Lucy Burdette: I invited my fellow Mystery Lovers Kitchen blogger, Linda Wiken aka Essie Lang, to meet you all on JRW. I knew you'd want to hear about TROUBLE ON THE BOOKS, her brand new book out this week from Crooked Lane Books. Instead, two characters showed up...what else are you going to do with unexpected guests? A great big JRW welcome to all of you!
J.J. Tanner here. I’m the event planner who’s a closet foodie, from the Dinner Club Mysteries by Linda Wiken. And today, I want to introduce Shelby Cox, the newest main character from our author. It’s a brand new series, the Castle Bookshop Mysteries, out this month from Crooked Lane Books. Book #1 is called Trouble on the Books and the author’s name is Essie Lang. Psst…that’s really Linda Wiken. Ergo, we share the same author.
J.J.: Shelby, what’s a modern gal like you doing in a century-old castle?
Shelby: Taking care of business. You see, my aunt and I own Bayside Books. The main store is in Alexandria Bay, NY and our seasonal store is on Blye Island, in the Thousand Islands. And, Blye is the home of Blye Castle. It was built by some transplanted Brits at the turn of the century – the 19th century.
J.J.: Wow, sounds romantic. So, what do you like the best about it?
Shelby: As you said, it is a romantic setting with lots of old oak panelling, ornate moldings, large windows, sweeping staircase, stunning lawn and gardens…there’s even a Grotto with a mysterious past.
J.J.: What about ghosts? Surely there has to be a ghost.
Shelby: We have one, that I know of, not that I’ve seen him. He was a former owner, Joe Cabana, a mobster and rum runner in the days of Prohibition.
J.J.: Hm, sounds like he could be trouble. Anyone else on that list?
Shelby: Trouble? Well, there’s this guy, Zack Griffin, who’s a Coast Guard Investigative Service agent. He says he’s not involved. In the case, I mean. But he keeps popping up.
J.J.: Are you blushing? Don’t worry, we all have one of those guys in our stories. So, is there a downside?
Shelby: Oh, definitely. It’s the bodies. I mean, murder has no business in such an awesome spot! Right?
J.J.: Tell us a bit about the story.
Shelby: Well, here’s what my author says. Shelby Cox has the ideal job, in the ideal location…except for the dead body! Although she hadn’t known the victim very long, and it wasn’t an ideal relationship, Shelby searches for the killer, hoping to get those she cares about off the police chief’s hook. All that while she’s running the seasonal bookstore in the legendary Blye Castle on Blye Island, part of the Thousand Islands. And then there’s the frustrating but oh, so sexy Coast Guard agent. Shelby has to re-shape all she knows about herself and her future as she takes on the murderer, before she’s next on the list.
Essie/Linda is offering a copy of her new book to one lucky reader. Leave a comment for a chance to win: Have you come across a place that would make the perfect location for a murder mystery?
Linda Wiken has written series as three people: the Dinner Club Mysteries as herself; the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries as Erika Chase; and now, the Castle Bookshop Mysteries as Essie Lang. She was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada for Best Short Story. She is a former mystery bookstore owner, chorister, and cat lover.
Visit Linda, Essie and Erika at www.lindawiken.com
On Twitter @EssieLang19
On Facebook Linda Wiken & Essie Lang
J.J.: Shelby, what’s a modern gal like you doing in a century-old castle?
Shelby: Taking care of business. You see, my aunt and I own Bayside Books. The main store is in Alexandria Bay, NY and our seasonal store is on Blye Island, in the Thousand Islands. And, Blye is the home of Blye Castle. It was built by some transplanted Brits at the turn of the century – the 19th century.
J.J.: Wow, sounds romantic. So, what do you like the best about it?
Shelby: As you said, it is a romantic setting with lots of old oak panelling, ornate moldings, large windows, sweeping staircase, stunning lawn and gardens…there’s even a Grotto with a mysterious past.
J.J.: What about ghosts? Surely there has to be a ghost.
Shelby: We have one, that I know of, not that I’ve seen him. He was a former owner, Joe Cabana, a mobster and rum runner in the days of Prohibition.
J.J.: Hm, sounds like he could be trouble. Anyone else on that list?
Shelby: Trouble? Well, there’s this guy, Zack Griffin, who’s a Coast Guard Investigative Service agent. He says he’s not involved. In the case, I mean. But he keeps popping up.
J.J.: Are you blushing? Don’t worry, we all have one of those guys in our stories. So, is there a downside?
Shelby: Oh, definitely. It’s the bodies. I mean, murder has no business in such an awesome spot! Right?
J.J.: Tell us a bit about the story.
Shelby: Well, here’s what my author says. Shelby Cox has the ideal job, in the ideal location…except for the dead body! Although she hadn’t known the victim very long, and it wasn’t an ideal relationship, Shelby searches for the killer, hoping to get those she cares about off the police chief’s hook. All that while she’s running the seasonal bookstore in the legendary Blye Castle on Blye Island, part of the Thousand Islands. And then there’s the frustrating but oh, so sexy Coast Guard agent. Shelby has to re-shape all she knows about herself and her future as she takes on the murderer, before she’s next on the list.
Essie/Linda is offering a copy of her new book to one lucky reader. Leave a comment for a chance to win: Have you come across a place that would make the perfect location for a murder mystery?
Visit Linda, Essie and Erika at www.lindawiken.com
On Twitter @EssieLang19
On Facebook Linda Wiken & Essie Lang
Linda/Essie, it's always exciting to come in at the beginning of a series. Trouble on the Books sounds like such a great read. A bookshop in a castle is the perfect setting for those, like me, who have always dreamed of owning a bookshop in a unique place. This one is definitely going on my list.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I wanted to mention the name "Essie." I had an Aunt Essie, and I don't think I've ever met anyone with that name again. It's a comfy name for me, so that's just an added bonus for this series.
Thanks so much, Kathy. Owning a bookstore is such a great experience but has Shelby discovers, also a lot of work. Essie is after my mom, Esther. I love the name, too.
DeleteI am definitely looking forward to meeting Shelby, Essie/Linda. “Trouble on the Books” sounds like a great mystery!
ReplyDeleteAlthough it’s rather sad to take a beautiful place and sully it with murder, the Pinelands would be a perfect spot for a murder mystery. Plenty of pine forests and wetlands [as well as hiking trails] . . . it seems perfect for concealing that poor murder victim’s body . . . .
You're talking about New Jersey Joan? if so, Tony Soprano already did a number there:)
DeleteOh, you're so right, Joan. Lots of opportunities to cover up a crime!
DeleteWell, darn . . . I didn’t know that, Lucy.
DeleteStill, there are Pine Barrens in Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Virginia as well as in New Jersey. [The New Jersey Pine Barrens, designated the Pinelands National Reserve and classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve, has the distinction of being the nation’s first National Reserve.]
What a fun interview, and the new series sounds wonderful! I have never been to a real-life place that looked fit for a murder mystery. Honestly, I'm hoping it stays that way!
ReplyDeleteYou have a point there, Marla. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI love this interview. Best of luck with the new series. As for the perfect setting - so many places, so little time!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Edith. Love that there are so many opportunities!
DeleteI love the sound of this book and also the name 'Essie'. It was my great-grandmother's middle name and I don't think I've heard anyone else use it. So, I love it! A bookshop in a castle - how fun! And I guess that murder could happen anywhere. I will say that I am particularly fond of 'locked room' settings and so many authors get really creative with that theme. Congratulations on the new series!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay! As I mentioned above, Essie is after my mom, Esther. Love the idea of locked rooms. They can be ideal and also, a challenge for writers.
DeleteCongratulations on the new series. For some reason, I've found myself particularly interested in mysteries that are set in and around bookstores and libraries the last few years, so I'm sure that I'll be interested in picking this one up as well.
ReplyDeleteAs for finding a place that I think would be a perfect place for a murder...I haven't done anything like that for fear of one day being so mad at someone that the outraged meaningless phrase, "I'm going to kill you" lead to actual contemplation of where to do it.
It's bad enough that when I worked at a convenience store as a teenager and a customer got me in trouble for something that wasn't my fault that I said, "I hope you die" and the next day he did, from a heart attack.
OMG Jay, that's a horrible story. I bet your poor teenage self was traumatized for a long time...
DeleteAs Lucy said, that must have been so upsetting for you, Jay.
DeleteWell...not wanting to alienate people here on JRW, we'll go with that.
DeleteNatchez Trace between Jackson and Natchez. Two land road winding through snakey woods, not a car or person in sight for miles.
ReplyDeleteGood to know, Margaret! :)
DeleteWhat a delightful interview! TROUBLE ON THE BOOKS looks great, and as others have said, it's such a treat to catch a series as it is beginning.
ReplyDeleteI have not ever come upon a place that made think it would be the ideal place for a murder mystery. But now that you ask, I do think our local museum of science and industry, a sprawling, wonderful resource in a remodeled-and-added-onto old high school, would definitely have potential. There are just so many locations within it, and as I said, it covers a lot of territory, so I'm sure there are secret ways to get from point A to point B if you're in the know.
It does sound ideal, Susan. I'm sure there are lots of items that could be potential weapons, too.
DeleteGreat interview! I think a turn-of-the-century English castle is a great place for mysteries of all kinds.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. Castles can be a mystery unto themselves!
DeleteCongratulations on the new book series!
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to the murder that takes place in a very open public place, with loads of possible suspects. But if I had to do someone in, there are so many places in Florida's geography, filled with wildlife that would help with the disposal of the remains. Right, Lucy?
Thanks, Lyda. My memory of Florida visits are the signs along the highway out of the airport in Fort Myers warning to beware of panthers. Disposal, for sure.
DeleteRight Lyda! tropical weather helps with that too:)
DeleteI love a good book shop and having the mystery:murder is a castle bookshop sounds like a great storyline. I love castles too although I have only been in one I look forward to seeing more. I am adding your book to my Must Read list this week. Thank you for the engaging interview.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I hope you'll enjoy it. There are two terrific castles to visit in the Thousand Islands, Blye Castle not being one of them unfortunately. It's a conglomeration of Boldt Castle and Singer Castle plus one in Toronto and one in England.
ReplyDeleteThese books sound like so much fun. In terms of places that inspire stories, always when I visit Peaks Island (a short ferry ride from Portland, ME) I'm inspired. There's a WW II bunker in the middle of the island. And a rocky beach populated by hundreds of stacked stone sculptures. One day...
ReplyDeleteSounds like the ideal location, Hallie. Waiting to read it!
DeleteHi, Linda/Essie! So great to see you here! I love both of these series - obvy - they’re so good! Do you like writing under a pen name? I ask because when I had a series under a different name, I found it very liberating.
ReplyDeleteThe hard part is, of course, spreading the word about my dual, or in this case, triple identity. I love ordering coffees using different names though!
DeleteHi Linda/Essie & Erika (love your Ashton Corners series). I have a question, in your short bio it reads "She is a former mystery bookstore owner, chorister, and cat lover". I hope you are not a former cat lover --if so what happened? How will Shelby protect the books from the sea air in the castle? Maybe I am projecting; I always think castles are not up to standards on interior ventilation. Islands and book stores are such a great combination, I am looking forward to the new series.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I am a little warped in my thinking. It occurred to me that National Parks would make an interesting setting for an amateur sleuth. So many different ways for bodies to be disposed of au natural.
The only former part is the bookstore owner, Coralee. Interesting question. I admit, I hadn't thought about it. The books in the real castle bookstores I've visited are all doing just fine. As I point out in my book, Shelby's main concern is dripping umbrellas if it's raining. I agree about National Parks.
DeleteWelcome! And ooh, yes, SO many places. In the center of my little town, there's a cute little coffee shop called L'Aroma. But to get there, you have to turn off the main sidewalk and go through a tiny little brick alley. The minute you go into the alley, there is no sun and you are completely cut off from the view of anyone. It is SO scary! (But you know, it's on the way to caffeine...)
ReplyDeleteWhat one endures for caffeine! I love the visual of the alley and shop, but admit, I'd hate to find a body there. Which makes it an ideal place.
DeleteLinda/Essie, You had me at "Thousand Islands." My family used to sail through the Saint Lawrence for our summer vacation when I was a teen. (Lake Onondaga - NYS canal system - Lake Ontario - Thousand Islands)I've visited Boldt Castle, which I suspect is very like Shelby's Blye Castle :-) It's an amazing and beautiful part of the world, and I'm delighted TROUBLE ON THE BOOKS will shine some light on it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Julia. The entire area is terrific. I've visited, on several occasions, both Boldt and Singer castles, so have gained inspiration from them. I do mention both. I also love the boat cruise.
DeleteWelcome Linda/Essie, I'm always happy to discover a new for me canadian author.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, I once visited the Thousand Islands and I keep a very good memory of it.
A mystery in a book shop in this setting is certainly a winner for me. I'm going to check for your other books too.
Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy them all. It sounds like you're due another trip to the area!
DeleteHi Linda/Essie, and congratulations on the new series. I loved your interview. Are you ever tempted to "cross pollinate" your two series? I don't know the the Thousand Islands part of the world, unfortunately, but it sounds like a great place for a mystery!
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought, Deborah. The two settings are within a day's drive of each other. We'll see.....
DeleteLinda, how about the island of Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands? It is heaven on earth, and there's lots of local color and a bit of political corruption. At the very least, you would get a nice tax deduction for spending time in one of the loveliest places (including gorgeous beaches) I've ever been. I'm looking forward to your new series!
ReplyDeleteI would love, love, love to set something there, Margie. Maybe when the big royalties start rolling in. :) Vicki Delany has set one of her Rapid Reads books, White Sand Blues, in a suspiciously similar location.
DeleteVery fun blog this morning. Good luck to the new series! Trouble on the Books arrived a few days ago and I am looking forward to reading it. There is a reason: I know the area very, very well! I grew up near there (Watertown)and have written a couple of stories set there, one published in the 2018 Malice anthology. Though my mysteries so far have been about Brooklyn, the next might be set around the 1,000 I lands. But very different from this one. So, "Essie", where are you from? :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Trish. Congratulations on being in the anthology. I'll be sure to read it. It's a big, beautiful area, as you know, so lots of room for more series. I live in Ottawa, Ontario, so a short drive away.
DeleteI have to separate the ideas of a location for a murder mystery and a place to dump a body. I can think of miles and miles of Texas for a place to hide a body. Interesting places to live and place a murder mystery? Deadwood, SD; Beaufort, SC; St Francisville, LA; Mesilla, NM. I look forward to reading about the Thousand Islands!
ReplyDeleteGood point, Pat. Texas sounds ideal for disposals.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder how you writers keep track of your various persona, not book characters, but nom de plume!
ReplyDeleteWith the cleverness of said authors, you could use any spot as a perfect spot for a murder mystery!
That's so nice of you, Libby! Maybe some of us come by split personalities more easily than others. :)
DeleteCongratulations on your new release! Sounds like a great start to a new series. I think the South is a great place for a cozy mystery, so many old homes and plantations would make for an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI do agree,Dianne. My first series, written as Erika Chase, was set in Alabama. It's called the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries, and the book club met in a beautiful, heritage home.
DeleteAnyplace would be good to set a mystery in, including the places that I've visited. My aunt used to live in Coral Gables, FL, and we went to Parrot Jungle, Monkey Jungle, and the Miami Seaquarium. Later we visited Disney World. I don't think I've ever read a murder in a theme park. You might have to do a fictional one.
ReplyDeletePlenty of great spots in a theme park, for sure. Thanks for the suggestion, Sally.
DeleteCongrats ob your new release!
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of smaller family farms/vineyards outside of the city I live in. After it gets dark, I don't like to drive any of the roads that connect those farms. Too creepy & they feel very isolated, so would be perfect for a murder mystery.
Thanks, Jana. I agree. Deserted country roads are a bit too unnerving.
DeleteThis sounds like a good mystery! Small towns always make great scenes for mysteries! Thanks for the chance to win this! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThe forest at night always makes for a spooky setting.
ReplyDeleteIn the Lake Metro Parks in Cleveland, OH there are remains of Squire's Castle. I've always wondered about it's background. Also in Akron, OH there is Stan Hywett Hall. With it's history it is sure to be a great place for a mystery. Thanks for the insight into Essie Lang's book. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMontreal or Toronto Canada because I love both. The French influence is neat; Louise Penny does a lovely job of invoking it in her Pines series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity. This would be a new author to me.
browninggloria(at)hotmail(dot) com
I visited a place for a fantastic book mystery! Leakey’s Book Shop in Inverness, Scotland! It inhabits a former church. It has gorgeous atmosphere, with a former choir loft, a pot bellied stove, a spiral staircase to two upper balcony levels filled with books, open to a ceiling with beautiful architectural details like plaster medallions and stained glass windows - all a perfect backdrop to shelves upon shelves of books and comfy chairs scattered round, to read them in!
ReplyDelete