Death by the Book by Julianna Deering GIVEAWAY

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Death by the Book
by Julianna Deering
Christian Mystery
Paperback, 320 pages
March 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers


Drew Farthering wanted nothing more than to end the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement. Instead, he finds himself caught up in another mysterious case when the family solicitor is found murdered, an antique hatpin with a cryptic message, Advice to Jack, piercing his chest.

Evidence of secret meetings and a young girl's tearful confession point to the victim's double life, but what does the solicitor's murder have to do with the murder of a physician on the local golf course? Nothing, it would seem--except for another puzzling note, affixed with a similar-looking bloodied hatpin.

Soon the police make an arrest in connection with the murders, but Drew isn't at all certain they have the right suspect in custody. And why does his investigation seem to be drawing him closer and closer to home?

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Other Books in the Series:

 

Julianna Derring has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, Summer 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, Spring 2014) and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House, Summer 2014).

Guest Post

Series Inspiration:

            I am often asked why I started writing my Drew Farthering mysteries. It all came about because I love to read Agatha Christie and Margery Allingham and Dorothy L. Sayers, the queens of the golden age of crime fiction, the 1920s and '30s. Their famous detectives (Poirot, Campion and Wimsey, respectively) are a delight to read. And the BBC has filmed versions of many of their novels which are always a sumptuous treat. After enjoying the genre for so long, I simply had to try my hand at writing it.

            I am also a longtime fan of the movies of the 1930s. Romantic comedies like Bringing Up Baby (Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn) and My Man Godfrey (William Powell and Carole Lombard) and the forgotten treasure Midnight (Don Ameche and Claudette Colbert) were a big influence on my plans for this series. Yes, my books are murder mysteries and they have some serious themes, but I wanted them to be fun, too.

            Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) from the Thin Man movies definitely had an impact on my creation of Drew Farthering and Madeline Parker. These movies have a great blend of fun and seriousness, and the couple's breezy wit and deep affection for each other was something I wanted for my own love birds.

            On top of that, I love England and the English. I've had the privilege of visiting England several times, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The history and the social conventions and the sumptuousness of the countryside have always captivated me. Those people have cities that still have their medieval walls around them and castles that were the sites of so much of the history I've read. And they have cathedrals that are just awe inspiring, places where people worshiped hundreds of years before the pilgrims came to New England and where they still worship today.

            And, of course, there is the sheer beauty of the language that is and isn't my own. I didn't want to use just the clothing and the technology and the social conventions of the 1930s in my stories. I wanted to use the language of the time as well, the slang and the style and the cheekiness. And, since Drew is English and Madeline is American, I wanted to explore some of the differences in American and British English, too. I've been told that, being a native Texan, I'm rather mad to write a story set in England, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to write a real cozy, and in my opinion, real cozies are set in England. I hope my English readers will forgive my presumption and enjoy the stories anyway.

            My first three novels (written as DeAnna Julie Dodson) were medieval romances. Even though they are set in a fictional kingdom, that kingdom was heavily influenced by England of the fifteenth century and by the Plantagenet kings and their intra-family clashes. But, once I moved writing-wise to the early 20^th century, I still wanted to set my stories in England. I wanted to use all the elements of a classic cozy mystery: the little country village where everyone knows everyone, the old manor house, the never-ruffled family butler, the crusty police inspector, and the handsome young heir to the manor and his best sweetheart who seem to be forever stumbling across dead bodies.

            What more could anyone ask?

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ALL readers, who are interested, can receive an autographed bookmark. 
You can see a picture of the bookmark here.

Just send a self-address STAMPED (7" long) envelope to:

Julianna Deering
P. O. Box 375
Aubrey, Texas 76227

From the author regarding the fabulous GIVEAWAY:

How could one possibly have a cozy mystery 

set in an old manor house in the English countryside near a quaint little village 

and not have tea? 

Drew doesn't usually take lemon or milk in his. He prefers honey, 

especially if it's fresh from the hive. 

Mrs. Devon, his housekeeper, spoils him terribly and makes sure he has it.

Print copies of The Rules of Murder and Death by the Book and a Tea Gift Basket (US ONLY)

March 10th - 28th

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