Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries) by Jennifer S. Alderson. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries)
by Jennifer S. Alderson
Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – France
Traveling Life Press (May 31, 2023)
Approximately 250 Pages
Coming out of retirement can be deadly…
After tragedy struck three years earlier, art sleuth Carmen De Luca vowed to never work in the field again. But fifty is too young to fill her days with water aerobics and bingo, so when her former partner calls and begs for her help, Carmen gladly agrees.
Yet after their first assignment – the recovery of a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector living in rural France – goes horribly wrong, Carmen ends up in the crosshairs of both the local police and a murderer!
With her target dead and the stolen book missing, she and her partner will have to pull out all of the stops to sleuth out the true killer’s identity – before their stay in France becomes permanent.
Introducing Carmen De Luca, an art sleuth with a nose for mystery and the job of locating valuable artwork stolen from museums around the world. If you love strong and resourceful heroines, puzzling mysteries, and a dash of art history, pick up Collecting Can Be Murder now!
Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries:
Book One: Collecting Can Be Murder
Book Two: A Statue To Die For
More adventures coming soon!
These mysteries contain no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Author Interview
Tell us a little about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Christy! I’m America-born, but have been living in the Netherlands since 2004. I am also the author of seventeen novels and short stories spread across three series – the Zelda Richardson Art Mysteries, the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and now the Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries.
I grew up on the West Coast of the United States and worked as a journalist and multimedia developer until work-related burnout lead me to quit my job, buy a backpack, and travel the world.
After four years on the road, I moved to the Netherlands to study art history and worked for several museums before the economy crashed and the cultural sector imploded. Luckily, that was also the period during which I met my future husband, which gave me another great reason to stay in Amsterdam!
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, though in my younger years I focused on short stories. One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father and me thinking up storylines together. During college, I majored in journalism and worked as a journalist before life took me in other directions.
I didn’t try writing a novel until I found myself unemployed in Amsterdam. While applying for museum jobs, I decided to write my first art mystery, The Lover’s Portrait, as a way of keeping my mind occupied. By the time I finished the manuscript, that elusive full-time job I had been searching for, still hadn’t materialized. That’s when I decided to self-published my book. The overwhelmingly positive reception to my art mystery blew me away and encouraged me to keep publishing. I haven’t stopped writing since!
Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?
“Author” was never one of the professions that high school career counselors advised us about, so it was not even an option I considered, when I was younger! My writing aspirations back then were to work as a journalist, something I did do for a short while, before being seduced by multimedia development, and later art history. I suppose it’s better that I worked in a variety of other fields first, because my past experiences greatly influence what I write about!
The first series of mysteries that I released are more thrillers than cozies, and with a bit of swearing and violence. When I had the idea for the Travel Can Be Murder series, I wanted to make this one “cleaner” than the Zelda books – no graphic sex, violence, or swearing – because I wanted to reach a wider audience. I have always enjoyed reading cozy mysteries, so I decided to intentionally target this new series to the cozy audience. That worked so well that I decided to also write this new Carmen De Luca series for a cozy audience!
Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?
I love to read cozies, traditional mysteries, thrillers, and psychological suspense fiction. It’s impossible for me to choose one favorite genre! I just finished Deanna Rayborn’s Killers of a Certain Age (loved this funny spy mystery) and T.A. Williams’ Murder in Tuscany (great cozy PI mystery). Next up is Peter Mayle’s The Vintage Caper (it’s book one in an art-oriented mystery series) and Julie Mulhern’s Fields’ Guide to Dirty Money (book six of a fabulous cozy adventure series).
Do you have a favorite place to write?
There are a handful of small cafes in Amsterdam that I love to go to, though where exactly depends on my mood that day. I’m not sure if it’s the friendly personnel, beautiful views of the canals, or great background music that they all have in common, but I always find it easy to write when I’m at any of the six. Café De Jaren might be my favorite – which is why it also features in my novel, The Lover’s Portrait.
What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?
Most of it is covered with notes jotted onto scraps of paper, napkins, and random receipts, that are somehow related to my current WIP or future manuscripts. Organizing them into neat little piles has never worked for me, unfortunately! Besides that, there is a mini-disco ball (everybody has to sparkle, right?), random travel memorabilia, a few cards my son made for me, and a mug with the face of the iconic news reporter Edward R. Murrow on it – a famous alumni from Washington State University, my alma mater. The mug is full of pens and positioned so Mr. Murrow is staring right at me, encouraging me to do my best!
What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?
Like many, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys were childhood favorites. But the book that’s stuck with me the longest is The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I still have my old copy in my office!
Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?
I prefer physical books, but considering how often I read on my phone or iPad these days, I would have to say that I like e-books the best. My bag is already large and overflowing. Thanks to my phone, I can read a few paragraphs while waiting in a long line, for instance, without having to carry around an even bigger purse to hold a paperback!
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?
I would love to spend a year living on one of the Hawaiian Islands, it really doesn’t matter which one! I’m partial to anywhere warm and sandy. I could definitely see about setting a murder there, as well.
What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?
Mysteries with a strong lead character and/or a strong setting, have influenced me the most –everything from Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot to Jana Deleon’s Miss Fortune.
Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?
Not while I’m writing, but I have built up a network of authors writing in similar genres. It is quite wonderful to be able to discuss the author-side of things with someone going through the same issues, as well as support each other’s new releases.
Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?
My new series follows the adventures of art sleuth, Carmen De Luca. She was the best in her field, until her husband’s murder sent her spiraling into a deep depression. But early retirement didn’t suit her, which is why she hopped on a plane to France right after her former partner called, begging for her help.
At the beginning of Collecting Can Be Murder, Carmen is in Europe to help her former partner find an ancient prayer book that was possible stolen ten years ago from a museum in Ohio.
It seemed as if she was about to wrap up first assignment in record time, when her target is murdered and the rare book stolen again! After the local detective takes an interest in her, she has to help solve the case in order to clear her name.
I hope this new series will appeal to readers who love puzzling plots, resourceful heroines, and a dash of art history.
Thank you, Christy, for sharing my work with your readers!
Thanks, Jennifer! I loved your answers!
About Jennifer S. Alderson
Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands.
Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels.
When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.
For more information about the author and her upcoming novels, please visit http://www.JenniferSAlderson.com.
Author Links
Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSAldersonauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/JSAauthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-s-alderson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson
Purchase Link – Amazon
Enter the giveaway
Collecting Can Be Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 12 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
June 13 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
June 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 14 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Indie Author Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 16 – Books to the Ceiling – SPOTLIGHT – PODCAST
June 16 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
June 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 19 – The Book Decoder – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 21 – Ruff Drafts -AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 23 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
June 23 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
June 24 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 24 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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Sounds like a book I will like.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!
Love the title. It has me so curious
I enjoyed the author interview. Congratulations to Alderson on the recent release of Collecting Can Be Murder!
Thank you! That’s really kind of you.
Thank you so much for sharing this interview and my book with your readers! I really appreciate it. Take care!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping!
Sounds like an incredible read.
Thanks for hosting and sharing this book!