Marni Graff writes two award-winning mystery series: The Nora Tierney English Mysteries and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries. She teaches writing workshops and mentors the Writers Read program, and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press. Graff also writes the crime review blog Auntie M Writes, http://www.auntiemwrites.com.
Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to
take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O’Malley to the next level, when
she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota
apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star
Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy
might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the
victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to
the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she
can’t even survive?
take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O’Malley to the next level, when
she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota
apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star
Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy
might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the
victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to
the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she
can’t even survive?
Readers of Death Unscripted, the first
book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures
in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way
to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney
English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff
reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and
police procedural.
book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures
in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way
to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney
English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff
reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and
police procedural.
Part procedural, part cozy, Death at
the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.- Bruce Robert
Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron mysteries.
the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.- Bruce Robert
Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron mysteries.
I fell in love — not only with
co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic setting of The
Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with the unusual plot of Death
at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah
Winston Garage Sale Mysteries
co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic setting of The
Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with the unusual plot of Death
at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah
Winston Garage Sale Mysteries
Q & A With the Author:
1. When did you write your first novel? I wrote my first novel when
we were still living on Long Island, a mystery set at the Frick Museum in NYC.
Unfortunately, our house burned down and I lost the entire manuscript, as well
as my first computer and all the files. I have not rewritten that one. Instead
after our move to NC, I set about writing a series set in England, being a real
Anglophile and lover of all things British. That became The Blue Virgin and was
published in 2010.
we were still living on Long Island, a mystery set at the Frick Museum in NYC.
Unfortunately, our house burned down and I lost the entire manuscript, as well
as my first computer and all the files. I have not rewritten that one. Instead
after our move to NC, I set about writing a series set in England, being a real
Anglophile and lover of all things British. That became The Blue Virgin and was
published in 2010.
2. What drove you to write / why did you become an author? I’ve always
loved to read and written poetry and stories since in junior high. I thought at
one point in high school I might go into acting but realized pretty quickly I’d
rather be the person who wrote the words and story the actors performed. That
led to me learning screenplay format and writing a few of those, but my drive
was to entertain readers with a book the way I’d loved reading since a child.
It’s still what drives me to write: the idea of sharing my stories with a
reader, taking them into a fictional world that might closely mirror a real
place, but choosing the characters and what happens to them.
loved to read and written poetry and stories since in junior high. I thought at
one point in high school I might go into acting but realized pretty quickly I’d
rather be the person who wrote the words and story the actors performed. That
led to me learning screenplay format and writing a few of those, but my drive
was to entertain readers with a book the way I’d loved reading since a child.
It’s still what drives me to write: the idea of sharing my stories with a
reader, taking them into a fictional world that might closely mirror a real
place, but choosing the characters and what happens to them.
3. How do you create your characters? I spend a long time developing each
character. Those for a series, like Trudy Genova and her boyfriend, Ned
O’Malley, have entire backgrounds I’ve created for them, with aspects of their
childhood, where they grew up, went to school, etc. I always decide what my
characters’ needs and fears are, too. These things help me figure out how each
one will react in the circumstances I throw them into! In Trudy’s case, she’s a
nurse with a nose for murder, which often frustrates Ned. But she feels she’s a
good judge of people and has a natural curiosity that can put her jeopardy at
times. She also has a feel for wanting to help people, hence going into
nursing, and a sense of justice and fairness that equals Ned’s and is part of
their attraction. They ‘get’ each other on that level, even though they are
vastly different. I use the same technique for minor characters, maybe not just
in as much depth.
character. Those for a series, like Trudy Genova and her boyfriend, Ned
O’Malley, have entire backgrounds I’ve created for them, with aspects of their
childhood, where they grew up, went to school, etc. I always decide what my
characters’ needs and fears are, too. These things help me figure out how each
one will react in the circumstances I throw them into! In Trudy’s case, she’s a
nurse with a nose for murder, which often frustrates Ned. But she feels she’s a
good judge of people and has a natural curiosity that can put her jeopardy at
times. She also has a feel for wanting to help people, hence going into
nursing, and a sense of justice and fairness that equals Ned’s and is part of
their attraction. They ‘get’ each other on that level, even though they are
vastly different. I use the same technique for minor characters, maybe not just
in as much depth.
4. What is one thing you love about Fall / Autumn? Besides the cooler
weather, I love the feel that reminds me of going back to school with new
things on the horizon. It’s my favorite season–of course, my birthday is in
October so I’m prejudiced!
weather, I love the feel that reminds me of going back to school with new
things on the horizon. It’s my favorite season–of course, my birthday is in
October so I’m prejudiced!
5. Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your
writing? My husband is super-supportive, but the people who really help are my
writing group. We’ve been working together for 15 years now and the others are
novelists, too, so while we write different genres, we understand the rhythms
of a long term exploration of character, plot and setting. We meet yearly and
go over our entire draft novels for each other; in between, we are available on
email for checking scenes and running ideas past each other. I’d be lost
without them.
writing? My husband is super-supportive, but the people who really help are my
writing group. We’ve been working together for 15 years now and the others are
novelists, too, so while we write different genres, we understand the rhythms
of a long term exploration of character, plot and setting. We meet yearly and
go over our entire draft novels for each other; in between, we are available on
email for checking scenes and running ideas past each other. I’d be lost
without them.
6. What is your favorite Halloween Memory? I grew up with a friend whose
birthday is October 30th, so she always had a great Hallowe’en costume party,
bobbing for apples, other games, making popcorn balls, and eating caramel
apples, the whole nine yards. Great memories. We are still friends and when I
bring a new book on tour to my hometown library, she comes out to see me and
buys a book–and she always leaves a review! I’ll be there in October on tour
with Death at the Dakota and we’ve already set up lunch for our October
birthdays.
birthday is October 30th, so she always had a great Hallowe’en costume party,
bobbing for apples, other games, making popcorn balls, and eating caramel
apples, the whole nine yards. Great memories. We are still friends and when I
bring a new book on tour to my hometown library, she comes out to see me and
buys a book–and she always leaves a review! I’ll be there in October on tour
with Death at the Dakota and we’ve already set up lunch for our October
birthdays.
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