Jenna Quinn sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her better. Are you ready? Jenna, take it away!

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What is your full name?
Jenna Renee Quinn. My mom picked my first name from a baby book. She fell in love with the name. But my dad picked my middle name. He named me after his grandmother, Renee.  

How old are you?
26

What is your profession?
Previously, I was an accountant, but I currently own a bookstore selling used and antique books, which I inherited from my uncle. It’s in what’s now the historic district. It all used to be warehouse space until the Town Council rezoned it as a business area. They revamped the warehouses, turning them into businesses with apartments above. Any business in the district must be one which might have been present at the turn of the twentieth century.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, I’ve recently begun dating someone, but it’s still pretty new.

What is their name and profession?
Detective Keith Logan with the Hokes Folly Police Department.

Do you have any children?
No, not yet. I’d like to have children someday, though.

Do you have any siblings?
No. My parents wanted more children, but it was a struggle to conceive me. They were never able to have more children, even though they tried.

Are your parents nearby?
My parents live a few hours away in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Who is your best friend?
My neighbor, Rita Wallace. She works at the local five-star inn as a hair and makeup artist, and she’s a huge tea drinker. Most of all, she believed in me when she didn’t have to, and I don’t know what I ever did without her.

Do you have any pets?
I do now! It’s my first pet of any kind. We never had pets when I was a kid. My mom was allergic to cats and dogs. Recently, I rescued a dog named Eddy. Well, sort of rescued, sort of inherited.

What town do you live in?
Hokes Folly, high in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Hokes Folly is a small town with a population of less than ten thousand. The town thrives due to the historic significance of the Hokes Bluff Inn, where my friend Rita works, and all the businesses in the historic district.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
 I live in an apartment—also inherited—which connects to my store with a beautiful spiral staircase. It’s a two bedroom and two bath plan with soaring ceilings and an open floorplan.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
In the mornings, I love sipping my coffee while gazing out the large windows at the cobblestone streets below. Eddy loves it, too. He likes to watch the squirrels and birds that light in the trees, sit on the benches, or skitter along the sidewalks.

Favorite meal and dessert?
 I’d probably say Italian food, although I love a lot of different food styles. As for dessert, I don’t have that much of a sweet tooth, but dark chocolate is always appreciated.

Do you have any hobbies?
I guess you could say antique book collecting is becoming a hobby. I never had time for a real hobby, although when I was younger, my grandmother taught me to crochet, quilt, and cross stitch. Maybe I’ll try my hand at those again once things settle down a bit.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I’ve never really had time to “vacation.” But if I could, it would be somewhere with sand and surf and drinks with little umbrellas in them. I’d spend time reading and eating too much and checking out all the local shops.

What music do you listen to?
 I like a variety, from country to rock to classical top 40. It just depends on my mood at the moment, I guess.

Do you have a favorite book?
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. My uncle gave me my first copy of it when I was a child, and I took it everywhere I went. I used to beg everyone to read it with me. I especially liked it when my dad read it, because he used funny voices for the characters.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
I love a good cookout with friends: food on the grill, side dishes, cold drinks, music playing, lots of fun and conversation.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I wouldn’t claim to be a sleuth, but I have friends who have helped me find out what happened to my uncle and to a man who died. . .well, you’ll see. Keith helps me, along with Rita and my employee, Mason Craig.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I get up and walk Eddy. Then it’s back to the apartment to get ready for work and eat breakfast. Down to the store we go, where Mason and I sell used and antique books all day. Eddy alternates between greeting customers and sleeping in the sunshine pouring through the front windows. In the evenings, I sometimes have friends over or go out with Keith. Sometimes, though, I stay in alone and curl up with a good book and my dog until I fall asleep.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
If you’re asking what happened when I helped solve a couple of murders—really, I had to do something—I’d have to say there’s nothing “typical” about it. I still sell books, but I’ve done a bit of snooping, too. Mason is always a huge help. He takes care of the store when I need to be out and about gathering information. Rita is always up to help put all the pieces together, and I’ve recently discovered she’s always up for an all-night stake out.

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Murder by the Bookend, An Antique Bookshop Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: September 2021
Purchase Link

Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn sleuths again when a pair of glass bookends puts an end to a librarian’s life, in this second installment of Laura Gail Black’s cozy series.

The quaint warehouse district of Hokes Folly, NC, is hopping despite the drizzly November chill. The occasion? The mountain town’s beloved antiquarian bookstore, Twice Upon a Time, is throwing a bash for its grand reopening. But bookseller Jenna Quinn’s peace of mind is shattered when the local library’s Director of Antique Books turns up dead in the parking lot–his head bashed in by a glittering pair of vintage glass bookends.

As they examine the murder scene, Jenna and her police detective boyfriend happen upon the only witness–the victim’s dog, who flees the scene leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind. If only dogs could speak, Jenna might be able to make quick work of the murder case and get back to stocking her bookcases.

Alas, finding the killer won’t be so easy, even though this is not Jenna’s first murder investigation–indeed, she inherited Twice Upon a Time from her slain uncle. The suspect list is voluminous–the late librarian had not-so-friendly run-ins with numerous guests–but suspicion eventually centers on three unsavory individuals who left the party shortly before the victim did.

Now, Jenna must edit her inventory of suspects from three names to one, before the bloodthirsty bookend-wielder becomes the author of Jenna’s demise.

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About the author
Laura Gail Black writes cozy mysteries on the beautiful shores of Lake Marion in South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and four rescue dogs. When not writing or participating in endless rounds of tug-of-war, fetch, or tummy rubs, Laura loves to spend time on the water. She also enjoys beading, crochet, cross-stitch, and all things tea.

All comments are welcomed.