It’s the weekend my friends and am I in need of it. I don’t usually post at the weekend but I’m really excited to be part of a blog tour for such an original and unique mystery, historical and fantasy debut fiction, MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by T.A. Willberg! This is going to be such an amazing book, I mean just look at the cover. So I have the pleasure of interviewing her for my stop on the blog tour. I had such a fun time asking these questions so I hope you enjoy it. But first here is a little bit more about this gem of a book…
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg Series: An Inquires Mystery #1
Published by Trapeze on June 10, 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery
Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones
Goodreads
They were a band of mysterious private detectives who lived beneath the streets of London in a labyrinth of twisted tunnels and ancient hallways, the entrance to which no one had ever found. The Inquirers were something of a myth, a whispered legend that may or may not exist, depending on whom you asked. They were like ghosts, some said, these sleuths who guarded the city...
London, 1958:
Elaborately disguised and hidden deep beneath the city's streets lies the world of Miss Brickett's, a secret detective agency, training and housing the mysterious Inquirers. From traversing deceptive escape rooms full of baited traps and hidden dangers, to engineering almost magical mechanical gadgets, apprentice detectives at Miss Brickett's undergo rigorous training to equip them with the skills and knowledge they will need to solve the mysteries that confound London's police force.
But nothing can prepare 23-year-old apprentice Marion Lane for what happens after the arrest of her friend and mentor Frank on suspicion of murder: he has tasks Marion with clearing his name and saving his life. Her investigation will place Marion and her friends in great peril as they venture into the forbidden maze of uncharted tunnels that surround Miss Brickett's.
Being discovered out of bounds means immediate dismissal, but that is the least of Marion's problems when she discovered that the tunnels contain more than just secrets...
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is the first installation in a fantastical historical mystery series for fans of Stuart Turton's The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and Natasha Pulley's The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.
Interview with T.A. Willberg
Are there any clues from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
The murder weapon used to kill Michelle White, the victim at the centre of the story, is very unusual and is used as a Red Herring by the killer.
It’s a classic question, but one I love to ask debut authors, what started your love for writing?
I’ve always loved to read but writing as a career (or even as a hobby) never crossed my mind until I started MARION LANE in 2017. I’d just moved from my home country (South Africa) to Malta and was unemployed and a little down and out. One day — really and truly out of the blue — I opened my laptop and decided to write the first page of a detective novel (my favourite genre to read). I’m still not sure why I suddenly wanted to write, maybe I was bored, maybe I’d always harboured an urge to write but didn’t realise it until then. Either way, I’ve written nearly every day since and now can’t imagine doing anything else.
Your story is set in London 1958. Why did you choose that as the setting for your book?
The main reason for the time period was because I wanted the gadgets the detectives at Miss Brickett’s Investigations and Inquiries use to be superior to the technology that existed at the time. I didn’t want the complications and interference of the internet, cellphones and GPS. I picked London as the setting because it’s one of my favourite cities and, for me at least, holds such an air of mystery — perfect for the atmosphere of MARION LANE.
If you had to describe character Marion in three words, what would those three words be?
Stubborn, loyal and diligent.
Such an original name for your main character, Marion Lane, how did you come up with it?
I named her after my mom, Marion Lorn, who is now petitioning to get our home street renamed to Marion’s Lane — Ha!
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder has elements from different types of genres, historical, fantasy and mystery, how did you come up with such a plotline?
Good question. I’m going to be very honest here and say I didn’t put much thought into what genre I was writing and why. As I mentioned earlier, when I sat down to write MARION LANE, I did so as an experiment. I simply wrote exactly the type of wild, crazy, bizarre story I would’ve liked to read and threw in everything and anything I loved. I know the genre mix-up will scare some readers off (and make others pretty angry) but I’ve a strange imagination and there isn’t much I can do about it.
Do you have any books that inspired your debut novel?
I think readers have guessed this one already but the main inspiration was Harry Potter. Also, Sherlock Holmes and everything by Anthony Horowitz.
Have you been given any advice when it came to writing that you would pass on to budding writers?
Read as much as possible and write regularly. Like everything in life, writing well takes hours and hours of practise. I also think it’s important to accept that your writing and storytelling will never be perfect. And that’s just fine.
What were your highlights and challenges to writing your debut novel?
I’ve had so many highlights — landing my publishing deal and agent were perhaps the greatest. The challenges have come thick and fast too. It’s a nightmare trying to get a book noticed these days, with bookstores closed and travelling out of the question. Thank heavens for all the lovely book bloggers helping us gain exposure. I really mean that, you’re the best.
What do you hope for readers to take away from your book?
I just want my readers to enjoy themselves — escape reality, take on Marion’s problems instead of your own and have an adventure.
Fun question, if you could take your main characters and place them in a different world/book what would it be?
I’d love to see how Marion and Bill cope at Hogwarts! 
To end, can you share with us a shelfie or maybe what you’re currently reading?
I’d show you a shelfie but I’ve just moved into a new place and everything’s a mess. I’m currently reading a proof of THE MAID by Nita Prose, debuting in January, 2022. It’s just my cup of tea.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to T.A. Willberg for answering my questions. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is OUT NOW and I can’t wait to read it.
About the author
T.A. Willberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and grew up on a small-holding outside Durban surrounded by horses, sheep, chickens and more snakes and spiders than she cares to recall. Her mother, after whom her protagonist is named, is a trained nurse with a degree in English Literature who worked at the Institute of Race Relations during the years of apartheid. Her father is German and a mechanical engineer with a wildly inventive imagination, and certainly the influence behind many of the gadgets in her novel.
