Tag Archive for: izzy walsh mystery

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Writer, humanist,

          dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,

       Lover of solitude

          and the company of good friends,

        new places, new ideas

           and old wisdom.








 


Today, I delve into the decade I was born into but have only a vague recollection of—the 1950s. The vehicle for time travel was Lynn McPherson’s delightful The Girls Dressed for Murder. So far, there are three books with Izzy: The Girls’ Weekend Murder, The Girls Whispered Murder, and The Girls Dressed for Murder.


I really want to go shopping in Twin Oaks, y’all, and that is saying something since I don’t have a shopping gene. But in lieu of that, I am chatting with Lynn.



TK: So, Lynn, what made you pick the 50s decade?


Lynn: Several years ago, I ran my own business. After five years, things went downhill, and we were forced to close. During that time, I became pregnant with my first child. My life changed overnight, and I went from a small business owner to a stay-at-home mom. I felt like I’d transported back in time, to the 1950s. It was a huge adjustment, and I began to watch a lot of I Love Lucy reruns. I thought about what a fun protagonist a homemaker from that era would make. From there, ideas began to percolate, resulting in the Izzy Walsh series.


TK: I love the interplay between your characters, “The Girls.” My favorite line was “Sometimes there was no other cure for a sad heart than a best friend.” How important are relationships to your stories?


Lynn: They are the core of the Izzy Walsh series. The love between Ethel and Lucy inspired me to show how important and amazing good friends can be (nevermind when you have a murder to solve)!


TK: Do you write the Izzy Walsh stories with a character arc or does Izzy get to just dig into the mysteries in the cozy coastal town of Twin Oaks? 


Lynn: Thanks TK. I always start out with a character arc and an idea of where the story is going to go and how it will get there. However, Izzy and her friends often get in the way. Sometimes they have a mind of their own and I have to fight to keep them in line. Usually by the end, we make up and a compromise is reached.

 

TK: What about the Brenna Flynn mysteries?  How are they similar or not?

Lynn: Brenna Flynn, the protagonist in Death On The Set, by Rose Kerr, definitely has some similarities to Izzy. Both characters are smart, inquisitive, and have a knack for trouble. I’d certainly recommend it as a fun read. The series is set in the current day, and Brenna Flynn is widowed, like Izzy, but she has no kids. Brenna is a former guidance counselor who lands a position as a production assistant on a cooking reality show.


TK: I see from your website that you have jumped out of an airplane. What, pray tell, drove that and how was the landing?


Lynn: Well, that was an adventure. I guess you could say I have a knack for finding trouble, too. I’ve gone skydiving three times and it was a blast. My best jump was in Australia. It was a tandem jump (I was attached to my instructor) and we jumped from 14,000 feet over the Great Barrier Reef. I saw turtles! We landed on the beach, and I couldn’t shake the smile off my face for days.


TK: What did you do at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police? This sounds like fertile writing ground! Can we expect to see a plot thicken there at some point? I was a civilian employee and worked on transcripts for court prep. I read some pretty spicy stuff (too spicy for the cozy genre!). It certainly gave me some insight into character building, and I have a few ideas I might dive into at some point. But my true writing love is cozies so for now, I’m going to stick to small towns and amateur sleuths. 


Thanks Lynn, it was great to get to know you a bit, SG Sister!  


Lynn’s website:  https://lynnmcpherson.net

Purchase all her books on Amazon

T.K.Thorne is a retired police captain who writes Books, which, like this blog, go wherever her curiosity and imagination take her.  More at TKThorne.com

 

Grateful for Audiobooks!

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By Lynn McPherson

My first audiobook is finally out in the world! I’m so excited to share with readers that they can now listen to the first Izzy Walsh Mystery, The Girls’ Weekend Murder. As an author, it is an absolute delight to hear your words read aloud by a professional narrator–even more exciting than I’d imagined.

The timing couldn’t be better either with Thanksgiving two days away. I have so much to be grateful for, my audiobook is only adding to the lengthy list.

I hope everyone is able to spend time with loved ones, enjoy a wonderful meal, and have a relaxing holiday weekend.

Here is a little about my first audiobook, described as a mixture of  Murder, She Wrote and I Love Lucy…

An oceanfront estate in the beautiful New England town of Twin Oaks is the ideal setting for Isabelle Walsh and her close-knit group of friends to celebrate their annual girls’ weekend in 1953.

While off to a promising start, the weekend quickly goes awry as murder interrupts the fun and the hostess is accused of the shocking crime. Izzy quickly realizes it is up to her to save her innocent friend and bring the murderer to light.

Keen intuition and quick wit are Izzy’s only tools. She must use them to find the dark truth before the killer brings her investigation to a dead stop…


Happy Thanksgiving Readers!!!

Lynn McPherson has worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ran a small business, and taught English across the globe. She has travelled the world solo where her daring spirit has led her to jump out of airplanes, dive with sharks, and learn she would never master a surfboard. She now channels her lifelong love of adventure and history into her writing, where she is free to go anywhere, anytime. Her cozy series has three books out: The Girls’ Weekend Murder and The Girls Whispered Murder, and The Girls Dressed For Murder.  


Interview with Stiletto Gang blogmate, Lynn McPherson

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Interview
with Stiletto Gang blogmate, Lynn McPherson

By
Cathy Perkins

Let
me introduce you to one of our newer blogmates, Lynn McPherson. For years, Lynn
led an adventurous globe-trotting life (her adventures sound like so much fun!). Now she  channels her love of adventure and history
into her writing, where she’s free to go anywhere, anytime. Currently juggling family
and an energetic puppy, she writes the Izzy Walsh Mystery Series.

I
love the tag line for Lynn’s newest novel, The
Girls Dressed For Murder:

When Izzy gets a killer dress for her
birthday, she isn’t expecting to accessorize it with murder…

CATHY:
What made you pick your particular mystery genre?

LYNN:
I’ve loved cozy mysteries since I read my first one, Rita Mae Brown’s classic
Mrs. Murphy series. She had me at the title, Whisker of Evil. When I
started writing, it was the natural choice.

CATHY:
Which came first: plot, character, or setting?

LYNN:
Usually plot comes first for me. It won’t be completely fleshed out until I
have my characters and setting, but the inkling of an idea is what gets the ball
rolling.  

CATHY:
I’m seeing more novels set in the 1950s. What led you to choose this time
period for your books?

LYNN:
I’m a big fan of I Love Lucy. My books aim to provide the same sort of
humor with the added element of a murder mystery. It’s all about fun. 

CATHY:
Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do
you turn that around?

LYNN:
I have most definitely written myself into a corner. Stumped, I usually skip
ahead and write a scene I’m more confident about. I can always go back to where
I left off once I’ve figured out what to do and how to fix it.

CATHY:
The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to
pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

LYNN:
I love Thailand and have been daydreaming of the many months I spent there,
years ago. I always do carry-on so I won’t bring much. Some basic toiletries,
sun dresses, and flip flops are all I require!

CATHY:
What do you read when you aren’t writing? Any favorite authors (or
snacks/beverages) to go with it?

LYNN:
My go-to favorites are Vicky Delany, Elizabeth J Duncan, and Vivien Chien. At
the moment I’m reading Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto. It’s a
hoot! When I’m reading I like to sip on tea–lemon ginger or green tea are
normally brewing in the pot.

  Connect
with Lynn here:

  Website: https://lynnmcpherson.net/

   Twitter: https://twitter.com/CozyMysteryLynn

   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozymysterylynn/?hl=en

 

An award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond height or heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.  Visit her at http://cperkinswrites.com or on Facebook 

Sign up for her new release announcement newsletter in either place.

She’s hard at work on Peril in the Pony Ring, the sequel to The Body in the Beaver Pond, releasing May 2021!) which was recently presented with the Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award

What’s in a Name?

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--> By Lynn McPherson

One of my favourite things about cozy mysteries is the title. While an eye-catching cover is important, a clever pun has me giddy with glee to dig right in. The first cozy mystery I encountered was Murder, She Meowed, by Rita Mae Brown. My sister introduced me to it several years ago. It brought me so much joy, I actually kept the book in my purse for weeks—even after I finished the delightful story—because I just couldn’t get enough of the name.
Today, cozy titles still give me instant gratification. Ginger Bolton’s latest offering, Goodbye Crueller World, had me counting down the days for its release from the moment I heard its title. So, what is it that draws a reader in? For me, it is the promise of a story that captures the joy of the name. I know that when I am finished reading a cozy, justice will be restored without any tears shed. It is like a contract between author and reader.
But the title of the book is only one of many parts of a book that require a label. What about the characters? How important is it to choose the right name for each individual in a story?
I first began writing books soon after my first child was born. Choosing a name for her was something I had given countless hours to in the months leading up to her birth. After all, it wasn’t just me making the selection—my husband had opinions, too. We talked into the wee hours of the night on several occasions before our daughter was born discussing names we liked and those we didn’t. Compromise has never been my strong suit, but it was a fun exercise and made us both realize how the moniker one is given can present an image or leave an impression even before a person is known.
While I will refrain from giving you my personal spin on what goes into a good choice for a name or rules one should follow, I will leave the reader with my final thoughts, as an author and a mom. Do not make your choice an open discussion. Only involve one or (if you must) two individuals to agree on a name. Do not ask for opinions or suggestions from others or you will find yourself in an awkward position. We tend to seek approval from those around us that we love and care about. This is one of those rare occasions where I advise against it. Keep it simple and go with your gut.

Lynn McPherson has worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ran a small business, and taught English across the globe. She has travelled the world solo where her daring spirit has led her to jump out of airplanes, dive with sharks, and learn she would never master a surfboard. She now channels her lifelong love of adventure and history into her writing, where she is free to go anywhere, anytime. Her cozy series has two books out: The Girls' Weekend Murder and The Girls Whispered Murder.  

[Lynn's Author Site] - [Buy Lynn's Book]