I seem to be choosing books by authors who’ve crossed over to new genres lately, I’m not sure why I would possibly do that! Lol. Yet each one I’ve chosen to read, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the fresh outlook and writing styles. Today is no different. From women’s fiction to mystery, Abbi Waxman has transitioned into the genre with her unique creation of unconventional characters her fans adore. Mystery readers can’t help but come to love her books as well. I know I have!
Kym: Welcome to The Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction, Abbi!
Abbi: I am so happy to be here, thanks so much!
Kym: When I read the blurb for your new release, ONE DEATH AT A TIME, I had to
read and then seeing that you live in LA, I seriously wondered if it was inspired by headline
after headline. LOL. Did local headlines inspire your characters and their bizarre-too-
strange-to-be-fiction adventures?
Abbi: Los Angeles inspires me every day, but mostly because it’s filled with amazing people living their dream and working towards it. Sure, there’s also a fair amount of craziness, but generally the city feels optimistic and enthusiastic, and I try to get that across in my books. There’s always something bananas going on here, I love it.
Kym: I think all of us can relate to bananas right now;) You’ve skirted around mystery elements in some of your previous novels, but ONE DEATH AT A TIME is your first true mystery. What made you hop genres from women’s fiction to mystery?
Abbi: It’s funny, mysteries are my first love, so I always wanted to write one. ONE DEATH AT A TIME was first written over a decade ago, and it’s taken a long time for it to have its moment to shine. My mom was a murder mystery writer, so I grew up surrounded by the genre, and it’s still my happy place, reading-wise. I just finished the second MASON AND MANN MYSTERY, and I’m hoping to write many more!
Kym: Awesome news for us mystery lovers! What was the hardest part of the transition for you?
Abbi: Plotting has never been my strongest suit as a writer, I feel more comfortable with character and dialog, that kind of thing. So I had to work very hard to plot a mystery, and I had a lot of help from friends and colleagues along the way. Definitely a group effort.
Kym: Julia is an ex-con, ex-actress and a jailhouse barrister who suffers from drunk
blackouts and is accused of killing her long-time enemy. (Who needs a spouse as a suspect
when you’ve got Julia!) She is the perfect suspect for the murder—except she’s
innocent—maybe—with a loudmouth partner in solving the crime, her AA
sponsor/assistant Jane of all trades. The story is hilarious and the characters are loveable,
in their own obnoxious ways. How did you keep up with formulating the shenanigans
these two create?
Abbi: I always start every book with characters, that’s what I focus on. I try to get them very solidly in my head (Who are they as people? What do they do when they’re alone? What do they eat and read? What motivates them to get up every day?) and then the action and behavior comes very naturally as I’m writing. They just do what they would do, it makes it much easier.
Kym: I love the Thelma and Louise vibe of these two characters, except they actually live at
the end of the story—Yay! Will we see more of Julia Mann and Natasha Mason? Please?
Abbi: Yes! The second one will come out next year, and I’m hoping to get to write more. I love these characters.
Kym: You’re known for your quirky FRIENDS type cast of characters who are a bit more
eclectic but just as entertaining like in your books ADULT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, AND
OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES. Do you have a similar group of characters in your everyday
life?
Abbi: I am very fortunate to have a group of close friends that share their lives with me, and I speak to several every day. My friendships are the most important source of joy in my life, after my kids (and books and movies, lol….and cake).
Kym: Cake! Yes cake can be inspiring;) Do you have a favorite cozy corner you like to curl up and read in?
Abbi: I like to read in the hammock in my garden…it’s early spring now and it’s starting to get warm enough (and the hammock is drying out from the rain of winter) so I’m pretty excited. I had my first hammock read only the other day!!
Kym: OMG, that a perfect spot! What are you working on now? (Another adventure with Julia and Natasha, please?)
Abbi: Currently waiting to start on edits on MASON AND MAN Two, and after that who knows?
Kym: Where can our readers find you on the web?
Abbi: Instagram is the only social media I really do, and I’m spotty in terms of posting… but I’m on it every day, and readers can reach me there or through my website. I’m on IG and my website.
Kym: Thank you for joining us on the Cozy Corner!
Abbi: Thank YOU for having me!
Until next month when Mary Lee Ashford joins us at the Cozy Corner to talk about her upcoming release, NIGHT OF THE LIVING BREAD, get cozy and read on!
A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.
When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.
As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.
Mystery [Berkley, On Sale: April 15, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593816677 / eISBN: 9780593816684]
An Action-Packed Hollywood Mystery with Fierce, Unapologetic Heroines
A modern day whodunit
Abbi Waxman is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman, who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, three dogs, three cats, and one very patient husband.
Kym Roberts writes by day and is a pro-surfer in her dreams by night. Her humor is often raunchy, her jokes are often bad, but her hunger for a story keeps the adventures coming fast. Experience the thrill & catch the wave of passion, mystery, and suspense with her on her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
Her debut historical romance novel in The Scandalous Sisters series,THE RUINED DUCHESS releases April 2025 under the pseudonym Helene Matheson.
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