1. I hear you have pets in your mystery, The Mudflats Murder Club. Tell us about the book/series.

The Mudflats Murder Club is the first book in the eight-book Mudflats Murder Club Mysteries series. Yes, an eight-book series! My agent negotiated a four-book series last year, based upon the manuscript of the first book. The Mudflats Murder Club did so well, my publisher went back to my agent and asked for four more books. My agent reminds me to never complain about having to write eight books, because thousands of authors would love to have that problem.

The Mudflats Murder Club blurb:

Solving murders was not part of Sean Tanner’s retirement plan.

Former homicide detective and recently widowed Sean Tanner has settled into Spartina Island’s private retirement community, hoping to find solace after his wife’s death in their chosen paradise. He soon finds himself drawn into the Mudflats Murder Club, an enthusiastic group of retired detectives, prosecutors, and forensic experts who are engrossed in solving the 38-year-old unsolved murder of Theresa Goldberg.

But the quiet of the community is shattered when Sean’s neighbor, Nancy Russo, is found dead in her home. Ignited by the crime, the club jumps into the fray, much to the annoyance of Sergeant Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, the lead detective spearheading the murder investigation. When Sean and his cohorts uncover a shocking connection between Nancy’s murder and their long-standing cold case, everything they thought they knew goes up in flames.

Amidst rising tensions and thrilling discoveries, Sean and Charlie must confront their doubts about each other—and acknowledge their reliance on the team—to outsmart a killer who’s closer than they ever imagined.

Here are some author quotes:

“Totally charming and completely relatable…I’m dubbing it Only Murders in the Mudflats! What a winner!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

“A sophisticated, pulsing, persistent police procedural with multiple whodunnits and secrets that come at you from all angles…A highly satisfying read.” —Chris Bauer, author of the Maximum Risk series

“…I loved the people, the place, the detection process—and the hint of romance!” —Jane K. Cleland, Agatha Award-winning author

“Sometimes the cop can’t quit the job. Sometimes the job won’t let them…This is a must read series!” —Bruce Robert Coffin, bestselling author of Crimson Thaw

“Recommend to fans of Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood.” —Booklist

The Mudflats Murder Club buy link: Amazon.com: The Mudflats Murder Club (Mudflats Murder Club Mysteries, 1): 9781648756283: Thiem, Brian: Books

 

2. Why did you add pets to this series?

My first series featured an Oakland Police Department Homicide Investigator, something I knew a lot about, since I did that myself for many years. Sergeant Matt Sinclair was all cop. He lived and breathed Homicide. He was divorced and lived in an apartment, a place he could maintain with a minimum of effort, so he could live the job. It would not be fair to a dog if Matt had one and left her alone for days at a time, while he was busy solving crimes and locking up criminals.

In my new series, one of my two main characters is Sean Tanner. He’s a retired detective, living in an active adult community in the tropical paradise of Spartina Island. Sean spent a career having to be a tough guy, but he’s old enough now that he no longer has to pretend he’s tough. He’s widowed and lives alone. Well, except for Annie, his Yellow Lab. All dog lovers know that a man who has a yellow lab is a softy at heart. Sean can still exude a tough outer shell, but deep down inside, he’s sensitive and caring.

Annie is Sean’s companion and his sounding board. Sean can share his deepest thoughts, sorrows, and fears with Annie, and she never judges. Although Sean works with the local sheriff’s cold case team, he’s never far from his house, so he can usually stop in to feed Annie, take her out to do her business, and take her for long walks. In those rare times when Sean’s in the midst of a murder investigation and can’t get home, he has an assortment of friends in his retirement community who love to step in to take care of Annie.

I have a real yellow lab named Annie. She’s thirteen now, but in my series, the fictional Annie is younger, and she’ll never age. Don’t we all wish our dogs stayed young forever? Before Annie, I had another yellow lab named Amber. She lived until fourteen, and I was a wreck when it was time to put her to sleep. Annie has been with me from the beginning of my writing life. She has a dog bed by my desk (and in the living room and bedroom) and has been by my side as I wrote every rough draft, every rewrite, every edit, and all of these blogs and articles.

Charlotte “Charlie” Nash is the second protagonist/point-of-view character in my series. Charlie is a sergeant with the local sheriff’s department on Spartina Island. She’s divorced, and a blend of Southern belle and bad-ass detective. She lives in an Antebellum mansion with her mother, who wishes the era of Scarlet O’Hara had never passed. Charlie has a Tonkinese cat (a mix of Siamese and Burmese) named Lexi.

There’s a Tonkinese named Lexi that lives in my house also, but that Lexi belongs to my wife. I don’t have a cat—my wife does. Okay, that’s our inside joke, because most evenings (like right now as I write this), Lexi is curled up on the leather sofa in my office, even though my wife (the owner of the cat) is downstairs.

 

3, What other books have you written?

My first series had three books, Red Line, Thrill Kill, and Shallow Grave. The hardback and softcover versions are out of print, although they can be found through secondary booksellers, but they will be available as e-books forever.

I’ve already completed the next two books in the Mudflats Murder Club series. A Killer in the Cordgrass will come out in February 2026, and A Death in the Deluge will be available in July 2026. Both are available for preorder now. Every book in the series will be available as E-book, print (softcover only at this time), and audio.

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Shortly after The Mudflats Murder Club was published, it climbed to the Top New Release in Mystery Series on Amazon and stayed there for weeks.

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I fortunately have a publisher with an amazing marketing strategy. Although what I do locally is a fraction of what my publisher is doing on the national level, I have had feature articles about my series and about me, as a writer, in several local magazines and newspapers. I had a successful book launch event and have done numerous author events, talks, and book signings since the first book was published in late August.

I’m a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Island Writers Network. In the next month or so, I’m headlining Meet the Author at Sun City Hilton Head, moderating a panel of authors at the local library, and will be the guest speaker for a chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

 

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

Readers can connect with me through my website: www.BrianThiem.com, where they can find upcoming events and sign up for my newsletter.

I’m most active on the social media sites of Facebook and Instagram, where I can be found at:

Facebook

Instagram

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Brian, for being my November interviewee!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! Would you like to win a Marcia James’ ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks!

 

Each month, I’ll randomly pick one blog commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!