Calgary author leaps into adult mystery novels and finds success with four-book series

Local author David A. Poulsen took a leap in 2014 to try his hand at writing mystery novels for adults, as he has been an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers since childhood.

Poulsen has written 27 books, the majority geared toward younger audiences, which made him hesitant to try writing adult mystery novels.

“I think the reason that I was afraid was that I wanted to succeed as a writer, but what if I didn't? And so I just didn't try because I was afraid that I couldn't do the things that my favorite writers could do so well,” says Poulsen.

However, after writing his first adult mystery novel, Serpent’s Rising, it was clear that he was on the right track.

“I sent it off to my agent and he was able to sell it to the very first publisher that he was in contact with,” says Poulsen.

With its success, Serpent’s Rising became the first of a four-book series called the Cullen and Cobb Mysteries.

“I’d actually written it and intended for it to be a one-off, and then the publisher brought it back to me and said, ‘We’d like to extend this into a series, here’s a three-book contract in addition to the one you’ve already written,’” says Poulsen.

Exploring Calgary’s dark side

Poulsen drew inspiration from his favourite mystery writers such as Ian Rankin and Louise Penny, and he wanted the books to be set in his hometown of Calgary, which he believes has a dark side.

“If you look back in Calgary’s history, there have been some rather unpleasant things that have happened on the streets of our fair city,” says Poulsen.

Poulsen spent a lot of time researching for the first book, consulting his physician and friends in the Calgary Police Service for advice on the medical and police aspects of the story.

“When we launched Serpents Rising, one of my police friends, Mike O'Connor, who passed away here about a year ago, … came to the launch at Owl’s Nest Books,” says Poulsen.

“He got up partway through the presentation and said, ‘Just so you know, I was his police reference point.’ I was happy about that. So it was fun.”

Throughout his time writing the novels, Poulsen has come to believe that crime writing has sometimes been unfairly dismissed.

"In the writing community itself, it's kind of seen as genre writing, it's not very important. But if you really read a number of, in my view, some of the very best authors, you will find that a lot of mystery writers are tackling some of the larger issues that are taking place in our society,” says Poulsen.

Addressing societal issues

Poulsen discusses social issues like addiction, poverty, and crime through his writing, something he believes is of utmost importance.

Deadly Scandal, the latest book in the series, focuses on the #MeToo movement and abuse of power in the entertainment industry.

“The books happen in modern day times and so I am interested in the kind of things that are going on in society right now. I hope that in writing them, I've done so in a way that interests readers as well,” says Poulsen.

His approach to writing about social issues is to use them as a backdrop to a murder mystery.

"I think that mystery writers can use the genre to explore important issues while still providing readers with a compelling story. It's a delicate balance, but when it works, it can be very effective," says Poulsen.

“I don't want to come across as didactic or trying to teach people things. What I like to do is explore issues, but I don't necessarily offer solutions to issues,” says Poulsen.

Facing some aggressive feedback

While most of the feedback that Poulsen has received for his novels has been positive, he has also received criticism and, at times, even threats.

Poulsen’s second book, Dead Air, casts an extreme right-wing media figure in a negative light.

“I actually received a couple of threats from readers who were not happy with that particular book because of the fact that they felt it cast aspersions on something that they were believers in,” says Poulsen.

“So that was kind of an interesting sideline that added a little spicy sauce to the whole process of writing a series that I hadn't anticipated.”

Poulsen tried to ignore the threats, feeling as though they were harmless. However, he knows that it still needs to be taken seriously.

“While you maybe don't take it terribly seriously, you don't just kind of brush it off entirely either because unfortunately, there are extreme people who are doing extreme things in our world,” says Poulsen.

Whether the series continues is a mystery

The last book in the series, None So Deadly, is left open-ended to either allow for a fifth book, or allow readers to interpret it in their own way.

“When readers see the last few lines of the fourth book, I think they'll get that. But I wonder if there's going to be another Cullen and Cobbs because the door is open to it. If it stops at four, that's OK too. It's been a fun ride,” says Poulsen.

Poulsen has another book in the works outside of the Cullen and Cobbs series that is also based in Calgary.

“The very first moments of the book involve a body found in the middle of the infield at the Calgary Stampede on the first morning of Stampede,” says Poulsen.

Although the new book won’t be released before this year’s Stampede, fans can look forward to reading it in the near future.