Author Interview
Welcome to Jersey Girl Book Reviews, Louise!
What will fans of Julia Fairchild like about your newest book, Sutton Place?
Sutton Place is the prequel to Julia Fairchild. The reader learns in detail about the incidents that drove Julia from New York to New Mexico.
Three months serving on a grand jury panel inspired your Allie Armington mystery series. How did you come up with Julia’s character?
Julia just “grew like Topsy” in my mind. She’s a composite of all the strong women I have known.
Lies, family secrets, obsessions – will Julia ever catch a break?
She catches her break in Julia Fairchild.
Your mystery novels are known for having very unexpected twists and surprise endings. How do you keep readers on their toes?
I don’t outline so sometimes I even surprise myself! I really write to amuse myself. One of my writing instructors said I should have fun when writing. I have a friend who writes a chapter here and then a chapter there. I can’t do that. I have to write in a linear fashion.
As a successful, award-winning mystery writer, you stepped out of the genre to work on a few other books, including Recipes from Camp Trillium. What’s your favorite dish to stir up in the kitchen?
Grandma Betsy’s Chicken. My mother put Lawry’s seasoning and Worchester sauce on everything. This made a nice, simple one-dish meal to serve all. To make it, you just need chicken, Worcestershire sauce and Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt. Then add any vegetable of your choice. Cut up potatoes, mushrooms, onions or red bell peppers, carrots, almost anything except greens. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Quarter the chicken or cut it into single-serving pieces. Place the chicken skin side up in an aluminum foil-lined pan. Throw the vegetables all around it. Douse it with Worcestershire sauce and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake that for 25 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
You studied art history in college after your grade-school teachers encouraged you to do something with your painting skills. How has painting helped you write?
I’m a very visual person. So I can imagine a scene as if I’m painting it and portray that in words on page. A lot of people who write also paint. I noticed though that I never had a problem dropping the paintbrush to go play tennis or golf. But once I started writing I couldn’t leave my computer.
You’re churning out books left and right. What are you working on now?
An Allie Armington Mystery. The working title is: A Cruise to Die For. Stay tuned!
Thank you for visiting Jersey Girl Book Reviews, Louise. We appreciate you sharing a bit about yourself and your writing career.
About The Author
The series has grown to four novels, with stories ranging from the Southwest (Anacacho and Spa Deadly) to New York (Xs), to the most recent (Dark Lake) featuring her beloved Adirondacks.
In the middle of establishing her mystery writer credentials, she expanded out of the genre with an insightful character study novel, Julia Fairchild, and then the delightful Recipes from Camp Trillium. The cookbook features worldwide recipes from Louise’s family and guests during years they visited her in New York’s Adirondack Mountains.
Her first Allie Armington Mystery, Anacacho, won the 2003 National Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Mystery/Suspense sponsored by Publisher’s Marketing Association in Los Angeles. The San Francisco Book Festival awarded Louise with best audio book in 2010 for Spa Deadly. Recipes from Camp Trillium won the Dan Poynter’s Global eBook Awards, in which Julia Fairchild and Spa Deadly were also finalists. And most recently, Dark Lake was recognized in the General Fiction category of the Los Angeles Book Festival.
Louise’s newest book, Sutton Place, was published on August 27, 2013, by Little Moose Press, Beverly Hills, California.
Louise lives in Houston, Texas, though she might be found writing almost anywhere in the world.
AUTHOR WEBSITE
GOODREADS
Sutton Place by Louise Gaylord ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: JKSCommunications
Book Review
Sutton Place by Louise Gaylord
Publisher: Little Moose Press
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Format: Hardcover & Paperback - 261 pages / Kindle - 451 KB / Nook - 262 KB
ISBN: 098939882X
ASIN: B00DNJWOU4
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
BUY THE BOOK: Sutton Place
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour hosted by JKSCommunications.
Book Description:
…a horrific incident from Julia Fairchild’s past—one she thought had been buried long ago—comes charging back into her life. Then a promising romantic weekend goes bad, which makes staying at Sutton Place more than Julia can handle. So she flees her home, her family…her life. But apparently, she can’t go far enough.
The Fairchilds were a happy family of wealthy New York stock, with two loving daughters. Until the secrets started to surface.
The first secret was revealed when Julia was told the truth about her father. Her reaction to the revelation sent her spinning out of control.
The second secret concerned the parentage of Julia’s sister, Ariel. How Ariel responded to the revelation astounded the rest of the family.
Now Julia is building a superb reputation at one of New York’s finest hospitals. The future looks bright until a romantic weekend turns into a disaster. Fleeing home and family, she moves to New Mexico and starts to pull her life together.
Just when it looks like things are heading toward happily-ever-after, events in New York draw Julia back to Sutton Place, where she learns of Ariel’s secret life and finds herself facing her worst nightmare.
Sutton Place moves a mile a minute and never lets you see what’s coming around the next turn.
Book Excerpt:
MANHATTAN – OCTOBER 1988
“DOCTOR FAIRCHILD SPEAKING. Is anyone there? Hello?”
There was no response, but Julia knew someone was on the other end of the line. Listening. Breathing.
It was the third such call in the last hour. Was it interoffice or outside? Only one way to find out. She slammed down the receiver, converted fear to anger, and jabbed “0” for the hospital switchboard.
“Good morning, Doctor Fairchild.”
Julia looked up to see her superior Dr. Edmund Field standing at her door as she cradled the receiver. The compact balding man with the signature bow tie flashed a broad smile. “I hear it’s your birthday. Congratulations.”
“Yes, it is, thank you.” Julia stood, pleased that the doctor found his way to her office through the rabbit warren of Payne Whitney’s Annex.
“I wanted to remind you to set up your presentation with the boy’s caseworker.”
She held up the chart. “It’s done. Next Tuesday at three. I checked everything out with your secretary.”
“Why did I even bother to ask? I should know better by now.” Field pulled a chart from the stack he was carrying and waved it in her direction. “I think this might be right up your alley. Do you think you could add it to your caseload?”
Julia was at the door before he finished the sentence.
“You bet.”
“Somehow I knew you would.” He handed her the chart and gave her a broad smile. “I don’t mind telling you how impressed we are with your work, Doctor Fairchild. Snaring you was quite a coup. Since you spent the last seven years in Boston we were sure you would intern there at McLean.”
“Thank you, Doctor Field, but returning to New York has been a double pleasure for me. I’ve missed being near my family, and then to know that Payne Whitney wanted me was such a great honor.”
“The feeling is mutual, Fairchild. All of us in the department are looking forward to a long and productive relationship.”
Julia drowned in his praise. She’d worked twice as hard as any of the other interns and knew she deserved the compliment.
After watching her boss disappear around the corner, she stepped back into her tiny cubicle that featured a grime-covered view across the hum of FDR Drive to the East River and checked her watch. The autistic black child, a charity case that Julia had done wonders with in the past four months, was late again.
She squelched her rising exasperation to concentrate on the better aspects of the case. After reading an article on autism in The Archives of General Psychiatry, she had suggested that Dr. Field, who was head of the Department of Psychology and in charge of her internship, ask the psychiatry resident to put her patient on clomipramine.
The results were staggering. The hand flapping stopped almost immediately, and after several sessions, Julia was able to make eye contact with him.
But, the best piece of news had come only yesterday when Dr. Field invited her to present the case before the entire department.
Julia checked her watch again. The boy and his caseworker were now twenty minutes late, and if they were much later, she would have to reschedule her birthday luncheon with her sister Ariel.
After several more minutes dragged by, Julia couldn’t stand it any longer. She grabbed the chart, rushed into the hall, collided with Chief of Adolescent Psychiatry David Wexler, and watched the file pages flutter to the floor.
“Damn!” Julia looked into Wexler’s quizzical smile and blushed. “Sorry. What a mess!”
“Don’t be sorry. It was my fault.”
The handsome widower’s face was as distinctive as his build. A broad brow sat beneath a shock of prematurely snow-white hair, and full well-shaped eyebrows winged above deep-set soft brown eyes shaded by thick blunt eyelashes.
His mouth, which wasn’t overly generous but ample enough for promise, broke into a wide smile. “Let me help you get this back together.”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary.” Julia dropped to her knees and began gathering the papers.
He ignored her protest and knelt across from her. “No trouble at all. Haven’t you heard that ‘many hands make light work’?”
Julia nodded mutely, as her pounding heart overrode his next words. After taking a few deep breaths, she finally made out what he was saying.
“I’m looking forward to your presentation next week. Field tells me you’ve been dead right on the last two cases he assigned you. We’re all so pleased you’re here at Payne Whitney.”
“Thank you.” She sat back on her knees the same time he did and was keenly aware of how close he was. As he reached out to hand over the rest of the file, their hands met and a tingle traced Julia’s fingertips. She jumped as if she’d received an electrical shock, then busied herself with the chart, sure that if she looked into his eyes she would do or say something stupid.
To save herself any further embarrassment, Julia quickly stood, and before Wexler could rise, she was in her office, behind a closed door.
She collapsed in her chair and began straightening the pages with trembling hands. Julia despised the way she felt when she was in Wexler’s presence. Stupid. Tongue-tied. Silly and inane. How was she ever going to get him to ask her out?
When the telephone’s jarring ring cut through the stuffy silence, Julia stared at the newly menacing object, not wanting to pick up the receiver, not wanting to hear the breathing.
She let it ring one more time before she grabbed the receiver, jammed it to her ear, and said through gritted teeth, “Doctor Fairchild.”
When the caseworker stammered her apology, Julia almost dropped the handset as she whispered to no one, “Thank God.”
“DOCTOR FAIRCHILD SPEAKING. Is anyone there? Hello?”
There was no response, but Julia knew someone was on the other end of the line. Listening. Breathing.
It was the third such call in the last hour. Was it interoffice or outside? Only one way to find out. She slammed down the receiver, converted fear to anger, and jabbed “0” for the hospital switchboard.
“Good morning, Doctor Fairchild.”
Julia looked up to see her superior Dr. Edmund Field standing at her door as she cradled the receiver. The compact balding man with the signature bow tie flashed a broad smile. “I hear it’s your birthday. Congratulations.”
“Yes, it is, thank you.” Julia stood, pleased that the doctor found his way to her office through the rabbit warren of Payne Whitney’s Annex.
“I wanted to remind you to set up your presentation with the boy’s caseworker.”
She held up the chart. “It’s done. Next Tuesday at three. I checked everything out with your secretary.”
“Why did I even bother to ask? I should know better by now.” Field pulled a chart from the stack he was carrying and waved it in her direction. “I think this might be right up your alley. Do you think you could add it to your caseload?”
Julia was at the door before he finished the sentence.
“You bet.”
“Somehow I knew you would.” He handed her the chart and gave her a broad smile. “I don’t mind telling you how impressed we are with your work, Doctor Fairchild. Snaring you was quite a coup. Since you spent the last seven years in Boston we were sure you would intern there at McLean.”
“Thank you, Doctor Field, but returning to New York has been a double pleasure for me. I’ve missed being near my family, and then to know that Payne Whitney wanted me was such a great honor.”
“The feeling is mutual, Fairchild. All of us in the department are looking forward to a long and productive relationship.”
Julia drowned in his praise. She’d worked twice as hard as any of the other interns and knew she deserved the compliment.
After watching her boss disappear around the corner, she stepped back into her tiny cubicle that featured a grime-covered view across the hum of FDR Drive to the East River and checked her watch. The autistic black child, a charity case that Julia had done wonders with in the past four months, was late again.
She squelched her rising exasperation to concentrate on the better aspects of the case. After reading an article on autism in The Archives of General Psychiatry, she had suggested that Dr. Field, who was head of the Department of Psychology and in charge of her internship, ask the psychiatry resident to put her patient on clomipramine.
The results were staggering. The hand flapping stopped almost immediately, and after several sessions, Julia was able to make eye contact with him.
But, the best piece of news had come only yesterday when Dr. Field invited her to present the case before the entire department.
Julia checked her watch again. The boy and his caseworker were now twenty minutes late, and if they were much later, she would have to reschedule her birthday luncheon with her sister Ariel.
After several more minutes dragged by, Julia couldn’t stand it any longer. She grabbed the chart, rushed into the hall, collided with Chief of Adolescent Psychiatry David Wexler, and watched the file pages flutter to the floor.
“Damn!” Julia looked into Wexler’s quizzical smile and blushed. “Sorry. What a mess!”
“Don’t be sorry. It was my fault.”
The handsome widower’s face was as distinctive as his build. A broad brow sat beneath a shock of prematurely snow-white hair, and full well-shaped eyebrows winged above deep-set soft brown eyes shaded by thick blunt eyelashes.
His mouth, which wasn’t overly generous but ample enough for promise, broke into a wide smile. “Let me help you get this back together.”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary.” Julia dropped to her knees and began gathering the papers.
He ignored her protest and knelt across from her. “No trouble at all. Haven’t you heard that ‘many hands make light work’?”
Julia nodded mutely, as her pounding heart overrode his next words. After taking a few deep breaths, she finally made out what he was saying.
“I’m looking forward to your presentation next week. Field tells me you’ve been dead right on the last two cases he assigned you. We’re all so pleased you’re here at Payne Whitney.”
“Thank you.” She sat back on her knees the same time he did and was keenly aware of how close he was. As he reached out to hand over the rest of the file, their hands met and a tingle traced Julia’s fingertips. She jumped as if she’d received an electrical shock, then busied herself with the chart, sure that if she looked into his eyes she would do or say something stupid.
To save herself any further embarrassment, Julia quickly stood, and before Wexler could rise, she was in her office, behind a closed door.
She collapsed in her chair and began straightening the pages with trembling hands. Julia despised the way she felt when she was in Wexler’s presence. Stupid. Tongue-tied. Silly and inane. How was she ever going to get him to ask her out?
When the telephone’s jarring ring cut through the stuffy silence, Julia stared at the newly menacing object, not wanting to pick up the receiver, not wanting to hear the breathing.
She let it ring one more time before she grabbed the receiver, jammed it to her ear, and said through gritted teeth, “Doctor Fairchild.”
When the caseworker stammered her apology, Julia almost dropped the handset as she whispered to no one, “Thank God.”
My Book Review:
Family secrets, scandals, seduction and an obsessed stalker .... thriller fans, boy do I have a riveting book for you!
In her latest novel, Sutton Place, author Louise Gaylord weaves a fast paced gripping tale of family secrets, lies, scandals and betrayals, with enough suspenseful twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the pages and guessing what will happen next.
The story follows the unraveling of the wealthy New York Fairchild family as their scandalous past begins to surface. When Lucia and Ian Fairchild's deeply held secret of the true parentage of their daughters Julia and Ariel is revealed, the devastating repercussions from the family secrets and betrayals has their lives spinning wildly out of control, and if that isn't enough, an obsessed stalker is terrorizing an already fragile Julia.
From the very beginning, Sutton Place takes the reader on a riveting thrill ride filled with suspense and family drama as the Fairchild family's checkered lives unfold. You can't help but get drawn into this tale with its strong intriguing characters and a richly detailed and descriptive storyline. While the storyline's focus mainly is on Julia Fairchild, I found it fascinating as the author cleverly interweaves the deep family secrets of her parents and sister Ariel as well. The depth of the family scandals and betrayal of trust, in addition to the seductive obsession of a sociopath is frightening. You can't help but feel the tension as their story unfolds, it takes you out of your comfort zone and leaves you to wonder how can anyone recover from such devastating events in their lives.
Sutton Place is the kind of book that fans of mystery thrillers relish, it is a book that is simply very hard to put down.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Virtual Book Tour Schedule
Tour Schedule:
Review and Author Feature at J Barrett
Book Feature and eBook Giveaway at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
September 20
Interview at Literary Lunes Publications
September 21 & 22
Review and Interview at Stephany’s Book Reviews
September 25 & 26
Review, Giveaway and Guest Post at Stains on the Page
September 27
Interivew at Omnimystery
September 28
Review at Celtic Lady’s Reviews
October 1
Review at One Chapter Ahead
October 2
Guest Post at Delphina Reads Too Much
October 3
Review and eBook Giveaway at Manic Readers
October 4
Review at Bibliophilia, Please!
October 5
Book Feature and Giveaway at Much Loved Books
October 6 & 7
Review and Guest Post at Bless Their Hearts Mom
October 9
Guest Post, Excerpt and Review at Jersey Girl Book Reviews
October 11
Interview at Authors and Appetizers
October 19
Review at So I Am a Reader!
Also on the Tour:
Author Spotlight, Book Feature, Excerpt and Paperback Giveaway at C Mash Loves to Read
Review at Reader’s Favorite
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