Kathy Lynn
Emerson writes in several different genres and under several different names,
including Kaitlyn
Dunnett and Kate Emerson. As Kathy Lynn Emerson she is best known for
historical mysteries, including the Face Down Mystery Series featuring sixteenth-century gentlewoman,
herbalist, and sleuth, Susanna, Lady Appleton, the Diana Spaulding 1888 Quartet,
and her
Agatha-award-winning nonfiction, How to Write Killer Historical
Mysteries.
She has also
written children's books and romance novels
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All three volumes of collected novels and short
stories
are now available as e-books
from all the usual online stores
Some minor edits have been made and
notes from the author have been added
Volume One: ISBN 979-8-201-17638-9
Volume Two: ISBN 979-8-201-34325-5
Volume Three: ISBN 979-8-201-84683-1
$9.99 each
Individual novels and collections of short stories
are also still available in their original format
as e-book and print editions
for more details, click here: Face
Down Mystery Series
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In Stores Now
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e-book: ISBN 978-1-393-33251-0
$5.99
trade paperback: ISBN 978-1-393-71534-4
$12.99
From
the cover copy: In this unique compilation of 115 essays written between 2011
and 2021, Kathy Lynn Emerson, author of over sixty traditionally-published
books in a variety of genres and under several names, writes about everything
from how to conquer the sagging middle of a work-in-progress to the adoption of
her current cat-in-residence. Other topics highlight eccentricities—her
own, a few from her family tree, and those to be found in the rural Western
Maine mountains where she lives. Best known for her cozy mysteries, written as
Kaitlyn Dunnett, and for historical mysteries written under her own name, Kathy
Lynn Emerson has also been published in non-fiction, including the
award-winning How to Write Killer
Historical Mysteries.
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The Finder of Lost Things
a standalone mystery set in Elizabethan England
"The
mystery is multilayered, and unexpected obstacles keep readers guessing until
the end. . . . Overall, an enjoyable period mystery packed with religious
tension and danger lurking at every turn."
Historical
Novel Society Review
Level Best Books
978-1-947915-82-4 (trade paperback) $16.95
978-1-947915-83-1 (e-book) $5.99
"The
Finder of Lost Things" is the name Blanche Wainfleet's three sisters
bestowed on her when they were young, not only for her ability to locate
missing handkerchiefs and runaway pets, but also because she was so good at
finding solutions to all manner of puzzles. Now, in the winter of 1590-1,
twenty-eight-year-old Blanche, a London merchant's wife whose husband is
traveling abroad, is faced with a much more serious mystery, one she is
desperate to solve.
Late
Elizabethan England is an era rife with treason and conflicting political and
religious loyalties. Priest-catchers target Catholic households in the hope of
being able to arrest and execute priests. The householders themselves have to
pay ruinous fines if they do not attend Anglican services. And yet leaders of
both faiths agree that a bewitched person can be cured by exorcism.
When
Blanche's youngest sister, Alison, fell in love with a Catholic gentleman, she
converted to Catholicism and went to live at Otley
Manor as Lady Otley’s companion. Arrested for
illegally hearing Mass, she died under mysterious circumstances while
imprisoned in Colchester Castle. Some say she was bewitched to death.
To
discover the truth about how Alison died, Blanche contrives to have herself
confined with Lady Otley and other members of the Otley household in Colchester's dungeon. She tells no one
of her connection to Alison, but does pretend that she, like her sister, wishes
to convert. Still without answers when a royal pardon sets all women prisoners
free, Blanche accepts Lady Otley's invitation to join
her household and take instruction in the Catholic faith. She's just begun to
make progress when a second murder puts her in mortal danger from powerful
figures on both sides of the religious divide.
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In Other News
"A Who's Who of Tudor Women"
Kathy Lynn Emerson's
mini-biographies of over 2300 women who
lived between 1485 and 1603
is now an e-book
click here TudorWomen.com for more information
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In short story news, "Mistress Threadneedle's
Quest" in the anthology Silver
Bullets was singled out in the review in Publishers Weekly, praising it for finding a "plausible way of
using lighting to commit a murder." This story previously appeared in Malice Domestic 12:Mystery Most Historical.
Kathy has had two collections of her short stories
published. The most recent is available in trade
paperback and e-book formats.
These thirteen short stories range in setting from
medieval England to present day Maine.
Some have previously been published while others are
in print here for the first time.
Included are two Lady Appleton stories and the tale
in which Rosamond and Rob, from the Mistress Jaffrey
Mysteries, elope.
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still available in print and e-book editions
THE MISTRESS JAFFREY MYSTERIES
set in England in the 1580s
a spin-off from the Face Down Mysteries
Murder in the Merchant's Hall
Murder in the a Cornish Alehouse
For the
real story behind the fictional one in Murder
in the Queen's Wardrobe, click here
For a
bibliography of sources used in writing all the books in the series, click here
Here's what the reviewers
have to say about Murder in the Queen's
Wardrobe:
Kirkus
Reviews calls this "a diverting series . . . with lots of
twists and turns and Tudor tidbits."
Publisher's
Weekly describes Rosamond as "high-spirited, educated, and
independent" and praises the way I draw on my "solid knowledge of the
period to evoke vividly daily life in late 16th-century
England."
Booklist praises
"first-rate storytelling, eye-opening details of the politics and customs
of the time, a taut and riveting plot, unexpected humor, and a charming and
admirable heroine."
Library Journal calls Rosamond "a
feisty, fiercely independent, and very likeable protagonist."
Historical
Novels Review says Rosamond is "brave yet vulnerable" and
"portrayed as a genuine woman of the era."
About Murder in the Merchant's Hall:
Booklist says
"This fine new addition to Emerson's popular historical series offers a genuinely
gripping mystery, an appealing protagonist, and an eye-opening look at London
life during the Renaissance."
Publisher's
Weekly says "evocative period detail and the warmth of
Rosamond's byplay with Rob make for a satisfying read."
Historical
Novels Review says "The mystery surrounding Hugo's death is
intricate, well-plotted, and full of twists."
About Murder in a Cornish Alehouse:
Booklist says
"This meticulously researched, cleverly plotted story has plenty of twists
and wonderfully colorful characters and will appeal to all historical-mystery
fans."
Publisher's
Weekly says readers will find "a lot to like."
Kirkus
says
Rosamond "has an almighty difficult puzzle to untangle" and also
finds the novel "enjoyable for its historical insights and detailed
descriptions of everyday life in Tudor England."
Links to More Information
Kathy Lynn Emerson's bio
page
Complete
list of Kathy Lynn Emerson's books and short stories
books
written as Kate Emerson
books
in the Face Down Mystery Series
books
in the Diana Spaulding 1888 Quartet
historical, contemporary, and YA romance
novels
(note: given that the original publication
dates were in the late 1980s and
1990s, even the "contemporary"
romances may qualify as "historical)
new editions of Kathy's Children's
Books
Kathy's nonfiction titles
the
website of Kaitlyn Dunnett,
Kathy's "evil Twin"
Kathy's Genealogy Page
(links to the biography of her grandfather, family histories, and
stories that ended up in novels)
If you want
to keep up to date on Kathy/Kaitlyn's latest writing news, check out Kaitlyn
Dunnett/Kathy Lynn Emerson on Facebook.
contact: kathylynnemerson@roadrunner.com