Catherine Lloyd

Catherine Lloyd grew up in London, England in the middle of a large family of girls. She quickly decided her imagination was a wonderful thing and was often in trouble for making stuff up. She finally worked out she could make a career out of this when she moved to the USA with her husband and four children and began writing fiction. With a background in historical research and a love of old-fashioned mysteries, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to wonder what a young Regency Miss Marple might be like, and how she would deal with a far from pleasant hero of the Napoleonic wars.

Q: How did you get the idea for the story in Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld?

Catherine: I do a lot of general reading and somehow came across hypnotism and celebrated mesmerists from the 19th century. I thought Mrs. Frogerton would be the perfect person to fall for a con, while Caroline would be completely against it. This setup led to a great bit of conflict to drive the mystery from the start.

Q: Does this story reveal the unfairness of the justice system and the tunnel vision of some detectives?

Catherine: As a British person, I’m always fascinated by the nuances of class, and I always explore inequalities in my books. In the 19th century, class lines were drawn even more firmly, affecting how someone was treated by authorities. Aristocrats could often get away with murder. I also love the trope of a detective deciding who the criminal is and doggedly pursuing that belief, even when evidence points otherwise. To be fair, the suspect often doesn’t help by refusing to cooperate and generally making things worse for themselves.

Q: How did you come up with the story for Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance? Was it inspired by a pyramid scheme?

Catherine: I didn’t think of it as a pyramid scheme. I was more interested in how far someone would go to protect sensitive information about themselves. How much are they willing to pay, and at what point do they break? I was also intrigued by the blackmailer’s perspective and how they target their victims. I’m always fascinated by people’s credulity.

Q: How would you describe Mrs. Frogerton?

Catherine: Tenacious, caring, protective, and someone who uses her wealth for good. She’s also very shrewd—nobody’s fool. She’s aware of how people in Caroline’s world view her but refuses to be intimidated by their attitudes, which I love. She’s a bit credulous herself, loves a juicy piece of gossip, and doesn’t shy away from danger.

Q: How has the relationship between Mrs. Frogerton and Caroline evolved over time?

Catherine: It’s become less formal. Mrs. Frogerton treats Caroline like family, and it’s taken Caroline time to recognize that. Caroline is learning to trust that her employer genuinely has her back. Having been let down by others, it’s taken her a while to open up, but she’s beginning to see Mrs. Frogerton as a friend and even a mentor.

Q: How would you describe Caroline?

Catherine: She’s fiercely loyal to those she cares about. Life’s been unfair to her, so she’s naturally cynical. She may not be driven by pure justice, but she’s determined to uncover the truth, especially when loved ones are in danger. She’s someone doing her best to move forward in a world that’s drastically changed for her.

Q: Has Caroline grown as a character since the first book, and if so, how?

Catherine: Absolutely. At first, she could be passive-aggressive and reluctant to trust others or show her feelings. Mrs. Frogerton has helped her regain confidence, showing her that women can succeed in more than one role. Caroline has learned to assert herself and is less internally angry.

Q: How would you describe Dr. Harris?

Catherine: Honest, direct, arrogant, stubborn, and contemptuous of society’s rules. He’s something of a rebel and often puts his foot in his mouth, especially around Caroline.

Q: What role does Caroline’s father’s will play in both books?

Catherine: It’s a central theme driving the action in both books. Caroline’s father left her and her sister, Susan, with nothing, even stealing their doweries and their mother’s legacy. The possibility of a new will with intriguing changes continues to weave through the series. Caroline is reluctant to engage with anything related to her father; the idea that he might reach out from beyond the grave to humiliate her again is terrifying. She almost can’t bear to hope.

Q: Is there a love triangle—or even a love quadrilateral—between Mr. DeBloom, Samuel, Dr. Harris, and Inspector Ross?

Catherine: I don’t see it that way. It’s more a commentary on how a beautiful woman attracts attention, whether she wants it or not. It also reflects how Caroline, as a lowly paid companion, is perceived differently than when she was Lady Caroline.

Q: What is Caroline’s relationship with each of these men?

Catherine: Mr. DeBloom views her as a trophy and a way to annoy his mother, rather than seeing her true self.

Catherine: Samuel, Mrs. Frogerton’s son, is initially wary of her influence on his mother but grows to appreciate her as a person.

Catherine: Dr. Harris doesn’t want to like Caroline as much as he does, and he struggles with it. Their relationship is almost sibling-like, and Caroline feels comfortable being herself around him. He has a tendency to self-sabotage.

Catherine: Inspector Ross understands her perhaps better than anyone, as he’s also taken a path outside his aristocratic background. While he’s aware of her beauty, he treats her as an equal, which Caroline values.

Q: How would you describe Caroline’s relationship with her sister, Susan?

Catherine: Caroline has spent her life shielding Susan from the realities of their parents’ troubled marriage and their father’s indifference. To be independent, she’s had to leave Susan with relatives, which Susan resents. Susan doesn’t see her efforts as positive and is more easily influenced by their cousin Mabel, often taking her side against Caroline.

Q: How would you describe Mabel?

Catherine: She’s lacking in moral conscience, callous, self-centered, a liar, an instigator, and she dislikes Caroline. Like many with personality disorders, she’s supremely comfortable in her own superiority and willing to sacrifice anyone to get what she wants.

Q: Did you enhance the plot with the banter between characters and their interactions with Caroline?

Catherine: I love writing great dialogue. I think it works well in mysteries, preventing the plot from getting bogged down, and it’s easier for readers to miss clues hidden in banter than in straightforward narrative text.

Q: What’s your next book?

Catherine: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir will be out in 2025.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd is a great cozy historical mystery. Set in the 1830s, it features Miss Caroline Morton, daughter of a disgraced Earl, now gainfully employed as a lady’s companion. Lady Caroline is happy to be employed by Mrs. Frogerton, who is interested in spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madam Lavinia and begs Caroline to come along. As Caroline tries to discern whether the spiritualist’s powers are real, a much darker mystery presents itself: Madam Lavinia is found lifeless in her chair, a half-empty glass of port at her elbow. In her desk is a note addressed to Caroline, entreating her to find her murderer.

Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance continues where the previous book left off. The previous story had Miss Caroline receiving an urgent invitation from a London law firm to discuss her late father’s estate. After all, the dishonored Earl of Morton died without a pound sterling to pass on to his two daughters. Caroline meets with a cagey lawyer, Mr. Smith, who shares life-altering news that the Earl composed a second will, leaving behind an undisclosed fortune. Mrs. Frogerton, however, is thoroughly unimpressed with the firm’s conduct and suspicious of their true motives. Her instinct proves right when the two ladies find the office ransacked, staff in turmoil, and Mr. Smith missing. The full weight of the situation doesn’t sink in until Mr. Smith dies following a brutal attack on the street. He had an empty envelope bearing Caroline’s name in his pocket. Further complicating matters is the amorous Mr. DeBloom, who claims his mother goaded the Earl into making bad investments and promises to link Caroline to her inheritance. She also must contend with the disappearance of Susan, her younger sister. As Caroline unwittingly becomes the center of both a criminal case and a sordid love triangle, she must tread with caution while seeking the truth.

These books have an appealing historical mystery with characters that are well-developed, and a plot that keeps readers captivated from start to finish. The historical backdrop is seamlessly woven into the narrative. Readers will anxiously await until the next books come out.