Interview: Nancy J. Cohen (Murder Pays a Call) ~ #BookTour #Excerpt

Hello and Welcome All!

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Nancy J. Cohen author of Murder Pays a Call.

Hi Nancy, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

Who inspired you to become a writer?

I was inspired to write mysteries by reading Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton and Cherry Ames books. As for storytelling, it was an innate drive to write. I wrote the types of stories that I liked to read. My first published book was based on a dream and blended science fiction with romance. I was a Star Trek fan, and I loved to read historical romances. So I combined these genres and wrote a futuristic romance, Circle of Light. This title won the HOLT Medallion Award. I wrote eight sci-fi/fantasy romances in total before switching to mysteries. By that time, each of my romances had a mystery element. It was my agent who suggested I write a straight mystery.

The idea for my Bad Hair Day series came to me while I was at the salon. I looked at all the other ladies sitting there waiting for their hair to process, and thought, “We need something gripping to read to kill time. Let’s kill off one of these women.” A salon seemed like a great background setting for a mystery series. Aside from the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, I’ve also written Writing the Cozy Mystery as an instructional guide for other writers. Murder Pays a Call is the first book in a new cozy series.

What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?

It’s fun to write confrontational scenes in dialogue between characters. Conflict is the engine for fiction, and when two characters speak, sparks can fly. They can be lying, dodging the truth, acting suspicious or skeptical. Usually, I have to go back and tone these scenes down because my heroine comes across as too blunt. But it’s fun to imagine myself in her place when she’s talking to a suspect.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I’ll determine the victim and develop my suspects before I begin writing. Often, I’ll write a synopsis to get a feel for the story’s direction. But while I might know that my path will take me from Point A to Point B, I may not have figured how to get from one place to the other. Story magic may kick in along the way, providing plot twists I hadn’t anticipated. So, I’m a little bit of a plotter and a little bit of a pantser.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I like to read, cook, watch TV movies, go to lunch with friends, sail away on a Caribbean cruise, and visit Disney World. I live in Central Florida, where we also have shady nature trails, natural springs, and other attractions away from the theme parks.

What are some books you have enjoyed recently?

I’ve been reading historical mysteries lately. I like escaping into the detailed historical setting and following the investigation along with the amateur sleuth. Here are some of the recent titles I’ve read: Murder at Arleigh by Alyssa Maxwell, Bloody Lessons by M. Louisa Locke, Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen, A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman, The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen, and The Mango Murders by Lucy Burdette.

Tell us a few Fun Facts about Murder Pays a Call?

Keri Armstrong, my sleuth, owns a personal concierge agency. She’ll accept any job to help make a client’s life easier, as long as it’s legal and ethical. She doesn’t count on solving murders as being part of her job until she finds Fiona Sullivan, her favorite client, dead in bed. Then Keri won’t rest until she learns the truth.

When I write a story, I Iike to learn something new. In this case, I read about silver restoration. You can take any dented or tarnished piece to an expert, and they are able to restore it to a like-new condition. As for the setting, it’s modeled after Winter Park, Florida in the Orlando area. This popular tourist destination has a small-town feel, with shops and restaurants, museums and other attractions. But beneath the surface of this affluent community, passions sizzle in the sultry sun and sometimes lead to murder.

How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

I wish I could afford a personal concierge! Seriously, who wouldn’t want an assistant to help you plan meals, go shopping, take care of mundane errands, or organize your garage? A personal concierge can plan special events or corporate meetings in addition to helping individuals with their needs. Keri has two employees at her agency with room for one more. We meet these characters fairly early in the story. Purdy, a former accountant, is her finance manager, and he’s a stickler for the bottom line. But the prim and proper gentleman has a wild side because he attracts women at the bar scene on weekends. Then there’s Staz, their IT person. She has an artsy side. Keri’s best friends figure into the story as well. Pam is a reporter who helps Keri chase down the facts. Lora, her other bestie, is more emotional and always breaking up with her loser boyfriends. It was fun to create these characters, and I’m hoping readers will be drawn to them as well.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Keri goes with a friend to St. Augustine to interview a suspect. I’ve been to this historic city on Florida’s east coast several times, and I always enjoy its museums, restaurants, history and architecture. Keri makes a bad choice here and crosses an ethical line, but this shows she has room for growth. It’s her first murder case, after all, and she has to learn what’s acceptable and what’s out of bounds.

Readers should read this book…

Readers who want to be entertained and to escape for a few hours from reality should read this book. It’s pure enjoyment and hopefully fast-paced enough to keep your attention. The story has no bad language or graphic scenes, so it’s a “clean” read, and I hope you’ll enjoy it enough that you will look forward to the second installment.

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

 

Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery

Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: Florida
Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Print Length: 290 Pages

Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.

When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.

Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.

As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.

“A page-turner of a mystery from one of my favorite authors. Cohen’s deft mastery of the cozy genre shines through in every scene, delighting readers with another engrossing whodunit.” Muddy Rose Reviews

“Fans of award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen’s long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be thrilled to learn there’s a new sleuth in town. Murder Pays a Call is the debut book in her Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery Series featuring a personal concierge who adds solving murders to the services she offers her clients.” – Lois Winston, author of the bestselling and award-winning Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

Amazon * Kobo * B&N

 

She shoved aside her thoughts as she drove to the grocery store to pick up a quick meal for dinner, since she thought Lora had plans. As she browsed the prepared seafood selections, a man addressed her from behind.

“Hey, Keri. How’s the arm feeling?”

Startled, she whirled around and took stock of the cute doctor from the E.R. Away from work, Dr. Worthington looked hot in jeans and a polo shirt. Judging from his muscled arms, he exercised in his off hours. His thick dark brown hair brushed his brow, making her want to feel its texture. She couldn’t help the swell of warmth that suffused her veins.

“Good to see you again, Dr. Worthington. My arm is doing well, thanks.”

“Call me Matt. Are you coming from work? I should stop by your agency sometime to check it out.” His cocoa eyes regarded her with a glimmer of interest.

“That would be great.” She gave him an inane smile. “I’m here to pick up a quick dinner. This salmon looks good.” She grabbed a container with a salmon fillet and braised Brussel sprouts for roasting in the oven. “Do you like to cook, or are you here for fast food like me?” That was a dumb thing to ask but it just popped out of her mouth.

He grinned, showing his even white teeth. “With my erratic hours, I need food that’s easy to prepare. Maybe we should get dinner out together one night.”

“Yes, I’d like that.” Blushing like a schoolgirl, she uttered a few awkward words before exchanging phone numbers with him and moving on.

What was wrong with her? She’d turned into a total teenager in his presence. Even saying his name in her head made her blood surge.

Unwilling to acknowledge her reaction, she headed home to relax and get comfortable. Since Lora was out, she had the place to herself. Grateful for the privacy, she put her meal in the oven and entered her bedroom to get changed. A legal-sized manila envelope lay on top of her

bedspread, along with a note from Lora.

I picked this up at the front desk the other day and left it in your home office, but you may not have seen it. I’d forgotten about it until I went in there for some paper clips. Sorry; I hope it’s not too important.

Her heart lurched when she noticed the return address came from a lawyer. Hopefully, none of her clients were suing her. She tore open the seal with shaky fingers, and a leather-bound book slid out along with a scribbled note from the attorney.

Fiona Sullivan requested this item be mailed to you in the event of her death.

Her eyes widened as she recognized Fiona’s ledger. Fiona must have given it to the lawyer for safekeeping. But why had she made him wait until after her death to send it out?

Sinking onto the bed, Keri smoothed her hands over the worn cover. With bated breath, she opened the book and thumbed through its pages.

She scanned the entries, noting the sources that said Dad. Perhaps Fiona hadn’t wanted Keri to learn about her past. This would make it a lot easier to separate out the goods Crogher had given his daughter. Those needed further research into their provenance.

Another question begged an answer. How come Fiona had sent this to her instead of Diane? Fiona couldn’t have known Diane would hire Keri to help dispose of things.

Unless … Fiona had sent it to Keri because she didn’t trust Diane.

 

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail and the Keri Armstrong cozy mysteries. Her books have won numerous awards including her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

Author Links
Website * Blog * Facebook * X/Twitter * Threads * LinkedIn * Instagram * Pinterest * BookBub * YouTube * Goodreads * Amazon 

 

A signed copy of Murder Pays a Call, a Daily Planner, & a Set of Ballpoint Pens!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 11 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
September 11 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
September 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
September 12 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 13 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
September 13 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
September 14 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 15 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW
September 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 17 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
September 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 18 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 19 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
September 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW