I’m looking forward to finally sharing The Puzzle Safe Mystery with you. This book has been in the works for quite a while, and it’s one I’ve poured a lot of thought and imagination into. If you’ve been following along through my emails, you already know bits and pieces about the story. Now that it’s officially out in the world, I’d love to give you a deeper peek behind the curtain.
The Setting: Mars Under Glass
The story takes place on Anteros, a city on Mars built under a protective dome. I’ve always loved imagining what everyday life might look like in a place that’s both familiar and otherworldly. Mars is harsh and beautiful at the same time, and I wanted to capture that balance. While there are futuristic touches, like hovercars and advanced engineering, I also wanted the setting to feel lived-in—like a proper home where people laugh, argue, and drink too much coffee while solving problems.
Meet Jill Solis
At the heart of the mystery is Jill Solis, my protagonist. Jill would rather spend her time creating art, but life has steered her toward work as an engineer. She’s quiet, thoughtful, and resourceful. Unlike many of the other characters in this universe, Jill doesn’t have psychic abilities—at least not in the way some of the Askovians do. She can shield her mind from Readers and Feelers, but otherwise she has to rely on her own smarts, instincts, and persistence. Writing her was a lot of fun because she’s grounded in a society that doesn’t always value her, and yet she still finds her own way to stand tall.
A Necklace, a Safe, and a Deadly Secret
Everything changes for Jill when a coworker asks her to hold on to a necklace. It seems like a small favor, but it quickly spirals into danger. Suddenly Jill finds herself entangled with smugglers who are after rare and valuable crystals. When a murder shakes her workplace, she realizes the only way to protect herself—and uncover the truth—is to start asking questions.
This is where the “cozy mystery” part of the book shines through. I love whodunits where the clues are carefully placed, the suspects all have secrets, and the protagonist has to use their wits to make sense of it all.
Why I Loved Writing This Story
One of my favorite parts of working on this book was imagining what it would feel like to live on the red planet. I’ve always been fascinated moonwalks and spacewalks, and I couldn’t resist having Jill experience a Marswalk. I also loved writing a character who’s not a detective by trade but finds herself thrust into a mystery that won’t let her go.
Ready to Read?
The Puzzle Safe Mystery is now available everywhere books are sold. If you’ve already grabbed an early review copy, please leave an honest review. And if you’re just joining in, I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Jill and her Martian world as much as I enjoyed writing it.