In A Purse to Die For, Melodie Campbell and Cynthia St-Pierre set up a series featuring me and my friend Gina. In case you haven’t read it, let me introduce myself. I’m ever so pleased to meet you. I’m Becki Green. I’m the sidekick.

As good people in my adopted home town of Black Currant Bay in northern Ontario, Canada, say, and as I’ve come to embrace myself, rather than try and deny, I’m an artsy-fartsy, tree-hugging, vegetarian amateur detective. With my half-sister Anne, I run a design shop called Beautiful Things. Oh, and I’m married to the Chief of Police.

Here on Dru’s Book Musings and under the banner “A Day In The Life”, I’d like to shed light on what it’s like to be as Conan Doyle’s Watson is to Holmes, or as Christie’s Hastings is to Poirot. See, I’ve solved a whole bunch of mysteries at home in Black Currant Bay all by myself…or…maybe with just a tad of info dragged out of hubby Karl. The novel A Purse to Die For recounts the story of the first time ever I’ve been occupied with murder away from home and—how can I say this without sounding like an ego-maniac which I assure you I’m not—I’ve played the role of sidekick and not the central figure.

To be sure, in A Purse to Die For, Gina is the one with an eye for fashion and it’s that particular skill that provides a major clue when bodies start to pile up. My friend Gina is a fabulous, endearing, young woman. I’ve known her all her life. We’re family in a convoluted sort of way. We love each other. Let me say this loud and clear, there’s no competition or jealousy between us. I’m just a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t live up to my full potential in that case.

Here’s the crux of the matter with regard to what it’s like to play backup when solving crime. Gina has so many wonderful characteristics that are unique to her alone, and at the same time I dare say that I have my own particular qualities. Aren’t we all exceptional in different ways? If we were all exactly the same with the exact same talents, what a boring, not to mention overcrowded world this would be. Right?

So superhero one day, sidekick the next. But in the spirit of “A Day In The Life” sharing, let me reveal a headline activity that I am involved in every day. Vegetarian cooking. My blog Vegetarian Detective is a food diary that includes recipes and—I’ve been told—mouth-watering photos. I invite you to come by, you’re more than welcome! I look forward to hearing from you and chatting more. Here’s the link: vegetariandetective.blogspot.com. PS I have a recipe for vegetarian Brownies.

Meet the authors
Cynthia: in marketing Cynthia wrote promotional, packaging and communications materials; penned articles for business periodicals; and a chapter of How to Successfully Do Business in Canada. Currently a member of Crime Writers of Canada, she has one award for fiction and has been a writing contest judge. Best of all for a mystery writer, Cynthia has received a York Regional Police Citizens Awareness Program certificate, presented and signed by Julian Fantino, former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. Cynthia grows vegetables in her backyard, makes recipes with tofu, and speaks English-accented French with husband Yves.

Melodie: Melodie Campbell has a Commerce degree from Queen’s University, but it didn’t take well. She has been a bank manager, marketing director, comedy writer, college instructor and possibly the worst runway model ever. Melodie has over 200 publications, including 30 short stories and 100 humour columns. She has won six awards for fiction. Her first novel, Rowena Through the Wall (Imajin Books) went No.2 on Amazon.ca fantasy, futuristic in Aug. 2011. A Purse to Die For (Imajin Books), co-written with Cynthia St-Pierre, is her second novel. Her third novel, The Goddaughter, is published by Orca Books. Melodie is the General Manager of Crime Writers of Canada.

A Purse to Die For debuts the Fashionation with Mystery series—fashionationwithmystery.com.

Book is available at retail and online booksellers.