Connie Berry, author of the Kate Hamilton mysteries, had a release party for her fifth one, A Collection of Lies. Held at Fortin Ironworks, The Book Loft in German Village in Columbus sold the books. Andrew Welsh-Huggins, author of the Andy Hayes mysteries, as well as other crime novels and nonfiction, interviewed Connie about her series and the new book.

Welsh-Huggins read a few reviews and summarized a little about the new book, the latest featuring antiques dealer Kate Hamilton, and her new husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. Then, he asked Berry to talk about the origin of this novel. Berry said she and her husband went to s a small lace-making museum on a trip to Devon. They learned about the lives of lacemakers, and she incorporated some of that in the book. Girls were sent to lace school when they were very young.

Connie said she loves to do research. She can go off track and dig her way in too far. But, over the years, she’s developed sources and friendships. Research is her favorite thing to do. She mentioned the National Trust, an organization that works to preserve England’s history.

Berry did a great deal of research about Travellers. There’s lots of information online, but most is not accurate. There is a Romany and Traveller Family History Society. The Romanichals were a distinct group that came through France. They call themselves Gypsies, and they’re proud of the term However, the Romany consider it a racial slur. Berry researched that because she wanted to get it right in the book. She acknowledged assistance from Dr. Thomas Action, a professor of Romany studies, and member of many organizations dealing with the groups.

Welsh-Huggins mentioned that Connie Berry’s books have some police procedural elements because Kate’s husband, Tom, is a police officer. She loves police procedurals, but knows she doesn’t have the background to write those. She has met with a Detective Inspector in England, who assisted her. Andrew said he thinks of Connie’s books as traditional mysteries. Berry loves the form of Golden Age mysteries, and read those when her sons were young and she was working. Some have called her books cozies, but neither Berry nor Welsh-Huggins agree. She said cozies tend to be shorter, lighter, with puns in the title at times. But, Berry doesn’t use graphic language or details in her books.

He asked Berry how much of Kate is her, a common question to authors. She said, well the characters come out of an author’s brain, and she thinks the author reveals more than readers catch in the books. She does write short stories set in 1920s England featuring a man, Chief Inspector Blackstone, stories available to subscribers to her newsletter. Readers tell her those are totally different from the Kate Hamilton mysteries.

They discussed point of view. Andrew’s PI Andy Hayes series is written in first person from Andy’s point of view. Other books have multiple viewpoints. Connie said her series is written through Kate’s eyes. It’s known as playing fair with the reader. There are no concealed clues. Kate doesn’t know anything the reader hasn’t yet learned.

What is the challenge of keeping a series fresh? According to Berry, the characters have to change.They have experiences, grow, overcome things. There’s a core cast of characters, but new characters are added during the series, and their dynamics change things around. As a policeman, Tom (Kate’s husband) is already involved in crimes. Kate is an antiques dealer. Sometimes, items of great value bring out the worst in people.

After she read from A Collection of Lies, Berry answered a few questions. Asked how she comes up with names of characters, she said she often looks at common names from counties in England. She makes lists because she doesn’t want names that sound alike or start with the same letters.

Asked for a hint of what’s next, Connie Berry said that’s up to her publisher, but she’s working on a mystery involving the discovery of a body from the 14th century that was preserved. It’s based on an actual man, St Bees Man, that was discovered in Cumbria, England.

The release party concluded with a reading by Andrew Welsh-Huggins of his September Andy Hayes PI novel, Sick to Death.

If you’re interested in books by either author, check by on Friday when I’ll give away one from each of them.