Death and the Social Climber by Winnie Simpson

The Second Ann Audrey Mystery

There’s More to Murder Than Meets the Eye in Winnie Simpson’s Sophomore Novel, Death and the Social Climber

Traverse City, Michigan—With their distinctive red hourglass markings and potent venom, the female Latrodectus hesperus, aka, the western black widow, is notorious for posing serious danger in a small, eight-legged package.

These stealthy femmes fatales, however, aren’t always spiders. As Michigan author Winnie Simpson explained, a “black widow” can also refer to a woman who serially marries, and subsequently murders, her husbands.

“The idea intrigued me,” she said. “What drives this kind of killer? What is her background, and how does she accomplish her goal?” Only a woman could answer these questions; specifically, Ann Audrey Pickering, the protagonist of Simpson’s sophomore thriller, Death and the Social Climber: The Second Ann Audrey Mystery.

In it, readers follow the titular Ann Audrey, who, like Simpson, is a retired lawyer; this time in her search for a woman who may or may not have murdered two men and counting.

Set against the backdrop of upper-crust Atlanta in the early-2000’s, Ann Audrey pursues the investigation at the behest of a friend, who suspects that his late nephew’s wife Kathryn might also have orchestrated his murder.

Don't Jump to Conclusions . . .

Together with her best girlfriend, Theo (whom she saves in the series’ debut novel, Whipped Cream and Piano Wire), Ann Audrey combs through the city’s hot spots—from familiar locales, to nightclubs, bars, and beyond—for intel on the mysterious woman’s past and her impressive ascent through the social ranks, before a twist of a climax reveals the truth.

Inspired, in part, by a real murder in suburban Atlanta that she couldn’t “get out of [her] head,” the novel took upwards of four years to write, Simpson noted— “I plot as I go along, and may change direction if I get involved with a particular character,” she said—and highlights her authorial interest in the “why?” that motivates murder mysteries.

Per Simpson, it also lays the groundwork for future books in the series and even a budding romance! “If I stop now, I’m not sure these poor characters will ever get together, and they deserve each other,” she hinted.

One thing’s for certain: Simpson’s weaving a purposefully-tangled fictional web, and mystery-loving readers are sure to be ensnared from the very first page. (No spoilers here, but prepare for a wild ride!)

“People are complicated,” she added. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Advance Praise

“Simpson demonstrates particular skill in depicting the complex and nuanced dynamics of old-money Southern society, in which appearance matters as much as truth and where discretion and propriety often trump justice. … Authentic and compelling …” —Kirkus Reviews

“Death and the Social Climber is a can’t-put-it-down mystery set in Atlanta. It’s full of the color, real-life places, and manners only a true Southerner could write. The plot twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the very end. The characters are an eccentric bunch, but they’re true to life and jump off the page. It’s a great read!” —Charles Cutter, author of the Burr Lafayette Series

The Author

Winnie Simpson is a Mississippi native, and, following her mother’s lead, was an avid murder mystery reader beginning in the third grade, starting with Nancy Drew and moving through the classics of British, American, and international crime. Winnie studied music at Duke University, later receiving an MFA in Music at SUNY Buffalo, where she worked as an arts administrator before throwing it all over in order to make a decent living. After finishing law school at Emory University, she became a partner in a large firm in Atlanta where her practice focused mainly on securities litigation. Retiring early, Winnie relocated to northern Michigan where she lives in a renovated nineteenth-century building that served as a former Michigan state asylum. For more than a decade, she has taken writing classes and participated in writing groups. She is fond of opera, hiking, cycling, and Duke basketball, most seasons.

The Book

Death and the Social Climber: The Second Ann Audrey Mystery

Winnie Simpson

264 pages, 5.5” x 8.5”, B/W

FICTION/Women Sleuths, Mystery & Detective/Cozy, Thrillers/Crime

ISBN: 978-1-968761-30-1, $24.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-968761-31-8, $17.95 (Softcover)

Mission Point Press, June 30, 2026

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org and Amazon. On its June 30, 2026, publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at winnie@winniesimpson.com or visit winniesimpson.com.

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