In each of my Stories From Hartford books, I tried to include at least one reference to something from one of the other books. These are mostly inconsequential to the plots. They are little things intended as something like inside jokes for me and anyone else who noticed the connections. I don’t think anything I’m about to write could be considered a spoiler but if you’re really nuts about that sort of thing, you may want to read books 1, 2 and 3 first.
On second thought, you probably want to read the books first anyway because this will make more sense that way and because the books are very entertaining. Go ahead. This post will still be here when you’re done.
Ready? I’ll start with the characters. Most of the people who appear in more than one book are pretty obvious. I want to point out for the record though that I did not recycle any first names. The Emma who is Summer’s best friend in Jealousy & Yams is the same Emma who is Caitlin and Jon’s sister in Collecting Zebras. This means that when her brother is mentioned in Jealousy & Yams, this is the same guy who has a significant part in the later book.
The young police officer who comes to check on Rebecca at the beginning of Andrew's Key is the same Jimmy we are told can juggle yams in Jealousy & Yams and the same Jimmy who finally gets a last name, Larrick, in Collecting Zebras. He’ll have his biggest part in The Christmas Project as his brother is the Owen in that book’s description.
Rebecca is an avid runner in Andrew’s Key and at least once it says she turns a corner at the building with “the weird purple stripe.” Luke Foster of Jealousy & Yams works in this building.
Angel buys a strange wreath in the third book. (Yes, the one on the cover.) This was one of the old craft kits that Rebecca gave to Jill in Andrew’s Key.
In The Christmas Project, Owen accuses Gaby of once signing him up to ride on a Yam Fest float without asking his permission. This is only an offhand comment but of course anyone who has read Jealousy & Yams knows all about Yam Fest.
At one point in Andrew’s Key, Rebecca stops her car in the remains of a gravel driveway that is no longer adjacent to a house. Something happened at this location that is a primary source of the rumors about her house being haunted. Seth tells this story to Angel in Collecting Zebras.
Angel is reading a book in Collecting Zebras when she says that she’s going to be mad if Charlotte doesn’t end up with Jason. Those names actually come from one of my pre-Hartford books.
There is one minor plot point that carries over from one book to the next. We learn inCollecting Zebras that someone has romantic interest in Jimmy. He’s going to tell us whether or not he shares that interest in The Christmas Project. That’s just one of the reasons for you to be excited that the fourth book will be released next month. I’ll try to give you some more reasons soon. In the meantime, sign up for the giveaway for a chance to win all four Hartford books.
