Mining for Murder by Mary Angela

Mary Angela is the author of the Happy Camper cozy mystery series and the Professor Prather academic mystery series. Mining for Murder is the third Happy Camper Mystery. 

There’s gold in them hills

South Dakota, home to the Black Hills, was once gold mining country. Mary said she wrote Mining for Murder after coming across the story of the Thoen Stone, which is now located in a museum in Deadwood, SD. “Forty years before Custer found gold in the Black Hills, seven men purportedly came to the Hills and found gold but were killed. Ezra Kind wrote the names of the men and his own on the stone, along with the tale. According to the story, the gold is still hidden in the Hills. The stone is called the Thoen Stone because it was found by the Thoen brothers, who were, ironically, stone masons.”

More about Mary Angela

A fifth generation South Dakotan, the Happy Camper series shows Mary’s love for the state and the Black Hills area. “My cozies aren’t overly sweet but have a touch of romance, so if readers would like to take a trip to the area, even an imaginary one, I hope they give the series a try! I enjoy research, and this book took me on a special trip to the Black Hills, where I researched the Thoen Stone in person. I was staying at Spearfish Canyon Lodge when my husband and I took our dog for a walk. Much to my amazement, we spotted a mountain lion—which actually happens to Zo in the book!”

While the Thoen Stone research was enjoyable, the most eye-opening research Mary has done may have come while traveling. “I asked the Minneapolis airport police what would happen if a murder occurred on a plane. They took me through the entire procedure, including showing me a holding ‘cell’ for suspects.”

Learn more about Mary Angela at MaryAngelaBooks.com . Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.