Review of The Library by Author Carmen DeSousa

                                                                       
                                                                     

When I was asked to review the book, The Library by Carmen DeSousa, I jumped at the chance. I’m an admirer of Carmen’s work and I was not disappointed with her newest story, which featured Detective Mark Waters.

                                                                 

 

I love reading stories that has smart and sexy detectives, a good mystery with loads of 'who did what', and last but not least; ghosts. The Library gives you all three elements in a fast moving tale of greed, secrets and revenge. Can the dead seek retribution from the grave? Buy the book and find out. In fact you’ll find yourself wanting to read The Pit Stop and The Depot, too. I'm so happy to have Carmen DeSousa as a guest on my blog.

 

Marie Gilbert: What was your inspiration for The Library? Are the plots based on true events?

Carmen DeSousa: Though fictional, my idea for The Depot stemmed from a ghost who supposedly haunts a 1930s tavern I used to work at in Rockledge, FL called Ashley’s Café.

                                                                

Since I’d always been interested in the supernatural, I decided to look up the woman’s death. At the time of her death, it was on record as one of the most heinous murders in Florida’s history. The murderer had gone through great lengths to conceal the woman’s identity, including smashing out all her teeth, cutting off her fingers, and burning her body. According to witnesses, the woman had been dating someone of wealth. And to my surprise, when I looked forward, past a few days in the microfilm, the story had all but disappeared. Weeks later, nothing! Think about that! One of the most shocking crimes in Florida’s history in 1935 and the newspapers dropped the story.

 

Yeah…things that make you say, “Hmmm….”

 

So there you have it. While my story is fictional, there is a ghost story. I believe the ghost of Ethel Allen will haunt that restaurant until someone uncovers the truth about her murder. My book, of course, is just a fictional story, using a real life murder as a base. But who knows…maybe it was inspired. :)

 

Marie Gilbert: I liked The Pit Stop, The Depot and The Library, but which detective is your favorite to write about, Mark or Gino?

                                                                     

Carmen DeSousa: Without a doubt, Mark Waters. From the moment my avid-reading friends and I met him in The Pit Stop, we wanted more from him. He was just a bit surly, had an interesting past, and he’s single. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have made Gino a married man. Single detectives who struggle with relationships are always much more interesting to write.

Marie Gilbert: Since I do ghost investigations, I’m interested in knowing if you’ll be writing more stories that includes ghosts or maybe demons?

Carmen DeSousa: Probably…I left that up to readers at the end of the story, though. To be honest, I did not intend to write a story after The Pit Stop; it was just an exercise on my blog where I wrote five-hundred words at a time with my audience. You, of course, know about that since you were one of my main contributors. But when it became so popular, I decided to write a series of one-hour reads, but then something else happened. Readers demanded a follow-up novel to The Depot. And since I listen to readers, I wrote it. This isn’t the first time either. My novel When Noonday Ends came about when emails and Facebook messages started flooding in, demanding that one of the characters in Land of the Noonday Sun got a chance at a happily ever after.

 

So, at the end of The Library, I left it up to my readers. If they want more of these stories, I’ll write more. After all, I love my publisher, but readers are my real boss. :)

 

Marie Gilbert: Can you tell the readers what’s in the works for you now?

 

Carmen DeSousa: I actually have three lines going.

                                                            

The Pit Stop, The Depot, and now The Library are part of a detective series with a ghostly edge, which as we discussed, I’ll continue if that’s what my readers want, but right now, I don’t have one in the works.

                                                               

My first five novels are The Southern Suspense series: She Belongs to Me, Split Decisions, Land of the Noonday Sun, and When Noonday Ends. I have two more scheduled in this series; the next will be available summer 2014.

                                                               

  

But right now, my focus is the Creatus Series, romantic-suspense novels with a paranormal edge. I published book one, Creatus, September 2013, and Creatus Rogue will be available next month…if all goes as planned. Of course, rarely does anything goes as planned in this business. Right?


You can find Carmen DeSousa's works on these sites:

 

Creatus 2013

She Belongs to me December 2011

Land of the Noonday Sun May 2012

Entangled Dreams September 2012

When Noonday Ends December 2012

Split Decisions June 2013


Radio interview with Carmen DeSousa and Minnie Lahongrais


Thank you so much for joining me today, Carmen, and for all my readers; check out Carmen's Website.
http://www.carmendesousa.com/