Nina Simon
Author Interview - Nina Simon
Author of Mother-Daughter Murder Night
A fun, fresh, and twisty debut whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio who come together as amateur sleuths to solve a murder in their coastal California town.
---
Nothing brings family together like a murder next door.
High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of: her keen intelligence, impeccable taste, and the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does.
Then Jack—tiny in stature but fiercely independent—happens upon a dead body while kayaking near their bungalow. Jack quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power.
With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers. But as their amateur snooping advances into ever-more dangerous territory, the headstrong Rubicon women must learn to do the one thing they’ve always resisted: depend on each other.
Author Interview - Nina Simon
Author I draw inspiration from:
There is nothing quite like the aura of goodness and humanity that exists in Louise Penny's mystery novels featuring Inspector Armand Gamache. I love the whole series, but one of my favorites is THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY, a locked-room mystery that takes place in a cloistered monastery in the wilderness.
Author Interview - Nina Simon | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
in the bath
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Cara Romero from How to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz. I could listen to her stories all day.
Author Interview - Nina Simon | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I think I'm still figuring that out! I've had many different careers, and I've always written on the side, squeezing it in when I can. Now, for the first time, I'm focusing on writing. It feels like coming home to something I've loved forever.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Paperback is my favorite, but if I'm too impatient for a new release, I'll read an ebook. I like audiobooks on long runs and bike rides. I read so many books that my typical MO is to first read from the library, and then, if I love the book, to buy it.
The last book I read:
I just finished DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver. It blew me away. Even though it is bleak, the main character's irrepressible spirit filled me with hope. I listened to it on audio as I biked along rural gravel roads, and I loved having this story and its terrific narrator as my adventure companion.
Author Interview - Nina Simon | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Write on computer, edit on paper.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Carrie Soto from CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid. As a lifelong athlete, I so admire her ferocity. I'm sure she'd be prickly at first, but I see her as someone who is struggling to give herself a kinder, gentler life after decades of hard driving. I'm a recovering super-type A as well, and at this stage in life, I love being friends with women who are reimagining themselves in the wake of high achievement.
Author Interview - Nina Simon | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
rigger for a tree service. I love climbing trees, ropes, and healthy forests.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Hm... is there an era when women dressed like men? Or a nudist era? Those are my vibes.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Greece, with my mom. My mom's dad emigrated from Southern Greece to the US as a little boy. I'd love to see the world of our ancestors.
My signature drink:
Yorkshire Gold tea. If you're wondering if it's worth the 50c extra over the regular Yorkshire tea, yes. Yes it is.
Number one on my bucket list:
Rafting the whole Grand Canyon. I ran the lower half of the river with my sister this year, and eight days wasn't enough. I want to do the whole thing.
Find more from the author:
https://twitter.com/ninaksimon
https://www.instagram.com/ninaksimon/
https://www.facebook.com/ninaksimon
Author Bio:
Nina Simon has worn many hats: NASA engineer, slam poet, game designer, museum director, and nonprofit CEO. Her work on community participation in museums, libraries, parks, and theaters has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, NPR, and the TEDx stage.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night is Nina’s first novel. She wrote it as a love letter to her mother, as a way to entertain, comfort, and connect with her during a major health crisis. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nina now lives off-the-grid in the Santa Cruz Mountains. More information can be found on her website, ninaksimon.com.
