by Matt Lubbers-Moore
Stephen Cox, on behalf of King’s River Life Magazine, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre really want to know.
Where do you live?
Stephen: I live in an ordinary bit of an extraordinary city, London.
Without getting too personal, can you share a little about your home life?
Stephen: I’m bi, I live with my bi partner of 30 years, cohabiting for nearly all that, with two adult kids who’ve moved out. We’re still frankly a bit surprised by it all.
Writers rarely like to toot their own horns; seriously! What would you say is your greatest accomplishment?
Stephen: This century, “staying published.” My debut came out in my 50s. I worked in a frontline hospital during Covid-19. My second traditionally published book struggled to find its market. I lost two agents and endured the joyless rounds of querying agents and publishers. (And my parents died after long worthwhile lives.) I ended up taking the great leap into self-publishing. And with all this, The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder is a real joy. It’s a fun read, a twisting Victorian mystery, with characters that leap out of the page, that has something to say about life, and the weird British obsession with class, and the wrong things about our history. The reaction from readers and reviewers is “are you writing another?”
What inspires and challenges you most in writing? And can you describe your writing process?
Stephen: I guess inventing and playing with character inspires me most, although a book needs more than that. Challenges: Finishing. I have one book I wrote twice and it’s still not getting there. Agreeing with myself that the book is good enough for the next stage. Process: “Messy but not aimless.” Butt in seat. Start early as I can as my mind is fresher. Don’t schedule anything else before noon. Endless redrafting with all versions saved. Betas on the second or third draft. A quicker cleaner process would be lovely, if it worked.
You’ve probably answered this question a hundred times, but please indulge our readers (and fellow writers): Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines?
Stephen: I need to know where the story starts and ends and probably a couple of big turning points – I need to know where I am going. The bit in between is iterative, with chapters written to see how they work. There’s a lot of exploration in the first draft and a lot to do with making the second draft cohesive and less crowded. I try to plot more but the big useful inspirations usually come when I write.
How do you sustain serialized, continuing characters?
Stephen: Mrs. Ashton and Braddie were created as my first series characters, and I have a prequel and some future book ideas. They’re at a complex position in life so their relationship must accommodate that change, and they’re dealing differently with aging. Their fiery half-Indian dock-lass cadet-detective Maisie is 14 (with real main character energy) so I look forward to her growth. I think changeless main detectives are rather dull. I’m 62, I’m not going to write 20 books with them.
Have you ever had to deal with homophobia when it comes to your books, and if so, what form has it taken?
Stephen: The odd hysterical review, like a skunk sat in their soup. The aliens in my first two books are basically genderqueer and the alien boy has two dads and a mom. Publishing can be pretty opaque, I have no idea whether my latest work struggled because my main characters were sapphic women in their 40s and 50s. I’ve had people assume that as a man, my partner must write the women. All the phobias and isms are worse than they were, and we’re losing the fair-weather friends.
What got you into reading and writing gay mysteries?
Stephen: Growing up in the 70s the lack of queer representation was deeply damaging. Oddly some of the most empowering gay books were the Mary Renault historical novels, which had noble gay and bi men in them. Mysteries have always been a standby genre for me.
The idea for Mrs. Ashton and Braddie came to me when trying something else in the Victorian era. They were the antagonists, and I decided they could be the leads, as it were. They just stuck with me for 10 years – two older women making their way, their cross-class relationship a secret, and how someone can run a scam and yet be a kindly person.
I need to get back to writing, and to reading. Just bought two queer mysteries by authors I haven’t read.
Who have your role models as an author been? And what books are currently on your reading list?
Stephen: I think the experienced authors, who help new writers because it’s the right thing to do. They span all genres and I could list so many. I dedicate this book to the friends I made on the way. I try to lift up other people. I’ve just finished rereading Spirited by Julie Cohen which is full of characters with secrets, who aren’t who they seem, and laden with grief. Yet she brings it home to a wonderful conclusion. It’s a queer book full of mystery.
Last two questions; can you share with us a little about your current release, and/or Work In Progress?
Stephen: 1881, London: The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder has two women in a grumpy loving sapphic relation running a spiritualist scam. A wealthy lady isn’t reconciled to her mother’s untimely death and asks them to investigate. Her husband, however, hates spiritualism and will do anything to stop our crooked heroines. Soon things are stranger, darker and more puzzling than they could possibly have imagined. Not one but three old deaths…
The second book is in that tricky half written first draft state.
I have a sweet m-m romance which was a joy to write, which I need to find a home for.
And where can readers buy your books?
Stephen: All my books are on Amazon eBook and print. You can also buy this one direct from me on my website, with the books being printed in the US or Canada by a coming rival to Amazon… All the links are on my website.
Upcoming LGBTQ Mysteries
The Man Beside Me by Gene Rusco
Out Sept. 1
Wounded and drifting, former teacher John Hare never planned to stay long in the Utah Territory. Signing on to help drive a cattle herd across hostile country seemed like easy money, until he met Gahtsoh, the stoic, sharp-eyed wrangler who sees right through him. Gahtsoh’s past is as guarded as Hare’s, and neither man is looking for attachment. But the wild trail has other plans: bandit ambushes, deadly duels, whispered lies, and a man bent on revenge. In a world where trust is earned in blood and longing is a dangerous weakness, Hare and Gahtsoh must decide if love is worth the risk—or if it’s just another illusion waiting to be burned away by the dust.
Our Man in Hackney by Finn James
Out Sept. 1
As a graphic designer at a London agency, Artie Clark is used to odd briefs – but nothing quite like being asked to steal a password from a colleague. What begins as a favour too awkward to refuse quickly spirals into something far more serious. When he’s approached by MI5, Artie begins a second life of covert encounters with dangerous extremists. Gone is his comfortable routine of tea in his Dalston flat and nights out at the local gay bar. Suddenly, he’s navigating a world of big characters with grandiose plans, and trying to stop a monstrous plot before it’s too late.
The Dominion Protocol: New Beginnings by Leanna Martinez
Out Sept. 1
Jessica Sanchez is trying to live a normal life. College classes. Coffee with friends. Nights at the bar where nobody knows her past. She tells herself she’s just another student now, not Jason Carter, not an experiment, not a question waiting to explode. But some ghosts don’t stay buried. When Jessica stumbles across strange disappearances tied to a shadowy corporation called Vanguard, everything starts to fracture. What begins as a whisper — missing students, odd corporate recruiters, strange medical trials — quickly spirals into something darker. Something designed.
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
Out Sept. 1
London 1881. Can two crooked women stop a murder? Extravagant medium Mrs. Ashton and her lover, blunt working-class Mrs. Bradshaw, run a spiritualist scam. Mrs. Ashton secretly reads minds.
Grieving Lady Violet craves the truth behind her mother’s untimely death. But Lady Violet’s powerful husband Sir Charles hates spiritualists. Has he killed before? Uncovering this MP’s wicked crimes puts all three women in terrible danger… To solve a shocking murder, look both sides of the grave.
Crime Ink: Iconic: An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Queer Icons edited by John Copenhaver
Out Sept. 2
Drawing inspiration from queer icons—James Baldwin, Oscar Wilde, Candy Darling, Radclyffe Hall, Babadook, Megan Rapinoe, Laverne Cox, Dolly Parton, Vita Sackville-West, and many more—these tales span the rich spectrum of crime fiction, from cozy mysteries and whodunits to noir, psychological thrillers, and police procedurals. Each story is a testament to the depth, ingenuity, and thrilling originality of queer voices in the genre. This anthology showcases an incredible array of talent, including New York Times Best Crime Novels of 2024 honorees Margot Douaihy, Robyn Gigl, John Copenhaver, and Katrina Carrasco; Lambda Literary winners Ann Aptaker, Greg Herren, Ann McMan, and J.M. Redmann; and other celebrated writers like Cheryl Head, Penny Mickelbury, Christa Faust, Jeffrey Marks, and Kelly J. Ford. But that’s not all—this collection also includes many more decorated and emerging voices, ensuring a dynamic reading experience that is as inclusive as it is entertaining.
The Turning by Ruby Scott
Out Sept. 4
Former Russian operative Suzette, once the most dangerous seductress in Moscow’s arsenal, has traded the shadows for sunlight in her Provençal vineyard—with her fierce wife Amber at her side. But peace never lasts. When Yelena Federova, Suzette’s rival and former lover, arrives with an impossible proposition, Suzette is dragged back into the deadly game she swore she’d never play again.
Echoes of Love by Catherine Lane
Out Sept. 9, Bold Strokes Books
Hazel Ross isn’t your average pet photographer to the stars. She’s got a secret: she can see other people’s memories, playing out right in front of her. When a desperate plea for help yanks her from her glitzy life, Hazel plunges headfirst into a century-old romantic mystery. Scientist Jo Steward thought she was escaping heartbreak by fleeing to her seaside haven in Northern California. Instead, she’s in the eye of a different storm. As a steadfast skeptic, Jo is determined to find a logical explanation for the strange energy now in the house. But what if the truth can’t be contained? As Hazel’s and Jo’s paths intertwine, they’re swept up in a whirlwind of long-buried secrets, sizzling chemistry, and memories that won’t be denied. Can these two unlikely allies come together to solve an age-old mystery? And in the chaos of the past and present, can they discover a new future: their own echo of love?
Memoir of an Innocent Brat by Aaron Wang
Out Sept. 9, Books in Color
In June 2024, Pete Chan’s life takes a sharp turn after he hears BRAT by Charli XCX for the first time. He quits his corporate job, dumps his cheating boyfriend, and reinvents himself as a barista. He’s finally living life on his terms–until he hurls an iced latte at a Male Karen and accidentally becomes internet famous as BRATista. Viral fame is a double-edged sword that puts him in the crosshairs of a relentless online troll named Frankie. Determined to correct the narrative, he embarks on a road trip from Brooklyn to Chicago to confront Frankie IRL–but what starts as a petty, chaotic quest for revenge takes an unexpected turn into something romantic. Then the unthinkable happens: Pete’s ex, Toby, is found dead, and Pete is arrested for murder. And the only person who can clear his name is Frankie, the hater he just dissed and blocked. Now Pete has to do whatever it takes to prove his innocence and catch Toby’s killer.
You’ve Goth My Heart by L. C. Rosen
Out Sept. 9, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
When Gray gets a text from a wrong number, he’s pretty sure it’s a serial killer—or worse, his ex—on the other end of the line. But, the anonymous texter shares his same taste in music and movies, and Gray’s bored while stuck at home all summer, so why not respond? Being anonymous actually helps them open up to each other, and Gray finds himself hopeful that this could be his dream goth crush. All they have to do is meet—on Halloween, the night of Sleepy Hollow’s big house-decorating contest, and the perfect opportunity for Gray to show his mystery texter his true feelings. But between Gray’s closeted ex coming back into the picture, a cute but obnoxious new goth kid vying to win the contest, and a maybe serial killer lurking around and killing local gay teens, Gray’s prospects are looking grim. Come Halloween, he’ll either get his dream guy or die trying…
Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover
Out Sept. 9, Chestnut Avenue Press
After breaking off an engagement with his fiancée, Reece Parker opens Subplot, a literary-themed underground cocktail lounge in his quaint hometown of Hope Mills, Pennsylvania. While launching a new business temporarily distracts him from self-pity, Reece’s regret is compounded when he stumbles upon a customer’s body behind the lounge after a whiskey club meeting gone wrong. As if he wasn’t already on the rocks, his ex-fiancée’s big brother is a police officer on the case. Reece takes matters into his own hands to prove his innocence, save his new lounge’s reputation, and restore peace in his beloved town. But as he seeks out the victim’s killer, will he meet his own bitter end?
A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau
Out Sept. 16, Minotaur Books
Margot Baxter Harriman took the reins of B&H Foods after her father passed. It’s not easy being a business woman in 1912, but she is determined to continue what her grandparents started decades ago, no matter what it takes. So when Margot finds Mrs. Gilroy, her father’s former assistant, dead in the office with a half-finished note confessing to nebulous misdeeds at B&H, she seeks out help from a very discreet, private investigator to figure out what’s going on. Her company, and her good name, are at stake if scandal breaks…and she could lose everything, including her freedom. Loretta “Rett” Mancini has run her father’s investigation operation since he started becoming increasingly forgetful. When Margot offers her the chance to look into the potential scandal with B&H, she jumps at it.
Beneath the Andaman by Zack Hacker
Out Sept. 27, Anywhere Press
Master thief Aya Amrani sails into Thailand’s Maya Bay convinced the King’s Fang dagger will buy her freedom. But when the winning bidder floats up dead and the relic’s ancient Thai inscriptions point to a temple that surfaces for only a few hours, the score of a lifetime becomes a countdown. As a monsoon rolls in, Aya and her girlfriend-in-crime Amina must decode the blade, outwit an ex-MI6 agent, and stay ahead of a black market tycoon who’s already buried his rivals to claim the dagger’s power. Each wrong turn leads into flooded tunnels where a single wave can seal their tomb, and every ally might be the next body in the bay.
Other Releases:
Carry On by Vivi A, out September 1
The Cost of Venom’s Kiss by Rose Sky, out Sept. 1
The Sunlit Curse by Cian Beaufort, out Sept. 1
Cops and Artists by Sammy Heet, out Sept. 1
A Cobbled Conspiracy by CB Wren, out Sept. 1
The Lantern Keepers by Bianca Mannix, out Sept. 1
Mariel: The Beginning by A. J. Frazier, out Sept. 1
The Quiet Man by Travis Warman, out Sept. 1
Graveyard Girls by Kat Blackthorne, out Sept. 1
Credence Pointe by Benjamin Lund, out Sept. 2
Landfall by James Bradley, out Sept. 2
Curses & Cold Brew by Ali Mulford, out Sept. 2
Angel Maker by Elizabeth Bear, out Sept. 2
Our New Gods by thomas Vowles, out Sept. 3
The Last Call Home by Claudia Burgoa, out Sept. 3
No Dream Impossible by Nigel May, out Sept. 4
The People We Trust by S. J. Gathercole, out Sept. 4
The Question of Us by Jay Hogan, out Sept. 4
Smokescreen by Sam Burns, out Sept. 4
In Death’s Company by Natalie Johanson, out Sept. 5
Outbreak Protocol by C. G. Macington, out Sept. 5
A Bird’s Eye View by Eric Rickey, out Sept. 8
The Watchnight by Michael Burge, out Sept. 10
Our Autumn at Sunnywood University by J. Anthony Mendez, out Sept. 9
A Fragile Angel by R. G. Middleton, out Sept. 9
Seeing Death by L. M. Somerton, out Sept. 9
The Quarterlands by Xanthe Walter, out Sept. 9
The Sinner’s Son by Aimmee Nicole Walker, out Sept. 9
Bonds of Magic by Spencer Spears, out Sept. 12
Angels of the Reich by Gabby Ghoulie, out Sept. 13
Saturday’s Sweet Sorrow by Richard Ward, out Sept. 13
You Can Make Me by R. L. Merrill, out Sept. 13
It Will Last Longer by Tara Sanders Brooks, out Sept. 16
Borrowed Pain by Declan Rhodes, out Sept. 17
Left in the Ashes by Anna Britton, out Sept. 18
A Breath of Life by Nicky James, out Sept. 18
Rare Vintage by Dee Rismiller, out Sept. 19
While He Sleeps by Medusa Stone, out Sept. 19
Claiming the Tower by Celia Lake, out Sept. 19
Heaven Ninety-Six by Amy Felix, out Sept. 20
Sun Dog Girls by KP Vesper, out Sept. 20
Breaking News by Ruth House, out Sept. 23
Echoes in Snowfall by Tess Manchester, out Sept. 23
The Unfathomable Curse by Courtney Smyth, out Sept. 23
Fright on Stage Right by GB Ralph, out Sept. 23
Line of Sight by KC Wells, out Sept. 23
Hello Sunshine by Keezy Young, out Sept. 23
Shadow Work by Montana Carr, out Sept. 25
Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby, out Sept. 25
Devil’s Detail by Wren Charles, out Sept. 25
Irresistible by Jessie Wilson, out Sept. 27
Calming a Gorgon by Shelby Rhodes, out Sept. 27
F*ck This Murder by Elizabeth Land Quant, out Sept. 29
Ripperland by Steve Orlando, out Sept. 30
Hiding Place by Jackie Keswick, out March 31
Cold Cases and Deadly Lies by JM Dabney, out March 21
Shoot to Kill by TS Ankney, out March 29
Hiding Place by Jackie Keswick, out March 31
Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.
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