donalee Moulton’s first mystery book Hung out to Die was published in 2023. A historical mystery, Conflagration!, won the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense (Historical Fiction). donalee had two books out in 2025, Bind and Melt, the first in a new series, the Lotus Detective Agency. Her first paranormal mystery, Cardinal, was published in 2026.
donalee’s first mystery short story “Swan Song” was one of 21 selected for publication in Cold Canadian Crime. It was shortlisted for an Award of Excellence. Other short stories have been published in numerous anthologies and magazines. Her story “Troubled Water” was shortlisted for a Derringer Award and an Award of Excellence from the Crime Writers of Canada.
donalee is an award-winning freelance journalist. She has written articles for print and online publications across North America including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Lawyer’s Daily, National Post, and Canadian Business.
As well, donalee is the author of The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say and co-authored the book, Celebrity Court Cases: Trials of the Rich and Famous.
Conflagration! is my second mystery novel – and my first historical mystery. The prospect of writing a historical mystery was both exhilarating and intimidating.
While authors always have some wiggle room when it comes to reality, the reality of the modern world is one we are familiar with. We’re living it. I had no idea what life in 1734 Montréal was like. Fortunately, the online resources available via Google and books from the local library helped to transport me back in time.
Marie-Joseph Angélique is at the heart of Conflagration! An enslaved Black woman, Angélique is accused of burning down the lower town and 46 buildings in the process. Court clerk Philippe Archambeau is assigned the daunting task of following the judicial process as it unfolds from incarceration to trial to appeal.
As I delved into life in 1734, and the arson case on the docket, I was thinking about court transcripts and depositions and judgments. I wasn’t thinking about food. That lack of focus didn’t last long. I remember writing one scene where Philippe gets up early in the morning and makes himself a cup of coffee. I remember thinking, “Did they drink coffee in 1734?”
That question led me to explore the food people ate in eighteenth century New France. What was standard fare? A celebratory meal? Where did the food come from? How was it prepared?
Some of these questions (including the coffee one) are answered in Conflagration! as Philippe and his wife Madeleine go about their daily lives. Tea is a common beverage, and at one point, the couple brew a Bohea blend infused with orange peel. Bohea, pronounced bow-hee, is a black tea from China (some say of a low grade) that was so popular at one time the word became synonymous with “tea.”
Philippe also has lunch with a local jailer, Henri Geôlier. More accurately, he shares his lunch with Geôlier. That lunch is cold: ham or boiled eggs; bread; fruit, often dried. There is bread. According to the Canadian Museum of History, bread represented from 60 to 85% of the total daily food intake in New France.
One thing that was not a staple in Montréal as the seventeen hundreds unfolded: posset. This is primarily a British drink, yet it found its way into Conflagration! Philippe is originally from Acadia, where the British-French relationship was less acrimonious, at least until the British began expelling the Acadians in 1755. Posset, for Philippe, is a reminder of how different his Acadie is from Montréal.
The once-popular drink resembled egg nog. Interestingly, the name made its way back into the English lexicon in the 1800s, although by then posset had been transformed into a rich, cold lemony dessert that you can easily find recipes for today.
I’ve come across numerous recipes for the original drink. They invariably have a common foundation but differ in the nuances. Here’s my version.
Posset à la 1734
235 ml (1 cup) light cream
1 cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon
A sprinkle of nutmeg
3 egg yolks
235 ml (1 cup) sherry or brandy
30 g (2 tablespoons) sugar
Bring the cream slowly to a simmer. Add the spices. Stir regularly.
Gently beat the egg yolks and add slowly to the mixture. Continue stirring to avoid curdling.
Pour in the alcohol and add the sugar. Simmer the mixture but avoid bringing it to a boil.
Pour into cups, sit back, inhale the delicious aroma, and savour the moment. With a good book, of course
When I completed my first mystery novel, Hung Out to Die, I quickly discovered that the novel would not stand alone. A synopsis was required. As a freelance journalist and communications specialist, I’ve put together a lifetime of pitches and proposals. Still, I spent some time reading up on what makes a successful synopsis. Then I wrote my own.
My synopsis did not follow the traditional pattern, but most of the required elements were there. I wondered if it would pass muster. Overall, the people I shared the synopsis with liked it. One person didn’t like it at all and said neither would publishers. I took a long hard look and, respectfully, disagreed.
This was nerve-wracking. I knew it would be easier to simply follow the path well taken, but I felt I needed to branch out. I entered a shorter version of my synopsis in the Synopsis Skirmish contest – and won. The judge (one of my favorite people) had this to say: The author’s handling of voice in this synopsis is so powerful, it made me want to read the novel right away. The synopsis is unusual and intriguing—a winning combination. When the acquisitions editor at BWL Publishing (another of my favorite people) reached out to me requesting a full copy of my manuscript, she noted, “We were quite taken with your synopsis.”
The synopsis issue has driven home to me the need to listen to yourself, that inner voice that knows you better than anyone. At the same time, it has taught me more about flexibility and being open to feedback. There is nothing as helpful as constructive criticism (whether accepted or not) and editors are worth their weight in gold.
I thought I’d share my synopsis – my very first – with you. I’d love to know what you think.
Synopsis Hung Out to Die: A Riel Brava Mystery By donalee Moulton
Let’s start with the obvious. Meet Riel Brava. Attractive. Razor-sharp. Ambitious. Riel, born and bred in Santa Barbara, California, has been transplanted to Nova Scotia where he is CEO of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation (CCC). It’s business as usual until Riel finds the company’s comptroller hanging by a thread. Actually, several threads. It doesn’t take the police long to determine all is not as it appears.
Let’s dive beneath the surface. Meet Riel Brava. Observant. Cautious. Psychopathic. Not the Dexter-Hannibal Lecter-Norman Bates kind of psychopath. The kind who live and work among us, mostly unnoticed, often successful, always on full alert their differences will be uncovered. Riel is personable, even charming. He’s keen to understand how the human mind works, so he’ll blend in. After all, his goal is to be president of the United States. (An aspiration that will feature in future books.)
Let’s talk plot. So Norm Bedwell has apparently hanged himself in his office at CCC. Emphasis on apparently. It takes Detective Lin Raynes mere minutes to suspect the obvious is deceiving and what appears to be death by suicide is actually a murder. Over the course of 13 chapters (there is also an introductory chapter), he works to uncover and discover who would want Bedwell dead and how they could have pulled the murder off.
He’s not alone. In an unusual pairing, Raynes and Riel work together to chase down leads – the bully who tortured Bedwell’s son at school, the mysterious orange truck that belongs to no CCC employee but was parked in the company lot the night Bedwell was murdered, the employee, who despite stringent security measures, has managed to steal weed from CCC and start a healthy little illegal business.
Raynes manages to engage Riel, albeit reluctantly, in the hunt for Bedwell’s killer, and in the process, the seeds of an unexpected and unusual friendship are sown. (These seeds will blossom in subsequent books.)
Various motives are explored through a number of suspects – revenge, fear, greed – but ultimately, it’s love that becomes the reason Norm Bedwell no longer lives. Unfortunately, the evidence is circumstantial. Raynes and Riel concoct a scheme to draw a confession out of the killer, but that plan is never put into place. Instead, Riel finds himself on the receiving end of a rifle in the ribs and a long drive to the middle of Nowhere, Nova Scotia. Let’s look at the core cast of returning characters. You’ll like them all.
Tiffany Brava. Riel’s wife and loyal supporter. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Tiffany knows Riel is not quite like everyone else – and why. For now, that door is closed. What’s openly obvious is her affection for her husband, her loyalty, and her acumen. Don’t count Tiffany out as the dumb blonde. Oh yes, she’s vegan.
Franklin Raynes. The Halifax Police Department’s lead detective on this case is Black, quintessentially Nova Scotian, and a consummate charmer. He can read the room and respond accordingly. He takes a shine to Riel, and also realizes how helpful the psychopath can be in solving this case. (Yes, Lin Raynes is privy to Riel’s deepest secret, but he doesn’t admit it to his new friend – just yet.) Oh yeah, Raynes also does this thing with his left eyebrow.
Senator John Williams. Tiffany’s dad | Riel’s father-in-law is the Democratic Senator for District 19. A seasoned and senior politician, Williams is a co-owner of CCC, although it’s not an asset he talks about with constituents. He’s brusque, except where his daughter is concerned, and well connected, even in Canada.
Zahra Bashir. A practising Muslim and savvy TV reporter who’s always on the lookout for the inside scoop. Bashir makes many of the other characters very nervous despite her friendly demeanor.
David Clements. The recreational cannabis sector in Canada is heavily regulated. Clements is the federal DOJ’s contact for Riel. Their relationship is one of power and powerful expectations. Clements holds that power. A minor character, Clements plays an important role. He’s the first person to use a special word.
There are other characters introduced in this book who will also return but play a smaller role in this mystery.
Let’s look at the cast of characters in the book. You won’t like them all. * Faye Bedwell, distraught and disrespected wife of Norm Bedwell. * Bran Bedwell, the Bedwell’s 12-year-old son who takes a liking to Riel. Good grief. * Thorne, media consultant and very protective of Riel * The bully and his parents. * The poor sod who owns the orange truck. * The killer.
What’s familiar about Hung Out to Die to make mystery fans feel at home It’s fast-paced. It lays out a path of breadcrumbs that lead, ultimately, to the killer. First, of course, it branches off in several misdirections. It creates suspense. It builds understanding and affection for key characters. It leaves readers wanting more. What’s novel about the book to make the mystery stand apart and readers turning pages It introduces a unique character that, ironically, we empathize with. It’s funny as hell. It’s written by an award-winning journalist who knows how to tell a story and how to use words to maximum effect.
Riel Brava: Vital Statistics Height: 6’1 Weight: 165 pounds Waist: 35 inches Age: 37 Spouse: Tiffany, the vegan Job: CEO, Canadian Cannabis Corp. Location: Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, Canada Ambition: President of the United States of America Favorite food: Donairs (definitely not vegan) Top personality trait: Psychopath Burning question: What the hell’s a chunderf**k
Where your characters live, work, and solve mysteries can be central to the story. Or not. I’ve discovered that location is not a requirement or an irrelevancy. It is a spectrum.
At one end of the spectrum, location is essential. As a result, you spend time bringing that location to life, making it real, and of real interest to readers. This requires knowing whereof you write or researching whereof you write. Or both. Conflagration!, a historical mystery, is based on the real-life story of Marie-Joseph Angélique, an enslaved Black woman accused of burning the lower town of Montreal to the ground in 1734. Montreal as a place and as a community is intertwined with the plot and the characters, fictional and otherwise. As a result, I had to immerse myself in a time and place that no longer exist.
Move further along the location spectrum and you’ll arrive here: the location could be anywhere. The town, island, futuristic community where your characters go about their daily lives is woven into the story but not predetermined. It’s up to you. You may choose a place that is familiar, that fits within the theme of the book, or simply resonates with you.
My first mystery book Hung Out to Die introduces Riel Brava to readers. Riel is originally from Santa Barbara but now living in Nova Scotia, which is where I live. Fact is, Riel could have been uprooted to almost any location where cannabis production is legal. (Riel is CEO of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation. He’s also a psychopath (not the nasty kind), but we’ll save that for another blog.) I chose Nova Scotia because I know this location. Less research would be required, but I also have a deeper connection to this place because it is my place. Many readers have told me how the book feels so much like Nova Scotia. That was not intentional, but it reflects a knowledge of place that goes beyond street maps, tourist locations, and Yelp reviews.
Finally, we reach the other end of the spectrum: place is irrelevant. Indeed, a specific geographical location may not be necessary. I wrote a short story called “Moist,” that for the most part takes place in the main character’s home. Where that home is situated doesn’t matter.
After the story was published, there was a call for stories for an anthology Santa Cruz Ghost Stories. I reached out to the editor to explain that my story wasn’t really set anywhere so it could be set in Santa Cruz. She agreed. Minor changes were made (like changing Canadian spelling to American (“savour” became “savor”) and using the name of a dollar store Santa Cruz residents would easily recognize.
Ultimately, location is about character. The two go hand in hand.
When you’ve finished the first draft of a book, a weight is lifted. Some writers do a dance of joy. But even as we celebrate an important milestone, we remind ourselves that there is more work to be done. The book needs to be read – line by line – for consistency, conciseness, and clarity. That is the heart of copyediting.
Copyediting is like minor surgery. The impact can be significant, but structural changes and in-depth revisions are not necessary (or have already been done). This type of editing, the most common for most of what we write, involves editing a document for style, flow, and clarity. It also requires ensuring a consistent tone and pacing. Publishers often call it line editing.
Editors Canada offers the following overview for stylistic editing, or line editing. For many writers, this is what they’re doing when they are copyediting. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what we call it as long as we do it.
Stylistic Editing
Editing to clarify meaning, ensure coherence and flow, and refine the language. It includes:
eliminating jargon, clichés, and euphemisms
establishing or maintaining the language level appropriate for the intended audience, medium, and purpose
adjusting the length and structure of sentences and paragraphs
establishing or maintaining tone, mood, style, and authorial voice or level of formality
What’s a Copyeditor To Do
Here are six areas of focus to help ensure your writing resonates with your audience and achieves your purpose. When you look closely at these elements, you sharpen the writing and the plot. Readers are more likely to be carried along by your words. There will be no head scratching and no rereading to make the meaning is clear.
Check for:
ONE: CLARITY Look to see if you are using:
Long sentences that could confuse readers
Big words readers could stumble over
Uncommon words that will furrow their brows
A tone that distracts or conflicts with the content
Bottom line: Make sure the meaning of what you write can’t be misinterpreted.
TWO: TRANSITIONS
Between sentences
Between paragraphs
Movement in time, place, subject
Transitions aren’t usually complex. They flow naturally moving readers through prose with short, everyday words like “however,” “so,” and “then.”
THREE:CONCRETENESS
Facts and figures
Specific language
Action verbs
Active voice
Readers want us to paint a picture for them – one they can see and one they can believe in.
FOUR:REPETITIVENESS
Are specific ideas repeated unnecessarily?
Are words used more than once in sentences? In paragraphs?
Tip: Avoid summarizing. Readers don’t require it, and it slows them down.
FIVE: COMPLETENESS
Are the 5Ws and how answered?
Are there any unanswered questions when there shouldn’t be?
Have you emphasized the most important question: Why?
SIX: FLOW
Does the content make sense
Do the words move smoothly
Find out for yourself. Read your writing out loud.
We’ve been talking about editing, an essential element in the writing process that writers relish. When you’re creating characters, polishing plot, and tossing red herrings around to mystify readers, it can be easy to lose sight of the book as a whole, to remember what happened in chapter four when you’re on chapter fourteen.
Writers also get close to their work, sometimes too close. We spend time, often at 4 a.m., thinking about the novel, the action, the actors, the unfolding of the story. It’s hard to see the whole when you’re immersed in the parts.
That’s where editing comes in. But we’ve been talking about editing as if it’s one thing. It isn’t. There are several kinds of editing, and they take place at different points in the writing process.
Substantive Editing.
This is where the high-level work begins, the 30,000-foot view before we delve into the weeds. It involves rethinking and rewriting. This may mean rewriting whole paragraphs or the entire document. It may involve restructuring or reorganizing parts of the text. It may include identifying where new information is required or existing information should be deleted.
Editors Canada has this to say about substantive editing, which is also called structural or developmental editing.
Structural Editing.
Assessing and shaping draft material to improve its organization and content. Changes may be suggested to or drafted for the writer. It may include: – revising, reordering, cutting, or expanding material – writing original material – determining whether permissions are necessary for third-party material – recasting material that would be better presented in another form – revising material for a different medium (such as revising print copy for web copy) – clarifying plot, characterization, or thematic elements
Substantive editing is major surgery. It is about ensuring the medical team is ready to operate. Blood work has been analyzed, the plan for the procedure reviewed, the instruments lined up neatly, everything and everyone sterilized. The goal: to ensure a successful outcome.
That’s what writers want for their readers. Substantive editing helps them do that. Editors Canada notes that this type of editing supports writers as they define their goals, identify their readers, and shape the manuscript in the best possible way. It enables writers to clarify the argument, fix the pacing, suggest improvements, and draw missing pieces from the author.
It makes the view from 30,000 feet truly spectacular.
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