New Book Review: Write Me a Murder

Title: Write Me a Murder 

 Author: Philippa Wozniak 

Date: 2023 

Publisher: Philippa Wozniak 

Quote: "Even though she was a speaker at the conference, it was unusual to have accommodations provided." 

Why is everyone at the writers' conference being so nice to Myrtle Glubber? She's not an especially successful writer, though she is credited with organizing a successful writing group. She's well along in middle age, not old enough to be venerated for the length of her career, only just enough to resent the sleek, good-looking girls of forty/ She's not especially dedicated; we don't see her working on her next novel in any way, not even soaking up the atmosphere of a new city. During her one interview with a serious publisher, a Mr. Krebbs, who everyone says is as crabby as he sounds, but still..., says her latest novel "stunk." Yet a foreign-owned publishing group gives her and other unknown writers from her writing group substantial awards and publishing contracts. Myrtle doesn't think the others' books were that good, so we can infer that hers won't be on any university reading lists of the future, either. 

And were any real baby-boomers actually called Myrtle? My impression was that use of that name peaked around 1900, maybe 1910. And who is Ms. York, who approaches Myrtle just as Myrtle is starting to enjoy all the freebies at the luxury hotel? Is York really from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and if so why would she ever think Myrtle could be of use to her? Myrtle hasn't seen anything amiss with her new publisher and, given their generosity, is not inclined to look very hard.

Is this a cozy mystery? Yes, because although the arrest count is high, the body count is low. Only one body is found. Myrtle will solve the mystery and may have a better career solving mysteries in her real life than writing them as fiction--at least, this novel ends with a page from the next volume in a series.