Rose Gallagher sits down for a Q&A with dru’s book musings responding to twenty or more questions so that we can learn more about her. Are you ready? So, let’s get to know Rose.
What is your full name?
My name is Rose Gallagher. Yes, that’s Irish, and yes, I’m proud of it.
How old are you?
Goodness. That sort of question isn’t typically posed of a young lady in polite society. Let’s just say I’m old enough to be married but not so old that they’re calling me an old maid just yet.
What is your profession?
I’m a detective with the special branch of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Just. . . please don’t mention that to my mother.
Do you have a significant other?
Really, these questions are very fresh. No, I don’t. There may or may not be a certain someone I’ve been pining over for years, but let’s leave him out of it.
Do you have any children?
Certainly not! What a scandalous suggestion!
Do you have any siblings?
Alas, not officially. But our boarder, Pietro, treats my mother like his own, and I guess that makes us brother and sister, of a sort.
Are your parents nearby?
My mother lives with me in Washington Square. She’s been on her own since my da disappeared ten years ago, but we’ve gotten by.
Who is your best friend?
My best friend in the world is Miss Clara Freeman. She used to be the cook in the Wiltshire household, but now she’s going to nursing school. When she graduates, she’ll be one of the first colored nurses in the whole country. Isn’t that amazing?
Do you have any pets?
I do! I recently became the proud owner of my very own horse! Luna is a palomino saddlebred that Thomas. . . I mean, Mr. Wiltshire. . . bought for me out in Dakota Territory. It was love at first sight. W-with the horse, I mean, not. . . er. . . Never mind.
What town do you live in?
I live in New York City, which just happens to be the center of the world.
Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Why, if it isn’t the biggest city, it must be very close.
Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I am very proud to say that I am a brand new homeowner. I just bought a darling federal-style home in Washington Square.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
I ought to say the garden, but the truth is less ladylike. I love sitting up on the roof and looking out over the city, watching the elevated trains go by. Even if it does leave my frock, and Pietro’s tomatoes, with a thin dusting of ash.
Favorite meal and dessert?
My mother makes the best Irish stew in the whole world, and don’t let anyone tell you any different.
Do you have any hobbies?
Oh, yes. The Pinkerton Detective Agency requires its agents to have all sorts of hobbies. Riding. Shooting. Jiu-jitsu. Dancing. My favorite is probably the one that lets me throw grown men over my shoulder.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
I can’t say I’ve ever had a vacation before. I grew up poor as a church mouse, and now. . . Well, I suppose I just never acquired the habit.
What music do you listen to?
I ought to say that I enjoy the opera, but that would be a lie. Honestly, I’m more fond of tavern reels. Have you heard No Irish Need Apply? It’s really very catchy.
Do you have a favorite book?
Oh, it’s so hard to choose! I’d have to say Far From the Madding Crowd, or perhaps Pride and Prejudice.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
I suppose it will sound very dull, but my idea of a perfect afternoon is strolling through Central Park with my best friends, Clara and Edith.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
*** You Just Don’t Know When to Quit, Do You? The Rose Gallagher Story ***
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’ve recently graduated from amateur to professional. My partner is Mr. Thomas Wiltshire, and he’s the finest detective in the agency. He also happens to be the perfect gentleman, and he’s extremely handsome and well-dressed, and. . . I’m going to stop talking now.
In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I’m not sure there’s any such thing for people in my line of work. When you’re a detective in a big city like New York, about the only thing your days have in common is that you’re generally sticking your nose about someplace it’s not wanted. This occasionally results in being shot at, or arrested, or both. From time to time, there might be a little light burglary. If you’re with the special branch of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, you can add to the list the occasional tussle with a ghost or a shade, or a person endowed with the sorts of uncanny powers that people in my line of work refer to as luck. Really, the only thing that’s typical is that your day is never typical. It certainly makes for breathless adventure, and even though I occasionally land myself in extremely hot water, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
The Silver Shooter is the third book in the “Rose Gallagher” historical mystery series, coming November 17, 2020.
It’s the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She’s the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she’s making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.
Things are almost too good to be true―so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine. . .
About the author
Erin Lindsey has lived and worked in dozens of countries around the world, but has only ever called two places home: her native city of Calgary and her adopted hometown of New York. In addition to the Rose Gallagher mysteries, she is the author of the Bloodbound series of fantasy novels. She divides her time between Calgary and Brooklyn with her husband and a pair of half-domesticated cats.
All comments are welcomed.
I have read the other two books in the series. They were great. Now the third takes Rose out west. Sounds very interesting. If you haven’t started this series yet, I suggest you start at the beginning. Get to know the characters. Only two books before this one. Can’t wait to read The Silver Shooter.
I can’t wait to read this one, love the series!