Welcome to Canadian Romance and Mystery author, Patricia Johns!
Patricia
Johns lives with her husband and son in Alberta, Canada. The winters are long
and cold, her home is snug and cozy, and the combination is perfect for novel
writing. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author in Amish romance, and
this is her first foray into cozy mysteries.
Website:
https://patriciajohns.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaJohnsAuthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorPatJohns
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/authorpatjohns/
Do your
characters come before or after your plot?
My characters come first—at least time around! I
knew who my sleuth would be, and I knew who I wanted to die. The mystery
definitely grew out of my characters! I find that characters with their secrets
and longings are the most interesting part of any book.
How do you
choose a villain and how do you make them human?
Well, in this cozy mystery, I suppose the villain
is our victim! He’s just awful. No one likes him, and for good reason, but I do
delve a little deeper and find his humanity. As we learn more about him, we see
what pushed him to become a worse and worse human being—but he didn’t get there
alone. Every sordid, selfish man started out as a sweet little boy, after all. As
for the killer—I like to look at how any one of us could be pushed too far. Even
the killer is a “good guy” in their own eyes!
Do your
reading choices reflect your writing choices?
Oh, absolutely! I love reading mysteries, romance,
historical novels, fantasy, classics, gothic… I read pretty broadly, but I
think that helps me as a writer. It keeps me thinking and wondering—which is
the start of any good book!
What sorts
of characters are your favorite to write?
I love writing strong, capable, slightly intimidating
women, especially within the Amish community. When everyone around them expects
them to be quiet and demure, it can be hard to find their place. But keeping
them down is not an option! That kind of woman shows up in all of my writing,
from my romance novels to this cozy mystery.
What are
you working on now?
I’m currently working on Amish romance.
What sort
of research do you do for your work?
I’ve done a ton of research into the Amish world over the years. I love working with Amish stories because the research is always applicable to my next book! So I’m often researching how to hitch up a buggy, recipes, how to make ice cream from scratch, how to harvest ice off of a frozen lake, which holidays are celebrated and how… I also try my hand at a lot of different crafts that Amish women would be skilled at. I’m not as skilled by any stretch, but it is a lot of fun to try them! So far, I’ve been doing some knitting and embroidery.
MURDER OF AN AMISH BRIDEGROOM
Petunia Yoder is Blueberry, Pennsylvania’s youngest old maid, at
twenty-two years of age, and completely unmarriageable. But she’s determined to
celebrate her friends’ weddings with joy and a full heart. Unfortunately,
Petunia’s best friend, Eden Beiler, is playing a dangerous game with a man who
is ruining her reputation.
Ike Smoker is the community’s ice man—the one who cuts, stores, and sells the
ice—and when Petunia discovers him dead with an ice pick in his chest, Eden is
found on the scene with blood on her hands. Homicide detective Asher Nate is
new to the area, and he has a challenge on his hands. The Amish
community sticks close together, and he doesn’t understand the subtleties and
nuances of the clues he uncovers. He needs an Amish interpreter, and he asks
Petunia if she’ll help. In a bid to keep her best friend out of prison, she
agrees.
The community is filled with people who had good reason to hate Ike Smoker,
especially as Petunia and Asher begin to uncover his secrets. Was someone
trying to protect their family's reputation? Or to exact revenge for a sin
buried deep in the past?
There’s a litany of damning clues that litters the ground—and if Petunia and
Asher can’t come up with the truth, they could end up as the next ones on the
killer’s list.
Buy links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Amish-Bridegroom-Seamstress-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BXKHG8CG/
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/murder-of-an-amish-bridegroom/9781639105328
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/murder-of-an-amish-bridegroom
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