Letters from Lexington is the tenth volume in the Mississippi Mysteries series which began as a community development project in the small Mississippi town of Flora, located in the central part of the state. The community was starting a chamber of commerce and wanted a unique way to promote the town. The incoming chamber president approached Phil Hardwick, a well-known columnist for the Mississippi Business Journal and instructor at Millsaps College, about the possibility of writing a book of fiction set in the small town.
Hardwick loved the idea of creating a fictional story set in real places. He planned to treat his readers to a good mystery with the goal of inspiring them to visit the places mentioned in the novella. In 1996, Found in Flora was published with a 500-copy printing and sold out immediately.
Other communities heard about the project and asked for books set in their towns. There are now 10 volumes in the series: Found in Flora, Justice in Jackson, Captured in Canton, Newcomer in New Albany, Vengeance in Vicksburg, Collision in Colombia, Conspiracy in Corinth, Cover-Up in Columbus, Sixth Inning in Southaven, and Letters from Lexington.
The Series features Jack Boulder, a private investigator based in Jackson who solves cases in towns around the Magnolia State. It is worth noting that all of the towns in the series are Main Street communities. Main Street is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Hardwick is now concentrating on his Great American Mystery Series featuring Jack Boulder on the case in individual states across the country.
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