Jennifer Vido: What is the premise behind the Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series?
Kate Collins: After a tough divorce, Chicago investigative reporter Athena Spencer returns to her roots in the tourist town of Sequoia, Michigan, to live with her big, noisy Greek family in the rambling family home. Named after the fabled goddess of war and wisdom, Athena takes a job at the family’s garden center on Greene Street, where she encounters a mysterious stranger who entangles her in a murder mystery. Her love of investigating catapults her into danger, and her success at capturing a killer earns her the title of Goddess of Greene Street. The stories have mystery, mayhem, romance, and lots of fun thanks to Athena’s crazy Greek family.
Let’s talk about your latest installment, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE GREEKTOWN. Please share with us the inspiration behind this new caper.
The murder mystery in this book centers around a photographer who shows up at the town’s art festival on Lake Michigan to take photos for the local newspaper and is found dead on the dunes with his camera missing. My inspiration for this plot came after I attended a fund-raising art fair crowded with shoppers. I had recently been on a nature hike in the Indiana Dunes State Park and imagined what would happen if a body was found on the dunes near an art fair and the chaos that would ensue. And then I began constructing a story around it, as I usually do when inspiration hits.
What role does Athena’s family play in the story?
Athena’s family gives not only substance and reality to Athena’s life but also serves as comedic relief, with one of her three sisters thinking she’s psychic and a nosy Greek mama whose goal in life is to see her daughters marry “good Greek boys.” Having married a Greek-American myself, I witnessed first-hand how big, noisy, and crazy a Greek family can be – and how fun. And as an added fun element, three of the sisters are named after Greek goddesses and one after the Oracle of Delphi.
Sneak peek! Are you currently at work on your next mystery?
I am! And this one is really special because (spoiler alert) it’s going to be a crossover story involving the characters of The Goddess of Greene St. mysteries and the main characters in my Flower Shop mysteries. I’m having a lot of fun writing it and I can’t wait for my loyal Flower Shop readers to read it.
What’s the best way for readers to stay connected with you?
There are several ways: Facebook, Instagram, my website, and by signing up for my newsletter, which only comes out before a book release. The newsletter also has contests with chances to win lots of free books. Here are the links:
Facebook
Instagram
My Newsletter
Website
Thank you for stopping by to chat with our readers. Happy Holidays!
And a very Happy Holiday to you and all your readers. I hope everyone enjoys BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE GREEKTOWN.
A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery #3
In a tourist town on Lake Michigan, Athena Spencer keeps busy raising a son (and a pet raccoon named Oscar) while working at her family’s garden center. But sometimes, she also has to get the dirt on a murderer, in the new series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Flower Shop Mysteries . . .
Athena has invited Case Donnelly, recently relocated from Pittsburgh and awaiting his PI license, to accompany her to a Save Our Dunes fundraiser and art festival. And her date proves helpful when the body of a disgraced photographer turns up during a nature walk.
The crime—and the photos taken by the dead man—raise a lot of questions about local politics, environmental battles, and the victim’s womanizing ways. As Athena’s endearing Greek-American family strives to solve a mystery of their own (uncovering the identity of Athena’s anonymous blog), she and Case try to find the tangled roots of this murder and make sure there’s no sanctuary for a killer . . .
Mystery Cozy [Kensington, On Sale: November 30, 2021, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781496724373 / eISBN: 9781496724380]
Kate Collins is the author of the national best–selling Flower Shop Mystery series. Her books have made the New York Times Extended Bestseller List, Barnes & Noble best–seller lists, the Independent Booksellers best–sellers lists, as well as lists in Australia and England. All of Kate's mysteries are available in print, digital, and large–print editions both in the U.S. and in the UK. Kate's historical romances are also available in digital format at Amazon, B&N, and other e–book sellers. Kate lives in Northwest Indiana and Key West, Florida.
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Jennifer Vido is best known for her nationally syndicated Jen's Jewels author interview column. A savvy book blogger she dishes the scoop on the latest happenings in the publishing business. As a national spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation, she has been featured by Lifetime Television, Redbook, Health Monitor, The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, Healthguru.com, and Arthritis Today. She is the author of the Piper O’Donnell Mystery series. Currently, she lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and two sons.
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