By Shelby Deering | Photo courtesy Mindy Quigley
We chatted with mystery writer Mindy Quigley, the author of two cozy mystery series: the Mount Moriah Mysteries and the Deep Dish Mysteries, the latter of which is set in a fictional town called Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, that has a lot of similarities to the Lake Geneva area. In October, Quigley celebrated the launch of the newest book in that series: “Sleep in Heavenly Pizza,” a lighthearted holiday mystery.
A native of Blacksburg, Virginia, Quigley enjoys visiting Wisconsin and has family in nearby Whitewater, which is how she came to use Lake Geneva as her inspiration for the “Geneva Bay” book setting.
ATL: What was it about the Lake Geneva area that you thought would make a good location for a murder mystery series?
MQ: When I first pitched this series, I wanted to set it in Chicago, in the home of deep-dish pizza. But my editor encouraged me to relocate it to a small-town setting to amp up the cozy vibes. Because Chicago and Lake Geneva are so inextricably connected, moving the setting to Lake Geneva allowed me to keep all the Chicago elements I loved, but also play with some of the unique features of Lake Geneva — the ritzy mansions, lake sports and, because cooking is important to the books, the proximity to great, farm-fresh produce.
ATL: In what ways is the fictionalized Geneva Bay in your books like the real Lake Geneva?
MQ: I joke that “Geneva Bay” is Lake Geneva, but wearing one of those little Groucho Marx-style, mustache-and-glasses disguises. “Geneva Bay” combines elements of Fontana, Williams Bay and Lake Geneva, which allows me more scope in drawing upon the local history and playing around with geographical features.
ATL: What are some of your favorite local spots?
MQ: I’m obsessed with the Lake Geneva Public Library. There are a number of great mystery series set in fictional libraries, but none of the imaginary libraries are as spectacular as the real-life lakefront library in Lake Geneva.
ATL: Obviously you are inspired by this area. What else inspires you?
MQ: Real life. My plots often draw inspiration from real-life crimes and historical events. I also keep track of funny turns of phrase that I hear, especially Wisconsin-isms, which I’ll then try to incorporate into the books.
