An Interview With Judy L. Murray

by Grace Topping

 

 

For many authors, it takes years to hone their craft before they get that first book published. Judy L. Murray was one of them, and her perseverance paid off. The first book in her Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series, Murder in the Master, received numerous accolades, including being a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel 2021. The third book in her series, Peril in the Pool House, was released in September. It was a pleasure talking to Judy about her writing journey.

 

 

Peril in the Pool House

Book 3 in the Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series

 

Real estate rule #3: It's the rare buyer who wants to buy a haunted house.

A grand opening for Captain's Watch Bed & Breakfast on the outskirts of the little Chesapeake Bay town of Port Anne is creating quite a stir. Real estate agent Helen Morrisey sold the neglected Victorian to state senator candidate Eliot Davies and his wife, Alison. Despite rumors of ghostly images, they've toiled for months to bring the painted lady back to its prime. Now, the couple is ready to celebrate and the whole town is invited.

A piercing scream cuts through the chatter as their party winds down. Helen bolts toward the pool house with her on-again, off-again love interest, Detective Joe McAlister, steps behind. A hysterical Alison is standing over the motionless body of one of their guests. A nine-inch pair of antique fishing shears juts from the woman's back.

Helen takes in the shocked expressions of guests gathered at the pool edge. Why would someone want this woman dead? Has the tale of a ghost roaming Captain's Watch returned to haunt Eliot and Alison? Getting involved in another local murder investigation could be the kiss of death for her relationship with Joe. Yet, she knows a murder in her friends B & B might cut their future to ribbons. Is it time to consult the expertise of her infamous Detection Club sleuths? Or should she look the other way before her own reputation is bloodied?

                                                                                                            www.amazon.com

 

 

Welcome, Judy, to Writers Who Kill.

 

What inspired you to make Helen Morrisey, the main character in your Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series, a real estate agent?

 

Deciding Helen’s career was very easy. I was a real estate broker, managing offices, running marketing departments, and training agents for one of the largest companies in the country since my twenties. I knew real estate sales was a believable career for an amateur sleuth. Agents meet with all types of people in a wide range of situations from creepy dirt floor basements to over-the-top luxury waterfront mansions. Readers enjoy learning about real-life events and Helen’s business from the inside out. They often tell me Helen is ‘real.’ Helen did not inherit a B&B, a bookshop, or a café, not that she would have minded. She’s a get-up-in-the morning, down a coffee, bolt for her first appointment kind of woman. 

 

The main characters in cozy mysteries are often single women without children. You’ve made Helen a widow with two grown children. What does her marital status and having children add to your stories?

Priority one, I wanted her mystery solving to prove that life doesn’t end at fifty. When my husband read the first book and realized Helen was a widow, he said, “What? I’m dead?” We laughed. Helen hates to cook but loves to eat. She depends on a microwave, granola, and Sauvignon Blanc. She’s addicted to eating Twizzlers. You’ll find them in her desk drawer, her work tote, and her glove compartment. Helen is an avid fixer upper, not just with houses, but with people’s problems. She’s a good observer of people, like Jane Marple, which comes in handy. Family is important to Helen, but she struggles to bite her tongue and not intrude in her children’s decisions. She tends to put her foot in her mouth, much like me.

How did you come up with Helen’s Detection Club concept? 

 

I read a fascinating article about Agatha Christie and the Detection Club she and other writers formed in 1930. My mind clicked and I decided Helen needed her own Detection Club of famous women sleuths to help her seek justice. Her cohorts, Nancy Drew, Jessica Fletcher, Agatha Raisin, Nora Charles, and Jane Marple, each give her advice. Helen’sbookcases are chock full of their cases. As Jane Marple says, “It’s important that wickedness shouldn’t triumph.” 

 

Helen is slowly warming to the attentions of Detective Joe McAlister. What makes her reluctant to become more seriously involved with him?

 

Helen is long on loyalty and short on romance, a very slow mover. She worked hard keeping her family together after her husband died, and she’s not at all sure she wants to disrupt her life now. It’s something a lot of women struggle with later in life. She likes to push Joe’s buttons and their zingers back and forth make for interesting conversations. Her children tell her she’s lucky Joe is so patient. Will that change? Hmmm, have to think about that.

 

Helen is a keen sailor and takes her boat out onto the Chesapeake Bay, often traveling alone. Do you sail, and, if so, do you ever sail solo? 

 

My husband and I have sailed most of our lives in every size boat possible. In 2007, we moved from a huge old Victorian in a Philadelphia suburb after years of restoring it and bought a much smaller house at the top of the Chesapeake. Like Helen, I do live on a cliff in the woods. Once we moved to the bay, we bought a larger, sleep-aboard boat. I am a fairly good sailor, although not nearly as good as Helen. I wouldn’t sail by myself, although I admire women who do.

 

Your first book, Murder in the Master, garnered multiple awards and nominations, including becoming a finalist for an Agatha award. Did winning such accolades for your first book put pressure on you when writing your subsequent books?

 

I think every author worries that their next book will be enjoyed as much as the last. I’ve been very fortunate that my series has won a number of awards. I walk the floors at night, worrying that my plot is intricate, the characters relatable, and my readers are kept guessing. So far, I’ve managed to pull that off, but not without a lot of gnashing of teeth. I can only hope I can keep it up. I’m hard on myself. I have fans that have turned into friends, and I want them to be excited about each new mystery.

 

I’ve listened to the audiobook versions of the books in your series and enjoyed them immensely. How did the audiobooks come about? Were you involved in the process, selecting the narrator, etc.?

 

Blackstone Publishing offered a three audio book contract. I was thrilled, particularly since Killer in the Kitchen and Peril in the Pool House were not even finished. I appreciated their confidence in the storyline. They chose the narrator, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, who has produced a plethora of well-known books. I held my breath during my first listen. I definitely had my own thoughts about Helen Morrisey’s ‘voice.’ Some fans ask if I would consider narrating to which I utter a loud ‘no.’ I cringe when I hear my voice in a video with my grandson. I’m sure I would have done a terrible job, and I am a great believer in recognizing other people’s talents. 

 

You waited until you retired to write your first mystery. And why mysteries? 

 

Actually, I started writing Murder in the Master in 2010, long before I retired. I commuted for twelve more years, four hours a day. In 2016, I decided I had to strap myself to a chair every night to get this first book finished and in query condition. So, most nights, after a late dinner, I headed upstairs and worked on chapter after chapter until midnight. It’s another reason why I like Helen so much. I wanted my heroine to reflect all those women who manage to chase their dreams while juggling work and family. In 2020, I signed with a literary agent and then my publisher. I took that as a sign to start writing full-time. Why mysteries? As Helen would say, “You can never read too many mysteries. That’s not possible!”

 

Now with three books in your series, how do you balance writing the fourth and doing promotion for the others? Do you enjoy doing promotion? 

 

Marketing and book signings are fairly easy for me because I spent so many years speaking in front of large groups and organizing events. I love building relationships with bookstores and meeting readers in person. For me, balancing my time between writing and marketing is a challenge. I never really feel like I’m focused on the right thing, no matter how I spend the day. Guilt is definitely my middle name. 

 

You are a board member of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime, overseeing new members. What prompted you to get involved and take on this role?

 

About two years ago, a few board members asked if I would act as Newbies Liaison. Giving back to organizations that help you is so important. I did not know about Sisters in Crime until after my initial book contract. The talented and generous writers we meet, and the sharing of information is a big boost for any writer. I’m happy to help, although there are others on these boards that provide much more than I do. I’m just a small part of helping newer members take advantage of everything we offer.

 

What’s next for Helen and for you?

 

Helen and I are embarking on book four. I like to start with the title and initial back cover blurb. It helps point me in the right direction, story-wise. Reviews from readers that care about my characters encourage me every day. I’m always being asked, “What will happen with Helen and Joe?” I’m also mulling over another series idea. One step at a time.

 

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since you started writing? 

 

My formal training was newspaper journalism. Knowing how to interview, accept feedback, and revise is so useful. I struggle with outlines and am much more of a scene-by-scene pantser. I also would never have guessed how many revisions lie between first ideas and final manuscripts. Incorporating Helen’s Detection Club is one example. It’s a lesson in listening to my instincts and perseverance.

 

Thank you, Judy.

 

Thank you, Grace, for your kind invitation to Writers Who Kill. If anyone would like to reach me, they are welcome to email at judylmurray@gmail.com If they would like to receive my bi-monthly newsletter, they can sign up at judylmurraymysteries.com.

All the best, Judy.