A day in the life of Dulcie Schwartz

"Ever since I was kicked out of the library, I’ve been at loose ends..."

What's troubling Dulcie and why has she been kicked out of her home-away-from-home? Find out more on today's Dru's Book Musings, the 2015 Anthony Award-nominated reader's blog here.

Musetta speaks out!

What does the cat think of summer – and of my new mystery, Code Grey? She lets us know in no uncertain terms here.

"Musetta here, and I’m logging on to tell you: I hate summer.

Does that surprise you? As a cat, I am essentially a desert animal. My body temperature runs higher than yours, and I could lay in the sun for hours, soaking up the rays. (When I do this, my mom says I’m the solar-powered kitty, recharging.) But as a writer’s cat, I’ve learned a few things. And number one is that summer means travel. For my humans, of course. Not for me, and I hate that...."

Thank you, Bristol Public Library!

Talking about my new "Code Grey," the Bookblog of the Bristol Public Library says, "If you’re looking for blood ‘n’ gore or car chases, look elsewhere. But if you want to feel as if you’re walking the halls of the Milhorn Library or grab a bean burger at Lala’s while trying to sift through clues, then prepare yourself for a real treat." Want to read more? Click here. (This actually went up yesterday. What nice birthday present!)

Last day to enter CODE GREY giveaway

It's my birthday today, and I'm celebrating with this Goodreads giveaway. For one more day, you can enter to win a signed copy of my new Dulcie Schwartz mystery, Code Grey. Just click the link below or go to Goodreads and search for "Code Grey Giveaway."

Code Grey (a Dulcie Schwartz feline-filled mystery) will officially pub. on Aug. 1 in the U.S.
Did a down on his luck former student steal a priceless book? Grad student and cat lover Dulcie Schwartz thinks not – and she sets out to prove it

It’s spring break, and Dulcie Schwartz has stayed behind in almost-deserted Cambridge, Massachusetts to concentrate on her thesis. But when a former student turned vagrant, Jeremy Mumbles, is found injured, with a valuable missing book clutched in his arms, Dulcie can’t seem to let it go. What was he doing with the book? And why has it turned up after all these years?

With Jeremy now the prime suspect for a series of break-ins in the area, Dulcie is determined to clear the unfortunate former scholar’s name. But when she finds a connection between the book he was carrying and her own research into an anonymous Gothic author, the search for clues takes on a new intensity – and a new menace.

"This unusual and intelligent series continues to surprise, with additional backstory on some of the characters adding layers of interest. Readers will not want Dulcie to finish her dissertation anytime soon." - Booklist

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Code Grey

by Clea Simon

Giveaway ends July 28, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

What Happens Next ...

You have a crime. You want to solve it. How does that evolve into an 80,000 word manuscript? That's what I'm talking about today in my guest post on Mystery Fanfare!

"Readers often ask how we mystery writers plot. During panel discussions, this usually leads to a chat about “pantsers” vs. “plotters,” those who let the writing guide us as opposed to those who outline what will happen before the writing starts. But I don’t know if these readers are really asking about our process, per se. Whether they too are writers or are simply fans, reading for pleasure, I think they want to know something more basic. They want to know how we figure out what happens next. I wish I could give them an answer." - See more here.

The story behind "Code Grey"

In “Code Grey,” the ninth Dulcie Schwartz mystery, my heroine, Dulcie, is back once again in the library. It’s spring break, but she’s so close to finishing her doctoral dissertation that she can taste it. With her boyfriend and all her buddies out of town for the week, Dulcie figures she can focus on work: the research and writing that will, she hopes, get her the PhD in Gothic literature she’s been woring toward for more than five years.

Want to read more? Click here.

Wow, Mutt Cafe says "Code Grey" is "riveting"! Thank you!

Code Grey is a riveting mystery that will appeal to bibliophiles and cat lovers alike. Like a fine wine, Code Grey is multifaceted and complex in flavor, certain to satisfy readers," says Mutt Cafe, calling it "a purr-fect continuation of the Dulcie Schwartz series." Wow, just wow. Thank you so much! Read more here. Or just order the book...

Cat Chat with the Animal Radio Lady

A few weeks ago, I had a lovely chat about cats, mysteries, and cats in mysteries with Tracie Hotchner, who hosts a wide variety of animal-themed podcasts. Our talk is up today at Cat Chat. Of course, because it's a podcast, you can download it – and all of her other great interviews – at any time. (The interview starts at around 23 minutes – you can skip ahead, but why miss any of Tracie's great show?)

CODE GREY is "a riveting mystery" - thank you, Goodreads!

Code Grey, the ninth Dulcie Schwartz mystery, is out in the UK so advance reviews of the US edition (Aug. 1) are beginning to come in. Some of those are already appearing on GoodReads, the site for readers. Not a member? You should join!

Festivals, conventions, and more!

So you know I'll be at Crimebake, Nov. 6-8, right? Can't make it to New England? Come say hi at Left Coast Crime (Phoenix, AZ, Feb. 25-28, 2016), Malice Domestic (Bethesda, MD, April 29-May 1, 2016), or Bouchercon in New Orleans (Sept. 15-18, 2016). I'm also planning on a bunch of bookstore events and maybe another conference or too. Stay tuned – and please do let me know if you'd like me to visit you!

Thank you, Library Journal, for noting "CODE GREY"

"Insight and appeal" - why, thank you, Library Journal! And yes, my Mr Grey - who is a cat, and was long before that other Mr Grey - does have both!

Library Journal
07/01/2015
Dulcinea Schwartz's homeless friend Jeremy Mumbleleigh is accused of stealing a valuable book, but Dulcie knows the gentle Jeremy, who had a breakdown years ago, is innocent. It's spring break, and the library is in the throes of a renovation. As Dulcie investigates, more crimes come to light. This is the ninth entry (after Stages of Grey) in the series, and Mr. Grey, Dulcie's cat ghost, continues to provide insights and appeal along the way.

The CODE GREY giveaway is live! Enter now!!

To enter, click here.

Or click below, where it says "enter giveaway":

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Code Grey

by Clea Simon

Giveaway ends July 28, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

For real this time: Win a copy of CODE GREY!

Sorry about that delay, folks! The contest is NOW OPEN to win a copy of my new Dulcie Schwartz feline mystery, Code Grey on Goodreads! Want to know more about this new feline-full mystery? Click here.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Code Grey

by Clea Simon

Giveaway ends July 28, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Beach book catch up! (Pru and Dulcie in paperback)

Heading to the shore or the lake? Want some inexpensive reading? WorldWide Mysteries (a branch of Harlequin) does the mass market paperbacks – those pocket-sized, inexpensive editions – of most of my books. They're only available for a short time (until they run out) and only on line. Interested in starting the Pru series with Dogs Don't Lie or catching up with Dulcie via True Grey? WorldWide has them!
Want to see all the books available? Click here.