FEATURED AUTHOR: VANESSA WESTERMANN


ABOUT THE BOOK

As a former bodyguard, it should be easy for Gary Fenris to kill, especially when the motive is revenge. But Gary has made two mistakes in his life. The first was letting the woman he loved die on his watch. The second was thinking vengeance could bring him peace.


Local bookstore owner and amateur lock pick Kate Rowan loves nothing more than a good mystery. Her curiosity soon leads her down a trail of blackmail, obsession and death. Despite the risk – or maybe because of it – Gary finds himself drawn to Kate. When danger strikes, Gary is forced to face the fact that he used love as an excuse for murder. And he's got one last score to settle.

Book Details:

Title: An Excuse For Murder

Author: Vanessa Westermann

Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense


Publisher: The Wild Rose Press (March 20, 2019)


Print length: 322 pages


IFs ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH VANESSA WESTERMANN   

Ifs

If you could live in any time period which would it be?
The “Swinging Sixties,” because of the Beatles concerts, mini-skirts, and pop art . . .

If you could time travel for an infinite period of time, where would you go?
Hopefully I would be time travelling via the TARDIS with the Doctor and go on grand adventures. I would definitely make a stop at Virginia Woolf’s 1928 lectures given to women’s colleges at Cambridge University.


If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
Jane Austen, so we could talk about Mr. Darcy.  Although, she might prefer to meet for tea . . .

If you could choose a fictional town to live in what would it be and from what book?
Broward Island, South Carolina from Carolyn Hart’s Death on Demand series, so that I could shop for books in Annie Laurence’s mystery bookstore and perhaps help her solve a crime.


If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
London, England so that I could go to the Victoria and Albert museum whenever I wanted to. The Mary Quant exhibit would be top of my list. And I’d love to have afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason’s.




Ands


5 things you need in order to write: caffeine, good music, a fountain pen and a notebook, and my laptop.

5 things you never want to run out of: tea, happiness, books, friends, and inspiration.
  
5 favorite foods: scones, grilled cheese sandwiches, salad, quiche, and fried rice.


5 things you always put in your books: a strong female protagonist, witty banter, a dead body, a hint of romance, and suspense.

5 favorite books: China Trade by S.J. Rozan, Faithful Place by Tana French, I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith, Mariana by Susanna Kearsley, and The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Whats

What’s the most beautiful sound you’ve heard?
The sound of loons on a lake.

What’s your favorite ice cream?
Tiramisu gelato.

What’s your all-time favorite place you’ve visited? 

 















What’s your favorite quote?
“The trouble with real life is that you don't know whether you're the hero or just some nice chap who gets bumped off in chapter five to show what a rotter the villain is without anyone minding too much.” ― Sarah Caudwell, The Sirens Sang of Murder

What’s your favorite color?
Yellow.


What movie genre do you prefer: drama, comedy, action, adventure, thriller, or horror?
Comedy, but I also love a good action or adventure movie!


What smells remind you of your childhood?

Coppertone sunscreen, Freezie Popsicles, freshly sharpened pencils.

What’s your all-time favorite picture of yourself? 

What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food: the Bayview Original Burger from McSorley’s Saloon and Grill in Toronto, Canada.
Music: Kodaline.
Movie: Bohemian Raphsody.
Book: A Gilded Grave by Shelley Freydont.
TV: Chesapeake Shores, because Bree’s bookstore is wonderful.
Netflix/Amazon Prime: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As an avid reader and writer of crime fiction, Vanessa Westermann's ideal day would be spent plotting fictitious crimes. Vanessa is a former Arthur Ellis Awards judge, and has given a talk on the evolution of women's crime writing, at the Toronto Chapter of Sisters in Crime.



Vanessa's book review column entitled "Vanessa's Picks" was published in the monthly newsletter of a popular Toronto mystery-specialty bookstore from 2012 to 2016. The column was developed into a blog, featuring literary reviews and author interviews.



While living in Germany, she attained an M.A. in English Literature and went on to teach creative writing.



She currently lives in Canada and is working on her next novel, while drinking copious amounts of tea.



Connect with Vanessa:
Website  |   Twitter

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository