Pioneering Secrets follows a high school teacher, a reporter, and a detective from a small town who are trying to find the person responsible for killing a teen girl. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When I was a kid, I loved locked-room mysteries. The murder method in this story is based on a reverse version of my favourite locked room story. I can’t give any more details than that, as it would give it away.

There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?

All the characters in the book are based on real people in my life. I’ve tried to give them character and personality traits similar to each of those people.

How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?

It began with a vision of the opening murder scene, then grew from there. I planned out each murder scene ahead of time, as well as the characters and suspects. Other than the opening chapter, I didn’t write any parts of the book until I had the pivotal scenes fleshed out ahead of time.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

This is the first book in the Rolling Brook Falls series. I have a few new stories already planned, with the next two fleshed out. I hope to have the 2nd book published by the end of December 2025. The next story will delve deeper into Andie’s past, as well as continue to develop the budding romance between her and Detective Sayers. Readers can expect the same sass from Andie and C.J. that was showcased in the first book.

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