Any writer worth his salt is going to improve the more he writes and the longer he writes.
When I look at my earliest poems and compare them to poems written 20 or more years later, I often cringe. “How on earth did I have the guts to show that to someone?” I ask myself.
Yet I did. Those early poems, as “bad” as I tend to think they are, were the best I could do.
The good thing is I didn’t give up. And 20 intensive years of writing poetry and writing well over 1500 poems enabled me to become a decent poet.
It is the same with my fiction. My earlier fiction, while I think it provides a decent read, isn’t as good as my current fiction.
For me, my novels and short stories have gone from good to much better, and hopefully in the future they will move to the very best I will ever be capable of.
I think that is the case with most writers. Very few start out at the pinnacle of their ability.
Of my own series, my favorite is the Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries.
The early books are good. Would I do things differently if I wrote them today? Of course. I’m a better writer today then I was 10 years ago.
And if you compare my books in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series with the later Justinia Wright books, I think you’ll find the Tina and Harry books on the same level as Magnolia Bluff in giving you, the reader, enjoyment and pleasure. They are very satisfactory reads. I like them a lot.
But then I like all of my books. I’m not ashamed of any of them. I don’t think there is a bad one in the lot.
What do all of my books deliver? They give you humor, quirky and lovable characters, interesting story lines, and good writing. What’s not to like?
All of the books in the Justinia Wright series are standalones, although there is a character arc that spans the series.
The main complaint I’ve gathered is that some readers think the beginnings of the first couple books are slow.
But then they aren’t thrillers. You have to wait awhile for things to start blowing up and the suspense has you on the edge of your chair.
Nevertheless, you might want to read the later books first and then go back and read the beginning of the series.
So start perhaps with
Then go back and read Festival of Death, which I truly like. It has one of my best endings.
Once I’ve completed writing my next offering for the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series (to be published January 2025), I’ll be going back to my favorite series and write more Justinia Wright mysteries. Tina and Harry are my favorite people.
Here’s a review by the late Caleb Pirtle III of To Right a Wrong:
I have a deep appreciation for old-fashioned mysteries when private detectives gathered clues, some real and some imagined, sorted them out, and gathered various and sundry suspects together, usually in the drawing room of a mansion, before revealing the villain in an atmosphere filled with bitterness, fear, jealousy, and suspense.
In his newest mystery, To Right A Wrong, CW Hawes has managed to assemble all of the key ingredients of those old-fashioned, drawing room mysteries of Nero Wolfe and Agatha Christie and bring them into a modern world replete with cell phones, GPS devices, and phone hacking systems.
The investigation is orchestrated by one of the most intriguing literary private eyes of all time, the unflappable Justinia Wright, who stands six-feet tall, smokes cigars, drinks high-dollar vintage Madeira wine as though she’s sipping water, once forged art to make a fortune, and drives as though she should have arrived yesterday even though she only left this morning.
To right a wrong, Justina only has to find one answer. Who was the greediest suspect of the bunch?
The story moves along at a leisurely pace, the dialogue is laced with biting and sometimes dark humor, and in the seedy rich man’s world of lies and deceit, the first liar never has a chance. To Right a Wrong is my kind of mystery. Modern technology doesn’t solve the crime. Old-fashioned investigative work does just fine.
Caleb was spot on in this review. And if this is the kind of book you love to read, then the Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries are your cup of tea.
Here are two reviews for Festival of Death:
A PI mystery with humor and wit!
Festival Of Death is Book l in the Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries. And what a fun introduction to this delightful duo it is.
Although the plot is suspenseful and well-timed, the unique characters absolutely make this story entertaining and fun.
Justinia, who owns the PI agency, is an ex-CIA agent with a colorful past. Enjoying the finer things in life, she marches to the beat of her own drummer, picks and chooses what she deems worthy of her time and does things at her own pace.
Harry, the narrator of the story, is “Tina’s” assistant/butler/timekeeper/chief cook and bottle washer/voice of reason/PI, and her older brother.
It is Harry’s quick wit, dry humor, pragmatic opinions, and laissez-faire attitude toward people and relationships and Tina’s quirkiness that brings this story to life. Add the “just the facts, ma’am” writing style and it is a winning story.
The story is cleverly intertwined with the character’s interests (spelunking and chess are a few) that are effectively used both literally and metaphorically in solving this well-crafted mystery.
The case involves finding the missing adult son of a wealthy couple. There are few clues and numerous possible motives for the disappearance. Not a case Tina would normally take, but big brother knows what’s best, and what’s best is to make sure the bills for the expensive mansion, cigars, imported tea, madeira, and culinary delights are all paid for.
You will love this unique and quirky brother and sister team! —Joy Shelton-York
I’m always excited to find a new author, especially one that writes this well. The plot is exciting and keeps your peepers glued to the page in what is a remarkably quick, fluent read. The main protagonists draw you in with their delightfully acerbic banter and the surrounding cast of characters are as interesting as they are varied. …the novel is a thoroughly entertaining read and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. From a Goodreads Review
If you’ve read my books in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series
I think you’ll love sister and brother PI team Tina and Harry Wright.
Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!
CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with three bestselling novels. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes
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