Deep in a Bowl of Porridge: Planting Clues with Catriona McPherson

Catriona McPherson joins us for our August meeting, where she’ll share tips for where, how, and when to plant clues in a mystery. She’ll cover what makes a good clue (and a bad one), how to make sure it doesn’t matter if we get it wrong, and how to handle red herrings, Easter eggs, and loose ends. She’ll illustrate these points with real examples from the works of fellow crime writers—the good ones will be attributed, and the “stinkers” will remain anonymous (though, she says, there's always Google…).

This event will take place over Zoom on Saturday, August 7. Mingling begins at 12:45 p.m. ET, and the event officially begins at 1:00 p.m. ET.

About the Presenter

National bestselling and multi-award-winning author Catriona McPherson (she/her) was born in Scotland and lived there until immigrating to the U.S. in 2010, where she lives on Patwin ancestral lands. She writes historical detective stories set in the old country in the 1930s, featuring gently-born lady sleuth Dandy Gilver. After eight years in the new country, she kicked off the comic Last Ditch Motel series, which takes a wry but affectionate look at California life from the POV of a displaced Scot (where do we get our ideas, eh?). She also writes a strand of contemporary psychological thrillers. The latest of these is A GINGERBREAD HOUSE, which Kirkus called “a disturbing tale of madness and fortitude.” Catriona is a member of MWA, CWA, and Society of Authors, and is a proud lifetime member and former national president of Sisters in Crime. Visit her website at www.catrionamcpherson.com.