Mysteries have always intrigued me – from trying to discover the identity of a thief or killer to contemplating the motives behind their actions to anticipating the next moves (many courageous, although often foolhardy) of sleuths in their desperate attempts to solve a crime. Nancy Drew was a staple of my youth. And I fondly remember our whole family watching Perry Mason on tv and then gobbling up some of Erle Stanley Gardner’s books and those by other authors that my father received from his mystery book-club-by-mail. As time went on, I delved into everything from traditional works like Agatha Christie to cozies to thrillers – whatever appealed to me at the time. But I always loved the puzzle of how the crime was solved and learning about the personalities of the characters.
Even though I’ve written nonfiction and have enjoyed it immensely (and still do), I always wanted to write a mystery. Although it took me a number of years to begin, I listened to a friend who also came later to the genre and urged me to just dive in and do it. I’m glad I did. My two urban cozies – both very different – were fun to write. I’m currently working on a sequel to one of them. And now I not only get to solve the puzzle – I get to create it! It’s all a challenge and a good one.
My husband and I live in New Jersey and are lucky to have good friends nearby. We have access to nice theater and concerts and enjoy this, too. When I’m not writing, I love music and play both piano and organ. And maybe one of my future mysteries will focus on something in this area. You never know!
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Title To Sketch a Killer
Author Caryl Janis
Genre urban cozy mystery
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Sarah Quinlee needed a change. She sublet a tiny Manhattan apartment, took a new job, and rekindled her passion for sketching. But after accidentally stumbling on a murder victim outside the church next to her workplace, change proved far riskier than she'd anticipated, even for the crime-ridden 1970s. Sarah is quickly pulled into a tangle of neighborhood secrets involving an enigmatic homeless woman, a menacing street punk, a quirky assortment of locals, and coworkers with a past. Her perceptive sketches of them raise some serious questions--and some serious danger. Unable to resist playing sleuth, despite the profound concern of a very attractive police detective, Sarah is soon up against a killer desperate to hide the crime at all costs.
Excerpt
Sarah commented on the delicate lines of a marble sculpture. And Cookie spoke perceptively of the facial expressions captured in several century-old portraits. They reminisced about their after-school sketching classes and how unique these had been.
“Sarah, you really should take more art courses. I can see how much you still love it.”
“I do love it. I’ve even taken out my sketchpad again.” She thought back to a couple of pages she’d added the other night—the inside of Gianni’s intriguing shop as well as a humorous drawing of Edgar with a huge batch of files about to topple off his desk. It had been fun.
“You’re going to tell me everything about the job soon, right?” asked Cookie
before they parted. “The stuff you didn’t tell me today?”
“Absolutely,” said Sarah with a smile. “The job stories will keep. Insurance isn’t the most exciting game in town.” Unless it’s peppered with behind-the-scenes intrigue and murder.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/to%20sketch%20a%20killer
Author Biography
A fan of mysteries since childhood, Caryl Janis now writes her own. Her first, To Sketch a Killer, is an urban cozy set in 1977 Manhattan. She is now working on a sequel. Research Can Be Murder is her newest -- a contemporary cozy set both in Manhattan and its nearby suburbs. A freelance musician and nonfiction author, Caryl enjoys concerts, theater, museums, and spending time with family and friends.
Social Media Links
Website: https://www.caryljanis.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarylJanis
Title Research Can Be Murder
Author Caryl Janis
Genre urban cozy mystery
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Emma Streyt hated to admit she was bored. But her newly retired brother puts an end to that by dropping a stash of old family memorabilia on her doorstep. Cheered on by her best friend, Emma enthusiastically dives into these boxes of antique treasures. But some faded diary pages convince her that century-old thefts-- and maybe something worse -- are tied in with their past. Eager to dig deeper into this mysterious puzzle by doing some serious research, she settles into a neglected New York City archive with an eccentric cast of characters. But more sinister matters than history soon unfold there when a fellow researcher is murdered. And Emma's determination to solve the case makes her a dead-center target for the killer.
Excerpt
Prologue
A Few Days Before Halloween
Boredom takes many forms, but standing in the archive’s museum room and facing a loaded gun is not one of them.
This all began in an effort to combat boredom and when the boxes and trunk arrived, a new and exciting world opened up. Most of it was good, but I just couldn’t let the other part go. Finally, I got in over my head.
Now—trapped between dusty display cases crammed with antique silver and decaying letters from bygone luminaries—a little boredom would be welcome.
This is no random threat. The owner of the gun is not a stranger.
You just never know with people.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Books-a-Million Research Can Be Murder by Caryl Janis (booksamillion.com)
Author Biography
A fan of mysteries since childhood, Caryl Janis now writes her own. Her first, To Sketch a Killer, is an urban cozy set in 1977 Manhattan. She is now working on a sequel. Research Can Be Murder is her newest -- a contemporary cozy set both in Manhattan and its nearby suburbs. A freelance musician and nonfiction author, Caryl enjoys concerts, theater, museums, and spending time with family and friends.
Social Media Links
Website: https://www.caryljanis.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarylJanis