Nancy Cole Silverman, author of A Spy in Saigon, the latest novel in the Kat Lawson mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Nancy.

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

A SPY IN SAIGON is the fourth instalment in the Kat Lawson Mysteries, an international travel mystery series set in the late 1990s. In book one, THE NAVIGATOR’S DAUGHTER, Kat travels to Hungary at her father’s request to uncover his wartime past, leading to her undercover career as a travel reporter in book two, PASSPORT TO SPY. This sequel thrusts Kat into Cold War intrigue in the German Alps. Book three, MURDER ON THE MED, takes Kat on a Mediterranean cruise where missing passengers and eccentric seniors embroil her in new mysteries. In book four, A SPY IN SAIGON, Kat’s assignment in Vietnam quickly turns dangerous, drawing her deeper into a world of espionage.  

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

The story for A SPY IN SAIGON was a very real and disturbing experience. I was returning from an overseas trip to Asia when I saw a young girl, maybe four or five years old, with two older men. Instinctively, I knew this child wasn’t with them and was probably being trafficked. I tried to contact the airport authorities, but the group had vanished and couldn’t be found. Still, my thoughts about her and her situation wouldn’t leave me. That experience became the inspiration for A SPY IN SAIGON.

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

I’ve always been fascinated by lone-wolf protagonists thrown into challenging situations, like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme. As a female mystery writer, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if the protagonist wasn’t a man but a woman? How different would it be? A woman reacts differently to troubled situations, often using more brains than brawn, and I was drawn to the idea of creating a strong female protagonist who has to outsmart the bad guys rather than simply beat them up.

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

I’m attracted to flawed characters. My protagonist in the Kat Lawson series is one of my favourites. Kat is a middle-aged investigative reporter with a strong sense of justice, a troubled personal life, and a flawed past. An illicit office romance results in her losing her job at the newspaper where she worked, and she hits a new low by taking piecemeal assignments for a travel publication while secretly serving as an FBI courier. Her addiction to the thrill of good news stories, combined with her overconfidence in her ability to handle things, consistently interferes with each of her assignments. I enjoy working with characters like Kat, whose struggles include not only her internal conflicts of right and wrong but also those she faces when clashing with others holding different mindsets, along with the physical costs and challenges involved. 

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

I’ve been very lucky to live abroad and travel often. While many people keep travel journals, I prefer to write down mystery plots and research historical sites, which I might combine for future books.

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

Research is an essential part of my writing process. For each novel, I delve deeply into historical records, local customs, and contemporary news stories to ground the fiction in real-world details. When writing A SPY IN SAIGON, I studied the political landscape of Vietnam in the late 1990s, read accounts from expatriates, and explored travel guides for authentic descriptions of Saigon’s bustling streets, hidden alleys, and vibrant markets. I also spoke with experts and locals, which enriched my understanding of the setting and helped me weave accurate cultural nuances into the plot. This meticulous approach brings the backdrop to life and ensures the story feels both immersive and believable.

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

I’m currently working on the fifth book in the series.  I can share with you that it will take place in London, and the working title, for right now, anyway, is A COLD CASE IN LONDON. 

Thank you for answering my questions, Nancy, and good luck with A Spy in Saigon, the latest book in the Kat Lawson mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Nancy Cole Silverman by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page.

The novel is available online at Amazon

About Nancy Cole Silverman: After 25 years in news and talk radio, Nancy Cole Silverman retired to write fiction. Her crime-focused novels have attracted readers throughout America, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Silverman writes the Carol Childs and Misty Dawn Mysteries (Henry Press) and  the Kat Lawson Mysteries (Level Best Books).