Clea Simon

1 - What's your latest?


Clea Simon: "Grey Matters," the second Dulcie Schwartz mystery, which comes out (in the US) in March. (It's been out in the UK since Dec.)

2 - Assuming I haven't read it, why should I?

Clea Simon: Because I adore Dulcie as a character? Oh, that's your next question. OK, because I use this sort-of-cozy, slightly paranormal to reexamine motive and the classic genre mystery problem of having a cast full of people who are hiding something and may be motivated to kill. How's that?

3 - What can you tell us about your main character that you hadn't realized until you answered the question?

Clea Simon: Well, that I'm really fond of her. Also, she's more naive than I realized originally. She's an academic and she is very smart, but she's a little dopey about people. She doesn't walk into danger. She's certainly not a "don't go in the basement" femme jep type of heroine. But she thinks that her intellect will help her out even when she needs something a little more concrete to go on.

4 - What's your favorite scene and why?

Clea Simon: Possibly when she's interviewing one of the suspects - in the guise of doing an errand for her thesis advisor. She is talking with a crotchety book binder, a real artisan who has little use for the modern world, and she realizes that he's like some wild animal: fine in his own habitat, but a little scary.

5 - What's next?

Clea Simon: Dulcie #3! I have only the slightest idea of a plot as yet, but I do have a deadline. I'm also hoping to find a home for my tongue-in-cheek hardboiled mystery, my "pet noir," soon - but more on that if and when it happens.