David Fulmer

Tim Whitaker of Philadelphia Weekly interviewed David Fulmer about his latest novel, the highly-acclaimed The Blue Door.

Whitaker's introduction and the first exchange:

“At 10:30 on the night of March 24, 1962,” begins the opening passage in The Blue Door, David Fulmer’s newly published mystery. “Eddie Cero walked out the back door of the Southside Boxing Club in Philadelphia with a bloody bandage over his eyebrow and $40 cash in his pocket.” Fulmer’s absorbing tale is of Philadelphia boxer turned private investigator Eddie Caro, who decides to find out on his own what happened to a popular soul singer in the city who disappeared without a trace. Caro gets involved with the singer’s secretive sexy sister, and his story quickly turns alternately violent and passionate, all against a vivid Philadelphia backdrop. Fulmer, who has previously written mysteries based in New Orleans and Atlanta (where he now resides), says he may author more mysteries based in Philadelphia in the future.

How did this story come to you?

“Growing up there was this guy in my hometown who left for Philly to become a club fighter. He was just so bad. The way he walked, the way he moved. He had presence. He was a character that just stayed with me. The first scene in the book, where he’s coming out of the club, was just dictated to me from somewhere. I have no idea where. I don’t plot my books out like a lot of mystery writers. I start with a location, which in this case was Philadelphia in the early ’60s, and of course characters.”

Read the entire interview.

Read Chapter One from The Blue Door and learn more about the author and his writing at David Fulmer's website.

David Fulmer is the author of, among other works, the acclaimed Storyville mysteries featuring Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr. The first volume of the series, Chasing the Devil's Tail, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Mystery/Thriller Book Prize and the winner of the Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel.

My Book, The Movie: David Fulmer's "Storyville" books.

The Page 69 Test: The Dying Crapshooter's Blues.

The Page 99 Test: The Blue Door.

--Marshal Zeringue