(Not) Saying Goodbye to Carolyn Hart’s Annie and Max

hartcarolyn dontgohome
Favorite characters become part of our circle of family and friends. We become anxious to visit with them, to find out what they’ve been up to and what adventures we might share with them.

And when a series has gone on a long time, it’s also easy to take those characters for granted, as if they will be with us forever.

But as we know, all things end, even beloved characters.

And sometimes not.

When Carolyn Hart’s Don’t Go Home comes out on May 5, it not only will be the 25th novel in the Death on Demand series, but it also was to be  the finale.

I was prepared that we would be missing Annie and Max and Broward’s Rock.

I had even written this essay after receiving a note from Carolyn Hart explaining the difficult decision of ending this much-loved series.

 Hart has been writing two novels a year for some time and it was becoming too much for the author.

“I decided that I no longer wished to write two books a year and I had to choose between the Death on Demand series and the Bailey Ruth series,” she said.

So she decided to continue the Bailey Ruth novels and let Annie and Max have a rest.

“I have chosen Bailey Ruth because the books are exceedingly challenging to write,” said Hart, whose next Bailey Ruth novel Ghost to the Rescue comes out in October 2015.

“That might seem puzzling because Bailey Ruth, a redheaded ghost who returns to earth to help people in trouble, involves a lot of laughter. At least on my part and I figure if I’m laughing, a reader will laugh,” added Hart, who was one of the MWA Grand Masters for 2014.

“Bailey Ruth might appear to have every advantage as a sleuth since she can be invisible and overhear and see amazing moments. But the challenge is that every time she is at a particular spot, there has to be a logical reason she is there. Nothing can happen by chance. Trust me, that is hard to do.”

In her note, Hart added, “Annie and Max, thank you for the good times, for your kindnesses, courage, humor, and grace.”

But sometimes, we change our minds and Hart certainly did.

And we are glad she did.

A few days after I wrote this blog--and had it scheduled to be posted--I received a most welcomed note from Carolyn Hart.

Annie and Max will return.

"Annie and Max looked me in the eye and said, “Don’t even think about it!” I realized I’d miss them too much. So I changed my mind and hope to write their 26th adventure as soon as Bailey Ruth persuades a lovelorn  ghost to climb the shining stairs to Heaven," Carolyn Hart emailed me.

We all are allowed to change our minds.
Thank you Carolyn Hart, for all these wonderful stories about Annie and Max, and in deciding to give us more time with these characters.

Oline Cogdill
2015-03-28 11:00:00