We chat with author Sarvenaz Tash about The Queen of Ocean Parkway, which follows an 11-year-old podcaster-turned-sleuth who teams up with the new kid in the building to find their missing neighbor!
Hi, Sarvenaz! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I’m the author of 8 books and counting for kids, teens and adults, including The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love, A Whole Song and Dance and my latest middle grade mystery, The Queen of Ocean Parkway. I live in Brooklyn with my family where you can often find me geeking out about showtunes, board games and, of course, books.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
In my second grade class, when my teacher started reading Beverly Cleary to us. I was a very shy kid who had just moved to her third school in three years, but I was enraptured by the stories of Ramona Quimby and Beezus and Henry Higgins. I started getting those books from the library and then others, soon discovering a whole world of friends and adventures that could be had right from the comfort of my bedroom floor. It wasn’t long before I was inspired to try my own hand at making up stories in my composition books.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Henry Higgins
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Witches and The Westing Game
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Westing Game
Your latest novel, The Queen of Ocean Parkway, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Kid sleuth investigates missing tenant.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a fun mystery that will take them to some iconic locations in Brooklyn and introduce them to two very determined sleuths.
Where did the inspiration for The Queen of Ocean Parkway come from?
I’ve pitched it as Only Murders in the Building meets Harriet the Spy, and I feel like those two comps were definitely inspirations. But the main inspiration came from my own neighborhood and my kids and all of the Brooklyn adventures we’ve had together (particularly during the pandemic, when I was very much missing all of the everyday pleasures like subway rides and Coney Island trips).
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing my main character, Roya, who is the superintendent’s kid and therefore gets a lot of access to the goings-on of her large apartment building including the little mysteries that pop up when you get to observe people living their daily lives. It was a lot of fun to put a character as curious and resourceful as Roya in that situation and watch her explore it.
What’s next for you?
The Queen of Ocean Parkway will have a sequel! It’s called The Treasure of Ocean Parkway and will be out in Fall 2025. This time Roya and her friends find a secret room in their building that leads them on an epic scavenger hunt through their neighborhood.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I loved Happy Medium by Sarah Adler and The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren. I’m really looking forward to The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan.
