MYSTERY AUTHOR ERICA MINER SENDS HER SLEUTH CAREENING FROM MISADVENTURE TO MISADVENTURE

Erica Miner is a violinist turned award-winning author, screenwriter, journalist and lecturer. Learn more about her and her books at her website.

A Protagonist’s Journey from Misadventure to Misadventure

As an author of a series, I’m always thinking about how the next book can be totally different from the current one, yet continue seamlessly from where we left off. The main character is the crux of this issue, and in Book 3 of the series I put her in a situation that would challenge the most intrepid violinist-cum-sleuth.

In the first book of my Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series, Aria for Murder, the young protagonist, Julia, starts off as a starry-eyed neophyte violinist about to make her debut in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, the most prestigious company in the world. She’s excited and thrilled. But she has no idea something terrible is about to happen, and before long she finds herself entangled in a murder investigation, with her life in peril.

 

Julia survives, and in Book 2, Prelude to Murder, Julia heads to Santa Fe to perform at the Opera. Here she finds further in-house violence, this time at an outdoor theatre set between two mysterious mountain ranges, where both ghosts and murder proliferate. Unable to resist becoming involved in an investigation, Julia ends up the target of a ruthless killer and is barely able to defend herself to save her own life and return to the Met. 

 

Now, at the beginning of Book 3, Overture to Murder, five years have passed, during which Julia has managed to stay out of trouble. But San Francisco Opera calls on her in desperation: their concertmaster (first of the first violinists) has suffered serious injuries in a hit and run accident. Would she be able to replace him while he recovers? 

 

Challenge is something Julia is drawn to like a wasp to a piece of prosciutto on the brunch table. She loves the violin, she loves opera, and she has fond memories of when her father showed her the delights of the City by the Bay, even though she was only five years old at the time. San Francisco 

 

Opera is the second most prestigious company in the US, after the Met. Serving in the all-important position of concertmaster, even if only for the summer, would be a life changing experience, too good to pass up. The entire season would be focused on the monumental Ring of the Nibelungen, the masterful but fiendishly difficult four-opera cycle written by the 19^th century German giant, Richard Wagner. Being a prominent orchestral leader for this astounding work would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, too good to pass up. There’s just one slight detail that might make her hesitate.

 

Her five-year-old daughter.

 

At the end of Prelude to Murder, Julia had been flabbergasted when she discovered she was pregnant. She never had considered having children, least of all at the age of 23. Her career was her primary focus, her obsession in almost every way.

 

But she cared deeply for Larry, her significant other, and figured it must have been her destiny to have his child, even if she was not quite ready to become a parent. When Rebecca was born, Julia was delighted to have a little girl—a “mini-me,” as Larry insisted on calling his daughter. He took to being a dad as if he had been born to it. Now if only Larry would stop bugging her about getting married, Julia thought, everything would be perfect.

 

Julia also loved San Francisco. Now Rebecca was the same age as Julia when her father had shown her the entrancing city, and Julia thought it the ideal age to do the same with Rebecca. She would be busy fulfilling her obligations at the opera, not to mention teaching violin to her rebellious five-year-old, but Larry would take up the slack. Surely Julia would find a bit of time here and there to join her family in availing themselves of the joys of the iconic landmarks of San Francisco. Julia gladly accepts the job offer, and she and her loved ones head west.

 

It turns out her job is not the only challenge that confronts Julia. Despite the expertise she has gained from six years of experience at the Met and Santa Fe, she is not prepared for the unexpected stress from a theatre with more than its share of detestable divas of both the male and female categories, irritable stage directors who have it in for her…and murder.

 

Once again, Julia succumbs to the lure of a brutal crime needing to be solved. In between the arduous rehearsals and tense performances in the theatre she follows her natural curiosity to the clues that are hidden in the recesses of the eerie basement with its ancient, dangerous looking equipment and the upper reaches of the theatre where, she is told, ghosts have been encountered. 

 

As before, Julia’s sleuthing attracts the ire of a brutal killer. But she could not have anticipated the dreadful surprise that the perpetrator has in store.

 

Overture to Murder

A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery, Book 3

 

After jeopardizing her safety investigating killings at the Metropolitan Opera and Santa Fe Opera, intrepid violinist Julia heads to the San Francisco Opera to replace ailing concertmaster, Ben, who has suffered serious injuries in a hit and run accident. Julia suspects the mishap might not have been accidental, especially when a prominent company member becomes the victim of a grisly murder. As before, Julia cannot resist becoming involved in the investigation. Fiery artistic temperaments and danger lurking in the dark hallways and back stairways of an opera house with its own ghosts provide a chilling backdrop to Julia’s sleuthing. This time, however, it’s not only her own life that is in peril.

 

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AN INTERVIEW WITH JULIA KOGAN FROM MYSTERY AUTHOR ERICA MINER'S JULIA KOGAN OPERA MYSTERY SERIES

Today we sit down for a chat with Julia Kogan from author Erica Miner’s Julia Kogan Opera Mystery Series. 

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

It already was difficult. I was born in New York City. My mother died when I was 5 years old, which left my dad to raise me. He started me on the violin, which he played but never professionally. He showed his love by trying to mold me into the best violinist possible, and he asked his friend, the famous opera conductor Abel Trudeau, to mentor me. But it was very pressured to live up to my dad’s standards. Then, when I was 10, Dad was killed trying to save me from a stray bullet during a bank robbery. I was devastated to lose him, and suddenly became an orphan. But after that, Abel took me under his wing and found me a foster home with a Korean family whose daughter, Katie, also played violin. Katie and I were like real sisters, which I really appreciated, since I had been an only child. She was a good sport about our competing with each other at the Juilliard School of Music, and she did not resent when I won the audition for a first violin position in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, where Abel conducted. Then, on the night of my debut…well, that’s when my author started pulling my strings—literally.

 

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I’m very disciplined, both in my violin practice and also in keeping myself physically in tune.

 

What do you like least about yourself?

I tend to overreact to stressful or emotional situations. I can be very calm and focused and then, boom, I freak out.

 

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

In the first book of the series, she had me fall for a real lothario. Honestly, aren’t I smart enough to know better? I cringe when I think of it.

 

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

Doesn’t every protagonist argue with her author? We argue mostly about all the dangerous situations she puts me in. Just when get myself out of one difficult scrape, she puts me in another. And yes, I know that’s what authors are supposed to do. But honestly, don’t I deserve some down time?

 

What is your greatest fear?

Losing someone else I love. I’ve had so much loss in my life. After losing Dad, then Abel, I was afraid to let anyone even touch me, let alone get close to me. Until Larry came along. But as you will see when you read my Opera Mystery series, he is unique.

 

What makes you happy?

When I play a difficult violin solo, and the conductor is pleased, then it just makes my day.

 

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

I would have kept my dad alive. To lose him at such a young age…well, no 10-year-old should have to go through that. He was my rock, my biggest supporter. Even if he was overly insistent on perfection, he still showered me with love. I miss him every day.

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

Stewart Blatchley, the conductor and music director of the Santa Fe Opera, pretty much makes my life miserable. He’s so exacting, so demanding, relentlessly critical. He only finds fault with how I perform, never acknowledges when I play something well. Abel was critical, too, but he also praised me when I did something right. But Abel was extraordinary. I can’t tell you how much I miss him.

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

That would be Stella Peregrine, the Santa Fe Police Department detective. She’s so smart, so savvy, so self-confident. And physically, she’s strong, powerful. Solidly built. You don’t mess with this lady. I wish I were as tough as she is. I’ve found myself in some pretty dangerous situations lately, and I’d feel a lot better about getting out of them intact if I had more of her forcefulness.

 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

If I had a choice of author, Erica Miner would be the one. Even though she makes my life difficult, she is an award-winning author and screenwriter who was a violinist at the Met Opera for 21 years. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Erica balances writing reviews and interviews of real-world musical artists with her fanciful plot fabrications that reveal the dark side of the fascinating world of opera. Not only does she know all the secrets about what goes on behind the scenes at an opera house, she also knows how to make words sparkle, and I’m grateful to her for creating my Opera Mystery series, even if she constantly places me in tough situations—after all, that how you build character, right? By the way, the first book in the series, Aria for Murder, was a finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Erica continues to show her opera expertise by lecturing on opera for some of the world’s most prestigious venues. There’s more about Erica and her books on her website. 

 

What's next for you?

Psst, keep it under your hat, but the San Francisco Opera has offered me the position of concertmaster—that’s the first of the first violinists, a very important post—for an upcoming summer season. That works perfectly since the Met is on hiatus in the summer. Plus, the last time I was in San Francisco I was a baby, and of course I don’t remember anything about it. And my great uncle Alex lives there, too. It’s such a great city, great opera company, and…well I could go on, but I don’t want to give too much away!

 

Prelude to Murder

A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery, Book 

 

Having survived her entanglement in a murder investigation at the Metropolitan Opera, violinist Julia Kogan and NYPD detective Larry Somers head to the Santa Fe Opera, where Julia has been engaged as concertmaster, or first of the first violinists, for the summer season. Julia is excited but anxious about the high-pressured job and worried about how she will survive in a strange new desert environment, a magnificent outdoor theatre set between two mysterious mountains ranges in the “Land of Enchantment.” 

 

But these difficulties are minimal compared to the murderous activities that plague the opera performers onstage and off, as famous singers get picked off left and right, and ghostly apparitions mysteriously appear. Julia again becomes embroiled in a behind-the-scenes investigation as she joins forces with steely SFPD detective Stella Peregrine to stop the unseen menace from wreaking further havoc. But this killer is both ruthless and exceedingly cunning, and in the end Julia finds herself in a confrontation from which there seemingly is no escape—until she draws on a self-defense technique taught her by a fight director to save her own life.

 

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AN INTERVIEW WITH MYSTERY/THRILLER AUTHOR ERICA MINER

Today we sit down for a chat with former Metropolitan Opera violinist and current award-winning mystery/thriller author, lecturer, screenwriter, and arts journalist Erica Miner. Learn more about her and her books and find ways to connect with her at her website. 

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

It was when I was studying screenwriting in Los Angeles in the early 2000s. After writing a few screenplays, I suddenly was besieged with an idea for a novel, based on some of my rather steamy experiences traveling in Europe, and a title: Travels with my Lovers. My mentor told me to go for it and guided me into creating the book. After that, I became completely hooked on novel writing.

 

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

I was a bit impatient to see the book published, so I explored the world of POD and published Travels with my Lovers in 2003. 

 

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

My next novel, Fourever Friends, was published by an Indie publisher in 2009. Then I got the idea of adapting my murder mystery screenplay into a novel, was signed by a traditional publisher, and my Opera Mystery series was born. The two sequels were published by the same publisher, but the third one released in the middle of the pandemic and only in digital version. I then found another publisher that offered me a contract to re-publish all three novels in all formats.

 

Where do you write?

I have a super quiet, private home office at the far end of my house with a picture window overlooking a hill with a view of lush Washington state greenery that’s inspiring. My desk is set up with a Mac desktop computer and the atmosphere is conducive to creativity: all my favorite books, photos and other accoutrements sit on the shelves above and surrounding my desk. That is my workplace, and as soon as I sit down at the desk the ideas start to flow—at least most of the time!

 

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

I am first and foremost a musician, so I have music in my head constantly. But I cannot concentrate on filling blank pages unless I have absolute silence outside of my head. The only time I have music playing is when I’m creating my opera lectures and I need to listen to the specific music I’m including in the lectures.

 

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

A large percentage of my plots and characters are based on people I’ve known and worked with, and the places associated with them. Certainly, Aria for Murder (formerly Murder in the Pit) is very much based on my own experiences at the Metropolitan Opera. Its characters, for the most part, are combinations of the different people I worked with closely at the Met. The protagonist, Julia, is based on myself when I was first starting out with the company. It was a bit different with Travels with my Lovers. Since it was written in first person and is quite spicy, I was often asked at my book events how much of it was real. I generally answered, “Only the author knows for sure.” But my publicist suggested changing my reply to, “Every word!”

 

Describe your process for naming your character?

Naming characters is one of my favorite parts of the process. I like to use either favorite names that I’ve always loved or names that are somewhat related to the real names of the people on whom I base a certain character. Julia is named after the daughter of my best friend at the Met. Another character who reminded me of my late brother got his name. One opera singer in the sequel was named for a famous female conductor with whom I have a bit of a history. And so it goes. 

 

Real settings or fictional towns?

As you can tell, my settings are very real. Both sequels in the series take place in other renowned opera houses. There are so many real theatres and great cities in which to set murder mysteries, I don’t have to make one up!

 

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

Julia’s best female friend and colleague, Katie, is obsessed with food and is always munching on some snack or other. She has a habit of trying to foist them on Julia, which is both annoying and charming.

 

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

I’m a bit OCD, but in some weird ways. I’m always adjusting things to look symmetrical and in place. But I have a funny way of raising each window shade to a different level for reasons that only I can understand. It drives my friends crazy.

 

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

Fear of Flying, by Erica Jong. It was groundbreaking and expressed what women of a certain generation wished they could be free to explore in their best, most liberated lives. The book was instrumental in the Women’s Liberation movement.

 

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

Too many to name!

 

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People who don’t know the proper way to use its and it’s. There are other grammatical sins that drive me crazy, but that’s number one.

 

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

What a great question. I’m usually asked for one thing, but for three I really had to think hard. 1) an unlimited supply of drinking water 2) a device that plays music 3) an outlet to charge the device.

 

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

Having to clean my house during the pandemic. I generally do the lighter stuff on my own, but I had hired help every other week for the heavier duties. My husband and I teamed up to do the big clean, but we’re not professionals, and it was exhausting. 

 

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

David Copperfield by Dickens. It’s absolute perfection in every way. Dickens has always been my favorite author, closely followed by Charlotte Brontë.

 

Ocean or mountains?

I love mountains, and we have more than our share here in Washington. But the ocean is my true love. I grew up in the Midwest, and the first time I saw the Atlantic Ocean (Coney Island, of all places), I was smitten and vowed I would never live far away from a coast. I’ve kept to that vow ever since.

 

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

I grew up in a big city, Detroit, and have always lived in or near one. I love visiting the countryside, but I can’t imagine living there full time.

 

What’s on the horizon for you?

Hopefully more opera mysteries, more lectures, and more connecting with book and music lovers.

 

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

I became passionate about writing even before I started to play the violin, since elementary school when I was placed in an afterschool program for Creative Writing. Creating plots and characters and weaving them together to tell stories is one of the most satisfying pursuits for me. My books not only reflect my life experiences but also my perspectives on the unique joys that music has to offer. Music was my first love; it was playing constantly in my household when I was growing up. Writing about music, whether fiction or nonfiction, is one of my greatest pleasures, and I love sharing that passion with my readers. 

 

Aria for Murder

A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery, Book 1

 

Excitement mounts as the moment arrives for brilliant young violinist Julia Kogan’s debut in the orchestra of the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera. But the high-stakes milieu of this musical mecca is rocked to its core when, during an onstage murder scene, Julia’s mentor, a famous conductor, is assassinated on the podium. Thrust into the investigation when her closest colleague in the orchestra is named chief suspect, Julia teams up with opera-loving NYPD detective Larry Somers to solve the murder. In the process, they are shocked to discover the venerable opera house is rife with a web of secrets, intrigue, and lethal rivalries. But all bets are off when Julia suddenly finds herself the real killer’s prime target.

 

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