I'm pleased to welcome Amanda Chapman to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Amanda writes the Mrs. Christie Mystery series. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is the first book in the series and will be released next week.
Kathy: In MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY we meet Tory Van Dyne who works as a book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library. Is this a job that you would be interested in having?
AC: Honestly, I can’t imagine any job better than the one I’m doing now (i.e., writing mysteries). But if I had to choose another one, it would absolutely be book conservator. I love books. I particularly love old books (which explains why I still have all my Nancy Drews and all my mother’s Agatha Christies). What could be more rewarding than to bring a book back to life? Even if it sometimes means literally vacuuming up silverfish and bookworms (yes, they are a real thing!) hiding between the pages.
Kathy: Tory meets a woman who claims to be the ghost of Agatha Christie! Do you believe in ghosts?
AC: Well, as Agatha Christie once wrote in her short story “The Hound of Death,” “the supernatural is only the natural of which the laws are not understood.” Goodness knows, I don’t understand them. That being said, I stand with the great British master of the ghost story, M.R. James himself: “Do I believe in ghosts? I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.”
Kathy: If you could have someone who has crossed over come back to help you, who would you choose?
AC: Let’s see… Oh yeah, I know. Agatha Christie. Definitely Agatha Christie.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
AC: Well, it wasn’t so much what as who. And the who was my mother, a lifelong mystery addict who passed her habit on to me. For which I will be forever grateful.
But what keeps me going back to mysteries (and writing mysteries) was perhaps best said Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim had a deep fascination with mysteries (which he often used in his work), pointing in particular to “Agatha Christie’s mysteries, the kinds of things where you know that it’s all going to be neatly wound up at the end and everything’s going to make logical sense. I think that’s why murder mysteries are popular, is this defense against chaos.” I’m with Mr. Sondheim on that!
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
AC: No, I am and always will be married to mysteries.
Kathy: Tell us about this first book in your new series.
AC: In short, it’s about Tory Van Dyne, a book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, and a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie on holiday from the Great Beyond joining forces to catch a killer.
The longer version is that Tory is really not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who then calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder—that has not yet happened.
But as soon as Tory determines that this is just a fairly nutty Christie fangirl, her socialite/actress cousin Nicola gets caught up in the suspicious death of her less-than-lovable talent agent. Nic, as always, looks to Tory for help. Tory, in turn, looks to Mrs. Christie. The woman, whoever or whatever she is, clearly knows her stuff when it comes to crime.
Aided by an unlikely band of fellow sleuths—including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits—Tory and the woman claiming to be her very much deceased literary idol begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer’s devious mind. Because, in the immortal words of Miss Jane Marple, “murder is never simple.”
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
AC: I love them all. But I have to admit that Tory is closest to my heart. For one thing, she’s the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family, in that she actually has a job. Plus, she’s not yet over a fairly recent trauma. As a result, she’s determined to leave up-town society -- and that trauma -- behind and live basically as a recluse. Or what she calls “a safe, sane, sensible life.” But it’s not long before Tory realizes that “my safe, sane, sensible life was as dead as a body with a knife in its back in one of Dame Agatha’s own mysteries.” To watch Tory come back to life and back into life has been such a joy for me.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
AC: On the dead side, the Queen of Crime (obviously) and Dorothy L. Sayers (creator of the wonderful Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries). On the living side, Louise Penny (for her delightful -- and a little bit supernatural -- Three Pines/Inspector Gamache mysteries) and Anne Cleves (Vera anyone?).
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
AC: I’ve just discovered via my Kindle a wonderful series, the Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries, written in the 1930s and ‘40s by the husband-and-wife team of Frances and Richard Lockridge. Every book is clever and witty and features a remarkable number of cocktails imbibed while sleuthing. (I should point out that there are also more than a few cocktails imbibed in Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library.) I’m only on number 5 in the series out of 26 (!), so I am set for at least a couple of weeks (I read really, really fast.)
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
AC: Honestly, I’m the most boring person on earth. All I do is read. Mostly mysteries.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
AC: Cold-brew coffee, because how can anyone write a book without coffee? Real parmigiano Reggiano cheese to be freshly grated over pasta, because pretty much all I cook is pasta. A bottle of pinot grigio, because all that cocktail talk aside, I don’t really like cocktails. But I really like wine. And Irish butter, because it’s the best butter in the world and when there’s absolutely nothing left in the fridge to eat, you can always make pasta with butter and cheese. And have it with a glass of pinot grigio.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
AC: I’m already writing (actually, I’m almost finished with) Book Two of the series, which I am absolutely loving. And I’m coming up with ideas for more… Stay tuned!
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
AC: Honestly, my favorite thing about being an author is writing. It’s an absolute joy. I love coming up with new ways to kill people (haha, just kidding). But most of all, I love my characters. I have so much fun with them. Just wait until you meet Tory’s flighty actor cousin Nicola Van Dyne. (As Nic herself would say, “I love love love her.”) And Tory’s best friend, the exceedingly well dressed and very snarky librarian, Adrian Gooding, “who believes in exactly nothing, not even the keto diet.” And “the hot detective” as Adrian refers to Detective Sebastian Mendez-Cruz, kindly not taking off points for the unfortunate suits. And our eleven-year-old Irish computer whiz, Mairead Butler, unofficial secretary of what she insists on referring to as “Agatha Inc.” And finally, that absolutely charming crime-solving genius, Mrs. Christie herself, “whoever and whatever she might be.” I’ll leave that up to you…
Kathy: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
It’s been an absolute pleasure! As Nic would say, I loved loved loved your questions.
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Review
MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY By Amanda Chapman
The First Mrs. Christie Mystery
Tory Van Dyne lives a quiet stable life. While she has some
issues, that she is working through thank you very much, she is the
normal one in her eccentric wealthy family. She's happy living and
working in the townhome her grandmother gave her running the Mystery
Guild Library on the main floors, working as a book conservator in the
basement, and living in private quarters on the top floors. Tory starts
to question her sanity when she meets a woman in the Christie Room, a
woman who claims to be Agatha Christie herself! To top it off she says
she's there to help solve a murder mystery! A poisoning sets off warning
bells and when Tory's effervescent cousin, Nic's, agent dies they
wonder. Could it be murder? When a second person dies under mysterious
circumstances there's no longer much doubt. With the help of Mrs.
Christie, Tory and her friends start to piece together the clues and
work to solve a murder mystery!
I loved, loved, loved this book! Agatha Christie coming back to help solve a murder mystery. Quirky
friends. Monied old New York. A smidge of romance. What more could you
ask for? Oh yeah, an incredibly complex, intricately plotted
mystery. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY delivers on all
accounts!
I was delighted to meet Tory, a protagonist who's vulnerable, yet strong, naive, yet knowledgeable. Flighty Nic is charming, despite her faults, the hot detective is smart and kind in addition to being hot, Adrian is a wonderful foil, and Mairead is a very special kid! And then there's Agatha Christie herself. From Tory thinking Mrs. Christie must be a fan girl, well, fan woman, to
Adrian who doesn't believe in anything, the progression of belief in
Mrs. Christie is wonderful. More than helping solve a murder or two,
Mrs. Christie helps people become better. The characters are all incredibly unique, each with their own foibles and strengths. Even the minor characters. I was most impressed with Norman and I can't forget the drag stewardesses.
I love how quotes are incorporated, not only at the start of a chapter, but in actual dialogue! The amount of research necessary to find just the right Agatha Christie quote to seamlessly and appropriately fit in conversation is somewhat awe inspiring!
Smart, funny, and able to tug at the heartstrings MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is a phenomenal start to a new series.
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Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library
(Mrs. Christie Series)
by Amanda Chapman
About Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library
Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Greenwich Village in New York City (primarily near Washington Square)
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Print length: 368 pages
Book conservator Tory Van Dyne and a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie on holiday from the Great Beyond join forces to catch a killer in this spirited mystery from Amanda Chapman.
Tory Van Dyne is the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family. For one thing, as book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, she actually has a job. Plus, she’s left up-town society behind for a quiet life downtown. So she’s not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder— that has not yet happened.
But as soon as Tory determines that this is just a fairly nutty Christie fangirl, her socialite/actress cousin Nicola gets caught up in the suspicious death of her less-than-lovable talent agent. Nic, as always, looks to Tory for help. Tory, in turn, looks to Mrs. Christie. The woman, whoever or whatever she is, clearly knows her stuff when it comes to crime.
Aided by an unlikely band of fellow sleuths —including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits—Tory and the woman claiming to be her very much deceased literary idol begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer’s devious mind. Because, in the immortal words of Miss Jane Marple, “murder is never simple.”
About Amanda Chapman
Amanda Chapman (aka Amy Pershing) is a lifelong mystery lover and wordsmith. Under the name Amy Pershing, she is also the author of the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries. An enthusiastic fan of traditional mysteries and of New York City, she found herself wondering, “What if someone recreated Agatha Christie’s personal library -– even to the furnishings and architecture — in New York City? What would happen in that space?” And thus MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY -- the first in a new series -- was born.
Author Links:
Website www.amandachapmanauthor.com
Follow Amanda Chapman on Facebook
Follow Amanda Chapman on Instagram
Follow Amanda Chapman on Goodreads
Purchase Links
PenguinRandomHouse - Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org - Kobo
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