Thursday, March 2, 2017

Papa Haydn on the Case--Music and Mystery

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Uh-oh. Stuff you never thought about. 

You think this murder stuff is easy? Huh.  

As author Nupur Tustin says on Franz Joseph Haydn: “You may know him as a composer. You may even know him as Kapellmeister—Director of Music—to the powerful Esterhazy Princes. Now, I’d like to introduce you to Haydn, the Kapell-Detective.”

But in writing about Haydn the detective, Nupur ran into a bit of a dilemma. The question:  Can forensic science play a role in historical mysteries? And the answer? Well, it’s fascinating. And who better to interview her about it—than the author herself?  

NUPUR TUSTIN: Why would a writer of historical mysteries bother researching forensic techniques?

I was writing the first draft of A Minor Deception, when a dead body showed up, and I realized that I had absolutely no idea how to describe it.

Obviously some sort of description was necessary. There was a corpse in the wine-tavern. Even if Haydn looked away, revolted, after his first glance, I'd have to provide some explanation as to the cause of his revulsion. Moreover, the barber-surgeon, also present at the scene, was unlikely to be quite so squeamish.

But things were so different back in the eighteenth century?

Then again, some things don't change. Whether your mystery is set in eighteenth-century Austria or twenty-first century Los Angeles, when a body appears on the scene, you need to give your reader some idea of what your sleuth sees. Manners and customs may have changed, but the changes that take place in the body after death have not.

Some changes like rigor mortis—the stiffening of the limbs after death—would have been commonplace in a time when death itself was an everyday occurrence.

Other changes—such as the bloating that occurs as toxins are released in the process of decomposition—may have seemed more unnatural. Certainly in eighteenth-century Austria these changes led to a vampire scare so widespread, the Empress Maria Theresa had to command her personal physician to look into the matter.

Whether your victim is an eighteenth-century traveler or a twenty-first century lawyer, the appearance of a stabbing or bludgeoning or death by drowning remain the same.

Yes, but how much would an eighteenth-century individual know about the signs that point to violent death?

Your eighteenth-century sleuth may not necessarily realize the bloodshot appearance of a victim's eyes points to death by strangulation, but that's not to say he or she won't notice it.
An experienced executioner might even be able to tell your sleuth about this particular phenomenon. You can't hang criminals, lop off their heads, or carry out other similar executions without learning a thing or two about what happens during and after the event.

All right, forensic pathology may be useful, but what made you delve deeper?

Although forensic pathology gave me nightmares, my introduction to it brought me into contact with other fascinating technologies available to the modern investigator. When a fellow crime writer shared the news of a free online course taught by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, I was eager to take it, although I didn't think I'd learn much from it of value to the Haydn Mysteries.
I couldn't have been more wrong.

Seriously? 

Absolutely. As I worked with fellow students on solving a true crime, I realized there was more to investigating a crime than pulling out all the stops with the fancy techniques available to us. Based on what the investigator sees at the crime scene, the initial interviews, and oftentimes the subsequent behavior of the survivors, a hypothesis is formulated.

It is this hypothesis that directs further investigation.

In fact as I worked on the case, I realized my questions, and the ones the instructors were prompting me to ask, had nothing to do with the examination of trace evidence and everything to do with (a) the appearance of the crime scene, and the mismatch between it and the story the victim's husband gave the initial responders; (b) my knowledge of human behavior; and (c) my nascent knowledge of criminal behavior.

Can you illustrate those three types of questions?

Sure. Here's an example of the first type. The gunman had apparently opened the passenger-side door, and in a struggle with the victim, shot her in her right temple. The incident took place in the U.K., meaning that the entry wound would have to be in the left temple for that story to be accurate. Her right temple faced her husband.

The position of the body suggested she'd been looking straight ahead when she'd been shot.

As for the second and third, having shot one individual, how plausible is it that the killer would have left the other alive to potentially identify him? The woman had received a fatal wound to her temple; but her husband had sustained only a minor injury to his left arm.

Fascinating! But how did all this help with the Haydn Mysteries?

The questions I asked as I worked on this case are the same type of questions I have Haydn ask when he's presented with a crime. What's the most likely hypothesis based on the initial evidence? If new evidence challenges his initial assumptions, what explanation might take into account both the old and the new evidence?
Since I already know who the killer is, thinking in this way helps me to refine the plot as I write my novel. I'm not only considering how to present evidence based on what actually happened, I'm also thinking about plausible ways in which it might be misinterpreted.

You're forgetting they didn't have the technology to evaluate trace evidence back then.

I've come to realize that forensic evidence is more important in presenting a cast-iron case in court than in actually solving the crime. While in some cases, it does solve the crime, in others, it has to be taken in conjunction with other types of evidence gleaned from interviews with the victim's family, suspects, and anyone remotely involved. Frequently, two experts will disagree on whether fingerprints or tire marks or even handwriting match. And DNA evidence is only as good as the kit used to collect it.

Sounds like a lot of work. Don't you already have your hands full researching the time period?
Oddly enough, it makes writing a historical mystery much easier. The same type of investigative work needs to be done to narrow down the list of suspects and to follow leads. I still, of course, try to present the reader with as much cast-iron evidence as I can.

What about you, readers? Are you convinced that learning about contemporary investigative techniques can be helpful even to a writer of historical mysteries? Can you think of examples from mysteries you've written or read?

HANK: Oh, that is so fascinating! Huh. I keep thinking about The Alienist. It’s such a complicated balance—because we as readers are reading trough the prism of what we know—and compare it to how what it was like in the past. How do we change our perspective and expectations to feel comfortable in the past? 

Love this, Nupur!  And tell us more about your book.

And I’m delighted to give a copy of A MINOR DECPTION to one lucky commenter. Are you a fan of classical music?

Bio:  A former journalist, Nupur Tustin relies upon a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to orchestrate fictional mayhem. Childhood piano lessons and a 1903 Weber Upright share equal blame for her musical works.
Haydn Series: http://ntustin.com     





 Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn would like nothing better than to show his principal violinist Bartó Daboczi the door. But with the Empress Maria Theresa’s visit scheduled in three weeks, Haydn can ill-afford to lose his surly virtuoso.

But when Bartó disappears—along with all the music composed for the imperial visit—the Kapellmeister is forced to don the role of Kapell-detective, or risk losing his job.


Before long Haydn’s search uncovers pieces of a disturbing puzzle. Bartó, it appears, is more than just a petty thief—and more dangerous. And what seemed like a minor musical mishap could modulate into a major political catastrophe unless Haydn can find his missing virtuoso.

73 comments:

  1. What an intriguing idea, Nupur, to turn a well-known composer into a detective . . . “A Minor Deception” will definitely be added to my teetering to-be-read pile.

    I’m rather stumped for an answer your question about contemporary investigative techniques and historical mysteries . . . I can’t think of any particular example except, perhaps, for the intrepid Sherlock Holmes . . . .

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    1. Thanks, Joan! You know, you might also want to add Ariana Franklin's "Mistress of the Art of Death" to your TBR. Adelia is a twelfth-century forensics expert from Italy. When I first started reading the book, I found myself going immediately to the Author's Note to discover how much was fiction, how much fact. I tried emailing the author--I was working on the first draft of Minor Deception at the time--and was bummed out to find she'd passed on!

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    2. And, Hank, thanks so much for having me over on Jungle Red Writers today. Wow! I'm overwhelmed at the number of comments. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by. I'm going to go through and respond to everyone. Sorry to have kept you all waiting. My mornings are spent soothing frayed tempers as I cook breakfast!

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  2. This sounds very interesting. I'm definitely going to have to add it to my TBR mountain range.

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    1. Doesn't it sound great? Maybe Nupur will give us a playlist!

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    2. Thanks, Mark. How about Opus 74, no. 2 in F? Haydn was best known for his string quartets. I myself prefer his keyboard sonatas. Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hvz_Hykmr4
      And given Haydn's service to the Empress in A Minor Deception, how about Symphony No. 48, nicknamed the Empress Symphony?

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  3. I read this book and loved, as you know, Nupur! Everyone should put it on their TBR piles.

    I also have to deal with forensic techniques, or the lack of them, in my late 1880s series. Fingerprinting, blood typing, none of that was developed yet - almost, but not quite. So my amateur midwife sleuth and her police detective buddy have to resort to good old fashioned detecting. Best of luck with the book!

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    1. Yes, I was so glad to hear you loved the book, Edith. You made my day! Yes, science was still in its nascent stages. I think that's one of the reasons the televised Murdoch Mystery Series is so fascinating. It's as much a history of science as anything else.

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    2. That's been on my list to watch for a while. Must bring it to the top!

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    3. It's excellent! The first seven seasons are now on Netflix. Seasons 8 and 9 are available in DVD format, and I think there's a season 10 in the making, too.

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  4. This sounds fascinating. I think many people in Haydn's time would be far less squeamish about dead bodies than we are. People died at home in those days. Women sat at the bedsides of those they loved, and attended them as they died, then prepared the bodies for burial. Men went off to war, and would have become thoroughly familiar with the look of stab, slash, and gunshot wounds. People attended public executions by hanging and beheading. Anyone back then would be far more familiar with the look of natural death than we are today, and could easily have more experience with unnatural death as well. Since 'why?' is always the natural question when someone dies, an investigation would likely follow. And in an imperial court, when lives, empires, and kapellmeister appointments hang in the balance? Some sort of explanation for a murder must be found. I'll definitely put this one on my list to read.

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    1. Oh, such an interesting way to think about it, Gigi! SO true!

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    2. You're right, Gigi. Given the state of medicine at the time, death really was the great unifier--although in the Holy Roman Empire, a love of music united all walks of people as well. Your comment reminded me of the Brother Cadfael series. His wartime experience serves him well when he's confronted with dead bodies.

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  5. This book is going on my t=b=r list right now! That was a very interesting course you took.

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    1. Oh, thank you Gram! Yes, the course was fascinating! FutureLearn has some wonderful courses--from songwriting to forensics!

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  6. My father was the music critic for the old Chicago Daily News, so I grew up here in classical music every day. And in grade school I think it was, we had something called the music memory contest. Anyone remember that?

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    1. That sounds like fun! I grew up in India, so I can't say I'm familiar with that. But I'm eternally grateful for the singing lessons we had --twice every week, I think it was. We warmed up with scales and arpeggios--not that our teacher ever called it that. There were 120 of us in each grade. The mind boggles at how she managed to get us all to sing!

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  7. Welcome Nupur, what a great post! Love the idea of Haydn as detective. But also loved the way you described questions about what happened coming naturally from what the investigator sees right in front of her.

    tell us more about your background in music and how much of a role it plays in this book?

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    1. Thanks, Lucy! Well, I had piano lessons as a child--but no piano. My parents couldn't afford it. But I lived for those half-hour lessons every Saturday, and pored diligently over my books. My keyboard geography was naturally poor, so I could play anything I'd already heard and was familiar with, but new pieces were a challenge. Later as an adult, I had guitar lessons, and then returned to the piano as a married woman.

      I find my research fuels my musicianship and my desire to become a better musician; while my time at the piano enables me to come up with believable performance issues for the novels. Sometimes, parts of a score I'm having trouble with can make their way into a manuscript.

      And, of course, now that I compose, I have a better understanding of what goes into that endeavor, and the dangers of using style to authenticate a manuscript. Although, this issue is one that comes up in Aria to Death, the second Haydn mystery, not Minor Deception.

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    2. I couldn't. I'd read the music and go over the letter names for each note. That work was helpful, of course, especially later when I began learning the guitar and then returned to the piano. I could already read music.

      The most successful teachers insist their students study the score before beginning to play. Even those who perform at sight, first look over the score. Having said that, you still need an instrument to practice. Looking back, I'm surprised I was able to play at all. I pretend-played on our dining table--which is why the story of Haydn using a stick as a pretend-violin so resonated with me. His father would play the harp, and both parents would sing together. Haydn accompanied them on his imaginary violin.



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  8. What a fascinating premise. My mother was a talented pianist and organist, so of course I heard Haydn's music, but being of a more scientific bent, never really spent any time learning about the man. And yes, people dying at home was the norm. Funny that with hospice care it's becoming more common than in the past 50 or so years, yet another turn in the cycle.

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    1. OH, so interesting, Diane? Where did she play?

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    2. Oh, how lucky you were! You must have heard quite a bit of Bach's music as well. Haydn regarded Bach's son, C.P.E. as his mentor. Most composers of the day did. The elder Bach and C.P.E. were both known for their prodigious abilities at the keyboard and being able to improvise for hours on end. Apparently, the rounded hand, curved finger-position, with fingers close to the keys was one that Bach initiated. This, according to Forkel, Bach's earliest biographer, who tells us most musicians played with fingers extended, and rarely used the thumb.

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  9. I love Haydn's music but I know nothing about the man. Wondering how his musical talent, sensitivity to sounds, whatever it was that made him such a brilliant composer factor into his talents as a sleuth?

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    1. Oh, fascinating, t Hallie...and composers have to sort of see into the future, and be organized, and attuned to the slightest variations and changes..hmm.

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    2. Oh yes, great question! There are two faculties that serve musicians well. First of all, the ear. You can't really compose without having a good ear--your ear tells you where the melody needs to go. And Mozart wasn't the only person who could hear an entire piece and then play it back by ear. Every musician worth his salt could. In fact, many played by ear, but couldn't sight read very well.

      But speech has a melody and rhythm of its own, too, and each person's voice has its own melody and rhythm. (You don't need to be a speech therapist to recognize this, although speech therapists will often talk about children imitating the melody of speech rather than articulating each syllable perfectly). So, when Haydn hears a familiar voice fairly early on, although he can't place it, he does recognize the contours of its melody. That helps with a key identification later in the novel.

      As far as the eye is concerned, you have only to pick a score and perform it at sight, and you'll know just how quickly a musician needs to interpret and act on a vast quantity of information--the pitches and their values, time signatures, which can change through the piece, key signatures, which can also change as the composer modulates into another key. Given all that, I thought it wouldn't seem strange at all for Haydn to be able to recognize the handwriting on a note--a key clue in the mystery.

      Haydn's eyes and ears play a crucial role in his investigations--and he does have sharp ears.

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  10. Hank, a compelling interview! Thanks. As I read, my mind went immediately to one of the first, if not the very first, Cumberbatch-Sherlock episodes, a woman's body dressed in pink and left in a dirty, empty room: the dampness on a fashionable pink wool jacket, the condition of (pink) fingernails, the absence of rigor, and a slew of other clues allowed Holmes to explain to Watson how he knew what he knew. Then from Law & Order, (year, who remembers?) the husband's account of his wife being shot by a mugger in a parking garage, she having opened the passenger door and stepped out while he was still seated--uh-uh, didn't happen that way. And I listen to Fred Child's Performance Today regularly, so have learned quite a bit about Haydn's compositions and life--bless them both. Will order your book today, Napur. Cheers!

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  11. Thanks for stopping by Jungle Reds, Nupur! What a unique premise for a mystery! Have you read any other works of fiction that feature composers? Any recommendations?

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    1. You know, you might like Matt Rees's Mozart's Last Aria. It's a standalone thriller. Then there's Laura Lebow's Figaro Murders which feature Mozart's librettist. There's also a series with Schubert as the sleuth, although I'm forgetting the name of both the author and the publisher.

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  12. I agree with Gigi - I think people back in Haydn's time would be less squeamish about death. Death has become rather sanitized in modern times.

    A fascinating premise for a book. And as someone who studied violin, viola, and piano I love classical music.

    Mary/Liz

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    1. Oh, how wonderful that you studied all three instruments, Mary. Violin, I've always thought, must be quite difficult. At least on the guitar, you have frets to guide you.

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  13. What an unusual choice of sleuth, Nupur! I'm intrigued, and will definitely add your name to my must-read list.

    Growing up Catholic in the era of the sacred Latin Mass, classical music has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. In grade school we sang Haydn Masses when I was in the choir. That kind of music speaks to me viscerally.

    And anyone who grew up watching cartoons in the 50's and 60's was widely exposed to classical music, even though they were probably unaware of it. Watch any old Bugs Bunny cartoon and you'll be surprised at the music used. A composer friend often says he feels sorry for kids today because the music that accompanies children's programming today is often as dreadful a he rest of the content.

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    1. As the rest.

      Meant to add Umberto Edo's The Name of the Rose as an example of a story with a sleuth without access to modern forensics. The medieval monk or friar used deductive reasoning, instead.

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    2. As the rest.

      Meant to add Umberto Edo's The Name of the Rose as an example of a story with a sleuth without access to modern forensics. The medieval monk or friar used deductive reasoning, instead.

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    3. Yes, Kill the wabbit, right? And the barber of Seville..xoxo

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    4. Nice example, Karen. Haydn would have been glad to hear that you sang his masses. Like most composers of the day, he was proudest of his vocal compositions. It's strange, how even today, voice rules. But we can all sing along with a singer. How many of us can play along with a performer?

      St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna still uses masses by Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart in its worship services. So, that sumptuous music lives on!

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  14. For Napur--what is the name of that course at Strathclyde, Glasgow? A preliminary search of that website turned up nothing re forensic pathology. Thanks!

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    1. Introduction of Forensic Science. It's a free course the university offers via FutureLearn.

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  15. Napur, this is fascinating. I agree with Gigi that people would be much more familiar with dead bodies of all sorts, and less squeamish than we are now. (Gigi, we can share this book!!)

    And even though I write contemporary mysteries, forensic evidence is usually only used as a back-up when a case goes to trial. I want my detectives to use their instinct and investigative skills to solve the crimes.

    I'd like the info on the online course, too!

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    1. Yes, that was my thought, too when I began looking into forensic techniques. You can't be so close to death without developing an intimate knowledge of it. Experiential knowledge is just as useful and valid, even if no one's come along yet to theorize it.

      Here's a link to the course on FutureLearn: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/introduction-to-forensic-science

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  16. Welcome Napur, and kudos on the nuanced title,'A MINOR' DECEPTION. Haydn is a favorite of mine. When in Salisbury many years ago, I walked under the apartment when he lived for a time, bridging two buildings over a street.

    I think people were wiser to the value of forensics during that period than we might think. We must remember that they themselves killed and butchered almost anything they wanted to eat, giving them a personal knowledge of violent death by a number of means. Just a thought during my morning coffee.

    I have your book in the TBR pile and look forward to reading it.

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    1. You're absolutely right, Finta. Bravo to you for being able to stomach these thoughts at breakfast! I feel obligated to acquaint myself with these issues as a mystery writer, but it still gives me nightmares, and I still find myself clinging to my husband at night because I'm haunted by the awful things I've read about. Robert Ressler's book comes to mind.

      On a positive note, I'm glad you like the title. I felt musically, one of the minor modes would have been appropriate for a major problem!

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  17. Thanks for your thoughts and experience here, Nupur! This sounds great--definitely being added to Mount Tooby. I'm primarily a jazz fan, but I love a lot of different kinds of music, including classical. I tend to prefer orchestral music to solo works.

    This reminds me of the old joke, why couldn't Beethoven find his piano teacher? Because he was Haydn.

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    1. Yum! You are such a troublemaker! I can't even Handel it .. xxx

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    2. Too funny!! I like all kinds of music, too. So, I can "Handel" it that all three of my kids are metal-heads.

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  18. I love classical music and know that Haydn was part of my repertoire during my 10 years of piano lessons. I really like the idea of his investigating a crime in his time period, and that there's more to it than meets the eye. I agree with Gigi that people were probably less squeamish back then -- they probably weren't that far off from the times that barbers were "physicians" and would bleed their patients.

    A historical, forensic work that's one of my very favorite books is The Alienist by Caleb Carr. One technique one of the detectives investigating the case experimented with was to take a very close-up picture of the open eyes of the victim to see if the camera would reveal the reflection of the last image the victim saw. They didn't really know at the beginning whether it would work or not (it didn't), but were willing to try new techniques to help them solve a series of murders in New York City. It also had a historical figure, Theodore Roosevelt, who was then Police Commissioner of NYC, involved with the case which made it all the more interesting.

    I cannot wait to read A Minor Deception, and I'm so glad you visited the Reds today so I could learn about your book and research into forensics.

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    1. Oh yes, that is one of my favorite books ever! And have you read The Last days of Night? Also terrific… about the battle between Edison and Westinghouse for electricity supremacy!

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    2. I just added it to my TBR list -- thanks for the suggestion!

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    3. Oh, thank you, Celia! I'm ashamed to admit I haven't gotten around to reading Caleb Carr, yet. Definitely going on my "buy ASAP" list.

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  19. Nupur is in a West Coast time zone everyone, so she will be here soon… XO

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    1. Thanks, Hank. And I'm so sorry to have kept everybody waiting!

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  20. I adore classical music, so this is another case where I'm kicking myself for not having thought of this brilliant idea for a mystery first!

    Hallie and Hank - more than perhaps his musical gifts, I can picture Haydn's background giving him great insight into the world around him. Born to solid tradesmen in a rural village near Hungary, he moved on to study music with a family friend in a larger city and eventually wound up in Vienna, where he was often poor and hungry, but also exposed to the imperial court, the church, the aristocracy and the great musicians of his day. Other than the church, I can't think of any other professions that allowed a man to experience such a sweep of his own society in the 18th century.

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    1. Oh absolutely, Julia! Haydn's background was perfect. His father was a wheelwright, his mother a cook to the Harrachs, a noble family with estates in Rohrau. Later, the grandson built a monument honoring Haydn.

      Music was so important in Austria, at any rate, that you could quickly rise up the social ladder if you had any degree of musical talent.

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  21. Howdy, Nupur and Hank! A brilliant post about historical forensics and your book. Much success.

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  22. What a fascinating piece, Nupur! So much to think about when writing historical fiction, and then throwing in crime and what was known forensically then as opposed to later or now. Some investigative tools and forensic aids, such as fingerprints are rather easy to date. However, you've made me think about how hard just a description of a dead body can be at different points in history. What would be known to be remarked upon or not. Wow! You historical fiction writers have even more research to conduct than I thought. I've heard people talk about the diaries/journals of people living at certain times as helpful, and I can imagine a doctor's description of death, wounds, etc. would be a great resource.

    I doubt that it was the same class, but I started a free online forensics class from a group (need to find name), and it was from a Scottish university, with Val McDermid a part of it. It was so interesting, and I was able to stay with it for a couple or three weeks, but I didn't finish it. Now I wish I'd made the time to do so. There were body charts and forms to fill out and great talks by experts. I might try to see if it's offered again sometime.

    Your book sounds like a great read, Nupur. Thanks so much for visiting the Reds today.

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    1. Thanks, Kathy! Yes, there's a lot of information to hunt down. But it's also wonderful! I feel like a cross between Indiana Jones and a detective as I go on the search.

      The course I took was called an Introduction to Forensic Science. The Val McDermid course is excellent, too. Once you're enrolled for a course, you always have access to the material on FutureLearn. So, you can read the material and watch the videos long after the course is over.

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    2. Thanks for letting me know that, Nupur! I'll go back now and pick some more up.

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    3. You're welcome. I hope you enjoy the book, too! My five-year-old daughter just picked your name out of a hat to win A Minor Deception. She was very excited about the whole affair.

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  23. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing this with us.
    Libby Dodd

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  24. Thanks for visiting, Libby! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

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  25. I had Rena, my eldest, pick out a name at random from her Dad's hat. The person she picked to receive a copy of A Minor Deception: Kathy Reel! Congratulations! Rena is pretty excited about it, too :)

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  26. Just gotta say, late in the day -- WOW. This sounds amazing.

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    1. I'm glad you think so Denise Ann! Thanks for visiting, and taking the time to comment.

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  27. Nupur, your research process is awesome! What's that expression--like a dog with a bone? Looking forward to more of your books and posts! --kate

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  28. Thanks so much for visiting, and taking the time to post, Kate. Yes, I do love research!

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