Guest Blogger - Jonathan Posner

A warm welcome to one of my writing friends, the multi-talented Jonathan Posner. If you love Tudor times and a good murder mystery series then I have just the thing for you! The Broken Sword You only discover what dangers you can overcome when you're tested to the limit... Tudor England When Mary Fox is ordered to marry a sadistic older man, she decides instead to strike out on her own. As a woman in a man's world, no-one expects her to survive, but Mary is determined to prove them wrong. Challenged to return the Broken Sword talisman and so break a centuries-old curse, she soon learns how to scheme, fight and outwit those who would drag her back to a life of servitude. And in doing so, she becomes more than a match for any man. "Diabolically good! What makes this novel irresistibly readable is the emotional energy generated by the main character Mary Fox, her ups and downs, drawing parallels to our present times." Gina Flyvholm "I would highly recommend this book for its entertainment, historical authenticity and value." Philip Appleton

I asked Jonathan to tell me more about Mary and how the series came about. I can pinpoint exactly how and when the idea for a Tudor adventuress called Mary Fox came to me. It was 2014 and I was writing my first Tudor book, the time-travel story The Witchfinder’s Well. I needed a reason why the main character was so into the Tudors, so I invented a series of adventure books set in the 1530s to inspire her. The name Mary Fox jumped into my head – a brave, honest, upright heroine – and very handy with a sword. I even created three of her titles – The Broken Sword, The Tudor Prince and The River of Fire – leaping onto the page as quick as I could type. A few years later, I was about to publish the third book in The Witchfinder’s Well trilogy, so I needed to start a new project. Mary Fox seemed to call out to me – demanding to have the books I had so easily created for her, written for real. I had the titles – now all I needed was the stories! The Broken Sword was published in 2020, then The Tudor Prince and The River of Fire in the years after. Her fourth adventure, The Assassin’s Revenge, is well under way, and due out in 2027. Mary is such an enduring heroine for me; I can see myself writing many more stories about her in the years to come. Watch this space! You can buy the bookHERE Jonathan's Bio Before becoming a full-time author in 2021, Jonathan worked for many years as a marketing and advertising executive. He now lives in the South West UK, and when he is not writing, he enjoys walking, theatre and presenting regular shows on a local community radio station. He is fascinated by Tudor history, and has written a series of novels that address the question ‘what might happen if you time-travelled back to the 1560s?’ He has also written three full-length musicals, a one-act play and a book of short stories. He has a regular blog on Substack called 5 Minute Break, giving him an outlet for a weekly rant on his frustrations with the modern world.

Contract News!!!!

My huge news this month is that I'm delighted to announce a new 10 book contract with Bookouture! More Miss Underhay! More Secret Detective Agency! and.... a new project to come in 2028!

Guest Blogger - Georgia Hill

A warm welcome to my lovely writing chum - Georgia Hill talking about her work and her fabulous new book Sunny New Beginnings at Sea Haven House - a perfect holiday sunshine read. You can get your copy HERE

About Georgia:Georgia Hill writes contemporary and dual time romances about love, the power and joy inbeing an eccentric oldie and finding yourself and your community. There's always a dog. It'susually a naughty spaniel of which, unfortunately, she has had much experience. She lives nearthe sea with her beloved dogs and husband (also beloved) and loves the books of Jane Austen,collecting elephants, and Strictly Come Dancing. She’s also a complete museum geek and findsinspiration for her books in the folklore and history of the many places in which she’s lived.She’s worked in the theatre, for a charity and as a teacher and educational consultant beforefinally acknowledging that making things up was what she really wanted to do. She’s beenhappily creating believable heroines, intriguing men, and page-turning stories ever since. Why Romance? As a teenager in the seventies, when I was just beginning to move from children’s books toadult, I used to steal off with mum’s Mills and Boon romances. Set in far flung places like HongKong and South Africa, full of exotic settings like quintas in Madeira and featuring sexy,domineering men, I loved them. My most beloved M&B ‘trope’ was always forced proximity.My absolute favourite book, and sadly I can’t remember either title or author, featured a coupleobliged to share an Alaskan cabin in a snowstorm. Of course they bicker. Of course they irritateone another. And, of course, they fall in love. I still get all misty eyed when I spot a vintagepaperback with that iconic rose.When the Romantic Novelists’ Association (which has long had a close relationship with M&Bromance books) holds its conference, it runs the Elizabeth Goudge competition. In 2024 Ientered a short piece called Room for Two at Rose Cottage. To my delight it came second.I reworked the chapter, added about eleventy-million words more, and it developed into thefourth book in my Lullbury Bay series. Sunny New Beginnings at Sea Haven House features Johnny, who most definitely isn’t an alpha male but is very sexy, and Callie, a burned-outteacher desperate for a change of career. Forced to share a holiday cottage, they don’t expect the instant attraction which occurs, or the complications which ensue. It was great fun to write.Then it occurred to me where the core of the idea stemmed from. The influence of my teenageMills and Boon reading really can’t be denied! Follow Georgia on Facebook HERE OR stop by her Website HERE

May catch up!

This year seems to be flying by so fast! time for a bit of a catch up. It's a busy year for me with books to write and also lots of appearances at literary festivals, signings and so on. To find out where I'm going to be and when you can check out the events tab on my website. Just click on the home page and scroll down HERE Book 25 in the Miss underhay series is with my publisher and so is The Crossword Murders, book 5 in the Secret Detective Agency series. That's now up for preorder! I'm about to start book 26 of Kitty and Matt's adventures and book 6 in the Secret Detective agency series. It's been wonderful meeting so many of you this year at the events I've done so far!! I'm pleased to see The Miss Underhay series translated into so many languages now and a huge welcome to my wonderful readers in Poland, France and Bulgaria where the latest translations have appeared. Next year Germany is being added to the list! There will be more book announcements coming in June so watch out for that! Now, since it's a holiday weekend here in the UK and the sun is shining for once I'm going back to my garden!

The Afternoon Tea Murders is Out!!

The Afternoon Tea Murders is out today!!!!! Available in kindle, audio and paperback. Also in KU 🍾HERE It's Publication day for The Afternoon Tea Murders! 🍰 🔍 A deliciously murderous golden age style treat. 🐈Tea and cake on the terrace, views of the Devon hills… and a dead body in the local village? This is one for Jane Treen…! London, 1942. Miss Jane Treen is at her desk in Whitehall sipping a strong coffee when she receives an urgent message about her colleague, codebreaker Arthur Cilento. He’s in danger in Devon, and Jane needs to get there sharpish. But before her bags are properly unpacked, the local teashop owner in Arthur’s village is found lying amidst the scones and teacakes… and she’s dead. When Jane arrives, it quickly becomes clear that the murder is a half-baked attempt to curdle Arthur’s current codebreaking mission – but how? There seem to be suspects at every turn. Is Arthur’s boss going to extremes to cover up his incompetence? Can the teashop customers be trusted? And what about the secretary, who seems to have secret links to the village teashop… Spurred on by scones and clotted cream, Jane and Arthur start to whip up a theory as to who the killer could be. But just as they begin to make progress, someone else is murdered – and it looks like Arthur could be next. It’s clear they need to solve this case quickly, before teatime is over and Arthur meets a sticky end… If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s utterly gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!

Guest blogger - Verity Bright

A warm welcome back to my fabulous writing colleague Verity Bright with a new title A Very Irish Mystery Available HERE

Lady Eleanor Swift is having a grand time cosying up with her husband in Dublin’s traditional pubs, eating their fill of Irish stew and soaking up the craic… Until another body ruins all their plans! Lady Eleanor Swift is visiting Dublin with her husband Hugh Seldon and butler Clifford to meet Samuel O’Sullivan, a man who may be able to tell her more about the mysterious disappearance of her parents two decades ago. Deciding they should explore the city a little more, they jump at the chance to visit the world-renowned Finnegan’s brewery. But their taste test of the famous black stout turns deadly when Eleanor spots a body in one of the barrels! The dead man is none other than the owner of the brewery, Fergal Finnegan himself. Sensing a scandal, the head of operations hires The Byron Detective Agency to investigate. It seems there was no pot of gold at the end of Fergal’s rainbow. Did his debt-ridden younger brother kill him for his inheritance? Did the fact Finnegan wouldn’t leave his wife make his mistress murderous? And was there more to fight about with rival brewer George Gaffney than just profits? When their chief suspect is found dead only days later and the top-secret formula for a new beer goes missing, the agency is almost thrown off the case. But Eleanor doesn’t give up on justice. Will the luck of the Irish be on her side before the killer catches up with her?

Cover Reveal!

Murder in a Yorkshire Village is up for preorder and has a beautimous cover!PREORDER