The Black Cat Detectives - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kit Gray to Cozy Up With Kathy today. THE BLACK CAT DETECTIVES is Kit's debut novel and was released last month.  

 

Kathy: In THE BLACK CAT DETECTIVES we meet Bippity, Boppity, and Boop, three kittens who need to solve a murder. Why choose to make the cats detectives instead of their human?

KG: Mila is trying to solve the murder, too! In fact, the process teaches her a lot about herself, her community, and what’s important to her. But she doesn’t realize how much help she needs from her clever, loyal kittens.

There are a lot of reasons I loved the idea of telling ¾ of the story through the kittens’ eyes and making them detectives. One was the sheer potential for antics. Kittens, especially ones who can bend the laws of physics, can get up to all sorts of nonsense.

But on a more serious note, showing the story unfolding from the perspective of the kittens allowed me to offer an outsider’s perspective on the human characters and their world, which was a lot of fun to write, and I think added something interesting to the story.


Kathy: I currently have 5 cats, all rescues. Do you have cats of your own? 

KG: I am lucky to have two cats, a mama named Hylia and her baby, Mickey, and two dogs, a pitbull/lab cross called Titan and a pitbull/greyhound cross called Iris.

You may recognize the name Hylia from the book. I didn’t name her after the noble feline Queen character. Rather, a dear author friend of mine, April McCloud, had read an early draft. April is friends with a lady named JoAnn who fosters pregnant cats and new mamas in up in Rochester, NY, and talked JoAnn into naming the cat she was fostering after the character in my book.

Then she called me and told me about the real-life Hylia. Of course, I couldn’t resist rescuing her, and I am delighted to say that she very much resembles the character for whom she’s named.


Kathy: The kittens' human is Mila, an up-and-coming magician. Do you enjoy magic shows?

KG: I haven’t been to one in years, but I used to love them when I was growing up. To write Mila and her magic authentically, my daughter and I embarked on a quest to learn magic ourselves. Now, we perform tricks at book events, and even teach the audience how to do one or two of them!


Kathy: In addition to magic, there's also magick. Why choose a paranormal mystery and what makes them such fun?

KG: There was a very practical reason to add the layer of magic to my story. Without special abilities, there’s only so much three kittens could do to investigate a murder. I needed them to be extraordinarily intelligent and have some ability to subtly bend the laws of physics so that they would have the skills at paw to investigate the crime and save their human.

Though to be fair, I am not entirely convinced that my cats don’t have similar superpowers in real life!


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

KG: I grew up on cozy mysteries, starting with Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun. I’ve loved them all my life. I particularly like the combination of intellectually engaging, fun, and joyful that is so central to the cozy reading experience.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

KG: I write a lot of dark speculative fiction, usually apocalyptic, and I’ve published some short pieces of creative nonfiction, some literary flash fiction, one horror short, and a bunch of poetry. But this is my first published novel, and I’m really happy about that! I love that it centers joy!


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

KG: This is the first book in my series, though I do admit I’m hoping for the opportunity to write more. It centers three kittens with the ability to subtly bend the laws of physics, who must solve a murder mystery to save their human.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

KG: I have a huge soft spot for Boop, but Bippity is the easiest for me to write because her mind works the most like mine.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

KG: I had five elder rescue cats, and one terrible year, I lost them all to unrelated illnesses, one after another. It was the worst year of my life, and I lost track of my joy. Then it occurred to me that instead of my usual dark speculative novels, maybe I could write something joyful. Naturally, I immediately thought of murder!

It was such a balm, writing a story that brought to life so many facets of what I loved about the fur family I had lost, and knowing that they would live forever on the page. It helped me honor their memory, rediscover my own joy, and hopefully share that joy with the world.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

KG: When you write just for yourself, the story exists only in your own mind. When you write work to publish and share, each reader who picks up a book enters into an act of co-creation with the author. What I put on the page is only half of the equation. How each person who honors me with their time and attention sees and feels and imagines what I’ve written is the other half. To me, each unique instance of a story being brought to life by someone choosing to read it is a precious and magical thing.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

KG: 1. Agatha Christie, 2. Octavia Butler, 3. Ursula K. LeGuin, 4. George Sand.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

KG: Voted Most Likely to Murder by Lacey Moone and Hot Wings and Homicide by Carmela Dutra, and I’m re-reading The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie. 


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

KG: I’m a solo parent to a homeschooled neurosparkly kiddo, an avid fan of carnivorous plants (I have a Nepenthes Lady Luck on my writing desk), and an enthusiastic baker.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. 

KG: 1. A Dr. MacDougall’s instant pad Thai soup cup, which is my panacea when I get an upset stomach

2. A log of homemade cookie dough so kiddo can make a warm cookie for dessert when she wants one

3. Loads of fresh fruits and veggies, and invariably, somehow, one shriveled ancient apple

4. Homemade pancake & waffle mix, similar to bisquick but vegan


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

KG: I do! I have one book I’m preparing with my agent so it can go on submission to editors, one that I’m currently drafting, three completed books waiting in the wings, and two that have been planned and are waiting for their turn to be written.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

KG: I’ve had a few people let me know that the kittens gave them joy in a way that’s going to stick with them. That’s the most wonderful feeling, and such an incredible honor. 

***********************************************************************

 The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery by Kit Gray

About The Black Cat Detectives

The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery
Cozy Animal Mystery
Setting - Corvin's Crossing—a small fictional island off the coast of New England
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ May 26, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 304 pages

A charming cozy mystery with a delightful twist: The detectives are three kittens with magical powers, determined to solve a most purr-plexing case.

Precocious kittens Bippity, Boppity, and Boop are exceedingly loyal to their human, the twenty-eight-year-old up-and-coming magician Mila. She saved them from starving to death in a dingy Corvin’s Crossing alleyway and has been nothing but loving ever since, even though her own life is in shambles.

So when Mila’s sketchy boyfriend and business manager turns up dead at the end of her big magic show—she’s the prime suspect. With evidence mounting, there’s nothing stopping the sheriff from hauling away Mila to the human pound. Unless the kittens can solve the crime and clear her name.

The kittens will have to use their dubious control over the laws of physics and every whisker of know-how they’ve got to catch the real killer if they want to save their happy home with Mila. This is one meow-stery more tangled than any ball of yarn they’ve encountered yet.

About Kit Gray

Kit Gray aka Elise Scott writes from their lived experiences of queerness, disability, neurodivergence, fat-positivity, and petting three cats with two hands. Their life has been an adventure, from facilitating equine therapy for trauma survivors to counseling at-risk youth with the aid of an inordinately large sub-woofer and beyond. They earned their BA from Mount Holyoke and their MS from Capella University. Their debut novel, a cozy mystery featuring three kittens with the ability to bend the laws of physics, who must solve a murder to save their rescuer from the human pound, is forthcoming from Crooked Lane in May 2026. Elise is a Not Quite Write Prize winner and Best-of-the-Net nominee. Their short work has appeared/is forthcoming in The Advocate, Choices: An Anthology of Reproductive Horror, The Not Quite Write Anthology 2025, The B'K, Five Minutes, Knee Brace, All Existing, and Quibble, among others. Find out what they’re working on now at http://elise-scott.com.

Author Links

• • Website https://elise-scott.com/
  • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEliseScott/
  • BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/elisescott.bsky.social
  • Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elisescottwrites/
  • X https://x.com/buttonjar1
  • GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58697146.Kit_Gray
  • Storygraph https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/authorkitgray

Purchase Links - Penguin Random House Amazon B&N Bookshop.org

Death of an Antiquarian - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Luke Forbes to Cozy Up With Kathy. You can find Luke on the pages of the Mia Reid, Archaeologist Mystery series. DEATH OF AN ANTIQUARIAN is the second book in the series and was released last year.

 
Hello, Luke Forbes here. I’m an agent with Interpol’s AART. That’s Antiquities, Art Recovery Team. I’ve been living in London, England for approximately ten years.

I attended university in Chicago and met Mia there. We hit it off immediately and lived together for the better part of two years. We fully intended to live our lives together. After our graduation, I had to return home to England, my father had been ill. While I was there, a former girlfriend showed up at the house and we went out for dinner. One thing led to another and a few weeks later, she found me and told me she was pregnant. Now, I don’t know how that happened, because when I woke up she was nowhere to be found. And I had a massive headache. Which I don’t get after one drink. I think someone slipped me a Mickey. I tried to reach Mia, but she was on a dig in the jungle and couldn’t be reached. I did the honorable thing and married the woman. Turns out she wasn’t pregnant. I tried to make it work with her, but it was an impossible situation. I was miserable without Mia.

I was working with the British Museum for a few years when I was approached by a patron who wanted to sell an artifact that he had in his possession. I suspected the artifact was stolen. I spoke with my supervisor and together we researched the artifact and learned it had been stolen. My supervisor contacted Interpol and an agent came to the museum.

We worked with the agent and were able to obtain the artifact. The patron claimed he’d been given it as a gift, but couldn’t provide proof. The patron was a wealthy aristocrat and my wife thought I should simply help him sell the artifact. My wife was furious with me and that was the last straw as you would say. We divorced shortly afterwards.

The Interpol agent spoke with me about joining Interpol and working with AART. I admit it appealed to me. Being part of repatriating missing artifacts would be satisfying. I did my training in London and in several cities on the continent. My job is very satisfying. Locating missing artifacts and repatriating them to their rightful place.

This past summer, I was working with police in Scotland when we were advised of a sudden death at an archaeology dig on the Isle of Skye. The officer I was working with had to return, I followed because there was concern artifacts might have been taken as well.

I was shocked to learn Ethan Carter was the archaeologist who was dead. Ethan was a very good friend of mine and Mia’s when we were in grad school. I was more shocked to learn Mia was enroute to the dig for the summer.

We met and reconnected. It was awkward at first to say the least. We both had work to do. Mia with the dig and the students and me with the police and trying to recover missing artifacts.

We had a few close calls on Skye that made me realize Mia was still the person I wanted to be with.

At the end of our time on Skye, Mia and I had decided our relationship deserved a second chance. We spent ten days together in London, then went to the United States for Ethan’s memorial service. After that, Mia asked if I could spend some time with her in Lakeview. I was able to reconnect with Gran and with Alex too.

We’ve decided to give our relationship time to develop. At first, it appeared it would be a challenge. Me, in Great Britain, and Mia, in Canada. When I returned to London, I spoke with my supervisor at Interpol and asked if there were opportunities for me to work in Canada. Unbelievably, there was! I was pleased to learn that I could work in Lakeview City and provide hands on training to the local and provincial police as well as the RCMP. So, I’m back in Lakeview, at least for the moment. It’s been wonderful being with Mia.

Mia’s been pulled into investigating Mr. Fraser’s death and I’m beside her, making sure she’s safe. Although she really doesn’t need me to do that. She’s a smart, resourceful woman who’s proven time and again that she can take care of herself. But I don’t like the threats that she’s been receiving against her and Gran. I don’t want to lose Mia again.

 **********************************************************************

Review

DEATH OF AN ANTIQUARIAN by Rose Kerr
The Second Mia Reid, Archaeologist Mystery 

Pleased with the progress of her exhibit of Aztec artifacts at the Lakeview City Museum, archaeologist Mia Reid is happy to accompany her grandmother to a special sales event at Timeless Treasures, a local antique store. She's even happier that Luke Forbes, her significant other will be arriving in Canada soon as Interpol has him on assignment training local police about theft of artifacts. The following morning Tim Fraser, owner of Timeless Treasures, is found dead at his desk, poisoned. With ties to his family Mia becomes involved, soon discovering that Tim appeared to be linked with  a major smuggling ring. As police investigate, with help from Luke, Mia begins to receive notes threatening both her and her gran if she doesn't back off. Will they stop a smuggling ring and catch a killer or will a murderer strike again?

I absolutely love this series and changing the locale from the site of a dig to a museum is a fun change. It's fascinating seeing the various work involved at museums, from creating exhibits and authenticating items to marketing and publicizing events, working with schools, and helping the police! And this is just what Mia does. Living just over the border I also enjoy books set in Toronto, though it's called Lakeview. 

Mia makes a fantastic protagonist. She's smart and capable, with a fulfilling life. I also appreciate how Luke compliments her. They make a great team. The mystery was intriguing, with surprises about people Gran and Mia know to the shadow of an old bad guy. There's an indescribable quality to this book; conveying a sense of intelligence, family, and a strong work ethic with steady police work, thrills, and dogged determination.

Blending antiquities, police work, and relationships DEATH OF AN ANTIQUARIAN is a captivating mystery that has me dreaming of museum visits and butter tarts.

********************************************************************** 

 Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery by Rose Kerr

About Death of an Antiquarian

Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Lakeview City, Ontario, Canada (loosely based on Toronto, Canada)
Publisher: ‎ Level Best Books
Publication Date: ‎ December 16, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 242 pages

When archaeologist Dr. Mia Reid takes a contract position at the Lakeview City Museum, she expects artifacts, exhibitions, and research notes, not murder. The death of a local antique dealer, with unexpected ties to artifact smuggling, draws Mia into a dangerous mystery.

As chatter of an international smuggling ring surfaces, Mia and Luke race to uncover the truth. The stakes rise when threats reach her—and her beloved grandmother.

With lives in jeopardy and artifacts at risk of vanishing forever into the black market, Mia must use all her skills to piece together the puzzle. Can she expose a killer before the next artifact or person disappears?

About Rose Kerr

Retired in Southern Ontario with her husband, Rose spends her days crafting mysteries featuring strong, smart women who use their resourcefulness to solve crimes. When she’s not writing, she enjoys discovering the hidden gems of the region and indulging her lifelong curiosity.

Author Links: 

Website: https://rosekerr.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoseKerrAuthor/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r.m.kerr/?hl=en  

Pinterest: https://ca.pinterest.com/RoseKerrauthor/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22146877.Rose_Kerr  

Amazon Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/author/rose-kerr-mysteries  

Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Bookshop.org

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death of an Antiquarian by Rose Kerr. This book is the second in the Mia Reid, Archaeologist Mystery series.

Pleased with the progress of her exhibit of Aztec artifacts at the Lakeview City Museum, archaeologist Mia Reid is happy to accompany her grandmother to a special sales event at Timeless Treasures, a local antique store. She's even happier that Luke Forbes, her significant other will be arriving in Canada soon as Interpol has him on assignment training local police about theft of artifacts. The following morning Tim Fraser, owner of Timeless Treasures, is found dead at his desk, poisoned. With ties to his family Mia becomes involved, soon discovering that Tim appeared to be linked with  a major smuggling ring. As police investigate, with help from Luke, Mia begins to receive notes threatening both her and her gran if she doesn't back off. Will they stop a smuggling ring and catch a killer or will a murderer strike again?

Death of a Proper Bostonian - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm very pleased to share this missive from Mrs. E. Sutton. You can find her on the pages of  Death of a Proper Bostonian by Anne Louise Bannon. This book is the sixth in the Old Los Angeles Mystery series and will be released this Friday!

14 Tulip St. 
Boston, Massachusetts 
August 27, 1873

Mrs. E. Sutton 
Sutton Funeral Parlor 
12 Calle de la Eternidad 
Los Angeles, California


My Dearest Angelina and Regina;

Pray forgive me for addressing you both in this missive, but I have suddenly become quite occupied, both with a new patient and an old misery. I had thought I would be enjoying a much-needed respite from the violence that so often plagues the pueblo. But, no. I am once again mired in the nefarious misdeeds of some unknown person.

I shall begin at the beginning. I believe in my last letter, I mentioned that I was expecting to dine with the elder brother of my late and unlamented husband. My darling sister Carrie made every excuse. However, my father had implored us to be kind to Mr. Wilcox for the sake of the friendship between our respective fathers.

This is the same fellow of whom I remarked that I would have thought he was courting me, but that his wife still lives. Mrs. Wilcox turned out to be quite pleasant, if sickly. The meal itself was rather bland, the conversation almost the same, but for one of the other guests, Mr. John Wilcox, a poor cousin who is a naturalist and there to give a lecture and Magic Lantern show about his travels. The dinner conversation was the usual tut-tuttery about women’s roles and suffrage, and the younger Mr. Wilcox argued quite sensibly in favor of suffrage and women in the medical profession.

Poor thing. He would soon be in the position of putting the proof to his words. But first, the elder Mr. Wilcox accosted me in an attempt at wooing me. He clearly still had designs upon my property. I removed myself immediately from the room and went to the lecture.

It was very well done, with Mr. John’s uncle changing the slides in the lantern as Mr. John talked. But then a shot rang out, and Mr. John was hit in his lower limb. Elena and I were, of course, at his side immediately. We oversaw his removal to an upstairs bedroom, while my brother-in-law fetched our surgical tools and work clothes, Carrie’s house being but three doors away.

The surgery went well. However, the greater horror was that the elder Mr. Wilcox was found shot to death in his bed the next morning. Thanks to your ongoing and excellent study of rigor mortis, dear Angelina, when I examined the corpus, I was able to determine that the elder Mr. Wilcox had probably been shot at the same time as his younger cousin. And, as such, it seems likely that Mr. John had been shot as a diversion.

So, yes, I am once again on the search for a killer. Whatever knowing smirks you two are sharing with each other, I firmly believe that none of us wishes it were so. I already sorely miss your wise counsel, or at least our conferences in my study with pan dulces and angelica. Oddly enough, Mr. John seems to be quite helpful, but not nearly as helpful as you two, so dear to my heart as you are.

I received both your letters the other day and was quite warmed by them. However, as I have no way of knowing how much longer I will be here in Boston, I must beg you to wait to send more for fear that they will be chasing me back and forth across the country. My sister Carrie offers you her best regards, and I have given her yours.

I miss you, my dear hearts.

With great affection,

Maddie

**************************************************************************

 Death of a Proper Bostonian (Old Los Angeles) by Anne Louise Bannon

About Death of a Proper Bostonian

Death of a Proper Bostonian (Old Los Angeles)
Historical Mystery 6th in Series
Setting - Boston, 1873
Publisher: ‎ Healcroft House, Publishers
Publication Date: ‎ June 12, 2026

A deadly homecoming It's August 1873, and at long last, physician and winemaker Maddie Franklin Wilcox makes the journey home to her beloved native Boston. Her business is to deliver her ward and apprentice, Elena Ortiz, to the local women's medical school, and that also includes visiting her father, her sister and her family. But at a dinner with the family of Maddie's late and very much unlamented (at least, on her part) husband, young John Wilcox, a cousin there to entertain the guests with his nature talk, is shot. Then the next morning, the eldest of the Wilcox brothers is found shot in his bed. Maddie quickly concludes that the shooting of the oh, so charming naturalist was but a distraction for the shooting of her former brother-in-law. Chased by a corrupt Boston police officer, confronted again and again by the relentless prejudice of the city's medical practitioners, and in danger of losing her heart to young John Wilcox (who had plenty of reasons to want his cousin dead), Maddie's happy homecoming becomes a morass of suspicion with someone willing to kill her and the people she loves.

About Anne Louise Bannon

Author Anne Louise Bannon’s husband says that his wife kills people for a living. Bannon does mostly write mysteries, including the Old Los Angeles Series, the Freddie and Kathy series, and the Operation Quickline series. She has worked as a freelance journalist for magazines and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times. She and her husband, Michael Holland, created a wine education blog, and she co-wrote a book on poisons. She and her husband live in Southern California with an assortment of critters. Visit her website at AnneLouiseBannon.com.

Author Links:  

Website: Https://annelouisebannon.com,  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobinGoodfellowEnt  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annelouisebannon4  

Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@annelouisebannon  

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/annelouisebannon.bsky.social  

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AnneLouiseBannon/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annelouisebannon/  

Substack: https://substack.com/@annelouisebannon  

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/513383.Anne_Louise_Bannon

Purchase Links Barnes & Noble Kobo Books2Read Apple Amazon Google Bookshop.org

Sconed to Death - A Spotlight

Sconed to Death (A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery) by Betty Hechtman

About Sconed to Death

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Indiana
Publisher: ‎ Severn House
Publication Date: ‎ June 2, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 224 pages

A brand-new series from the queen of culinary cozies. Full to the brim with crochet, crumpets, and crime! The perfect ingredients for murder . . . Annie Hart has transformed the yarn shop she inherited into a thriving business and tea shop. Now she needs to sell it so she can move back to LA. She just has to ensure that young Toby Swanson is kept on as the supplier of their famous scones. Annie decides to secretly enter Toby in a new reality TV cooking show. But his application video takes a deadly twist when Annie and her business partner, Gray, discover a body on the beach while filming. Even worse, it looks like the young woman had been enjoying Toby’s cherry scones and the shop’s rose tea before her death. With the help of her misfit group of local yarn artists, can Annie find a killer and save her reputation? Readers who love super cozy culinary mysteries will eat up this new charming cozy mystery series.

About Betty Hechtman

 

Despite completing a Fine Arts degree, all Betty Hechtman ever wanted to be was a writer. She wrote a weekly column in her college newspaper and later wrote magazine and newspaper pieces, along with short stories and a prize-winning screenplay. She has published over thirty books across four cozy mystery series, all of which have yarn craft. She lives with her family in Southern California  

Author Links: 

Website: https://www.Bettyhechtman.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettyhechtmanauthor  

Blog: https://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com  

Purchase Links Amazon Barnes and Noble

A Necessary Death - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Terri Karsten to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Terri writes the Tucker's Crossing Mystery series. A NECESSARY DEATH is the first book in the series.

Kathy: In A NECESSARY DEATH we meet Penelope Corbitt in the spring of 1763. What made you choose this time period for your series?

TK: 1763 is the end of the French and Indian War, in the period before the Revolutionary War. It’s the ‘between times’ that can be glossed over in the history books but actually was very significant in the ways attitudes in the colonies shifted. I wanted to write about ordinary people in a changing world. The late colonial period offers a lot of opportunity for conflict. The colonists were not just British any more, but neither were that yet Americans. Also, I’ve always been a big fan of Abigail Adams.

Kathy:  Penelope can turn a lump of meat and a bit of flour into a mouth-watering pie or make a tasty meal of cabbage and vinegar. Are you able to do the same?

TK: Yes, though if you give me a few mushrooms and onions, the pie will be even better. Cabbage and vinegar can make sauerkraut or pan slaw, both of which are delicious and filling.

Kathy:  Have you tried to recreate period recipes?

TK: Yes, absolutely! Historical cookery is one of my hobbies. I’ve experimented with recipes from ancient Mesopotamia, medieval England, and Colonial Virginia, to name a few. A NECESSARY DEATH includes modernized versions of some of the recipes Penelope makes. In fact, everything Penelope serves is something I’ve made. My blog, https://bricabrac164.blog/category/cookery/ has several examples of period recipes I’ve tried.

Kathy:  Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period?

TK: While I love reading all sorts of manuscripts, my favorite way to research is what I call ‘experiential,’ or historical reenactment. I know what it feels like to carry water in a linen bucket through dewy grass while wearing long skirts, because I’ve done that. This kind of experience helps me bring the setting to life.

Kathy: What first drew you to historical mysteries?

TK: Since childhood, I’ve loved historical fiction. The first chapter book I remember reading was A BOY OF THE LOST CRUSADE, by Agnes Danforth Hewes. It’s about a French boy who joined the ill-fated Children’s Crusade in the 13th century. I was fascinated by the different cultures and people he met. Adding mystery to historical fiction came later, after reading such great authors as Elizabeth Peters and Lindsey Davis.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

TK: Yes. I have several Steampunk short stories published in various anthologies and on-line magazines. I also have written a couple of non-fiction books, and two children’s picture books focused on legends from different parts of the world.

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

TK: A NECESSARY DEATH is the first in a planned three-book series, Tucker’s Crossing Mysteries. The series is set in a tavern in colonial Pennsylvania, and features tavern owner/constable, Miles Tucker, and the tavern cook, Penelope Corbitt. The second book in the series, A PLAYER’S EXIT, is due out in September, 2026, and I’m hoping the third will be ready to publish by 2027.

Kathy:  Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

TK:  I’m very fond of Penelope Corbitt because she's got the courage to do what she needs to do to keep her family safe. She’s a capable, stubborn woman, full of common sense and gumption. She knows she’s right.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

TK: The initial idea for this story came from an article in Smithsonian about archeological excavations in Pennsylvania. The archaeologists had discovered the skeleton of a colonial era child buried in a tavern yard. I kept thinking about this boy, imagining what might have happened for him to end up there, not in a cemetery. After making up his story, I realized that my main characters had more story to tell and a tavern is a great place for drama, so decided to develop this series.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

TK: I like sharing my stories with readers. The characters I’ve created seem very real to me, and I think they deserve an audience.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

TK: It’s hard to pick only four among the greats, but these four all have great insights into human nature. I think we’d have a lively discussion. Geoffrey Chaucer (THE CANTURBURY TALES), William Shakespeare (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, and many others), Jane Austin (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE), Michelle Magorian (BACK HOME). 

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

TK: I’m just starting VITA BREVIS, Book 7 in Ruth Downie’s historical mystery series set in Roman Britain. The main characters are Ruso, a Roman medical officer, and his wife, Tilla, a native Britain. Besides offering an intriguing mystery in each book, the series gives readers a delightful peek into cross-cultural conflict between two people who love each other but see the world from very different perspectives.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

TK: Besides writing, cooking, and playing with grandkids, I love travelling. I enjoy experiencing different cultures, languages, and foods. I’ll be heading to Norway and Finland in July. I’m excited to learn more about the Sami people and experience long summer nights above the arctic circle.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

TK:  Homemade bread (I bake a lot.), Cheese (several kinds), Almonds (great for snacking), Canned tomato sauce (such a useful ingredient)

Kathy:  Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

TK: Yes. The next book in this series is A PLAYER’S EXIT. When an actor from a travelling theater troupe is found dead in the tavern stable, Miles and Penelope scramble to discover the killer before the tavern is ruined or worse, someone else gets hurt. The third book in the series is titled A WIDOW’S PORTION, it concerns the various fates of widows in the colonial era.

o I have a few other projects rattling around in my brain, including a steampunk anthology and an adventure set in Charlemagne’s time, but I try not to let the ideas distract me from the current work.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

TK: It’s a grown-up way to ‘play pretend.’ I can make the story go any way I want it to. 

***************************************************************************

Review

A NECESSARY DEATH by Terri Karsten
The First Tucker's Crossing Mystery 

With changeable weather traveling in the spring of 1763 is unpleasant at the best of times and these were definitely not the best of times. After the death of her seafaring husband Penelope Corbitt lost everything, including her lovely house in Philadelphia, to his heretofore unknown gambling debts. Now she and her children, sixteen year old Nebby and nine year old Nathaniel, are forced to move to Boston to live with the sister she hasn't seen in a decade. Not only that, her boorish brother-in-law is escorting them. When the storm worsens the rain soaked road proves too much and their coach overturns. While the coachman works to get the carriage upright Penelope and her family walk to the nearest inn. Penelope's first thought is to use the necessary, but when she opens the privy door she discovers a man inside...a dead man.

I truly enjoyed A NECESSARY DEATH. Penelope Corbitt is smart, pragmatic, and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Miles Tucker is also smart, capable, and completely confounded by Penelope who has completely disrupted his life. The dynamic between these two was wonderful to see. It was fun seeing Penelope completely befuddle the man all while transforming his dingy inn into a place where people would enjoy congregating. I also liked how she was one step ahead of him when it came to theorizing about the murder and had no qualms sharing her rationalizations. Penelope's children are helpful and well behaved and while I typically don't like children, I really liked Nathaniel, while Nebby is really a young adult. The person I couldn't stand is Penelope's brother-in-law. What an obnoxious self-righteous snob! I also wanted to clobber Abner and the more I found out about the parson, I was quite pleased with his demise.

The first Tucker's Crossing Mystery provides a confounding mystery. Just who killed the parson? And how? Poison? Stabbing? An accident? With multiple people confessing it becomes quite a conundrum! Prejudice rears its ugly head and plays a major role along with societal expectations. The attention to period detail made the book even more fascinating. I especially appreciated the modern day versions of colonial recipes mentioned in the book complied at the end.

A compelling, well plotted mystery filled with fascinating characters A NECESSARY DEATH is one of my favorite reads of the year and a fantastic start to a new series.

****************************************************************************** 

 A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten

About A Necessary Death

A Necessary Death Historical Cozy Mystery
Setting - A tavern in Colonial Pennsylvania (1764)
Publisher: ‎ Wagonbridge Publishing
Publication Date: ‎ September 15, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 272 pages Paperback

With Penelope Corbitt in the kitchen, the tavern will never be the same.

Penelope Corbitt can turn a lump of meat and a bit of flour into a mouth-watering pie or make a tasty meal of cabbage and vinegar. But all her skill can’t save her family in the spring of 1763, when she loses everything to pay off her missing husband’s debts. Walking a tightrope between the freedom of poverty and the confines of propriety, she must accept her stingy brother-in-law’s reluctant charity to keep her family fed and her children close. The miserable journey north from Philadelphia is interrupted when the coach crashes in the mud. Penelope and her children are stranded at a run-down tavern. Penelope doesn’t think things can get worse.

Then she finds a dead man.

About Terri Karsten

Living in the shadow of the Mississippi River bluffs, Terri Karsten has been a writer and educator for many years. She grew up in sunny San Jose, California, playing amid the cherry orchards that soon gave way to houses. In her search for education and adventure, she lived in Iowa and Wisconsin, Mexico and France, before settling into a hundred-year-old house in Winona, Minnesota. She spends most days in her tiny office, surrounded by books, papers, and good memories.

With more ideas than time, Terri writes a bit of everything, ranging from historical fiction novels to picture book folktales to dozens of short stories and articles in magazines, encyclopedias, and newspapers.

When she is not writing, Terri loves poring over old cookbooks and recreating dishes from long ago, especially medieval, Renaissance, and colonial foods. Always ready for the next adventure, she enjoys camping, hiking, and traveling. Her latest goal is to visit National Parks in every state. Only 13 states to go!

Author Links

• Webpage: https://terrikarsten.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrikarsten
• Substack: https://historicalcookery.substack.com/
• GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7343260.Terri_Evert_Karsten
• Purchase Links - Amazon B&N

Currently Reading...

I just started reading A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten. This book is the first in the Tucker’s Crossing Mystery series and was released last fall.

With changeable weather traveling in the spring of 1763 is unpleasant at the best of times and these were definitely not the best of times. After the death of her seafaring husband Penelope Corbitt lost everything, including her lovely house in Philadelphia, to his heretofore unknown gambling debts. Now she and her children, sixteen year old Nebby and nine year old Nathaniel, are forced to move to Boston to live with the sister she hasn't seen in a decade. Not only that, her boorish brother-in-law is escorting them. When the storm worsens the rain soaked road proves too much and their coach overturns. While the coachman works to get the carriage upright Penelope and her family walk to the nearest inn. Penelope's first thought is to use the necessary, but when she opens the privy door she discovers a man inside...a dead man.