We're proud to present the new covers by Malgorzata Mika for the first three volumes of "The Black Beacon Books of Mystery". The covers have been updated for the Kindle versions and will be updated for the print versions in the next few days. The first two volumes are available now and the submissions window is currently open for the third volume.
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Elizabeth,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
I think these types of mysteries will always be popular as long as there are people who are addicted to puzzles of any kind. It’s fun to try to read between the lines and pick out the difference between genuine clues and red herrings. Such stories appeal to the intellect more than the emotions, and make an intriguing and restful break from the more dramatic or scary tales. All have their place within the genre.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover?
I love many of the classic mystery writers but will list Dorothy Sayers as my current number one since I’ve been re-reading her books lately, along with the delightful sequels written by Jill Paton Walsh. The last mystery book I read by a current author was Ticket to Ride by Winona Kent. Witty, entertaining and a good mystery to boot.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
Actually, no. A couple of years ago, another phenomenon born of the lagoon inspired “The Light on the Lagoon” which was published in EQMM, and was subsequently on their podcast. When writing “There is a Tide”, I pretty much had to use the same two characters who live on the lagoon, although the story itself was quite different.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
I’d be an amateur sleuth who was also a singer/actress, since that’s how I spent my youth. I actually have a singer as my amateur sleuth in the six books of the Beary Family Mystery series I wrote some years back. Of all the things that inspire me, theatre and intriguing settings are at the top of the list.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
Yes, and it was horrendous, because it was the result of a member of our family facing three criminal charges after being falsely accused of causing a catastrophic accident. The trials, criminal and civil, dragged on over four years and nearly bankrupted us, but if my husband and I hadn’t done the detective work and fed our lawyer the information he needed, there would have been a miscarriage of justice. We ended up hiring an accident-reconstruction expert who, he later informed us, had been asked by the El Fayed family to deal with the Princess Di crash, but had refused as he told us he was nervous as to what might happen if he didn’t come up with the answers all the powers-that-be wanted. However, it made me feel pretty good when he fed all my information into his fancy computer programs and informed me that the scenario that I had worked out was the only one to fit all the evidence. The experience certainly proved to me that the fictitious Miss Marple characters who come in and clean up the police mistakes really do exist in real life.
Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Oh, I already answered that, didn’t I? Yes, I live right on my fictitious lagoon, and love it here. Setting is important to me. I remember reading once that P.D. James had said she was inspired by settings, and I completely relate to that. Many of my stories were born of visits to places that were so lovely or intriguing or mysterious or loaded with historical significance that I simply had to build a story around them, just for the joy of describing them. One of the nicest compliments I received from a reader was about a story I had written after my first trip to New York. She said reading it made her feel that she was there herself, visiting the city and touring the sights.
What do you aim to give your readers?
With this story, an intriguing puzzle and a visit to the wind-driven coast. At other times, I love to write more witty or satirical stories, but this one is more in the classic mystery tradition.
What are you working on now?
I’m taking a break from short stories and going back to look at the manuscript of a novel I drafted some years ago. I feel in the mood for a change of pace. One of my plays is also scheduled to be on this fall, so I may get involved directing again. I do have a couple of short story outlines, though, so will go back to those here and there between the other projects.
Where can we find you online?
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Erica,
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover?
When it comes to classic mystery writers, it’s first, last and always John Dickson Carr for me. As for current locked-room specialists, I highly recommend Gigi Pandian’s Tempest Raj series.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
No, Watson and Doyle have solved one full-length mystery, The Brooklyn North Murder, as well as several other short mysteries.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
Constantly running down intellectual rabbit holes. Arguably, it’s an inevitable side effect of being a research junkie, but it’s my worst habit as a writer. On the other hand, you can find incredible material that way.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
The great appeal of working in archives is that you solve mysteries every single day. A document or a letter will open up a question that may not get answered until you find another document in a completely different file drawer. Did Thomas Cummins win his 1779 appeal to the Court of Oyer and Terminer to overturn his death sentence for aiding the British during the Revolution? (He did!) What happened to the two unexploded WWI shells Poultney Bigelow wanted to donate to the Ulster County Historical Society. (Let’s just say they’re at West Point now. Any more detail is a saga involving Hudson Valley kissing cousins and FDR’s purported mistress).What did Jane Byrd Whitehead do that was so appalling not one, but two society matrons wrote her stiff notes declining to ever associate with her again? (I don’t know yet, but trust me, I’m determined to find out).
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
I live in the Hudson Valley, and it is as much a character in this series as Watson or Doyle. Woodstock is one of those magical places where the bounds between reality and imagination are very tenuous indeed. The woods, cliffs, water, and, yes, the historical archives are constantly unfolding new mysteries to intrigue me.
What do you aim to give your readers?
A fair puzzle, first and foremost. And I hope a little fun.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on several Watson & Doyle short locked-room mysteries, including one set in an online D&D game and another set in an escape room. I’m also working on a full-length novel about a woodstock rock star’s son who inherits a puzzling castle in England. It is tentatively titled The Last Riddle of Ransome Peake.
Where can we find you online?
I’m at www.ericaobey.com, where I blog on what I find in the archives of the historical arts colony where I live. Wearing my other hat as a book collector, I’m also active on LibraryThing. And you can find me on social media at @EricaObey.
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Alan,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
I think we all like an interesting puzzle and that will never change. There’s something intriguing about having fictional characters who seem perfectly normal on the outside but, for one of them, underneath it all lurks a different type of person altogether. The worse the crime, the worse the character. Which one of these people could have committed such a heinous crime ? It sparks the imagination.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover?
I could make a very long list of classic mystery writers I admire, but the one that stands out is John Dickson Carr, aka Carter Dickson, so-called master of the locked-room mystery. To think up so many ingenious plots during his writing career was incredible. As for new talent, I particularly like Jane Harper, whose mystery novels ‘The Dry’ and ‘The Lost Man’ are outstanding.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
Yes, this is the first story in which DI Alec Wells has appeared. I hope to give him another murder mystery to solve in the not-too-distant future.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
A glass of real ale would get the little grey cells working hopefully. But only one, mind, or it could have the opposite effect!
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
As my wife’s memory is much better than mine, I asked her if I’d ever solved a real-life mystery, and she replied a resounding ‘No !’ but added that I’ve unintentionally caused a few! To use words from my schooldays, my comprehension was never quite as good as my composition!
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
For me, setting is a big part of most stories. It makes it so much easier to write if you can imagine yourself there, and should enhance the experience for readers too. Most of my story ‘Spanner in the Works’ unfolds indoors, but the opening scene at Goldsworth Park lake is very familiar to me.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Giving readers something to think about after they have finished the story is quite important. And twists and turns in a mystery story are vital, to keep the reader interested.
What are you working on now?
At present, I’m between writing stories. However, much of my time is taken up with proofreading stories for some of my author friends.
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Teel,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
I’ve worked in the film industry for decades and the interpersonal relationships on tv/movie sets are often a hyper-version of the outside world—I thought it the perfect place for a ‘cozy’ type of closed set of killers. And tapping into nostalgia seemed a natural as well.
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
Because people love puzzles, simple as that. It is like the author is playing a game with the reader and there is a gentleman’s agreement to play fair that makes if all the more fun.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
I love Lester Dent—most famous known for writing the Doc Savage novels, but did two excellent Oscar Sail mysteries in Black Mask and a number of mystery novels in the 1950s. For today, I’d have to say Art Taylor is a major proponent of fair-play short stories, though he also writes crime tales that are not mysteries as well.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
Snappy dresser—lol. I’m all about the Fedora and trenchcoat.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
The events that were the basis for my mystery novel ‘Murder Most Faire’ were based on the death of a close friend—I wrote it as both tribute to him and a way to process my grief. While his death was never ‘solved’ (some of us know it was murder but could never prove it) I DO prove it in the fictionalized book with the background of the Renaissance Faire where many of our interactions took place.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is everything. If I can't put the reader in that space with my characters, I have failed in a vital part of the storytelling. With my years on TV sets, I hope I was able to place the reader solidly in my mystery.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Fun. A few minutes away from stress.
What are you working on now?
A story for a licensed, legacy hard-boiled detective anthology from the classic era of Black Mask.
Where can we find you online?
My website is: theurbanswashbuckler.com
Facebook: Teeljamesglenn
Twitter: @teeljamesglenn
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
Wait—why does the tea smell like bitter almonds?
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Paulene,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
We all love mysteries, digging deep to find the truth behind the mask we wear in our lives. It's fun to have all the elements laid out and to try to interpret them through the eyes of your detective.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
I love Agatha Christie, of course. And recently I read a mysterious book which I found fascinating by JP Delaney called A Perfect Wife. It combines my favourite things, a mystery, interesting structure and POV and A.I. I love stories about AI. I think we need to explore them, and think things through thoroughly in fiction before we launch them to the world.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
No, this my second Sherlock Holmes pastiche. I particularly enjoyed this one as it features one of my favourite characters in the Baker Street pantheon...Irene Adler.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
Needing lots of cappuccino stops to sit and jot down my notes!
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
Constantly. People around us are always hiding something. We pretend everything's okay, we hold that mask up. As a writer, and a curious person, I constantly speculate as to what's behind the words.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
I was in Baker Street, in the Sherlock Holmes museum and gift shop, quite recently. So, yes! And I watch all Sherlock Holmes on film and TV!
What do you aim to give your readers?
A lot of fun, intrigue, and sights and sounds and suggestion of smells emanating from Victorian London.
What are you working on now?
I'm just about to launch my first novel, Secrets of the Nile, a YA time travel adventure set in Ancient Egypt. With five more books (already written!) to follow. I'm one busy indie writer/publisher!
Where can we find you online?
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Maggie,
The tale of the legendary Robin Hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor has long intrigued me. Add a dollop or two of deception (more intrigue!) and the result is Keep Your Friends Close. Over lattes in a Richmond, Virginia coffee shop, two women join forces to solve the mystery of who killed their friend. As they consider various suspects, motives, and opportunities, what at first seems to be a simple discussion turns into a tangle of secrets, scandals, and betrayals.
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
Mystery readers have a strong sense of justice and expect the killer, or killers, to be hunted down and punished. Solving the crime along with the detective lets the reader be part of the action—but without leaving the safety of a comfy armchair.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
There are so many from both categories. James M. Cain comes immediately to mind for the classic writer. He penned great stories (The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce) that became great movies.
While not a new talent, Marcia Muller is contemporary. I’ve been reading her Sharon McCone series for several years.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
Yes, it is. I can’t elaborate, as revealing anything about the protagonist at this point would give too much away.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
My signature fashion item would be a hat. As a busy detective I wouldn’t have time to worry about bad hair days. I could eavesdrop and do surveillance work behind a wide-brimmed hat. For undercover work at special occasions (like coronations), I’d show up with one of those oversized, elegant hats the British women wear.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
Not one that involved a murder! I’m not brave off the page. I keep my real-life mystery-solving to finding keys, phones, glasses, and the like. Recently, I’ve became adept at hunting down left-behind water bottles.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
The importance of setting depends on the story. The location for Keep Your Friends Close could be anywhere, at any time of year. Still, readers want a sense of the immediate surroundings in a story, so I described the decor of Zorro’s coffee shop in Richmond, Virginia’s Fan District. Clothing styles and wilting plants hint of a hot and steamy July day in Virginia. Zorro’s is fictional, but it’s based on a real place in the area that, unfortunately, is no longer in business.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Entertainment, challenge, and a surprise ending!
What are you working on now?
#4 in my Hazel Rose Book Group series.
Where can we find you online?
Website: http://www.maggieking.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaggieKingAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaggieking/
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Yvonne,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
I would always be carrying a good book.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
No, but when we were younger, my brother and I prevented a neighbor’s house from being robbed by spotting the intruder. The person ran away and was never caught.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
I use real settings as inspiration, even if some details are fictionalized. Using an actual place helps ground the story for me as a writer. The setting for Justice for Jaynie is the suburban New Jersey town where I live.
What do you aim to give your readers?
I love to lose myself in a good story, and I hope to provide the same escape for other readers.
What are you working on now?
Promoting my novels, Pandemic (written pre-COVID) and Black Flowers, White Lies (a psychological thriller), as well as revising my current project, a novel told in verse.
Where can we find you online?
At yvonneventresca.com, where I blog about productivity and writing, and on social
media @YvonneVentresca.
https://www.facebook.com/YvonneVentrescaAuthor/
https://www.instagram.com/yvonneventresca/
https://www.pinterest.com/yvonneventresca/
https://twitter.com/YvonneVentresca
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Josh,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
I have a sneaking suspicion that most people are afraid they’re not as intelligent as they think they ought to be. That’s why we like crossword puzzles and fair-play mysteries: because they are, ultimately, win/win propositions for us. If we solve them successfully, then we get the thrill of proving ourselves smarter than we were concerned we might be. And if we fail, well, at least we get to be right about our own limitations!
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
I am a big fan of Ellery Queen. It was Fred Dannay — who with his cousin Manny Lee was “Ellery Queen” — who encouraged me to write my first crime story…and who then purchased it and many more for EQMM. I love reading and rereading the EQ novels and short stories. I co-edited both The Misadventures of Ellery Queen and The Further Misadventures of Ellery Queen for Wildside Press. And a couple of years ago the Dannay and Lee heirs kindly granted me permission to write five new “Puzzle Club” stories to bookend the original five written by EQ in the ’Sixties and ’Seventies; my five were published individually in EQMM and all ten of the stories were collected last year in The Adventures of the Puzzle Club (Crippen & Landru).
If you’re a fan of the traditional fair-play mystery and you haven’t yet discovered Tom Mead, do yourself a favor and check out his delicious Death and the Sorcerer. (A sequel, The Murder Wheel, is due out this fall.)
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is extremely important to me, and I have set my stories in many places — often but not always places I’ve visited. Want to see? Click here.
What are you working on now?
I’m reading final proofs for my sixth “inspired by” anthology (Happiness Is a Warm Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Beatles, coming this fall from Down and Out Books) and my first-ever novel (Dutch T(h)reat, also coming this fall but from Genius Books).
Where can we find you online?
I’m on Facebook, and I have a website: joshpachter.com
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Cameron,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
It really is a tricky question because The Impossible Theft is a locked-room mystery and the idea came from the solution. What I can say is that I was lying in bed thinking up original ideas for a story when a particular object caught my eye. By the way, there's a clue in that last sentence...and that's all I'm going to say.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
There are so many but I'd like to name a couple of authors I don't think other contributors are likely to pick. For the classic mystery writer, I suspect a lot of fans of the genre haven't read Harry Kemelman's work. The Man on the Ladder is a wonderful short puzzle. I'd recommend his collection, The Nine Mile Walk – 1947. As for new talent not from this anthology...hmm, well, not sure she qualifies as "new" talent, but a contemporary mystery writer who deserves more attention is Anna Scotti. Will she have mystery in The Third Black Beacon Book of Mystery? I'd like to think so!
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable has already solved mysteries in Australia and in his new home; Brittany. You can find him right here on this website.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
I'd probably be eerily similar to Oscar. Funny that, isn't it? A dram of fine single malt would help get the cogs turning in my head.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
My sister and I founded the Eagle Eyes Detective Agency as kids. The result of too much Encyclopedia Brown. We rode around our neighbourhood in Brisbane, Australia, on our bikes looking for mysteries to solve. We spotted some broken glass on the road once but never figured out what had happened.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting
is critical. Now living in Brittany, like me, Oscar Tremont solves mysteries with a distinctly Breton flavour. In many cases, local culture, landscape, and legend is at the heart of the puzzle. Le Croisic, where this mystery is set, is just down the road from where I live and it's a must-visit for anyone travelling through my corner of Brittany. Follow me on Instagram for a peek at the countryside and towns here. https://www.instagram.com/camerontrost_author/
What do you aim to give your readers?
Original mysteries with a dash of quirkiness, atmosphere, and a puzzle for them to solve. Oh, and I want them to fall in love with Oscar Tremont, of course.
What are you working on now?
I'm finishing the first draft of the first Oscar Tremont novel. More news soon!
Where can we find you online?
Almost everywhere, though I'm more active on Facebook and Twitter than other platforms. My full links are here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost My website is https://camerontrost.com
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Edward,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
I got the idea from a passing reference, in a book of nonfiction, on a tried-and-true but now forgotten (unless my story sparks new interest) way to commit murder.
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
E. C. R. Lorac (Edith Caroline Rivett, 1894-1958). As for new talent, there are too many I could mention, so I’ll play it safe and give this one a pass.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
No. Lena has appeared in a series of six Cranberry Country Mystery novels, beginning with Marmalade and Murder. ‘Lurking in the Shadows’ is her first short story.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
A fondness for, and over indulgence in, fine wines.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
No. I still can’t locate my keys.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is very important. I try to include as much local color in my mystery and horror fiction as is possible. I grew up on the cranberry bogs of Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts. From the age of thirteen until thirty I worked on weekends, and during school vacations, including summers, from high school through grad school, and afterwards when I was teaching. I’ve got cranberry juice in my veins. Or is it ditch water?
What do you aim to give your readers?
Entertainment, and information if I can work it in.
What are you working on now?
A short mystery story set in 17-century New England.
Where can we find you online?
Hiding.
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
This tea tastes funny.
Poppycock...there's nothing wrong with it. Drink up!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi F. K.,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
I tend to go one of two ways when writing an impossible crime: One way is to start from the desired effect - the illusion that the culprit is trying to create. Starting this way is great fun, since at this stage I'm only concerned with how baffling a scenario I can cook up. From there I work backwards, trying to figure out how the magic trick was done. It can be tricky to walk the line between a compelling setup and a solution that feels both satisfying and fresh. The second approach is the inverse. I start with the solution, focusing on everyday objects or concepts that can be applied in unorthodox ways to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts. Ideas like a murder weapon made of ice, or the poison introduced into the paranoid man's drink via a tampered faucet. Personally, I find these ideas tend to be hard to come by, especially in such a well-trodden sub-genre. But when you have a good one on your hands, you can feel it immediately. From there, it's just a matter of extrapolating out from that core concept in a way that feels organic and interesting. So to answer the actual question, “Lost at Sea” was a result of the second approach. That one small idea that unravels the culprit's plot was what informed the details of the setting and the supporting cast.
A good fair-play mystery is a 2-for-1 deal - both an engaging story and a battle of wits between the reader and the author. It's a game you can't really lose, because even if you don't manage to outwit the sleuth, you still have the promise of a mind-blowing reveal to look forward to. I believe this is one reason that the sub-genre has continued to capture readers, but I think you'll find there are countless different, equally valid answers to this question!
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
John Dickson Carr. He is practically synonymous with the locked-room mystery, a maestro of the form unmatched in both output and quality. The Judas Window, as one example, is my ideal locked-room mystery, ticking every box: an entertaining cast led by a force-of-nature protagonist, an engaging framing narrative, and a solution that unravels a suffocating illusion in a single stroke. While not a new talent per se, Hiroshi Mori's debut novel, The Perfect Insider, is a refreshing take on the locked-room mystery that I often think back on. It may be a niche-within-a-niche, leaning heavily on technical jargon to evoke its academic setting, but the core mystery is a dark twist on the classic problem with a jaw-dropping solution. It was just recently translated to English, and hopefully it’s the first of many.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
It may be cliché, but I can't say no to a cup of tea. I do all my best thinking over a freshly brewed pot, so I imagine that would translate over into any hypothetical sleuthing!
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Fairly important! How I end up using the setting really depends on which of the two approaches (see above) I take. If I'm starting from the result and "solving backwards", the setting is an invaluable tool for making the impossible effect pop. The locked-room mystery in a stately country manor is a timeless classic, but the Ice Floe Mansion built at an uncanny angle on a seaside cliff in Soji Shimada's Murder in the Crooked House drips with character and novel avenues for reasoning about the mysteries presented. With the second approach, the setting is often just the logical consequence of the idea I'm fleshing out. It's no less important than in the first approach, but the details of the setting tend to serve a more practical purpose rather than acting as embellishment. I’ve never traveled by boat, luxury yacht or otherwise!
What do you aim to give your readers?
The stories I love most have felt like sitting across from the narrative’s sleuth over a chessboard, so I'm happy if my stories can provide that feeling for others. But no matter how well-constructed a mystery is, if the narrative doesn't keep the reader engaged, the game is over before it begins. This is why my casts tend to include a character that strings the reader along, playfully taunting them. A character playing this role is the last bit of seasoning that elevates a fair-play mystery from an elegant puzzle to an engrossing experience.
Where can we find you online?
I'm not on social media, but you can find my contact info at fkrestrepo.com - I'm always happy to chat about locked-room mysteries!
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Elizabeth (E.E.)
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
I got interested in mushroom hunting when I lived in a small town in the redwoods in Northern California. Later I moved to the beautiful, but Mormon, mountains of Utah. The cooking and culture there are rather…interesting. (All the recipes in this story are real, though I don’t recommend making any of them.) Though I have lived there for years, it’s the only story I set there.
It’s so much fun to try to solve the mystery yourself ! And when you do discover the solution, hopefully at the end of the story, you say, “I GET IT!” and not, “Well, that wasn’t clear” or “That doesn’t make sense” or “Hey, the murderer wasn't introduced till the last page”.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire, and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
I love Raymond Chandler, not for his plots so much as his use of language and street rough poetry.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
Actually, NO! My main Character, Eddie Evers, is the lead in two novels, with a third planned. He came into being in a short entitled, Electric Detective, where he is struck by lightning and learns to “speak” electric. The lightning supercharges his neurons, giving him the ability to see into other dimensions.
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
I would have, I do have, a mystery solving Black cat, Max, who works with me. He’s also in the Electric Detective novels. He too was struck by lightning and is a super cat! I’d also be a nail-biting vegetarian.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
Yes, but I don’t want to give away who done it!
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is very important. Setting is a main character. It sets the mood and the feel of the story. I lived in Mexico for a few years and set many stories there. I’m from LA, the Hollywood Hills, where my detective, Eddie, is from, and I know the mean streets, golden hills and dirty alleys personally. In Christmas Potatoes, Alta and the Silver Fork Lodge are real places. So far this is my only story set in Utah. I have not lived everywhere I’ve written about, but usually I have. And if not, I do a lot of research.
What do you aim to give your readers?
It depends on the tale. Here, I really just want them to have a good time. Sometimes I want to change or influence their minds and hearts. I want to capture them with words. And despite best intentions there’s usually a not too hidden moral message. I can’t help myself.
What are you working on now?
I have a few novels, a Mexican Story collection, and a ginormous short story collection entitled, “Jack the Ripper’s Home for Wayward Girls.” But for the last few months I’ve mostly been planting coral and diving.
Where can we find you online?
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Karen,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
I think readers love to be engaged. I know I do. Growing up and reading the great mysteries by the likes of Agatha Christie and my favourite, Rex Stout, I was always trying to see if I could figure it out before the truth was revealed. Watching mystery shows on TV with my kids over the years, often I got it figured out before they did. Sometimes they’d make me write down who-dun-it well before the ending. When I was right, it drove them crazy ~wink, wink~
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
Rex Stout is by far my favourite. I call them my Archie books, and I’ve read them over and over. I’m sure I have most that were published back in the day. I started collecting them thirty years ago. I have a good writer friend, Marcelle Dubé. I don’t know that she’s exactly new (she’s been writing for at least twenty years, with a bunch of books and stories to her credit), but even so, she might be new to others, and I love her writing! She’s definitely one of my faves.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
This is the first story my protagonist has appeared in. He came to me one day, talking in my ear, telling me about his latest adventure which included bread pudding. He seems accomplished so I’m pretty sure he’s solved other cases. He simply hasn’t told me about them yet ~wink, wink~
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
I’m not a hat person, but if I were, I’d wear a hat similar to what Arlo Guthrie wore on the Alice’s Restaurant album. I wrote a story (published in Murder! Mystery! Mayhem!) with my ‘60s private-eye gal wearing that hat—I like to think she was me, in another universe.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
I fixed a broken lamp once, which was a total mystery to me. Had to make a trip to the hardware store for the electrical parts and ask how to do the job. Three hours later (and three good stiff rye ‘n cokes later) I got ‘er done, and didn’t electrocute myself. Not the mystery you’re asking about, but hey! It was a mystery to me at the time. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a little fortitude and willpower in the guise of a bunch of Q-tips (used as scaffolding to keep the wiring intact) and duct tape.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is most certainly important. It can set the mood, the tone, and the voice of the story. No, I didn’t actually visit the setting where my story takes place in the Second BBB of Mystery, but I got close with a holiday in London. Research provided more insights.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Entertainment. A jolly good story, as the English would say. One where the reader says at the conclusion of the story, hey! That was pretty darn cool!
What are you working on now?
I have a PI named Syd Malloy who lives and works in post-WWII-Vancouver solving cases with his long-time pal, Detective Al Simms. (I have no idea why that era other than Syd came to me, talking in my head, and he had stories to tell). I’m hoping to make a second collection of short stories featuring Syd. My first collection, Syd Malloy, Private Investigator, There Goes the Neighbourhood came out in 2022. The book features some previously published Syd stories, and some new ones.
Where can we find you online?
www.karenmkeeley.blogspot.com which is a work in progress.
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Dr. Runté,
Dave Duncan passed in 2018 and you were the one who submitted his story. What was your connection to Dave?
I was Dave Duncan’s editor. I had acquired nine of his books when I was Senior Editor at Five Rivers Publishing, and copyedited one for him for Open Road. We were finishing up two new books, The Traitor’s Son and Corridor to Nightmare, when he passed suddenly. I was surprised to discover that he had left me all his unfinished manuscripts to edit and see published. I consider that a great honour. We had originally connected when he was starting out as a writer and I was starting out as reviewer. Eventually, he recruited me as one of his handful of beta readers. Over the course of three decades, we corresponded extensively about his writing, so I got to know that side of him pretty well. I thought of Dave as a close friend, though in truth we’d only met in person a few times.
Did Dave Duncan write a lot of mysteries?
No, but also yes. Dave was universally known as a fantasy and science fiction writer, with over sixty-five traditionally published novels. He was hugely popular with both fantasy and science fiction fans for his universe building and uniquely inventive magic systems. “Alexander’s Nose” is one of only three or four short stories he ever wrote and his only ‘pure’ mystery story. On the other hand, the driver of many of his SF&F plots were definitely mysteries of one sort or another. Pillar of Darkness, for example has a recognizable Agatha Christie vibe in that Duncan gathers all the characters in a villa for the first half of the book and the reader has to suss out who is up to what. His Alchemist’s Apprentice series are straight-up murder mysteries, set in an alternate Renaissance Florence. His Omar books are about a fast-talking conman, just in a sword and sorcery world. His SF thriller, Hero, is essentially a spy novel (though for an attentive reader, there is also a deeply satirical subtext of the whole macho hero motif). And so on. With a few exceptions, all his books challenge the protagonist(s)—and therefore the reader—to figure something out, so are in that sense “traditional fair-play mysteries”.
How important is setting in Duncan’s writing?
Setting was an essential part of what made Duncan’s books so popular. Anything set in historical times was researched down to the tiniest detail. I was never able to catch him on an anachronism and his knowledge of ninth century Ireland, medieval England, or Renaissance Florence, or whenever, informed all his fantasy. Setting was even more fundamental to his SF, given his world-building was often the defining element in initiating the action: some new technology or new world our hero was thrust into.
What are you working on now for Duncan?
The Traitor’s Son and Corridor to Nightmare are coming out from Shadowpaw Press sometime in 2023-2024. Duncan was working on the sequel to Corridor when he passed, but had gotten stuck a third of the way in. He had asked for my input and agreed with my analysis about why it wasn’t jelling. The last thing he ever said to me in person was, “I’m like what you said, but it will mean changing the ending.” I’ll always regret I didn’t ask him, “What’s the new ending, then?” I’ll figure it out. I think I can channel Duncan well enough, but I am in contact with his other beta readers, and I won’t release the sequel unless they agree the final product is seamlessly a Dave Duncan book. There are other partial manuscripts as well, so I’m looking for other published authors familiar with Duncan’s extensive canon that might be open to collaborating with his ghost to finish them up.
Where can we find Duncan online?
Duncan’s website expired a couple of years after his passing, so his Wikipedia page is probably the best resource to track down his books: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Duncan_(writer) Or people can contact me at EssentialEdits.ca.
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
Join Black Beacon Books and our contributors for the Facebook launch of "The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery". The anthology will be released on the 8th of July, and in the lead-up, there will be interviews, previews, and more on the event page. Simply follow this link to join the event: The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery: Online Launch | Facebook
Kindle pre-orders of the anthology are open now. Take advantage of the deal to grab a copy for just $1.99 instead of $3.99! Amazon
If you're on Goodreads, we encourage you to add the anthology to your "want to read" list: Goodreads
As always, for exclusive advance updates and bonuses, and to support Black Beacon Books, become a patron today. Our patrons help ensure that we can continue to publish the quality fiction you love and deserve: Patreon
You've seen the cover for The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery, now meet the artist.
1. Hi Małgorzata, Thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions for our readers. First of all, we'd like to know a little about you. Who are you and how did you end up moving from Poland to Sydney?
I have been living in Sydney for five years now as an international student. I come from a small town in Poland called Czechowice-Dziedzice and since I felt stagnant in my country, I decided to take a leap of faith and recreate myself on the other side of the world. Currently, I am studying IT and I hope to merge the technological part of knowledge with my creative side. I have dabbled into art since childhood and for a couple of years now, I have been gravitating towards using my artistic part for generating income and engaging myself in more and more projects.
2. Can you tell us three interesting facts about yourself?
I am a science fiction aficionado, but oddly enough my artworks gravitate towards horror, fantasy and its derivatives. Although the realm of the fantastic has been captivating me since childhood, that has hardly been the case with the genre of fantasy which I continue to distance myself from in terms of my reading choices or other forms of entertainment.
I love creating concept art for games I would love to watch someone play, but most likely I would never play them myself. While working on an illustration, I like listening to epic music (E.S. Posthumus, Two Steps from Hell, Tomme Profit) as it helps me to picture a scene more vividly and create artworks more efficiently.
3. How do you go about preparing a cover for a book? Do you have a particular process you follow?
My process of designing a book cover frequently follows a particular modus operandi: while illustrating short stories and novellas, the author usually sends me an unpublished text and after reading it, I am allowed to pick the scene that will illustrate that piece of writing in the best compelling manner. In the case of novels or anthologies, I am either presented with an excerpt of a scene that is to be transformed into a cover, or I receive a short instruction on what the cover needs to present. Once the content and style of the cover are delineated, I create a few sketches so that the client could choose the version of the cover they approve of the most. When the design is picked, I work on a fully rendered version of the book cover. Upon its compilation, I consult my work with the client to see if any corrections need to be introduced. When both sides are happy with the result, the cover is used in the publication process and I receive my remuneration.
4. What inspires you? Do you have a routine or special place you go to get the ideas flowing?
I would characterise my inspiration as very fluid and adaptable. When I create a personal work, a character from a favourite I develop an emotional response to may become my muse. On a daily basis, I find Pinterest very helpful in finding captivating photographs of people who will become my study project or the basis of my character design. Sometimes, it is the way a person looks at you, a unique coiffure, or attire attract my attention to such an extent that I feel the need to incorporate them into my artworks; at times, I attempt to paint my muses as they are with little interpretation of my own, just to capture their souls in painting.
5. Who are your favourite artists?
There are a few artists that are close to my heart as I cherish them for their style and their professional approach to concept art. These are Adam Duff, Daniel Bolling Walsh and also mentors from the college I studied at, CG Spectrum: Bernie Kang and Brandon Reimchen.
6. Where can we find you online?
You can find me in a few places. If you are looking for digital art I create, please check my Artstation: malgorzatamika.artstation.com or Instagram: @malgorzata_mikart. If you wish to delve into the written realm, head off to Medium (@malgorzata.mika87) where I post articles revolving around creative self-development and the issues affecting the world of digital art.
Thanks you, Małgorzata.
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery is set to be released on the 8th of July.
You've already discovered the line-up comprised of both usual suspects and new villains...posted below in case you missed it. Now, it's time to reveal the cover. Without giving too much away regarding particular stories, it's safe to reveal that this second volume of what we hope will be a long-running series of mystery stories features a lot of poison! For this volume, we worked with artist Malgorzata Mika and here's the sinister art she came up with. We hope you like it! Enjoy that tea.
Alexander's Nose by Dave Duncan
Bread Pudding by Karen Keeley
Christmas Funeral Potatoes by E. E. King
Lost at Sea by F. K. Restrepo
Lurking in the Shadows by Edward Lodi
The Impossible Theft by Cameron Trost
If It's Tuesday, This Must be Murder by Josh Pachter
Justice for Jaynie by Yvonne Ventresca
Keep Your Friends Close by Maggie King
Too Many Sherlocks by Paulene Turner
Villainy in the Vertical Village by Joseph S. Walker
Screen Shot by Teel James Glenn
Spanner in the Works by Alan Barker
The Murderer's Vade Mecum by Erica Obey
There is a Tide by Elizabeth Elwood
Of course, if you haven't read the first volume yet, now's the time!
If you enjoyed the first volume of The Black Beacon Books of Mystery, you're going to absolutely love the second. It's even more puzzling!
The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July, 2023. This leaves all you armchair detectives out there enough time to find your magnifying glasses, binoculars, notebooks...and to train your little grey cells!
We have a great mix of well-known authors and new talent, and both reprints and original fiction. This anthology will be almost exclusively traditional fair-play detective puzzles, so readers will need to be on the lookout for clues!
Alexander's Nose by Dave Duncan
Bread Pudding by Karen Keeley
Christmas Funeral Potatoes by E. E. King
Lost at Sea by F. K. Restrepo
Lurking in the Shadows by Edward Lodi
The Impossible Theft by Cameron Trost
If It's Tuesday, This Must be Murder by Josh Pachter
Justice for Jaynie by Yvonne Ventresca
Keep Your Friends Close by Maggie King
Too Many Sherlocks by Paulene Turner
Villainy in the Vertical Village by Joseph S. Walker
Screen Shot by Teel James Glenn
Spanner in the Works by Alan Barker
The Murderer's Vade Mecum by Erica Obey
There is a Tide by Elizabeth Elwood
Please note that the order of appearance is subject to change.