NPR's Book of the Day Two summer mysteries unravel in 'The Cliffs' and 'The God of the Woods'
Jul 19, 2024
Authors J. Courtney Sullivan and Liz Moore discuss their books 'The Cliffs' and 'The God of the Woods.' Topics include unraveling mysteries in a seaside Victorian house in Maine and a disappearance at a summer camp in the Adirondacks in 1975. They also explore crafting mystery novels without outlining to keep readers engaged.
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Inspiration for The Cliffs
- J. Courtney Sullivan's novel, The Cliffs, was inspired by a real abandoned Victorian house she saw in Maine.
- After visiting for years, the house was demolished and replaced, inspiring her to write about it.
Women's Stories Through Time
- The protagonist, Jane, is an archivist at the Schlesinger Library, which chronicles women's lives.
- Jane's preoccupation with how a woman's birth time determines her future is explored through the house's history.
Connecting Women's Stories
- Jane's research traces women who lived in the house back to the 1600s, including a Shaker and an indigenous woman.
- Sullivan discovered a historical connection between these groups, allowing her to weave their stories together.