Good Gladys by Martin Renaud.
Genre: Suspense/ Mystery/ Thriller.
Released: November 2012, by Martin Renaud.
Synopsis:
News reports that the famous psychic Good Gladys is missing coincide with the brutal stabbing of her business manager. Gladys's daughter Dara asks an old friend, private investigator Byrne Aase, to help find the murderer. She claims that the man the police have in custody is innocent. In fact, she believes that the accused is her mother, having been transformed into a man during a seance gone awry.
My Thoughts:
Great book!
Totally unusual, a little crazy and for that, amazing!
Usually (well, more like ALWAYS) I read YA and Paranormal, so I was not very sure when the author asked me to review his book.
I read the synopsis and agreed but not really knowing what I was getting into. And I'm super excited I did!
Good Gladys is an "old school" suspense/ mystery book. I loved it!
The story is funny, fast paced, original and utterly entertaining. I was surprised chapter after chapter. I read it in no time!
The characters have well defined personalities and you can relate easily to them, which is something I look for in a story.
I felt bad with them, intrigued and curious and I even felt distrustful when they did.
Sauce was my favorite. And Dara, she was so clever and knows how to manipulate him into almost anything! Liked that!
The writing is complex, but in a good way... I mean, it's high quality.
If you like this kind of book you have to give this one a try.
Two thumbs up for Martin Renaud!
I'm looking forward to reading more of this author.
Interview:
When did you decide to be a writer?
Like many writers, I’ve been creating stories since childhood. I can still recall some of the tales that arose while walking for miles delivering papers after school years ago. I hadn’t considered focussing on writing as a profession until recently when my wife passed away. Over the last couple of years I have created a four book young adult scifi series, Socialite 1, and the murder mystery, Good Gladys. I have many ideas for developing these stories in the future.
What do you do when not writing?
My children are my number one priority. They are involved in many activities (sports, music, acting) so I spend a lot of time driving them around our small town or to and from Vancouver, which is about an hour from our home.
Tell us something we must know about you?
I grew up in a big family, eight kids, and we all still live close to each other. Our home was always filled with music and I have kept this going in my own home. Each of my children plays multiple instruments so there is almost always someone practising at any given moment of the day.
Can you share any embarrassing moment of your life?
My son just turned sixteen and I am teaching him to drive. When I was learning from my father, many years ago, I once misjudged the distance while backing into a stall in front of a store and destroyed the store entrance.
Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world to write?
My kids and I vacationed in the Caribbean a couple years ago and I fell in love with the beaches, the food and the wonderful people on the island of St. Martin. I even sent the two main characters of my mystery, Good Gladys, there for their first “date.” I can see myself spending lazy days writing while my kids hone their French, the main language on the island.
For those who haven't read your book yet, how would you describe it?
Good Gladys is a week in the life of a mixed up, alcoholic, private investigator, called Sauce by his friends because his real name, Byrne Aase, sounds like one. The girl that had caused his descent into drinking, Dara, returns into his life and attempts to seduce and manipulate him to help her mother, the famous psychic Good Gladys, beat a murder charge. Both the reader and Sauce not only have to determine who the real murderer is, but also have to figure out why Dara, and almost everyone else in the story, believe that Gladys has been magically transformed into a man.
Can we find Martin in your characters?
My sceptical nature is certainly evident in both Sauce and BT, the secret service agent who aids in the investigations. I find it fascinating the things that people will believe in, like talking to the dead, talking to dead animals, or believing that a piece of metal on your wrist will increase your energy. It was that scepticism that prompted me to wonder if people would believe a psychic who told people that she is now a he.
What character did you enjoy writing the most?
Dara. She rips Sauce’s life apart. I had so much fun coming up with things for her to do to keep Sauce on edge. At the same time I wanted her to be likable, which was a challenge. I found it really interesting when the first two reviews came out: the first reviewer loved Sauce, the second one loved Dara.
Finish the sentence: I would have loved to write..... and tell us why.
I just finished re-reading Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. I mostly love the tour of France and Spain that he gives in describing the food and drinks, the architecture, and the people. I would love to be able to give people that kind of experience through literature.
Last but not least, what are your current projects?
I am currently developing the next chapter in the Socialite book series, tentatively called Duality. The first four books of this scifi adventure brought readers into the world of an alien family searching for a hero to take back to their planet. That series ended with the resolution of a crisis, and the introduction of a much bigger threat. Duality will see the two main families battle a bigger enemy than before as they continue their attempts to get the hero to their home planet.
