Carla Neggers | Ireland, Suspense and DECLAN'S CROSS

No one does Ireland like New York Times bestselling author and cooking enthusiast, Carla Neggers. So, in honor of her exciting new release, DECLAN'S CROSS (HQN Books), set in an idyllic village on the South Irish Coast, Carla shares her favorite Irish recipe.

"This is my own recipe, created after trying a half-dozen different versions -- it most resembles my favorite rhubarb crumble served by a small restaurant on the southwest Irish coast." - Carla

Rhubarb Crumble

You will need:

About 4 cups of rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/8 tsp salt

12 to 14 T. butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a glass or ceramic baking dish and add the cut-up rhubarb.

2. Sprinkle to taste with 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar (as much as 2 cups if you have a sweet tooth!).

3. Combine remaining sugar, flour, oats and salt. (You can use just flour or any combination of oats and flours to make about 2 cups).

4. Cut in butter until you have a coarse meal (you'll still have small pieces of butter).

5. Sprinkle over the rhubarb-sugar mixture and bake for about an hour or until the rhubarb is fully cooked and the "crumble" is brown.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with whipped cream.

Tell us a little bit about your upcoming release, DECLAN'S CROSS?

I loved writing this book! I know I always say that, but DECLAN'S CROSS is set (mostly) in Ireland, one of my favorite places. FBI agents Emma Sharpe, an art crimes expert, and Colin Donovan, a deep-cover operative, are in Ireland to decompress and get to know each other better. It's November, cold, dark, wet, totally romantic. Toward the end of their stay, they get word that Julianne Maroney, a marine biologist from Colin's hometown in Maine, is on her way to the tiny Irish village of Declan's Cross. Alarm bells go off for the two agents. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could visit, why Declan's Cross? It's where an elusive, daring art thief first struck ten years ago. When Julianne's new friend disappears, Emma and Colin are drawn into a deadly race to find a killer.

Where do you do most of your writing? Do you have a certain place that inspires you most?

I do most of my writing in my office at our house on our hilltop in Vermont. I look out at a huge old maple tree on the edge of the woods. Great view when I need to think! But I don't stay in my office. I migrate to other parts of the house, local cafes...and Ireland. Ireland is an incredible place to write.

How did your own trip to Ireland inspire this book? What inspired you most?

When I started thinking about DECLAN'S CROSS, I knew that Emma and Colin were taking a break in Ireland. What could go wrong? I had no idea but I knew that something would! Then my husband and I visited Ardmore, a lovely village in the heart of Saint Declan country on the south Irish coast...and I got to thinking what if Emma's grandfather, a renowned art detective, had investigated an unsolved Irish art theft, and what if an American with no apparent connection to the theft disappeared? Throw in Julianne Maroney, the hotheaded marine biologist with an on/off relationship with Colin's lobsterman brother, Andy, and DECLAN'S CROSS started taking shape.

What enticed you to switch over from contemporary romance to romantic suspense?

I'm all about getting the story that's in my head onto the page. My Sharpe & Donovan novels are about two FBI agents who grew up within a few miles of each other on the southern Maine coast but in very different worlds. Their relationship and their work are at the heart of SAINT'S GATE, HERON'S COVE and now DECLAN'S CROSS.

What are you working on next?

I'm deep into HARBOR ISLAND, my next Sharpe & Donovan novel! Emma and Colin are back in Boston when Emma is lured to the body of a model for a well-known Irish artist.

About the Author

Carla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels. A magna cum laude graduate of Boston University and popular teacher of writing workshops across the country, Carla is known for her unique blend of humor, romance and suspense. She started writing as a child — she'd climb trees or hide in her closet to escape her six brothers and sisters.

Although named for her Dutch grandmother and raised by her Dutch-born father and southern mother, Carla has lived her entire life in the northeast. She and her husband live in a house they renovated not far from picturesque Quechee Gorge in Vermont.

About DECLAN'S CROSS

An escape to an idyllic Irish seaside village is about to turn deadly in this riveting new novel by master of romantic suspense Carla Neggers

For marine biologist Julianne Maroney, two weeks in tiny Declan's Cross on the south Irish coast is a chance to heal her broken heart. She doesn't expect to attract the attention of FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan especially—since a Donovan is the reason for her broken heart.

Emma and Colin are in Ireland for their own personal retreat. Colin knows he's a reminder of everything Julianne wants to escape, but something about her trip raises his suspicion. Emma, an art crimes expert, is also on edge. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could choose...why Declan's Cross?

Ten years ago, a thief slipped into a mansion in Declan's Cross. Emma's grandfather, a renowned art detective, investigated, but the art stolen that night has never been recovered and the elusive thief never caught.

From the moment Julianne sets foot on Irish soil, everything goes wrong. The well-connected American diver who invited her to Ireland has disappeared. And now Emma and Colin are in Declan's Cross asking questions.

As a dark conspiracy unfolds amid the breathtaking scenery of Declan's Cross, the race is on to stop a ruthless killer...and the stakes have never been more personal for Emma and Colin.

Watch Video