Thanks to social media venues and book-signing events, feedback from readers has given me insight into what they like about my mystery novels.
Readers tell me they like my main characters, ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott. They enjoy the dialogue between them, their different approaches to investigating and solving a crime, and their deep respect for each other.
Readers understand that my protagonists are human and have faults, problems, and goals like everyone else. They appreciate Megan’s cautious curiosity and Michael’s risk-taking antics that get them into even more trouble as they track down criminals.
Readers also enjoy the different settings in my stories. False Impressions is set in cosmopolitan Montreal. Fatal Whispers takes my sleuths on a trip to the New England coastal town of Portland, Maine. Icy Silence restricts the setting to an elite boarding school with no access to outside help in the midst of an ice storm. The setting in my fourth novel, Dark Deeds, takes my sleuths to a bed-and-breakfast resort by the lake. To readers who haven't yet discovered my books, don’t let the location fool you. Each book offers nothing less than a heart-pounding whodunit!
When I started to write the first book in the series, False Impressions, I was already envisioning a series and made sure that each successive book could be read as a standalone. Readers don’t have to read my books in sequence either. I weave the basic history of my sleuths into every book so that each one is a complete story in itself.
My readers cross age groups and come from a variety of backgrounds. From young adults to seniors, they share a love of reading mysteries and the challenge of solving them. One reader described my books as “clean thrillers.” I tend to agree. My mysteries contain no explicit sex and no grisly gore since I find it difficult to write such scenes. The attraction between Megan and Michael is restricted to romantic moments, with sex happening behind closed doors.
Readers often post book reviews on websites such as Amazon, Goodreads, and Kobo. I’m always thrilled to see a new review pop up—even if it contains only a couple of sentences. Writers appreciate honest feedback and I’m no exception. It’s one of the ways I can learn what readers like and give them exactly what they want.
I’m currently plotting another daring adventure for Megan and Michael. Broken Trust, the fifth book in the series, is scheduled for publication this fall. Stay tuned!