LMR: Police reports are very choppy court documents. There’s no room for emotion. It’s literally “Just the facts, Ma’am!” I had to take some time to unlearn a lot of what I had been doing for over twenty-two years. I still find myself slipping into that sort of monotone voice sometimes and have to go back and undo it.
Kathy: Abuse against women figures prominently in this book. Did you plan to highlight this issue, or is it simply a realistic portrayal of the way things are?
LMR: I think that conflict sprung organically from the development of Lauren’s character. Female cops are supposed to be tough, all the time, and that’s a pretty big burden to bear. I wanted to show something that happens to female cops that most people don’t think about: that female cops can be in abusive relationships. And that it doesn’t make her weak. It makes her human.
Kathy: There are actually several cases explored in A COLD DAY IN HELL. Were any either easier or more fun to write?
LMR: The scenes I had fun with were the ones that had defense attorney Frank Violanti in them. It was fun to get inside the head of a defense attorney instead of being cross examined by one!
Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?
LMR: I grew up reading Nancy Drew books, which lead to Agatha Christie and then eventually to the Ed McBain police procedurals. I’ve always been drawn to the challenge of trying to figure out the mystery.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
LMR: I’ve written and published a few short magical realism stories. I’ve tried my hand at Science Fiction. I’d like to stretch myself as a writer and try different writing styles and genres.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
LMR: Lauren Riley is a cold case homicide detective with the city of Buffalo, New York. She also holds a private investigator’s license, which brings her at odds with her bosses when she takes on investigating a homicide for a defense team.
My Cold Case Investigations series will always have a main thread that ties up at the end, but a subplot will follow through at least the first three books. So you should be able to read any of them, in any order, and be able to enjoy the book without worry.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
LMR: Once again, I have to say Frank Violanti. Or maybe Lauren Riley’s partner, Reese. They are both good guys in very different ways.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
LMR: I spent twenty-two years with a front row seat on life. Seeing people at their best and worst. There was no one specific incident that created my characters or the story. It was more a culmination of all the things I had seen, heard, and dealt with over the years.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
LMR: After I retired I decided to go after my lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Part of being a writer is wanting to share your words with the world. It’s scary, but it’s part of the process.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
LMR: This one is easy! Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, and the wonderful Sue Grafton.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
LMR: Ingrid Thoft’s Loyalty, Kellye Garrett’s Hollywood Homicide, and Stephen King’s End of Watch. (I read between three to five books at the same time.)
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
LMR: I read every night, either on my tablet or a print book. Chauffeuring my two teenage daughters around isn’t actually a hobby, it’s more of a side job!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
LMR: Coffee, chocolate, more chocolate, and coffee.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
LMR: I plan for Lauren Riley to get into a lot more trouble. I have an idea about a new series I’ve been sketching out in my brain and a couple of stand alones I’d like to get off the ground. Now I just have to get the ideas down on paper.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
LMR: Meeting all the wonderful people over the last year, readers and other writers alike. I never thought I’d be so blessed to have so many incredible people come into my life through writing. It really has been a life changing experience.
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Keep in touch with Lissa Marie Redmond with these links:
website: http://www.Lissamarieredmond.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LissaMarieRedmond
Twitter: @Lissa_Marie_Redmond
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Review
A COLD DAY IN HELL by Lissa Marie Redmond
The First Cold Case Investigation
As a cold case homicide detective Lauren Riley is used to dealing with the seamier side of society, and that includes defense attorney Frank Violanti. But after meeting the young kid he's defending on a murder charge, Lauren agrees to do some PI work for him. Detective Riley must navigate the pitfalls of working for "the other side" while continuing to investigate her cold case workload. What will put her in more danger, an old case, the current murder, or her personal life?
Power is the thread that ties everything together in this first Cold Case Investigation, showing what people will do to get it and keep it. A COLD DAY IN HELL illustrates the abuse women face on a daily basis and the power men desire to wield over them. It's also a finely detailed mystery, rich in atmosphere and filled with complex character dynamics.
Lissa Marie Redmond nails the gritty realism in this police procedural.
Filled with dark troubled people its multiple mysteries coalesce into
one detective's story - and struggle.
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