Good news for fans of author Saralyn Richard’s award-winning Detective Parrott Mystery Series: Her latest mystery, Crystal Blue Murder is ready for readers to dive right in and paddle into deep waters of suspense and intrigue.

“Anyone who loves the puzzle of a good mystery and relatable characters who stay in your heart long after turning the last page will enjoy this book,” said Richard, whose series also includes Murder in the One Percent and A Palette for Love and Murder.

As in the other books in the Detective Parrott Mystery Series, Crystal Blue Murder carries readers through a twisty whodunit set in Brandywine Valley, a bucolic area outside Philadelphia that boasts lush countryside, rambling rivers, palatial estates and extraordinary wealth—and, in Richard’s creative mind, an underbelly that belies the natural beauty of the region.

“Before I wrote ‘Murder in the One Percent,’ I attended a birthday party-weekend retreat at a country mansion in Brandywine Valley, and I was smitten with the natural beauty and rustic ambience of the setting,” the author said.

“It reminded me of something out of Agatha Christie, perfectly elegant, and the last setting one would expect a murder to take place. Tucked away in the rolling hills west of Philadelphia and inhabited by some of America’s wealthiest and most powerful citizens, Brandywine Valley is exotic. I’ve had fun pulling back the curtain on the lives of the rich and famous there. Next to Galveston, Brandywine Valley is at the top of my list of favorite places.”

Through Detective Oliver Parrott’s eyes, she said, “we see that money can’t shield them from problems, and their deeply guarded secrets are no less troubling than anyone else’s.”

Richard said she drew inspiration from several real-life people in her life who appear in the book, including Claire Whitman, a former celebrity hostess and television show hostess, who is loosely based on Richard’s mother-in-law.

“My mother-in-law had a glamorous party consultant business in Chicago for many years, and I assisted her with dozens of weddings. It was wonderful to revisit some of those times when developing Claire’s character.”

Galveston readers may recognize the name of a character who plays a major role in this installment of the series: Tammie Caballero, an actual BOI—born on the island—Galveston resident.

A fan of Richard’s writing style, Caballero won the highest bid in an auction for a prize to be a character in Richard’s next book. Auction proceeds benefit the nonprofit Texas Elks Children's Project.

“I am so excited, not just because I'm going to be in a book, but—as I told Saralyn—I was never able to have children, so to keep my last name alive for my grandfather and my father is so important to me,” Cabellero said.

Richard said she learned a lot about Caballero the night of the auction, and she knew immediately this new character would be an easy one for readers to love.

“Aside from being adorable and bubbly, she is family-oriented and generous and cares about others,” the author said. “I'm proud to have her as a character in my book.”

 

In Crystal Blue Murder, Caballero is cast as Claire’s personal assistant, “but it doesn’t take long to see she is much more than that. …I’m honored and excited to share the book’s limelight with such a kind and charitable real-life person.”

Richard is among Galveston’s most prolific writers: In addition to her Detective Parrott Mystery Series, books in her card catalog include Bad Blood Sisters, A Murder of Principal, and a charming children’s book titled Naughty Nana.

But this latest offering has been rumbling in her subconscious for quite some time, she said.

“Detective Parrott has been whispering in my ear for the past two years. He’s got a lot to say about current events, and his life is growing to be more enriched, but also more complicated,” she said.

“I learned that Brandywine police have uncovered occasional meth labs in old bank barns —barns built into banks of earth. I was intrigued by that idea—the remoteness and quiet of the community can be enjoyed, but also abused,” she said.

“As in all my books, I began to play the ‘what if’ game: What if a meth lab exploded in a bank barn on a woman’s property, and a dead body would be found in the rubble?”

And that, dear readers, “became the premise for ‘Crystal Blue Murder.”

A former educator, Richard is dedicated to doing research on all her writing projects, and this book is no exception.

“I always do extensive research for my novels, no matter how familiar I am with the subject matter. In the case of ‘Crystal Blue Murder,’ I researched bank barns—touring many in person—the production of meth, meth explosions and containment, drug rehabilitation, Brandywine Conservancy, and police procedures,” she said.

“Many knowledgeable people continue to be generous with their expertise and time in order to authenticate details in my books. I’m eternally grateful.”

And so are her readers. But fear not: This is far from the last time readers will get to find out what other adventures await Detective Oliver Parrott.

“Writing a series is a lot like reading a series—or returning to a favorite vacation destination, where you know the setting and the ambience, you know many of the characters and their backgrounds, and you know you’re going to be thoroughly entertained in one of your happy places,” Richard said. 

“Best of all, you know you won’t have to say goodbye to the characters you’ve come to love. You know you’ll see them again in the next book.”

WHAT: Crystal Blue Murder by Saralyn Richard
COST: $29 hardcover, $18.48 paperback, $4.99 ebook
WHERE: Autographed copies of the book are available at Galveston Bookshop; the book is also available online at murderintheonepercent.com/bookstore; books in all formats are also available wherever books are sold
LAUNCH PARTY: 6:30-8:30pm on Friday, October 7, at Diana's Bartique, 2425 The Strand, Suite 100, Galveston
BOOK SIGNING: 4-5:30pm on Friday, November 4, at Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy, Galveston
INFO: www.saralynrichard.com