Behind the story . . .

I wrote Saddled with Murder to scratch an itch. :) It's exactly the type of story I wanted to read—which is often what writers say when they're asked the "why" behind a story.

I chose the setting, rural Somerset, based on my time living in the South West of England. When I was in my 20's, I worked at a riding school in rural Devon. One of my duties was to take clients out on horseback to enjoy the countryside and stunning views of the sea. As you can imagine, I felt very lucky getting paid to enjoy the same things myself! I fell in love with the West Country, including Somerset and Cornwall, and though many years have passed since I was there, my imagination often steals back to those places.

As an English teacher, I love literature from classic to modern. In 2024, I decided to scratch my peculiar itch by writing a story that would combine a little history with the whimsy and humor of cozy mystery. From the beginning, I aimed for a compelling, unusual murder with plenty of threads to untangle. With a few humorous references to Regency poetry, as well as some nods to Edwardian changes (a time when motorcars began to replace horses in transportation), I tried to provide a solid sense of the time period without slowing the pace—and without turning it into historical fiction. As for the horse accidents and antics, I drew on my horse-training background to provide an interesting portrayal of how horses might react (and what they might think!) in a variety of situations.

Above all, I hope Saddled with Murder makes you smile (and hopefully laugh) as you escape to another time and ferret out clues to solve the murder alongside Bertie & Harriet.

Looking for more books in the series? I'm on it! Murder with All the Trappings (Book 2) is underway, to be released in 2025.