By Claudia Taller
I took a break from a work mission trip rebuilding a crumbling log cabin in West Virginia to witness the New River from a platform perched high on the upper banks of the gorge. The river was hundreds of feet below, an almost unapproachable descent, and the walls that rise up above it become the send-off point for paragliding. Somehow, kayakers find the canyon bottom and the wide and wild river that carved out the meandering valley.
Here, in West Virginia’s backroads of adventure, is where author Trudy Brandenburg, an avid kayaker, chose to set Nighthawks on the New River, an Emma Haines Kayak Mystery. The suspense was palpable in this book by a first-time novelist and mystery lover who mostly writes during lunchtime breaks from her insurance company job.
The characters are believable and likeable and complex, especially Emma, a former insurance fraud investigator turned consultant who doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything. Emma’s past experience of being shot at curbs her otherwise courageous spirit, and wariness plagues her soul.
Emma and her friend Charles Wellington become ensnared in a forty-year-old unsolved crime while on a kayak trip to Stonefalls, West Virginia. They meet Mr. Pearl, who doesn’t know how to kayak but is doing just that. Not only is Mr. Pearl posing as a kayaker, but he’s armed. That’s where the craziness of Mr. Pearl and his sad girlfriend and his obsession with finding a treasure that’s missing begins. The villain is both scary and creepy.
The dialogue is relaxed and natural, the relationship between the two main characters is relevant and caring, and the mystery unfolds at a good pace. I didn’t want to put the book down. The kayaking and the West Virginia vernacular add layers of interest to the book. Trudy does a nice job of showing and not telling, and in general, the book is light on narrative and heavy with dialogue and action.
It just so happens that Emma’s from Clintonville, Ohio, also the home of author Trudy Brandenburg. Brandenburg is in the insurance business and loves to kayak. Hmmm . . . is Trudy living vicariously through her character? The name of the protagonist combines her grandmother’s first name and her great-grandmother’s maiden name.
When asked whether Charles was modeled after anyone in particular, Brandenburg said, “I have many gay friends, but none of them remind me of Charles Wellington, Emma’s closest friend. Charles’ personality is based on a character on a TV series that aired years ago, but I’ll never tell who it is because I want my readers to create the characters in their own minds. It think that’s a part of the magic of reading.”
Brandenburg’s job with an insurance agency gives her access to the insurance fraud unit staff, who are willing contributors to her cause. “And I have a friend who’s a former police officer and retired insurance fraud investigator that I consult occasionally,” she said during a Cool Cleveland interview.
The writing process is so individual and personal, it begs review with every author. Brandenberg admits that the hardest part about writing a mystery is knowing when to drop “red herrings,” and goes on to talk about creating a puzzle and making sure the pieces all fit together at the end. The authors who have influenced her the most are D.V. Berkhorn, Kate Jones, Les Roberts, Paul Levine, Robert B. Parker, Lee Child, and Sue Graften.
Brandenburg’s second book, Peacocks on Paint Creek, takes place in Chillicothe, her hometown. The book resonates with history and features places the locals favor, like the Wildflower Café and Jerry’s Pizza. The books are available on Amazon, at Columbus-area kayak outfitters, and PVG Artisans in Chillicothe, as well as http://trudybrandenburg.com.
Trudy is available for talks and book signings and is a frequent traveler to Cleveland. In addition to writing mysteries, Trudy writes 100-word posts on the Clintonville Clips, and her non-fiction articles have appeared in a number of forums.
At the end of the book, Emma Haines is reading Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries—can I have a problem with that? Trudy’s also a committed Word Lovers weekend participant, and will lead a workshop at this year’s spring retreat during the weekend of Fri 5/30 – Sun 6/1.
Claudia J. Taller is a regular Cool Cleveland contributor whose book Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries can be found at http://OhioLakeErieWineries.blogspot.com and from the author, who is available for entertaining and informative talks. Her second book, Ohio’s Canal Country Wineries is in production.