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Sandra Ruttan Reviews: Beneath the Ashes by Dea Poirier

In her sophomore offering, Dea Poirier sends Claire Calderwell on her next big case. A girl's body has been found in a motel. There are ritualistic elements at the scene that hint at a murderer who has been killing girls for a long time, and when more bodies are discovered.

Meanwhile, Claire's boyfriend Noah is busy dealing with his own ghosts miles away. Claire misses him, but is struggling with whether or not to take their relationship to the next level. Meanwhile, she's assigned to partner with a young female officer who's never worked this type of case before, and finds herself in the role of teacher and mentor.

In her investigation, all roads seem to lead to the same hospital. The female administrator is heartless and there are plenty of reasons for suspicion, but the hospital is uncooperative and has enough influence to make it hard for Claire's investigation to advance.

There are plenty of discoveries along the way as Claire, and the reader, sort out what information is relevant and what isn't. One of the strengths of Poirier's approach is that she doesn't rush to quick fixes and simple solutions. Claire feels very real because she is damaged and solving her sister's murder doesn't automatically make everything better. She'll spend a lifetime working through the damage from that trauma, and no relationship, drink or life choice is going to change that. Claire wrestles with demons. She struggles with what she wants - Noah - and her fears about loss.

Poirier's stories are as much about the slow road of recovery from trauma and dealing with grief as they are about the murders Claire investigates. It's one of the hallmarks that sets her series apart, and readers leave Beneath the Ashes with the sense that whatever crimes Claire deals with next, she will continue to work through her personal issues as well as she heals, making her a relatable and compelling character to revisit with each new series installment.

Sandra Ruttan ©2019

Sandra Ruttan is the YA, sci fi, fantasy and horror acquisitions editor for Bronzeville Books http://www.bronzevillebooks.com/ and the managing editor for Bronzeville Bee http://www.bronzevillebee.com. Stay up to date via twitter @sandraruttan

Guest Post: Sandra Ruttan Interviews Dea Poirier

Please welcome Bronzeville Books Submission Editor Sandra Ruttan back to the blog today. Today she interviews author Dea Poirier.

Dea Poirier's debut, Next Girl to Die, is an evocative debut with exquisite writing that indulges your senses and compels your investment in Calderwood’s emotional journey as she races against time to solve a case that has haunted her for more than a decade. Calderwood is a worthy addition to the genre. Her spirit, like Poirier’s voice, is tenacious and captivating, compelling the reader’s investment in her journey, and Calderwood is determined to hold her own against her male counterparts. She doesn’t take the easy path in her personal or professional lives, and the fact that her emotional issues haven’t been glossed over with glib resolutions gives her plenty of room for growth in sequels to come." - Sandra Ruttan

https://toesixpress.wordpress.com/2019/03/14/review-next-girl-to-die-is-an-evocative-engaging-debut/

Learn more about Dea via her website http://www.dhpoirier.com/ or follow her on twitter @deapoirierbooks

Sandra Ruttan is an author, reviewer, and the submissions editor for Bronzeville Books:

 http://www.bronzevillebooks.com/

Sandra Ruttan: Your debut, Next Girl to Die, comes out May 1, 2019. What's the elevator pitch for this novel?

Dea Poirier: Fifteen years after her sister’s unsolved murder, Claire Calderwood returns to her home town when another murder that’s startlingly similar to her sister’s occurs.

SR: Claire has her own ghosts to contend with when she returns home. What is it about the homecoming of a character that appealed to you as a storyteller? Were there specific themes you wanted to explore with this aspect of the story?

DP: I really felt that having Claire return home was necessary to the story, it makes her face so many demons that have been haunting her, her entire life. The island and all the characters on it make her face her sister’s death, and the people she abandoned when she tried to escape her grief.

Dea Poirier

SR: What do Claire and Dea have in common?

DP: I’m not sure we have much in common, actually. I think I’m more similar to Noah.

SR: You use some really strong language to speak to the senses and really take advantage of the setting for Next Girl to Die. As someone who lived on a small island for many years, I appreciated that. What was it about this setting that appealed to you for this story?

DP: For starters, I think the isolation really raises the stakes. It adds a whole other layer to a police investigation. I also really enjoyed the setting because I think it is very representative of grief in itself. While processing loss, it’s very lonely, you feel isolated. So to me it felt natural to echo this.

SR: Now, the second book in the series, Beneath the Ashes, will be out this November. Where does this book take Claire to?

DP: This book takes Claire to another small town in Maine. Though the setting isn’t an island again, it still has an isolated feel. I’ll be sharing more about the story soon, but that’s all I can share for now!

SR: Can you tell us if she's keeping Noah around?

DP: I can’t share that, you’ll have to read Beneath the Ashes to find out!

SR: Were there specific themes you wanted to touch on in your story?

DP: The main themes I wanted to touch on were grief, isolation, and the secrets we all keep. Each of my characters has a secret. They’re all emotionally broken to some extent. I wanted to weave these things in because I feel like it makes it much more realistic. Murders in small towns have ripple effects, they touch everyone’s lives, and I really wanted to show that.

SR: Now, assuming tomorrow marks the zombie apocalypse, how long will Claire survive? You?

DP: If Claire’s on the island, I think she’d survive for quite a long time. Noah… not so much. I think I’d have a pretty good chance of survival as well. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.

SR: You like to paint. Do you find that helps you in your writing process?

DP: My writing and painting are completely separate entities for me. They’re just such a different creative process. I always feel the need to create, but sometimes the words don’t flow. That’s when I turn to painting.

SR: Carpool Karaoke time. What's Claire's song? Noah's? Yours?

DP: I think Claire and I would sing Bad at Love by Halsey. Noah would sing I Wanna Be Sedated by the Ramones.

SR: If you had to pick a theme song for Next Girl to Die what would it be and why?

DP: Oh man, that’s tough. Heaven or Hell by Digital Daggers.

SR: What children's book has had the most significant impact on your writing and why?

DP: This one is also difficult. I don’t remember very many books from my childhood other than Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. So I guess I’d say those.

SR: Best piece of writing advice you've ever been given?

DP: Any time you get a crappy review, go look at the 1-star reviews for your favorite books. It really helps put things in perspective.

SR: Do you have any events coming up that you'd like to let people know about?

DP: I’ll be at ThrillerFest in New York this year, along with Bouchercon in Dallas! I’m super stoked about both.

Toe Six Press Review: Next Girl to Die is an Evocative, Engaging Debut

Toe Six Press Review: Next Girl to Die is an Evocative, Engaging Debut