I'm pleased to welcome Kelly Oliver to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Kelly writes the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series. CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL is the fourth mystery featuring Fiona Figg, but the first Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery.
Kathy: The Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series takes place during World War I. What made you pick this time period for your series?
KO: The first book in my Fiona Figg Mysteries—before Fiona got a sidekick—was inspired by Agatha Christie. I set it in 1917, the year Christie published her first Hercule Poirot mystery.
Kathy: Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period?
KO: I love handling and looking at antique Baedeker’s guides to the regions where my novels are set. The one I’m working on now is set in Northern Italy and a tattered 1910 Baedeker’s guide is right here on my desk. I also read biographies of the people upon whom I base some of my historical characters. For CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL, I read biographies of Dorothy Parker and Margaret Sanger. I’ve also had fun in the past with Mata Hari, and Mileva Einstein (Albert’s first wife and collaborator). Currently, I’m reading everything I can find about French aviator and sportswoman, Marie Marvingt. I love reading about powerful and interesting women who have been nearly forgotten by history.
Kathy: In CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL Fiona Figg is invited to hear a famous soprano. I am a huge opera fan. Are you? Do you have any favorites either opera or composer? When it comes to today's operatic sopranos Diana Damrau is my favorite.
KO: I am an opera fan! I remember the first time I saw an opera performed on stage. I was an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin and finally had something like a salary. The opera was Turandot by Puccini. It was transcendent. I wept from the beauty of those voices.
I love the classics. Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, Rossini. My latest soprano crush is Latonia Moore. The story of how she came to opera from the University of North Texas jazz program is inspiring.
Kathy: Fiona winds up investigating Thomas Edison. I imagine it's great fun to write famous people into your story. What are the benefits of adding real historical characters to a work of fiction? What are its pitfalls?
KO: I wanted to include Thomas Edison because I had done research on him in my scholarly life as a philosophy professor. He was one of the inventors of film and of the electric chair. I was researching the relationship between the two and found a lot of really troubling stuff about Edison. Needless to say, I was keen to make him a bad guy in a novel. It is eye-opening when you learn the truth about some historical heroes.
It is fun to write about famous people from history. And their stories are often pre-made plot lines, which is great. The downside is that their timelines and stories don’t always fit my plans for them!
Kathy: What first drew you to historical mysteries?
KO: I love to read historical mysteries. They transport you to another world, the world of the past. And I love to learn. So why not learn something while reading a novel.
As a writer, reclaiming women’s stories is important to me. My passion as a novelist and a scholar has always been women’s issues. I’m on a mission to find extraordinary women who have been forgotten.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
KO: As a philosophy professor in my day job, I’ve been writing nonfiction about women’s issues, animal ethics, environmental ethics, and lots of other subjects for decades.
My first novel was in my contemporary suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries. It was based on my own experience in graduate school…. Except I didn’t kill my thesis advisor.
I’ve also written a middle-grade, kid’s mystery series, The Pet Detective Mysteries.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
KO: Meet the characters in the Fiona Figg Mysteries:
Fiona Figg
What’s the best way to forget a philandering husband?
Become a spy for British Intelligence, of course.
Desperate to get out of London and determined to help the war effort, file clerk Fiona Figg volunteers to go undercover. More comfortable wearing a fake mustache than a ballgown, Fiona fancies herself a master of disguise.
As she tracks her nemesis from the English countryside, across the continent, to New York, can Fiona prevent the deadly “panther” from striking again, save her own skin in the process, and find a decent cup of tea… all before her mustache wax melts?
Fredrick Fredricks
A charming South African war correspondent has tongues wagging. His friends say he’s a crack huntsman. The War Office is convinced he’s a traitor. Fiona thinks he’s a pompous prig. What sort of name is Fredrick Fredricks anyway?
Too bad Fiona doesn’t own a Wolseley pith helmet. Murderers are on the prowl, and it’s not just the big-game hunter who's ready to pounce.
Captain Clifford Douglas
Good old reliable Clifford. He proposes to Fiona at least once a month.
Sent by the War Office to chaperone, Clifford means well. But much to Fiona’s embarrassment, the incorrigible blabbermouth is constantly sticking his foot in it, ruining her investigations, and blowing her cover.
Lieutenant Archie Somersby
From the moment she met the handsome (shirtless) flyboy in Charing Cross Hospital where he was nursing a wounded wing, he captured her heart.
But how well does she really know him?
Fredrick Fredricks claims the lieutenant is a double agent.
Archie claims “it’s classified.”
Who should she believe?
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
KO: I love writing Fiona Figg. She is so different from me! She’s witty and funny, but so straight-laced… or so she thinks.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
KO: As I mentioned, the Fiona Figg Mysteries are inspired by Agatha Christie. They are also inspired by my love of Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody series. I’m also a huge fan of Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
KO: As I said, I’m on a mission to bring women’s issues to the attention of as many readers as possible. Needless to say, academic philosophy is not very widely read.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
KO: Naomi Hirahara’s brilliant CLARK AND DIVISION. And I fell behind on one of my favorite series, The Perveen Mistry Mysteries by Sujata Massey. So, I’m finishing THE BOMBAY PRINCE. I’ve also fallen in love with Mia Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
KO: Does caring for three demanding felines count as a hobby? It’s more like a fulltime job. But when I’m not writing, reading, or chasing cats, I like to hike and x-country ski.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
KO: Sencha green tea. Matcha green tea. Gyokuro green tea. And popcorn.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
KO: I have a six-book contract with Boldwood Books for The Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mysteries. Two down, four to go. I would like to continue writing the Jessica James Mysteries. And I have a fun idea for a new cozy series—if I ever have time to write it.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
KO: Inventing worlds where justice for women is real.
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Chaos at Carnegie Hall
by Kelly Oliver
December 5 - 30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series opener.
Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?
1917. New York.
Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It’s an opportunity the War Office can’t turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperon duties for Captain Hall’s niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?
From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it’s treble on the high C’s. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!
And the trouble doesn’t stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America’s most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.
When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it’s finally curtains for the notorious spy.
But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis’ name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby…
If Fiona’s going to come out on top, she’s going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.
Book Details:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: November 2022
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 9781804831564
Series: The Fiona Figg Mysteries
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
* * *
Inside, the cabin was the opposite of Hugo Schweitzer’s. Whereas the German’s room was disorderly and repulsive, this man’s berth was tidy and attractive. In fact, it hardly looked occupied. The bed was made in a neat military style. There wasn’t an article of clothing nor a personal item in sight. A faint scent of pine and citrus graced the room. Like a familiar embrace, the uniform order and pleasing smell put me at ease.
Hugo Schweitzer’s disgusting mess had allowed clues to remain hidden in plain sight. This man’s neatness required clever hiding places. Where would I hide a secret document in this room? Under the mattress? In the wardrobe? Sewn inside an article of clothing?
I crossed the room. Getting to the wardrobe was considerably easier than it had been in Schweitzer’s clutter. When I opened the wardrobe, a waft of pine and citrus caressed my nostrils again. I thought of Archie. When would I see him again?
Concentrate, Fiona. Now was not the time to behave like a lovesick schoolgirl.
Two neat suits hung on hangers, spaced apart like sentries guarding a gate. One was a uniform. A British uniform. Could this traitor be in the British army? The other was a black evening suit. Whatever the blackguard was wearing under that trench coat constituted his third and final outfit. There were no more.
Standing to attention at the bottom of the wardrobe were two tall black boots. I bent down to get a closer look. Inside a boot would make a decent hiding place.
“Looking for something?” a man’s voice boomed from behind me.
I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut tight.
If only I were wearing my maid’s costume—although what maid would be cleaning at this time of night? I should have changed into Harold the helpful bellboy. At least then I’d be dressed as a man. As it was, I was wearing a flimsy evening gown and as vulnerable as a lamb in a ship full of wolves. Did I dare turn around and face my accuser?
“Did you find it?” The voice was closer now… and softer… and familiar.
Good heavens. I whipped around and practically flew into his arms. “Archie.”
He chuckled. “I should have known I’d find you breaking into my room.” He pulled me into an embrace. “Fiona. Dear Fiona.” He kissed the top of my head.
I buried my head in his shoulder. Ahhh. The scent of pine and citrus… and those horrible Kenilworth cigarettes. The scent of Lieutenant Archie Somersby.
My heart was racing. From being scared out of my wits, or from being in Archie’s embrace, I didn’t know. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same.” He held me tighter.
“You, first.” I inhaled his familiar presence.
“I will tell you, but only because it’s necessary.” He pulled out of the embrace and held me out at arm’s length. “It’s crucial that you don’t expose me.”
“Expose you?” I had to censor my imagination. His earnest green eyes framed by those dark lashes and that wild lock of chestnut hair falling across his forehead made it deuced difficult.
“I’m on an important mission.” He fortified his countenance with a steely gaze. “You mustn’t let on that you know me. In fact, you should stay away from me.” He pulled a gold pocket watch out of his waistcoat pocket and glanced at it.
I pulled my arm out of his grip. “Does your mission involve Hugo Schweitzer?” My tone was pained, but I couldn’t help it. I wished my feelings for him weren’t so strong. After all, I hardly knew him. Still, I knew he worked for British Intelligence, despite Fredrick Fredricks’s accusations to the contrary. Afterall, who was more trustworthy? A German spy or a British soldier, an especially attractive one too?
Archie tilted his head and gave me a quizzical look. “How did you know?”
“I saw you together earlier on deck.” Without a doubt, the trench coat and fedora Archie was wearing, along with his sleek silhouette and graceful gait, were identical to those of my mysterious compatriot and Hugo Schweitzer’s clandestine companion.
He laughed. “I should have known that was you watching us.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Fiona, you’re an ace. I’ve never met a girl quite like you.” His eyes danced mischievously.
The way he was laughing, I didn’t know whether to be insulted or flattered. Wait a blooming minute. “Did you forget something?” I’d seen that amused expression before. “Why did you return to your cabin?”
“To catch you in the act, love.” Archie grinned.
“So, you saw me in the corridor?”
He raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Afraid so.”
I punched his shoulder. “And instead of saying anything, you pulled this trick?”
“I’m sorry.” He intercepted my hand and brought it to his lips. “Can you forgive me?”
I pulled out of his grip. “Only if you can tell me about Mr. Schweitzer and the chemists’ war.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He sighed. “It’s classified.”
“What does the war have to do with aspirin, the headache remedy?”
He led me to the bed, sat down, and patted the bedcover, inviting me to sit too.
My cheeks flamed. It was only then that I realized I was alone in a gentleman’s room… after midnight, no less. Dilly Knox’s words echoed through my head. “Our Fiona will do anything for King and country, don’t you know.” That only strengthened my resolve. I was on official business and not a romantic getaway.
I took a seat on the bed and tucked my gown tightly around my thighs. “You were going to tell me about aspirin?”
“You’re nothing if not persistent.” Archie smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.
I scooted to the head of the bed and out of his reach. “Aspirin?”
He shook his head. “You really are quite a girl.”
I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him.
“Righto.” His smiled faded. “Aspirin is made from a chemical called phenol.”
Phenol. I’d heard Hugo Schweitzer mention it. And phenol was in the letter from the Kaiser. The Kaiser’s letter. Should I tell Archie about the letter? Or report it to Captain Hall first? “What does phenol have to do with the war?”
“We need phenol to make trinitrotoluene.” Archie gave me a knowing look.
I gave him an ignorant stare in return. “What is trinitrotoluene?”
“TNT.”
“The explosive?”
He nodded.
“Golly.” Still, why did it matter if aspirin and TNT shared one element? How did that affect the war? Could aspirin be turned into an explosive?
“Golly is right.” When he smiled, tiny dimples appeared at the corners of his mouth.
I had to stop myself from reaching across the bed to touch that tempting lock of wavy hair… and those dimples. Stop it, Fiona. You’re on an espionage mission and not on holiday. A holiday with Archie… how divine. Stop! Just stop.
“I’m sorry we can’t work together in the open.” He took my hand and kissed it. “But for now, I’m undercover and I have to stop Schweitzer at all costs.”
“I have a confession.” I sat on my hands to keep from touching him. “I broke into Hugo Schweitzer’s cabin.”
Archie sat up straighter. “Go on.”
“He has a briefcase full of papers and letters… in German.”
“Yes,” Archie said encouragingly.
“One of the letters was from the Kaiser.” I glanced over at him.
“I don’t suppose you can recount the letter verbatim?” He raised his eyebrows. He’d seen me do it before.
“I don’t suppose you have a pencil and paper?” I released my hands from their bondage.
Archie got up and went to the dressing table. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper and then withdrew a pencil from his breast pocket and held it up.
I joined him and sat down at the table.
He placed the paper on the table in front of me and handed me the pencil. “Work your magic, my love.”
My pulse quickened. Did Archie just call me my love? My cheeks warmed. With a smile in my heart, I closed my eyes and let the words form before my mind like captions across a black screen. I didn’t know what they meant, but I could see them as clearly as if I were holding the letter in my hands. I opened my eyes and began setting to paper what I had seen. My hand was flying across the page. When I finished, I scanned my reproduction and then held it up to Archie. He’d been breathing over my shoulder as I wrote, which was deuced distracting.
As he read, the grim look on his face spoke volumes. “Good God,” he gasped. “So that is what they’re up to. And the phenol plot goes all the way to the Kaiser himself.” He dropped the paper on the dressing table. “Schweitzer is siphoning off phenol from the allies on orders from the Kaiser himself.”
Siphoning off phenol. The chemical needed to make explosives. So that was the phenol plot.
The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. “Fiona, you’re a genius.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
His eyes hardened. “I’ve got to stop him.” Archie’s hand trembled as he ran it through his hair. “I’ve got to stop Schweitzer.”
I gazed up at him with as much resolve as I could muster.
“You mean we’ve got to stop him.”
***
Excerpt from Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver. Copyright 2022 by Kelly Oliver. Reproduced with permission from Kelly Oliver. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle grade series, Pet Detective Mysteries; and the four-book historical cozy series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries.
Chaos at Carnegie Hall is the latest Fiona Figg mystery, and the first to feature sidekick, Kitty Lane.
When she’s not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.
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