A Case for the Ladies Release Day #giveaway

by Posted on

Breaking News: Lois Rotella is the lucky winner of the tote bag! Congratulations, Lois, and please check your email.

Edith/Maddie here, soaring with excitement north of Boston.

This post’s title says it all – A Case for the Ladies is officially out in the world! Isn’t it fitting that this is also Women’s History Month?

I could tell you about all the research I did, who the chicks on the case are, the kinds of of crimes that went on in 1926 Boston, food and drink of the era, and more, but I’ve written blog posts that appear (or will appear) elsewhere on those topics (see the full list with links at my web site).

Instead, let me share how this book came to be. I’ve been working on it for years. I’d already developed alternate histories for my two grandmothers as lady PIs in 1920 Pasadena (I had ideas about using Dorothy in fiction brewing even in 2017). Two stories featuring Dort and Ruth were published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (“An Excellent Team” is here, and I read “Peril in Pasadena” for their podcast). After I got the idea to pair Dot with Amelia Earhart, I began a short story with the two of them. That was in January of 2021. “Dark Corners” was published in Bloodroot: Best New England Crime Stories (Crime Spell Books) in November, 2021.

Then I thought up a dual-timeline story. It had two women and a murder in the present connected with Dot and Amelia continuing to work for justice in the past. I began that book in June, 2021 and worked on it all summer. I tried to weave the two timelines together, but it was a writing challenge I’d never tackled before.

An independent editor read it, and her first piece of feedback was, “You might consider splitting these stories into two books, to give each its full due.” I knew I hadn’t tied the stories together well enough, so I followed her suggestion (the contemporary half-book still awaits a full treatment). Dot’s Aunt Etta got her own narrative point of view as did Dot’s reporter friend Jamie, although most of the book is told through Dot’s eyes. I felt Amelia was too well-known for her to help tell the story, but I did give her plenty of action and dialog.

I kept revising, snatching a month here and there between the series I have under contract with Kensington Publishing. At the beginning of this project, the pandemic was still raging and I wasn’t traveling at all, so I had more time to work on a dream project.

The book got another deep edit from the first person, who suggested to focus more on the women. Thus male reporter Jamie from “Dark Corners” became female Jeanette. I kept working. I eventually thought it was ready for another edit, which resulted in additional helpful comments from a different editor. My agent, John Talbot also read it, and among other helpful comments suggested adding bookends before and after the main story. I decided that Dot, now a wife and mother to three, found a letter from Amelia many years later. It prompts Dot to reminisce about the past and the future.

I asked five hot-shot historical mystery authors – including our own Jessica Ellicott – for endorsements and got a page full of blush-inducing compliments.

And then I undertook to publish the book independently. What a process that has been – I wrote here about the the evolution of the cover and more! But it’s out now, and I’m delighted it is. I’ll be hoisting a gimlet later in the day to celebrate.

Readers: What project of yours evolved as you worked on it? I’ll send the lucky winner one of my limited-edition Case for the Ladies tote bags!

And if you read and like the book, please remember that a short positive review on Amazon and Goodreads goes a long way toward helping the author. Thanks!

Unknown's avatar

Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

64 Thoughts

  2. This sounds so exciting. I remember making my first and only crazy quilt project years ago. So much fabric cutting, only to piece it together again. But it made a beautiful jacket.

    Like

  4. Congratulations on your book birthday! No need to enter me in the contest. I look forward to reading this story.

    Like

  5. Congratulations! As far as an evolving project goes, I’d have to say my flower gardens. I started out having them at the front of the house as well as one side. Then, the evolving began lol! I added a small garden out back on the top of an uphill area, added a flowering tree, and recently transplanted some hostas in it. Then I decided our rock wall needed some plants, this year I’m thinking my lily of the valley area needs more something!

    Like

  6. I would have to say what I cook has evolved. My new passion is stir fry meals in a cast iron Wok. No two are alike. As time goes on I use a lot more veggies.

    Like

  7. Congratulations on the release of A CASE FOR THE LADIES! Such a fabulous sounding story and a magnificent cover. I can’t wait to read and review it. I’d say good luck for a successful release, but there is no luck involved. Your skill as an author and the words in the story will positively make it a delightful and complete success.

    Probably the biggest and longest project we worked on was where retirement was going to be spent and what it would be like. We kind of knew where, but how to make it happen and working towards it too years. We had over the span of about 5 years replaced our worn our furniture for some Amish furniture that we had been admiring for years. Know the then forever furniture we had, we started playing with floor plans that it would fit in. We thought he had the perfect plans for us designed – until we found the perfect piece of property to buy. Located on it were two of the original 1853 large stone fireplace from the homestead home. We knew immediately that we wanted to incorporate them into our home – one in the living area and one in the bedroom. That meant working with more floor plan ideas. Once the perfect set of plans were in hand, he had to find a builder. Suggestions made on the plans so floorplans had to be tweaked some. This being our forever home, we wanted to have free hand in picking out everything in it. That entailed visited to shops and Amish businesses from other cities in our state to going from AR to IN to find exactly what we wanted. Years of planning, changes and discussions later, we finally got to move into the end results. Each day when I get up, I smile at the fact that we got to see our dreams fulfilled. I still love the end results, all the advice given and every decision we made along the way.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Like

  9. congrats on the new book. evolving projects – isn’t that what life is? one long evolving process?

    Like

  11. Hello! Looking forward to reading this book and checking out the podcast you mentioned! One of the projects that has evolved the most for me is a small video series that I did promoting the popcorn sale for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. I had a spokesman, Larry Greenleaf, that was actually talking Fisher-Price action figure. As time went on, the videos became longer and longer, and involved Larry actually having a Strange cooking show where we would cook ridiculous recipes that involved popcorn. Usually a normal recipe that somebody poured popcorn on top of. It started out as 32nd clips… And wound up being 10 minute videos with its own music, plot lines, and of course the cooking segment. The pandemic was a strange time!

    Like

  12. Congratulations! This historical is a captivating treasure. My constantly evolving and changing life which is never dull.

    Like

  13. Edith, congratulations on your mission being accomplished and A CASE FOR THE LADIES being officially out there for all to see (and read)!

    Having read the earliest version of the story, I’m definitely looking forward to reading this finished version of the story. I have no doubt that I will be as entertained with Dot & Amelia, etc. as I am with everything else you have written.

    Like

  15. Congratulations Edith! I am such a big fan of your other series, that I am very excited to add this new book to my TBR list. I love historical fiction.
    I would say my project would be serving on the local board of education. I started over a year ago but feel like I am finally coming into my own on it. I just love it. Thank you for the chance to win. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

    Like

  16. Edith, I love learning about a book’s spark and development. What an encouraging post you have here. Best of luck with A CASE FOR THE LADIES!

    Like

  17. Congratulations Edith! Your creativity is wonderful. This novel is extraordinary and a special creation. My efforts at cooking have improved and evolved throughout my life.

    Like

  19. Congratulations on the book! For me it would be cooking and baking. I am more open now to try new recipes. Even recipes I never would have thought that I would enjoy making!

    Like

  20. Congratulations on the release of your newest book. Cannot wait to read. The time frame sounds very interesting.

    Like

  23. Brava! Reviews posted ❤ My longest "project" was becoming a teacher, a goal since kindergarten, sidelined by a teacher surplus (imagine!) when I got my degree in '72, finally realized in '80. There was also, more recently, the making of my two storytelling CDs, a vague wish until a workshop on taking one small step at a time presented by Michael Parent in Denton, TX. The organizers of the weekend gifted me entry to this extra workshop, and the first step was listing the stories I'd include. Then a WOW weekend retreat in KY with Mary Hamilton and Cynthia Changaras helped with further plans, and Apple Store creatives helped with the tech. I've sold or given away most of them, but CD Baby put all the stories online, so they will be around a while. (They say the internet is forever, but I'm a skeptic). https://storytellermary.wordpress.com

    Like

  24. I remember many years ago having to teach a class during a three-day seminar and spending months preparing for it. My supervisor and I were thrilled when it got great feedback.

    Like

  26. Congratulations, Edith! It’s always inspiring to see another book from you – I swear, you’re one of the busiest women in crime fiction today! -Julia Spencer-Fleming

    Like

  27. Edith- what a labor of love! Must’ve been so fun. The cover is absolutely delightful, the chapter airplanes a very nice touch and even the back cover is perfect. Will be a special read for all of us who now know the attention and affection that you’ve devoted to its birth- the story must be totally engaging.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Kathy Crabtree – Author
    Celebrating women of a certain age, invisible to many, who use their deductive reasoning to fight crime. The bad guys never see them coming.

    Like

  29. I love the cover. Congratulations. A project that just evolved for me would be going through my books. I always find that I have some that are duplicates as well as many that I forgot that I had that I wanted to read. God bless you.

    Like

  31. Congratulations on your new book. I would say that happens to me when I start going through my books. I find books that I forgot that I owned as well as many that I want to read. God bless you.

    Like

  32. I have so many projects that I have started and some finished and some not. I have been working on my family’s genealogy on Ancestry and going through newspaper articles and all of the ephemera that my parents kept (which is massive). My maternal grandfather published several genealogy books back int he 1950s. Then his son and my uncle kept on the tradition. Then when he died, my aunt, his sister, kept on with it. It was way harder in those days as you had to travel to courthouses, cemeteries, family’s information, and so much more. It is a bit easier now as you can do it all online but there are so many rabbit holes. Then her son continued and published two books on the information that he had gleaned and researched. Then the unexpected happened and he did tragically in a riptide drowning last September. Now it may be up to me. I do not know if I can do the intense research that they did. I have also been working on my paternal ancestry, my husbands and two friends. All it takes is time. And life goes on with reading and jigsaw puzzling and puppy dog loving. We shall see where this leads me. I love your books as you know.

    Like

  34. Pingback: Packing, Packing, Packing! – The Wickeds

Comments are closed.