Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder
About the Book
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (January 22, 2019)
Paperback: 200 pages
ISBN-10: 1516108965
ISBN-13: 978-1516108961
Digital ASIN: B07CR2CG63
Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .
After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.
Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .
About the Author
Interview With the Author
What initially got you interested in writing?
I honestly don’t remember. I’ve always written. Mostly short stories throughout school and an attempt to write a television script. My girlfriends and I were obsessed with Charlie’s Angels and we decided the three of us would be Charlie’s Little Angels. We needed a script to go along with it so I volunteered to write it. I remember it involved a prison break. I have no idea how that came about. Maybe that’s what interested me in writing to begin with, an overactive imagination that needed some kind out outlet.
What genres do you write in?
Cozy mystery.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
I love the small-town charm of cozy mysteries and the intrigue of small-town life. The secrets that are kept from neighbors, the indiscretions not talked about and the fact that most everyone knows everyone else. Add in a strong protagonist who is determined to see that justice is served regardless of what she has to go up against, and I’m in the book. Cozies deliver all the conflict and tension and suspense I’m looking for in a book along with engaging characters that I want to visit with over and over again.
How did you break into the field?
I’d been reading cozy mysteries, mostly culinary cozy mysteries, for years after discovering Katherine Hall Page in a local bookstore. I was drawn to the genre and I’d wanted to write a book, so I decided to write a cozy mystery. I sent the manuscript to agents and was promptly and rightfully rejected. By that time I’d joined a local writing group and started work on a few romantic suspense manuscripts but in 2015 after completing several manuscripts something just didn’t feel right. So I brainstormed a series idea which became the Food Blogger Mystery series and in 2016 I sent the manuscript out to query agents and I got one and in November 2016 I sold the Food Blogger mystery series to Kensington and in the fall of 2017 I sold the Resale Boutique Mystery series to Kensington.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
I’m so grateful readers are choosing to read one of my books when they have so many options so I hope they will have an enjoyable reading experience. I also hope readers will be inspired that no matter how many times Kelly is told not to do something or that she can’t do something, she does it because it’s important to her. We all hit roadblocks throughout our lives and sometimes we forget that we can go around them and achieve whatever we want to. Kelly doesn’t give up. Sure there are times she’s tempted but she fights for what she wants and for what she believes in. I know I can’t change the world through my books but if I can encourage one person to go for their dreams, then I’m very happy.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
Writing the end. Seriously, it is because that means I’ve written a novel and being able to do that is an incredible achievement that I wish everyone could experience.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
Balancing all of the responsibilities that come along with writing. In addition to writing the books, authors juggle numerous other tasks that involve managing a small business from writing newsletters to maintaining social media accounts. While writing is the most important thing I can do as a writer, all of the other work I have to do can be challenging at time because there’s only so much time in a day. I’m always striving to improve my time management skills.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Be patient. It’s a long-game. Be professional. Publishing is a small world and you want to maintain good relationships. Be present. Once you’re published, your debut novel releases, things move so fast. Make sure to enjoy the whole experience.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
I read mysteries, from psychological thrillers to suspense to procedurals. I also read romance and women’s fiction.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
I was a former food blogger. That’s how I came up with Hope’s career in the Food Blogger mystery series. I majored in my hobby in college, fashion buying and merchandising so I used that experience to help create Kelly in the Resale Boutique mystery series. For six years I worked as an emergency medical technician in New York City before moving to Connecticut. My most favorite food is New York pizza, I’m a coffee lover and like Kelly I love a good fashion magazine.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
I have a website where I blog where I regularly blog and have info on my books as well as a sign-up form for a newsletter subscription. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram.
Website – http://bit.ly/2lQwSNi
Facebook – http://bit.ly/2ASJVDr
Instagram – http://bit.ly/2EQh6da
Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Romance Writers of America.
Author Links:
Website – Facebook – Goodreads
Purchase Links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
January 21 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
January 21 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
January 22 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 22 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 23 – My Reading Journey – REVIEW
January 23 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 24 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
January 24 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
January 25 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
January 26 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
January 26 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 27 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 27 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
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January 29 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
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February 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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