I can guess what you’re thinking: Angela has finally lost it and has taken a hatchet after the executives at Lanvin who discontinued Scandal. Tempting, but not quite. Instead, I’ve written a mystery novel in which a couture Lanvin coat plays a central role. Here’s the back cover copy:
All Portland, Oregon, vintage clothing store owner Joanna Hayworth wants to do is turn her back on the modern world and retreat into a carefully curated life of satin cocktail gowns, icy martinis, and old movies.
But when Joanna finds a key in a 1930s Lanvin coat cast off by an ex-showgirl, everything changes. The elderly woman turns up dead, and Joanna is pulled into a long-ago drama of back room deals, blackmail, and lost love. She must find a very real — and present day — killer before she becomes his next victim.
The Lanvin Murders is a sort of mash-up of Portlandia and Agatha Christie, with a few dozen vintage dresses tossed in the mix. If you’ve just plowed through The Goldfinch and need a palate cleanser, or if you — like me — enjoy beach reads all year long, I hope you’ll give it a try.
Also, I send out a monthly newsletter filled with the sorts of things the novel's heroine likes. Past newsletters have included old cocktail recipes, dating advice from Zsa Zsa Gabor, profiles of women pulp detective novelists, a drag queen’s makeup tips, and more. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
The Lanvin Murders is $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble as an e-book. A trade paperback, $12.95, will be available for order in bookstores or online by the beginning of next week.
Congratulations! I will definitely be purchasing a paper copy since that is my preferred flavor of reading. Surely a time of mixed emotions— happy and proud to have finished your book and have it go out into the world plus a bit of nervousness about how it will be received.
It’s like you’ve read my mind! I’m both excited and terrified. Writing fiction is so different than writing magazine articles or blog posts. I’m loving everything I’m learning, though. And I really do adore the cover (thanks, M80 Branding).
I bought the Kindle version–can’t wait to start reading it. Congratulations!
I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to drop me a line, if you want, if you have comments. A follow-up book, Dior or Die, is coming down the pike, and I want to make sure it’s a good one.
Sounds like a breezy, fun read…perfect for the summer! Congratulations, Angela! Will order the paperback when it’s available!
I love a little fluff to read between more serious reads, so that’s what I wrote. I hope you enjoy it!
I haven’t posted here in ages, but I caught the announcement about this on Twitter and I’m thrilled you have a book out, Angela! I just signed up for your newsletter. Huge congrats! It sounds really fun.
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the newsletter–I have a great time putting it together.
Congratulations! Sounds like a fun read, and a job well done.
I’m definitely aiming for it to be fun rather than intellectually nutritious, and I hope it succeeds in that, at least.
Thank you so much for this book, Angela! I finished it in two days would happily have read it in one sitting if it weren’t for work. I really enjoyed it and only wish I’d had the discipline to read more slowly and savor the characters and setting even more. I like that the protagonist isn’t an unrealistic super sleuth, for a change, but rather a real and interesting woman who happens to get caught up in dangerous currents and makes her way through with a little help from her interesting friends, her good character, and wonderful vintage outfits. Portland makes a fascinating setting, too, of course. I’ve never been there, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the people and issues.
I’m so glad that future volumes are already scheduled for not too far off!
Thank you so much! I’m so, so happy that you liked it!
Just bought it on Amazon. Can’t wait to read it!
I’m crossing my fingers that it keeps you engaged! I recommend reading it in a satin dressing gown with a martini at your side, if you can manage it.
Just bought it and cannot wait to read it!
I will absolutely be buying a hardcopy when it is out, and wonder if you’d consider autographed copies?
I’d love to send an autographed copy! I’m planning on ordering some copies, and I can ship one out to you once I get it. I’ll send you an email tonight. Perfume definitely plays at least a minor role in the book. Maybe I could make some samples to include…
Wonderful! I really admire you. As a wanna-be writer (I started working as a reporter right after college, but that was in the early 2000s when all sorts of print journalism was collapsing, and I couldn’t really make it work) I know it takes an incredible amount of drive to get this kind of thing done. I am going to buy the Kindle version!
I think one of the things that surprised me most about writing light fiction is how hard it is to write something that can be read super easily. I’ve been loving it, though–there’s something tremendous about being able to keep learning and trying something new. I have a great critique group, which really helps, too.
Congrats Angela! I look forward to getting this in my library. I need some light reading so I can’t wait! Cheers!!!!!!!
Great! Don’t you love libraries? The book’s heroine is a technophobe, and instead of googling things, she calls the library’s reference desk, where they all know her by name.
Yes I do love libraries! I’m happy to be on almost 20 years as a library worker. I look forward to seeing the “new” sticker on your book!!! I’ve often tried to figure out how to do programs about sniffing and fragrance at the library, but haven’t got there yet…. I look forward to reading the book anyway b/c I used to crawl around downtown Portland, and loved every minute of it. I even got to live in an old timey apartment on SW Salmon that had an old gated elevator…. I watched them build the fox tower and tear down the St. Francis… My feet were never so happy as to spend hours walking around the city. Lots of wonderful memories. My husband is a native Portlander, so getting into the setting will be a lot of fun.
That’s fabulous! I can picture your old apartment, too–I used to live in an apartment with one of those elevators. Kids loved them.
I’m not sure what kind of distribution my book will get, but it will be available through the big distributors, so I hope your library does order a copy.
I’ll buy two and donate one to our local library.
That’s so generous!
Congratulations, Angela! I’ve been waiting for this! I hope you’re proud of yourself and tickled pink. I always enjoy your posts, reviews and the newsletter, so I know I’ll love the book.
Thank you! I really hope you’ll enjoy it.
Hooray! It sounds great, and I’ve already downloaded it. But, if you do decide to do autographed copies, I’d love to know.
You are so sweet!
Congratulations on your book release! It sounds like a lot of fun. I grew up reading Agatha Christie’s books because my grandma was a fan. I’ll be buying a copy. I also just signed up for the newsletter.
My grandma was more of a Barbara Cartland fan, but she adored the TV show “Murder She Wrote.” She always wanted me to write, and I hope she’s in heaven now having tea with Barbara Cartland and smiling down on me.
MY TWO FAVORITE THINGS! Murder Mysteries and Fashion! MUST READ! Going to Download NOW!
I really really hope you enjoy it!
I havent made a comment for ages but just had to congratulate you on writing a novel and its my sort of novel too-hope it makes it to Aus!
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me. The book should be available now as an ebook, and bookstores in Australia will be able to order it, as well.
Ooh, that sounds really good! Congratulations Angela, this is going on my Kindle. Hard to pass up a vintage mystery.!
Hey, there’s even at least one reference to vintage scarves! (If I remember right, you love a good scarf. If I don’t remember right, I sound like I’m nuts.)
Yes, I do love a vintage scarf, especially when it’s scented with vintage perfume
Your memory is impressive!
Finally your book sees the light of day! I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to reading it, Angie. And what a name for the sequel – Dior or Die!
Congrats, and hope it’s a huge success!
Ooops, meant to say “follow-up”, not sequel, although I might be right?
It’s the same thing, as far as I know.
Maybe we’ll call it the flanker.
Oh, now why didn’t I think of that?
Thank you so much! (I like to say “Dior or Die” in a scary voice. Very effective.)
This sounds like a great summer read–will wait for the paperback. You know, I STILL haven’t finished The Goldfinch. Funny, I whipped through her earlier books pretty quickly.
I have to admit that I became mired in The Goldfinch, too, and haven’t yet found my way out…
Congratulation, Angela! I may inaugurate the Kindle App on my iPad mini with your book. I have a Nook and I am feeling lonely! I’ll also buy the paperback because knowing me, I’ll probably want to switch from digital to hardcopy and vice versa.
I am also looking to reacquaint myself with Portland. i have not been there since 2009. I used to go annually to visit my brother and his family (ha! I guess they’re MY family too) but he’s been coming to the East Coast to attend conferences and to visit the ‘rents.
I hope you like the book! An iPad mini would be ideal, really, for ebook reading. I love reading on my big iPad, but it gets heavy after a while.
Congratulations! It sounds great, and I will be downloading it soon.
I really hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think.
Congratulations! What an exciting announcement. I can’t wait to read it. Fabulous cover!
I love the cover, too! The designer does fabulous work. If you do read the book, I hope it’s super entertaining for you.
Wonderful! I don’t have a Kindle so will buy a hardcopy as soon as I can online. Better for reading in the bath anyway. Sounds like your heroine would do the same. I wish I had some divine bath product from Lanvin to create the right atmosphere. I do have some Miss Dior foaming bath, and good ol’ Youth Dew bath oil of course. This is going to be so fun! Thanks for such a treat!
My heroine definitely reads in the tub! In fact, the book has two bathtub scenes, come to think of it. A tub of Miss Dior foaming bath sounds like heaven itself…
Last weekend (week?) someone commented that your book was out and I immediately downloaded it. It’s next up on my Kindle.
A big congratulations on your achievement.
Thank you so much, and I really hope you like it. (You’re the one who got me hooked on kindle, by the way. I take mine everywhere these days. Of course, I always plenty of dog-eared paperbacks around, too.)
Congratulation … sure the story would smell wonderful …
maybe I can translate the story for you in Chinese … haha …
The thought of someone reading the novel in China kind of blows my mind! In a good way, of course.
Congratulations, Angela! I can`t wait to read your novel!
I sure hope you enjoy it! I know I had a good time writing it.
This sounds like a fun summer read (or anytime come to think of it). I will download it to my kindle when it decides to talk to my wifi again – which I rather hope is very soon. Really looking forward to it and thank you.
It’s definitely on the “fun read” side rather than the “serious literature” side. Thank you!
Congratulations! I will order the paperback when it becomes available. My sister lives near Portland and I have visited from the East Coast several times (I live in VA) so I am looking forward to learning more about the city. I love light summer reading and your writing, so I’m sure I will enjoy it immensely!
There’s definitely lots of Portland in the book–the Clinton neighborhood on the east side, some West Hills, Sauvie Island, Mt Tabor, and more.
Congratulations Angela!!! I read an excerpt a few days back when Robin informally announced its ‘kindle version’ presence on Amazon and enjoyed it.. Can’t wait to read the rest (preferably the paperback version)..*hugs*
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked the excerpt (isn’t that a great feature?).
So excited to read this! I love Lanvin, the fragrances, fashion,
it’s all good. Love that cover art too. I have a pair of vintage Spring-O-Lator mules once worn by Miss Jayne Mansfield herself. Jayne wore Arpege and My Sin. Again, congrats Angela!
Oh my gosh! Spring-O-Lators worn by Jayne Mansfield–that’s stupendous! I’m jealous.
Darling to write a book is THE best ever!
You are very kind!
Forgot to say, the shoes look just like the cover art.
They do kind of look like Spring-O-Lators, don’t they? I didn’t make the connection before, but now I totally do.
Let’s say they are a fab pair of Lanvin mules. Much better!