Charlie Kingsley is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Arson, Old Lace and Murder in the Charlie Kingsley mystery series.

Welcome, Charlie. 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.

Arson, Old Lace and Murder is book 8 in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series. It’s a bit darker and has more action than the other Charlie Kingsley Mysteries (Michele has been calling it a cozy thriller, but that seems like an oxymoron to me as part of the cozy vibe is low stakes, whereas the thriller vibe is all about high stakes and this book definitely has higher stakes than most cozies–but other than that, it does have all the other cozy elements, such as small town, tea, pets and quirky characters.)

The series takes place in Redemption, Wisconsin, in the 1990s. This particular book also delves into a lot of Redemption lore—Redemption is a haunted town with a troubled past and this book really digs into that. That said, it’s not necessary to read any of the other books in the series to enjoy this one. All books in the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries can be read as standalone, including this one.

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

I most definitely get a say or Michele would mess things up. It’s much better if I am involved.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I started as the dead aunt in the Secrets of Redemption series, which is a psychological thriller series (The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries is a spin off of Secrets of Redemption—both series are clean). From the beginning I had to take control as Michele had my name wrong and she also thought I would be a very minor character. It happened in stages but she eventually came around to the idea that I needed my own series.

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

Pat’s my best friend, and I always enjoy spending time with her, although things get a little tense between us in this book. I ended up having a different side kick, Mildred, who was first introduced in Murder Next Door, which is book 3 of The Charlie Kingsley. Mystery series plus she’s in The Redemption Detective Agency. Also, things get a little…complicated between myself and Officer Brandon Wyle in this book.

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

As I said earlier, this story is a little darker and has more action. It opens with me discovering a burning bar and trying to save a pregnant waitress who is trapped inside…who then disappears. And that’s just the beginning.

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

If you love cozy mysteries that are twisty (think Agatha Christie vibes) you’ll probably love The Charlie Kingsley Mystery series.

Thank you for answering my questions, Charlie, and good luck to you and your author, Michele Pariza Wacek, with Arson, Old Lace and Murder, the latest book in the Charlie Kingsley mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Charlie and her author, Michele Pariza Wacek by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Instagram pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon 

About Michele Pariza Wacek: A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com.

Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her  books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she’s an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she’s not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)