J.C. Eaton

J.C. Eaton is the joint pen name of American writers Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp. Together, they create cosy mysteries set mainly in Arizona and upstate New York. Their work includes the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, the Wine Trail Mysteries and the Marcie Rayner Mysteries. The duo writes collaboratively while maintaining separate writing routines.

Ann I. Goldfarb was born in New York and spent most of her career in education. She worked as a classroom teacher, a middle school principal, and a professional staff developer before moving into full-time writing. Under her own name, she published nine young adult time-travel mysteries. As part of the J.C. Eaton partnershi,p she has helped shape storylines, structure and series development.

James E. Clapp began writing after retiring from his work as a tasting room manager at a large winery in upstate New York. Before this role, he served in the U.S. Navy and later taught in a vocational school, combining practical experience in construction with community education. His earlier writing centred on brochures and workshop materials for the wine industry. As a co-author of mysteries, he adds observational humour and dialogue, much of it drawn from everyday conversations in the senior community where the couple live.

The Sophie Kimball Mysteries are set in a fictional community inspired by their own surroundings in Arizona. Each book focuses on a club, event or hobby within the area. The authors describe the series as filled with comic exaggeration and light-hearted intrigue. They aim to give readers “pure entertainment and a chance to kick back, relax, and chuckle.” Story ideas often come from moments in daily life.

They note that Ditched 4 Murder began when Clapp stopped the car to point out the “perfect spot to dump a body” near a golf course.

The Wine Trail Mysteries draw on Clapp’s background in the winery world. The books follow amateur investigators across vineyards, tasting rooms and festivals. While researching Sauvigone For Good, the authors attempted to make chocolate confections. They later joked that the experiment ended in “a mess” and confirmed that they were writers, not chocolatiers.

The Marcie Rayner Mysteries form the third series written under the J.C. Eaton name. These books continue the pair’s interest in humour-driven plots, character-focused puzzles and small-town settings. The authors highlight their contrasting skills as central to their collaboration. Goldfarb brings narrative planning and research, while Clapp contributes dialogue and comic timing gathered through what the couple call his “special talent”—eavesdropping.

Goldfarb and Clapp work at opposite ends of their house to avoid interrupting each other. They meet during key points in the process to merge drafts and refine the final manuscript. They live in a senior community in Arizona and continue to write new mysteries under the name J.C. Eaton.

Photo credit: www.jceatonmysteries.com