I write historical romances set in a variety of periods of American history. What was the inspiration behind this book? These are edited and condensed excerpts from the conversation. She spoke about the departure from her usual genre, how history informs her writing, what she loves about romance and why she thinks some conspiracy theories are having a moment. She also wanted to write without the expectation of a happily-ever-after ending.

“I wanted the characters to be more morally gray, where I could explore some darker areas,” she said. But when people start disappearing, they become wrapped up in a nefarious plot threatening the neighborhood.Ĭole is best known for her romances, including the Loyal League and Reluctant Royals series, but “When No One Is Watching” is a thriller, a first for her. She reluctantly brings on Theo, a white man who recently moved in across the street, as a research assistant. It follows Sydney, a Black woman in Brooklyn who decides to offer historical tours of her beloved, rapidly changing neighborhood after watching an uninformed guide gloss over its African-American roots.

Gentrification is central to the plot of her new book, “When No One Is Watching,” out on Tuesday. “Suddenly there’s a huge apartment building, and things that had been landmarked were suddenly gone or converted into a trendy new bar,” she said in an interview. The romance novelist Alyssa Cole was born in the Bronx and grew up there and in Jersey City, so she is familiar with how areas can change when longtime residents are pushed out and wealthier newcomers arrive.

Alyssa cole when no one is watching