Spotlight & Giveaway: The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Jackie McMahon to HJ!

Hi Jackie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Cloak and Dagger Club!

 
Thank you so much for having me!
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

The Cloak and Dagger Club is a 1930s, Agatha Christie-esque historical mystery, following a crime writers’ club that deals with a real-life murder. My protagonist, Lucy, has recently published her debut crime novel to commercial and critical acclaim, and she receives an invitation to the exclusive Cloak and Dagger Club—a writing group that her former fiancé, Frank, is also a member of. The meeting is their first time seeing each other in three years. When Horace Hazelmoor, the club’s tempestuous president and Frank’s former mentor, is killed, Frank becomes the prime suspect. It’s up to the two former lovers to clear his name, find the real killer, and confront their unresolved feelings along the way.
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

My favorite quote is a spoiler, so I can’t share that one! But here’s another quote I really like:

They sat in awkward silence, neither seeming quite sure what to say. When they were younger, they would sometimes sit without speaking, each reading their books, or listening to the crashing of the waves, the caw of the gulls. But those had been companionable silences, the kind that comes when two people know each other so well, speaking becomes unnecessary.

I think there’s something so beautiful about having a person in your life who you’re so comfortable with that you can just sit in companionable silence, and it doesn’t feel awkward. To be loved is to be understood.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• The Cloak and Dagger Club is inspired by the Detection Club, a real-life crime writers’ club founded in London in 1930. Its original members included people like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and G.K. Chesterton.
• Since the main characters are all writers, The Cloak and Dagger Club contains excerpts from each of their novels. Each one of the characters and their fictional creations represent different classic mystery tropes, from the suave gentleman detective to the amateur sleuth investigating crimes in a quaint English village.
• I decided to start writing historical mysteries after reading the Veronica Speedwell mysteries by Deanna Raybourn, with their perfect mix of history, murder, hijinks, and romance. Veronica and Stoker are one of my favorite book couples!

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Lucy and Frank were childhood friends, meeting at ages ten and twelve, who started a romantic relationship when they were teenagers. Their shared love of mystery novels was one of the first things that drew them to one another—they struck up their first conversation because Lucy was reading A Study in Scarlet. More than that, the two of them found a deep understanding and comfort in one another. Frank met Lucy during a really dark time in his childhood, when he didn’t know what the future had in store, and she was someone he could trust after everything that happened. Meanwhile, Lucy is an introvert, and though she struggled to open up to people, Frank never belittled or judged her. They were each other’s “safe place.”

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

Since this book has a second chance romance, I had to write Lucy and Frank’s break-up, which was obviously very emotional. It was a painful moment for them, and it was painful for me to read back.

When the lift arrived, Lucy got into it, alone. Her engagement ring pinged against the floor when she threw it toward him. “Your admirers are waiting for you. Goodbye, Frank.”
The doors closed, and he let her leave.
Perhaps he should’ve chased after her, told Horace to go to hell, that Frank didn’t need his parties and his fame. He could’ve begged Lucy to give him another chance. They could’ve gone
back to Bournemouth, gotten married, had children. Maybe, they would’ve been together now, joking about how they were almost famous . . .

Readers should read this book….

For the Golden Age-style historical mystery, an elegant atmosphere in 1930s London, and a second chance, “It’s-always-been-you” romance. If you love the fair-play mysteries of Agatha Christie or romantically involved sleuthing duos, this book is perfect for you!

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I am currently working with my editor on a sequel for The Cloak and Dagger Club, which should be coming out in 2027. I can’t share a lot about it just yet, but I hope readers will join Lucy, Frank, and the club for another mystery. I have lots of ideas for how their story could continue and hope readers will love them as I do.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: 1 giveaway copy of THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CLUB, US only

To enter Giveaway, please share this post on your Socials and Leave a comment below to this Q: If you had to team up with one person or character to solve a mystery, who would you choose?

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Book Info:

Inspired by Agatha Christie’s real-life Detection Club, a murder among a group of golden age mystery writers meets a second chance romance in this debut novel from author Jackie McMahon.

London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she’s been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace’s glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She’s even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club’s rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain’s most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police’s prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he’s not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other—before the murderer strikes again.
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Meet the Author:

Jackie McMahon writes murder mysteries with history, twists, and perhaps a romance (or two). She currently resides in Florida with her two cats, and in her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and sharing obscure historical facts she has recently learned. You can find her on Instagram and YouTube at @jackiereadsandwrites.
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