Do you love mysteries? I do, so I’m very pleased to welcome Lea Wait to the blog today. Lea writes the Agatha-finalist Shadows Antique Print Mystery series for adults featuring protagonist Maggie Summer, and also historical novels for ages 8-14.
You live in Maine and you run an antique print business. How has your background influenced your writing?
Although I haven’t lived in Maine all of my life, it’s where my heart has been. Of the ten books I’ve had published so far, and the five under contract, all but four are set in Maine. Luckily, my readers seem to love Maine, too! And I grew up in the antiques business – my great-grandfather, my grandmother and my mother were all dealers – and I’ve never lived in a house built after 1920. The one I live in now was built in 1774. So even when my stories take place today, antiques, and history are part of who I am, and parts of the stories I write.
Your new book is called Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding. What’s it about?
This is one of my mysteries that clearly doesn’t take place in Maine! My protagonist, antique print dealer Maggie Summer, is on Cape Cod to help her best friend with pre-wedding preparations. Of course every wedding has its last minute challenges … this one includes the murder of someone whose daughter thought he’d died two years before, a feisty prospective mother-in-law, a strange woman with an unusual hobby, and a town full of private New Englanders with secrets to uncover. And then Maggie’s own beau decides he’s had enough of her crime solving, a hurricane hits, bullets start flying … and Maggie herself becomes a target. But, of course, the wedding must go on!
You also write novels for young people. What can you tell us about them?
I’m writing a group of novels for ages 8-14 all set in the same town (Wiscasset, Maine) in the 19th century. The main characters are fictional, but the minor characters are the real people who lived in the town then, and the events in the books really happened. My goal is to show how life changed in small town American over the years. I’m thrilled that the four books published so far (Stopping to Home, Seaward Born, Wintering Well, and Finest Kind,) have been honored by being put on reading lists throughout the country.
What’s up next in Lea’s writing world?
Uncertain Glory, the next of my books for young people, set during the first two weeks of the Civil War, will be published in April of 2014. Then in the fall of 2014 the next in the Shadows series, Shadows on a Maine Christmas will be published, and, I’m excited to announce, Kensington will also be publishing the first in my new mystery series, set in (where else?) Haven Harbor, Maine. Its title will be Time’s Twisted Threads. I invite everyone to check my website and friend me on Facebook for more about my books. Thank you for having me here!
Lea, thanks so much for joining us today! Readers, Lea is graciously giving away a copy of Shadows on a Cape Cod Weddings. Just tell us who your favorite sleuth is–literary or on film or TV–for a chance to win.
My favourite has to be Poirot.
Poirot! He is so funny. 🙂 Love Agatha Christie…
Rosemary and Thyme
Agatha Christie
I’m torn between Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew! 🙂
Love them both, Kelsey!
My favorite today is Dame Beatrice Lestrange Bradley. I think I missed one of her names, but it is a HHH day!
I don’t know who she is, Deanna, I must confess!
I have always had a special place in my heart for Nancy Drew – it something I have been able to share with my daughters and hope to share with my grand daughters.
I loved Nancy Drew, Belinda! It’s great that you’re passing her on to subsequent generations.
J D Robb has a large series of books called THE IN DEATH SERIES. My fav sleuth is in this series. Lt Eve Dallas of the NY ploice.
I love Eve, too! So much fun to imagine police work in the future! (Plus that fantastic car … and her man! — wow!)
I’m a Nancy Drew lover.
I’ve always loved Poirot but there are so many others that I don’t think I could ever be bored.
I’m a huge cozy mystery fan and love lots of sleuths. A current favorite is Lily Ivory (the Witchcraft mysteries by Juliet Blackwell). I also love Amelia Peabody in Elizabeth Peters historical series. For a classic sleuth how about Brother Cadfael?!
Great list, Kathleen!
I have many favorites from Holmes to Monk. Monk is by far the most humorous. I very much enjoy mystery novels and I am not a reader who limits herself to this or that genre of books.
Loving all these different answers!
My favorite sleuth is Nick and Nora Charles. Great team. Wonderful post.
I loved those movies, Ellie!
Classic like Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe. those mysteries are so memorable.
Angela Lansbury playing Jessica Fletcher on Murder She Wrote is my fav sleuth on TV
Love her, too! Can you believe it’ll be 30 years ago in 2014 since Cabot Cove hit the small screen? In its honor, I’m beginning a new Maine mystery series starring a grandmother and daughter sleuth team who live in … Haven Harbor, Maine. The first will be called “Time’s Twisted Threads.”
Miss Marple is a favorite for her dry wit, sage comments and uniqueness.
Nancy Drew
Sherlock Holmes
The best!
I love JD Robb’s Eve!! 🙂
Temperance Brennan
Oh, yes! Kathy Reichs writes a great series — Bones on the air, and her books are great, too! I gobble both up! Plus — she now has a YA series that I love — Virals. Very talented lady!
For purity of purpose, the one person who could never be swayed by anything but the truth, I would have to say Poirot. His simple statement “I do not approve of murder” may seem trite but it covers a philosophy that is proven in book after book that murder not only destroys the victim but the soul of the murderer.
Robert Downey Jr playing sherlock holmes