John Charles recently welcomed Jill Beissel and Jenn McKinlay for an event at The Poisoned Pen. Beissel’s new book is Glitter and Gold. Jenn McKinlay’s latest book, Witches of Dubious Origin, has been called a “enchanting cozy fantasy”. There are signed copies of both books available in the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Here’s the description of Glitter and Gold.
A suspenseful, female-driven adventure mystery set in the Arizona wilderness, Glitter & Gold explores friendship, betrayal, and a deadly treasure hunt—perfect for fans of Danielle Trussoni.
After her mother’s death, Delaney Byrne faces escalating debts and a sister to support. Their home is burglarized, hinting at her mother’s obsession with a hidden treasure in Arizona’s mountains. When her estranged best friend, Joss, proposes one final treasure hunt, Delaney is skeptical but desperate.
As they delve into the wilderness, Delaney and Joss navigate a maze of old betrayals and hidden dangers. Each clue they uncover draws them closer to the treasure but deeper into risk. Delaney vows not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, but the mountain’s perils are relentless, and trust is scarce.
Blending the high-stakes intrigue of Jane Harper’s The Dry with the atmospheric danger of Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game, Glitter & Gold is an adventure mystery about survival, buried secrets, and the price of chasing fortune and family across unforgiving terrain.
Jill Beissel is a seasoned writer hailing from Phoenix. By day, she crafts compelling advertising copy; by night, she delves into fictional worlds.
Her stories explore the intricate dance between mothers and daughters and unravel the layers of female friendships, all set against atmospheric backdrops that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Outside her worlds of words, Jill enjoys moments with her husband and two young kids, loses herself in riveting reads, sips on coffee, and secretly hopes for more rain showers in Phoenix—a true pluviophile in the heart of the desert.
Heres the summary of Witches of Dubious Origin.
When a librarian discovers she’s descended from a long line of powerful witches, she’ll need all of her bookish knowledge to harness her family’s magic, in this enchanting cozy fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.
Zoe Ziakas enjoys a quiet life, working as a librarian in her quaint New England town. When a mysterious black book with an unbreakable latch is delivered to the library, Zoe has a strange feeling the tome is somehow calling to her. She decides to consult the Museum of Literature, home to volumes of indecipherable secrets, some possessing dark magic that must be guarded.
Here, among their most dangerous collection, the Books of Dubious Origin, Zoe discovers that she is the last descendant of a family of witches and this little black book is their grimoire. Zoe knows she must decode the family’s spell book and solve the mystery of what happened to her mother and her grandmother. However, the book’s potential power draws all things magical to it, and Zoe finds herself under the constant watch of a pesky raven, while being chased by undead Vikings, ghost pirates, and assorted ghouls.
With assistance from the eccentric staff of the Books of Dubious Origin department—including their annoyingly smart and handsome containment specialist, Jasper Griffin—Zoe must confront her past and the legacy of her family. But as their adventure unfolds, she’ll have to decide whether or not she’s ready to embrace her destiny.
Jenn McKinlay is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
Enjoy the conversation with Jill Beissel and Jenn McKinlay.