Today we have a real treat, an interview with the lead in a new mystery novel. You know how much I love talking to main characters. This one is doubly interesting, because he’s a police detective. You may remember Kurt Hunter from Ellen E. Withers’ debut novel, Show Me Betrayal. He’s back with a new mystery to solve in Mexico, Missouri. Let’s see what he has to say:
Kurt: My name is Kurt Hunter. Thank you for inviting me here. I’m a detective with the Mexico, Missouri Public Safety Department and I’m stoked for this interview. My job requires me to conduct interrogations. Being able to have a pleasant discussion with you is a treat.
I’m single and have one son named Ross. He’s eight years old and the joy of my life. His mother is not in the picture, so I’ve raised him since birth with some help from my mother and father.
Jenny: First of all, thank you so much for serving. Can you tell us what’s new and exciting in your world?
Kurt: My position as a detective is new, so I’m trying to learn as much as possible about the job. In book two of the Show Me Mystery series, Show Me Deceit, the death at the Audrain County Agricultural Museum is my first official death investigation. The person who died in the museum may be linked to a larger theft ring operating in the town.
My detective partner and I need my former girlfriend, Liesl, and her best friend, Nicole, involved in investigating this suspicious death. Even though I worry about their safety, we need their help to get us inside the next museum we suspect will be the next target for the thieves.
My first unofficial death investigation occurred in the first book of the series, Show Me Betrayal. I helped Liesl determine if her great aunt was poisoned. She and I put our contentious past behind us and worked together to search for proof that Mrs. Schrader was poisoned.
Jenny: Who has provided you with the most surprises lately?
Kurt: Liesl is always full of surprises. It’s one of the many reasons why I love her. If it wasn’t for her bravery and fast action in the second book, I might not be talking to you here today. You’ll have to read that one to find out what she did, but it was amazing.
Jenny: Bravery and Fast Action? Sounds challenging. What specifically is your biggest challenge?
Kurt: I’m in love with Liesl Schrader. We fell in love in high school, but I broke her heart. After that she moved to Houston to go to college and to get away from me. She returned to town when the aunt who raised her suddenly became sick and eventually passed away. After she passed, the possibility that her aunt was poisoned gave us an opportunity to work together. This changed us from not talking to each other, to evolving into friends working together to solve the mystery.
Every day I pray to God we can remain friends and that one day she might allow us to be more than friends. I ask God to let her heart soften towards me so she can forgive the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life.
Jenny: Praying is the best strategy for sure. God will answer in His way, in His time. In the meantime, let’s have some fun. Tell us about your favorites:
Food: Because I have a young son, I get fed up with pizza and burgers. My favorite food would be a thick steak, perfectly grilled, with a huge baked potato, grilled asparagus, and cherry pie for dessert.
Quote or Scripture: As a law enforcement officer, I remind myself of my faith with Psalm 23:4. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Sound: My favorite sound in the world is when Liesl and Ross are giggling over something. The two people I love most in the world laughing together make the sweetest sounds on Earth.
View: When I see Ross cuddled up in a chair or on a couch with Liesl.
Jenny: Thanks so much for coming by today. I know everyone who read Show Me Betrayal is excited to see how the story continues in Show Me Deceit. Do you have any final words for our readers?
Kurt: Be safe. My job is to serve and protect. It will make it easier to protect you if you’ll take as many safety precautions as possible. Remember to use caution when you’re home and when you’re away.
I deal with some very bad people in this world. In a small town, we think we know everyone. But sometimes strangers come to town, or the people we know can change. Be cautious when someone approaches your door or approaches you personally. There are those who will try to scam you, or rob you, or worse.
In book three of the Show Me Mystery series, readers will be introduced to a plethora of scam artists and thieves. You can learn some skills to avoid scams in Show Me Skullduggery, published in May 2025.
That was a great interview. Here’s a little more about Show Me Deceit:
Take a walk through time with Show Me Deceit, book two in the highly regarded dual time Show Me Mystery series. The book features stately Graceland Museum, a mansion that is part of the Audrain County Historical Society, located in Mexico, Missouri.
Mysteries unfold, featuring death in both the Civil War and present day. The series adds new characters in Mexico’s Civil War era where a spy is working inside the Union camp. In contemporary times, Liesl, Nicole, and Detective Kurt Hunter have previously put a killer behind bars. Now they must combine their skills and work together again to stop the plunder of local charities and solve the mystery of a Union soldier’s bones. Can Liesl and Kurt work together again as friends, putting aside their former romance to solve these mysteries?
Be a part of the action when secrets from the past intertwine with the contemporary mystery and the stakes are deadly.
Here’s a little more about the author, Ellen E. Withers
Ellen E. Withers has received almost 100 awards for her fiction. Show Me Betrayal, book one of the Show Me Mystery series, is currently a double finalist for the American Christian Writers’ Carol Awards in the category of Debut Novel and Mystery/Suspense/Thrillers. She has had a short story nominated for The Pushcart Prize in the published short story category. The Pushcart Prize is a prestigious national award given for an outstanding literary work published in a Small Press.
She is the author of a mystery series, Show Me Mysteries, and a novella published in a Christmas novella collection, A Gift for All Time. Her nonfiction book, Magic Words: How to Enchant Judges & Conjure Contest Wins will be published in August of this year.
Stay in touch with Ellen, and grab a copy of her books by following these links:
Website: https://ellenewithers.com/
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071728886831
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BWZ1G7JS
Instagram profile: https://instagram.com/lnwithers?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/33215146.Ellen_E_Withers
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ellen-e-withers?list=about
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