Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I think about this every time I sit down to write. I enjoy cozy mysteries because, in addition to the puzzle-solving aspects, I love the idea that a seemingly ordinary person can help bring justice for those who have been wronged. I like the closed setting where you can get to know your characters and their personal motivations—with shots of humor to lighten the darkness beneath.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Kate and her sister Colleen both inherited the Buckley Family dimple. Colleen flashes hers to charm people, but for Kate it never seems to work.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
Lisa Q. Mathews (one “t” in Mathews, a huge pain) is my real, legal name. See my bio below for the “Q.”

Tell us how you got into writing?
I got hooked on mystery at age 6, thanks to the Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport. Later I loved Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. Then, as one of my first jobs in publishing, I was an actual Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew editor. My officemate worked on the Hardy Boys. Eventually I started writing myself under pseudonym for kids’ mystery series, and now I write for grown-ups.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Figure skating pro, lifeguard, camp counselor (taught archery), and I spent one disastrous summer working in a dress shop. After that it was publishing all the way. I now balance my own writing with freelance mystery editing.

How many books do you have published?
The Jig is Up is the first book in the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (coming out Aug. 20th—just went up for pre-order!). I’ve also written 3 titles in the Ladies Smythe & Westin series (set in FL), and many kids’ mysteries under pseudonym.

Where do you write?
Kitchen counter (drives my hubby nuts)

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Dark chocolate chips

Who is an author you admire?
Maeve Binchy and JB Fletcher

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Cozies, but also thrillers, Icelandic procedurals, and rom-coms.

What are you reading now?
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano and Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction edited by Diane Vallere.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Iced tea, year-round & around the clock.

What is next for you?
Book 2 in the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries. Current working title: Crimson in Clover.

Where can we find you?
Please visit my website LisaQMathews.com and sign up for my newsletter. I’m also a member of the Chicks on the Case blog. Other ways to connect with me: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Goodreads.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
ChocolateChocolateChocolate

Ice cream or cake
Ice cream (Ice cream cake, tho…)

Fruits or vegetables
The only veggies I like are really fruits.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner

Dining in or dining out
Out

City life or country living
City, with country retreat

Beach or mountain
Beach, baby!

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
New England gal here—I’m a 4-season fan.

Extrovert or introvert
Extrovert, mostly.

Early bird or night owl
Whooo, me?

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
You’ve Got Mail (and yes, daisies are my favorite flower!)

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A sturdy boat, a trusty carrier seagull, and a friendly dolphin. (The quaint working lighthouse is already there, right?)

My bio:
Lisa Q. Mathews began her publishing career editing Nancy Drew books. She also wrote for kids’ series such as Mary-Kate and Ashley and the Lizzie McGuire Mysteries. She now writes lighthearted mysteries for grownups with strong female characters and plenty of family, including the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (Book #1: THE JIG IS UP is now available for pre-order) and the Ladies Smythe & Westin. Her short story “Fly Me to the Morgue” was an Agatha Award finalist. Lisa lives in New Hampshire. The “Q” in her name stands for “Quinn.”