Allison Brook is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Overdue or Die, her latest novel in the Haunted Library Mystery series.

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

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

OVERDUE OR DIE, is the seventh book in the Haunted Library series. The series takes place in Clover Ridge, Connecticut. My sleuth, Carrie Singleton, is the head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge Library. The library is one of the centuries-old buildings that border the town’s Green. The ghost of Evelyn Havers, a former library aide, helps Carrie solve murder mysteries.

In OVERDUE OR DIE, the owner of the Gallery on the Green is murdered. After Carrie’s fiancé’s painting is stolen, they help uncover a criminal syndicate that’s forging copies of famous paintings.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

The idea came from events that occurred in previous books in the series. Carrie’s assistant Susan is very talented, and the Gallery on the Green has started selling her artwork. Dylan Avery, Carrie’s fiancé, has inherited a painting by a famous artist. I liked the idea of incorporating both story elements. They lead to several mysteries that need to be solved.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

As in all my books, characters are much more complex than they appear on the surface. Martha Mallory, the gallery owner, has a colorful past and a deceitful side that her husband knows nothing about until she is murdered.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

My characters just seem to evolve and develop as they interact and have adventures. I love all my characters and enjoy writing about their lives. Carrie is dear to me because she manages to overcome her difficult childhood and becomes a responsible, caring adult. Dylan’s growing up years were difficult as well, but he and Carrie form a loving couple. He knows that Carrie will investigate murders, and while he advises her to be careful, he is supportive and never tries to stop her.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

I have a real town in mind as I write about Clover Ridge. That said, I feel free to make many changes. I create buildings like the library, the Inn on the Green and the Gallery on the Green as needed. I also bring in my characters’ favorite restaurants, and, of course, the Avery property where Carrie and Dylan live. The library has an important role, as a good deal of what takes place happens in the library. My readers are familiar with the building and the new addition that’s added in the previous book, DEWEY DECIMATED.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I am constantly doing online research about whatever subject I’m writing about. That could be wedding gowns, art forgery, and renovating a building.

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

In OVERDUE OR DIE, Carrie is determined to find the wedding venue that best suits her and Dylan. She finds the perfect place by the end of the book. In the process, she and Dylan become close friends with a couple.

Thanks for answering my questions, Allison, and good luck with Overdue or Die, the latest book in the Haunted Library Mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Allison and her writing by visiting her website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    B&N    Bookshop.org Kobo
Penguin Random House (has links to many sellers)

About Allison Brook: A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries and novels for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook, she writes the Haunted Library series. Death Overdue, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series and the Twin Lakes series. Her juvenile novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council Children’s Choice and has recently come out in a new edition. And Don’t Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards. Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place. She loves traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, and chatting on FaceTime with her grandkids.