Alie Dumas-Heidt

Alie Dumas-Heidt lives in the Puget Sound with her husband, adult kids, and two Goldendoodles – Astrid and Torvi. Growing up she wanted to be a detective and a writer and spent a few years working as a police dispatcher. Now, working is writing in her home office with the dogs at her feet. When she’s not writing she enjoys being in the forest, creating glass art, yarn crafts, and watching baseball.

Dumas-Heidt's new novel is The Myth Maker.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

I am currently reading two very different books right now, which I do to myself often. I have an older cozy mystery called The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton, and Evil Eye by Etaf Rum.

The Quiche of Death is the first in the Agatha Raisin cozy series that started in the 90's. I jumped into the books after watching the show on the BBC. It's a fun read with a spirited leading lady, Agatha Raisin, who leaves a successful PR career and unwittingly becomes a super sleuth in the Cotswolds. It is a little sassier than other cozy reads, but the sass feels true to the characters. I love how the side characters and the town itself add to the story and it's been my escape place before bed.

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum is one I just bought and it was because of my mom's recent obsession with the image of the evil eye. The cover art caught me from across the bookstore and then I got pulled in by the details of the story. The writing is so clean and easy to fall into. Right now I'm getting to know the main character, Yara Murad, and feel the suffocation she's enduring from a life that isn't quite her own. I'm only few chapters in but I'm invested in Yara and I'm pretty sure she will eventually make me cry.

Visit Alie Dumas-Heidt's website.

Q&A with Alie Dumas-Heidt.

--Marshal Zeringue