Hayley Burke is the sleuth in “First Edition Library” mysteries and sits down to answer a few questions so that we can get to know her better.

What is your full name?
Hayley Burke

How old are you?
I’m 46. Ish.

What is your profession?
I am the curator at the First Edition Society’s library, a collection of books from the women authors of the Golden Age of Mystery that is housed at Middlebank House. The library belonged to Lady Georgiana Fowling, who died only a few years ago, aged 94.

Do you have a significant other?
I do indeed.

If so, what is his name and profession?
Val Moffatt. He teaches adult classes in genre fiction writing at Bath College. The college often co-sponsors Society events. How convenient!

Do you have any children?
One! Dinah is 22 and takes classes at the University of Sheffield in the History of Everyday Living.

Do you have any siblings?
No.

Are your parents nearby?
My dad died years ago, but my mum is alive and well in Liverpool. I see her practically every weekend—she’s a smashing woman and we get along famously. Several years ago, she remarried, but that didn’t last long. Good riddance, I say.

Who is your best friend?
Is it too trite to say my mum is my best friend? Or my boyfriend? Along with those two, I’d count Adele Babbage as a bestie. She’s a few years younger than I am, teaches at a local girls school, and is on the Society’s board.

Do you have any pets?
I don’t have a pet of my own, but Bunter the tortoiseshell cat lives at Middlebank. He is the latest in a long line of Bunters.

What town do you live in?
Bath in Somerset, England. Have you been? It’s a truly fabulous place.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Bath is a city, but not as big as London. It’s surrounded by beautiful countryside and is known for its Roman Baths. And Jane Austen.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I live in a flat on the second floor (that’s the third floor to Americans) at Middlebank House. Yes, my accommodations were included in my job—lucky me! It means I’m hardly ever late for work.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
If I could include all of Middlebank House as my “home,” I’d say my favorite place is sitting on the first-floor landing across from the full-length portrait of Lady Fowling and having a nice chat with her.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
If I could make a meal of a plate of chips (and have done so upon occasion), I’d say that was my favorite. And for dessert? A really boozy trifle—something we normally have only at Christmas.

Do you have any hobbies?
I’m not all that good at sewing or playing field hockey. I read a great deal, of course. I enjoy walking up and down the streets in Bath and in the countryside. Narrow boats on the local canals have become a recent interest.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
The seaside! Clacton-on-Sea, Lyme Regis, Brighton, Scarborough, Margate—it’s my hope to visit every seaside town in England. Just the thought of sticking my toes in the sand, eating ice cream against a stiff breeze, and breathing in that salty air makes me want to pack my bag.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
See above answer! But I must also add that I love my job, and so I would equate fun with work-related projects, including putting on an exhibition about Lady Fowling and arranging a winter salon series—all successes, despite the murders that took place.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Women Detectives Take the Case
(See what I did there—Case/Cake. Ha!)

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur, most definitely. I can barely figure out who the murderer is in the books I read—even when it’s spelled out for me (thank you, Monsieur Poirot, for gathering everyone together and giving your blow-by-blow accounts). And yet, when these horrible events have taken place on my doorstep, I must defend not only the library, but my job as well. And I find I’m not too bad at seeing a detail or two in a different light from the police, and sometimes that helps in an investigation. But really, I leave all the hard work to Detective Sergeant Hopgood and Detective Constable Kenny Pye.

What is a typical day in your life like in general and when you are on a case?
Every workday begins the same: my morning briefing with Mrs. Woolgar, secretary for the Society. She was Lady Fowling’s personal assistant for donkey’s years and will let none of us forget. After that, I may work on the latest Society newsletter or plan our next public events. I’m not always stuck behind my desk, because there are errands to do and people to see—you may find me at the Royal Crescent Hotel, the Assembly Rooms, George Bayntun bookshop, or, just possibly, at the Bridge Café having a rock cake and a cup of tea.

The Librarian Always Rings Twice, A First Edition Library Mystery #3
Genre: Cozy
Release: January 2022
Purchase Link

When a mysterious stranger turns up making claims that threaten Lady Fowling’s legacy, Hayley Burke must dig deep into her late-benefactor’s history to uncover the truth and catch a conniving killer in this new mystery from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate.

It has been nearly a year since I took up my position as curator of Lady Georgiana Fowling’s collection of Golden Age of Mystery writers’ first editions at her library in Middlebank House. I have learned that I need to take the good with the bad. The good: I have finally convinced Mrs. Woolgar to open up the collection to the public one day a week so that they too can share in Lady Fowling’s passion. The bad: although he would not be my first, or even tenth, choice, at the insistence of the board Charles Henry Dill, Lady Fowling’s unscrupulous nephew, is now my personal assistant.

On one of our first days open to the public, Mr. John Aubrey shows up at Middlebank House and insists that Lady Georgiana Fowling is his grandmother. Mrs. Woolgar is scandalized by his claims, and Charles Henry, who feels he has been cheated out of his rightful inheritance as Lady Fowling’s heir, is furious. I do not know that I believe Mr. Aubrey, yet he has knowledge of Lady Fowling’s life and writings that few possess. To further complicate matters, an associate of Mr. Aubrey’s intends to help us uncover the truth of John’s story. But before he can do that, he is murdered and the police have reason to suspect Charles Henry.

As much as I would like to lock up Charles Henry and throw away the key, I cannot believe he is a killer. And I also know there is something dead wrong about Mr. Aubrey’s tales regarding his “grandmother” Lady Fowling. I will need to make sense of her past in order to suss out the true villain of this story.

About the author
Marty Wingate is the author of the First Edition Library series and the WW2-set historical fiction Glamour Girls. She also writes the Potting Shed (Bittersweet Herbs, October 2021) and the Birds of a Feather mystery series. Marty leads garden tours to England and Scotland, and also lectures about gardens and travel. She prefers on-the-ground research whenever possible, tracing the steps of her characters, stopping for tea and a slice of Victoria sponge in a café, or enjoying a swift half in a pub. Catch up with her at martywingate.com.

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Marty has generously offered to give away one print copy of The Librarian Always Rings Twice. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends January 8, 2022. Good luck everyone!

All comments are welcomed.