The butler did it, as the saying goes, but in Susan JubyB次元官网网址檚 new murder mystery, the butler is the one tasked with solving the crime.

Juby, a Nanaimo author well-known for her young-adult novels, held a book launch for Mindful of Murder on Tuesday, March 15, at Vancouver Island UniversityB次元官网网址檚 Malaspina Theatre.

Mindful of MurderB次元官网网址檚 protagonist is Helen Thorpe, a Buddhist and a newly trained butler who gets called back to her previous workplace, a Discovery Islands spiritual retreat called the Yatra Institute, following the death of her former boss.

Juby said sheB次元官网网址檚 fascinated with butlers B次元官网网址� she thinks of them as B次元官网网址渃alm, gracious and present,B次元官网网址� she said B次元官网网址� and knew she wanted to write about a butler detective.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted an investigator that was fresh, interesting B次元官网网址� an investigatorB次元官网网址檚 all about the way that they solve crimes. Everybody should have a very particular way,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd so I spent years B次元官网网址� working on this book, trying to come up with an investigator with something special to bring to the investigative process.B次元官网网址�

The setting was inspired by the Hollyhock retreat on Cortes Island, a place Juby has visited often, but her fictional Yatra Institute turns up the dial with its competitive meditation and flower arranging and martial-arts inspired dance.

B次元官网网址淚 want things to be funny and somewhat light B次元官网网址� sometimes ridiculously light B次元官网网址� just to give you that feeling of being cozy and in an environment thatB次元官网网址檚 sort of nurturing, at the same time as thereB次元官网网址檚 a problem to be solved B次元官网网址� that problem being a homicide,B次元官网网址� she said.

Asked if her YA readers will follow her to the murder mystery shelf at the bookstore, Juby said she supports writers who change genres and has felt that same support so far.

B次元官网网址淎nd people who like to laugh like to laugh, and I hope this makes people laugh,B次元官网网址� she said.

Juby says Mindful of Murder might turn out to be the first in a series of mysteries. SheB次元官网网址檚 thought about whatB次元官网网址檚 next for her butler protagonist, who was supposed to have taken a wonderful job with a wealthy American family before the death at the Yatra Institute sidetracked those plans.

B次元官网网址淢y idea is that she will go to be with the family and then they will second her out to people who have emergencies, and so sheB次元官网网址檚 never going to get a break,B次元官网网址� Juby said. B次元官网网址淪he has to keep stumbling into murders. IB次元官网网址檝e got lots of ideas for what Helen can do next, but we shall see.B次元官网网址�

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