Cluing In to the Romance in Mystery

Garden Grove mystery writer Miriam Lee describes her debut Orange County-set mystery-romance novel, “Deadly Probe,” as 90% mystery and 10% romance.

“On the front it says ‘mystery-romance’ and the reason I put the ‘romance’ word on the book was to be fair because there are a few mystery readers who just don’t want even a hint of romance in their books,” said Lee, a freelance writer and corporate copywriter for a Newport Beach bank.

In writing classes, she said, “you’re told from Day One to not only write what you know, but write what you love. What I found is if I could write a very good mystery but also entwine an intelligent romance, it doubles the stakes.”

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The heroine of “Deadly Probe” (Leeworks Publications; $13.50) is Christine Evans, an executive secretary with ambitions of becoming an investigative reporter for the news division of a television communications company. She gets her chance when she’s asked to go on an undercover assignment to look into allegedly shady dealings at a Newport Beach insurance company where, she later learns, the previous executive secretary appears to have committed suicide.

“Deadly Probe” is the first in a series of mystery-romances Lee is writing using different characters and settings.

“The recurring theme is that the hero and the heroine have a stake in resolving the mystery, and in most cases they don’t trust each other. That creates the conflict, like in [‘Deadly Probe’]: Is he who he says he is? Is she who she says she is?”

Lee will sign “Deadly Probe” at 3 p.m. Saturday at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

Also Coming Up:

* Barbara DeMarco Barrett will interview Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (“Bloody Secrets: A Lupe Solano Mystery”) at 6 p.m. today on KUCI (88.9 FM). The interview will be broadcast live from Borders Books and Music, 1890 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa.

* Poet Lee Mallory will read at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Brew Pub, 422 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

* Lisa Michaels (“Split”) and Louise Rafkin (“Other People’s Dirt”) will sign at 7 p.m. Friday at Latitude 33 Bookshop 311 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach.

* “Citizen Dog” cartoonist Mark O’Hare will sign copies of his collection, “Dog’s Best Friend” at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo. He’ll also team up for a signing and talk with “Drabble” cartoonist Kevin Fagan (“Drabble: Mall Cops, Ducks and Fenderheads”) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Metro Point, 901 S. Coast Drive, Costa Mesa.

* Author Janet Cornelow will discuss how to write romantic thrillers and paranormal novels at the National Writers Assn. luncheon meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Claim Jumper Restaurant, 18050 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley.

Cost: $20 at the door for members without reservations; $10 for first-time guests. For more information, call (562) 431-7795.

* Garrison Allen will sign “Movie Cat” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

* Flory Van Beek will discuss and sign “Flory: Survival in the Valley of Death” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

* Children’s author and illustrator Julie Mammano will sign “Rhinos Who Skateboard” at 7 p.m. Monday at Barnes & Noble, 791 S. Main St., Orange.

* Jaysen Gillespie will discuss and sign “The College Student’s Instruction Book” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Southern California Living, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Or e-mail to dennis.mclellan@latimes.com.