I can hardly believe publication day is here! Under Lock & Skeleton Key, my first Secret Staircase Mystery, is out in the world! It took me years to figure out how to tell Tempest Raj's story, so I'm thrilled that you can read it (or listen to it) today!
Fun fact #1: It's a locked-room mystery, aka an impossible crime. It's a puzzle mystery like those classic mysteries that posed a challenge to the reader. Can you figure out how Tempest's stage double ended up inside a wall sealed for a century?
Fun fact #2: The origin of the family business that builds sliding bookcases & more: "What happens when a carpenter and a stage magician fall in love? They form a Secret Staircase Construction business to bring magic to people through their homes."
Fun fact #3: Sanjay (The Hindi Houdini) from my Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries, is one of the main characters in the new series!
Fun fact #4: The library in the novel first appeared in my story "The Locked Room Library" published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (and now nominated for both an Agatha and an Edgar Award!). The setting of a library devoted to classic mystery novels was so much fun to create, and I wish it really existed!
Fun fact #5 about Under Lock & Skeleton Key: It shares a publication day with the wonderful Alex Segura. I'm happy to call him a friend and I'm also a fan. His novel Secret Identity is out today as well. I got an advance reader copy and it's seriously so good! I hope you'll have fun with both of our books!