An Interview with Christine Wenger

Today author Christine Wenger is stopping by to answer our questions and tell us about her new book, Drivers, Dine-Ins and Death. 


Where did you get the idea for this book? How did you know that was the book you wanted to write?

HA!  After I wrote the answer to the above question, the answer to this question was obvious!  

I wanted to write about a character named Trixie who solved mysteries.  I wanted her to be Polish (like me!) and wanted her to be a foodie (like me) and run a diner in a small town (unlike me!).  

The natural place for my series was the COZY MYSTERY GENRE and luckily Penguin/Obsidian Books agreed.  My “comfort food” cozy mysteries were born, and I’ve had such a fun time writing about Trixie Matkowski and the quirky residents of small town Sandy Harbor on the shore of Lake Ontario, New York.  

What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your novels? 

I just love people coming up to me and telling me that they enjoyed my books, and when the tell me that they laughed, it’s such a great feeling!  I’ve also received fabulous reviews.  Oh!  And Trixie has been nominated for an award for “BEST AMATEUR SLEUTH”.  As Ty Brisco, former Houston cop and current Sandy Harbor’s Deputy Sheriff, would say, “Yee-haw!” 

What was your favorite book growing up and why? 

I loved to read Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew mysteries.  I’d finish one and have the next book in the series open and ready to read.  I’d lie on my bed with a caramel Sugar Daddy and read and read.  My parents had to kick me outside to get some air!  

I wanted to belong to a club like Trixie (the Bob Whites of the Glen) and have a blue roadster like Nancy-even though I didn’t know what a roadster was!  But I was more like Trixie.  She and her pals rode horses and so did I.  I saved my babysitting money and allowance for a horse of my own, until I found out that they weren’t allowed in our housing development!  

I read Trixie and Nancy over and over again.  

Do you share any traits with your protagonist?

This question is interesting to explore!  I believe that I have a sense of humor, and love to make (and eat!) comfort food.  We both are Polish and naturally love to bake and cook (and eat!) Polish food.  Trixie loves to solve mysteries, and I have a background in criminal justice, and have caught my share of law breakers.  Trixie loves the water- being on it and watching it, and she likes small town life.  Works for me! 

Above all, Trixie has a dog named Blondie who appears in every story and on every cover, AND SO DO I !  Here she is:

Here’s Blondie lounging in Trixie’s fabulous Silver Bullet Diner.

Thanks for reading!

Chris Wenger