A.J. McCarthy

A.J. McCarthy grew up with books by Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, and many other masters of mystery and suspense. She has worked in finance, raised two daughters and a couple of furry creatures, and lived her life in a small town north of Quebec City, Canada. She’s an award-winning author with four published suspense mysteries to her credit, another one to be released in June 2021, and plans to have many more to come. A.J. is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Canada. Stay Connected

ajackmccarthy.com

Uncaged welcomes A.J. McCarthy

Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book will release on November 12, called By the Book, a mystery/crime novel set in Canada. Can you tell readers more about this book?

Thank you for inviting me for this interview. It’s a true honor.

By the Book is set in Ottawa, Ontario, and it’s about a writer whose serial-killer novel is being used by a reallife serial killer as a guide for his own evil agenda. The author feels the weight of guilt and responsibility as each murder is discovered and tries to become engaged in the investigation, much to the frustration and concern of the police officers involved.

Uncaged: What inspires you to write in the thriller/ suspense genre? What kind of research do you have to do?

I’ve always loved thriller/suspense/mystery novels. Although, I read many different genres, they stand out as my favorites. Perhaps it’s because I love solving math problems and doing puzzles, so trying to solve a mystery is a natural extension of that passion. When I first began to write, there was never any question of writing in another genre.

As for research, it would depend on the story. For By the Book, although I’ve visited Ottawa many times and have many friends in the area, I’ve never lived there, so I needed to brush up on the location or timing of a few things. I also contacted the Ottawa Police Service with some questions.

In my writing, I often need to gain knowledge about certain jobs or professions, and I usually research them on the internet. At times, I also need to become knowl-

edgeable about different types of crimes, weapons, or methods of murder. I hate to think what would happen if someone monitored my search engines.

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

I have another novel scheduled to be released by Black Rose Writing in June 2021, so I’m working on completing the pre-beta-reader draft.

Faux Friends is a spin-off of Cold Betrayal, my second novel with BRW, and it’s again set in Quebec City with some travel to Montreal. Chantal Pouliot, the police officer who was a secondary character in Cold Betrayal, moves front and center in this novel when she’s assigned to a white-collar crime case that takes a bad turn.

Uncaged: How has the coronavirus pandemic changed your lifestyle? Have you had to change any book promotion plans because of it?

The pandemic has had a big impact on my lifestyle, as it has for so many people. At this time, we are in a very-restrictive partial lockdown in Quebec, but I’m fortunate to be able to work from home, and I count my blessings every day that, so far, none of our family members or friends have contracted the disease.

On the plus side, the total lack of a social life has increased the amount of time I have to write, and I’m taking full advantage of it.

As far as book promotion, the release of By the Book will have to be celebrated exclusively online, since it will be impossible to hold my usual in-person book launch event and after-party. However, if that’s the biggest sacrifice I have to make as a result of this pandemic, I will do it willingly.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

thors that I admire. I could easily rent a large hall and I wouldn’t be able to fit them all in. For past authors, I would have to pick Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sidney Sheldon, and Mary Higgins Clark. Contemporary authors would include David Baldacci, Harlen Coben, James Grippando, Lisa Jackson, Heather Graham; the list is endless. There are so many who would have interesting stories to tell, from the big names to the relatively unknown. Everyone has lived a different journey that’s worth hearing, and I would love to learn from all of them.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

Yes, often. I’m a pantser (writing by the seat of my pants), and as I’m writing, characters regularly go off on a tangent that I hadn’t intended or thought of. Most of the time, I give them free rein. I’ve found they’re

Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

There isn’t a lot of time that I’m not either working or writing, but we’re fortunate enough to live in a lovely, quiet corner of a rural town north of Quebec City. I like to walk and enjoy the scenery. I also like to spend time with my daughter and 15-month-old granddaughter, Mia. It would be a stretch to define that as relaxing, but it’s certainly fun, exciting, and distracting.

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

Many measure success in dollars or quantity of books sold, but few realize the amount of hours and effort that goes into writing a novel. If an author writes with the sole goal of becoming a bestseller and independently wealthy, they should choose another field.

I write because I love the process and the challenge. If I was unable to sell a single copy, I would still continue to write. In other words, I consider an author successful if they derive personal satisfaction and happiness from the task and they continue to write no matter the outcome. It’s hard work, and they deserve recognition for it.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I love to feel a physical book in my hands. However, most of the novels I’ve been reading lately are in ebook form for various reasons. When I want to treat myself, I pick up a paperback, and it feels like a guilty pleasure. Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of novels by fellow Black Rose Writing authors, and I’m enjoying it immensely. My TBR pile is huge, not only because I want to encourage BRW writers, but I’m also exploring several other authors I haven’t read before. This is a new trend for me. I used to always stick to the tried and true stable of authors, and now I’ve discovered a whole new world of books and writers. I would love to thank each and every one of you who have encouraged me, written reviews, and recommended my books to others. I hope that my work has given you at least a fraction of the pleasure I had writing it.

Enjoy an excerpt from By the Book

By the Book A.J. McCarthy Hard-Boiled Mystery Releases Nov. 12

A clue is left at a murder scene: a page from a paperback novel. The title of the book is Murder by the Dozen, and local author, T.L. McGinnis, cannot provide any leads. Detectives Josh Riddell and Clint Weller of the Ottawa Police Service are worried about what lies ahead. It soon becomes evident their worst fears have been realized, and a serial killer is using the novel as a guide. It’s impossible to foresee and safeguard all the potential victims, and time is running out. But who is the killer’s real target?

Excerpt

Chapter 1:

The figure glided to the bed on soft-soled feet. The face of the intended victim was at ease, lashes dark against her pale cheeks. The curve of her lips suggested a pleasant dream. Jennifer Danvers slept the sleep of the dead, the intruder thought. The pun provoked a smile; a hand stifled a chuckle.

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

care, and it inspired a sense of excitement; the adventure had begun at last. It had taken months of planning and hour upon hour of research. A few hiccups were expected along the way, but the killer didn’t question the likelihood of accomplishing the goal.

Despite a sense of elation, the hands were steady as the person leaned over the bed and wrapped latex-covered fingers around Jennifer’s throat. Her lovely blue eyes opened, startled, and her hands grabbed her assailant’s wrists as she struggled to free herself, to no avail. Training and preparation were on the killer’s side.

“You should be honored.” The words were spoken with a smile, even as the fingers increased their pressure, and terror-filled eyes pleaded for mercy. “You’re perfect. The most perfect I’ve found. We’ll go down together in history.”

It was over within minutes, too quick for the killer’s satisfaction, and the young woman’s body slumped, lifeless, on the bed. The act completed, the murderer took a few moments to relish the sight of her: the slack mouth, the bulbous eyes staring back, as if in wonder. Exhilaration flowed through the killer’s veins. So powerful, so clever, so much in control. A laugh escaped, a brief staccato burst.

“No one will ever suspect me. They never do. I’m invisible.” The words were addressed to the body on the bed, as if expecting a response. “I may not come across as being special, but I can do whatever I want to, and I’ll prove it. You’ve been an enormous help. Thank you.”

The corpse received a bright grin as a reward. “Oh, I can’t forget. I have a few things to take care of, haven’t I?”

From a pocket, a pair of tweezers were removed. Unzipping a bag pinned to the front of the person’s white coveralls, a small, red plastic heart was extracted. Jennifer’s mouth was opened, and the heart was lodged against her tonsils. Thin lips curved into a smile of admiration before closing the victim’s mouth and blocking the heart from view. Next, the tweezers were used to pull a crisp piece of paper from the bag. The killer squatted, placed it beneath the bed, and pushed it under as far as possible, taking care not to bend or tear it.

“There. Once upon a time.”

DON’T MISS THESE TITLES: