1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE KIND TO KILL
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Former NYPD detective Shana Merchant is a skilled Senior Investigator keeping New York’s beautiful Thousands Islands community safe. But she’s also bound by blood to a serial killer – and after months of concealing the truth from the world as she hunted Blake Bram down, her secret is finally out.
Shana’s not to blame for the killer in her family, but people are starting to whisper that she attracts trouble. That A-Bay was safer before she arrived. And as her investigation into a missing tourist deepens, Shana starts to fear that they may be right. Because while Bram is gone, he is far from forgotten.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
All of the books in my Shana Merchant series are set in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York, and I incorporate real-life islands and villages into the stories. THE KIND TO KILL plays out between an island that’s home to an abandoned mansion, and the town of Alexandria Bay, NY. I reimagined that dilapidated mansion as a posh inn, but the town’s pirate-themed street festival that features in the book is entirely real (and a must-see event if you’re ever in the area).
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Definitely. Readers often tell me they’d like to spend time with Shana too, which is the biggest compliment. She has her share of flaws and scars, but she’s incredibly loyal and would make a great friend.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Clever, headstrong, empathetic.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Because the pirate festival that plays a role in THE KIND TO KILL is rooted in historical fact, I learned a fair bit about “river pirates,” 19th century smugglers, and why some of them are still revered today.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I have always edited as I write. I think that’s because I find mistakes so distracting. I just can’t resist fixing obvious errors and plot holes as I go.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
If I’m going all-out, I’ll have buttered popcorn with champagne.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I usually write in my attic office. When my husband and I bought a very old house in Connecticut, renovating the unfinished third-floor attic topped our to-do list. I love the high ceilings and views of the whole neighborhood.
10--Who is an author you admire?
There are so many! I’m in awe of writers like Tana French and Jane Harper.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
LORD OF THE FLIES was one of the first thrillers I read as a teen, and I can still remember how on-edge it made me feel. I wanted to create that same kind of visceral reaction with my own writing.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
After years of being on submission with a number of other thrillers, the offer for the first book in my series (DEATH IN THE FAMILY) came really quickly. I couldn’t believe how fast everything moved after that. I had two books come out in 2020, and am publishing another two this year.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Literary mystery.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
I love the movie Clue!
15--What is your favorite season?
Fall – no question about it.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I usually do dinner and a movie with my husband and kids.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I just read and enjoyed Ruth Ware’s THE IT GIRL and Catherine Ryan Howard’s RUN TIME.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Japanese.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I’ve been taking martial arts classes for a few years now and am close to getting my brown belt. When I have free time (that isn’t devoted to reading), I try to take some extra classes.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m currently working on the fifth Shana Merchant novel. EARLY GRAVE will be out in late 2023!
A Shana Merchant Novel #4
A missing tourist spells trouble for Senior Investigator Shana Merchant in this page-turning twisty mystery set in an atmospheric island community with a small-town vibe.
Former NYPD detective Shana Merchant is a skilled Senior Investigator keeping New York's beautiful Thousands Islands community safe. She's a loving partner. A strong woman. A survivor.
She's also bound by blood to a serial killer. And after months of concealing the truth from the world as she hunted Blake Bram down, her secret is finally out.
Shana just wants to get on with her life and win back her community's trust. But as Alexandria Bay fills up with tourists in advance of the annual festival known as Pirate Days, a visitor goes missing, and the case threatens to destroy not just the celebrations, but what remains of Shana's reputation.
Shana's not to blame for the killer in her family, but people are starting to whisper that she attracts trouble. That A-Bay was safer before she arrived. And as the investigation deepens, Shana starts to fear that they may be right.
Because while Bram is gone, he is far from forgotten.
The Shana Merchant novels are a brilliant blend of chilling psychological thriller and gripping police procedural, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Thousand Islands. A perfect pick for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley and Louise Penny.
Thriller Police Procedural | Thriller Psychological | Mystery Woman Sleuth [Severn House, On Sale: December 6, 2022, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781448307135 / ]
Tessa Wegert is the author of the Shana Merchant series of mysteries, which includes Death in the Family, The Dead Season, and Dead Wind. A former freelance journalist, Tessa’s work has appeared in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Adweek, The Economist, and The Globe and Mail. Tessa grew up in Quebec, where she earned a degree in Communication Studies, and now lives with her husband and children in Coastal Connecticut.
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