What do you hope readers come away with after reading Murder in the City of Liberty?
When I set out to write this series, I prayed that I would be vulnerable enough to show readers that their perceived greatest weakness can actually be a force for empathy and for good.
But I also hope they are touched by themes of grace. The grace that Hamish shows his cousin Luca time and again through his unconditional love. I also hope that they come away with a strong sense of conviction to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Proverbs 31:8 is a driving force behind all of my books and never more so than when Hamish and Reggie encounter a prejudice and violent group in this novel.
At one point, Hamish’s best friend Nate says: “When people are uncertain and afraid and poor, they get complacent. And if the wrong ideas are ripe of the picking in the loudest, most assured voices, then it is easy to follow.”
Let’s make sure –as believers—we are rooted in the One right voice and not the noise we hear in the news or social media.
How does your faith impact how you approach writing stories?
I see life through a Christian worldview so whether consciously or not that propels everything I write. I am someone who feels a close affinity to churches and the history of church architecture: the architectural representation of Matthew 16:18 when Christ tells Peter that he is the rock on which the church will be built.
To this end, it was really important for me to feature the Old North Church and Notre Dame cathedral, through the lens of Hamish’s favorite and oft-quoted book. It is a very tangible way to assert I way I am inspired by faith and connect with it.
While my books are arguably less overt in their Christian representation, they are always driven by a moral compass and by my own convictions.
I am someone who deeply engages with symbol and theme. While readers may not encounter a more blatant representation, I can guarantee each book is prayed over and driven by a quiet certainty that my books can help readers find the grace to look for the quiet voices and raise their own. To feel validated that if God had expected them to be someone else, He wouldn’t have made them the way they are—beautifully and uniquely His.
What do you consider the best ways for readers to support their favorite authors?
Word of mouth! Tell your friends and family: in person and on social media. It is natural enthusiasm that is the best sales and marketing tool for readers.
Also, leave reviews—on Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc. It doesn’t have to be a long review or a positive review –all reviews are appreciated and validated and definitely help a book get exposure. Suggest that your church library or your public library order a copy. That’s an inexpensive and very potent way to ensure that your favourite authors are discovered.
And talk to us! I love hearing from readers on social media. Not just about my own books but how I can help them find their next best read.
Visit Rachel McMillan’s author page:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/rachel-mcmillan/
Murder in the City of Liberty
Van Buren and DeLuca Mysteries #2
Rachel McMillan
Thomas Nelson
Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one could demand a price they’re not willing to pay.
Determined to make a life for herself, Reggie Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca.
Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe, and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves in the midst of an escalating series of crimes.
When Hamish has his carefully constructed life disrupted by a figure from his past, he is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie forever—even more than her engagement to wealthy architect Vaughan Vanderlaan.