Interviewer: Your latest book Murder on the Motu has just been released. I understand that in these days of Covig-19 there have been some complications.
VM: The problem is disruption to the distribution system. Fortunately it hasn’t affected downloading of eBooks but print copies of Murder on the Motu are not available in some countries or, if available, are very expensive due to postage costs. Fortunately there are print stocks of my earlier books available.
Interviewer: How will readers respond?
VM: Some people already prefer eBooks but others prefer the feel of a print copy in their hand. However I suspect the world is moving more and more to digital downloads, and for the reader there is a significant cost saving in downloads.
Interviewer: Tell me about you new book?
VM: It’s a little different to my previous novels in that it is a more classic “who dunn’it”. Although thinking about it after I had finished writing Murder on the Motu, I realized it had the same elements as my other novels. A mystery, travel to different places and people, and personal relationships. In these days when travel is so restricted the escape to other places through a book and your imagination is a big plus.
Interviewer: Where does the story take place?
VM: Unlike my earlier novels set in Australia, this story is based in the South Pacific. A group of friends meet up on a luxury yacht for a cruise through the islands of French Polynesia and one is found dead. The mystery of how she died brings out old and new tensions within the group as the cause and reason for her death is discovered.
Interviewer: So the reader must solve the mystery?
VM: My task was to write in a way that makes sure all the clues are in the story, but hidden in a way that makes it a challenge for the reader to find the correct answer. And of course there are red herrings as well. It’s a game for the writer and the reader. I hate endings where the detective gives an answer based on facts that the reader could never have possibly known. That’s cheating!
Interviewer: So, how does a reader find your books?
VM: These easiest way is to go to my website www.valverdemaclean.com , or you can search for me, or my books, on Google. You will also find them the print and eBook formats on amazon in various countries. Other online bookstores may also stock them.
Interviewer: Are they available in a local bookstore?
VM: Unfortunately not. As much as I like browsing and buying in a good bookstore the cost of servicing bookshops makes the price we have to charge for a book unrealistic. It’s a problem for many writers.
Interviewer: One final question. What is a “Motu”?
VM: A tiny island, an islet.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time.
VM: Thank you.
