How One Book Became a Series

Today I'm happy to host my dear friend and fellow mystery writer, Pat Gligor. Pat has written a mystery series whose characters deal with serious issues. Her latest, Marnie Malone, will be out March 14th, just in time for a St. Paddy's Day read.

When I wrote Mixed Messages, I intended it to be a standalone mystery/suspense novel. I had no idea the book would end up being the first in a five book series. But, somewhere along the line, I realized that, in order to tell “the rest of the story,” I would need to write a second book. Unfinished Business is that book. An appropriate title, I think, and like Mixed Messages, it has a double meaning.

By the time I finished writing Unfinished Business, I had become so fond of my characters and so wrapped up in their lives that they were almost real to me. I had to find out what would happen to them next.
So I went on to write the next three books: Desperate Deeds, Mistaken Identity and my new release, Marnie Malone, which will be available on March 14th. The first three books take place on the west side of Cincinnati (my hometown) and the last two are set in different locations in South Carolina, a state I’ve visited many times.

While each book may be read as a standalone, the series is the saga of the Malone family and the struggles they face. With each new book, the characters change and grow as they deal with a multitude of problems and are involved in several dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, situations. But through it all, the underlining message in each book is one of Hope.

With St. Patrick’s Day only three days after the release, the timing of Marnie Malone couldn’t be more perfect. Because the Malones are Irish and something very important takes place in the book on the holiday. But no spoilers here. ☺

Here’s a glimpse into Marnie Malone:

It’s Marnie’s last week at the law firm of Cliburn & Reeves and she feels like she’s riding an emotional roller coaster. Up when she wins the divorce and custody battle for Callie Jackson against her abusive husband, Jed. And plummeting down when one witness after another decides not to testify against Mark Hall, an attorney at another Charleston firm and an “alleged” serial rapist.
Marnie receives one threat after another and she constantly feels the need to look over her shoulder, convinced that someone is stalking her. With Sam out of town on business, she’s alone in the big, old farmhouse and strange things are happening. Noises in the attic, creaking floorboards and someone watching her from the woods.

As she tries to determine the identity of the stalker, the list of men who have grudges against her grows longer each day. In her line of work she’s made enemies. Is the stalker someone from the past or one of the men on her list? And, how far will he go?

To pre-order the Kindle version of Marnie Malone:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WP28GGF

The link to my Amazon page:
http://tinyurl.com/8sd2cz4

The link to my blog:
http://pat-writersforum.blogspot.com/