Years ago, I went hiking in the Dolomite Mountains (Italian Alps) with some other philosophy professors and a couple of their kids. I grew up at the foot of the Rockies in Montana, but I’d never been hiking in Europe. Boy, was I surprised when we reached the top and there was a Refugio, a full-blown restaurant and tavern. What a treat. Whenever I reached the top of peaks in Montana, I was only ever greeted by rock gophers and lake trout the size of minnows.
That trip to Italy was memorable. We roughed out a blizzard in tents, and the next morning one of the girls who was about twelve years old wouldn’t come out of her tent because her shirt was too wrinkly. It’s hard being a tween girl!
Remembering that trip, I set Mayhem in the Mountains, my latest Fiona Figg Mystery in the Dolomite Mountains. The series is set during WW1 and the Dolomites fell on the Eastern Front between Austria and Italy. Soldiers not only fought each other but also brutal winter weather and avalanches. I learned armies on both sides intentionally set off avalanches as weapons to trap their enemies. Soldiers from ski patrols and ski teams in the United States joined the fighting on the Eastern Front. Imagine fighting on skis! Truth be told, I’d rather not imagine fighting. My novels are on the cozier side (fast-paced and funny). While the war is a backdrop, I focus on the interpersonal relationships between Fiona, her side-kick Kitty Lane, and real-life historical characters.
Some of the characters based on real-life people in Mayhem in the Mountains include Marie Marvingt, a French army pilot, all-around amazing athlete, and inventor of the air ambulance; along with the future dictator and all-around baddie, Benito Mussolini—did you know during WW1 he worked for MI5, British Intelligence?
I love learning about history while reading a good mystery yarn. How about you? What do you love about historical mysteries?
