1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A sexy Agatha Christie-style mystery set in the glamour of pre-war Paris. Read with Champagne.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I wanted it to be in that naïve, heady time between the wars in Paris when the food, the fashion and the parties were all about giddy decadence. It was my escape from the reality of two years lockdown.
4–Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life?
She’s based on one of my best friends—a foreign correspondent—so absolutely!
5–What are three words that describe your sleuth?
Smart and intuitive
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
That it’s tricky writing a tight mystery in one timeline.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Bit of both. I’m not entirely sure whodunnit until I get to the end, which requires rewriting sometimes!
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Dinner with friends at a great wine bar with an innovative menu.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
Currently it’s at our dining room table overlooking a balcony of pot plants.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Tie between Geraldine Brooks and A.S. Byatt
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey. The scene of the glass floating down the river really made me examine place, passion, and everything in between. It made me want to be a writer.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)
To say I was shocked was an understatement. I expected maybe a few kind words, and what happened was a four-way auction.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Mysteries and thrillers.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
Storm Boy. Makes me cry every time.
15–What is your favorite season?
Summer
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Champagne with my husband, family, and friends.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
TV show- a quirky Australian comedy called Collin from Accounts.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Oof, that’s hard! Whatever country I happen to be in when I travel. Often, I want to move there too. I easily fall in love!
19–What do you do when you have free time?
I’m a big walker, I love ocean swimming, reading, and catching up with friends.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
The Hidden Book – a historical novel set in two timeframes between Mauthausen Concentration Camp and contemporary Sydney. It’s based on the true story of a hidden photo album smuggled out of prison and eventually being discovered 40 years later on a farm in rural Australia.
THE PARIS MYSTERY by Kirsty Manning
Intrepid reporter Charlotte “Charlie” James arrives in Paris in 1938 eager to make a fresh start, but little does she know the trouble that awaits her…
Charlie James is chasing her first big scoop as correspondent for British-based newspaper The Times, and she needs to prove to her boss that she can do this job as well, if not better, than her male counterparts. The best way to forge the necessary contacts quickly is to make well-connected British expats, Lord and Lady Ashworth, her business. Lady Eleanor knows everyone in Parisian high society, and at her sumptuously extravagant annual party, a Circus Ball, Charlie will meet them all.
On the summer solstice eve, the Circus Ball is in full swing, with the Parisian elites entranced by burlesque dancers, tightrope walkers, a jazz band . . . and a horrific murder. A wealthy but unscrupulous investor is dead, and the list of suspects is a veritable who’s who of le haut monde. As Charlie tries to determine who the murderer is, she finds herself drawn into the magical parties, couture houses, and bohemian wine bars of the City of Lights. Soon secrets start to unravel, including some Charlie has a personal stake in keeping hidden.
Mystery Historical | Mystery Woman Sleuth [Vintage, On Sale: July 25, 2023, e-Book, ISBN: 9780593678534 / ]
Buy THE PARIS MYSTERY: Kindle | BN.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Kirsty Manning
Kirsty Manning grew up in northern New South Wales, Australia. She has degrees in literature and communications and worked as an editor and publishing manager in book publishing for over a decade. A country girl with wanderlust, her travels and studies have taken her through most of Europe, the east, and west coasts of the United States as well as pockets of Asia. Kirsty’s journalism and photography specializing in lifestyle and travel regularly appear in magazines, newspapers, and online. She lives in Australia.
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