Interview with Merry Jones

Elle finds the body of her soon-to-be-ex husband, Charlie on her sofa, stabbed to death with her kitchen knife. Elle's close friends stand by her through the difficult funeral, but Elle alone must face the loss of the man she'd loved. Except that the loss is not total--Charlie is still around. Elle feels his presence, smells his aftershave. Hears him accuse her of killing him. And even though she doesn't believe in ghosts, she argues with him, asserting her innocence. Oddly, Elle has a gap in her memory; she can't account for her activity during the time of his murder. As she tries to clear herself by finding out how Charlie died, she discovers that she had plenty of reason to kill him. Charlie had secrets. Infidelity. Unsavory business associates. Involvement with an international organization of sex abusers. The more she learns, the more danger she faces. As unscrupulous people begin to fear she'll expose them, Elle races against time to avoid arrest, fight off attackers, solve the murder, and make peace with Charlie's spirit.

Pregnant Harper sees danger everywhere in the chilling third Harper Jennings mystery, but can she keep herself and her baby safe when no one believes her? Surely Harper Jennings can survive a visit from her mother and her new boyfriend while Hank’s on his first business trip since his accident? But she has more on her mind when she glimpses a nude young man being dragged into the woods near her house. Everyone – police included – concludes it was either kids playing around . . . or Harper’s hormones talking. But Harper can’t let it go; suspecting that her mother’s boyfriend might be hiding something, soon even her own home no longer seems a place of safety . . .





...........................................................................................................................................

Thank you very much Ms. Jones because you granted me this interview!

1) How and why have you started to write? Were there something or someone that gave you an impulse?

I've always written, ever since I learned to print. Teachers encouraged me, but I was already writing before I was even in school.

2) Tell me something about your books.

I'm not sure which book you want me to talk about--There are seventeen. The two newest are THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE and WINTER BREAK. Both came out in 2013; both are thrillers.


THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE is about a woman who comes home to find her soon-to-be ex-husband murdered in her family room. WINTER BREAK is about a female Iraq war veteran, now married and studying for her PhD, who discovers murders on a college campus.

3) While youre writing, have you discovered a character that you where developing feelings of love for? And was there a character that gave you headaches?

I have affection for Charlie, the murdered husband in THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE. And for the husband in WINTER BREAK. Most of my female characters get on my nerves from time to time--What does that say about me?

4) How have you done your research for this novel?

All of my novels require research. In WINTER BREAK, the heroine has PTSD from the war. I did a lot of research on line about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I also interviewed a psychologist who works with war vets and got some statements from former soldiers about what their daily lives were like in Iraq.


I also did research on murders similar to the ones in the book (eg.Leopold and Loeb were young upper-class men who killed a boy in Chicago in the 1920s). And I visited Ithaca, NY, where the story takes place, to get the exact locations and the feel of the scenes.


Each novel requires its own research. I rely on a combination of internet searches, interviews with authorities or experts, location visits--whatever is needed.

5) Is there a book that inspired your writings?

A book? Not really--Maybe all the books I have loved encouraged me to want to create books myself. But not one single book.

6) In the end, would you like say some words to your fans from Romania?

I was in Romania years ago, traveling with my sister and a group English and Australians. We were camping and visited Bucharest. I remember meeting a young couple who were wonderful to us. They took us for coffee and pastries, and the woman styled my sister's hair.

It was a long time ago. But now, it's good to make new friends there. Books, writing and reading can connect people even half a world away. Thank you for contacting me. I am honored to hear from you! All best, Merry Jones.