Author Ava Ness wearing a burgundy cloche hat with a flower detail and black-rimmed glasses, smiling slightly while sitting in a cream coloured arm chair. She has curly ash blonde hair and is dressed in a black top with a long beaded necklace.

Interview with Ava Ness: Behind the Books

Step inside the stylish, suspicious, and slightly scandalous world of Lady Marigold Grey—through the eyes of the author who created her.

What inspired you to write A Roaring Murder?

It started with a love of the 1920s—an era brimming with elegance, rebellion, and secrets hidden beneath sequins. I imagined a woman who’d seen too much during the war, grown tired of society’s rules, and couldn’t seem to stop stumbling across bodies in inconvenient places.

That woman became Lady Marigold Grey: a former British spy with impeccable fashion sense and a tendency to attract murder.

A Roaring Murder was the perfect place to begin: a locked-room mystery aboard a luxury train, complete with suspects, secrets, and a very handsome inspector determined to arrest her.

Who is Lady Marigold Grey?

Marigold is part sleuth, part socialite, and entirely too curious for high society. She’s recently disgraced, absurdly glamorous, and not at all interested in doing what she’s told.

She’s accompanied by her no-nonsense German assistant Elke, her loyal and long-suffering butler Arthur, and Pepper—a fluffy white terrier with the instincts of a bloodhound and the manners of a mischief-maker.

Together, they form a somewhat unconventional team of amateur investigators. Where Marigold goes, trouble (and tea) follows.

What makes your mysteries different?

I write cozy mysteries with a cocktail twist—fast-paced and full of wit, wardrobe changes, and wildly inconvenient corpses. The Lady Marigold series blends Golden Age detective fiction with modern humour and feminist flair.

If you love train-set murders, witty repartee, castle skeletons, and found-family dynamics, these are your kind of mysteries.

Are the stories historically accurate?

They’re thoroughly researched with a dash of creative fun. I dive deep into 1920s fashion, transport, etiquette, and slang—but also let myself bend the truth when it serves a fabulous plot or a fabulous outfit.

You might not find every woman in 1925 solving murders with a compact pistol and a tiara, but if anyone could get away with it, it’s Marigold.

Where should readers start?

Definitely with A Roaring Murder — a classic cozy mystery aboard a luxury train. It’s glamorous, fast-paced, and introduces all the key players, including Inspector Jameson (who may or may not be immune to Marigold’s charm).

Then move on to A High Society Murder — set in Marigold’s countryside estate with a skeleton in the wardrobe.

Who’s your favourite character to write?

Pepper the dog. He’s inspired by all the small dogs I’ve known who act like they own the house (and the crime scene). I also adore Elke. Her dry sarcasm, continental flair, and unwavering loyalty make her the perfect foil for Marigold’s flair for drama.

What’s next for Lady Marigold?

Oh, just the usual: stolen heirlooms, scandalous suitors, and a seaside resort with more than a few buried secrets. I’m currently working on the next book in the series.

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