Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont to host Washington County crime novelist
Jun. 5—As a fourth-generation resident of Washington County's Smith Township, author Annette Dashofy has spent her whole life in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the region's rolling hills and bucolic countryside have served as the setting for many of her books.
The latest, "What Comes Around," is the 13th entry in her series centered on the character of Zoe Chambers, who has gone from a paramedic to a deputy coroner to now the head coroner in the fictional Monongahela County.
Dashofy, 64, will be at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont at 1 p.m. Sunday to promote the new book, which was released May 7.
Dashofy spoke with TribLive about creating a character who has been with her through more than a dozen novels.
This interview has been edited for length.
Q: What about the Zoe Chambers character persuaded you to keep her as a central point of focus?
A: Zoe's a strong female character who has flaws but will move heaven and earth to protect those she cares about. She's someone I enjoy spending time with. Along with Pete Adams, the local police chief and now Zoe's husband, she has the perfect personality and career for getting involved in crime investigation.
Q: What do you like about Western Pennsylvania as a setting and how does that setting contribute to the feel of your books?
A: The simple answer is I live here, so if I need to research locations, I just hop in my car or, even better, just step outside my front door. I'm not Zoe, but we do share a few passions. I worked on our local ambulance service. I had horses. And I live out in the country. So it's a simple matter to draw from my experiences and my life on the farm to provide atmosphere. Rural Southwestern Pennsylvania is an area that hasn't previously been written about, especially in crime fiction, and it offers plenty of opportunities for surprising and unusual stories.
Q: What is the biggest challenge in crafting an engaging crime mystery?
A: First, creating a believable group of suspects and situations to keep the reader guessing while still playing fair and providing reasonable clues. If the reader is paying attention, they should be able to figure out who the real killer is, but it's my challenge to keep them from doing so! Secondly, I write what are basically police procedural stories with Pete Adams being the chief of the township police department. While I did work on an ambulance and know that world, I've never been a cop. But I want to get it as correct as possible, so I'm always doing research, calling on cop friends and trying my best to be accurate and entertaining.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about revisiting Zoe Chambers when a new entry in her series gets under way?
A: Starting a new Zoe Chambers story is like coming home and visiting old friends, especially now that I'm writing other books as well. I know these characters. I know this setting. I don't have to spend time wondering how Zoe, Pete, Wayne or any of the other regulars would react. They're real to me.
Q: Do you have a full career arc planned for Zoe Chambers? Will her stories ever intersect with your Detective Honeywell series?
A: That's a good question. I had no clue early on that Zoe would end up as county coroner, and, if readers pay attention, they'll pick up on some doubts Zoe has about the decision. I'm not sure where she'll end up. As for intersecting with the Detective Honeywell series, I'm afraid that can't happen. They're with two different publishers and, legally, I can't mix and match without being in breach of contract.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
