I’m thrilled to have Kellye with us today! We met when we both were on the board of Sisters in Crime. She’s an amazing advocate for other writers and was instrumental in forming Crime Writers of Color. I’m reading Kellye’s just published book Like A Sister and love it. I also love her Detective By Day mysteries.
Here’s a bit about Like A Sister: “I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she’d died from the New York Daily News.”
When the body of disgraced reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her 25th birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. It’s a tragedy, certainly, but not a crime.
But Desiree’s half-sister Lena Scott knows that can’t be the case. A graduate student at Columbia, Lena has spent the past decade forging her own path far from the spotlight, but some facts about Desiree just couldn’t have changed since their childhood. And Desiree would never travel above 125th Street. So why is no one listening to her?
Despite the bitter truth that the two haven’t spoken in two years, torn apart by Desiree’s partying and by their father, Mel, a wealthy and influential hip-hop mogul, Lena becomes determined to find justice for her sister, even if it means untangling her family’s darkest secrets—or ending up dead herself.
Name (s)
Kellye Garrett
Genre(s)
Traditional mysteries and Domestic Suspense
What drew you to the genre you write?
I write what I want to read. (Yes, I’m a cliché!) I grew up loving cozy and amateur detective novels by the likes of Joan Hess and Jill Churchill. Then over the past decade, I’ve fallen in love with domestic suspense by authors like Megan Miranda and Lori Rader-Day.
What sets your book apart from what is out there?
I’m a black woman who writes about black women. You’d think this wouldn’t be such a big deal but unfortunately in crime fiction, it is. There’s a startling lack of diversity in our genre. It’s gotten better since 2016, when it took over a year to sell my first traditional mystery, but we still have a long way to go.
My books have everything you love in the genres—like twists, voicey narrators, family drama, beach read feel—just from a decidedly black perspective.
What are you currently writing?
I’m working on my second domestic suspense standalone. I got the idea while doing a writer’s retreat at a friend’s four story rowhouse. She wasn’t in town so I was alone and remember thinking, “I could walk downstairs tomorrow morning to find a dead body and have no clue how it got there.” So that’s the story. A black woman goes to the New York City area for a romantic getaway. She comes downstairs one day to find her boyfriend gone and a missing woman dead in her foyer.
Do you write a series or standalones? Why?
Both! I actually think there’s a lot of crossover with both amateur detective novels and domestic suspense. It usually involves a close knit community, a first person narrative, and a main character who isn’t professional law enforcement but has to deal with the fall out of a crime. Of course, the tones are wildly different.
What are you reading right now?
I’m on deadline so it’s hard to find time to read.
What is your favorite deadline snack?
Tears? Seriously, I love a minibag of movie theater butter popcorn.
Do you have a favorite quote or life motto?
As anyone who’s ever received an email from me will tell you, my email signature has the following quote from Dorothy Parker: “I hate writing. I love having written.”
It’s been in my signature for over a decade.
Favorite writing space?
I have this lovely desk space…that I have never used. I usually write in bed or on my couch because then I can trick myself into thinking I’m not doing work.
What do you see when you look up from writing?
The above mentioned tears in my eyes!
Readers: Do you like to try and figure out the mystery as you read? Like a Sister has be complete entranced and trying to guess what will happen next.
Bio:
Kellye Garrett is the acclaimed author of the upcoming Like A Sister (Mulholland Books) suspense novel in which no one bats an eye when a disgraced reality TV star is found dead in the Bronx—except her estranged half-sister, whose refusal to believe the official story leads her on an increasingly dangerous search for the truth.
She’s also the author of the Detective by Day mysteries about a semi-famous, mega-broke black actress who takes on the deadliest role of her life: Private Detective. The first, Hollywood Homicide, won the Agatha, Anthony, Lefty and Independent Publisher “IPPY” awards for best first novel. The second, Hollywood Ending, was featured on the TODAY show’s Best Summer Reads of 2019 and was nominated for both Anthony and Lefty awards. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Sisters in Crime and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color. Learn more at KellyeGarrett.com.
Congratulations on your recently released book. I loved it and and I hope others do as well. Love the premise for your second standalone.
Do you think you’ll write another cozy/traditional book?
Thanks Dru. I have about 75% of the third Dayna book done. Would love to revisit it one day.
Welcome, Kellye! Your book has gotten such fabulous hype – I’m picking up my copy today and can’t wait to dive in!
Thanks Edith! Really appreciate you having me and hope you enjoy the book
Thank you for having me. I hope you enjoy it!
Looking forward to reading this one! I don’t know if that is actually the first sentence of the book, but it certainly has grabbed me And makes me want to read it!
It is! Hope you do.
Congrats on the new book! I hadn’t thought about the similarities between cozy/traditional and domestic suspense before, but you’re right. It’s really just a matter or tone.
Thanks Mark!! Definitely a matter of tone.
Thank you for sharing your insights, Kellye. Congratulations on your latest, Like a Sister!
Thank you!
Kellye, congrats on the new book. I like the synopsis a lot so I’m putting this on my buy list. Plus, anyone who name checks Joan Hess is someone I have to read.
Do I like trying to figure out the mystery as I go? Yes, I do. However, I’m almost always incapable of coming up with the right answers so I’m quite accepting of my deductive shortcomings.
I love Joan Hess. I actually got to meet her very briefly at her last Malice.
Congratulations, Kellye, on the publication of your latest book. I look forward to reading it. I listened to the audiobook version of your Hollywood series and loving them.
Thanks Grace. Appreciate you listening!
Thank you for introducing me to a new to me author who I can’t wait to get to know better through her books. Enjoyed getting to know a bit about her through the interview. Now following on Facebook and Twitter.
Congratulations on the release of “Like A Sister” which sounds AMAZING!
Love to walk along side the fellow amateur sleuths and try to figure who whodunit and why. Love when an author throws us for a loop, takes us through detours and completely blindsiding us with the reveal that makes perfect sense once it is.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Always nice to hear from a fellow Garrett!
Super, big time congrats on the new release, Kellye! I’ve got my copy on order. Cheers!
Thank you! Can’t wait for your too!
Congratulations, Kellye! What a great premise. As a former New Yorker, I’m looking forward to revisiting through your eyes.
oh yay. I really tried to put as many real locations as I could.
I am loving Like a Sister so much. The phrase “she has a way with words” keeps running through my head as I read.
Congratulations, Kelley! I can’t wait to read your new book — I have it on reserve at my library. I loved your Detective By Day series. I really don’t try to solve the mystery along with the main character…I just like reading the story. Plus, most of the time, I usually don’t figure out the killer.
Thanks Christi! Hope it’s available soon!
Congratulations, Kellye! I can’t wait to start LIKE A SISTER – it’s my reward for when I finish my edits. 🙂
Hi Liz! Hope I see you at a conference soon.
Likewise!
Welcome to the Wickeds, Kellye. It is so great to have you here. I’m reading a book “for work” right now, but Like a Sister is next up!
Thanks for having me, Barb!
Hi Kellye — I loved your Detective By Day mysteries so I picked up Like a Sister the day it was published. About half way through and loving it!
Congratulations on LIKE A SISTER, Kellye!
Congratulations on your new release! Like A Sister sounds and looks Very Intriguing!! I enjoyed reading your interview. Have a great rest of the week.
This book sounds very intriguing. I try to solve the mystery while I read the book. Sometimes I am right. Sometimes I am wrong. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Congratulations on the publication! Can’t wait to read Like A Sister! Loved your interview here…