By: Lisa Patrick

In All That Smolders, James Sulzer delivers a quietly compelling literary mystery that blends classic whodunit elements with psychological depth, emotional resonance, and a strong sense of place. Set in 1980 on a small island off the coast of New England, the novel unfolds in a world that appears peaceful on the surface, with salt air, familiar faces, community rituals, but beneath which long-buried tensions quietly simmer.

“It’s autumn, and tourists have departed the island, leaving a varied and colorful group of locals who take part in community activities like scalloping and Halloween parades,” Sulzer explains. “But then the body of a prominent lawyer is discovered, clearly a victim of murder, and the peace is shattered.”

That discovery sets the narrative in motion, drawing readers into a story that is as much about emotional reckoning as it is about crime.

A Journalist in Search of Redemption

At the center of the novel is Peter Christie, a once-promising journalist hoping to rebuild his life after personal and professional setbacks. Seeking a fresh start, Peter joins the island’s small newspaper, only to find himself immersed in the most consequential story the community has ever faced.

“To solve the case and find redemption,” Sulzer says, “Peter must navigate a web of old grudges, hidden legacies, and dangerous lies. But the truth may come at a cost—and someone will stop at nothing to protect what smolders beneath the surface.”

As Peter digs deeper, the investigation becomes increasingly personal. The mystery forces him to confront not only the island’s secrets, but his own unresolved past—mirroring the novel’s central theme: that what remains unspoken often carries the greatest weight.

Kirkus Reviews describes All That Smolders as “a suspenseful literary whodunit with appealing depth,” noting its blend of intrigue, character development, and emotional complexity. While the novel contains many of the hallmarks of classic detective fiction—false leads, mounting danger, and a broad cast of suspects—it resists easy categorization, favoring psychological insight over procedural detail.

Writing a Mystery with Literary Roots

Although Sulzer is known for literary novels inspired by historical figures such as Emily Dickinson (The Voice at the Door) and John Keats (Writ in Water), the turn to mystery was both deliberate and deeply personal.

“All That Smolders is my first true mystery,” he says. “I wrote this mystery in honor of my mother, Katharine, who was a huge fan of Agatha Christie. My mother is no longer with us, and I felt close to her memory in writing the kind of book that I think she might have loved.”

In preparation, Sulzer immersed himself in Christie’s work, studying both structure and technique. “I read a baker’s dozen of Agatha Christie’s novels,” he explains. “I picked up some helpful guidelines: have five to seven possible suspects, each with motives and opportunity; embed a few seemingly minor details that turn out, in retrospect, to be crucial; and give the characters an edgy realism.”

That influence appears subtly throughout the novel, including in its protagonist. Peter Christie is presented as a fictional great-great-nephew of Agatha Christie, a narrative choice that allows Sulzer to explore the literary legacy while honoring the genre’s traditions.

An Island That Holds Its Secrets

The island itself functions as a character in the story. Sulzer has lived on Nantucket for more than forty years, and his intimate understanding of island life informs the novel’s atmosphere.

“An island is a place where people think they know everything about each other, but are often ignorant of their deepest secrets,” he says. “There’s a tension between the interdependence you feel on an island and the fierce strain of New England individualism.”

That tension fuels much of the novel’s suspense.

One striking moment occurs in its opening scene, when a young boy overhears violence behind a closed bedroom door. The moment, Sulzer notes, is drawn directly from his own life.

“The first scene…is a direct transcription of what I heard when young,” he says. “Recreating this painful memory unleashed a well of deep emotion which I hope gives the novel some real depth and feeling.”

Work, Water, and Character

Scalloping, both as a livelihood and as a metaphor, plays a meaningful role in the novel. Sulzer worked as a commercial scalloper in the early 1980s and continues to scallop seasonally.

“I love being out on the water in Nantucket’s magnificent harbor,” he says. “I love finding scallops, and I love the whole process of getting them ready to eat.”

That lived experience lends authenticity to the setting and reinforces the novel’s themes of labor, patience, and the slow uncovering of truth.

When asked how he balances plot with character, Sulzer notes that mystery itself brings clarity. “The characters seemed to clarify themselves as they popped out of the story,” he says. “They were all in intense situations of suspicion… and in that scrutiny, they came into focus.”

Looking Ahead

Sulzer is currently at work on a sequel, All That Matters, set twenty years later on the same island and featuring many of the same characters.

With All That Smolders, he delivers a mystery that lingers—one that explores how memory, grief, and buried truths shape the lives we lead. It is a novel that honors the traditions of classic mystery while offering something deeper and more reflective beneath the surface.

Now available, All That Smolders can be found through major booksellers. More information about the novel and James Sulzer’s work is available through the author’s official channels.