Notes From
The Cave
The blog of Thriller Author, A. D. Hay
featuring an exclusive look at her
behind-the-scenes misadventures.
An Interview with James Lalonde
If you’ve read the books in my James Lalonde Mystery Series or my Rookie Reporter Mystery Series, you’ll be familiar with my protagonist, James Lalonde. The events that occurred in Suspicion happened in May 2015. So, I thought it would be fun to interview my protagonist seven years later and have a bit of a catchup, minus the spoilers. But, if you’re yet to read Suspicion or any of the other books, this will serve as the perfect icebreaker.
Location, Location, Location: 8 Interesting Places in England and France from my Mystery Novel, Suspicion
One of the best things about being an author is visiting interesting places physically or with the help of modern technology like YouTube videos, pictures taken by other travellers, or simply good ol’ Google Maps. As I outlined, wrote, revised and edited my mystery novel Suspicion, I included eight interesting places across England and France. Sometimes, the real and imaginary blend together in fiction. And, Suspicion is no exception. Here is a short list of these locations and what inspired me to choose these as settings in my mystery novel Suspicion, along with details on how you can visit these places yourself.
Duplicity is Available for Preorder
After much deliberation, I pulled the plug and decided to upload the next James Lalonde amateur sleuth mystery, Duplicity, to all the online ebook retailers and placed it on preorder.
TBN009, My Favourite Mystery and Thriller Novels of 2021
In this episode of the Book Nerd Podcast, I’m going to discuss my favourite mystery and thriller novels that I read in 2021. I what you’re thinking, “it’s been a while since the end of 2021,” but hear me out. I wanted to put a bit of distance between the end of 2021 and my reading because I wanted to discuss the books that stood out to me the most. From memory, I read close to fifty books in 2021. Actually, I’ve checked, and it was 49 books read.
TBN008, Agatha Raisin: Books vs TV Series
As you can tell by the title of this episode, I’m going to discuss the Agatha Raisin books vs TV Series. In order to avoid spoilers, I’m going to focus on how Agatha is portrayed and not the events in the show and novels.
Read Chapter Two of My Next Murder Mystery Novella
After publishing the last blog post where I shared the first chapter of The Candidate, I felt a little mean. So, I decided to share the next chapter in the murder mystery novella, with you. As you might have guessed, the candidate is the first novella in a new series called the “Rookie Reporter Mysteries”, featuring James Lalonde.
Chapter Eleven of Entitled to Murder: A Cozy Mystery Short Story
Every few days, I will release a chapter from my cozy mystery short story, Entitled to Murder on this blog throughout the next few weeks. Keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter. If you want to receive notifications via email, then sign up for updates by filling out your first name and email address in the opt-in form below, and you’ll receive an email from me, letting you know the latest chapter is available, plus a copy of the ebook when the story is finished. By the way, the story you will receive will be professionally edited just like the copy I plan to sell on the various ebook retailers.
Behind the Scenes: The Candidate (A Rookie Reporter Murder Mystery Novella)
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I realised the first book in my new Rookie Reporter mystery series. And I thought I would share a little of the behind the scenes or the making of the novella that as a reader you never get to see unless I take you along with me. In this blog post, I’m going to answer a few questions about The Candidate and the Rookie Reporter series.
Read Chapter One of My Next Murder Mystery Novella
After publishing the last blog post where I shared the opening scene of The Candidate, I felt a little mean. So, I decided to share the next chapter in the murder mystery novella, with you. As you might have guessed, the candidate is the first novella in a new series called the “Rookie Reporter Mysteries”, featuring James Lalonde.
Read the Opening Scene of My Next Murder Mystery Novella for Free
Just like Missing and Duplicity, I’ve decided to share the opening scenes from my new first-in-series murder mystery novella, The Candidate, with you. As you might have guessed, the candidate is the first novella in a new series called the “Rookie Reporter Mysteries”, featuring James Lalonde.
Hello!
My Books
A Body is on the Lawn, and a Killer is on the Loose
When Will Thatcher, doesn’t show up for work, James Lalonde is forced to attend an afternoon tea with Alistair Carmichael in his place. The lovely autumn afternoon tea comes to an abrupt end when a body turns up on the lawn of the Carmichael Estate with strange markings on his neck.
But, something is missing, a priceless painting is off the wall. However, it’s no ordinary painting, it’s a Van Gogh purchased in an auction a few months ago. After discovering fresh tracks, most likely left by the murderer James realises the murder is still in the estate.
Can James figure out who the thief and murderer are before he or Alistair is next?
A Murdered Judge. A Dark Secret Silenced.
Rookie reporter James Lalonde is bored. And, he isn’t a journalist. He’s an all-round dogs-body, to editor-in-chief, Rhys Kelly. But, his luck has finally changed. After eavesdropping in on the morning editorial meeting, James learns he has his first-ever story. There’s one catch. If the story gets too complicated, it will be taken away from him and given to another journalist with more experience. Sure it’s a boring interview with the soon to be sworn-in magistrate, Albert Harrington, but it finally gets him out of his six-month slump as an editorial research assistant.
The following day, James turns up to his interview with Albert to discover a trail of blood smeared through Albert’s house, an empty safe, the murder weapon on the floor, but no body. Detective Anwar Khan turns up to the crime scene, puts two and two together, and believes James murdered the controversial magistrate. Can James clear his name and write his first-ever story before his editor takes it away from him?
$2.99
Excalibur is Missing. A Killer is on the Loose. One Reporter is Determined to Uncover the Truth.
James has a nose for trouble. But that’s nothing new. This time, things are different–his life is on the line. James is the chief editor of a small newspaper. It’s hardly captivating work. He’s bored. But all of that is about to change.
Late one evening, he returns home to discover his long-time girlfriend and journalist, Valentine, has left. Early the next morning, James fails to reallocate her assigned story. To avoid blank space in the culture section and losing his job, he decides to write the story on the local museum’s latest acquisition, Excalibur. But, there’s one thing he didn’t count on–Excalibur is missing, and a dead body is at the crime scene.
If you love gripping cloak and dagger mysteries with twists and turns, then you’ll love this first instalment in the James Lalonde Amateur Sleuth Mystery series. Get it now.
$2.99
What I’m Writing!
Final Draft
86,532 of 85,000 Words
Yesterday, I sent Duplicity off for proofreading. Yay! And I’ve set up preorders for this novel on Kobo, B&N, and Google Play with a release date of the 24th of November 2022. And, I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
Publishing Updates
First Draft
0 of 60,000 Words
I’ve decided to add an extra book between the second book and the start of the byline series, where James arrives in New York. Book Three will be set in a 24-hour period in London. This novel will be available in ebook on all major ebook retailers by the end of 2022. And the paperback editions soon after. I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
Revised Draft
112,960 of 99,000 Words
Book Four in the James Lalonde series needs one final round of revisions before I can hand it off to my editor. This longer novel will be published on all major ebook retailers in early 2023. And the paperback editions soon after. I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
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