This is our interview with Rose Donovan, author of Death in Velvet!
1. Lady sleuths are very much their own genre, but we loved how original this felt. Tell us about some of your own favourite lady sleuths.
Where do I begin?! So many come to mind. At the moment, I love Blanche White (by Barbara Neely), Dayna Anderson (by Kellye Garrett), Cordelia Grey (by P.D. James), and Emily Trefusis (by Agatha Christie). All four are so believable, determined, and clever. They know how to get what they want.
2. The characters were a standout part of the novel for us, and the banter between them felt very natural. Are any of the characters or dialogues based off of real-life inspirations?
Thank you! None are based on real people, but they have elements of those I’ve met. Since childhood, I’ve loved inhabiting the world of British fiction and mysteries, whether on the page or on screen. So much so that I’ve absorbed it by osmosis—and luckily live in the UK now. Once I get a character’s voice in my head, it becomes easy to write their dialogue because I can hear what it sounds like.
3. The mystery had us guessing for most of the novel, and we’re curious how you construct your mysteries. Do you start at the end? What’s your process like?
Believe it or not, I never know the killer when I start. What I do know are the characters, the setting, the victim, and how the murder will occur. As you know, most mysteries have a second murder, which is also a mystery to me when I begin.
I construct the story so everyone is a possible murderer. As I near the end of the first draft, I get a sense of who it will be. Then, I usually change my mind, even after that. The challenge of doing it like this is that it requires a lot of revision to make sure everything lines up, but I’m not sure I could do it any other way. If I know the killer before I begin, I lose the excitement of writing and tend to subconsciously lay too many clues about it as I write.
4. Scenes like the dinner early on, when the characters get to reveal parts of themselves and potential motives, felt like a call-back to Poirot, you know where he gathers all the suspects in one room to explain his reasoning? How much of the callbacks were deliberate?
Yes, these scenes are a deliberate homage to Poirot. Initially, I write them as much for myself as I do for the reader – to ensure everything is correct – and then I revise them to fit the story and become (hopefully) a little more lively.
I love the idea of a “fair play” mystery, such as those Agatha Christie writes. Ideally, the story should be engaging on its own, but then you have the added challenge of solving a puzzle. The trick is to balance the two!
5. We’re curious how much research went into dress-making, and the time period, and how much of it was something you were already interested in? How much did you have to learn?
I adore the clothing style of the early-to-mid 1930s. If you’ve ever watched films from that era, you’ll see both clean lines but also a flamboyance as well. That’s what Ruby specialises in her designs. Beyond the usual internet research and Pinterest boards, Charlotte Fiell’s 1930s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook was my bible. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this period.
It was a steep learning curve for me, particularly because there are American and UK style differences (e.g., a vest in British English is not the same as a vest in American English), and I know nothing about dressmaking! My fantastic UK editors Carrie O’Grady, Nicky Taylor, and Kath Smith) provided invaluable assistance in navigating these challenges.
6. Speaking of the time period, there were times it really felt like a historical novel with specific nods to items, clothing, events in the world, and so on. Is there something about the time period that calls out to you?
Besides the fact that it’s the “golden age” of detective fiction, I love Art Deco style and the historical complexities of the 1930s. In particular, that period saw many independence movements and upheavals in response to the British (and other) empires, so it works well for the background political theme of these books.
7. We’ve already made a note to check out the sequels, but we’re curious to hear your thoughts on the mystery genre being associated with formulas and repetition. How do you keep a sleuth series from falling into that same trap?
Whilst you definitely want to avoid repetition, familiarity with a cast of core characters and a particular world is why I write and love detective series. There’s an ease and comfort in returning to characters you already know and love, just like going to your local pub.
Keeping it fresh involves gradually expanding on the characters and their world. In the latest book, Mystery in a Mask, Ruby and Fina have been “sent down” from Oxford for their political activities, so this gives them a chance to explore Ruby’s new village of Crickle Hythe during a fancy dress party. I do have to be careful about repeating certain motives and minor characters, but other than that, it is fairly easy to keep it fresh.
8. We love asking this of novels with a great cast: who would you want to play each of the major characters in a Death in Velvet movie?
Pixley Hayford would definitely be played by Jason Barnett from Bridgerton and Agatha Raisin.
Ruby Dove would be played by musician and singer Hazel Scott, who is unfortunately no longer alive! I always look at her photos when I’m writing Ruby. This iconic photo from Essence magazine is the first one I used when creating her character. If I had to pick someone who is a current actor, it would be Tamara Lawrance.
As for Fina Aubrey-Havelock, Nicola Coughlin (Bridgerton) would be an excellent choice. Anyone with a feisty gleam in her eye.
9. Bonus question, who would do the soundtrack?
Here’s the soundtrack I use when writing Ruby books:
Part 1
Moonglow Django Reinhardt
Cotton Tail Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Take The “A” Train Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
It Don’t Mean A Thing Django Reinhardt
Scrapple From The Apple Charlie Parker Quintet
Sweet Georgia Brown Oscar Peterson Trio
At Sundown Oscar Peterson Trio
Black Beauty Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Moten Swing Various Artists, Ken Burns Jazz
Dinah Django Reinhardt
I Love Paris Oscar Peterson Trio
Honeysuckle Rose Django Reinhardt
Body And Soul Coleman Hawkins
Star Dust Louis Armstrong Orchestra
St. Louis Blues Louis Armstrong
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby? Louis Jordan & His Tympany
Jeeves Intro (Jeeves songs from Jeeves & Wooster soundtrack)
Part 2
Jeeves: Berkeley
Limehouse Blues Django Reinhardt
It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) Duke Ellington
Charleston James P. Johnson
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Oscar’s Boogie Oscar Peterson Trio
Sleigh Ride Lloyd Glenn
Jeeves: The Grind
The Mooche Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Fine And Dandy Oscar Peterson Trio
Mood Indigo Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Night And Day Django Reinhardt
It’s De-Lovely Oscar Peterson Trio
The Pearls Jelly Roll Morton
Sugar Foot Stomp Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra
Minor Swing Django Reinhardt
We were so lucky to get to speak with her and hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did! If there are any questions we missed, or something you want to know more about, please don’t hesitate to ask us a question in the comments below! If you enjoyed Death in Velvet, be sure to check out the rest of Ruby’s adventures!
To learn more about what Rose is up to, check out her website here!