1--What is the title of your latest release?
A NEWLYWED’S GUIDE TO FORTUNE AND MURDER
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Frances is thrown into a dastardly intrigue surrounding the elderly and wealthy Lady Wingate. Since her husband’s death, Lady Wingate hasn’t left the house for months. Her friend, Lady Esther, is convinced one of the woman’s stepchildren is drugging her and tapping into her fortune. Her niece, Kate, is about to enter high society and stands to gain an inheritance upon her aunt’s death. Is she trying to hasten that death? Frances teams up with Aunt Hetty, Lady Esther, and Lady Wingate to prove it’s never wise to underestimate the power and cunning of a woman, whatever her age.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
George was injured in the preceding book, so I knew he and Frances would have to remain in London while he healed.
4--Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life?
Yes, but I’d rather hang out with Frances in her fictitious life! Maybe she can introduce me to Victorian London Society.
5--What are three words that describe your sleuth?
Compassionate, proper, wickedly clever.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Quite a bit about Laudanum, which is a form of opium. By 1900, when the book is set, it was already recognized as dangerous and could only be sold by registered chemists. It was prescribed for a multitude of ailments however, so it wasn’t unusual to have a bottle around the house. In reading historical newspapers, I found “death by laudanum” to be surprisingly common. I also learned in my research that doctors could be persuaded to sign a death certificate without ever looking at the body. Which, of course, led me to wonder how many of those “deaths” were actually murders.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I wait until I’m totally done and go back to the beginning. Several times.
8--What’s your favorite food indulgence?
Pizza.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
My husband and I are snowbirds, which means I have two offices. The one in Arizona is just a small area off the bedroom. It’s bright, airy, and I can look out the window at palm trees and mountains. However, it’s the first room off the hallway so I have to keep it at least somewhat tidy. It’s also way too easy for my husband to come in and distract me. In Michigan I work in the large second floor room of our bungalow, which doubles as a spare bedroom. I still have to keep it clean, but my husband tends to stay at the foot of the stairs and talk to me, giving me the advantage of saying, “I can’t hear you!” Cruel? Maybe, but writing time is sacred.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Jane Austen, who taught me that every-day people are the most interesting. See below.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
Pride and Prejudice. I read it at age eleven or twelve and I’m embarrassed to admit it was the first time I realized that normal people in the past were a lot more interesting than the historical figures I learned about in school. Even though P&P was contemporary when it was written it ignited my love of history and historical fiction.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)
I missed the call! The message from my agent just said call me! So I did. I caught her running to catch her train. Mostly I remember being speechless and hearing her heels hit the pavement as she relayed the details.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Historical mystery, which is why I chose to write in that genre.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
I don’t know if I can choose a favorite, but I will never not watch The Women if it comes on the TV. (the play is even better)
15--What is your favorite season?
Autumn in Michigan is glorious! And my favorite season.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Usually quietly - but there must be cake.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. I know it isn’t that recent, but it’s the best thing I’ve seen in a long time!
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Italian
19--What do you do when you have free time?
If I have a little free time, I’ll read or garden. If I have a lot, I’ll travel.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
It’s the summer of 1900. Visitors are flocking to Paris for the World Exposition. Frances and George go too. And of course, murder follows!
Countess of Harleigh Mystery #6
Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, and Tasha Alexander, a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an independent female lead, and rich historical detail from the acclaimed and Agatha Award-winning author.
With her new husband George busy on a special mission for the British Museum, Frances has taken on an assignment of her own. The dowager Viscountess Wingate needs someone to sponsor her niece, Kate, for presentation to Queen Victoria. Frances—who understands society’s quirks and constraints as only an outsider can—is the perfect candidate.
Kate is charming and intelligent, though perhaps not quite as sheltered as she might first appear. More worrying to Frances is the viscountess’s sudden deterioration. The usually formidable dowager has become shockingly frail, and Frances suspects someone may be drugging her. The spotlight falls on Kate, who stands to inherit if her aunt passes, yet there are plenty of other likely candidates within the dowager’s household, both above and belowstairs.
Joining forces with her beloved George, Frances comes to believe that the late viscount, too, was targeted. And with the dowager seeming to be in greater danger every day, they must flush out the villain before she follows in her husband’s footsteps, directly to the grave . . .
Mystery Historical [Kensington Books, On Sale: June 27, 2023, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781496731623 / ]
Dianne Freeman is the author of the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. She is an Agatha Award and Lefty Award finalist, as well as a nominee for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award from Mystery Writers of America. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now live the endless summer, splitting their time between Michigan and Arizona.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy