Catriona McPherson’s 'Scottish Downton Abbey' Dandy Gilver series serves up a hedonistic mix of history, black comedy and murder in elegant prose certain to appeal to fans of Evelyn Waugh, Agatha Christie and Nancy Mitford.

Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Catriona talks about why she loves the Golden Age of British mystery and how her new heroine Lexy Campbell views the California dream through Scottish eyes.

But before we talk to Catriona, just a reminder that the show notes for this Binge Reading episode can be found on the website, The Joys of Binge Reading.com

That’s where you’ll find a full transcript of our discussion, plus links to Cat’s books and website, as well as details about how to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss future episodes.

Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode:

Why it's important to write what you love

How being unhappy at work got her started

Her passion for the mythical world of Golden Age mystery

The etiquette of leaving - and how Scots and Yankees do it differently

Seeing the California dream through Scottish eyes

What she'd do differently second time around

Where to find Catriona McPherson: 

Website: http://catrionamcpherson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catriona-McPherson-171725286218342/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatrionaMcP

Blogs: Seven Criminal Minds:  http://7criminalminds.blogspot.com/

Femme Fatale Blogspot:   http://femmesfatales.typepad.com/

What follows is a "near as" transcript of our conversation, not word for word but pretty close to it, with links to important mentions.

Jenny: But now, here’s Catriona. .  Hello there Catriona and welcome to the show, it’s great to have you with us

Cat: Thanks for having me Jenny

Author Catriona McPherson

Jenny: Beginning at the beginning - was there a “Once Upon A Time" moment when you decided you wanted to write fiction?  And if there was a catalyst, what was it?

Catriona: There was a time when I was a young teenager, when I was thirteen or fourteen when I wanted to be a writer, that what I wanted to do for a job  But it was frowned upon but I had a careers adviser who told me it was daft, that it wasn't a good idea, So I shelved that idea and it was only when I was 35 and I had a job that I hated that I came back to it and by then there wasn't anyone who could tell me I couldn't do it....  so I had a long, long hiatus.

Jenny: You’re extremely versatile - you've successfully  proven yourself in three different genres - historical mysteries, dark “stand alone” thrillers, and your latest book Scot Free which launches a new  California laugh out loud funny mystery series. But let’s start with the Dandy Gilver, and your Scottish mysteries set in the 1920’s and 30’s in a big country house . . - the "Scottish Downton Abbey"

You’re up to Number 12 in this series now. They’ve gathered an armful of awards and a dedicated following - Tell us about writing # 1 “After the Armistice.”  I presume this was your first completed MS?

After the Armistice Ball - Dandy Gilver # 1

Catriona: Well no actually it's not, the first MS I finished was a modern literary novel  - or anyway a novel - and after I got 40 rejections, I was feeling a bit glum, and I put it in a drawer, and my husband Neil suggested that I should write something I loved as a "palate cleanser" just for fun.

And what I loved was the Golden Age of Mystery - it's not really a historical period, because it's a cultural space - a bit of history and a lot of writing tradition...  and he said write of them just for fun, because everyone who writes them is dead, so just for fun I wrote the first Dandy Gilver s...