Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Lethal Legacies (A Washington Whodunit) by Colleen Shogan. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Lethal Legacies (A Washington Whodunit)
by Colleen Shogan
Lethal Legacies (A Washington Whodunit)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Camel Press (August 9, 2022)
Paperback : 236 pages
It’s springtime in Washington, D.C. and congressional staffer Kit Marshall has more on her plate than she can handle. With her boss campaigning for an open U.S. Senate seat, Kit is left to run the office in her absence and manage a new week long American history extravaganza filled with high-profile events, lectures, and receptions.
When the Director of the Capitol Visitor’s Center ends up dead, Kit springs into action to clear a longtime friend, who becomes the prime suspect in the murder. With her best pal Meg pressuring her to solve the mystery quickly, Kit must figure out how to navigate her closest relationships while keeping an eye out for the diabolical killer.
The investigation takes Kit across the city to famous locations, including Georgetown University, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the White House.
When the killer strikes a second time, the pressure to solve the crimes intensifies. Has our favorite Capitol Hill sleuth finally met her match? In the end, Kit learns the hard way that history tends to repeat itself, often with deadly consequences.
Interview with Colleen J. Shogan
Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Colleen Shogan and I write the Washington Whodunit mystery series. I live in Arlington, Virginia, right outside of Washington, D.C. My “day job” is at the White House Historical Association.
How long have you been writing?
This is my eighth book in the series. I’ve been writing fiction for about ten years now.
Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?
I’ve been reading mysteries since I was quite young. I started with Encyclopedia Brown and Trixie Belden. Then, I read the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Eventually I discovered Agatha Christie. I prefer amateur sleuths, although I will read almost any mystery.
Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?
I read a lot of cozies, but I also read thrillers, literary fiction, traditional mysteries, and biographies.
Do you have a favorite place to write?
I enjoy writing in my backyard, under an umbrella on my deck. During the winter months, I usually relax on the couch to write.
What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?
I work at my desk, but don’t usually write there. My desk is messy and it’s always a struggle to keep it clean!
What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?
My first book I remember reading was an Encylopedia Brown. I loved the “Bungalow Mystery” which was a popular Nancy Drew.
Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?
I mostly read on my Kindle these days. I like it because I can take my entire library of books anywhere. And if I hear about a book I want to read, I can immediately buy it and download it.
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
That’s a tough choice. I love the Outer Banks in North Carolina, but I already wrote a book set there (“Dead as a Duck”). I suppose it might be London. I have so many spots I love there, it would be hard to choose which places to include.
What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?
Probably Agatha Christie. She’s the master of everything – characters, plot, suspense, twists. There’s no one better, in my opinion. I also really enjoyed and learned from Stephen King’s book “On Writing.”
Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?
I belong to Sisters in Crime, although since the pandemic, I haven’t been quite as involved as I was before. I find that mystery writers are very supportive and genuinely want others to succeed. I like being part of that community.
Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?
I am working on a new series that I think people will love. I can’t say too much more than that right now!
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!
About Colleen J. Shogan
Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at several universities and previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as a senior executive at the Library of Congress. She is currently the Senior Vice President of the White House Historical Association.
Colleen is a member of Sisters in Crime. “Stabbing in the Senate” was awarded the Next Generation Indie prize for Best Mystery in 2016. “Homicide in the House” was a 2017 finalist for the RONE Award for Best Mystery. “Calamity at the Continental Club” was a 2018 finalist in the “best cozy mystery” at Killer Nashville. “Larceny at the Library” won the 2021 IPPY bronze medal for mystery. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan.
Author Links
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/washingtonwhodunit/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/cshogan276
Website – www.colleenshogan.com
GoodReads – www.goodreads.com/cshogan276
Praise for the Series
“The mystery is perplexing—for Kit and company, and for me—and well done. I was impressed by the complexity of the murder plot. I enjoyed the political theme, and all the details about lobbyists.” —Jane Reads
“To someone who has mastered that uniquely Washington skill of bobbling two cell phones and a glass of wine without spilling a drop, solving a murder is practically child’s play.” —HillRag
“A solid choice for political junkies and readers of Maggie Sefton, Fred Hunter, and Mike Lawson.” —Library Journal
“The fourth volume in author Colleen J. Shogan’s simply outstanding ‘Washington Whodunit’ series, K Street Killing is a consistently entertaining read with many an unexpected twist and turn by a true master of the genre.” —Midwest Book Review
“Shogan does a good job depicting the creaky, squeaky wheels of government, and Marshall plays politics and sleuth with equal dexterity in this capital Capitol Hill mystery.” —Publishers Weekly
“Loads of inside scoop about the workings of Senate offices—complete with all the gossiping, back-stabbing, and procedural maneuvering—plus an appealing young sleuth, sprightly pacing, and an edge-of-your-seat showdown on the Hart-Dirksen underground train.” —Literary Hill
“An excellent whodunit…. I was really impressed with this very smart story. The author is a former Senate staffer so she is writing what she knows, less the murder, I hope.” —Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book
“Readers who enjoy amateur sleuth mysteries written in the style of Agatha Christie will enjoy this promising debut mystery.” —The Washington Independent Review of Books
Enter the giveaway
Lethal Legacies TOUR PARTICIPANTS
August 8 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 10 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 12 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST
August 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 13 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 14 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
August 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 16 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 17 – Girl with Pen – SPOTLIGHT
August 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 18 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 19 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST
August 20 – The Mystery of Writing – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 21 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Good book for Summer reading.
Thanks for the contest.
I am a big fan of Agatha Christie’s also! I am reading a book of her short stories now.
bad twitter link for sherry’sback. Should be https://twitter.com/SherrysBack