What is the title of your latest release?
GRACE & JO HAVE NEVER SOLVED A MURDER
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
When artist Garrett Baros is killed, his former assistant and his widow take investigating his murder into their own hands.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
My debut isn’t just the first book I’ve had published, but the first book I’ve ever attempted to write. I wanted to use a setting that I was familiar with without it being the city I lived in, in case I wanted to set a later more personal story in Pittsburgh. Philadelphia made sense because I understood the culture, weather, environment, etc. Plus, for the story to work I needed a city larger than Pittsburgh, but didn’t want to jump to commonly used cities like New York or LA.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely! She appreciates a good trash TV binge, loves tiramisu, and is never the most athletic woman in a workout class. Plus, she’s incredibly loyal, which is important to me as a person and also as a Taurus.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Honest, cautious, and witty.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I had to teach myself how to even WRITE the book. I’d written professionally before as a copywriter, but I’d never written something the length of a novel. I listened to Save the Cat and looked up different ways to plot and came up with strategies that worked for me.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
My writing is not linear, so I sort of have to edit as I go along. I will write out the major scenes in my head to start, and then I link them together. Often, I will need to change details to make this work. I consider myself not a pantser or plotter, but a puzzler.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Lately it’s been the Stellar Snacks Bold & Herby Pretzel Braids! They serve them on Southwest flights, and they recently started selling them at Target. I get several bags at a time because they’re so addicting.
Describe your writing space/office!
Terribly messy? I think my office is where my ADHD is most evident. It’s a storage space for craft items and things I need to sell on Facebook marketplace and things I need to donate. My kids tend to come in and set things on my desk, so in addition to my messy paperwork, several notebooks, ARCs, and personal paperwork, I also have several stuffed animals and homemade squishies. Across from my desk is a push pin wall where I’ve mapped books out, but I am working out my latest book in a spreadsheet, so it’s pretty barren. Luckily, I do have a dedicated office space that I hope to clean once my kids are in school. (I’m typing this in August.)
Who is an author you admire?
I’ve enjoyed absolutely everything I’ve read from Fredrik Backman and Charmaine Wilkerson. I just think they are both fantastic writers and storytellers. I also really love Grady Hendrix, who single-handedly got me into reading horror. I was lucky enough to get a blurb for my book from Charlaine Harris, and I can’t even tell you how much respect I have for her. She’s written across genres and in completely different styles in the same genre and has nailed it every time. I have SO MUCH admiration for writers who support other writers, so I also need to mention Toni L.P. Kelner, Alex Erickson, Beth Cato, who also blurbed the book. I hope to pass on their kindness one day.
Is there a book that changed your life?
I don’t know if there is any book that has changed the way I live my daily life, but books that I think about a lot are MARGOT’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe and WELLNESS by Nathan Hill.
For Margot, I felt like the book did something I’d never seen before; the premise felt sort of ridiculous and yet you related so much to the characters even if you had very little in common with them. In the end it was such a smart, unique story.
In WELLNESS, there is a chapter where the main character breaks down how his father went from a casual social media user to being a regular in online extremist groups. It was the first time that I’d ever seen someone break down, step by step, how very innocent internet usage to lead to someone spreading lies and hate online. The book doesn’t make excuses for people like this, but it does help you understand it better. I tell people about this chapter all of the time.
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.
My first time on sub was extremely unusual, in that my offer came in on day eight. My agent had emailed me that he potentially had good news from an editor we’d submitted to, and the next day he called me to tell me we got an official offer. I’d told myself it would take months, so having everything happen so quickly was a shock.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I read a lot of book club, upmarket, literary, and mystery. I also enjoy a good horror as long as there is humor mixed in.
What’s your favorite movie?
I always have a hard time nailing down favorites because they are very dependent on my mood. My top answers are typically 10 Things I Hate About You, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Princess Bride, Back to the Future, and Forrest Gump. These are movies I can re-watch a million times. I also have a soft spot for Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, and Inside Out.
What is your favorite season?
Fall! Hands down, no question. I don’t like any extreme temperature, and on a perfect day I could wear jeans and a sweater and feel comfortable. I love taking my kiddos trick-or-treating, going to the pumpkin patch, and yes, drinking pumpkin spice lattes. I’m proudly basic.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I always spend the actual day of my birthday with my husband and my two kids, when they don’t have school. We will typically do an activity of my choice and I get to pick dinner. Sometimes I ask for a break to go thrifting alone. And I always try to do something with my friend group as well. We have a great winery near us called Narcissi and that’s a favorite spot for me. I also enjoy going to our local Board & Brush and painting our own home décor products.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
My favorite ongoing show is Only Murders in the Building, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. My husband and I are watching The Boroughs miniseries right now, but I’ll have to get to the end to know if I truly recommend it. We just saw the new Spiderman, which our whole family loved. I also really enjoyed Voicemails for Isabelle. It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen a rom-com that good. My go-to podcast is The Shit They Don’t Tell You About Writing, particularly the Shooting the Shit episodes. I’ve spent a lot of this year reading final copies and ARCs of fellow debuts and some of the mysteries I’ve enjoyed are THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CLUB by Jackie McMahon, THE OXFORD GUIDE TO SCANDAL AND LIES by Kate Westbury, A KILLER FOR CHRISTMAS by Kim Harrington, and IT HAPPENED ONE MURDER by Liz Lawson.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I’m not incredibly picky, so as long as I don’t have to eat peas, olives, or most seafoods, I’m in! I probably pick Mediterranean, sushi, Italian, and Mexican the most. I grew up in middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania with some picky eaters, so I really didn’t get a lot of food diversity until I was an adult. I’m sure I have favorite foods I’ve never even heard of yet.
What do you do when you have free time?
Reading and thrifting are my two biggest hobbies. I enjoy shopping in general, and I love finding a great deal.
What can readers expect from you next?
Unfortunately, I can’t share anything at the moment about my next projects, but my long-term goal is just to continue to write stories with elements of mystery and humor. I’m in it for the long haul, as long as readers will have me!
They're not detectives. They're just two millennials with a murder to solve. A funny and wholesome mystery, perfect for fans of the Finlay Donovan series.
After discovering her boss, Garrett's, dead body, Grace is ready to pack up her things and move back home. Until his widow, Jo, shows up and offers Grace a job as her assistant.
The catch? Jo only wants assistance with one thing: solving her husband's murder.
Armed with Jo's creative "crime board" and various disguises, these two millennial women might just give the police a run for their money.
After all, how hard can solving a murder really be?
Mystery Cozy | Mystery Woman Sleuth | Mystery Amateur Sleuth [ Watkins Publishing, On Sale: October 13, 2026, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781917415309 / eISBN: 9781917415316 ]
Jess Mey is a writer and member of the late-ADHD-diagnosis club. She has a degree in journalism and public relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Jess left her job as a marketing copywriter in 2017 to be a stay-at-home mom, freelancing in her spare time (when she had a break from reading “The Little Blue Truck” to her son for the 238th time). When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her at the thrift store, planning a vacation, or playing The Sims 4, all while drinking iced coffee, no matter the season. Jess lives in the Pittsburgh suburbs with her husband, two children, and their corgi, Clementine.
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