A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder: A Novel by Melinda Mullet
About A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder
A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder: A Novel
Traditional Mystery
First in Series
Setting - A houseboat along Regent’s Canal in central London
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books
Publication date : July 29, 2025
Hardcover Print length : 320 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8892421423
Paperback Print length : 320 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8892422512
Digital Print length : 320 pages ISBN-13 : 979-8892421430
Audiobook ASIN : B0DRWC4ZBL
Charming yet wickedly imaginative mystery ghostwriter Maeve Gardner finds herself at the center of a murder investigation with more twists and turns than any story she's ever written, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz and Richard Osman.
Maeve Gardner kills people for a living. A dodgy occupation perhaps, but as ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hills mysteries, Maeve has planned the perfect murder time and again, and she enjoys it. She dreams of writing something under her own name someday rather than babysitting her adopted character Simon, but at least she’s writing. And as one of the burnt-out souls who’ve run away from dry land to live on London’s waterways, she has the joy of working from the home she loves: a colorful houseboat. Life on the canals is grand, but when her cheating ex-boyfriend turns up floating facedown in the water outside her boat, murdered, and the police arrest her, the plot takes a wayward turn.
Suddenly, Maeve is thrust into one of her own crime dramas, complete with missing money, violent thugs, extortion, and conspiracy. Only this time, there is no real-life Simon Hill to come to her aid. Instead, with the help of friends from the river—India, owner of a popular floating bookshop; Paul, the exceedingly attractive landlord of the local pub; and Ash, Maeve’s quiet, nerdy neighbor who is keeping some secrets of his own—Maeve may have a shot at saving herself.
As Maeve and her motley crew of would-be investigators find themselves wondering if they are in over their heads, a killer lurks and won’t hesitate to kill again…
About Melinda Mullet
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
1.
When did you first
realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think I’ve always wanted to write. A secret desire, but I really
started when I found myself working with a group of smart, savvy teenagers who had
a rather disturbing lack of self-confidence. They seemed to be overwhelmed by
the world. I kept telling them you can do anything you want and several of them
asked if I’d done everything I wanted to. It made me think and I confessed that
I’d always wanted to write. They challenged me to pursue that goal and I did it
not only for me, but to demonstrate how important it is to take risks and go
for it. They’ve been very supportive, and I think it has given a lot of them a
boost in their own confidence to see me succeed.
2.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
Generally, 9 months to a year. It depends if I am writing part of
an on-going series with characters and locations that are already established.
That takes less time than a new story.
3.
What is your work
schedule like when you're writing?
I tend to work in the morning and then spend the afternoon doing
other things I need to keep up with. Promotional materials, social media, and working
with a variety of charity-based organizations that I support. They take up a
lot of my time, but in a good way.
4.
What would you say is
your interesting writing quirk?
I often hard edit on paper, and I love to use multi-colored Flair
pens. I like to choose the color that suits my mood. Nothing like a 24 pack of
flair pens to get the creative juices flowing. It’s like a new box of crayons
as a kid!
5.
How do books get
published?
Books can be traditionally published, which these days involves
getting an agent and having that agent shop your manuscript around to
publishers to see who is interested. It is a slow process. It can take up to a
year to get a response back from a publisher and if you are lucky enough to get
one to agree to publish your book, it can take another year or more to get from
manuscript to print copy.
A lot of authors these days are choosing to self-publish.
Platforms like Amazon have software and instructional materials to make the
process easier, but publishing alone doesn’t sell a book. It is vital to have a
strong social media presence in order to have a built-in audience that is there
to purchase your book.
6.
Where do you get your
information or ideas for your books?
I get ideas all the time. Everything I see and hear. The hard part
is reigning myself in. Sometimes it is a place that inspires a story. My first
series was the Whisky Business Mysteries. They were inspired by women I
met who were struggling to make their way in the male-dominated field of single
malt whisky production. They were amazing women doing amazing things. Add
murder and mayhem and it was a great combination. My newest book A Ghostwriter’s
Guide to Murder was inspired by my fascination with living on canal boats
in the city of London. It’s a wonderful micro-community in the middle of the
city and I loved learning about life in the urban armada.
7.
When did you write your
first book and how old were you?
I wrote my first book in 2016. I was 53.
8.
What do you like to do
when you're not writing?
Play with my dogs, hangout with friends and family, and travel. If
I can do all three at the same time, that’s the best.
9.
What does your family think
of your writing?
My daughters are very proud. They are both in creative professions
and they understand the pressures that can come with this kind of work. Success
is electrifying, but short lived, and rejection can feel very personal. You
have to develop a tough skin. My husband is excited by what we do. He’s a
numbers guy and the financial backbone of our family but he loves to see us all
living our dreams.
10.
What was one of the most
surprising things you learned in creating your books?
How much editing is involved. You go over and over a book till you
are frankly sick of it. Then you take a weekend off and go back to it over and
over until you get it right.
11.
How many books have you
written? Which is your favorite?
Nine books and counting. I will say I have a soft spot for the
first one, Single Malt Murder. That is the book that made me a
professional writer and that was very special.
12.
Do you have any
suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Keep writing. Scenes, short stories, novels, whatever works for
you. Practice is key. Also, don’t be too precious about your own work. Cut
things that aren’t working. Take advice. If it hurts too much to cut something
you’ve written, then just put it in a saved document on the side. You might use
it later, but mostly you go back and think, yeah, that needed to go.
13.
Do you hear from your
readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
My readers are incredibly kind. I get a lot of thank yous from
people who enjoy my stories, and I love getting notes from people who have gone
to the places that I write about and really enjoyed what they see and
experience.
14.
Do you like to create
books for adults?
I do like to create books for adults, but one day I would like to
try my hand at a children’s story.
15.
What do you think makes
a good story?
Characters. Stories are great, but if you don’t care about the
person that is having the lived experience, then it’s easy to walk away.
Characters need to be relatable at least at some level.
16.
As a child, what did you
want to do when you grew up?
I wasn’t really sure, but I knew I wanted to see the world and
I’ve been very lucky to see so many amazing places.
17.
What Would you like my
readers to know?
Well, first of all it’s a pleasure to get to talk to everyone
through this interview. For those of you that want to write keep it up.
Discipline and diligence will pay off!
For those of you who are readers (or listeners!) THANK YOU. We’re told
so often that people aren’t interested in books anymore and I just don’t
believe that. For all of you that enjoy my stories, and the stories of my
fellow writers,please know that you mean the world to us. You are why we do
what we do. We appreciate you. If you are kind enough to read my new book, A
Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder, I’d love to hear from you. You can find me
at MelindaMullet.com or on Facebook and Instagram at MelindaMullet, author.
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