J.A. Hennrikus News!

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I have told the story about the Clock Shop series and how I came to write it a number of times. I was and am thrilled that Berkley gave me that opportunity, and can’t wait for all of you to read Chime and Punishment in August.

christmas-perilBut like most of us on this blog, my first published novel was not the first novel I wrote. Not by a long shot. My first novel, never finished, was before I realized I should be writing mysteries. It is a not very good book that will never see the light of day. But it taught me to write a book.

My second and third books morphed into a single entity at some point, changed point of view, went through reading groups, critique groups, and was pitched a few times at Crime Bake. I tweaked, reworked, polished, and tried to find an agent for it. Then I got my contract for the Clock Shop series, and filed it away. But I never lost faith that I would hold it in my hand at some point.

So it is with great joy that I share some really wonderful news with all of you. Midnight Ink has bought that book, and two more in addition. In even better news, it was fast tracked into their fall catalog.

The Theater Cop series is about Edwina “Sully” Sullivan. Sully was forced to retire from the police force, and decides if she can’t wear the badge she isn’t going to do the job and become a PI. So she moves back to her hometown on the north shore of Massachusetts, divorces her philandering husband, and is hired to run a theater company. For a few years she throws herself into her new life. But then, her best friend’s father is killed, and he is on the suspect list.

The theater company is doing a production of A Chrismas Carol, and Sully is trying to keep the TV actor they hired sober while dealing with other production issues. At the same time, she tries to figure out who killed Peter Whitehall. What she doesn’t plan on is her ex-husband being part of her investigation.A Christmas Peril is a traditional/cozy book. I can’t wait for you to read it when it comes out this fall.

P.S. Don’t you LOVE the cover?

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Published by J.A. Hennrikus

One woman, three names, many books. As Julia Henry I wrote the Garden Squad series for Kensington. As J.A. Hennrikus I wrote the Theater Cop series, and as Julianne Holmes I wrote the Clock Shop series. I've been an arts administrator for my entire career, mostly in the performing arts. Currently I'm the ED of Sisters in Crime, a wonderful organization that promotes and supports crime writers. www.sistersincrime.org Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram! @JHAuthors

72 Thoughts

  1. Congratulations, Julie! That’s great news. And yes, the cover is fab. Who doesn’t swoon over built-in bookshelves? That can’t just be me, right?

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  2. Congrats! Love the cover! Like the series blurb, and have put into my wish list on Amazon UK. Just hope now that I can get an ARC from Midnight Ink via NetGalley when it is due for review! 😀

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  3. Jumping up and down for joy for you, Julie! Such fabulous, exciting, enticing news. Welcome to the Midnight Ink family, too – it’s a great publishing home. And yes, the cover is fabulous. From the trunk overflowing with costumes to to the red stockings to the chain! I’ve lived on the North Shore for almost thirty years – are you using a fictional North Shore town, a real one, or a made-up one based on a real place?

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  8. Julie, congratulations. What a wonderful thing that you were able to use a manuscript that you put so much work into. I look forward to reading it.

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  10. Congratulations, Julie! Hugely great news. I’m going to need a whole shelf just for Hennrikus books. I love that she’s running a theater company (wherever will you find inspiration for characters?). Great cover.

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  11. It seems so long ago that we were standing nervously in the hall at Crime Bake practicing our pitches and now you have a second series! I’m so freaking happy for you!

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  19. Congratulations, my friend! Love the concept, the cover, and the title, and I love and admire your persistence. Onward!

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  20. Congratulations on your new series – what wonderful news! The book cover is great — it looks so nice and cozy, and then you see the smoking gun…

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  21. That’s fantastic news, Julie! I’m so pleased for you that your book found a home at Midnight Ink. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of them. I’ll look forward to reading A Christmas Peril and giving it to my daughter – she’s a huge theater buff and just starting to get into mysteries more.

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  23. I’d been hoping someone would pick this series up ever since you mentioned it to me last year. I was so excited when I saw this pop up for pre-order. And A Christmas Carol as the play? How exciting. You had me hooked before the cover, which is great.

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  26. I would have bought the book for the cover alone! And I get a great sounding book on top of it! Congrats, Julie.

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  31. Love the cover. This sounds like my kind of book. Mysteries that involve theatres and plays are among my very favorites. Can’t wait to read this.

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