S.C. Perkins’ debut mystery, Murder Once Removed, is one of my favorite mysteries this year. My review of the book will run tomorrow. In the meantime, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to S.C. Perkins. I hope you enjoy the interview, and give her mystery a try.
S.C.,
congratulations on the release of your debut mystery. Would you introduce
yourself to readers, please?
congratulations on the release of your debut mystery. Would you introduce
yourself to readers, please?
Hi and thank you so
much for having me on your blog, Lesa! I’m S.C. Perkins and I hail from
Houston, Texas. Besides my writing and my day job, I dabble in container
gardening—thus far I’ve only been successful with bell peppers, but it still
counts!—and I ride horses whenever I can. Though I love being in the city, my
favorite place to be is down on the coast at the beach.
much for having me on your blog, Lesa! I’m S.C. Perkins and I hail from
Houston, Texas. Besides my writing and my day job, I dabble in container
gardening—thus far I’ve only been successful with bell peppers, but it still
counts!—and I ride horses whenever I can. Though I love being in the city, my
favorite place to be is down on the coast at the beach.
Would you introduce
us to Lucy Lancaster?
us to Lucy Lancaster?
Lucy is a
professional genealogist living in Austin, Texas, and she absolutely loves her
job, especially when she gets to unravel historical and genealogical clues.
While her two best friends (and a certain FBI agent with whom she locks horns)
might say Lucy’s a wee bit stubborn, she’s got a good and loyal heart and a
desire to right wrongs. This latter trait might cause her to get into trouble
more than she ought, yes, but that’s what makes her all the more fun to write.
Lastly, she’s also undeniably hooked on her drug of choice: tacos, with a
side of guacamole or queso. Or both, because why not? Lucy lives every day like
it’s Taco Tuesday, for sure.
professional genealogist living in Austin, Texas, and she absolutely loves her
job, especially when she gets to unravel historical and genealogical clues.
While her two best friends (and a certain FBI agent with whom she locks horns)
might say Lucy’s a wee bit stubborn, she’s got a good and loyal heart and a
desire to right wrongs. This latter trait might cause her to get into trouble
more than she ought, yes, but that’s what makes her all the more fun to write.
Lastly, she’s also undeniably hooked on her drug of choice: tacos, with a
side of guacamole or queso. Or both, because why not? Lucy lives every day like
it’s Taco Tuesday, for sure.
Without spoilers,
tell us about Murder Once Removed.
tell us about Murder Once Removed.
While working on
the family tree of wealthy businessman Gus Halloran, Lucy uncovers an 1849
daguerreotype photograph and a journal with a missing page, both of which prove
Gus’s great-great grandfather’s death wasn’t accidental, but cold-blooded
murder.
the family tree of wealthy businessman Gus Halloran, Lucy uncovers an 1849
daguerreotype photograph and a journal with a missing page, both of which prove
Gus’s great-great grandfather’s death wasn’t accidental, but cold-blooded
murder.
No sooner has shenarrowed the nineteenth-century suspects down to two men—one of whom is the
ancestor of present-day U.S. senator Daniel Applewhite—than Gus jumps the gun,
publicly outing the senator as the descendant of a murderer. When the
senator’s life is later threatened, Lucy lands in the path of kinda-grumpy,
kinda-charming FBI Special Agent Ben Turner.
But when another
tragedy strikes closer to home, Lucy’s convinced what’s on the missing journal
page is as important now as it was in 1849. She’s determined to find the page
and unearth how the killer is connected to both the past and the present, be it
through cousins, second cousins, or cousins once removed—and before she’s
removed, permanently.
tragedy strikes closer to home, Lucy’s convinced what’s on the missing journal
page is as important now as it was in 1849. She’s determined to find the page
and unearth how the killer is connected to both the past and the present, be it
through cousins, second cousins, or cousins once removed—and before she’s
removed, permanently.
This is the first
Ancestry Detective series. Why did you decide to write mysteries about
genealogy? What’s your own interest in genealogical research?
Ancestry Detective series. Why did you decide to write mysteries about
genealogy? What’s your own interest in genealogical research?
I have several amateur genealogists on my dad’s side, including my late
grandmother and great-grandfather, giving me a lifelong fascination with family
history. Just about every time I went to my grandmother’s house, I heard some interesting story
about my lineage and/or the latest relative she’d found. I never grew tired of
it, either! So when the idea for an amateur sleuth came to my mind, my very
first thought was to make her a genealogist. There was never anything else Lucy
would be.
Can you give us a
hint about the next book in the series?
hint about the next book in the series?
If all goes well,
the second book in the Ancestry Detective series will have a World War II
element, which is one of my favorite subjects!
the second book in the Ancestry Detective series will have a World War II
element, which is one of my favorite subjects!
Murder Once Removed
won the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. What
were you doing, and what was your reaction when you learned this?
won the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. What
were you doing, and what was your reaction when you learned this?
Oh, it was so
exciting and one of the best days of my life, though my reaction had to be more
subdued than I would have liked due to my work circumstances. At the time, I
was working for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is a huge 20-plus-day
event, and we were in the middle of it, busy as all get out. I was in my tiny
office when I saw a call from New York come through on my cell, but I couldn’t
answer it since I was on another call on my work phone. When I heard the
voicemail from Minotaur Books, though, I called right back! The funny thing
was, I was sitting all of three feet away from my co-worker, who was on the
phone herself, so I had to keep my voice down and not break into a tap dance of
unbridled happiness. My editor teases me I was the calmest winner she’d ever
spoken to, but I was absolutely bonkers-thrilled on the inside. And I don’t
think I stopped smiling for days!
exciting and one of the best days of my life, though my reaction had to be more
subdued than I would have liked due to my work circumstances. At the time, I
was working for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is a huge 20-plus-day
event, and we were in the middle of it, busy as all get out. I was in my tiny
office when I saw a call from New York come through on my cell, but I couldn’t
answer it since I was on another call on my work phone. When I heard the
voicemail from Minotaur Books, though, I called right back! The funny thing
was, I was sitting all of three feet away from my co-worker, who was on the
phone herself, so I had to keep my voice down and not break into a tap dance of
unbridled happiness. My editor teases me I was the calmest winner she’d ever
spoken to, but I was absolutely bonkers-thrilled on the inside. And I don’t
think I stopped smiling for days!
You’re writing a
series set in Texas, and you live in Houston. Where do you like to take people
when they come to visit?
series set in Texas, and you live in Houston. Where do you like to take people
when they come to visit?
Houston is as known
for its restaurants as it is for having NASA’s Johnson Space Center in its
backyard, so I usually take my guests to a great place to eat first and
foremost. If they’re not from Texas, we always go for some good barbecue,
naturally.
for its restaurants as it is for having NASA’s Johnson Space Center in its
backyard, so I usually take my guests to a great place to eat first and
foremost. If they’re not from Texas, we always go for some good barbecue,
naturally.
Depending on the
seasons and what someone likes to do, there’s more ways to enjoy yourself in
Houston than you can shake a stick at. Some of my favorites include going to an
outdoor movie at Miller Outdoor Theatre in the museum district, enjoying an art
festival or baseball/football/soccer game, seeing the butterflies at the Museum
of Natural Science’s Cockrell Butterfly Center, or going shopping —Houston is
also known for its shopping!
seasons and what someone likes to do, there’s more ways to enjoy yourself in
Houston than you can shake a stick at. Some of my favorites include going to an
outdoor movie at Miller Outdoor Theatre in the museum district, enjoying an art
festival or baseball/football/soccer game, seeing the butterflies at the Museum
of Natural Science’s Cockrell Butterfly Center, or going shopping —Houston is
also known for its shopping!
But if someone were
to come into town around March, I’d take them to the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo, no doubt. It’s a Houston tradition that benefits Texas children and
education as well as being a world-class rodeo and a great time.
to come into town around March, I’d take them to the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo, no doubt. It’s a Houston tradition that benefits Texas children and
education as well as being a world-class rodeo and a great time.
What did you read
as a child?
as a child?
I loved books about
animals and books with adventure and/or mystery. Some of my favorites included Black
Beauty, The Boxcar Children series, The Hardy Boys and Nancy
Drew series, and Encyclopedia Brown. But probably my favorite, which
remains so to this day and is equally readable as an adult, is James Herriot’s All
Creatures Great and Small. Though it’s not actually a children’s book, my
mother wisely let me read it at a very young age and I fell in love.
animals and books with adventure and/or mystery. Some of my favorites included Black
Beauty, The Boxcar Children series, The Hardy Boys and Nancy
Drew series, and Encyclopedia Brown. But probably my favorite, which
remains so to this day and is equally readable as an adult, is James Herriot’s All
Creatures Great and Small. Though it’s not actually a children’s book, my
mother wisely let me read it at a very young age and I fell in love.
What authors
influenced your mystery writing?
influenced your mystery writing?
One early influence
was Donald J. Sobol in the way he usually had Encyclopedia Brown see a clue in
something that seemed otherwise ordinary. But my biggest influence overall is
Dick Francis. His books are so well written and are still some of my favorite
mysteries to this day. He, too, always imparted some interesting fact or two in
his books, and I try to do the same in mine. Current influences, especially in
the cozy/traditional mystery genres, include Rhys Bowen, Carolyn Haines, Kate
Carlisle, and Donna Andrews. Those ladies are amazing at keeping their ideas
fresh and their readers coming back for more.
was Donald J. Sobol in the way he usually had Encyclopedia Brown see a clue in
something that seemed otherwise ordinary. But my biggest influence overall is
Dick Francis. His books are so well written and are still some of my favorite
mysteries to this day. He, too, always imparted some interesting fact or two in
his books, and I try to do the same in mine. Current influences, especially in
the cozy/traditional mystery genres, include Rhys Bowen, Carolyn Haines, Kate
Carlisle, and Donna Andrews. Those ladies are amazing at keeping their ideas
fresh and their readers coming back for more.
S.C., because I’m a
librarian, I always end the same way. Tell me about a library or librarian who
influenced you.
librarian, I always end the same way. Tell me about a library or librarian who
influenced you.
I just love
libraries! I can still remember the first time I checked out a book on my own.
It was the coolest feeling. I always enjoyed going to any library, including my
school libraries in Houston and my local library, Spring Branch Memorial
Library. I also loved spending time at my college library at Texas A&M
University. All those books with all that information, just waiting to be
discovered! Each trip to a library was an adventure. The fact is, libraries are
wonderful, as are the librarians who so patiently help readers and researchers
every day.
libraries! I can still remember the first time I checked out a book on my own.
It was the coolest feeling. I always enjoyed going to any library, including my
school libraries in Houston and my local library, Spring Branch Memorial
Library. I also loved spending time at my college library at Texas A&M
University. All those books with all that information, just waiting to be
discovered! Each trip to a library was an adventure. The fact is, libraries are
wonderful, as are the librarians who so patiently help readers and researchers
every day.
Thank you, S.C. I appreciate the time you took for the interview. And, good luck with Murder Once Removed.
S.C. Perkins’ website is www.SCPerkins.com
Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins. Minotaur Books, 2019. ISBN 9781250189035 (hardcover), 336p.
Lesa, how did I not know that this book was set in Austin? Lovely! Enjoyed your interview here and all the info from the author. And, yes, I'll be looking for this new book and definitely watching for your review tomorrow.
Oh, yes. It's set in Austin. I hope you enjoy it, Kay!
I’m still waiting for the library to get this in – I’m interested in the genealogy angle. They have it on order.
Release date is tomorrow, Sandy, so they'll probably get it soon.