My name is Linda Rawlins, and I was born and raised in New Jersey. I love the real New Jersey. Despite its reputation, NJ boasts beautiful beaches, mountains, equestrian centers, state parks, and farms. I love visiting the NJ Shore as it is a great way to escape for vacation whether for a week or a day. The vastness of the ocean minimizes our concerns and resets our priorities. I also love mountains, trees, and hiking! In addition to trails in NJ, Vermont is one of my favorite states to visit. Over the last several years and due to many changes in the world, my family started watching British mysteries.
During this time, I was struck by the similarities between parts of England and America, specifically beautiful rural areas. I normally write mysteries set at the Jersey Shore – the Misty Point Mystery Series. However, I recently started to think about writing a mystery located in England.
Wexley, England is a fictitious village located in Devon County, UK. To the south is the English Channel, leading to the Atlantic Ocean and to the North is the Bristol Channel, leading to the Irish Sea. What a beautiful, rural place to write, find bodies, peace and quiet, and fall in love.
Mystery at Heather House is my first British, romantic cozy mystery novel about a bestselling American writer, Cassie Ashcroft, who is sent to England to collect research for a publishing company while completing her own bestseller. Never having been to England, she set out to learn about the culture, customs, location, foods, and specific local flavors.
I had so much fun and passion writing Mystery at Heather House as I learned so many things are very different yet very similar in other countries. By writing this book, I fell in love with village life and all the different personalities that live there. They exhibit the typical love/hate relationship of all close families and friends. I fell in love with the rural countryside of England, the cottages, open spaces, clean air, and simplicity. And I wrote about a very handsome, broad shouldered, single DCI living near the village who happens to be excellent at investigating murders and dead bodies. Sounds like a fantastic combination to me!
I hope you’ll fall in love with my little village of Wexley and visit Cassie and Heather House often.
Mystery at Heather House
A Cassie Ashcroft Mystery, Book 1
Best-selling author, Cassie Ashcroft, travels to England to work on her latest novel. While there, she must also collect research on a nonfiction book about the Wexley Police Department. Her assignment introduces her to brilliant, handsome, but distant, Detective Chief Inspector, Alexander Knight, who will be featured in the book due to his impressive solve rate.
One of the DCI’s most frustrating unsolved cases is a murder that was discovered at Heather House, the remote, charming English cottage where Cassie is staying while in England.
Forced to work together, Cassie and Alex collaborate to complete her research while investigating further incidents at the cottage.
As they trace a path to the killer, they find themselves navigating mystery, romance, and mortal danger. After all, at the end of the day, all’s fair in love and murder.
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