Body and Soul Food by Abby Collette ~ Character Interview

Posted March 4, 2022 by karenbaron in Blitz, Blog Tour, Character Interview, Contest - Giveaway, Mystery / 1 Comment

Body and Soul Food

Series: A Books and Biscuits Mystery #1

Author: Abby Collette

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 336

Release Date: November 9, 2021, by Berkley

Summary:

In this page-turning new mystery series, fraternal twins Keaton and Koby will pull double duty when they take down a killer while preparing to open their new bookstore and soul-food café, Books & Biscuits.

When Koby Hill and Keaton Rutledge were orphaned at age two, they were separated, but their unbreakable connection lingered. Years later, they reunite and decide to make up for lost time and capitalize on their shared interests by opening up a well-stocked bookstore and cozy soul-food café in the quaint Pacific Northwest town of Timber Lake. But this new chapter of their lives could end on a cliffhanger after Koby’s foster brother is found murdered.

The murder, which occurred in public between light-rail stops, seems impossible for the police to solve. But as Keaton and Koby know, two heads are always better than one, especially when it comes to mysteries. With just a week to go before the grand opening of their new café, the twins will use their revitalized connection with each other to make sure this is the killer’s final page.

Character Interview with Keaton Rutledge

How did you and your author meet?

We met at the library where I was working. My author is always looking for her next cozy mystery. As a soon-to-be bookstore owner, I was a good candidate for a cozy series. There are, after all, many book-related whodunits. But really drew her to me, was my twin brother, Koby. He is an awesome cook, and if you know my author, you know she is also always looking for her next good meal. She couldn’t resist the combination.

Why did this writer decide to feature you in a book?

It was my personality. And my twin’s relentless determination. He wouldn’t let her forget about us. I supplied her with books, and he gave her all the food she could eat. And boy, she can eat!

Do you have any friends or family helping you out?

My twin brother, Koby, of course. And while I was adopted after we were abandoned by our mother, Koby grew up in group homes and foster care. So his favorite foster mom, we call her Mama Zola, who taught him to cook, works for us in our soul food restaurant. But when it comes to sleuthing, that’s only me and Koby.

Do you have a regular job and investigate on the side or are you a full-time detective?

I’d like to think we are not detectives at all because I have found that to be a very dangerous occupation. But I am a bookseller and my brother is a restauranteur and together we own Books & Biscuits.

What is the funniest thing that happens to you or another character in this story?

I try to play sleuth for the very first time. I follow someone and almost get caught. Twice! My fumbling escapade was funny even to me.

Have you solved other cases or is this your first one?

This is our very first case. I don’t think I have the hang of it yet, even though I was able to figure out who the murderer was. My brother is way more observant than I am, a true detective.

Do you have a gift or special talent?

I have a good nose and I always take notice of what people are wearing. Okay, so not such a good talent, but coupled with my brother’s observation talent, we make a good pair.

Who is the most important individual in your life?

My twin.

What is your ideal vacation?

Sitting on the pier outside my brother’s houseboat and looking out over the lake and taking in the mountains that lie across the waters.

About the Author

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Abby Collette loves a good mystery. She was born and raised in Cleveland, and it’s a mystery even to her why she hasn’t yet moved to a warmer place. As Abby Collette, she is the author of the Ice Cream Parlor mystery series, about a millennial MBA-holding granddaughter running a family-owned ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and the Books & Biscuits mystery series, starring a set of fraternal twins who reunite and open a bookstore and soul food café. Writing as Abby L. Vandiver, she is the author of the Logan Dickerson Mysteries, featuring a second-generation archaeologist and a nonagenarian, as well as the Romaine Wilder Mysteries, pairing an East Texas medical examiner and her feisty, funeral-home-owning auntie as sleuths. Abby spends her time writing, facilitating writing workshops at local libraries, and hanging out with her grandchildren, each of whom are her favorite.