The Inside Scoop!

Julianna Deering

and her murder mystery

Dressed for Death

Bethany House

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I grew up in… Irving, Texas. The best thing about the house we lived in was that there was a public swimming pool at the end of the street.

I was inspired to write my first published novel by… my love of Shakespeare and medieval English history. I started writing random scenes just for fun and finally realized I had to be a writer.

The books that have most influenced my life are… the Bible (of course), C. S. Lewis’ Narnia books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth books, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Dorothy L. Sayers’ mysteries, Shakespeare’s plays, and too many more to mention here. I’m such a bibliophile.

My biggest challenge when writing is… having enough time to get everything done.

One of my favourite authors is… Margery Allingham. Why? Her plots are amazing, so detailed and crafted like fine watch works. I want to write like her when I grow up.

If I wasn’t a writer, I would be… a director. I love bringing story to life.

The superhero talent I would love to have is… not needing to sleep. I would have so much more time!

Dressed for Death

Drew and Madeline Farthering celebrate their six-month anniversary by attending a fancy Regency era costume party. Drew is glad to see Talbot Cummins, an Oxford classmate, and his fiancée, Alice Henley, though many present seem worried about the couple. Everyone’s concerns are realized when, at the concluding grand ball, Alice dies of an overdose of cocaine. Tal refuses to believe she took the stuff intentionally, and Drew is determined to find out if her death was an accident or murder.

Drew is shocked and disillusioned when the police arrest Tal’s father and reveal that the man has been smuggling drugs into the country for the past twenty years. Reeling from the death of his fiancée and the revelation about his father, Tal begs Drew to find out what’s going on. Drew, now questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, does so reluctantly, not ready for the secrets he’s about to uncover–or the danger he’ll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

My latest novel can be described by these 5 adjectives… stylish, adventurous, puzzling, surprising and tragic.

My main character is… a young English gentleman of wealth and privilege with a talent for unravelling mysteries and for getting himself into trouble.

My main characters resemble…. these two stock photos. I have no idea who the people are, but they look just like Drew and Madeline.

A previously unknown fact about this novel is… one of my friends asked to be murdered in this book, and I happily obliged.

My story’s spiritual theme is… that ministry and service to God comes in all shapes and sizes and that we are only responsible for our effort and obedience. God will see to the outcomes.

While writing this novel I learned… a lot about the clothing, food and games of the early nineteenth century. The host of the party Drew and Madeline attend won’t allow anything that people wouldn’t have worn or eaten or played during the Regency. Of course, I couldn’t use all that much in this book, but it should come in handy if I ever decide to write a Regency romance.

The title was chosen by… me!

As an author, the hardest scenes for me to write are… the little scenes that bridge the major ones and make the story work as a whole. Why? I like doing the big set pieces, the exciting, important, dramatic scenes that readers remember. The connector scenes aren’t that much fun to write, though they are absolutely essential.

The story I’m currently working on is… Book Six of the Drew Farthering Mysteries. Sadly, it doesn’t have a title yet, but it’s about Drew and Madeline traveling to Scotland for the 1935 British Open and the mystery they find there. I’m also doing edits on Book Five, Murder on the Moor. This is my current favorite, mostly because the rakish gamekeeper looks just like Aidan Turner. Be still my heart.

You may not know this about me, but I… love to watch movies in English but with foreign subtitles (usually French or Spanish). I pick up a lot of new words that way.

If I could be a character in any novel, I would want to be… Lucy Pevensie from the Narnia books. She has such faith and courage and gets to see Aslan face to face.

Thanks Julianna!

Relz Reviewz Extras
Inside Murder Mysteries with Julianna
Julianna’s Pop Quiz
Character spotlight on Drew & Madeline
Visit Julianna’s website and blog
Buy from Amazon: Dressed for Death or Koorong

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