Friday, June 23, 2017

Wendy Tyson’s Likable Heroines, Solid Mysteries

I love this quote from author Wendy Tyson’s website: “Fiction is a bridge, a way for people to connect and share the human experience and I feel blessed to be part of that world.”

And fans of mystery are blessed that Wendy pens not one but two cozy series, The Allison Campbell Mysteries, and Greenhouse Mysteries.

Both series excel at allowing us to share her characters’ experiences and connect with them like old friends we care about. Her heroines are likeable, resilient, and intelligent. While most of us won’t come face to face with murder in our lives, we do encounter many of the same frustrations, setbacks, and rewards that her protagonists experience in their daily lives. That makes it easy to identify and root for them whether they’re fighting bureaucrats, taking the first steps toward romance, coping with difficult relatives, or trying to unmask a killer. 

Megan Sawyer, a lawyer who leaves a big-city practice to return to her rural hometown in A Muddied Murder, the first Greenhouse Mystery, is an excellent example of how Wendy has created a likeable heroine. While Megan, a young widow who lost her husband to the war in Afghanistan, occasionally succumbs to sadness, she’s a determined survivor who finds joy in the simple things in life and has the grace to love and forgive members of her family despite their flaws.

Wendy says the strong women in her life—mother, grandmothers, aunts, cousins and later, her husband's spirited grandmother—provided inspiration for her female characters. (They also offered support for Wendy’s own decision to go to law school.)  

Wendy’s legal background and her passion for organic gardening are life experiences that definitely have contributed to her creation of both a credible heroine and a small-town farm setting that readers can see, smell and hear. Her descriptions are rich and spot on. As many of this blog’s readers are fans of romance, I should also mention that Megan has a love interest, a veterinarian, who makes us want to root for a long, deepening relationship. Of course, he’s a hunk. He’s also sensitive, intelligent, and speaks with an engaging brogue.

So, if you’re looking for a summer read with a solid plot that will also make you feel good about at least some of your fellow humans, hurry out and buy one of Wendy Tyson’s books. You won’t be sorry.  

To learn more, www.watyson.com  


6 comments:

Book Concierge said...

I loved this book, too! And I bet you'll enjoy BITTER HARVEST even more.

Judith Ashley said...

Great endorsement, Linda. I've certainly added Wendy to my now very, really, exceptionally long list of new-to-me authors I've gathered from the Genre-istas this month.

Sarah Raplee said...

Thank yo for introducing me to a new-to-me mystery author. Can't wait to read Wemdy Tyson's books!

Linda Lovely said...

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with Wendy's books. I didn't even say alot about her beautiful descriptions. Not overdone but they paint very vivid pictures.

Wendy said...

Hello, everyone! Linda, thank you for this lovely post. I am honored to be featured on your blog today. And "hello" to your readers--happy Friday!

ceblain said...

I whole-heartedly agree with Linda's very accurate description of Wendy's Greenhouse Mystery series. The central characters are people that you feel that you know or would like to know and the stories flow really well which is important. I have truly enjoyed a Bitter Harvest as well as A Muddied Murder and anxiously awaiting book 3. Luckily, Wendy just had book 4 in her Allison Campbell series released so that keeps me content for awhile longer. If you wish to read some very fine writing, you have found your new favorite author in Wendy Tyson.

Cynthia