The Mystery of Mysteries
My 18th novel, Shadows of Swanford Abbey has begun releasing into the world. (Official release date is 12/7, but some pre-orders are already being delivered.) Release time is always exciting, as well as nerve-wracking, as we authors wait to see how a new book will be received.
My publisher describes the novel as “Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen,” which I have to say I love since I greatly admire both of those authors. Weaving together a convincing whodunit wasn’t easy but I enjoyed the challenge. I hope you enjoy it as well.
I was recently asked by an interviewer, “Why did you decide to dip your toes into the mystery world?”
One of the reasons is that I love a brain puzzle. My Dad was a super-smart man who excelled at crossword puzzles and Sudoku and even created treasure hunt clues for parties. I don’t pretend to be as smart as he was, but my brain enjoys a puzzle as well.
Also, in a quest to find audiobooks and televisions shows that my husband and I would both enjoy, we began listening to mystery audiobooks on car trips, including titles by Agatha Christie. We also watched several seasons of Christie’s Hercule Poirot and other British mysteries. (Our own D’Ann Mateer wrote about her love of mysteries earlier in the month. If you missed it, you can read her post here.) Somewhere along the line, I was struck with the idea of trying a “locked door” mystery myself (when a person locked alone in a room is killed and no one can figure out how). And being a writer, I was intrigued with the idea of the victim being an author who is perhaps not all that his public persona appears to be.
Here’s a description:
The book is about a young woman staying at a Medieval abbey-turned-hotel, rumored to be haunted. There, Rebecca Lane begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey’s cloisters. She also encounters Sir Frederick—magistrate, widower, and former neighbor—who long ago broke her heart. When an author is murdered, the two work together to solve the mystery. Sir Frederick quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something….
What about you? Are you a mystery reader, too? Do you have any favorite series or show to recommend?
