Rocky Bluff, California is not a real place, but it has been alive and active through sixteen Rocky Bluff P.D. mysteries with one more yet to come. The fictional beach town is much like the one I lived in many years ago although located a little farther up the coast. It seems quite real to me.
The decision to end the series came to me while I was writing the newest, now with my editor. My reasons to do this are many.
First, I’m up there in years, and much slower in so many ways.
Second, policing has changed so much since I first started writing this series. I’ve been fortunate to have many persons to call upon for research, starting with my now deceased police officer son-in-law, plus the wonderful members of the Public Safety Writers Association who’ve always answered my questions.
Third, though I’ve always had my police department be understaffed and underfunded and using the nearest big city for many of their needs such as the coroner, forensics etc., it limited much of what I could include in a plot.
Fourth, I’ve been reading some of the big name author’s police procedurals and I feel like I’m not up to addressing the modern day issues for police officers in the outstanding way they’re doing.
As I was writing this last RBPD, I decided to tie up some loose ends for some of my characters, part of why I came to my decision to end the series.
No, I’m not giving up writing. I love to write and I can’t imagine not having a writing project. I’ve got some ideas for a new Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery floating around in my imagination. (I truly thought I’d ended that series with End of the Trail but ended up writing The Trash Harem.) I’m also considering writing a young adult mystery set during WWII—and yes, I will use a lot of my memories of what it was like to be growing up during that time period.
I’d like to hear from other authors who’ve decided to end a series, and how they felt about it.
Marilyn
Ladies of Mystery 
Marilyn, I understand your sadness but also understand the need/desire to end a series. I felt that way when I ended my Shandra Higheagle. I have readers ask me why I did it and ask if I’ll write more. In the back of my head, I am planning to resurrect Shandra and Ryan but not until I can no longer think up ideas or are tired of the two series I am currently writing. These characters become even more of us than they start out to be as each book is written. As long as you keep writing and I have to admit I really like your Tempe Crabtree books and would hate to see them end. 😉
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Thank you, Janis, you are very kind.
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I’m sure this was a hard decision, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness and honesty. I’ve let the Joe Silva/Mellingham series fade though I occasionally think about writing another book for the series. These characters and settings become old friends, and sometimes even in real life they come to an end. But I echo Janis, above. We have the books you’ve already written, and you’ll keep writing. That’s all good.
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It was hard, but I knew it was time.
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I totally understand your decision, but mourn that there will be no more Rocky Bluff mysteries! It’s like losing an old friend. Good that you’re not stopping writing, though; the thought of no new Marilyn Meredith books is not to be borne!
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