Happy New Year: How Would Your Protagonist Celebrate?

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Tell us, Wickeds, how would the protagonist of your series celebrate New Year’s Eve? Do any of your books take place on New Year’s Eve?grilledformurder

Edith: After Grilled for Murder (Country Store Mystery #2) takes place, Robbie Jordan goes to Pisa, Italy over New Year’s to visit her new-found father, Roberto. There they celebrate abundance on New Year’s Eve with a rich meal of risotto, lentils, and pork sausage. They throw old pans out the window, and everybody wears red underwear (under their clothes). And of course there are fireworks!  I haven’t set any books on New Year’s Eve – yet.

MurdermostfinickyLiz: In the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, one of Stan Connor’s favorite places to hang out is at her boyfriend Jake’s Irish pub, McSwigg’s. I’m betting there’ll be a big bash there on New Year’s Eve! I’d like to go, myself.

stickyJessie: My protagonist, Dani, would likely celebrate with her extended family, gathered round a bonfire in the back pasture sipping hot mulled cider and roasting marshmallows.

longestyardsaleSherry: Until her divorce Sarah spent New Years Eve at parties at the Officers Club. They were big parties, with bands, dancing, and breakfast buffets in the wee hours. Now she’d more likely attend a smaller party with a group of close friends.

musseledBarb: Julia Snowden is now running a restaurant with her boyfriend, Chris. I think they would be open New Year’s Eve to provide a gathering spot for the year-round residents of Busman’s Harbor. Then, after closing, she’d open a beer with Chris, her sister Livvie, and Livvie’s husband Sonny, and they’d toast the New Year. It would be quite a contrast to the parties Julia attended when she lived in Manhattan, but I think she would be content.

justkillingtimeJulie: Clock and Dagger (next book) ends on New Year’s Eve, so I know how Ruth will spend it–in the Cog & Sprocket, with her friends and family, murders solved. Can’t tell you much more than that for now, but I do know that Ruth’s journey has been to rediscover her roots, and her family. Moving back to Orchard, and discovering what makes her happy is part of that journey as well.

WICKED HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Published by Julie Hennrikus aka Julia Henry

One woman, three names, many books. As Julia Henry she writes the Garden Squad series for Kensington. As J.A. Hennrikus she writes the Theater Cop series, and as Julianne Holmes she wrote the Clock Shop series. Click on my profile picture to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram! @JHAuthors

17 Thoughts

  1. The only New Years eve readers of my Witch City mysteries have witnessed was a quiet one for Lee -Pete had to work so she spent it at home with Aunt Ibby and O’Ryan–chocolate covered strawberries and a champagne toast at midnight. I think this year she and Pete would be at Greene’s Tavern in Salem, celebrating with favorite characters from all the books so far. Maybe some of the folks from the Wickeds’ books would drop by too!

  2. My second Deep Fried Mystery, Out of the Dying Pan, ends on New Year’s Eve. My protagonist, Talia, is preparing to join her boyfriend at the nursing home where his dad resides. A celebration, complete with piano player, is planned for the residents. Just before she closes up the fish and chips eatery for the night, she gets a surprise visitor. It’s the man who spent 30 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and whose release was the result of Talia having uncovered the real killer.

  3. With my work trip to Florida this year, I’ll just be happy if I’m awake at midnight. Jet lag is going to be fun, I have a feeling.

  4. I have a feeling that Meg and Seth from the Orchard Mysteries, and Nell and James from the Museum Mysteries, would curl up together in their homes and celebrate their still-newish relationships. On the other hand, Maura Donovan runs a pub in the County Cork Mysteries, so it’s pretty clear where she’ll be (wish I was there to see a real Irish New Year’s!).

      1. Something to think about! The WIP (which will be out in February 2017–yikes!) takes place during a short blizzard, but there’s no date attached. Maybe a final chapter for New Year’s? Of course, I’d have to do some serious research.

  6. As a police officer, my protagonist would likely spend the day working. And as a childless, divorced officer, he’d probably volunteer so someone else could spend the evening with family.

  8. News Year’s Eve in Moccasin Cove is slow and salty by default. My protagonist, Anastasia Campbell, has a permanent date with her husband Mac to sit on their west porch glider with champagne in hand, watching the sunset then savoring the stars over the Gulf of Mexico. They’re making up time lost to his deployments and her more recent near-death sleuthing sidetracks.

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