A good crime novel and a glass of fine wine go hand in hand for many crime fiction lovers, and Californian author Diane Schaffer taps into that with Mortal Zin. Set in the Santa Cruz wine region, it’s a story driven by two strong female characters. Attorney Noli Cooper is back in the area on a break when her childhood mentor, a social justice lawyer, is found dead. The police say suicide but Noli isn’t buying it, so she teams up with private detective Luz Alvarado and together they uncover all kinds of secrets in the shadows of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
For 20 years, Diane was a university professor in Santa Cruz. She’s studied the history and sociology of the Monterey Bay area, raced sailboats, built a geodesic dome, hiked the mountains and picked wine grapes, but she always wanted to write a crime novel. Mortal Zin, combines two of her passions – wine and crime fiction. We love both, so we had to invite Diane over for a chat about her debut novel.
What are crime fiction lovers going to love about Mortal Zin?
Literary in style, but filled with suspense and plenty of action, Mortal Zin immerses readers in an iconic section of California’s coast. Mortal Zin introduces two dynamic new female protagonists, and the supporting cast includes many memorable characters, including a wounded veteran pursuing his dream of a world-class vineyard; a gray-haired, legendary surfer-turned-investigative assistant; and a defense attorney with the stature and wit of a Nordic goddess.
Set in 2009, Mortal Zin captures a time of dramatic change in California, foreshadowing the social and political landscape of today.
Who’s Noli Cooper, what inspired her character and how have you developed her?
Noli embodies the complexity of many 21st-century professional women in California. Raised in a mountain commune, she wanted to see the world. Moving to Ireland, she became a successful corporate lawyer. But, at age 34, she decides to change her life in a way that honours her values.
Noli was inspired by young professional women I know who are re-thinking what it means to ‘lean in.’
And the same for Luz Alvarado, another strong female character?
Luz, daughter of Mexican immigrants, grew up working in the strawberry fields. With intelligence, courage and strength of will, she obtained an education and is now the most sought-after PI in the county. At the same time, she’s a surrogate mother to her younger siblings.
Luz was inspired by my Latina university students.
Who or what are they up against?
The novel opens with the death of a local hero, a crusading social justice attorney in Santa Cruz. A rushed verdict of suicide is pushed by the sheriff’s homicide detective. Noli and Luz are convinced it’s murder. They launch an investigation. There’s little evidence to go on, and, for reasons of his own, the sheriff’s detective blocks them at every turn. At the same time, Noli’s godfather is threatened and his winery sabotaged.
Both Noli and Luz are headstrong and accustomed to working independently. They must learn to work together, and when they fail, both their lives are in danger.
The Santa Cruz wine region is a unique setting. What inspired you about the area and what role does it play in the mystery?
Inspiration came from a Santa Cruz Mountain vineyard and winery where I worked for several summers. Pierce’s disease obliterated this vineyard a decade ago, a heartbreaking loss. I became fascinated both with the complexity of crafting a great wine and with the mysterious history of the zinfandel grape in California. The art of wine making and the lost origins of zinfandel are central to the plot.
Can you tell us more about zinfandel and how you’ve woven it in?
For 170 years, zinfandel was a mystery grape. There’s no varietal in Europe called zinfandel. Yet this hardy and versatile grape was the backbone of the California wine industry. Historians disagree on how, and how many times, zinfandel cuttings were brought to California, and these theories play a central role in Mortal Zin.
What are some of the themes you wanted to explore with your debut novel and why?
While working in the winery, I was introduced to many Vietnam War veterans who lived in the mountains. Their stories moved me deeply. These men, many grievously injured and suffering from PTSD, were drafted to fight a war they didn’t believe in, then swept aside as unwanted reminders of that war, a war Americans don’t want to remember. Their suicide rate – and that of more recent vets – is stunning. I wanted them to have a voice in my novel.
A second theme is the inescapable clash between these mountain communities and wealthy dot-com folks who assume anything they desire can be bought. The mountain culture of alternative communities, small farms, orchards and vineyards is melting away. In its place: opulent mansions and status-symbol vineyards.
Which crime books and authors have inspired you, and what are you reading at the moment?
Books which have inspired me: Faithful Place by Tana French; A Traitor to Memory by Elizabeth George; the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves; William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series; Homecoming by Kate Morton; Åsa Larsson’s Rebecka Martinsson books.
Currently reading and loving two Irish authors who are new to me: Wild, Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy and The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan.
What’s next for Diane Schaffer, and what’s next for Noli, and Luz?
I’m currently immersed in research for the second book in the Mortal Zin series, titled All Dues Be Rendered, in which Noli and Luz set out to solve the murder of a prominent environmentalist. When a 19th-century Buddhist relic is discovered in a local wetland, their investigation takes an unexpected turn. Noli must again decide whether she made the right choice in leaving Ireland, and Luz finds her own future questioned in an unexpected way.
Which wine do you recommend as the ideal accompaniment for this novel, and why?
Zinfandel, of course! But, rather than choosing a single vintner, I’d recommend sampling the surprising range of zinfandel. For the bold, fruit-driven, higher-alcohol wine typically associated with zin, my favorites come from Bella, Ridge, Peterson and Peachy Canyon. For a fascinating contrast, open a bottle of Broc Cellars’ Wirth Zinfandel, a lighter, vibrant zin farmed organically and fermented on the skins.
Mortal Zin is out now in print, for Kindle and as an audiobook read by Rachel Dulude. Use the buttons below to order.
