Fredrick sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can get to know him better.
What is your full name?
Depends on who’s asking. I’m known to Fiona Figg as Fredrick Fredricks. But there’s also Duke Boris Zakrevsky, Captain Claude Stoughton, and Colonel Beza. None of them my real name, of course.
How old are you?
That’s a rather personal question, don’t you think? A man’s man, lady’s man, man about town never reveals his age. Let’s just say, I’m old enough to know better, but still young enough to pull it off.
What is your profession?
I’m a Jack-of-all-trades, famous for my big game hunting in South Africa—I once guided American President, Teddy Roosevelt. I’m also a journalist and have been known to impersonate an officer in the British Army. Some say I’m a spy master. Just between you and me, I have been known to dabble in espionage.
Do you have a significant other?
I’m working on that.
What is their name and profession?
The delicious and intrepid Fiona Figg, file clerk and British secret agent extraordinaire.
Do you have any children?
One never knows, does one?
Do you have any siblings?
I may or may not have a twin brother.
Are your parents nearby?
My parents and the rest of my family were killed by the British army in the second Boer War. Why do you think I despise the British?
Who is your best friend?
Although I don’t always reciprocate, Captain Clifford Douglas seems to consider me his best friend.
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I believe all animals should be free, including the human variety.
What town do you live in?
I was born in South Africa. But I’m a world-traveler. I’ve lived in London, Paris, Vienna, New York, Cairo, and Moscow—wherever violence threatens to win out over peace.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
Always on the move, I can’t get too attached to anything, especially a dwelling.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
The nearest exit.
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
Dare I say my sweet peach, Fiona Figg? Or would you think me a cad?
Do you have any hobbies?
Undermining colonial governments, fomenting discontent amongst the colonized, and agitating for peace.
What music do you listen to?
The music of the night, especially in the high desert or deep forest.
What is your favorite color?
Red. The color of blood and roses.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
German philosophy. Especially the writings of Fredrick Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud.
Are you a morning or night person?
Definitely a nocturnal creature.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
When I’m not toppling governments, engaging in a battle of wits with my favorite adversary, Fiona Figg.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
The Panther Strikes Again.
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I am loyal to freedom and justice in whatever form it takes, which in my experience is rarely tied to a profession.
What is a typical day in your life like?
Enjoy a healthy breakfast of black-market strawberries and cream. Take physical exercise, possibly on horseback dodging bullets. Don a disguise and sneak into an embassy to “borrow” crucial documents. Afternoon tea with some countess or other. Broker a peace treaty between belligerents. Enjoy cocktails on the palace veranda in the company of royalty and peerage. Slip something deadly into said cocktails. Take more physical exercise in the form of a daring escape. Enjoy a late supper and then a midnight stroll through jasmine-scented gardens. Relax in the arms of my beloved. Possibly more physical exercise in the form of… tsk, tsk, tsk. A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.
Mayhem In The Mountains, A Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery Book #3
Genre: Historical, Cozy
Release: August 2023
Format: Digital
Purchase Link
1918 Italy
When a deadly blizzard traps Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane in the Dolomite Mountains, it’s all downhill from here.
Their hotel is snowed-in, and no one can get in or out. Then a man is found dead in his locked hotel room – and the killer is still on the premises. But with no murder weapon and too many suspects, their investigation is treading on thin ice.
The colder it gets outside, the hotter it gets inside as Fiona squares off with both her beloved Archie and her nemesis Fredricks. With her love-life on a slippery-slope, Fiona risks everything in one bold move…
As fast and twisty as a downhill slalom, this slick new cozy from Kelly Oliver will have you melting into a puddle of laughter.
Snap in and enjoy the ride.
About the author
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: Jessica James Mysteries (contemporary suspense); Pet Detective Mysteries (middle grade); Fiona Figg Mysteries (historical cozy).
Currently, Kelly is Vice President of Sisters in Crime.
Kelly is an Emerita Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to kellyoliverbooks.com.
All comments are welcomed.
An interview worthy of more acquaintance as long as there are pages between this reader and that rascal.
Fredricks is one of the best parts of the series. Good interview.