Brought to you by OBS reviewer Sammy

• Be sure to read our review for The Case of the Murderous Mermaid and Other Stories here at OBS.
• Visit author Andrew MacRae over at his official website here.

 

Sammy: First and foremost, will you be writing a full length novel in this setting with the same detectives? 

Andrew MacRae: I hope so, because I would love to know more and read more about them.

I have several more stories in mind for those two, including The Case of the Fetid Flower, but have only recently begun thinking about a full length novel. Perhaps when I am finished wrapping up the two novels I am currently completing.

Sammy: I loved Stone and the way he thought and figured things out. Is that character from someone you know in real life? Parts of him maybe?

Andrew MacRae: I borrowed his name from someone with whom I used to work, but he’s pretty much his own guy. Maybe a bit of Columbo crept in, as I’ve always thought the writing on that television show to be superb.

However, the character of Mamma in the first story is totally based on the late mother of a friend of mine. She was every bit as ‘out there’ as the character, including having a one- eyed cat named Precious, and she was a delight to know.

Oh, and speaking of names, I made a game of naming the characters in the second story, basing them on mash-ups of famous mystery writers.

Sammy: In your first story I noticed a bit of stereotyping about the “mean wife” who the man wants to dump. But I thought you did a great job of letting people see the flip side of how the husband wasn’t pulling his weight in the relationship, too. 

Is this something that you will continue  doing in your stories, the balance of seeing both sides?

Andrew MacRae: Yes. To me, that’s part of the cozy mystery dynamic. We need to see the characters with all their flaws. It’s a challenge, though, to fit it all into five thousand words or less!

Sammy: What’s your favorite detective show?

Andrew MacRae: I would have to say it’s a tie between the above-mentioned Columbo and Perry Mason.

Sammy: You have a couple of other books on goodreads. Do either of those stories connect with this one? Meaning are some of the same characters in those stories. It’s not clear in they synopsis and one of your books doesn’t have one at all. Would love to have a bit more information one them.

Andrew MacRae: The only other book by me on Goodreads is my novel Murder Misdirected (ebook distribution by Untreed Reads). There is no connection between the characters in Murderous Mermaid and that story, but there is a somewhat similar tone to the narration. Well, that and cats. It seems that I cannot write for long without including a cat or two.

Sammy: Thank you for the opportunity to read your story, as I said earlier I really enjoyed it, the writing style, characters and storyline.