Emily J. Edwards's "Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River"

Emily Edwards earned her degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College and took the long road to becoming an author, working for over a decade as a wine and spirits journalist, radio producer, and creator of the podcast, F*ckbois of Literature. She currently resides in Connecticut with her husband, and several quadrupeds.

Here Edwards dreamcasts an adaptation of her latest novel, Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River:

Before the first book in the Girl Friday mystery series came out, I mused for My Book, The Movie about who I’d love to see play the three main characters of Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: Viviana Valentine, Tommy Fortuna, and Tally Blackstone. My dream casting for those three characters hasn’t changed, so be sure to click over to that piece to see who I’d love to see in the roles!

All three characters appear again in Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River, but in this “country mansion” mystery novel, there are a new crop of faces that need casting!

Without a doubt, Buster Beacon– the eccentric millionaire hiring Viv and Tommy– would be played by Cameron Britton, most notably of Mindhunter and The Umbrella Academy. He has the incredibly unique combination of height and gentility needed to play the imposing and eccentric scientist.

In my head, while writing, Richard Paloma was played by Eddie Cibrian. Paloma is also a scientist, and in the employ of Buster Beacon, and they have a contentious relationship. But Paloma is a man who is much more accustomed to flirting his way out of trouble than pushing someone around with money and influence. I think Cibrian would fit the bill!

Hazel Olmsted is another house guest, a wealthy woman in her late 30s. She’s a blue-blood society gal with a mind of her own but a pretty hefty secret– and I could see Danielle Panabaker pulling her off with aplomb.

There’s an older, married couple in the book as well, Edward and Evelyn Allen. They have more money than they know what to do with, and government connections. Both in their late 60s/70s, I feel like I’d love to see them played by Karen Allen (Marion Ravenswood in Indiana Jones) and one of my truly favorite actors of all time: John Lithgow.

A neighbor is also stranded at the house, a man by the name of Chester Courtland. He’s aloof and distant, and avoids Viv almost every time she tries to talk to him. She’s intrigued by what he’s hiding, and wants to get to the bottom of why he just, doesn’t, you know, go home. The only thing we know about him is that he was invited to the party by Richard Paloma, and he’s got on a cheap suit. I’d love to see a more enigmatic actor in the space, someone like Dane DeHaan.

Another scientist in the story is Stanley Swansea, who is described in the novel as looking a bit like Kirk Douglas, which is a pretty tall order. It’s someone who has a chin dimple for sure– but I can’t think of who that person is just yet!

And so much of the story hinges on Arnold, Buster’s butler. Talk about a man with a secret! He’s Hungarian by birth, but it’s been years and years since he lived in his home country. He’s eminently capable– for every task. While there are a few actors I think could do the role well, I think the multi-faceted Arnold would be done justice by Victor Garber.

And finally, though she’s mostly Viv’s lifeline over the phone, I have to finally cast Betty, Viv’s housemate. She’s the word “bubbly” personified, but never loses her head. I think Kiernan Shipka could give her a real three-dimensional presence in the story!

Tell me, readers: who would you put into the cast to play our mysterious Stanley Swansea?

Visit Emily J. Edwards's website.

My Book, The Movie: Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man.

Q&A with Emily J. Edwards.

--Marshal Zeringue