Spotlight on As Directed by Kathleen Valenti

AGATHA AWARD NOMINEE RELEASES                             NEW MYSTERY

Kathleen Valenti publishes  As Directed , third in the acclaimed Maggie O’Malley Series. 

BEND, Oregon –Agatha and Lefty Award nominee Kathleen Valenti is slated to release the much-anticipated book in her critically acclaimed medical mystery series in March. 

As Directed follows the series’ eponymous heroine, Maggie O’Malley, in the aftermath of the events of  Protocol and  39 Winks . The former pharmaceutical researcher works to rebuild her life, trading test tubes for pill bottles as she embarks on a new career in a small town drugstore. But as she spreads her wings, things begin to go terribly wrong. A customer falls ill in

the store, followed by another, and then more. The specter of poisoning arises, conjuring old grudges, past sins, buried secrets, and new suspicions from which no one is immune. 

Dubbed “a gripping tale  that moves with lightning speed and stunning twists” by bestselling author Liv Constantine,  As Directed is a page-turner of lies, secrets and good intentions turned deadly. The book employs Valenti’s signature combination of suspense and humor to craft a story that chills and entertains.  

KATHLEEN VALENTI  is a nationally award-winning copywriter who pens for agencies in Oregon and North Carolina. Known as an adept storyteller who flexes her writing muscles with evocative description, compelling concepts, and emotional connections, Valenti has written for her supper for more than twenty years. She lives in Oregon where she says she pretends to enjoy running. For more information, visit Kathleen at www.kathleenvalenti.com          .  

 

An Interview with KATHLEEN VALENTI

Q: Why did you decide to mysteries that incorporate medical elements, specifically pharmaceuticals? 

A: For most of us, medication is a part of our lives, whether we take an Exedrine to stave off a migraine or a prescription to keep blood pressure in check. In fact, nearly 70 percent of

Americans regularly take medication. This gives drugs—and those who make them and prescribe them—enormous power, for better and for worse. In the Maggie O’Malley Mystery Series, we follow Maggie from the beginning of her career in pharmaceutical development to a job behind the counter at the town’s corner drugstore. This metamorphosis brings her into the heart of people’s lives and allows her to use her skills and knowledge to uncover the truth, no matter how doctored it’s become. 

Q: How did your background prepare you to write this series?  A: Writing for a living over the past two-plus decades has given me two advantages: I know how to dig deep, and I know how to tell a compelling story. Because I’m an advertising copywriter, I have to get up to speed and write about a number of different products, from transmissions and seaports to insurance and sports teams. Although I don’t have a medical background per se, I wasn’t afraid to write a medical/pharmaceutical series because I’ve done my research on doing research, so to speak. I also use the tips and tricks I’ve developed over the past twenty years to create stories that entertain and connect. 

Q: Your books often tackle serious topics, but there’s a fair amount of humor, as well. How do you balance the two? 

A: For me, it’s all about differentiating character and plot. Although the Maggie O’Malley mysteries feature an amateur sleuth, they’re not exactly cozies, in large part because they go deeper into the dark side of mystery. However, my books are infused with humor because the two main characters, Maggie and Constantine, love witty repartee and they cope with difficulty by hiding behind humor. They see—or at least profess—the absurd and the funny, even in the most unfunny of situations. 

Q: Readers love Maggie and often comment about how “real” she and the series’ other characters are. What sets her apart? 

Maggie, like most of us, is a study in contrasts. She’s young but not overly idealistic. She’s heroic but flawed. She’s clumsy but accomplished. Maggie is a young woman at the advent not only of her career, but her life. She’s a woman who doesn’t yet understand her own power and who, despite chafing against the yoke of the hero, can’t help but fight for right. She’s also one of the few women in crime fiction to work in pharmaceuticals. 

Q: What makes AS DIRECTED such a page-turner? 

A: My goal was to write a book that kept Maggie on the edge of her seat—and readers along for the ride. AS DIRECTED has a both a simple premise and multifaceted plot. Secrets and lies create a foundation upon which assumptions are made, providing fertile ground for plenty of twists, reveals and growth. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.