In Conversation with Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Kelly Oliver

• January 14, 2022

Award-Winning and bestselling author Kelly Oliver’s latest book ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ went viral upon release hitting both the Best New Release list and the Bestseller list on Amazon. Oliver has a history of writing bestselling books that capture and keep readers attention with all her series, and that trend continued with ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery.’

Fiona Figg is a compelling and engaging character, who in the Fiona Figg series is a file clerk who becomes a British agent – yes a spy. In ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ when a royal ball ends with a royal body in the middle of the dance floor, Fiona trades her dancing slippers for practical oxfords and sets out to investigate. As she tracks her nemesis, Fredrick Fredricks, from Vienna to the Austrian countryside, a hunting accident makes her rethink her loyalties. Can Fiona prevent her nemesis from striking again, save her own skin, and find a decent cup of tea? 

To find out you will have to pick up a copy of this amazing read, and you should. With all its twists and turns, grand adventures and intrigue, ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ is a must-read this season and for seasons to come. 

Kelly Oliver was gracious enough to take some time for a chat, this is what she shared up with me during an exclusive interview:  

All your books have been exceedingly popular with readers, and your third book in the Fiona Figg series just hit Best New Release and Bestseller list. What was it like for you when ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ went viral upon release? 

A book launch is always exciting for an author. But to launch as the #1 New Release is cause for celebration! It’s a thrill to watch Fiona climb the charts. Go, Fiona, go!  

Writing a series is not for the faint of heart, what inspired you to write this third book, and will there be a fourth? 

I was inspired to bring Fiona to Vienna when I read about Emperor Charles and Empress Zita. Zita had brothers fighting on both sides in WWI. And Charles tried to broker a secret peace deal without the Kaiser’s knowledge. I just had to put Fiona in the middle of that intrigue! Another one of my favorite characters based on a real person is Frau Anna Sacher. She was widowed young and took over running her husband’s hotel, the Sacher Hotel, which was known for its private rooms and discrete liaisons… and, of course, the famous Sacher Torte. Frau Sacher was rarely ever seen without a cigar in one hand and a French Bulldog in the other. I just knew she and Fiona would hit it off. Yes, there will be a fourth: Chaos at Carnegie Hall. I’m working on it now.

What is one of your keys for writing bestselling books, and keeping readers so engaged in your work? 

All of my mystery novels are fast-paced and funny. Of course, they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. But I’m happy that so many people like them. I love writing them. And I hope to keep Fiona going for as long as folks want to follow her adventures. Handy for me, her nemesis, Fredrick Fredricks is based on a real-life spy in WWI AND WWII… so Fiona has many more years to chase Fredricks.

Fiona Figg is an extremely compelling and adventurous protagonist. If you could meet up with her in person what do you think the two of you world do for fun?

Put on our fake mustaches, have high tea, and then absolve a duchess accused of murdering her philandering husband… not that we’d blame her if she had killed the bounder.  

Which scene is your favorite scene in ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ and why?

I don’t know why, but writing dialogue comes naturally to me. I find it much easier than writing descriptions, which to me are agonizing. So most of my favorite scenes are dialogue driven.

I love the banter between Fiona and Clifford, and the scenes with Fredricks. Fiona and Fredricks are well-matched in terms of wits—although so far, she always seems just one step behind him. Maybe, when follows him across the Atlantic to New York in book four, she’ll finally catch him in the act!

To get more information on Kelly Oliver and her new book ‘Villainy in Vienna: A Fiona Figg Mystery’ head over to amazon. 

For More on Kelly Oliver Visit: https://kellyoliverbooks.com