Melinda Di Lorenzo stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fist book in the Trinity Calhoun Mystery series, Can’t Go Home!

Where did you get the inspiration for Can’t Go Home?

This story has been in my head for AGES. It started while I was on a road trip with my family. We were travelling through the mountains when I imagined a small town hidden there—the kind of place designed for secrets. I started telling my husband about it, and before long, I had the whole plot mapped out. That’s a rarity for me, since I prefer not to outline!

What kind of research did you need to do for this story?

As usual, I relied on my police contacts to get (and take liberty with) info about procedure. But since Whimsy is a completely fictional place, I got to let my imagination run wild!

Trinity Calhoun is such a strong female character. Where did you draw inspiration for her? How do you relate to her?

I love Trinity. I love the little voice she has inside her own head, reminding her of the rules while also encouraging her to break them. Trinity is funny. Sure of herself in her work. Unsure of herself in her personal life. She has a soft spot for people from her past. And I’m certain she gets her facetious remarks straight from me.

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

I have two favourite scenes. The first appears on the opening page—the phone call that starts it all. The second is right near the end, so I won’t give it away!

Prologue

A crackle over the line.

“Trinity?”

“Yes?”

“Trinity Calhoun?”

“Asher?”

A too-long moment of silence.

“Professor Phillip? Is…Are you there?”

“Trinity…do you remember Sylvia?” 

A chill.

“You mean Savannah.”

“Yes. Yes, that’s right. Savannah.” A throat clear. “But do you? Remember, I mean.”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Trinity, I need you to come home.”

A pause.

“Home? Asher…”

“Trinity. I need you here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Can you come?”

“I can. But—”

A click.

“Asher? Are you there? Asher?”

Dead air.

What are you currently reading?

My current read is Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens. It also happens to take place in a small mountain town, and like me, Ms. Stevens is a Canadian author.

About the Author

Melinda is an Amazon bestselling author, whose additional work includes titles for The Wild Rose Press, Amazon Encore, and Harlequin. She writes in a range of romance genres, from heart pounding heat, to nail biting suspense, to gutsy adventure.

Melinda lives on the beautiful coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her amazing and quirky daughters and her handsome hero of a husband. When she’s not writing, she can be found curled up with (someone else’s) good book, on the running trail, or at the soccer pitch.

Congratulations to Katherine Cowley whose historical mystery novel, The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, is a finalist in the 15th Annual Whitney Awards!

The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet is a finalist for Best Mystery/Suspense and Best Novel by a Debut Author. Winners will be announced on May 13, 2022. Good luck, Katherine!

We’re so excited that A Long Shadow by H L Marsay is one of Barnes & Noble’s top indie books for the week!

Check it out here!

The Ghostly Tales of York

With over five hundred reports of spooky happenings within our ancient walls, the International Ghost Research Foundation has declared York to be the most haunted city in Europe. Well, when I heard that, I just had to write a book that included some of the city’s most famous ghost stories. A Ghostly Shadow, the third Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery takes place at Halloween and involves several of York’s ghost walkers, the men and women who guide visitors around the city and entertain them with scary and gruesome tales.

Shambles

Two of my ghost walk guides dress up as York’s most infamous sons, Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin, who are both said to haunt the city. Guy Fawkes was born in York. He was a Catholic at a time when King James, a Protestant, was on the throne. Desperate to return the country to the ‘true faith’, Fawkes and his fellow conspirators hatched a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate the king in November 1605. However, they were betrayed and Fawkes was arrested next to the gunpowder in the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster. After being tortured in the Tower of London, he was put to death as a traitor. Now every November 5th we celebrate this event with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy on bonfires. Please note, the only place that does not celebrate is York’s St Peter’s School where Guy was educated – they think it’s bad form to burn an old boy!

A hundred years later, Dick Turpin, the notorious highwayman, suffered a violent death too. Originally from the south of England, he was a thief, who killed a gamekeeper then ran away to York and changed his name to John Palmer. While here, he was arrested for stealing a chicken. From prison he wrote to his family, but by a cruel twist of fate, the postman who delivered the letter was the man who taught Dick to write and recognised his handwriting. When his true identity was revealed, Dick was hanged on the Knavesmire and afterwards his body was put on display in the cellar of the Blue Boar on Castlegate. A replica of his coffin is still there today!

Blue Boar Inn

Perhaps our most famous ghost story takes place at the Treasurer’s House. Originally built to house the man in charge of the Minster’s finances, it eventually became a private home. In the 1950’s, Harry Martindale, an apprentice plumber, was working alone in the cellar. He could hear the sound of a horn being blown, but assumed it was a radio on upstairs. Then he heard the sound of horse’s hooves and a huge carthorse suddenly emerged through the wall behind him. On the horse’s back was a Roman soldier. Harry fell from his ladder in horror and watched as the horse was followed by a procession of other soldiers. Unlike the Hollywood depiction of Romans in red and gleaming gold uniforms, these soldiers were dirty, dishevelled and dressed in green. He could also only see them from the knees up. When telling his story to historians from the university, they confirmed that his description of the soldiers was accurate for the legions who were based in York, but the details he gave were unknown outside academic circles. They also explained that the Via Decumana, the original Roman Road, was buried fifteen inches beneath the cellar floor which was why their lower legs were not visible.

Treasurer’s House

Not far from the Minster and Treasurer’s House, stands the Plague House. The bubonic plague arrived in London in 1665 and soon spread north. A little girl was bricked up inside the house with her parents who had symptoms of the deadly disease, to prevent further contamination. Although she didn’t have the plague herself, the little girl was left to die, with no food or water. Since then, her tear-stained face has been spotted staring out of the window.

The Plague House in the shadow of the Minster  

Those of you who have read A Long Shadow, the first book in my series, may remember that a victim was discovered in Bedern next to one of Shadow’s favourite Italian restaurants. Bedern means college or house of prayer in Anglo-Saxon. It was once home to the Minster’s choral scholars. All that now remains is Bedern Hall, the old refectory or dining room. In the nineteenth century, Bedern Hall was used as a school and workhouse for the city’s orphans. It was run by a man named Pimm, who was more concerned with the money he could make than the welfare of the children in his care. Many of those in his care died of starvation. At first, he buried their bodies but when winter came and the ground became hard, he hid them in a cupboard. Soon the guilt and his drinking drove Pimm mad. His crimes were discovered and he was taken to an asylum. Today it is still claimed that as you walk along Bedern you can hear the sound of children playing, but if you stop and listen, their laughter soon turns to screams.

Bedern Hall today

I hope you’ve enjoyed these ghostly tales of York. If you have, why not come and find me on Facebook where I often post about the weird and wonderful happenings in my home city.

HL Marsay | Facebook

Happy Halloween!

About the Author

H L Marsay always loved detective stories and promised herself that one day, she would write one too. She is lucky enough to live in York, a city full of history and mystery. When not writing, the five men in her life keep her busy – two sons, two dogs and one husband.

Nancy Robards Thompson stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the third book in the Wedding Bell Mysteries series, Ending on a Die Note!

Where did you get the inspiration for Ending on a Die Note?

Hi! Thanks so much for having me on the Tule blog to celebrate the release of ENDING ON A DIE NOTE. It’s the third book in the Wedding Bell Mysteries. My daughter helped me brainstorm this book. We were having lunch at Panera one day (pre-Covid) and I was telling her about my bare-bone ideas and before I knew it, she’d helped me flesh out the story. It was such fun!

How do you feel Maddie and Jenna have grown and changed throughout the Wedding Bell Mysteries series? 

Well, they’ve certainly become more adept at solving murders. LOL! They’ve both experienced a lot of personal growth over the three books…especially in the romance arena. To avoid spoilers, I can’t be too specific, but let’s just say the mystery about Maddie’s husband, the navy pilot who has been missing in action since the start of the series, is finally solved in this book. That, in itself, allows for a lot of growth in both characters.

If you could spend the day with Maddie or Jenna, who would you choose and what would you do? 

I love both of them, but I’d love to talk cozy mysteries and motherhood with Maddie.

Where and when do you get most of your writing done?

I have a cozy office with lots of bookcases and a great big antique desk that my father and step-mother gave me. My office is my sanctuary. I work Monday – Thursday and usually get settled in around 10 a.m. and work until around 5 or 6 p.m. I always have a strict schedule and page quota mapped out so that I know I’m on track to meet my deadlines.

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes. It’s a funny and poignant story about a woman who is starting over after her life falls apart.

About the Author

Award-winning author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.

Winter Austin stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the first book in her Benoit and Dayne Mystery series, The Killer in Me!

Where did you get the inspiration for The Killer in Me?

The Killer in Me started out as an idea about corruption in a small town sheriff’s department. It was originally supposed to be set in Louisiana, but I enjoyed writing the setting in my home state of Iowa when I came back here. It’s unique in the fact that there are so few books out there set in Iowa. And we have plenty of the “good ole boy” network that goes on here that my plot of family-feuds and law enforcement corruption is real enough. Elizabeth Benoit had a slight name change to be who she is, but she’s always been the sheriff who took over with the intent of disrupting that good ole boy system.

What kind of research did you need to do for this story?

I have a full bookshelf of research books on police procedure and autopsy stuff. I belong to a few crime writers’ groups so if I needed something answered I couldn’t find on my own, I have that outlet. But my biggest research came from the connections I have. A long-time friend of mine is an LEO with a local police department, he keeps me as straight and narrow as I can get. For emergency medical situations I tapped the shoulder of a friend who is a veteran and a former Critical Care EMS.

The Killer in Me is my tenth novel in a long line of other books that have military and police characters. I will tap into what I’ve learned in the past to reduce the length of time I need to research. But it really helps to have people who are in the field who can read and help correct you.

Elizabeth Benoit is such a strong female character. Where did you draw inspiration for her? How do you relate to her?

I have a thing for writing strong women, it’s kinda my signature. In fact, my best friend gave me a bracelet that is Morse Code for Kick-Ass because that’s how she sees me.

It’s taken me a long time to grow comfortable in my mindset and be who I really am, believe me that is hard when you’re an Introvert. I was the girl who said enough is enough when the boys were the ones getting to do all the fun things, and stood my ground with them, earning their respect. Exclusion is not part of my language and I’ll be in your face if you pull it on me. What I write about with what Elizabeth, and Lila Dayne, experience are the same things I see and have dealt with during my life.

Elizabeth is every woman I have ever encountered; from military wives and servicewomen to the lady running her own business in a market that is dominated by men. She’s the rancher and farmer who knew when it was time to stand by her man, and when it was time to take the reins and lead. She’s my daughter, who has stood toe to toe with arrogant adults and put them in their place and is paving her way through the world to her own tune.

This is who Elizabeth is for me.

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

I liked writing a lot of the scenes between Elizabeth and her ex-husband, Joel, or Elizabeth with Deputy Rafe Fontaine. Also, those scenes between Lila and Deputy Kyle Lundquist. While this isn’t a novel for romance purposes, you can’t have characters interacting without some kind of romantic elements. But I really liked the ones with Elizabeth and Lila together, showing their dynamics and how Elizabeth becomes sort of a mentor to Lila, despite the fact that Lila has the law enforcement experience.

The best scene between them is when they first meet:

Lila Dayne stood at parade rest, the deep-seated training instinctual, while the woman who held her future in her hands perused the dossier at her leisure. Off in the corner on a chair better suited for the dump, a red and white border collie watched her. Trying to ignore those brown orbs boring holes into her soul, Lila stared at the bare wood paneling above the sheriff’s head. 

Knock, knock, the seventies were calling.

Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit was not what Lila expected. To have a woman sheriff was rare in this country, rarer still in a rural community like Juniper, Iowa. It mattered little to Lila. She needed this job. This deputy position with the Eckardt County department was about as perfect as she could get.

“You have an impressive résumé, Ms. Dayne.” The older woman’s gaze lifted to meet Lila’s. “It would seem taking this deputy position would be a step down from what you were doing in Chicago.”

“Ma’am?”

“You worked in one of the roughest precincts, did a stint with a few narcotics task forces, trained with SWAT, and the coup de grace, you passed your detective exam and worked one year in homicide. So, why come here?”

Because this place gave her the promise of a new start she sorely needed. “Ma’am, if I may, I’m still not comfortable discussing certain private matters.”

Steepling her hands, the sheriff folded her fingers together as she rocked back in her chair. Those piercing dark brown eyes, so like her canine companion’s, roved over Lila, seeming to pick apart the elements that made her whole and find the parts that were missing. Never one to back down, Lila did her own scrutinizing.

Elizabeth Benoit was a tall woman, standing a good five inches over Lila, with rich brown hair that skimmed her shoulders. A gold star glinted over the left pocket of her desert tan uniform top, declaring to all she was top of the food chain. Except for some bits of leaves clinging to her hair and shirt, she was put together with near military precision. A tidbit of knowledge Lila tucked away for future reference.

“For the sake of an argument, I won’t press the matter.” The sheriff tapped the dossier file. “Everything I need is right here. I can study your file and read up on all of your past accomplishments ’til the cows come home. What these papers can’t tell me is what I want to know by listening to you. You have outstanding credentials, a stellar law enforcement career, and you fast-tracked through the ranks in Chicago PD. Eckardt County is by no means a place to advance a career. Especially for a woman.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, ma’am, but you are the sheriff of this county, are you not? Elected by the people to keep them safe? A woman sitting in a position of power normally controlled by men. I’d say that’s a fine career advancement.”

Lila enjoyed watching the warm smile appear on Benoit’s lips.

“That being said, I need to know one thing from you, Ms. Dayne. I need to know where your focus lies.”

“My focus?”

“The deputy whose position you applied for quit. Let’s just say there was a major difference in opinion that caused the man to forsake his career. Before I make any final decisions, I want to hear from you what your intentions are for this job and if Eckardt County is a place you can see yourself living in for a good long while. To be frank, I have no intention of appointing someone who will bail on me the moment things go south.”

On the spot. No holds barred. Everything the dispatcher had mentioned about Elizabeth Benoit was true. Finally, someone who didn’t give a damn about their political rising star and was ready for real police work.

“Ma’am, I firmly believe this position came available at just the right time for you, and for me. I wouldn’t have bought a house here if I wasn’t certain of where I wanted to live. Being from Chicago, there isn’t much I’ve seen or dealt with that makes me turn tail and run. The final decision is yours, but I don’t sense that you’re willing to turn me away.”

What are you currently reading?

I’m in the middle of reading 2 historical mysteries. Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose the first book in her Wrexford & Sloane Mystery series. And A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd the first book in the Bess Crawford mystery series. (At the time of writing this, I just learned that the mother of the duo of Charles Todd, Caroline, had just passed away.)

When I’m writing I tend to stay close to what I write, but not in the same time period. I’ve really gotten interested in books set during the Regency era and the World Wars.

About the Author

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.

A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them.

She is the author of multiple novels.

H L Marsay stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the second book in her Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery series, A Viking’s Shadow!

Where did you get the inspiration for A Viking’s Shadow?

Here in York we are very proud of our Viking heritage. Even our name comes from the Viking word Jorvik. Every February (pre COVID), we hold a Viking festival. People dress up as Vikings, tents are set up in the city’s streets and squares showing demonstrations of skills like weaving and axe throwing and we welcome lots of visitors from Scandinavia. I imagined how much Shadow would hate so much disruption to his daily routine, especially if a crime was committed and he was thrown into the middle of it all.

What kind of research did you need to do for this story?

I spent a lot of time reading about Viking York and also visited Jorvik, the city’s museum dedicated to Viking daily life. It’s an amazing place, but it prides itself on being authentic, right down to the smell. I won’t go into too much detail, but imagine a time when both the fires and sewers were open!

If you could spend the day with John Shadow, your protagonist, what would you two do?

Oh dear, John Shadow isn’t very sociable, but if I could convince him to spend the day with me, food would certainly be involved. We would begin the day with breakfast at Bettys, York’s famous tearooms. Next, if it wasn’t raining, we would take a walk to Museum Gardens or Dean’s Park and Shadow might even let me help him complete his Yorkshire Post crossword. Then it would be time for lunch in one of the city’s many pubs (we have 365, one for each day of the year!). After lunch, we’d take a walk down by the river to Florence, the canal boat where Shadow lives. Hopefully, I could persuade him to tell me about some of his past cases and maybe even talk about Luisa, his lost love. Dinner would be in one of his favourite Italian restaurants, then after all that eating and drinking, I would definitely need to go to sleep.

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

I love writing any scene between Shadow and his deputy, Sergeant Jimmy Chang because they are complete opposites. In a mystery it’s always tricky to choose a snippet that doesn’t contain spoilers, but I think the scene below shows their relationship and personalities, without giving away what happens in the story.

As the pavement was still narrower than usual, Jimmy walked a couple of paces ahead. He looked like he was doing a strange sort of dance, as he swayed from side to side, his long legs sidestepping the many puddles that lay in his path.

“New trainers,” Shadow said, more as an observation than an enquiry. He shuddered to think what his sergeant spent on his footwear. Jimmy nodded.

 “I wouldn’t have worn them if I’d known it was going to be this wet,” he complained.

“Yes, who could possibly have envisaged it would rain during autumn in North Yorkshire?” retorted Shadow as he took another bite of bacon muffin.

They arrived in St Sampson’s Square and came to a halt at the fortune teller’s tent. The outside was already draped with bright yellow police tape, while two uniformed officers patrolled up and down.

“You go in and check what we’ve got,” Shadow said between mouthfuls. He was enjoying his breakfast too much to have it ruined by a beheading or some other gruesome wound. 

Jimmy ducked into the tent. Shadow took his last bite, wiped his fingers, and screwed the napkin into a ball and stuffed it into his pocket.

“It’s okay, Chief. She’s only been strangled,” Jimmy’s voice shouted out loud and clear from inside the tent. An old lady pulling a shopping trolley along behind her looked startled and stopped to stare. Shadow smiled weakly before also ducking into the tent.

What are you currently reading?

I have always loved watching Midsomer Murders and I’ve finally started reading the books the series is based on. The Killings at Badger’s Drift by Caroline Graham is the first book and I’m really enjoying it.

About the Author

H L Marsay always loved detective stories and promised herself that one day, she would write one too. She is lucky enough to live in York, a city full of history and mystery. When not writing, the five men in her life keep her busy – two sons, two dogs and one husband.

InD’tale Magazine reviewed Winter Austin’s The Killer in Me, the first book in her Benoit and Dayne Mystery series!

“Winter Austin is a first-rate suspense author, who uses skillful, twisty storytelling that will entertain readers to the very last page…The twists as the story hits its climax are a slam dunk! Winter Austin’s newest series has the potential to be ranked with Lisa Gardiner and other best-selling authors.”

Check out the full review here!

The Killer in Me by Winter Austin is out on September 14th! Pre-order your copy today!

H L Marsay stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the first book in her Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery series, A Long Shadow!

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