Something Deadly on Desert Drive by Kris Bock

After an injury disrupts her journalism career, Kate Tessler has to start over at 50, figuring out how to get work, make friends, and live in the heart of her loving but interfering family. Now she and her quirky gang of sidekicks have new problems to solve. Kate’s father and his coffee group are determined to save their friend Larry from his new, younger wife, and they need Kate’s help to prove what’s happening. Before they can dig out the truth, a murder raises the stakes, and Kate’s father is among the suspects. To save him and Larry, she must reveal the real murderer —but her investigation could put all their lives at risk.

Kris Bock recently spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing her latest thriller, SOMETHING DEADLY ON DESERT DRIVE:

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

SOMETHING DEADLY ON DESERT DRIVE explores issues related to aging, such as the potential for abuse by family members, loneliness, and being treated as incapable. It also shows people in their seventies and eighties as active, intelligent, and a positive force in society. Maybe people will think about the assumptions they make.

Kris Bock

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

Mysteries usually have an active plot, with lots going on. Humorous mysteries add quirky characters and fun dialog. Cozy mysteries or cozy-adjacent, like mine, also have a happy ending. You know you’ll get a good time and finish in a positive mood.

Without spoilers, are there any genre conventions you wanted to upend or challenge with this book?

Books with amateur detectives often have people accidentally stumbling on bodies. I made Kate a journalist so she’d have a reason to get involved with investigations. People bring her problems they can’t or don’t want to take to the police.

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Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. She writes for children as Chris Eboch, with over 100 books published.

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