Murder in the Mix follows a ghostwriter working on the memoir of a celebrity chef who fears for her own life when the chef is found dead in her restaurant’s kitchen. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I was sitting in on a panel at Bouchercon (the World Mystery convention) about collaborating writers and the idea of a writer working with a chef came to me. For about five minutes, I considered actually collaborating with a chef friend to create the story. That part quickly faded away, but the idea of entering other people’s lives through telling their stories as a ghostwriter stuck.

Gina and Marisol’s working relationship carries real warmth. Why was it important to build that bond before the murder?

Maybe because of her experiences evoking emotional and sensory responses through food, Marisol builds connection quickly and her frankness makes her real. I think Gina relates to her more as another human woman and not just a client. She likes her. She likes her home, her food, and her stories. It’s as much as mystery to Gina why someone could hate Marisol so much as finding out who actually does.

The mystery unfolds in a very human way—suspicions shift, people act irrationally. Why was that approach important?

My favorite part of any good book, especially a mystery, is imagining my own reactions and impulses along the way. I want to relate, so my characters tend to have insecurities, inside jokes, they make incorrect assumptions and still try to do the right thing. I don’t think people are nearly as together as they appear to others – we are all a little messy.

Do you see more stories ahead for Gina Morrison?

 Ahh, Gina is heading to the mountains for a group writing retreat. Will nature agree with her? Or will her project be interrupted again by nagging mysteries at a former summer camp on its way to becoming a creative immersion destination? Also, bears. 

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