MAEVE CLARKE | An Artist Unsuitable for Framing

Maeve Clarke is an artist who tries to keep to herself.

So why do people drop dead around her?!?

Simple reason, she’s the protagonist in the Color Book Mysteries, a series of cozies by M Witt McCarty.

 

Maeve Clarke is introduced on page five of AZURE Death in the Texas Hill Country. She is ordering a large sweet tea and Dilly Bar at the Dairy Queen in Johnson City during her road trip to a corporate retreat near Fredericksburg.

She is a graphic designer for a large grocery store chain in Dallas.

Though nowhere near a mention on the rooster of the executives attending the retreat, she is charged with the responsibility of documenting the meetings for the company’s annual report.

Maeve is a hard worker and is respected by her peers. She’s an even-tempered gal with a sense of humor and a sense of duty. While struggling with both personal and professional ambivalence, Maeve sets out on the journey determined, despite dealing with pushback from her impossible new boss, in equal parts to make her mentor proud and to annoy her immediate superior.

Along the way we discover she has a knack for drawing and painting. And is a people person even though she doesn’t particularly like people.

We also find, as the story throws a rollercoaster of emotions at Maeve such as a murdered cabin mate and a possible love interest, as well as false accusations of murder, embezzlement and such, that Maeve keeps a level head. And not to give too much away, we know early into Color Book Mystery One that Maeve Clarke is resilient and an artist not suitable for framing.

 

The Most Important Things to Know about Maeve

She is an artist on every level. Descriptions from her point of view are always visual and colorful.

Not only is Maeve fun, she’s funny.

People are drawn to Maeve because she is smart, without being superior or judgmental. Clever without being sly. And intuitive without being creepy.

Maeve’s Family Tree

Backstory

Maeve’s family plays a major part in her everyday life, so let me introduce them.

She is the oldest of two children.

Her parents, Carson and Camille, were college sweethearts and married immediately after graduation. Maeve was born six months later in Dallas, Texas.

Sean, Maeve’s younger brother, was born four years later.

As a result of Carson’s career as an airline pilot, the family was well-traveled. A happy childhood and a good education ensued. A bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of North Texas resulted in an internship, then a position at MacTavish Markets in Dallas.

Maeve and her brother graduated from college and high school, respectively, the same May.

One month later, their parents announced they would be divorcing.

The split was amiable.

Irreconcilable differences stated as the reason.

Several months later, Carson introduced his children to his new love. Immediately, the nature of the irreconcilable difference became clear. The couple married a short time after the divorce became final.

Some months after Carson remarried, Maeve’s mother, Camille met and married hotel mogul John Canton.

Where AZURE Death in the Texas Hill Country Starts

Maeve and her entire, immediate family are friendly and living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area when AZURE Death in the Texas Hill Country begins. And remain that way, at least for the foreseeable future, through BLONDE, CRIMSON and DENIM.

Her mother Camille lives comfortably in a large home in Dallas’ Highland Park with her new husband, John Canton.

Sean, Maeve’s little brother, is a struggling musician, living comfortably with his mother and stepfather in a large home in Highland Park.

Maeve’s father, Carson, continues to fly and has married a flight attendant, Roberto. Roberto gave up his wings to stay home and study interior designer. Their mid-century modern home in the mid-cities is a welcoming and loving place for Maeve to visit.

Maeve, we discover upon her return home in BLONDE Death in an Upscale Fitness Club, lives in downtown Dallas. A perk of her mother’s marriage into a hotel dynasty, her apartment is a penthouse suite in one of Canton’s signature hotels.

The space is grand and marvelous with views that go on forever.

And she’s embarrassed to tell anyone she lives there for fear of judging.

 

Clues for Picking Maeve Out of a Line-Up

1. Maeve Clarke is a woman in her twenties.
2. Her mess of naturally curly hair is burnished copper in color and she tends to wear it down. Unless it gets too hot, which happens all summer in Texas. As a result, she’ll put her shoulder length hair up in ponytail or twist it into a french knot held it in place with a pencil.
3. She has a fair complexion that tans with sunscreen and burns bright red without.
4. Maeve’s eyes are blueish-green and gold, like patinaed copper. No one in Maeve’s family has quite the same coloring as she does. Her mother blames the phenomenon on genetics, and generally accompanies the explanation with a shrug.
5. While she has an athletic build and grew up playing golf, volleyball and softball, she tends to be clumsy in her daily activities. For example, she regularly bumps her head when getting in and out of her car. She tries to eat well, which is difficult to do as her drink of choice is Dr Pepper.
6. Probably taller than average, Maeve prefers low heeled shoes over high heels. Not because the added height would intimidate those shorter than her. As mentioned previously, her proclivity is toward awkwardness.

 

Maeve’s Friends and Love Interests

Due to Maeve’s burden of being the Color Book Mysteries protagonist, she will have at least twenty-six foes : )

Yet, usually, she is easy to get along with.

She has friends spread far and wide. Some she keeps up with; others who keep up with her.

Tiffany Albright comes forward in Book One and the two women form a friendship during AZURE Death in the Texas Hill Country that I hope will continue throughout the series.

It’s still a little early to know what love interest Maeve will pursue.

Given her immediate attraction to Duncan Quattro MacTavish in AZURE Death in the Texas Hill Country, it is easy to imagine some sort of spark igniting between the two, so we’ll see.

 

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Would you like to see Maeve explore a relationship with Duncan?

Let me know in the comments below.

SWAK!