Why do you write the genre that you write?
I blame my mother! I grew up reading Enid Blyton’s “Famous Five” and “Secret Seven” books, alongside all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy titles I could get my hands on – all from my local library. By the age of ten I “graduated” to reading Mum’s Agatha Christie paperbacks. . .and the rest is, well, let’s say I’ve continued to read crime fiction, and cannot imagine writing anything else. Within the range I write, I’d put my Cait Morgan Mysteries squarely in the Christie camp, because they are all closed circle puzzle mysteries, but with a contemporary setting that’s in a different country for each book. My WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries adopt the “St. Mary Mead” model, in that they take place in and around a Welsh stately home and the local village, but they are private eye books, with puzzle plots woven through them. . .so maybe a bit more “Miss Silver” in style (Patricia Wentworth, another author my mum favoured).

Tell us how you got into writing?
I was fortunate enough to earn my living from writing advertising, PR and training materials for a couple of decades, then submitted a short story to a competition titled “Murder and be published”. I did. I was. Then, twenty years after that, I finally returned to crime fiction, having poured all my writing effort into creating and delivering marketing training courses around the world.

What’s next for you?
I’m currently planning the launch of the eleventh Cait Morgan Mystery: The Corpse With The Granite Heart is published on November 5, 2021. . .and this time we find Cait and Bud in London, England. It’s December, so they should be enjoying some Christmas spirit, and meeting their friend John Silver’s new fiancée. . .but, they quickly find themselves caught up in a series of tragic deaths, which “someone” wants hushed up. Mixing with the family and friends of a recently-deceased Shakespearean aficionado and captain of industry, Cait and Bud find themselves dealing with the upper strata of London society, who seem to think the rules don’t apply to them.

What are you reading now?
Oh don’t ask! I am one of those authors who just cannot read when they’re writing. . .not because I’m afraid the voice of the author I’m reading will creep into my work, but because I have to focus so much on the world I’m creating at the time that I can’t also have another author’s world in my head too! My TBR pile is reaching ridiculous proportions. . .and I see a batch of books with my name on them that will have to be sorted.

Where can we find you?
All my books, and any virtual events I’m attending will be found at my website: cathyace.com
Facebook: Cathy Ace – Author | Facebook
Twitter: @AceCathy
Instagram: @cathyace1

Now to have some fun . . .

Vanilla or chocolate
Chocolate every time!

Pizza or burgers
Burgers, please!

Broccoli or squash
Neither! I’ll take the pizza I was offered in the previous question, thanks.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Okay then, dinner – several courses with champagne, please.

Mountain or beach
I live on a small mountain, so – for a change – I’ll take the beach, thanks.

Introvert or Extrovert
Both. I can summon the extrovert when she’s needed, but am naturally a loner.

And even more fun . . .

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A selection of knives, please. . .husband and I met through scouting and guiding, so I know knives are vital
to survival because you can achieve pretty much anything as long as you have knives; my husband (you
didn’t say I had to be alone, LOL!); hand-wound-battery operated laptop with internet access – I won’t
use it to save us, I promise, but to read the virtual versions of the gazillion books on my TBR pile.

Cathy Ace’s Welsh Canadian criminal psychologist sleuth Cait Morgan encounters traditional, closed-circle whodunits around the world, while her WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries feature a quartet of soft-boiled female PIs who solve more cozy cases from their office at a Welsh stately home. Her standalone suspense novel, The Wrong Boy, has been optioned for TV (as have her Cait Morgan Mysteries). Shortlisted for Canada’s Bony Blithe Award three times in four years, winning in 2015, she’s also won IPPY and IBA Awards, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award. Cathy lives in Canada, having migrated from Wales aged 40.