Cheryl Peyton, a local author from Loudon County, recently published her newest murder mystery that takes place right in the heart of Tellico Village.
The fictional book is titled “Murder in Tellico Village” and follows a continuing female lead — Alex Trotter — as she visits her Aunt Beth in the Village.
During her short visit, it is revealed that a nearby neighbor is murdered.
The book follows Alex and her companions on a mission to find out the real killer … during which she learns a little about the history of Tellico Village and those who formerly called the place home.
“I started (‘Murder in Tellico Village’) in 2023, after I finished ‘Murder on the Danube’ in April … and then I took a little break,” Peyton said. “I would say I started this book back in October and then I published around April.
“So around six months … some take a little longer but this book took me six to nine months.”
‘START WITH ANY BOOK’
Peyton is no stranger to telling stories as she is a long-time writer and her latest publication marks her 13th book.
While her new book is the eighth entry in Peyton’s “Murder” series, “Murder in Tellico Village” is still a stand-alone adventure.
“(These books are all) freestanding so you can start with any book,” Peyton said. “Usually when people haven’t read any of my books, and they ask me, ‘Where should i begin?’ … I tell them to start with the first one as long as you have that option — but it doesn’t matter.
“I do a description of the main character and her background and everything in each book. So the reader is up to date on who she is and why she does what she’s interested in.”
Peyton said the nearly half-a-year process of making the book was made possible by several people who supported her along the way. For instance, she credited her husband Jim Peyton as a constant support and someone who reads every chapter of each book after its completion.
Peyton also credited a slew of others at the end of her book.
As far as inspiration goes, Peyton looks to some of the murder mystery greats such as English author Agatha Christie.
“I always tell people when they look up my books and they haven’t read any of them, if I’m at a show or something, I always relate to ripping off Agatha Christie,” Peyton said. “Because that’s what she did. … She would take a small circle of people who had some relationship or some past or something that made them potential victims or villains. And in that same small universe … I do that with my group … she takes on these various trips because the murder is going to happen. Very close by — sometimes in the circle and sometimes just out.
“I don’t describe the violence,” Peyton added, “as Christie did not.
“I’d say that Ruth Rendell, Agatha Christie — any of the British mystery writers — are some of my inspirations.”
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Peyton said while writing “Murder in Tellico Village,’’ she had to collect a good amount of data and information on the history of the Village. In fact, her research led her to several articles from The News-Herald’s archives along with articles from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
While some may not be familiar with murder mysteries, Peyton encourages people to give her books a try as she sprinkles elements of history and storytelling together.
“In all these books, there’s a little bit of history,” Peyton said. “So there’s a little bit of interesting information for each location.
“I try to pull something out that (the reader) might not know. In one of my books, I set it in Key West or Margaritaville and some people don’t know some of the facts about Key West. … Like how Hemingway got his house, and how he didn’t build it (and) how it had the first swimming pool. ... just things that (readers) don’t know and makes the location have some interest.
“I have historical and graphic interest in each book,” she said. “In Tellico Village, it’s the history and sometimes the clashing of locals vs. newcomers.
“Their are over 10,000 people in Tellico Village, (and) most of them weren’t born in Tennessee. There’s been a lot of influx of people from other areas that have other ideas and other traditions and so on.”
Peyton said “Murder in Tellico Village” will soon be available at local libraries. She said she has already talked to librarians in Lenoir City, as well as the Public Library at Tellico Village.
The book will also be available for purchase at Preferred Pharmacy.
Along with the local physical locations, Peyton said her newest work will be available online at Amazon.com.
While Peyton may have just recently finished her eighth book of the Alex Trotter Murder series, a new murder mystery adventure is already in the works and is alluded to at the end of her “Tellico Village” book.
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