Interviews

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.

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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 . . .

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.