First up, tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a crime writer and academic. I’m also a proud wife, mother, and grandmother. Although I live in California, I grew up on the US East Coast, so my books are set there. 

Favourite genre/s to read or write?
Most definitely crime fiction. I’ve been reading in the genre since I was a child, and writing in the genre for about 15 years (longer if you count stuff I did in school).

Please tell us about your latest work. 
I’m working on two things. One is a charity crime fiction anthology I’m editing in aid of those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. The other is my newest Patricia Stanley mystery. That one is about a murder in an antique shop and its link to secrets from the past. 

Have you ever tried homemade ANZAC biscuits? 
Nope, but I’d like to!

Who is your favourite main character? 
Do you mean of my characters? I’ve got two main characters and honestly couldn’t choose between them. There’s Joel Williams, who’s a former cop-turned-professor, and there’s Patricia Stanley, a cop who’s one of Williams’ former students and who’s now got her own series.

• Would you go on holiday with them?

I would with Joel and Laura Williams. They’re not jet-setters, and generally prefer quiet, relaxing holidays. That’s more my speed. Patricia Stanley’s a fantastic person, but she’s younger and more likely to stay out later and opt for more adventure in her holidays than I’d choose.

• Would you let them pet sit at your house?

Absolutely. Joel actually has a dog, so he gets it. And Patricia’s responsible; I know I could trust her.

• Are they someone you’d go shopping with?

Probably not. Neither Joel nor Patricia are eager shoppers.

• What would they be like at a nightclub?

Joel would be absent. Nightclubs are not his thing. Patricia would have a good time with her fiancée, Becky. They’d have the right balance between fun partying and not being annoying.

• Are they a series character?

Yes, both are. 

What’s a hobby or skill one of your characters has that you wish you could master?
That’s an interesting question! Both Patricia and Joel are good at what they do. Hmm.. I suppose I’d say that I’d like to master Patricia’s physical fitness. She works out at the gym (although she’s not a gym rat), she runs, and in general stays in very good shape. 

What’s one piece of advice your protagonist would give to readers in real life?
Joel would probably advise readers not to take things at face value and make snap judgements. Things are rarely quite what they seem. Patricia would advise readers to trust their instincts and listen to their guts.

Have you ever put an Easter egg or hidden reference in one of your books? If so, what’s your favourite? 
I actually haven’t done that yet. The closest I’ve come is that Joel’s dog Oscar belonged to the victim in my first novel. So, readers of that novel will know Oscar’s story. Oh, and there are references in my first Patricia Stanley novel to her former partner Serena, who is the victim in my second Joel Williams novel. 

What’s the weirdest or most surprising place you’ve found inspiration for a story?
My husband and I were having brunch at a local diner one day, and that environment inspired the setting and part of the story for Scene of the Crime. 

What’s the strangest piece of research you’ve done for your writing?
I don’t know how strange this is, really, but I’ve researched the architecture of 1920s speakeasys, where  the actual drinking area was hidden. Oh, and also  the architecture of typical Philadelphia row houses (size and shape of rooms, etc.).

Have you eaten pavlova?
No, but it looks delicious!

If you could collaborate on a book with any author, living or dead, who would it be and what would you write about?
Oh, there are far too many for me to list! It’d be great to start with Cat Connor, who writes the coolest FBI and PI novels…
(That could be arranged very easily. And what fun we would have!)

I grew up with the term Waikikamukau to denote rural small towns or out of the way places. (Sometimes also described as the wop wops.) What term do you use?
I don’t write about such places, really, but I call them ‘the sticks’ or ‘the boondocks.’ Sometimes I call them the back of beyond, too.

Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, or some other type of pet?
Nope, no pets at the moment. I’d love a dog, but we’re waiting for the right time.

If your writing space could magically transform into any location, real or fictional, where would you choose to work? 
I would love a ‘she-shed,’ a bit like Louise Penny’s workspace. It’s a small building separate from her home, and it looks just delightful. I know there are other authors who have sheds, guest houses, or some other such structures and I’ve always thought that would be great. 

Thank you for coming along and being such a good sport!
Thanks for having me!
It was my pleasure now about that collab …

You can find out more about Margot in the following places:
Website, Facebook, Mastadon, Bluesky