Luke Tremblay is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about The Body in the Back Garden, the first novel in the Crescent Cove mystery series.

Welcome, Luke. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

I’m the protagonist of something readers don’t see very often: a queer cozy mystery set in Canada. There’s a gorgeous seaside setting on Vancouver Island, a diverse cast of fellow characters, a hint of romance—and of course, murder! I can’t see the future, but I hope my story will continue across many future books. There’s so much I want to do in Crescent Cove. Like most fictional characters, though, I live and die at the whim of the publishing industry. That’s why I’m counting on readers to buy this book and show the publisher that they want more of me!

Does the writer control what happens in the story, or do you get a say too?

In some ways, the writer and I are one and the same. Generally, though, he wants something to happen and then asks me how I would do it. It’s a collaboration.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I started out as someone returning to a place where he used to be happy, in the wake of an unexpected tragedy. My story is full of bittersweet memories as well as a reluctance to engage with my painful past. Over the course of the book, though, I remember why I loved this town so much, and I start to imagine a new life for myself.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

Crescent Cove is filled with fascinating people like Jules Kestenbaum, the gossipy town doctor, and my archnemesis Barnabus Delacruz, who works at the antiques shop I inherited from my aunt. But the character I’m most partial to is Jack Munro, my old childhood friend who now runs the local RCMP detachment. Sure, we have something of a rocky history, and yes, he suspects me of murdering the man I found in the back garden, but there’s a spark there, too. Plus, he looks amazing in his Mountie uniform.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

I spend the story in a small, picturesque town on Vancouver Island, one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s similar to Tofino, a gorgeous spot on the other side of the island that’s renowned for its incredible beaches, laid-back vibe, and long hikes along the rugged coast.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

I’m proud to be part of an effort to make a beloved genre more inclusive and diverse. We need more stories like mine, and I hope readers agree.

Thank you for answering my questions, Luke, and good luck to you and your author, Mark Waddell, with The Body in the Back Yard, the first book in the Crescent Cove mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Luke and his author, Mark Waddell by visiting the author’s website and his Instagram page. You can also follow him on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

PenguinRandomHouse – U.S.    PenguinRandomHouse – Canada
(includes links for Amazon, Bookshop.org, etc.)
    B&N    Amazon

About Mark Waddell: Mark is originally from Calgary, Alberta, and grew up on the cold, windswept Prairies of western Canada. Fleeing southward, he earned a Ph.D. in the history of science, medicine, and technology from the Johns Hopkins University and then worked as a professor at Michigan State University for fifteen years. Finally, he persuaded his amazing husband to move to Vancouver Island, where they now live.
When he’s not writing stories about murderous Canadians, he plays the viola in the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, walks his dogs along the seashore, and thinks up interesting ways to kill people.