Hot Roll by Patricia McLinn

One of their own becomes a target…

A voice on the phone says Jennifer’s best friend has tragically died in a fatal fall at a national park. Her certainty that it was no accident starts TV reporter Elizabeth Danniher, with friends Mike, Tom and Diana plus the rest of the Caught Dead in Wyoming crew, on an investigation that moves faster – and closer to them – than any of them could ever expect. They’ve barely had time to catch their breath since the events of Cold Open and now one of their own becomes a target as they race time and a murderer before this Hot Roll burns them all.

The Big Thrill and USA Today bestselling author Patricia McLinn got together to discuss the newest installment of her Caught Dead in Wyoming series, HOT ROLL:

Was there anything new you discovered, or that surprised you, as you wrote this book?

Research always brings me new, wonderful discoveries, but I can’t share the ones that ended up in the book without giving things away.

So, how about something not in this book?

John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky is still the youngest U.S. Vice President, at 36, serving 1857-61 under Buchanan. He then was a U.S. Senator for nine months of 1861 before being expelled from the Senate for the very good reason that he’d become a confederate general.

How did I get from researching modern day Wyoming and murder to a Civil War figure who was both a U.S. Vice President and Secretary of War for the confederates? I have no idea and it sure surprised the heck out of me when I finally resurfaced after reading about him.

No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?

The ongoing characters and setting are the core—and joy—of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series. They’re always with me, milling around in my brain, doing ordinary life things, nagging at me to get busy, making remarks about my life, until a plot “what if” ignites their next sleuthing adventure.

What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why?

I was a late starter on reading mysteries, but I soon consumed Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and Josephine Tey, and the Georgette Heyer mysteries from the 1930s. Heyer’s books seldom hit just one note – all-angst-all-the-time or over-the-top comedy. Instead, they have moments of humor, of seriousness, of confusion, of clarity – just like life.

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USA Today bestselling author Patricia McLinn spent more than 20 years as an editor at the Washington Post after stints as a sports writer (Rockford, Ill.) and assistant sports editor (Charlotte, NC). She received BA and MSJ degrees from Northwestern University.

McLinn is the author of more than 47 published novels, which are cited by readers and reviewers for wit and vivid characterization. Her books include mysteries, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, historical romance and women’s fiction. They have topped bestseller lists and won numerous regional and national awards.

She has spoken about writing from Melbourne, Australia, to Washington, D.C., including being a guest speaker at the Smithsonian Institution.

To learn more about Patricia and her work, please visit her website.