Trish Esden is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Whisper of Treasure and Lies, the latest novel in the Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery series.

Welcome, Trish. 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.

Whisper of Treasure and Lies is the third book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone, but it’s probably more fun to read the series in order. The series follows Edie Brown, a Vermont antique dealer, as she solves a wide range of antiques and art related crimes. In Whisper of Treasure and Lies the theft of a rare antique mineral springs bottle and a Bible box full of historical items, sends her and her crew on a mission to untangle a mystery with roots that stretch from the Victorian-era to the modern-day, and perhaps into her own past as well.

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

I’m always inspired and center a novel’s mystery on an antique or type of art I’m curious about and would enjoy researching in depth. As I research, the plot comes into focus, and I think about ways to connect it to Edie on a personal level. In the case of Whisper of Treasure and Lies, I researched the history of photography, mineral springs bottles, early bottle manufacturing, and Victorian-era hydropathic resorts. Because this book deals with a modern-day crime as well as a murder in the 1880s, it took a lot of thought and finagling to weave both timelines into a cohesive story and whodunit.

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

In my books, the theme is what braids the story threads together. Whisper of Treasure and Lie’s theme is ‘secrets. Even before chapter one, Edie shares her thoughts on the subject:

Secrets. Everybody has them, large and small, the white lies and the deep, dark soul crushing ones. Some are revealed with the slightest prompting, often for money or love. Others are buried with their keepers.

Antique dealers and collectors, like me, are notoriously adept when it comes to holding our secrets close. Just try and discover where we acquired a prized piece or how much we paid for it. Perhaps we’ll brag about the procurement, more likely we’ll dance away from the subject as lightly as an auctioneer moving on to the next bid. Even if we offer up the information, can you be certain you’ve learned the truth?

Maybe. Maybe not… Signed, Edie Brown

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

I like to think my characters come to life organically as they evolve throughout the novels. Above all else, I put a great deal of thought into how each one of them affects Edie. I can’t say that I have a favourite character in Whisper of Treasure and Lies. However,Sandra holds a special place in my heart. But I’m not going to say why because that would be a big spoiler.

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

When I write, I see the setting like it’s a movie in my head. Seriously, it doesn’t matter if it’s a real Vermont location that I’ve visited or the fictious town of Scandal Mountain, I know every inch of the place. And I don’t just ‘see’ the locations. My mouth waters when Edie walks into the Jumping Café and smells the brick oven pizzas. I hear the buzz of the crowd when she’s sitting in Fisher’s Auction House. I feel the warmth of Shane’s body when she leans into kiss him…The trick is to remember to include these sensory details—or at least some of them—in each scene.

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

Though Whisper of Treasure and Lies, and all my novels, may be inspired by researching something I’m curious about, my goal in writing the book is not to teach the reader about those subjects or about anything else for that matter. To me, writing is about creating characters and a mystery that can sweep readers away from the real world for a while. To me, storytelling is about entertainment.

Thank you for answering my questions, Trish, and good luck with Whisper of Treasure and Lies, the latest book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Trish Esden by visiting her website and her Facebook, Bookbub, and Instagram pages. Readers can also follow her on Twitter/X.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Signed Paperbacks: Call https://www.facebook.com/TheEloquentPage

 Bookshop    Barnes & Noble    Amazon  Apple     Kobo 

About Trish Esden: Trish Esden is an award-winning author of mystery novels that deliver feisty heroines, devious criminals, and as many twists as a back-country road. Set in contemporary, small-town New England, Trish’s stories promise skillfully-crafted whodunnits fraught with secrets, cunning schemes, and sometimes a touch of romance. Though a dead body or two might surface, Trish’s novels tend to focus on crimes other than murder. If you’re a fan of traditional mysteries with a diverse cast of friends and adversaries, you are in the right place. Immerse yourself today in an atmospheric world where danger, mystery, and a passion for justice collide.