A List of My 10 Favorite Authors (In No Particular Order)
1. Diana Gabaldon - The absolute best at combining history and a fictional storyline. No one draws me into a story as deeply as she does.
2. Jennifer Donnelly - She has an incredible gift for creating multiple storylines and drawing the reader in emotionally.
3. Cassandra Clare - A true master at world-building and creating characters you root for and believe in.
4. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - Their ability to subtly infuse the Beautiful Creatures novels with such ambiance, you feel as if you're really there, in Gatlin, South Carolina, even if you've never visited the south.
5. Charles Todd - Historical mystery/detective writing doesn't get much better. The characters are multi-layered and endlessly intriguing, while the history interweaves and connects as the series evolves.
6. - Brian Selznick - I don't know which is better - the writing or the illustrations. The fact that he does both so well, and that one can't exist without the other, is a little sickening.
7. Alan Bradley - Kudos to Mr. Bradley for creating one of the most original and lovable detectives in recent memory. His Flavia de Luce novels are a tour de force in the traditional British mystery genre. Absolutely brilliant!
8. Anna Godbersen - A writer who brings out the subtle nuances and underlying emotions and motivations of even the most heinous characters. She does this so well, you find yourself empathizing with the "bad guy". At the same time, she crafts a cliffhanger ending that leaves you gnashing your teeth, begging for more.
9. Lauren Willig - History. Modern-day romance. Intrigue. Humor. Suspense. All skillfully interwoven in a remarkable series. What's not to like?
10. Kate Morton - I can't think of anyone who crafts such powerful novels that connects the past with the present. Outstanding character development with a mystery that builds and builds until the emotional turn of the last page.
Historical Mystery
Date Published: 3/31/13
In 1911, England hovers on the cusp of change. A new king waits to be crowned. Women and the poor are fighting for their rights. Political turmoil rages throughout Europe. And a promising young artist lies dead in the heart of London.
Just another tragic death in a city filled with untimely demises. Or so thinks Hargreaves, the gifted, but troubled, Detective Inspector called in to investigate. Haunted by the tragedy of his own past, he is unprepared for the onslaught of long-buried memories and powerful emotions the case brings. Making his task even more difficult is the troubling presence of Daisy Cartwright, a wealthy widow closely connected to the victim, and a woman he feels inexplicably drawn to.
Untangling the tightly woven threads connecting the victim and the suspects, Hargreaves soon reaches a conclusion, only to have that theory shattered by the revelation that everything he has been led to believe is a lie. Groping through the silence and secrets, he uncovers a cold-blooded killer, and a connection to his own past that leaves him reeling.
Excerpt 1 - Whispered Truth
Forty-five minutes later, her head pounding with fatigue, Daisy thanked Olivia for a truly enjoyable evening, nodding and smiling at the rest of the guests as she made her carefully timed exit. She subtly scanned the room for Eugene, hoping for a chance to speak with him before she left, but he was nowhere in sight. Disappointed, she continued into the hallway, followed by Sir John, playing his role as host to perfection, seeing her to the door.
“I’ve instructed Mary to bring your hat and coat,” Wilson, the Sebright’s butler said, opening the vestibule door as she approached.
“Thank you, Wilson,” she replied, as a gust of wind sent a smattering of rain against the stained glass panels beside the front door.
“Do mind the weather, Daisy,” Olivia called, her strong voice carrying into the entrance hall. “I would hate to hear you’ve caught a chill.” She stretched her ample neck, peering over the back of the drawing room sofa.
“Not to worry, Olivia. I’ll be quite all right,” Daisy called back, touched by her concern. She genuinely liked Olivia, taking delight in her numerous eccentricities. She just wished Olivia had chosen a better husband. “So nice to see you again, Sir John,” she said, turning with a charming smile to the man in question. “I was hoping you and Olivia could join me for dinner next week. There’s something I would dearly love your advice on. Perhaps next Wed…”
Her words were interrupted by a scream. Flinching in surprise, she stared wide-eyed down the hallway as another scream, even more ear piercing than the first, quickly followed. “What on earth,” she mumbled, following her first instinct and hurrying down the hall, leaving Sir John rooted to the spot, his mouth hanging open in shock.
Nearing the rear of the hall, Daisy spotted the Sebright’s housemaid, Mary, trembling at the entrance to the coatroom. Her face was ashen, a hand clamped over her mouth in an effort to stifle the further screams gathering in her throat.
“Mary!” Daisy exclaimed, reaching for the young woman’s arm. “What is it?”
Mary’s head shook quickly back and forth, her eyes filled with stark terror.
“What’s happened?” Daisy tried to keep the alarm from her voice as a cold sense of foreboding swept over her. From the corner of her eye, she could see Olivia and several other guests making their way down the hall toward them.
In a voice filled with more curiosity than annoyance, Olivia asked, “What is all the commotion? Ooh, has our young Mary seen a ghost? How thrilling! You know, there were rumors when we moved in here…”
Daisy kept her attention focused on Mary, Olivia’s voice fading away. Mary stepped aside and pointed a trembling hand to the rear of the coatroom. Unsure what Mary was indicating, Daisy took a step into the room and gasped, the color draining from her face. Amidst a jumbled pile of evening wraps and overcoats, a body lay sprawled on the floor, unmoving. Stepping closer, her stomach clenched.
Oh, dear God, no. Please…
It couldn’t be. It was just a strange trick of the light.
A familiar pain swept through her and she choked back a sob. Shaking her head in slow denial she stared at the once handsome face of Eugene Evans, his youthful features now distorted and reddened into a deathly grimace as dull, sightless eyes stared past her.
Author Bio:
M M Hall is the author of Whispered Truth, the first novel in the Inspector Hargreaves series. She also writes as Molly M Hall, and is the author ofReckoning, the first installment in the Dark Prophecy series. She currently lives just outside of Denver where she's at work on her next novel.
She pursued a degree in English Literature at Columbia College and worked in the corporate world for several years before turning to writing full time.
When not reading or writing she can be found listening to music, playing piano, exercising, working on her very inadequate French, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph.
Contact Links
Twitter - @mollymhallbooks
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