The Silence of the Library by Miranda James: Guest Post/Review/Giveaway

Guest Post by Miranda James:

I blame Nancy Drew for my life of crime. Reading it and writing it, that is.

I was ten when I borrowed The Secret of Shadow Ranch from a cousin. It was the first mystery I ever read, and I was hooked. Then, to my delight, I discovered this was only one of a long series of adventures in which Nancy solved mystery after mystery. Just as exciting, I soon found other amateur mystery-solvers: the Hardy Boys, the Dana Girls, Judy Bolton, Trixie Belden, and many more. By the time I began reading adult mysteries, my love of the amateur detective was completely entrenched.

When I decided I wanted to write a mystery myself, I knew my main character would be an amateur. After all, I’m not a policeman, or a lawyer, or a private detective. But I do have a healthy dose of curiosity about the world around me and the people in it. Charlie Harris, the sleuth in my “Cat in the Stacks” series, is just like me in that respect. He’s also about my age (fiftyish, if you must know), he’s a librarian, he grew up in Mississippi, and he has a Maine coon cat. That’s as far as it goes, however. (I have two cats, by the way, neither of which is a Maine coon. Also, Diesel is much better behaved than my two.)

I wanted to incorporate my knowledge of, and love for, these juvenile series books into one of my own books, and in the new book, The Silence of the Library, I have done so. I created a series character in the mold of Nancy Drew and the other girl detectives and called her Veronica Thane. The author of the series, Electra Barnes Cartwright, was inspired by Mildred Wirt Benson (the first writer, aka “Carolyn Keene”, of the Nancy Drew series, Margaret Sutton, author of the Judy Bolton series, and Julie Campbell Tatham, the original author of Trixie Belden. In fact the book is dedicated to their memories.

The most fun part of writing this book for me was the “excerpts” from the first Veronica Thane book. I reread some of my favorite girl detective stories from the 1930s to get a sense of the style in my head, and off I went. I hope readers will get a kick out of this aspect of the story. Of course, The Silence of the Library includes murder – a subject that usually didn’t come up in the classic juvenile series books. But when you get a number of rabid book collectors together, with hints of a rare and highly collectible volume, something deadly is sure to happen.

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About The Silence of the Library:  Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel. He’s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but a celebrated author’s visit draws an unruly swarm of fanatic mystery buffs…and one devious killer.

It’s National Library Week, and the Athena Public Library is planning an exhibit to honor the centenary of famous novelist Electra Barnes Cartwright—creator of the beloved Veronica Thane series.

Charlie has a soft spot for Cartwright’s girl detective stories (not to mention an extensive collection of her books!). When the author agrees to make a rare public appearance, the news of her whereabouts goes viral overnight, and series devotees and book collectors converge on Athena.

After all, it’s rumored that Cartwright penned Veronica Thane stories that remain under wraps, and one rabid fan will stop at nothing—not even murder—to get hold of the rare books….

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Mochas, Mysteries and Meows Review: This book could easily go on my list of all-time favorite cozies because it is an ode to the girl sleuths that shaped my childhood and turned me into the mystery lover that I am today. One of my greatest memories growing up is devouring the Nancy Drew books in my school library and building a collection of my own with my allowance money scouring flea markets and used book stores.

This is the fifth book in the "Cat in the Stacks" mystery series featuring librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat Diesel. It centers around preparations for National Library Week at the library where Electra Barnes Cartwright, author of the Veronica Thane series, is set to be honored for her centenary. Imagine everyone's shock when it is discovered that the legend is still living and there is rumored to be five previously unpublished Veronica Thane manuscripts! Rabid collectors and fans descend on Athena and exhibit embarrassing behavior in the presence of their idol, and eventually the president of the EBC Fan Club ends up dead.

An added bonus is that there is a "story within a story" as Charlie is re-reading a Veronica Thane book while attempting to solve the murder, and it ends up being the spark that sets him on the right path to catch a killer. This book is pure magic for anyone whose childhood was defined by their love for the famous girl sleuths. It reaffirmed for me why I love this genre so, so much.

About Dean James: Dean James, a seventh-generation Mississippian, is a librarian and Edgar-nominated author of over twenty works of fiction and nonfiction. His nonfiction has won both the Agatha Award and the prestigious Macavity Award. Writing as Miranda James, he is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks series, featuring librarian Charlie Harris and his trusty rescue cat Diesel. He is also the author of The Trailer Park Mysteries, writing as Jimmie Ruth Evans and the Bridge Club Mysteries, writing as Honor Hartman. As Dean James, he’s authored The Deep South Mystery Series and The Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries. He lives in Houston, Texas, with two cats and thousands of books.

Visit www.catinthestacks.com for more on Charlie and Diesel!

GIVEAWAY: Did you have a favorite girl sleuth growing up? Tell us about it by noon EST on January 31, and you will be entered to win a copy of The Silence of the Library. U.S. entries only.