Welcome back to my Thursday Themes blog! I’m delighted to introduce Lisa Nicholas today (and very excited to discover that she went to the same Oxford college as my favourite fictional sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey!)
Finding the dark edge of cosy crime
Lisa Nicholas, author of SISTER, LIAR, SUSPECT, SLEUTH, and MOTHER, REBEL, MISFIT, SLEUTH
–
I adore cosy crime. Murder at the vicarage! Intrigue at the village fete! Unlikely sleuths and hapless police officers… It is all utterly joyous and for me, it never gets old. But I guess I have a dark side, because when I started to write the Mila Kiss series, I couldn’t help but add a bit of edge and a lot of sass into the mix.
Mila Kiss arrives in the rural village of Farlington as a war refugee to a welcome party in the village hall and streams of bunting. But Mila isn’t who the villagers were expecting at all. She’s a bad-ass human rights lawyer with a passion for heavy metal and a padlocked tin box full of secrets. She’s been framed for murder back home, her niece and nephew are missing, and she’s running out of time.
A good friend of mine said it was like Lisbeth Salander had turned up for tea with Joyce Meadowcroft, and I think that sums it up perfectly. I wanted the beautiful setting and the warm embrace of the cosy crime genre, but I also thought there was an opportunity to explore darker topics and topical issues. Mila’s arrival stirs deep-seated prejudices and social class divides are revealed. Her story emerges from a history of domestic violence, war, and corruption.
But, don’t worry, it has a sunny side too. I love curling up with funny, larger-than-life characters, and watching as misunderstandings and mishaps unfold comically, and our heroes navigate increasingly tricky obstacles to save the day. Meet Lord Fabien Farlington, determined to woo Mila who has far more pressing matters on her mind, and his mother Lady Lydia, keen to prove her liberal-minded credentials by saying “woke” a lot, but having little success convincing anyone. And – in my view – the star of the supporting cast, Nikolai, a rebellious old man who quite intentionally gets mixed up in all sorts of perilous adventures, much to the despair of his long-suffering son.
Mila Kiss is a joy to write, and placing her in a setting that she would never choose, amongst people who drive her mad, makes it all the more interesting. She arrives – to put it lightly – in a bit of a pickle. Mila must battle her demons and uncover the elusive evidence she needs to catch her sister’s real killer and save the children before it is too late, whilst also battling parish politics and suspicious locals.
I hoped to create a fast-paced, entertaining ride for my readers, but I also wanted to provide an interesting twist on the genre by offering up darker themes and complex, sometimes unlikeable, characters. The second book in the series, MOTHER, REBEL, MISFIT, SLEUTH, follows in this trend as Mila gets to grips with another strange case…
Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/2ntgAdN
–
About the Book:
When Mila’s sister is murdered, her life is shattered. Framed for the crime, with her homeland at war and her niece and nephew missing, Mila flees to an English village. But Farlington is no safe haven and Mila’s presence stirs prejudice, gossip, and hidden tensions…
As a human rights lawyer, Mila is determined to avenge her sister’s death and clear her name. Fabien, the troubled heir to Farlington Hall, becomes entangled in her mission, even as he battles his own scandals. And when one of Mila’s adversaries is found dead in suspicious circumstances, her position grows even more precarious.
With no one to trust, and time running out, Mila must confront her past to identify a murderer and secure a future for those she loves…
Packed with suspense and heart, Sister Liar Suspect Sleuth is a gripping tale of redemption, resilience, and the power of justice. Perfect for fans of cosy mysteries with a dark edge.
About the Author:
Lisa Nicholas lives in a tiny hamlet in rural Lancashire with her husband and two big, daft dogs. She studied at Balliol College, Oxford, and lived for a time in London before following her heart home up north. Following a twenty-year career in advertising, she now writes full time. When not writing (which is more often than it probably should be) she enjoys reading, yoga, and long country hikes, preferably with a pub lunch at the end.
