MB: What or who inspired your novel?

CB: The Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery series is inspired by Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." I pick up where Austen left off, casting newlyweds Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as reluctant sleuths who become embroiled in intrigues surrounding their friends and family.

"North by Northanger (or, The Shades of Pemberly)" is the third book in the series. As the title suggests, the book draws directly and indirectly from Austen's gothic parody "Northanger Abbey" and Alfred Hitchcock's film "North by Northwest." A mysterious summons to a former medieval convent, now a private mansion, catapults Mr. Darcy on a quest to clear his name of false legal charges.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth finds a letter urging her to resolve some unfinished business left behind by Darcy's late mother. That storyline was inspired by a scene in Austen's P&P in which Mr. Darcy's arrogant aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, expresses her outrage at the possibility of his marrying Elizabeth: "Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"

Lady Catherine was referring to his estate's shade trees, but "shade" can also mean "ghost," and I imagined that an ancestral house as great and old as Darcy's would have a few ghosts lurking about -- metaphorical ones, at least -- secrets from the past still influencing the present.

MB: What do you like most about your novel?

CB: I like the interplay between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy -- the repartee, the playfulness, the ongoing discovery as their relationship develops. Most romance novels end when the hero and heroine finally commit to a future together, but this series lets me and my readers see that future as they work together to solve problems. Marriage was not the end of their story -- it was the beginning.

I also like the way "North by Northanger" explores connections between women, particularly mother-daughter relationships and deep friendships, as Elizabeth learns more about the life of Darcy's mother. I didn't sit down to write the book with a theme in mind, but it just sort of evolved

MB:Who is the most heroic person you know?

CB: My husband. He cleans our bathroom.

Seriously, though. My husband is in law enforcement, and in his career has faced situations most of us are fortunate enough to encounter only in fiction. He is also very tolerant when his mystery-writer wife wakes him up in the middle of the night with questions about murder weapons and rigor mortis!

MB: Who's your romance hero: dark, brooding bad boy or white knight in shining armor?

CB: I have to confess -- every time I read this question in your interviews, the Bonnie Tyler song "Holding Out for a Hero" from the movie "Footloose" starts running through my head!

Definitely the white knight. I equate "brooding" with "self-absorbed," and who needs that? Give me a champion -- a man who sees a problem in his world and takes the initiative to do something about it. He might not always succeed, but you can count on him to try. I think there's something very attractive about a person who uses his strength to take care of those around him.

MB: Answer the question you wish an interviewer would ask.

CB: No, you need not have read the first two books in the Darcy series ("Pride and Prescience" and "Suspense and Sensibility") to appreciate "North by Northanger." While reading a series in order does offer more of a chance to watch the characters develop, each book stands on its own.

You also don't have to be familiar with Jane Austen to enjoy my books. Does it help? Yes, but I'm delighted when people tell me that reading my books led them to try Austen for the first time -- reading her original novels or checking out one of the many film adaptations.

By the way, I voted for Colin Firth in your December poll!