Today, Bookpleasures.com is excited to welcome Margaret Fenton, author of the acclaimed Little Mystery series. 

Drawing from her background as a social worker, Margaret brings an authentic and compelling voice to her novels, which center around Claire Conover, a child welfare worker who finds herself entangled in solving murder cases in Birmingham, Alabama.

Her debut novel, Little Lamb Lost, set the tone for a series that skillfully blends crime-solving with deep explorations of social and family issues. Through her thoughtful character development and attention to real-world challenges, Margaret has gained a dedicated readership in the cozy mystery genre.

Her recent novel, Little Boy Blue has recently been published. We are thrilled to have her here to discuss her writing, her inspiration, and what’s next for Claire Conover. 

Norm: How has your experience as a mental health professional influenced the way you crafted the characters in Little Boy Blue?

Margaret:  My mental health experience was largely gained at the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources here in Birmingham, Alabama, similar to where fictional Claire works.

I worked for an agency that provided mental health counseling for families whose children were at risk of coming into foster care. 

It gave me great insight into all types of people and how they treat their children, which aids in the fictional character development in my head. 

The villain in Little Boy Blue has falsely accused someone very important to Claire of child abuse, and she is compelled to investigate to clear his name.

Norm: Foster care plays a significant role in the novel. What inspired you to focus on this theme, and what message did you want to convey about the foster care system?

Margaret: In the second book in the series, Little Girl Gone, Claire places a thirteen-year-old girl in foster care, who then runs away. 

As she is searching for the runaway, she meets LaReesa Jones, another thirteen-year-old who is essentially on her own. LaReesa was supposed to be in ONE SCENE. 

She refused to stay in that one scene, and made it clear that she was going to be not only in that book, but every book thereafter. 

So naturally Claire has to become her foster mother, which would never be allowed in real life. LaReesa has developed into my favorite character. 

Foster parents are vital to the child welfare system, and I wanted to show a bit of why that is.

Norm: Grant Summerville’s accusation of child abuse is a pivotal plot point. What made you want to explore such a sensitive subject in this book?

Margaret: That’s an easy one. Spoiler alert: Grant was Claire’s boyfriend, and they break up in book three, Little White Lies, because Claire does something so, so stupid.  I needed a way to get Grant back in her orbit, and what better way than a false allegation of child abuse?

Norm: The plot intertwines Claire’s personal and professional lives. How difficult was it to maintain that balance without overshadowing either aspect?

Margaret: That balance is always difficult to maintain, especially since Claire’s personal life is so complicated now that she is a foster parent. 

She works very, very hard, just like social workers in real life, and that is also a large part of all the books. The different aspects of her lives all just seem to mesh somehow. 

I am a big believer that writing is a spiritual thing, and sometimes it just comes from somewhere and I’m simply grateful.

Norm: How did you approach writing the murder investigation to ensure it felt both suspenseful and emotionally connected to Claire’s journey?

Margaret: The possibility that the police are connecting Grant Summerville to the murder is what creates and maintains the suspense, I think. Claire has already lost him, someone she deeply cares about, and the idea that he could be falsely accused of murder lights a fire under her like no other. That, and there is a child involved. Claire protects children. That is her calling, and the thing that is most important.

Norm: What was the most challenging aspect of writing Little Boy Blue, particularly in terms of balancing its multi-layered plotlines?

Margaret: I was asked on a panel once about the most challenging aspect of writing, and all the panelists said the same thing: the middle part. It’s about manipulating your characters in such a way and having them ask the right questions to get to the conclusion.

Norm: Murder mysteries often rely on unexpected twists. How do you keep readers guessing without giving too much away too soon?

Margaret: Red herrings are always a big part of mystery writing, and you have to put them in novels to keep people guessing. That helps readers not see the ending before you are ready. 

In other words, give them other characters who also have motive and opportunity to commit the murder.

Norm: The novel explores themes of resilience, loyalty, and redemption. How did you weave these themes into both the murder mystery and Claire's personal life?

Margaret: Claire loves people deeply, and will do anything to protect them from hurt. That’s her motivation for everything in her personal life, and a bit in her professional life as well. 

Loyalty is one of her biggest and best characteristics, and motivates a lot of the actions she takes.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and Little Boy Blue?

Margaret: I have a WEBSITE and I love to hear from readers. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram. Send a friend request to Margaret Herring Fenton and mention you are one of my readers.

Norm: What is next for Margaret Fenton?

Margaret: There will be one more Claire Conover book, because, yes, I ended Little Boy Blue with two major things that happen and one of them will have to be investigated.

 I’m hoping to write Little Purple Flowers in the coming months. In my heart of hearts, I am a cozy author, and I’m working on a cozy right now with my mother-in-law that I hope will be published in the future. 

I am also the coordinator for Murder in the Magic City, a mystery conference here in Birmingham that is the first Saturday in February every year, so that keeps me very busy. Check out www.mmcmysteryconference.com for more info.

Norm: As this interview comes to an end, the novel’s conclusion ties together themes of love, loyalty, and redemption. What message do you hope readers take away from Claire’s journey by the end of the book?

Margaret: Claire’s journey is about to get even more complicated! Stay tuned!

Norm: Thank you once again, Margaret, for taking the time to chat with us. We wish you the best of luck with all your future projects and look forward to seeing what’s next for you and Claire Conover! 

Margaret: Thank you so much for this interview! This was fun!

Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of Little Boy Blue