A beautiful looking cover for a debut novel, a Victorian Mystery! Welcome Naomi to the Index!
 England , Estates/Manors , 1950s , English (1946-1965) Post WWII , Detective , Amateur Detective, Orphan/Loner, Twin , Friends to Lovers, Mystery, Suspense , Stephens-Naomi |
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In a quiet English village, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey have set the residents’ tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of the crime of arson. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his plucky twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection–she felt her twin’s death an hour before the abbey went up in flames. Armed with nothing but her wit and her keen sense of intuition, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the dubious townspeople and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul’s closest friend, warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core. |
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Questions about Naomi’s Story
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Part of what made The Burning of Rosemont Abbey such a joy to write was that it was an entirely new genre for me. I’d never written a mystery, and I’d never tried to write anything even remotely humorous. Which made the whole process incredibly fun and experimental.
Did any of the characters in this book “surprise” you?
Mrs. Watson! Before I started writing the book, I drew up a list of characters. Every main character you’ll meet in the book was on that initial list—the protagonist, the love interest, the suspects, the supporting cast —except for Mrs. Watson! I only intended to reference her in passing, when the vicar is trying to schedule a meeting with Louisa, but he’s worried that Mrs. Watson, who is supposed to be trimming the parsonage shrubs, might eavesdrop on their conversation. But when the time came to write the next chapter, Mrs. Watson was still there, trimming those shrubs outside the parsonage, even though I hadn’t planned for her to be. After that, she kept popping up with little appearances until I finally let her have her rightful place as Louisa’s co-conspirator for the remainder of the book.
What research did you have to look up to make your character(s) authentic?
When it came to Louisa, the most crucial research I did related to her style. She is an extremely fashion-forward person. To give her depth, I read a ton about 1950’s hair, makeup, clothing, shoes, handbags—everything! I tried out 1950’s makeup styles and asked my mother-in-law, who does hair professionally, to put my hair up in pin curls so I could get a feel for the process and the movement of the curls when they were shaped. And, surprisingly, a lot of those details helped move the plot forward in unexpected ways—Louisa thinks through the clues while she’s pinning her hair and painting her nails, for example, and she wears yellow kitten heels when chasing down leads. All of those seemingly small details helped me see her more clearly as she was dashing about the stage in my mind.
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Questions about Naomi’s Reading
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Who is your favorite Christian Historical heroine? I have a tremendous amount of admiration for Hadassah from A Voice in the Wind. She’s such a loving and selfless character. Every time I read her story, I feel humbled and filled with hope.
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What was the last Christian Historical Novel that made you cry? Come Down Somewhere by Jennifer L. Wright. Her reflections on estrangement were so raw and heart-wrenching—I can’t possibly recommend a book more highly.
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