Your new “Electra McDonnell” mystery series is set in the 1940s. Is that a favorite time period for you? I know you’ve had mysteries set in the 1930s before. Is there another time period you’d be interested in having as a setting for your mysteries? The 1940s is such a fascinating time period. There was, obviously, so much going on globally, and there were so many significant factors at play, on both small and large scales. Ordinary people did extraordinary things in the face of insurmountable odds, and that aspect of life during World War II has so much potential for storytelling. As for other time periods I’d enjoy as settings, I do love a good Victorian murder mystery, and the Roaring Twenties has a lot of potential for mystery as well. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll venture to those eras!   Your female protagonist and sleuth, Electra McDonnell, seems like a complex character. Do you prefer writing more complex and complicated characters rather than ones who are very rigid or immovable? Electra—or Ellie, as she’s known—is a really fun character to write because there’s the contrast of her being a thief and safecracker with the very noble and…

Not many authors develop their stories like a patchwork quilt. Most of the time you hear the debate between plotters and pantsters, the art of outlining vs the skill of letting the story flow from a writer’s fingertips. Quilters, however, are a rare breed in the writing world. To interview a writer who utilizes this technique not just here and there, but throughout an entire book is like discovering another piece to the puzzle of what makes a classically great author. Ashley Weaver is one of those author’s you won’t soon forget in the literary world. Kym: Welcome to the Cozy Corner, Ashley! Ashley: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to be here!  First of all, congratulations on a fabulous new release with your Electra McDonnell novel, A Peculiar Combination, set in England during WWII. After covering the Golden Age with your Armory Ames Mysteries, what made you delve into such a dark period in history for this series? Thank you! Over the past few years, I’ve developed a fascination with World War II and have read a lot of nonfiction books on several different aspects of the topic. One of my favorite authors, Ben Macintyre, wrote a book called Agent Zigzag, which…

A special treat: we have another lovely article from fresh fiction reviewer Miranda Owen, all about historical mysteries. Enjoy, and be sure to check back soon for more from Miranda and other reviewers soon! Nowadays I generally read contemporary cozy mysteries, but I have a fondness for Golden Age mysteries. Some of the first mysteries I ever read were set in England during the 1920s and 30s written by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Although it may not be what I usually read, I’ve recently enjoyed a crop of fascinating and incredibly varied collection of historical mysteries. THE MURDER AT MANDEVILLE HALL by Stephanie Laurens, AN ACT OF VILLAINY by Ashley Weaver, BRIGHT YOUNG DEAD by Jessica Fellowes, BLOOD IS BLOOD by Will Thomas, and NAUGHTY ON ICE by Maia Chance are all entertaining stories but with sleuths, settings, and tone that differ wildly from each other. I love a hint of romance in a mystery, so I adore Stephanie Laurens’ mysteries and the Amory Ames mystery series by Ashley Weaver featuring Amory and Milo Ames. These authors’ books are totally different but each does an exquisite job balancing mystery with a hint of romance. THE MURDER AT MANDEVILLE HALL…

About Ashley Weaver ASHLEY WEAVER is the Technical Services Coordinator for the Allen Parish Libraries in Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was 14; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University. She lives in Oakdale, Louisiana. Amory Ames WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM Your newest mystery – AN ACT OF VILLAINY – involves actors and the theater world. Was that especially fun to write about? It was incredibly fun! I have always been fascinated by the theater world. There’s something so magical about being transported to another place through the actions of the people onstage. I liked the idea of inserting Amory and Milo into the sphere of bright lights and entertainment and then incorporating a sinister element. A theater is, after all, an excellent backdrop for a dramatic murder mystery! I love the level of detail you put into each “Amory Ames” story, like with the perfume trivia in your most recent book THE ESSENCE OF MALICE. How much research is involved with each book you write? Some books, like THE ESSENCE OF MALICE, require more research than others. I didn’t know much about the various…