About A Cryptic Clue
Traditional Mystery
About the Interview With Victoria Gilbert
Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author? I always loved to write, but mostly wrote poetry and short stories when I was younger. I also outlined and started several novels, but never completed them. Life – in the form of work and family – then got in the way and I abandoned writing for many years. Finally, when I was 56, I decided to complete one novel just to say I had achieved that life goal. That book, and its sequel, are still on the shelf, but my third completed novel garnered me an agent and publishing deal. My first book was published when I was 58! Which is why I always say it is never too late.
What is something unique/quirky about you? I can’t really say that I’m a “country girl” or “city person.” I’ve lived in rural areas, small towns, moderately-sized cities, and very large cities (NYC) and actually enjoy all those lifestyles. I think if I was wealthy, I would have a home in each of those areas and alternate between them!
Tell us something really interesting that's happened to you! When I was around ten, my family spent 5 weeks traveling in a station wagon and pop-up tent camper. We crossed the USA from the east coast to the west coast and back again, and had many interesting adventures along the way. One evening we set up our camper beside a lake before a huge rainstorm and woke up to find water lapping the bottom of our camper steps. We also encountered a heat wave in the desert – and didn’t have air conditioning in the car! We had to fill a cooler with ice chips and use those to cool down. But it was an amazing trip and I admire my parents so much for taking a 12 year old, 10 year old, and 6-year old on such an adventure.
Where were you born/grew up at? I was born in Peoria, Illinois, but don’t remember living there as my family moved to Virginia when I was two. I grew up in Loudoun County, Virginia, which is in the northern part of the state, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I actually set my first mystery series – the Blue Ridge Library series – there. Although I created a fictional town, it is based on the small towns I knew from living in that area.
What kind of world ruler would you be? Probably not a very good one, as I have no desire to rule. I don’t care for politics, really don’t enjoy telling others what to do, and like my alone time too much to be a great ruler.
What do you do to unwind and relax? Of course I love to read! But I also like watching films and TV shows, walking, and gardening.
Describe yourself in 5 words or less! Intelligent, logical, empathetic, driven, and creative.
Do you have a favorite movie? I love movies, especially classic and foreign films, so it is impossible for me to pick just one favorite. A few I really enjoy are the 1995 Sense and Sensibility, Babette’s Feast, The Lives of Others, Casablanca, Raiders of the Lost Ark, almost any B&W classic noir film, and most old Hollywood musicals.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie? I’m not sure any of my books would work as a movie, but I do believe all my mysteries would make wonderful TV shows. So if anyone in the industry is reading this…
About the Excerpt
I plunked my empty coffee mug down on the side table between our chairs. “So what’s the scoop?”
Vince cast me an amused glance. “I see what you did there. Anyway, the story is that Samuel and Bridget Airley, having risen from nothing to the pinnacle of, at least, local society, were pretty keen to have their only child marry well. They sent him to the best private schools, then hosted parties at Aircroft to introduce Calvin to well-connected, and wealthy, debutantes.”
“But Calvin had other ideas?”
“Exactly. The rumors were that he’d met someone his parents would consider unsuitable. A girl with limited prospects. According to the gossip, they met in secret and fell in love.”
“Of course,” I said absently, my attention diverted by the movers returning to their truck.
My lack of interest didn’t slow Vince’s torrent of words. “Unfortunately, the girl ended up ‘in the family way,’ as they would’ve said then. Now, to his credit, various sources claimed that Calvin wanted to marry her, and even told his parents as much. Naturally, his mom and dad were opposed to this idea. They forbade the marriage, threatening to cut Calvin off if he carried through with it.”
I turned to Vince with a frown. “And he backed down?”
“Supposedly. Some fanciful tales I’ve heard romanticized this a bit, claiming Calvin just wanted to find a way to get hold of some of his inheritance before running off with the girl, but who knows?” Vince shrugged. “Anyway, the upshot was that the girl disappeared.”
More intrigued than I wanted to be, I leaned into the arm of my chair. “She was presumed dead?”
Vince shook his head. “No one telling the tale knew for sure what happened to her. To be honest, no one seemed to know exactly who she was. The couple of names bandied about have been proven to be wrong, so even that is a mystery. But when Calvin died not long after . . .”
“Some people thought he might’ve committed suicide?”
“A few. But there were others who believed it was the girl’s family, or a friend, who shoved Calvin off that cliff — an act of revenge for him deserting her.” Vince sat back in his chair with a flourish of his hands. “Straight up murder.”
I studied his profile for a moment. It was clear that Vince was obsessed with this tale, however apocryphal it might be. “You truly believe that?”
“I think there’s a good possibility it could be true.” Vince turned his head to meet my incredulous gaze. “I know it sounds far-fetched, especially since it’s only based on oral history. Or gossip, if you will. There’s no real documentation, or at least none that I’ve discovered yet.” Vince’s eyes glittered with excitement. “But that’s thrill of it — chasing down all the leads and digging through the dreck to find any diamonds of truth.”
“In other words, once a newshound, always a newshound,” I said, offering him a slight smile. “But I do understand, in a way. I always felt the same way about library research.”
“See, you get it.” Vince crossed his arms over his chest. “My former boss thought it was a waste of time, because there was no guarantee I could ever prove anything. I mean, it’s all based on stories told by one person to another. Which can certainly jumble things up.”
“Hard to get to the actual truth,” I agreed, giving a nod to the foreman as the movers resumed hauling my household goods up the unforgiving stairs.
“I know, and it’s not like I may be able to absolutely prove anything, one way or the other. I may have to simply take the facts I can gather and extrapolate from there.” Vince shot me a quick glance. “Not that I’d make up anything, but I could theorize.”
I met his gaze with a lift of my chin. “It is an intriguing premise for a book. I just have one question — do you plan to ask me for help? Getting information from the files and documents that might still be stored at Aircroft, I mean.”
To his credit, Vince didn’t even blink. “The idea has crossed my mind.”
“I thought so,” I said, rising to my feet. “I’ll have to think about that. And ask my employer if it is okay for me to dig through any papers or other things connected to the Airley family. Deal?”
“Deal,” Vince said, standing to face me. “There is one more thing . . .”
“What’s that?” I asked, distracted by one of the movers motioning for me to join him at the truck. Assuming he wanted some instructions on whether to separate the two halves of a bookcase before trying to haul them up to the apartment, I’d taken a few steps toward the porch steps when Vince’s words stopped me in my tracks.
“Let me know if you encounter any ghosts,” he said.
About Victoria Gilbert
Raised in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian. Now retired, she’s worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and university library director.
Victoria writes the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, the Booklover’s B&B Mystery series, and the Hunter & Clewe traditional mystery series for Crooked Lane Books. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching TV and films, gardening, or traveling. A member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Victoria lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and two very spoiled cats.
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