

The narrative—and the book’s title—refers to “missing white woman syndrome,” a term used to describe the disproportionate media attention given to missing-person cases involving white women compared to men or women of color. What, do you think, makes the thriller genre a suitable vehicle through which to explore and discuss this phenomenon? What do you hope readers take away from Bree’s story?

The missing woman has been a domestic suspense trope since Gillian Flynn decided to name her third book Gone Girl. But Missing White Woman syndrome existed years before that book was even an idea. The only thing that’s changed since Laci Peterson went missing in 2002 is the internet has made us all think we’re investigators.

Our rising obsession with true crime has been good and bad. On one hand, it’s removed the media from being gatekeepers of what we know and care about. However, it’s also further turned people’s pain into entertainment. And that’s what I wanted to explore in this book—how something you’re making assumptions or even jokes about online is actually someone’s real life.

You have another suspense novel, Like a Sister, and write the Detective by Day series. Can you speak about the writing process for any of these other books? How did you approach writing a thriller like Missing White Woman, versus a lighter mystery like the Detective by Day books?

I’m a writer who hates writing so I’m a huge outliner. The blank page scares me so I used to have a safety blanket of 30-page single-spaced outlines for my Detective by Day books. I’ve evolved since then. I’ll always have some idea of the bigger twists and reveals and, of course, the ending. But I’ve started just figuring out how to get to those twists in what’s called the headlight method—you just outline what you can see in your headlights, so smaller chunks.

Your background is varied, from writing for television, serving as a magazine editor, and now, working in media. How has your career influenced your work as a writer? Are there elements of any of your jobs that have especially impacted your author career?

I’ve indeed had a lot of different jobs but the common thread has always been writing. To be honest, I had so many different careers because I was too afraid to write a book, which has been my dream since I was five. I’d like to think I’ve learned at least one thing from each (and wasn’t just wasting my time). For example, being a journalist taught me about research and how people speak. And television writing taught me about how each scene must move the story along whether you’re introducing a character, sharing key information or planting something that will come into play later. It’s also why I end each chapter on a climatic moment. On the flipside, TV writing is also why I struggle with description. You don’t need to explain how a room looks since the viewer will literally see it for themselves.

Lastly, what’s on your horizon? Do you have any future books to tease, and/or anything else you’re looking forward to?

I’m trying to figure out my next full length book idea aka the “Wait, how do you write an entire book again?” phase. I’m all over the place with it. In better news, I do have my first-ever short story coming out this fall. It’s an Amazon Original that’s part of their amateur detective collection. My story is about women taking part in a $50,000 extreme hide-n-seek challenge at the second largest mall in the U.S. The game’s being filmed by a huge YouTube influencer (think MrBeast). When someone tries to kill the influencer, my MC has to figure out what’s going on.

Thanks so much to Kellye 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 Kimberly G. Giarratano. It’s not often that I get to say this, but I met Kim (!) in person. She was on a panel at Bouchercon last September and was kind enough to sign my copy of Death of a Dancing Queen.

Its sequel, Devil in Profile, is the subject of today’s interview. We also talk about the noir genre, Sisters in Crime, and more. Read on!

Connect with Kim on Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, and her website. Grab a copy of Devil in Profile here.

Hi Kim! Thanks so much for joining. Your latest release, Devil in Profile, is the second novel to feature unlicensed P.I. Billie Levine. In this installment, she stumbles across the body of an art collector with ties to Nazi Germany, and her involvement deepens as the cops zero in on her boyfriend. What do you love about Billie’s character? What personality traits and characteristics, in your opinion, make her a good private investigator?

What don’t I love about her? Lol. She is wish-fulfillment. I long to be as badass, tenacious, and brave as her. Also in my head, she has a dope sense of style (I definitely do not)—she’s really into 90s vintage. Billie also has an unwavering sense of justice which makes her a passionate private investigator. She’s a woman with a plan and nothing is going to stand in her way. Who doesn’t want to be like that? The slightest hiccup in my day and I want to throw in the towel. Oh, is it raining? Guess I’ll stay home and watch Netflix.

The Billie Levine series, starring a female, Jewish P.I., isn’t like the hard-boiled noir we’re used to seeing. What sparked the idea for Billie’s character, and specifically the positioning of her as a private investigator (instead of, say, an amateur sleuth)? And/or, what do you love about the noir genre, historically, and how it’s evolved over time?

I’m a huge Veronica Mars fan, and one thing Rob Thomas, creator of the show, did really well was subvert tropes. He took the alcoholic, trench-coat wearing PI and turned him into a teenage girl. The opening scene of the pilot is a shot of Veronica with a telephoto lens and a history textbook because she still has homework. I wanted to create my own Veronica Mars series, one with a protagonist built a bit in my own image. She’s young (I am not), but she’s Jewish and from New Jersey and she’s struggling to balance adulthood and caring for an ill parent. She came to me fairly actualized, which isn’t normal. Usually characters go through a metamorphosis as I write, but Billie arrived very real. I often think she’s around somewhere in Bergen County, drinking coffee and tailing a suspect.

I love hard-boiled fiction for its grittiness, typically featuring a down-on-their-luck investigator confronting the underbelly of humanity as they embark on a quest. And despite their personal struggles, they’re demanding justice, which in itself is quite heroic.

I also love how the genre has evolved to feature more women and people of color. My friend Delia Pitts has a PI novel coming out (Trouble in Queenstown) this summer featuring a Black, female PI who also lives in New Jersey. I’ve preordered the hell out of that book, and I can’t wait to read it. [Psst: preorder here! – M]

You have written mysteries for both teens and adults. How do you approach writing a YA mystery compared to an adult novel? What prompted you to shift from YA to adult, and was there anything about that shift that was particularly exciting or challenging?

The prompt to move from YA to adult came from two places. One was that I couldn’t envision Billie as a teenager because she cares for her mother with Alzheimer’s disease. For that to work, and for her fears of inheriting the disease to ring true, I needed her to be a little grown-up. She’s a young adult—she’s only 24—but an adult nonetheless. Because of this, I’d argue, she was the easiest character to write. I know what it’s like to be a grown-up (not fun) whereas when I write YA, I have to comb through some cringey, teenage-Kim memories. That said, writing for teens is different as their needs, wants, and emotions are different from adults. If teens are your audience, you have to write to them, not necessarily about them. There’s a difference. Your work should reflect their worldview and sometimes their worldview doesn’t make sense to adults. There’s been discussion online about YA books with spice. Spice is for adults. If you’re writing to an adolescent audience, any sex in your book should reflect that experience. Meaning a sexual encounter in a YA book should be awkward, complex, emotional, maybe a bit terrifying. You can write sex in YA, but make sure it’s realistic. It’s not going to be “spicy and sexy” because that doesn’t reflect teenage experiences.

And the other reason I transitioned to the adult sphere is slightly more business-related. I was an indie author for nearly ten years and indie YA doesn’t sell to teens (it sells to adults with Kindles and credit cards). Teenagers like physical books they get in bookstores and libraries and my indie titles weren’t available like that. So I had thought if I were to stay indie, I’d need to transition to adult. And alas here we are—the Billie books are my first traditionally-published novels. Moral of the story: no one can plan for anything.

As chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime, what do you love about this organization? How has it helped you grow as a writer, and what advice do you have for new members?

How much space do I have? Sisters in Crime is first and foremost an advocacy organization that began more than thirty-five years ago to support female crime fiction authors who were largely left out of the crime fiction space. Since that time, it has expanded its advocacy mission to include members of all marginalized groups. We’re constantly pushing publishing for more inclusivity. At SinC, “all writers belong.” We welcome all authors, regardless of gender, of all backgrounds in all stages of their writing career. From ‘pen to published’ is what I like to say. We offer craft and business webinars, a large online community, and more than fifty worldwide chapters. We really have everything for everyone.

If you’re a new member, get involved. Join a chapter or volunteer with National. Get into our online community, chat with everyone, or lurk if that’s your thing. I didn’t get involved until six years into my membership, and I’m not sure why I waited so long. I have met my best writer friends through SinC.

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

I turned in the draft for Book 3 in the Billie Levine series. It has an official title I can now share—Make a Killing—and will be out June 2025. In this book, I explore toxic corporate culture. Super fun. I pull no punches. Cover to come soon.

I’m working on some side projects—short stories and a historical mystery that is testing my research chops. And come fall, maybe I’ll write a witchy book that’s been sitting in my brain for a few years. And hopefully more Billie books. I have a stellar idea for her in a fourth installment. We’ll just have to see.

Thanks so much to Kim 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 Betty Webb, whose latest release, The Clock Struck Murder, is a historical mystery starring “American in Paris” Zoe Barlow. (If you think I’m intentionally referencing my favorite Gene Kelly film, you would be correct.)

Set during the 1920 Paris Olympics, this whodunit features a sparkling sleuth, a murdered clock seller, and a lost Chagall painting. In the interview to follow, Betty and I chat about the book, her other series, writing tips, and more.

Connect with Betty on Instagram, Facebook, and her website—where you can nab a free short story with Zoe in Paris. Enjoy an interview discussion with Betty and Poisoned Pen Bookstore here. Grab a copy of The Clock Struck Murder here (signed!) or from your retailer of choice.

Hi Betty, thanks so much for joining! The Clock Struck Murder is the second installment in your Lost in Paris series and is set in 1920s Paris. In this mystery, American expat Zoe Barlow discovers a Chagall canvas wrapped around her newly purchased clock, but when she hunts down the clock seller, she stumbles across a murder. What do you love about Zoe’s character? What elements of her personality make her a great sleuth?

Zoe never gives up. She has flaws, sure, but her virtues—courage, compassion, determination, and creativity—far outweigh her flaws.

The historical setting of the series—specifically, the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris—makes for a glittering backdrop to a deadly mystery. Can you share how you researched this time period? And/or, what about 1920s Paris makes it an interesting setting for this story?

The irony here is that I never intended to include anything about the Olympics. In fact, when I first started the book, I didn’t even know Paris had hosted the 1924 Summer Olympics! I only found out about it when I started researching the history of one particular neighborhood. After I got over my shock, I then researched those particular Olympic games and learned that Johnny Weissmuller (later of “Tarzan” movie fame) had won three gold medals there. I also learned that after those Olympics, Johnny became a genuine hero in his personal life. This information totally changed the book and his appearance in it.

You write two other series: the Lena Jones mysteries, set in Arizona, and the Gunn Zoo mysteries, set in a fictional California zoo. How do these books compare with your Lost in Paris series? Do you have a favorite series to write—or perhaps one that is more challenging than the others?

Asking which series I prefer is like asking which of my children was my favorite! I love them all—the dark Lena Jones books because the plots are not just about murder, they’re about social injustices (polygamy, the abuse of eminent domain, etc.). Halfway through that series, I began the cozy Gunn Zoo books. Another irony here, because I’d planned to locate that series at the Phoenix Zoo, where I was volunteering (I love animals). But after some thought, I decided that the Phoenix Zoo probably wouldn’t appreciate being the location of several grisly murders (however fictional), so I airlifted the entire thing to Monterey Bay, California, and renamed it the Gunn Zoo. But the layout of the fictional zoo is exactly the same as its real-life counterpart.

Now for Zoe’s Paris: I love, love, love Paris and visit as often as I can. To me, Zoe epitomizes the very nature of the Roaring Twenties—creativity, courage, and born to be wild.

A former journalist, you now teach writing at Arizona State University. How does your journalist past influence your fiction writing? And, if you’d like, can you offer any quick writing tips to Cluesletter subscribers?

Actually, I’ve taught creative writing workshops at Arizona State University, Phoenix College, University of Arizona, and at libraries all over the state of Arizona. My journalism background taught me to do my writing first, and only after I’m done can I do other things—like wash the dishes!

I’m retired from journalism now, but when I was still working full time in the newsroom, I’d  get up at 4 am, write on my books until 8 am, then get ready for work. That’s four hours of writing every day, except on the weekends, when I’d write about 6 to 8 hours. As one of my writing students once said, “To be a successful writer, you have to have grit. Creativity alone doesn’t cut it.”

Just as important, though, is something I learned from another journalist. His name was Ernest Hemingway, and he said, “All first drafts are shit.” This is true, and it is very freeing. When you don’t expect your first draft to be “perfect,” you feel freer to take some wild and crazy chances. If your first draft is a lousy read, don’t sweat it. You can fix it in the second draft. And the third. Or however many drafts it may take. Always remember that you can’t fix a blank page.

Lastly, what is on the horizon for you? Do you have more mysteries in progress, and/or anything else exciting to share?

I’ve started a new series which I describe as “Monty Python meets C.S. Lewis.” It’s a comedic takeoff on life after life, and yes, some of the more ghostly characters have been murdered. I’m still writing about Paris, too, so Zoe will have many more adventures in last century’s Roaring Twenties.

Thanks so much to Betty 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 Rob Osler, whose latest release, Cirque du Slay is—surprise!—a circus-themed mystery starring an unlikely group of friends. In the interview to follow, Rob and I talk about his LGBTQ+ ensemble cast, writing humor, his Edgar-award nominated short story, “Miss Direction,” and more.

Connect with Rob on Facebook, X, and his website. Grab a copy of Cirque du Slay from your retailer of choice here.

Hi Rob, it’s great to have you! Cirque du Slay is the second installment in your Hayden & Friends Mysteries series, which features four LGBTQ+ amateur sleuths. In this book, the four unlikely heroes solve a circus-themed murder mystery to clear their frenemy’s name. What do you love about these sleuths? What are the joys and challenges of having multiple sleuths solve a murder mystery?

Although the series’ top billing goes to pint-sized, twenty-five-year-old Hayden McCall, it is very much an ensemble cast. The “Cast Approach” allows for each character to bring their talents forward to solve the mystery. None of them alone could solve the crime. Hollister, Hayden’s bestie, a butch lesbian, is confident and bold and drives the action. Without Hollister, Hayden would be perfectly happy sitting on the sidelines. Burley, whose sexual identity is never clearly defined, delivers the over-the-top comedic humor. Jess, who is introduced in book two, Cirque du Slay, is a trans man and lawyer. Jess is calm in the storm. There is also a straight member of the oddball crime-fighting troop: ninety-one-year-old Jerry. His role in the romp is to serve as the brains of the operation and give Hayden some mature advice and quieter moments to unravel the crime.

Any series requires a recurring cast of characters for whom readers—hopefully!—create attachments. This also gives me more characters to create future plot lines around.

I love the fun and quirky themes of this series. How do you balance humor and mystery into your works? And/or, why do you think it’s important to include fun and eccentric themes in a murder mystery?

Ha! Thanks. I think it’s a stylistic choice for each author. For me, I wrote the series with a humorous bent and with offbeat characters because I enjoy that type of book (along with other flavors of mysteries and thrillers).

I was very intentional that the series’ queer characters be neither victims nor villains.  From Will & Grace to Schitt’s Creek, I love comedic characters who are dialed in and over the top without becoming baffoons. I tried to push them—especially Burley—as far as I could without her becoming ridiculous. I think of Hayden & Friends as humorous fiction as much as mysteries.

Congratulations on your recent nomination for Mystery Writers of America 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Award! Your short story, “Miss Direction,” is up for Best Short Story. What inspired this story? What do you love about short-form mysteries versus full-length novels? (Note: “Miss Direction” is kindly available to read for free via Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.)

Decades ago, American writer John Kennedy Toole wrote A Confederacy of Dunces. The novel went on to become a cult classic and mainstream success and earned Toole a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The story’s main character was like no other I’d read—he was, in a word, bananas. I’ve always wanted to write a character in that vein who was at once quirky (and then some) but also strangely likable. I hope I succeeded in doing that with Miss Direction’s main sleuth, Perry Winkle.

Short stories are a distinct challenge in that, presuming they’re a whodunit as mine are, you have to present the crime and suspects and solve it all within about five thousand words. I enjoy the challenge of compressing all the essentials of a traditional mystery within that constraint. And you might guess, it’s less work than a novel! You reach “THE END” much sooner, which can be satisfying.

Your upcoming series, Harriet Morrow Investigates, set in 19th-century Chicago, introduces an intrepid new detective. Can you share a little bit about this upcoming release, slated for release early next year?

I actually got an update from Kensington, the series’s publisher,  that the pub date for book one in the Harriet Morrow Investigates series, The Case of the Missing Maid, is Christmas Eve 2024! The series is set in 1898 Chicago. Harriet Morrow is hired on a trial basis as the first female operative at the Prescott Detective Agency. Wearing men’s shoes and a bowler hat and conducting her investigation by bicycle, Harriet is in many ways an unconventional young woman—not the least of which is being attracted to women. Determined to prove herself and carve a path for women who might follow, Harriet sets out to solve her first case: a maid has disappeared from a south-side mansion!

Lastly, what else is on the horizon for you? Can you share any projects you’re currently working on, updates on future books, and/or what you’re looking forward to next?

I’m working on book two in the Harriet Morrow Investigates series, tentatively titled The Case of the Murdered Muckraker. I have also just received word that my second short story featuring loveable but bonkers sleuth Perry Winkle, titled “Not the Usual Boy,” will appear in an upcoming edition of—again—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

Thanks so much to Rob 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 am so pleased to welcome Katie Tietjen as today’s featured author. Her debut novel, Death in the Details, is a historical mystery inspired by the mother of forensic science: Frances Glessner Lee’s dollhouse-sized dioramas of true crime scenes helped train homicide investigators in the 1940s.

In today’s interview, Katie and I talk about this inspiration, plus historical research, writing mysteries, and more. (As a note, I’m in the middle of the book, and I’m really, really enjoying it. Cozy, clever, heartfelt, and unique—I think a lot of Cluesletter subscribers will enjoy it.)

Connect with Katie on Instagram, Facebook, and her website. Grab a copy of Death in the Details from your retailer of choice here.

Hi Katie, it’s great to have you! The heroine of your story, Maple Bishop, is a dollhouse maker who has to sell her work after the death of her husband—but Maple’s first customer is found dead, and she uses her skills to recreate the crime scene to help solve the case. What do you love about Maple’s character? What qualities make her a great fictional sleuth?

Thanks so much!

One thing I love about Maple is her unswerving commitment to justice. After the sheriff brushes off her concerns that details at the scene of her customer’s death point to foul play, she refuses to be deterred. Her decision to put her dollhouse-making skills to use in a creative new way really shows her moral compass; initially, her goal is to use her “nutshell” to persuade the sheriff to continue his investigation, but when he refuses, she decides to investigate herself. She’s going to do what she knows is right, even if it causes her to ruffle people’s feathers and even make some enemies along the way.

Death in the Details is inspired by the real-life mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee, who created highly detailed miniature models of crime scenes to help homicide investigations. What prompted you to take inspiration from Lee’s life and work?

I am a Frances Glessner Lee superfan! I think one thing that really grabbed me about her story was her fascinating mashup of the traditionally feminine art of miniature-making with the male-dominated field of forensics. I was lucky enough to get to go see her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death when they were on rare public display at the Smithsonian and I marveled at her craftsmanship and attention to detail. She’s using these scenes to simultaneously tell stories and pose questions; as a viewer, you’re drawn into this tiny world where something has gone terribly wrong, and I think it’s human nature to be curious about that and to want to restore order to the chaos caused by unexpected death.

I immediately had the idea of using the Nutshells to frame a series in which each book centers on a different one of Lee’s miniature scenes. Death in the Details is based on the one called “Barn.”

The book is also a historical mystery, set just after the end of World War Two. Can you tell me a little bit about the historical setting? What kind of research did you do while writing the book?

I decided to set the story in a (fictional) small New England town. I knew I wanted my protagonist to be a person who makes and sells dollhouses, and it seemed like it made sense to put her there rather than, say, in a big city. Also, I live in a small New England town myself, so it was easy for me to imagine Maple in one.

In terms of research, I was lucky enough to get to travel not only to Washington, DC, to see the Nutshells, but also to both of Lee’s former homes that are available to the public: Glessner House Museum in Chicago and to the Rocks estate in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. I’ve read a lot of WWII-era historical fiction, which helped prepare me to write a story set in this era.

As I was drafting, I also did a lot of Googling. One fun thing for me was when I accidentally discovered interesting tidbits that I wasn’t necessarily setting out to learn. Often, these details worked themselves into the book. For example, when I was researching war rationing, I found out that Kraft macaroni and cheese was a popular item during this time; I decided to make Maple a mac ’n cheese aficionado, and she even names her cat after this boxed dinner! In a story with a lot of dark themes, I felt I needed some lighthearted elements like this.

Since this is your debut novel, can I ask what you’ve learned during the writing and publishing process? What advice do you have for new writers, and/or what would you tell your past self when preparing to publish?

I’ve learned so much! One thing that stands out to me is how many kind, generous people gave me feedback, advice, and encouragement along the way. I was lucky to find various communities of writers both online and in person, including Society of Children’s Book Writers and Editors, Sisters in Crime, Pitch Wars, and the 5th Semester. For me, it was important to have people who were more experienced in the writing and publishing world give me guidance both about the craft of writing and about the business/marketing side of the industry.

I think it’s also important to be patient and open to feedback. I treated the whole experience of drafting, revising, and trying to get published as a learning experience, tweaking my approach and strategy when needed. It took me nine months of querying before I signed with my agent, and she didn’t sign me immediately; her first reaction to my query was a rejection with a suggestion to “revise and resubmit.” She gave me a really thoughtful edit letter with her ideas to improve the manuscript, and she was 100 percent correct; I’m extremely glad I put in some extra work and ultimately signed with her.

Lastly, what else are you looking forward to? Do you have any other books, events, and/or other projects on your horizon that you’d like to share?

I’m really excited to have multiple events lined up at public libraries and bookstores in the coming months! You can see a list of them on the events page of my website. Also, I’m working on two manuscripts right now. One is another Maple Bishop book based around a different one of Frances Glessner Lee’s nutshells and the other is a contemporary mystery featuring three librarians as amateur sleuth protagonists.

Thanks so much to Katie 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.