My novels are all set in the 1910s and revolve around the lives of three unmarried sisters. Over the years, I've turned to these books (and other books by the same three authors) over and over: Mary Roberts Rinehart for her crisp prose, smart women characters, and clever use of the first person; Edith Wharton for her gorgeous language and very clever use of the third person (this novel in particular inspired me to re-write my own third novel in the third person after I'd written all of it in the first person), and finally, Margery Sharp, a British novelist who wrote what you might call lighthearted women's fiction. That description does not do her justice, but the point is that she did not write crime fiction nor was she writing in America during my time period. But I love her light touch and the way that even tragic moments have their elements of comedy. Right now, I'm reading Martha, Eric, and George over and over, every day, as I write my seventh novel.