Erik D’Souza speaks with author Melodie Campbell about her Merry Widow Murders series set in the 1920s. Melodie discusses her latest book, The Pharaoh’s Cursed Murders (published by Cormorant Books), which features her protagonist, Lady Revelstoke, solving a murder aboard a cruise ship bound for Egypt while exploring themes of women’s rights and the ethics of archaeological digs. She explains how she incorporates comedy through her character, Elf, who serves as a comedic foil to the book’s serious mystery elements, and describes her extensive research into Egyptology to ensure the book’s historical accuracy. Melodie also mentions her new novella series, Pizza Wars, published by Gemma Open Door, a literary publisher. She discusses the challenges of engaging young readers in fiction in the current digital age.
Bio
Compared to Agatha Christie by The Toronto Star, Melodie Campbell was also named the “Canadian Literary heir to Donald Westlake” by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Winner of 10 awards, including the Derringer (US) and the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence, she has multiple bestsellers and was featured in USA Today.
Her publications include over 100 comedy credits, 21 novels, and 60 short stories. Her third book in the Merry Widow series, The Pharaoh’s Curse Murders, has just been released by Cormorant Books. She is the past executive director of Crime Writers of Canada.