A Lady Evelyn Mystery #5
After years spent away, Lady Evelyn is at long last back in her home city of London and she has returned with a rather controversial plan. The Carlisle Detective Agency is born, and it does not take long for the bodies… ahem, cases, to start piling up. With her friend and assistant Hugh, Evelyn embarks on the quest to solve the crimes. Yet the London she encounters is not the London of her coddled youth, and she is forced to learn that there is more to discover than the identity of a murderer. It isn’t only her city which reveals it is not what she always believed it to be, but the people she encounters as well. Secrets are revealed that have her thinking twice about everything she thought she knew about the society in which she grew up.
Evelyn’s love for her hard-won independence confronts her with yet another mystery, whether she is ready or willing to give up any of it for marriage. And then there is the arrival of rather a familiar face in London, one Daniel is none to pleased to see. Evelyn must find not one but two murderers, as well as make a decision that could determine her future. From the mansions of Mayfair to the dark alleys of Whitechapel, can Evelyn catch the killers before another life is taken?
Q&A
1. Which character would you like to be in this book?
I have to be honest, there’s a good bit of me in Lady Evelyn. I identify with her, though if I’m honest, she is probably quite a bit more daring than I am. I just have to live vicariously through her!
2. Do you always take a book/ereader wherever you go?
It’s funny you should ask this, because I was in my car with my sister the other day, and she noticed a book tucked into the compartment of the door. I explained it was my “emergency book”, which she thought was very funny, but my fellow bookworms understand, right?
3. Say someone asks if they can use your name in a book. Would you rather be the ‘good one’ or the ‘bad one’?
If the book is fiction, I think it would be kind of fun to be the villain. Sometimes the villains are much more intriguing than the heroes, especially if the characters are developed in a way that means no one’s actions are purely black and white.
4. Do you prefer to read/write standalones or series?
I used to read a lot of series, but in recent years, I read more standalones, though I do have certain series I remain loyal to. There are a few of them, where I look forward to the newest book months before publication, Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series, for example. The series I enjoy are almost all mysteries.
5. Where can I find you when you are reading?
I’ll read everywhere, but I like to be sitting in an armchair in my bedroom, which is quite cozy. I find I get a little distracted if I read in a café or so, because I want to watch the people (character studies!)
6. Where can I find you when you are not writing/reading?
I am doing other work, spending time with family, traveling, going on walks or to the museum. I am a bit of a writer’s cliché and prefer quiet pursuitsJ
7. Can you walk past a bookstore without going inside?
Oh, I struggle with this. I don’t necessarily always buy something, but I do like to take a quick look (or so I say…).
8. What are you most proud of?
I am, of course, proud of my work and this series, but I think most of all I am proud of relationships in my life, which have shaped me and which I value tremendously.
9. What goes through your mind when you hold your new book in your hands for the first time?
It feels a bit surreal. After so much time and energy and effort has gone into it, and there it is, this rectangle of paper. It’s quite thrilling to be able to slot another addition to the series into my bookshelf.
10. What piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I think consistency is key. If you want to write a book, a story, anything really, it will take commitment. Every writer has different methods, but most, I think, would agree with me when I say try to write every day. It doesn’t need to be much or even very good every day, but just to get into the habit of doing that and sticking with it will help you find a routine. Another invaluable tip is to read and to read a lot, and not only in the genre in which you write. You learn more from reading than from any course, that is my firm opinion!
Thank you, Malia Zaidi and Damppebbles Blog Tours
About the author
Malia Zaidi is the author of the Lady Evelyn Mysteries. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh and at the University of Oxford.
Having grown up in Germany, she currently lives in Washington DC, though through her love of reading, she resides vicariously (if temporarily) in countries around the world.
Author Links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaliaZaidi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maliazaidiauthor/
Website: https://www.maliazaidi.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maliazaidi/
Book Links
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3iGhzli
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3iDHDh8
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/2Fvi5ED
Book Depository: https://bit.ly/3iPf9RJ
B for Bookreview 