St. Augustine-based author Jackie McMahon recently published her debut historical mystery, “The Cloak and Dagger Club.” The book is based on a real mystery writer group called the Detection Club in the 1930s, McMahon said. After learning about the club, McMahon wondered what it would be like if a group of mystery writers had to solve a murder. From there, her idea grew into a novel full of mystery and romance set in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
McMahon said that she has always loved stories and has a passion for telling them. She dedicated “The Cloak and Dagger Club” to her grandmother, who helped her jot down her stories when she was too young to write.
McMahon said that she is a plotter. She likes to have an outline before she writes. She begins her writing process by thinking about the types of people that would live in the world she creates. She enjoys developing the characters and begins the story from there. After her outline is complete, she finishes the first draft before starting to edit.
Her favorite part of the writing process is getting to know the characters. McMahon said she also enjoys writing satisfying endings. The hardest part of the process, she said, is never being able to read the story as an outsider again.
The publishing process is a mystery to a lot of people and getting a literary agent can be a lengthy process. McMahon said she did not get an agent with her first manuscript. However, her persistence paid off and she earned a literary agent with her second.
For McMahon, a typical day looks like writing whenever she can before or after work. She advises other writers to sneak in little writing moments throughout the day. McMahon also makes time for social media posts and videos on her YouTube channel, Jackie Reads and Writes, where she shares her life as a traditionally published author.
When asked what she likes best about being an author, McMahon said that she loves being able to tell stories and share them with people. Reading reviews and hearing from people who enjoyed her book means a lot to her.
McMahon is excited for “The Cloak and Dagger Club” sequel, coming July 2027. The book will follow a lot of the same characters and is partially inspired by Ronald Knox’s “Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction.” You can find her books at major retailers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon as well as St. Augustine bookstores Midnight Moon Books and Needful Books & Things. To learn more about exciting book news and events, go to her author page, https://www.jackiemcmahon.com/ or follow her Instagram @jackiereadsandwrites.
