Catriona McPherson

Catriona McPherson was born in Scotland and lived there until 2010, then immigrated to California where she lives on Patwin ancestral land. A former academic linguist, she now writes full-time. Her multi-award-winning and national best-selling work includes: the Dandy Gilver historical detective stories, the Last Ditch mysteries, set in California, and a strand of contemporary standalone novels including Edgar-finalist The Day She Died and Mary Higgins Clark finalist Strangers at the Gate. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Crimewriters’ Association, The Society of Authors and Sisters in Crime, of which she is a former national president.

McPherson's new novel is Scot's Eggs.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. McPherson's reply:

I've been injured and dealing with immobility, surgery and physiotherapy the last few months, which had an effect on my reading. I retreated into comfort. Now, since I'm a crime writer, my idea of comfort is maybe not everyone's. I had read and adored about five of Linda Castillo's seventeen Chief Kate Burkholder, Amish country procedurals. Immediately I got back from the ER, I bought myself the other twelve. I've read eleven and am saving the most recent installment, Rage, for the Christmas holidays. Blimey, they're good. They're pretty violent and not at all cosy - don't let "Amish" or "country" mislead you, but Kate's team of officers at Painter's Mill PD are the best kind of found family. And the plots are brilliant.

In between the Castillos, I also gave myself the gift of Lisa Gardner's Frankie Elkin series, about a freelance cold-case missing-person investigator. She's a loner, a drifter, a bit of a lost soul herself but she's excellent company. There are only four of them so far, but they're an ideal gateway read into any of Gardner's longer series. These four are set in central Boston, remote Wyoming, the hardscrabble end of Tucson, and Hawaii. I opened that one, Still See You Everywhere, the day before my cancelled ten-day trip to Hawaii should have started. Oh, how I laughed.

And now I'm well on the mend and back to my usual habit of reading through the TBR in alphabetical order. (It cuts down on the agonising choice of what to read next.) I was at G for Gardner when I broke off, so I resumed with G for Guha: Puja Guha's nail biting Sirens of Memory, about a Kuwaiti refugee who has been living in Texas for twenty-five years and is about to slam hard into her own past. Both the 1990 sections in the refugee camps and the present-day Texas/DC sections are a masterclass in grinding tension.

Then came Jasmine Guillory's While We Were Dating, a delightful romance about a Hollywood actress, soooo close to A-list stardom, who enlists a fake boyfriend to tease the tabloids into a frenzy, raise her profile, and land the role of her life. Guess what happens! Yes, but watching it unfold is a joy. Don't you love what's going on with the Romance genre recently? I do.

Right now, I'm on page 143 of Tamron Hall's debut, As the Wicked Watch, about a television news reporter who becomes embroiled in the tragic case of a murdered Black child. It's a wonderful if sobering look at over-policing and under-protecting on Chicago's South Side, from one who knows. (I should say, I had no clue who Tamron Hall was when I picked the book up, but I did think her headshot looked extremely glam, for a crime writer!)"

Visit Catriona McPherson's website.

The Page 69 Test: Go to My Grave.

Writers Read: Catriona McPherson (November 2018).

My Book, The Movie: The Turning Tide.

The Page 69 Test: The Turning Tide.

My Book, The Movie: A Gingerbread House.

The Page 69 Test: Hop Scot.

The Page 69 Test: Deep Beneath Us.

Q&A with Catriona McPherson.

The Page 69 Test: The Witching Hour.

Writers Read: Catriona McPherson (September 2024).

Writers Read: Catriona McPherson (December 2024).

The Page 69 Test: Scotzilla.

My Book, The Movie: Scotzilla.

The Page 69 Test: Scot's Eggs.

--Marshal Zeringue

Elizabeth Hobbs

Elizabeth Hobbs is a New Englander born and bred, who spent her childhood roaming the woods, making up stories about characters who live far more exciting lives than she. It wasn’t always so—long before she ever set pen to paper, Hobbs graduated from Hollins College with a BA in classics and art history, and then earned her MA in nautical archaeology from Texas A&M University. While she loved the life of an underwater archaeologist, she has found her true calling writing historical mysteries full of wit, wickedness, and adventure. Hobbs writes wherever she is and loves to travel from her home in Texas, where she lives with her husband, the Indispensable Mr. Hobbs, and her darling dogs, Ghillie and Brogue, in an empty nest of an old house filled to the brim with bicycles and books.

Her new novel is Murder Made Her Wicked: A Marigold Manners Mystery.

Recently I asked Hobbs about what she was reading. Her reply

For a writer, reading is not just a relaxing pleasure, but an essential tool for keeping my imagination full of new and different voices and ideas and vocabulary. I usually have a few different books going at once and usually a combination of fiction and non-fiction. But the common denominator is usually a strong female protagonist. This month, I’ve read:

The Wind in the Willows

This is an annual re-read for me. During my recent downsizing, I pulled this 1908 Kenneth Grahame book out of my children’s bookshelf to put in my ‘keeper’ pile, but ended up sitting down and re-immersing myself in the pastoral children’s tale of a group of anthropomorphized animals who band together to save a feckless friend. What once seemed a charming adventure tale, now strikes me quite differently— Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr. Toad have stuck with me throughout my writing life as archetypes of the Fish Out of Water, The Loyal Stalwart Friend, the Wise Leader and the Feckless Ne’er-do-Well. I think that every protagonist I’ve ever written—male or female—is some version of Ratty, that rugged, persistent fellow who lives in the moment, packs an extravagant picnic basket, stands loyally by his many and varied friends and never, ever gives up. Beneath all that children’s charm lies a brilliant character study.

The Librarians

Sherry Thomas is one of my go-to authors in a number of different genres—mystery like this story (she also writes the Lady Sherlock historical mystery series), Young Adult Fantasy, English language versions of a Chinese Wuxia novels (with Thomas’s characteristic heroic female spin), Chinese language web novels, and several different romance genres (see below), most prominent among them historical romance. In this recently released who-done-it, four librarians working in an Austin branch library must solve the murders of two patrons of a mystery-themed game night. Like all Thomas novels, the characterizations are beautifully and insightfully drawn and the prose is measured yet propulsive. Always a great author.

Prima (After the End Collection)

Once I had read Sherry Thomas’s Librarians, I was eager to prolong my stay in her distinctive voice, so I read her most recent post-apocalyptic romance, Prima. In this novella that is part of the After the End collection, Thomas creates an evocative setting on the open ocean, where the romantic protagonists meet. The writing is lush and lyrical and the characters and romance is beautifully drawn. Honestly, I will read anything and everything Thomas writes.

A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge

After the romance, I needed the cozy reality of Kate Khavari’s most recent Saffron Everleigh mystery. This academic-set historical mystery series is set in 1920’s University College London and the English countryside. The protagonist, Saffron Everleigh, is a crime-solving botanist who uses her specialist knowledge and scientific process to solve a series of murders. A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge, the fourth book of the series, is brilliant catnip for my mystery-solving soul.

Real Tigers

Once I was reading about historic London, I wanted a little more of the grit of the present-day metropolis, so I turned to Mick Herron’s third Slough House novel, Real Tigers. Now that the anti-heroic Slow Horses of Slough House are on our TV’s, the characters need no introduction. But if you’ve only watched the TV series, you’re missing a vast deal of the superb language and acerbic wit of Herron’s writing. In this story, one of the Slow Horses themselves is abducted and the team have to navigate a deep web of intrigue and betrayal within MI5 to ensure their cohort’s safety. Such gritty fun.

The Sway of the Grand Saloon

I do have to write myself, so my reading always includes a vast deal of research and non-fiction histories. At the moment, my reference book of choice is The Sway of the Grand Saloon: A Social History of the North Atlantic by John Malcolm Brinnin, which I hope will give readers a hint as to the setting of the next Marigold Manners Mystery.

Mythology

And last, but certainly not least, my constant companion during the writing of my Marigold Manners Mysteries has been Edith Hamilton’s classic Mythology. Concentrating on the classical myths of Ancient Greece and Rome, Hamilton was a classics scholar who, after an illustrious career in women’s education, retired to write her seminal works, which remain standard reading for all classical studies scholars—just like my Marigold Manners. I often recommend this book because the myths that Hamilton translated are repeat with archetypes and themes that every working author should know.

Visit Elizabeth Hobbs's website.

Q&A with Elizabeth Hobbs.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kim DeRose

Kim DeRose writes dark, magical stories about strong, magical girls for teens and former teens. She is the author of Hear Her Howl and For Girls Who Walk Through Fire, which was selected for ALA’s 2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, received a starred review from School Library Journal, praise from Kirkus Reviews and Booklist, and was the recipient of the 2024 Millikin Medal for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction.

She grew up in Santa Barbara, California, earned her MFA in film directing from UCLA, and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY as a recovering Catholic and ex-good girl. When she’s not writing or reading, she can be found listening to endless podcasts, taking long walks through the woods (of Prospect Park), and teaching her children how to howl.

Hear Her Howl is her most recent book.

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

I’m one of those people who has a giant TBR stack beside their bed and normally has 3-5 books I’m simultaneously reading at once (which never stops me from acquiring more books!). Here’s what I’m currently reading and enjoying:

Winter White by Annie Cardi

I loved Annie Cardi’s previous YA book, Red, (a retelling of The Scarlet Letter) and did several panels with Annie discussing the importance of accurately and sensitively representing sexual assault in YA fiction. So when she asked if I’d blurb Winter White I was thrilled. Once again she’s written another beautiful retelling (this time of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale) that this time sensitively portrays a difficult dynamic within a family system. Her characters are always beautifully wrought and there’s a tenderness within her stories that I very much appreciate.

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

If you’re looking for a cozy and delightful book this fall or winter, this is the one. Mara Rutherford is a writing friend and I had the privilege of hearing her read the first chapter of A Curious Kind of Magic at a writing retreat last fall (we’re in the same writer’s group, which Laini Taylor started). I was immediately hooked by this YA romantic fantasy and am so thrilled I finally have my own copy. It’s got witchy vibes, a magic curiosity shop, and a slow burn romance. All of which is to say, perfect for the season.

Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo

Rosália Rodrigo is another writer friend from Laini Taylor’s writing group, and this gorgeous book is her debut. It’s a Caribbean/Latino adult fantasy with themes of decolonization and reclamation, indigenous Taíno mythology, and an atmospheric island setting. Though the island in question is not exactly what it seems. I'm thoroughly enjoying this one and love both the strong characters and the lush writing.

An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder by K. Valentin

Yet another writing friend from Laini Taylor’s writing group (are you seeing a trend here?!). I just got my copy of K Valentin’s debut in the mail and already this queer YA romantic fantasy is laugh out loud funny. Even if she wasn’t a writing friend, I’d want to read this book stat - I mean, with a tagline like “Mateo Borrero has 99 problems - and all of them hinge on his missing bruja mother and the demon she trapped inside his body," how could I not?

Visit Kim DeRose's website.

Q&A with Kim DeRose.

The Page 69 Test: For Girls Who Walk through Fire.

My Book, The Movie: For Girls Who Walk through Fire.

The Page 69 Test: Hear Her Howl.

--Marshal Zeringue

Tessa Wegert

Tessa Wegert is the critically acclaimed author of the Shana Merchant mysteries, as well as the North Country series, beginning with In the Bones. Her books have received numerous starred reviews and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she co-founded Sisters in Crime CT and serves on the board of International Thriller Writers (ITW).

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Wegert's reply:

I always have three books on the go at once — one in print, one ebook or NetGalley arc, and one audiobook — so I’ll share a recent favorite from each bucket.

In print, I adored Jennifer Fawcett’s Keep This for Me, a stunning and atmospheric mystery set in Upstate New York. This re-imagining of the serial killer thriller examines the aftereffects of murder on both the victim’s daughter and the son of the convicted killer with prose that’s lyrical and lush.

I just finished reading an early copy of Darby Kane’s Such a Clever Girl, a domestic thriller set in Sleepy Hollow, New York. It’s about what happens when a member of the Tanner family, which disappeared more than a decade ago and is presumed dead, returns to confront the three local women with connections to the case. Inheritance games, exposed secrets, and twisted family dynamics make this upcoming novel a must-read.

My most recent audiobook was Wendy Walker’s The Room Next Door, which expertly juggles a vast cast of narrators along with music and special effects (think of it as a modern radio play). The dual timelines and multiple points of view make this a riveting, multi-layered mystery, and Wendy’s rendering of teenage girls and their complex inner lives was incredibly effective.

Visit Tessa Wegert's website.

My Book, The Movie: The Dead Season.

The Page 69 Test: The Dead Season.

Q&A with Tessa Wegert.

The Page 69 Test: Dead Wind.

Writers Read: Tessa Wegert (April 2022).

Writers Read: Tessa Wegert (December 2022).

The Page 69 Test: Devils at the Door.

The Page 69 Test: The Coldest Case.

--Marshal Zeringue