Mystery authors

Looking for the Best British Police Procedural Mystery Series?

01/16/2019 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

You’ve come to the right place!

For at least the last 15 years, my very favorite British police procedurals have been those of an author who started out writing historical fiction, as well as romance novels under a pen-name.

She is Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and her one mystery series features a kind and empathetic Detective Inspector named Bill Slider.

The books take place in an area of London called Shepherd’s Bush, where Harrod-Eagles was born. The author has said that she wrote the first book, Orchestrated Death, as a way to relax between other writing projects, and that Slider sprang fully formed into her mind. She knew immediately what he looked like, where he lived, and his likes and dislikes. (All writers should be so lucky!) In addition to DI Slider, the books are populated by complex and interesting characters, including Slider’s ‘bagman’, DS Jim Atherton, as well as the other police officers working under Slider.

Reading a book can be like falling in love. Sometimes it’s a slow burn; maybe you feel you’re not quite sure about the book/person, but over time they grow on you and you slowly realize how brilliant and beautiful they are and can’t believe you didn’t recognize this immediately.

Other times it is love at first sight. One look / one paragraph and that’s it. You are lost, forever. Life is divided into ‘before I met this person / read this book’ and after.

That’s how it was with me and Orchestrated Death. And happily, unlike many love-at-first-sight stories, my attachment and respect for these books have only deepened.

Orchestrated Death Cynthia Harrod-Eagles — My well-loved copy of the first Bill Slider mystery, bought second-hand in Vancouver.

I mention this series every chance I get and it’s always the first one I recommend when people are looking for new mysteries to read. My mother was just as big a fan (and the person who introduced me to the books) and in the summer and fall of 2017 while she was dying I read the two most recent books in the series out loud to her, sitting beside her hospice bed. It was a time I’ll always treasure.

Let me count the ways…

I was lying in bed last night, unable to sleep, and the idea for this post came to mind. I thought about how much I love these books and why, and then decided to share with you, other mystery fans. So here goes:

1. The characters

I’m reading another mystery at the moment (that shall remain nameless), and I can’t keep track of who the characters are. The author has done an amazing job with pacing and plot, but none of the suspects or secondary characters in the book are memorable at all.

Harrod-Eagles doesn’t have this problem and it’s one of the reasons I am besotted with the Bill Slider series. Slider and Atherton are memorable, of course, being the main characters and primary sleuths. Most authors can achieve this. What makes Harrod-Eagles stand head and shoulders above other writers, in my opinion, is the way that every character, from the lowliest constable in the squad room to the suspects are all interesting and fully formed.

The team that Slider works with evolve as the series progresses. We follow Atherton through his tom-cat days to something that resembles settling down. We’re with him when he sustains an injury on the job, and then in the next book, has to deal with the psychological aftermath of that event. We learn to love watching WPC Swilley spar with the others on the team and deal with their constant leering and adoration. (She’s a police officer built like a supermodel.) There is an incredibly slow burn in her relationship with Slider which, much to our surprise and theirs, evolves from boss and employee to something more like father and daughter. It is beautiful to behold; a satisfying reward offered to those like me who have read the books for years.

Suspects and other characters who may only appear for one or two scenes are treated with just as much respect. They are whole and complex, and leap off the page as though they’re in your living room with you. Reading Blood Sinister I felt claustrophobic each time a scene took place in recently deceased journalist Phoebe Agnew’s cluttered and messy apartment. When Harrod-Eagles describes a lawyer or a doctor or an administrative assistant working for an orchestra, they are not just people in clothes; they are real, living, breathing individuals and I can clearly imagine bumping into them on the street.

2. The humour

Harrod-Eagles clearly has an amazing sense of humour. (BTW, I’m Canadian and that’s how we spell humour.) Her chapter titles are usually puns and when I’ve finished each chapter it’s fun to look back at the title and see what the pun referred to.

My mum always knew when I was reading a Slider book (and vice versa) because our snorts of laughter could be heard from our respective favorite reading chairs. Slider’s superior officer, Porson, and his malapropisms are a very special highlight each time that character comes onto the page.

Other than the sardonic and slightly sarcastic humour in Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels, I can’t think of a mystery series where I laugh so much. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Slider books are not comedies. But they are very much in the vein of other British books and TV shows, where the wit is subtle yet very clever. It catches me off guard sometimes, which only makes it sweeter.

3. The love story

I’m not going to say much about this one because to do so would be to spoil it. It is by turns beautiful, heartbreaking, funny (there’s that humour again) and satisfying. You’ll just have to trust me on this.

4. Everything else

I could go on and on. The use of language, which is such a delight. The complex and satisfying plots. The way that all the characters evolve and change, not just the central ones. The constables move on to other jobs, or are transferred. Superior officers come and go, until we are gifted with Porson. We even become attached to Atherton’s cats!

I think the best way to sum up one thing that stays with me when I read these books is that Harrod-Eagles is clearly enjoying what she’s doing. She is a very talented and skilled writer. She’s been at it for quite a while as is now a master at her craft. And writing obviously delights her. Her joy and pleasure come through the words on the page like sunlight sparkling through a leafy canopy. Anytime someone is doing something with that much joy, it is a pleasure to experience.

5. Comfort

This is kind of a weird inclusion on this list, but it’s possibly the most important one.

For all the reasons I list above, and perhaps some I can’t articulate, the DI Slider books comfort me like no others. I’m most drawn to those books, and TV shows and movies, where connection is made, where friends are like family with one another. Sure there can be discord and arguments, but the players are always brought around to be empathetic and good. I prefer art that is about kindness, connection, and love. (For example, the TV shows Parks and Recreation, Playing House, Rosehaven, and Grace and Frankie.)

I always finish a Bill Slider book wanting more. And wishing he and his friends lived next door to me.

So if you’re craving a little comfort with your murder, these might just be the books for you. 😉

What’s next?

The next Bill Slider book, number 21 in the series, is called Headlong, and is being released in ebook (in my region) on February 1, 2019. That’s another reason I was thinking of these books when I couldn’t sleep last night; I was thinking that if it were already February I could have been reading instead of staring at the ceiling, wishing I was asleep.

What’s one of your all-time favourite mystery series? I’d love to hear your recommendations!

Have Your Cake and Murder Too! New cozy mystery from Jodi Rath

11/23/2018 By Alexandra Amor 2 Comments

When there’s a new mystery being released, everyone wins!

Today I have a guest post and book excerpt from new mystery author Jodi Rath. Below, Jodi gives us a peek behind the author curtain with an introduction to the genesis of her Cast Iron Skillet mystery series. She’s also included an excerpt from the book, which is being released today.

Take it away, Jodi!

I have had my sights on being a writer since I was five years old. I was an only child and used to lock myself in my room with my stuffed animals and dolls playing “magazine” as I so humbly called it.

I signed up to win a set of encyclopedias at a county fair at age seven (yes, I know that says a lot about me as a child) and I won! I made a game of closing my eyes and pointing to a book then opening, and whatever page I landed on, I’d read the entry and then write a summary pretending I was a journalist.

In college, I took a lot of creative writing courses, even though that was not my major. I’ve kept a journal as far back as I can remember. Writing has always been a huge part of my existence. It’s been a form of therapy for me as a child and an adult in many ways as well.

So, it was no wonder, when my 87-year-old grandma gave me her 70-year-old cast iron skillet for Christmas in 2017 and told me that she had never made anything but pineapple upside down cake in it that I would take that experience and write about it.

I’d been doing some educational writing since I was a high school English teacher for close to twenty years. My passion where reading was concerned has always been mysteries. As a kid, I absolutely loved those Choose Your Own Ending books. I modeled my adjunct professional development online courses for Ohio teachers on those books.

I’ve wanted to write a mystery for as long as I can remember. I posted about my grandma’s gift to me, oh yeah, I forgot to mention, and she also gave me the family’s secret recipe for the pineapple upside down cake too! I received more likes and comments on that post than any other.

Jodi Rath pouring batter in her grandmother’s cast iron skillet

From there, I began using the new set of cast iron skillets she bought me (because Lord knows I was not allowed to make anything other than that pineapple upside down cake in the family skillet — she bought me a new set to ensure I didn’t mess up the family legacy) on a regular basis trying out many recipes.

From there, The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series was developed and book one Pineapple Upside Down Murder comes TODAY!!!!

Yes, that recipe is in the back of the book too! Some of you are probably giving me the stink eye about now thinking “how can you give out your family’s secret recipe you no good . . .” I’ll stop there. Let me finish! The majority of the recipe is at the end of the book.

Now that I’m a mystery writer though, I will tell you that I couldn’t help but add the “secret” part in the plot of book one. Whether anyone will ever find it though . . .

Excerpt from Pineapple Upside Down Murder

I’ve always found every part of my life to be both beautiful and ugly at the same time. The next few weeks would not prove to be any different.

I knew my grandma’s secret recipe for pineapple upside down cake by heart; it didn’t stop my need to have the family recipe next to me when I made it. Now, like the cake, my entire world has turned upside down.

As I sat, I bent over and put my hands on my ears and laid my head in my lap, rocking slightly.

“Hey, Jolie, breathe. Look at me, please,” Ava said with a concerned look on her face grabbing my hands and sitting me up. Ava had been my best friend since we were in diapers, and she knew how I was when I was overwhelmed. She grabbed my hands and pushed me upright.

I was taking deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. “I . . . can’t . . .” I was trembling, and my deep breaths turned choppy.

“We will find them. I promise.” Ava gave me a big hug, thwarting my attempts to go internal. Ava always smelled of coconuts, and I caught a whiff as we embraced.

Ava and I started a business a year ago called Cast Iron Creations. The two of us decided to split the business fifty-fifty, with Ava running the front of the store and the finances, while I focused on the back of the shop, doing the cooking, baking, and shopping. Both of us pitched in with advertising, and I helped with the money occasionally. This was perfect because Ava was more of the social sort while I was more shy and comfortable working on my own.

The business was founded on my family’s secret cast iron skillet recipes, which have been passed down for ages. My great-grandfather had carved out a wooden recipe box for the treasured recipes. On the bottom of the box, my great-grandma, grandma, mom, and now I have carved our names out. I spent my childhood with close friends Ava, Betsy, and Lydia pretending to cook in my grandma’s kitchen in the cast iron skillets. Grandma’s best friend, Ellie Siler, was Betsy’s aunt and a big influence in my life.

I was hyperventilating because the Tucker family recipes had been stolen. Being a bit claustrophobic, especially in crisis mode, I slightly shoved Ava away from me as tears dropped off my cheeks.

“Hey, it will be okay. We need to pull ourselves together to figure out what happened,” Ava said with a confidence I was not feeling at the moment. She pushed a thick, black ringlet behind her ear as she straightened her stance.

“You’re right; I’m sorry,” I said, standing and rubbing my hands against my apron. I was just getting ready to make my Grandma Opal’s famous pineapple upside down cake. I always pulled the family recipes out when I baked; it was my routine. I kept the recipe box hidden in a false tile in our kitchen. When we bought the restaurant, I had wanted turquoise tile along the wall with the sink and oven; it reminded me of the ocean and helped make the kitchen a cheerful place to work. Ava’s girlfriend, Delilah, Leavensport’s resident artist, had made the false tile. But this morning, when I went to grab the box, it was gone.

Read another sample from Pineapple Upside Down Murder and purchase here.

Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her eight cats

You can follow Jodi on Twitter @jodirath. Sign up at her website for her monthly newsletter where she offers free flash fiction that ties into the series.

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What Makes a Good Mystery Novel?

10/11/2017 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

What are the elements of a mystery novel that are most important to you? It is pace? Or setting? Or maybe the plot twists and turns.

And what makes your very favorite mysteries hold that space in your heart? This is a question I ask myself frequently. Why do I love the books I love?

Today, mystery author Mike Martin (who was my guest on episode 45 of It’s a Mystery Podcast) shares what he believes to be the essential elements of a mystery novel.

For me, the mystery genre has always been a comfortable fit, as a reader and as a writer. I enjoy most crime fiction, but my tastes do run towards the more traditional and the lighter side of mystery. No hard-boiled noir or graphic descriptions of coroner’s steel tables for me. But that’s just a personal preference. Regardless of the sub-genre, I believe that what makes a good mystery is a good story.

Maybe that is the basic element of any book in any genre, even in non-fiction. The story has to get our attention and make us want to read more. For mystery books, there has to be some element of the unknown that we are promised will be revealed if only we hang around long enough. Or even if we figure out ‘whodunit’, how the perpetrators are brought to justice may be enough to hold us fast to our seats and keep us turning the pages.

How the story is told and the definition of the main characters are close behind in terms of factors that make up a good mystery. Style, pace and plot development are keys to ensuring that we are not just entertained, but engaged along the way.

The sub-genres of mystery start diverging here, particularly around style which tends to involve detailed and sometimes flowery descriptions in cozies or technically detailed forensic talk in police procedurals. But they all come back together when it comes to the flow of the story.

Good mysteries in all forms have a rhythm that somehow just seems right. Great mystery writers have the ‘Goldilocks’ touch: not too fast, not too slow, just right!

Great characters are another key to great mysteries. We all remember the giants like Poirot or Miss Marple or Rebus or any number of great cozy writers. But I find that it is actually the sub-cast of characters that separate the great from the good.

And it’s not usually the person or persons who get killed that are the most interesting. It’s the Corporal under the Sergeant, or the old friend who always shows up with advice or a bottle of scotch at exactly the right time.

What really sets the mystery category aside from all other writing is the added characteristic of surprise. Every mystery book has a few twists and turns but a great mystery book has an absolutely brilliant surprise. It may be that the butler didn’t actually do it, but he was certainly involved in helping the less than legitimate heir bury the bodies. Or an unheard-of relative who surfaced just after the will is read or… you get the picture.

Reading a great mystery book is like having a candle to light the way down a dark and unfamiliar hallway. You don’t know what you are going to find down there, but you just have to go and see for yourself.

***

A Tangled Web is the latest book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set on the East Coast of Canada. The previous book in the Series A Long Ways from Home was shortlisted for the Bony Blithe Award as the “Best Light Mystery of the year”.

“Life is good for Sgt. Windflower in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. But something’s missing from the Mountie’s life. Actually, a lot of things go missing, including a little girl and supplies from the new factory. It’s Windflower’s job to unravel the tangled web of murder, deceit and an accidental kidnapping that threatens to engulf this sleepy little town and destroy those closest to him. But there’s always good food, good friends and the love of a great woman to make everything better in the end.”

Buy the book on Kobo
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Mike Martin is a long-time freelance writer and the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. The series is set in Newfoundland and features Cree, RCMP officer, Sgt. Winston Windflower who solves crime and discovers the natural beauty, food and culture of Newfoundland along the way.

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Writing Comedy and Depth with Kim Hunt Harris

04/10/2017 By Alexandra Amor 2 Comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:01 — 24.7MB) | Embed

Just like life, Kim Hunt Harris’s Trailer Park Princess cozy mystery novels are a healthy mix of funny moments and challenging times for her amateur sleuth Salem Grimes.

When I read The Middle Finger of Fate, the first book in the series, I was struck by how funny Kim’s writing is, and how touched I was by her character Salem’s ups and downs. Salem is someone really REALLY trying to turn her life around. And she’s going through one of those times in life when no matter what she does things seem to wrong. And the harder she tries to right them, the wronger they go. (We’ve all had times like that!)

And yet, Kim’s writing is so funny, and so sweet, that I laughed outloud throughout the book. Don’t even get me started about the car with the ‘bucket’ seat. Oh my! 😉

If you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, do yourself a favor and try out the Trailer Park Princess books. You can thank me later. 😉

You can find out more about today’s guest, Kim, and all her books on her website KimHuntHarris.com. And you will find her on Twitter @kimhuntharris.

Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on iTunes. And listen on Stitcher.

You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube.

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Book Excerpt from Blogging Is Murder

02/22/2017 By Alexandra Amor 1 Comment

Hello readers!

Today the lovely Gilian Baker has a treat for us. She’s got a brand new book coming out, Blogging Is Murder, and she’s sharing an excerpt with us, as well as some behind the scenes thoughts about why she wrote this book and the very current and present issues about online privacy and security that concern us all.

Take it away, Gilian!

******

The first book in the Jade Blackwell Mysteries series, Blogging is Murder, came about as a catharsis for the frustrations of trying to make a living from my first blog. The issues that arise are ones that every blogger deals with. And cyber-theft is a blogger’s biggest nightmare.

In the scene I’ve chosen to share, Jade, our protagonist, learns that her friend and fellow blogger, Liz Collins, has been hacked, and more besides. The hacker has taken over Liz’s blog and her social media profiles. The situation has now escalated and Liz is at her wit’s end. Jade meets her friend at the little tea shop in Aspen Falls, Wyoming, Tea & Sympathy, to offer comfort…and to satisfy her curiosity.

“Well, last night we decided to bring the sheriff in because the hacker—Connie is her name, by the way—showed up on our doorstep.” Liz took a gigantic breath once she’d gotten the words out.

“What?”

“Yeah, that’s why we’re so freaked out. But we didn’t want to make a scene in front of the kids, so we decided to go to the sheriff station today to see what he recommended.”

“So, what did he say?”

“First, we made an official complaint. I have to print out all the correspondence from my hosting and social media companies, so there’s proof in our file. Oh, my gosh, Jade. I have a file at the sheriff’s office.” She dropped her head into her hands as I grabbed for her tea cup before she tipped it over.

Reaching over the table, I patted her arm, making the usual comforting noises while she cried. Why would someone decide to invade her life like this? Why would someone go to the trouble of hacking to add to a blog and social media profiles? Were mine safe? I needed to take immediate action when I got home.

I stopped patting. “Wait a minute. This Connie woman showed up on your doorstep last night. How on earth did she find out where you lived?”

Liz’s red face looked up, her eyes peeking at me through her eyelashes. “My physical address is still on my accounts. You know that legally you have to have an address listed on the emails you send to your subscribers.”

I nodded, with a sinking feeling of what was coming next.

“I meant to get a P.O. Box, Jade, but it always got pushed back on the priority list. I mean, with all the other stuff you have to do as a blogger, it just didn’t seem that important, even though I’d read other peoples’ stories about similar situations. I guess in the back of my mind I just didn’t believe anyone would do it to me.”

She paused to blow her nose loud enough to make several patrons turn and look. “I’m not some huge celebrity, although the blog is gaining popularity.”

“Oh, Liz. Don’t blame yourself. I’ve been doing exactly the same thing. In fact, we’ve all heard those stories. But in every case, those savvy online entrepreneurs didn’t take action until someone came to their houses either.” I made a mental note to hit the post office PDQ to get the P.O. Box I’d been procrastinating.

*Note from Gilian:
Per FCC regulations, bloggers are required to include an address on all correspondence they send to people who sign up for their newsletters. Even though it’s recommended to use a P.O. Box as this address, it’s not uncommon for bloggers to use their physical address. The idea to add this to the story occurred when I read a post from a blogging personality who described a night when a fan showed up at her house asking for advice.

“Part of me knows that, but I keep thinking about the kids. I should have been protecting my family, Jade. But something else always seemed more urgent.”

“I know.” I patted her arm again. “What else did the sheriff suggest?”

“We started the process to get a restraining order against her so if she shows up again, they can do something. The cyber-crime stuff is less cut and dried.”

“Well, you know I’ll do whatever I can to help. Just give me a call.”

Liz blew her nose again, this time with barely a sound, and gave me a more genuine smile. “I know, Jade. I feel better just talking about it.” She looked at her watch and sniffed. “Oh, man. I’ve gotta get going. School lets out soon.” She looked up at me with wet, hazel eyes. “Thanks so much for dropping everything to meet me, Jade. I know you must have a hundred other things on your plate today.”

“Don’t be silly, Liz. Family and friends always come first.” As the words came out of my mouth, my mind went to my huge to-do list that had just gotten longer… now I needed to add “keep people from hacking my life” to it.

*******

One of the reasons I decided to include the cyber-security angle as part of the plot in the book was because of the pervasiveness of the problem. The average person now uses the Internet to shop, bank and file their taxes. What must it be like to also have to worry about someone hacking into your blog—the way you make a living? How can bloggers protect the personal information of the fans who buy their products and services? How difficult is it to get into someone’s Facebook account and post as that person?

Does the hacker go free? Is Liz able to save her livelihood? Who get murdered and why? The answer to these questions are answered in Blogging is Murder, now available for pre-order.

Gilian Baker is a former writing and literature professor who finally threw in the towel and decided to just show ‘em how it’s done. She has gone on to forge a life outside of academia by adding blogger & ghostwriter to her CV. She currently uses her geeky superpowers only for good to entertain cozy mystery readers the world over. When she’s not plotting murder, you can find her puttering in her vegetable garden, knitting in front of the fire, snuggled up with her husband watching British mysteries or discussing literary theory with her daughter.

In her next life, she fervently hopes to come back as a cat, though she understands that would be going down the karmic ladder. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona with her family and their three pampered felines.

Connect with Gilian on her website or on Twitter @GilianBaker

Find Blogging Is Murder on Amazon.
Watch the book trailer.

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Down the Rabbit Hole of Research with Tracy Tonkinson

01/06/2017 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

Today I have a guest post by mystery author Tracy Tonkinson. Tracy was a guest on It’s a Mystery Podcast in 2016 (you can hear our chat about Chicago history and the inspiration for her novels here) and I’m thrilled to have her back to talk about the research she does for her mystery novels. In today’s article, she explores the fascinating origins of cesarean section births. How does that subject intersect with mystery novels set in 1880s Chicago, you ask? Read on to find out. Take it away Tracy!

I wrote my first Diamond & Doran mystery, Madman, because I found a half-forgotten detail of history so compelling it begged for its own story.

Researching Madman was so intoxicating I almost forgot that I was supposed to be writing a book. And therein lies the problem for the historical novelist. If you love history as I do, then rummaging around in old books, online directories and ancient filing cabinets is as close to heaven as it gets. But it can also lead to the hell of the eternal rabbit hole.

I cannot tell you how many times I have started researching for the name of a real person to use in a Diamond & Doran mystery only to uncover so many other fascinating facts that I find myself diverted into outlining books 1 through 10 of a series yet to be written, which all sounds fantastic until I realise I am now weeks behind on the book I should be writing.

Madman came to me because of a real bombing incident that happened in Haymarket Square, Chicago in May 1886. The true perpetrator was never caught, though 9 men were hanged for involvement in the riot that followed. That anonymous perpetrator was my inspiration for Diamond & Doran’s hunt through the mean streets of Chicago to track down the culprit. Along the way, they became a real team and a series was born.

Book 2 in the series, Poison came about because I researched a serial killer only caught in Chicago in 1893, even though it was clear he had been stalking victims for years. The details were so horrific I wondered how he could have escaped detection for so long, so I devised a plot in my book that enabled my villain to come and go at will, enticing his victims to go with him willingly, if unwittingly, to their deaths.

Book 3, Vendetta has just hit Amazon and the research for this book took me to a different place. This time I wanted to explore something that would have a dramatic effect on Doran and his whole family, including his partner Diamond.

We all love a good medical drama. In the 19th century, medicine was at an exciting intersection between what may seem to us barbaric and even comedic treatments for a variety of ailments, and real progress in medical procedures. In Vendetta I got the chance to explore some of this progress.

The delivery of babies had for centuries been practised for women by women. By the 1880s there were qualified obstetricians with special skills and understanding of the dangers and complications that come with childbirth. But within the medical profession these specialists in childbirth were often considered to be little more than ‘baby catchers’ and held in low regard by many of the doctors in general practise. ‘Baby catching’ was, after all, women’s work and what self respecting male doctor would involve himself in something so menial?

At a time when a child and its mother’s mortality rate was staggering by today’s standards the answer, I discovered through my research, was that a surprising number of young doctors were drawn to the complex business of helping women bring to full term, and then deliver, healthy children. One of these men was Dr. William Jaggard. Jaggard was a real obstetrician practising in Chicago during the 1880’s. He was an expert in the practise of Caesarian operations, a procedure so dangerous that the likelihood was, even if the child was saved, the mother would die from shock caused by blood loss, or through infection introduced during the procedure.

While the success rate for Caesarian section today is virtually 100%, for which I for one am thankful as the mother of a child delivered by C section, even the skills of someone as dedicated as Dr. William Jaggard were sometimes not enough to save mother or child. But researching Jaggard’s difficulties, both in surgical terms and in terms of getting the respect his skills deserved as an expert in childbirth, was a fascinating rabbit hole to fall into and proved that the work he did is still by and large the method used in modern C section today, albeit in more sanitary conditions and with far better understanding of the risks involved in anesthetics and blood loss for mother and child.

My next Diamond & Doran mystery will no doubt lead me into researching areas that I never imagined would be useful to my story idea, but sometimes you fall upon something while you research that is so juicy you just have to find a way to include it in your story. And that’s the real excitement of research.

Until next time, here I go, back down the rabbit hole!

To download Tracy’s book, Madman, for free you can sign up at: http://www.diamondanddoranmysteries.com/
Poison is available at: http://authl.it/6hj
Vendetta is available at: http://authl.it/6hs
Like the Diamond & Doran Facebook page at: Facebook.com/DandDMysteries/

Tracy Tonkinson was born and raised in England and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is a fiction writer and avid reader of historical mystery fiction, thrillers and adventure novels. Her aim as a writer is to make her readers laugh a little, cry a little and feel breathless with excitement as they race to the end of each adventure she involves them in.

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