When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer. Five kids later, she founded the Crime Writer’s Panel and began working with former law enforcement investigators to create; Criminal Lines Blog, an online library for crime writers who need help with their book research.
She’s a workaholic who hides in her writer’s attic, plotting out her next book and stalking Pinterest for the next avocado recipe.
A member of Sisters in Crime, Marguerite grew up in Colorado, but is now happily living in Wisconsin and playing as much golf as possible.
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About the Book:
Speaking second-hand truths can be deadly …
Detective Lily Blanchette will stop at nothing to solve a murder. Her current case involves the killing of an undercover cop working to bring down the mob for prostitution and drugs.
But Lily’s usual laser-like focus on the case has been disrupted.
Two weeks earlier, she learned she was pregnant by her murderous husband whom she’d killed in self-defense. Unsure whether to keep her baby or place the child of this cruel man up for adoption, Lily keeps the pregnancy a secret from her colleagues.
Under mounting pressure to solve the case, Lily arranges a sit-down with a local mob boss only to find out her suspect is also wanted by them. But before Lily can warn her team, she and her new partner, Jeremiah, are shot at, and another body is found.
When she discovers Jeremiah has a connection with the underworld, she is pulled into a conflict that swirls around the boss’s son who’s hell-bent on revenge.
To add to the complexity of the situation, Lily learns that her victim might still be alive if it wasn’t for opportunistic Assistant District Attorney, Ibee Walters, who has a twisted vision of justice.
As Lily gets closer to finding the killer, she unravels ugly secrets that point to Ibee and Jeremiah – placing Lily’s life and her unborn child in danger.
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Would you call yourself a born writer?
I’m not sure. All I know is that I have to write. If I don’t, I get cranky. It’s important for me to get ideas on paper and see where it takes me.
What was your inspiration for Her Final Watch?
I came up with the idea to write Her Final Watch as I finished the ending for Promised Lies. It went through several rewrites until I was happy that this book would again, force Lily out of her comfort zone.
Her Final Watch starts two weeks later. When we meet Lily, we see a strong woman and a cop who prides herself in balancing work and family. But underneath she’s hiding a lot of emotional pain. On top of everything else, Lily’s learned that she’s pregnant by her husband whom she’d killed in self-defense. So, what’s supposed to be a joyous occasion has turned into a stressful situation. Now, Lily has a decision to make. Does she keep her baby or place the child up for adoption?
Then there’s the case involving the murder of an undercover cop. That’s when everything hits home for Lily. She’s the lead investigator. Her victim is a colleague and a mother.
At this point, there’s no turning back. Lily has to find her killer.
What themes do you like to explore in your writing?
Betrayal
Justice
Deception
Family
How long did it take you to complete the novel?
About a year and a half.
Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.
Yes. I write for seven hours six days a week. And occasionally, I’ll take a Sunday off. Although, I’m trying to make it more of a permanent day off.
What did you find most challenging about writing this book?
Writing Her Final Watch was tricky. I had to find a way to work Lily’s pregnancy in the story and allow her to work in the field. That’s when I turned to my friends in law enforcement. They helped me understand what my heroine, could and couldn’t do. After I did my research, I put myself in Lily’s shoes and focused on what would be important to her. No matter how much she loved her job, her motherly instincts would kick in. And I think I’ve managed to find a balance between the two.
What do you love most about being an author?
Rewrites: I love taking my messy first draft and polishing it. Also, I love entertaining readers. If they can laugh, cry or find something in my book that they could identify with, then I’ve done my job.
Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?
I chose Endeavour Press, an independent publisher.
The publishing process has been a smooth one. Once they were done with their editorial queries, I went through the manuscript once more. They’ve been very helpful.
I appreciate Endeavour making the time to respond to my emails and helping me promote my books. I look forward to working with them again.
Where can we find you on the web?
You can find me at http://www.margueriteashton.net
The Dark Phantom Review 