Celebrating Book 20 for Verity Bright!

A warm welcome back to my friends, Verity Bright who are a little ahead of me in the number of books in their series. A Midwinter Murder is the latest release and is book 20!!! Yay!!!

I asked how they felt to be at book 20 and they said: When I started the Lady Eleanor Swift mystery series I never imagined I would now be publishing book twenty! The books currently have 100,000+ four and five star reviews on Amazon which gives me so much joy to know people are getting pleasure from the series. I’m so grateful to the readers who have stuck with Eleanor through all her investigations and personal ups and downs (especially her romantic ones!) I hope you enjoy book twenty, A Midwinter Murder, as much as I enjoyed writing it. Here's the blurb!!! Homemade baubles, reindeer-shaped cookies and snowy walks across the rolling moors… but Lady Swift’s festive plans are ruined when a body turns up! Winter 1924. When Lady Eleanor Swift unexpectedly finds herself a guest of the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke, she’s determined to enjoy Christmas with all the trimmings at his sprawling manor house. And that includes kisses under the mistletoe and cozying up by the fire with her fiancé, dashing detective Hugh Seldon. Instead, the season of goodwill turns frosty as she finds the Duke’s studious secretary, Mr Porritt, dead in the storeroom. Clasped in his chilly hand is a golden pendant in the shape of a rose. The Duke denies ever having seen the necklace before. But Eleanor can see the lies in his eyes… Did it belong to his mysteriously absent wife? Hugh and Eleanor must ditch relaxing with hot cocoa in favour of interviewing the Duke’s holiday guests. Every suspect has a secret they’d kill to keep: the socialite with the false name, the Sir with a questionable inheritance and the husband hiding a crack in his marriage. As the blizzard outside rages, Auldwyke Hall becomes cut off. Trapped by the snow, Eleanor and Hugh must skate around the increasingly secretive Duke to unwrap the identity of the killer. But does the answer to the secretary’s murder lie with a ghost of Christmas past? And when an attempt is made on the Duke’s life too, they realise the killer is closer than they think… You can get your copy HERE

Murder on the Cornish Coast is up for Preorder!

Murder on the Cornish Coast - book 19 in the Miss Underhay series is now up for preorder. Set in lovely St Mawes, Kitty and Matt are engaged in a complex case to try to solve a crime which happened he previous summer. They also need to protect the surviving witness from that deadly attack.

You can preorder your copy HERE

Murder in New York is out!

I'm thrilled to say that Murder in New York is out today and already sporting best seller flags in Australia and the UK! Murder on the Cornish Coast is the next book and look out for that one shortly. Murder in the Countryside is also fee on kindle for the next few days and is number 1 in the Amazon UK free chart and number 2 in the Amazon US ree chart!! Thank you all so much for all your support with this series. This week we also heard that Murder at the Dolphin Hotel is being acquired for French translation which is very exciting. Merci beaucoup! Hopefully I should be able to share news with you about the new series, The Secret Detective Agency books which will launch next year. So you'll have even more books to look forward to!

HERE You can get your copy of Murder in New York by following the link if you haven't got it already!

6 years ago

Six years ago today I took the huge step of leaving my job to become a full time author. It was a big leap into the unknown. The ink on my contract was barely dry and I had no idea if anyone other than me, my fabulous agent, Kate Nash and my incredible editor Emily Gowers, would like the Miss Underhay series. Six years later I am about to write book 20 in the series and launch a new series next year - The Secret Detective Agency. Kitty and Matt have found their way around the world into translations in Estonian, Bulgarian, Italian amongst others. The books have had best seller flags and topped the charts around the world. On Kindle Unlimited they have achieved almost 120 million pages read. Thank you all so much for believing in my little stories. I've been a writer for all of my life. Since I was very young I had stories running around my brain and it's an enormous priviledge to be able to share them. I'm having a bit of a celebratory giveaway on my facebook author page. It's where I post a lot of my writing news - including here of course. If you haven't found it yet, pop over and join in HERE

Guest Blogger Simone Van Kan

A very warm welcome to a new guest, Simone Van Kan, with a very different kind of book. The Serious Road Trip is the true story of a unique bunch of friends offering hope, food and uplifting shows to children in the war-torn and forgotten corners of the Balkans during the nineties.

When Simone set off from New Zealand in the early 1990s, eager to experience what the world had to offer, she couldn’t have imagined how things would develop. The Iron Curtain was falling and the world seemed to be opening up to nations previously cut off from the western world. Against this backdrop of change, she was one of a group of Kiwi friends who would embark on the journey of a lifetime called ‘The Serious Road Trip’. Initially sparked off by the plight of the orphans in Romania, they planned to travel by red double-decker bus from London to New Zealand working with underprivileged children on route. The one-year itinerary was mapped out, but fate would intervene and the Bosnian war broke out in 1992 as they started their journey. Compelled by circumstance, the bus joined a Peace Convoy into Sarajevo in the hope of stopping the war. They became the first British-based group to break this infamous siege in June 1992. With compassionate hearts and living day by day, they endeavoured to meet some of the needs of orphans and refugees in many of the most remote and dangerous war-torn regions. They captured hearts and imaginations as they ‘juggled’ their way across borders and checkpoints in Bosnia-H, Croatia, Romania and elsewhere. Travelling in colourful trucks or by red London bus they developed their own unique and maverick form of humanitarian relief where keeping your sense of humour became a matter of survival. Simone’s personal journey is interwoven with the ups and downs of fund-raising in the London head-office, leading teams of clowns alongside convoy projects and across frontlines or journeying to forgotten corners of Romania. Simone details how she and her fellow volunteer humanitarian Road Trippers offered tangible help and hope in the darkest of times and places. This factual account is told by a woman following her path and searching for love in the most unlikely places. She finds more than she bargained for. This tells of a journey of courage and self-discovery, where extreme circumstances reveal all sorts of strengths and a pioneering spirit within. It shows what the bonds of friendship and love can surmount when kindred spirits unite, show compassion and dare to dream. "I have always seen the arts as a way to unify people in the community, tapping into a deep aspect of our shared humanity." – Simone Van Kan The Serious Road Trip is a personal story of a particular time in our recent history and I wondered why Simone had become involved and what had driven her to write her book. "I’ve always wanted to reach a wider audience and was inspired to put my experiences into writing after seeing the enthusiasm of my young school pupils, who would often beg me to share another story of my adventures helping others. I hoped that one day these stories would inspire a film about authenticity, courage and compassion—showing that no matter the differences, circumstances or the country, we can always make a positive impact in our communities. It was also a worthwhile personal challenge to document and release such important memories without the time constraints of a speech or conversation. I wanted the reader to feel part of the journey of transformation." About Simone: Born in England and raised in New Zealand, where Māori and European cultures intertwine, I pursued a degree in French and Modern Languages, which led to many adventures abroad, including humanitarian work in the Balkans. It was during this time that my passion for music and the performing arts re-emerged, inspiring me to develop creative projects for children in difficult circumstances such as orphanages and refugee camps in the Balkans during the nineties. These profound experiences motivated me to further my studies in puppetry in Germany and France, as well as earning a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching in New Zealand. Currently, I live in Devon with my husband and daughter, actively participating in local theatre groups such as The Teign Valley Players and “Open the Book,” run by the Bible Society. As a co-founder of The Serious Road Trip, I’ve shared my journey in various talks, recounting how this humanitarian organization came into being and the life-changing experiences I encountered through it. You can get Simone's book HERE And check out the website HERE “ I recall meeting you and the company in Mostar (1994)…I think your story is extraordinary and would make a wonderful film” – Martin Sheen (USA) “ As a Sarajevan, I feel forever indebted to these folks for their selfless act of empathy while taking huge risks” HE Vanja Filipovic, Bosnian Ambassador in London with reference to TSRT and Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden “May many be tempted by your adventure. In Peace” Patch Adams MD “You guys are awesome” Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden at London premiere of “Scream for me Sarajevo” documentary

Guest Blogger - Miranda Ramphul

A very warm welcome to my guest blogger, Miranda Ramphul talking about her new book Silent Truths, Spoken Lies and the inspiration behind it. Miranda, please tell us a bit about you. Hi,I'm a retired lawyer. I was a Partner in an international law firm based in the City of London and specialised in construction law. On retirement, I moved to Stratford upon Avon and became a trustee of a couple of charities, including a hospice. Twoyears ago, I moved to Devon with my husband Rob tolive by the sea – and write. Silent Truths, Spoken Lies is my debut novel.

It sounds like you've led an interesting life. What is your book about? The purple-black bruises around the back of her neck reminded Poppy of ink fingerprints. It is the summer of 2003. Poppy lives inside her head and notices everything. She sees that her parents seem to have it all: country house, Notting Hill flat and a tight circle of friends. She witnesses her brother call Kiran, the stepson of one ofthose friends, weird. And when Kiran is accused of attacking her, she observes how the accusation sparks a series of uncontrollable events. Kiran is adamant he didn’t hurt her. Her mother has no doubt he did and is determined to ensure he is punished. Twenty years later, Poppy’s story is told to a hospice patient, and the unspeakable truth is finally revealed. Silent Truths, Spoken Lies, told through the eyes of Poppy, is a compelling psychological novel. It explores complicated family relationships and the nature of lies. Independent reviewers have called it: “A great debut novel that keeps you guessing! Impactful and thought-provoking.” ***** “A gripping read” **** Sounds great! What inspired the book? I wrote Silent Truths, Spoken Lies as I’m curious how people sometimes make assumptions of others based on their own prejudices, and how they mayunconsciously lie to affirm those assumptions – lie to others, lie to themselves. Often the reason is because they may feel unheard and ignored so they look for scapegoats – we see it all the time. In this book, each member of a seemingly perfect family has reason to lie. Oooh, sounds good. Where can readers get hold of a copy of Silent Truths, Spoken Lies? It's on Amazon or through Waterstones in the UK or HERE Fabulous, thank you so much, and readers can follow Miranda or get in touch with her on her Website or on Instagram

Here, there and everywhere

It's a busy old time at the minute. In addition to writing Murder at Highcliffe Hall, which will be the February release for Kitty and Matt I'm editing book 2 in the new series. Lot's of work to do there and about to start writing book 3 in that series. Hopefully I'll have some news soon on when book 1 of the Secret Detective agency will be releasing. For those of you in the UK I have several things coming up. Tomorrow evening I'm reading in Bovey Tracey at the Devon Anthology event. This is now sold out. You can also catch me at Churston Library on Tuesday 22nd October - tickets from the library and they include coffee and cake! Bargain. November 2nd, I'm at Clevedon lit fest near Yatton just outside Bristol where I'm on a panel. Finally on the 17th of November i'm at Crime at the Coast at Torquay Museum. Please get your tickets early for any of these events if you don't want to be disappointed. For those of you outside the UK I've been on several podcasts this year. If you google my name and podcast you should be able to find them. I know some are on spotify. In personal news, I'm going to become a Nonna again in February as my middle daughter is expecting their second little boy! We have lots of family visiting this month as well as work being done to the house! eek! Busy times.

Return of guest blogger - Verity Bright

A warm welcome back to my writerly chums, Verity Bright here to let you know about their fabulous new release - Murder on the Nile. Doesn't that sound fabulously Agathaish!!! A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body! 1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra… Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance. But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret? With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever? A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss!

Get your copy HERE

Guest Blogger - Mary Georgina de Grey

A warm welcome to a new guest this week - Mary Georgina de Grey. If you love a good romantic story then Mary Georgina is the writer for you. Her new release is Then Time Stands Still which is set in Spain. I asked her to tell us a little more about her writing: 'Learning several languages and using them at work has meant I have lived in different European countries, and I even spent a couple of years in South America. This rich experience has provided me with lots of material for my novels. I’m not writing a series, but the novels each have a love story as central and feature strong women determined to make something of their lives, despite setbacks – and there are quite a few. Setting is important for me. For my first novel, I went to Italy, the second takes place in both South America and South Wales, and Then Time Stands Still, which will be published on 18th September 2024, unfolds in Spain. At the moment, I’m writing my fourth novel, rekindling my love affair with France, in the Midi-Pyrénées.'

'I really enjoyed writing this book, especially doing the research into archaeology and wine-making. And, of course,the food and customs of the country. Even if I know the place really well, I still have to ensure everything is up to date. The internet is fantastic, but person to person is still the best. I love writing contemporary novels, as the research is also into jobs and professions, how they are carried out, and bywhom, what it feels like day-to-day. People sometimes suggest it might be boring, but I have often found research unearths plotlines and forces me to consider a completely new (and usually better) way forward. But my readers don’t want a travelogue, and, at some stage, I have to get down to writing the story. I write in my studyat home, sometimes four or five hours a day, once I’m in the story. It’s scruffy but I’m not in there to admire its décor. Generally, I’m seated by a lovely Art Nouveau window which glows gradually brighter, as the sun moves around the house in the afternoon. Inspiration comes from newspaper and news website articles, stories people tell me, history, but mainly from observing how people react in different situation.' This sounds fabulous! Here is the blurb for Then Time Stands Still English archaeologist Dr Amancia Harding has looked after her family for five years. Now it’s time to take care ofherself and leading a team on a dig in Spain is the perfect way to propel her career forward. Her good intentions are threatened when she meets vineyard owner Max Serrano. Damaged by war in Ukraine and a tragic event in his past, Max has given up on relationships and taken refuge in making wine, but the attraction he feels to Amancia forces him to confront painful issues. There’s also the gulfbetween their two cultures to consider if a relationship is to have any chance of success. Ambitious and fiery in character, can either accept that compromise is sometimes necessary to find happiness? Published by The Wild Rose Press you can get your copy from Here in the UK and shortly from Amazon U.S or as a paperback. Catch up with Mary Georgina HERE on her website HERE on Facebook and you can EMAIL her here to sign up for her newsletter or to tell her how much you love her books! Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Guest Blogger - Julie Hartley

Please give a very warm welcome to Julie Hartley. Julie's fantastic new book, Her Secret Soldier has just been released. Here's Julie to tell us more about it and how she came to write it. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of forbidden love – love so strong that while common sense tells you to walk away, your heart compels you to do otherwise. Her Secret Soldier takes place in England in 1940. The life of the main character, Rose, is forever changed when she discovers a German spy in the ancient woodland behind her home. She should report him to the Home Guard, but under Britain’s new Treachery Act, this could lead to his execution. Walter is injured and helpless, and he swears he was forced into his mission. Rose shouldn’t believe him, but she’s lonely, trapped in a miserable life… …and she’s falling in love. Rose decides to trust her intuition, and she hides Walter in an abandoned cottage. Then she learns of his rendezvous with Otto, a German spy whose loyalty to Hitler is not in doubt. Otto will stop at nothing to advance Hitler’s cause, and he recruits Walter to help with an act of sabotage that could result in hundreds of deaths. Rose wonders if Walter could have been lying to her all along – and she must choose between loyalty to her country, or the life of the man she loves. The inspiration for Her Secret Soldier was Operation Lena, one of the most disastrous of Hitler’s campaigns. In September 1940, dozens of German spies were sent into Britain by parachute and rowing boat. They knew nothing of the country, and some didn’t even speak fluent English! History tells us that within days, all the spies were captured, but I wondered… how can we be so sure? Her Secret Soldier is a tale of forbidden love, treachery and espionage. It was released by Bookouture on 12th September for Kindle, as a paperback and as an audio book. Get your copy HERE

Julie Hartley is a creative writing teacher, retreat host, and the author of three previous books including The Finding Place , a novel for young readers. She is the co-founder of Centauri Arts, which offers creative workshops, and writing retreats in Mexico and Costa Rica. Julie was born in Lincolnshire but now lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and daughter. Her Secret Soldier, released by Bookouture, is now available on Amazon. Follow her author page on Facebook: @juliehartleywriter

Murder in the Countryside is out!

Phew, Murder in the Countryside is out and sporting jaunty litle bestseller flags all over the place. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews, messages and emails I've received. It is very much appreciated. You've probably also noticed that Murder in New York, the Christmas book that I wrote in our all too brief spell of hot weather is also up for preorder. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you at Ivybridge next week and Dartmouth is just over a fortnight. I've just started writing Murder at Highcliffe Hall which will be the next Miss Underhay adventure! I'm also close to finishing the first draft of the second in the new Secret Detectives Agency book. I am so excited for 2025 when I can share all of these with you. I know you'll love Jane, Arthur and Marmaduke the cat as much as I do. If you haven't yet got your copy of Murder in the Countryside remember you can read it on KU, listen on audio or stroke it lovingly as a paperback HERE

Going out out!

Almost September and I have lots of exciting things happening soon. September 4th sees the release of Murder in the Countryside and of course, Murder in New York, the Christmas book is up for preorder already! eek! On Thursday Sept 12th you'll find me at Ivybridge Book Shop 5.30 til 6.30. I'll be launching Murder in the Countryside with a reading, signing and mini Q and A.

On the 20th and 21st of September Dartmouth is having a book festival and on the Saturday I'm appearing on a panel with the fabulous Sarah Pearse and the talented Hannah Dennison. There are lots of wonderful authors there over the two days so do come along if you can.

Then in October I'll be at an event in Bovey Tracey on the 8th followed by Crime at the Coast in Torquay in November - more details on those two events closer to the time. If you can't get to any of those watch out for The Red Rabbit Hole podcast as I've recorded a two part session with Nicky and Lisa where we talk about Murder at The Playhouse and why music hall and theatre are so close to my heart. We also discuss drag kings, Josephine Baker and the banana dance! Tons of fun.

August already!

This year is just rushing past! The first draft on a new Miss Underhay is done and I'll start editing it ready for my publisher and my agent on Monday. Set in America over Christmas with snow and ice it was a tricky write in the middle of a UK heatwave! Work of the Secret Detective Agency book 2 is also coming along slowly. I'm hoping to get a big chunk written at the end of this month. I'm also in the process of editing the first book ready for release next year. Murder in the Countryside is now on Netgalley and is releasing in less than a month! That seems to have rolled around very quickly. Life wise, I have upcoming visits to the theatre to look forward to and very excitingly a trip to London to my publishers, Bookouture

with Kate, my agent to meet my team and discuss all kinds of booky stuff. More of that when I get home!

Theakston Crime Festival report!

Phew! I'm back from a hot and crowded festival. Well, what an adventure! We had a 8 hour car journey to get there, made a little slower by a tiny complication charging our car at a Tesla charger for the first time. We were evacuated twice from our hotel at quarter to midnight thanks to the fire alarm going off. Still it breaks the ice when you're all standing in the gardens in pj's chatting. Then, since I don't walk well, our one Uber got in a very minor shunt as we were on our way to meet our daughter and her lovely partner for dinner on Friday! Good things _ I met some of my wonderful readers who had taken the trouble to come find me. My lovely agents Saskia and Fran who are just fab. Since the actual festival website was so absolutely terrible to navigate I did't get tickets for anything really and didn't even get a site pass for Friday as they were all sold out. My thanks to Spellbound books who scored me a pass to get on site on the Friday afternoon so I could at last look around. My daughter and her partner had to miss out since they couldn't get passes at all. They had tried well beforehand but couldn't find them on said terrible website and there were no tickets on the day to get on site. It was very, very hot! There was a shortage of accessible seating. The folding deckchairs seemed to be baffling most people and if you have a disability with balance or walking those are a no go anyway. The fabled beer tent stank and was impossibly hot. The bar in the hotel was much nicer and cooler. Fun talk from Graham Bartlett and T M Payne on what happens at an arrest. The mystery dinner on Saturday evening was again very hot but fabulous company! I met lovely Michael Wood and we had a wonderful time. I went off piste on Firiday to Val Penny's book launch which we all enjoyed very much and Saturday we went off piste again to Mark Wrights book launch in a very old and atmospheric pub with Victorian gas cigar lighters and gas lamps. It's also haunted which I knew as soon as I went in. We also had lovely cake and coffee and music at a Christian festival called Hope Now which was on at the same time in the Crescent Gardens. If you are a cozy crime fan or an historic crime fan or true crime fan then there was nothing much there but If you love thrillers and police procedurals and contemporary then there was much more going on. If you can, go with friends or in a group. On your own it's difficult, I was glad I had Mr Nell with me on Saturday. No pics of the signs or green chairs as they were full of people. I missed loads of people as I'm rubbish at spotting faces. So, now I have to catch up on my wordage and get my nose back to the grindstone for the next Miss Underhay book and the new Secret Detective Agency book.

Summer catch up!

Summer seems to be flying by at a rate of knots! I was ill for two weeks with a severe respiraory infection which knocked me off my stride. Now I'm busy catching myself back up as I write the next Miss Underhay - working title - Murder in Central Park, and the second in my new series. The secret detective agency book 2 - snappy title huh? The new series will start next year so I'm editing, writing, polishing and all kinds of crazy right now! I'm also going to Theakston Crime Festival this year in Harrogate, Yorkshire. I'm going on Thursday and returning Sunday. I'm meeting my youngest daughter and her partner there for dinner on Friday too! Attending something this big is a challenge for me. I'm fine if I'm going with a purpose to something - like being on a panel or moderating but when it's a new experience just going as an attendee it brings a lot of challenges for me. The first is physical, I can't stand for any period and my walking and balance isn't great so queueing and not knowing if there will be seats is scary. I also struggle to hear properly in crowds. The second is because of my dyscalculia the website to navigate what is on where and when is tricky. It's like being given a complicated jigsaw without the picture on the lid. Everything seems to be in different places and clashes with gaps and I can't find information. I'm so grateful to those author friends who have offered me help and patiently explained things to me. I'm sure once I get there it will be clearer and Mr Nell is coming with me so at least I have help to save me from getting lost and having a nervous breakdown. My nail artist, Keelie, has painted brilliant crime themed nails for me so hopefully that might break the ice when I'm talking to people. Several of my fabulous readers have also said they are hoping to meet me there as are lovely Saskia and Francesca from my agency. So if you see me wombling about looking lost or confused please come and say hello! I'd love to meet you.

Returning guest! Verity Bright

A warm welcome back to one of our favourite guests - Verity Bright who has a new title, Murder in Mayfair, out today!

Tea and cake at The Ritz, a stolen pearl necklace and a missing dead body… Lady Swift is back on the case! Lady Eleanor Swift has been eagerly awaiting her trip in a hot air balloon to take in London’s amazing sights. But what she witnesses instead is a murder! From way up high she sees man in a dark coat shoot another man dead, but by the time she arrives back on the ground, Eleanor can find no trace of the body. Just the broken piece of a pearl necklace clasp, trodden into the dirt. Back at The Ritz hotel, over afternoon tea, Eleanor’s old friend Lady Philomena Chadwick confides in her about a scandalous theft. Lady Chadwick is certain someone on her staff has stolen her priceless pink pearl necklace. Eleanor is immediately suspicious when the description matches the jewellery she spotted at the crime scene. Much to her butler Clifford’s amusement, Eleanor goes undercover as a governess in the Chadwick’s sparkling Mayfair mansion. As she sets about questioning the disgruntled staff, she uncovers a treasure trove of gossip. But how do a secret love affair, a flirty footman with a fondness for spying, and a housemaid hiding a nightly visitor connect to the murder? And when Eleanor’s beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is brought in to investigate a string of further robberies in Park Lane, Eleanor is certain that Chadwick House is hiding the unlikeliest gang of jewel thieves below stairs… This sounds like great fun! You can get your copy HERE

Guest Author - Helen Hollick

For my first guest this month I'm delighted to introduce you to my lovely friend, Helen Hollick. She has a wonderful series of books -The Jan Christopher Mysteries, which you all might like to try! Here's Helen to tell you more!

A Memory of Murder – a new cosy murder mystery to solve – along with library assistant Jan Christopher, her fiancé, Detective Sergeant Laurie Walker and her uncle, Detective Chief Inspector Toby Christopher. Set in the 1970s this easy-read cosy mystery series is based around the years when Helen was a north-east London library assistant, using many of her remembered anecdotes, some hilarious – like the boy who wanted a book on Copper Knickers. (You’ll have to read the first book, A Mirror Murder to find our more!) The mysteries alternate between Jan’s home town, and where Laurie’s parents live – North Devon, (where Helen now lives.) In this fifth episode, there’s a missing girl, annoying decorators, circus performers, and a wanna-be rock star to deal with. But who remembers the brutal, cold case murder of a policeman?

Easter 1973. The North London library where Jan Christopher works is in upheaval because the decorators are in to spruce the place up, but there is more for her policeman uncle, DCI Toby Christopher and her fiancé, DS Laurie Walker, to worry about than a few inconvenient pots of paint. An eleven-year-old girl has not returned home after school, and strange ‘gifts’ are being surreptitiously left for the detective chief inspector’s family to find. Could these items have anything to do with the unsolved murder, fifteen years ago, of Jan’s policeman father? Buy Link: Amazon universal: HERE (e-book available for pre-order: published on 18th May - paperback release to follow) Or order from any bookstore (cheaper on Amazon) Reader’s comments: "Can I say this is the best one (of the series) yet? YES! For the depth of the writing, the maturity of the main character, and the complexity of the premise. It's cosy...with a few chills for good measure!" Elizabeth St John, author "I sank into this gentle cosy mystery story with the same enthusiasm and relish as I approach a hot bubble bath, (in fact this would be a great book to relax in the bath with!), and really enjoyed getting to know the central character..." Debbie Young bestselling cosy mystery author "Jan is a charming heroine. You feel you get to know her and her love of books and her interest in the people in the library where she works. She's also funny, and her Aunt Madge bursts with character - the sort of aunt I would love to have had. I remember the 70s very well and Ms Hollick certainly gives a good flavour of the period." Denise Barnes (bestselling romance author Molly Green) “A delightful read about an unexpected murder in North East London. Told from the viewpoint of a young library assistant, the author draws on her own experience to weave an intriguing tale” Richard Ashen (South Chingford Community Library) "Every sentence pulls you back into the early 1970s... The Darling Buds of May, but Devon not Kent. The countryside itself is a character and Hollick imbues it with plenty of emotion" Alison Morton, author “An enjoyable novella with a twist in who done it. I spent the entire read trying to decide what was a clue and what wasn’t ... Kept me thinking the entire time. I call that a success.” Reader's Review ABOUT HELEN First accepted for traditional publication in 1993, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/supernatural series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s. Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She is currently writing about the ghosts of North Devon for Amberley Press, and another, Jamaica Gold for her Sea Witch Voyages. She lives with her family in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with their dogs and cats, while on the farm there are showjumper horses, fat Exmoor ponies, an elderly Welsh pony, geese, ducks and hens. And several resident ghosts. Find Helen here: Website: HERE Facebook: HERE Blog: promoting good authors & good reads HERE

Release day!!!

Murder on the French Riviera is out in the big, wide world! I hope you all enjoy it. You can grab a copy HERE

Watch this space!

It's been a busy few weeks! The next Miss Underhay book is now with my editor and is being titled Murder in the Countryside! Edits have been done on the first of the Secret Detective Agency books and I'm thrilled to say that I've agreed to do a few more signings and lit fest appearances so keep your eyes peeled for announcements on those closer to the time. Murder on the French Riviera is out in 10 days time! eek! The day before my middle daughter's wedding, so if I seem very scattered around then you'll know why.

Almost May!!!

Wow! This month has shot past! My editor loves book 1 of the Secret Detective Agency and I'm getting stuck in to writing the second book. The series will launch early next year and I am so excited for you to meet Jane, Arthur, Benson and Marmaduke the cat. For my Miss Underhay fans, have no fears, there are lots more Matt and Kitty stories in the pipeline. Murder on the French Riviera is live on Netgalley for advance readers and getting great reviews! Phew! I'm almost done on the first draft of Murder in the apple orchard which is possibly the title we're getting for the next book in the series. May will be a busy month for me as Murder on the French Riviera releases the day before my middle daughter's wedding! May is also mine and Mr Nell's 39th wedding anniversary (On Star wars day lol) and my youngest daughters birthday. So if I seem a bit frazzled around then you'll know why!

Going out out!

Yesterday I had a lovely time meeting writerly people. First in Exeter with a fab lunch talking to friends old and new about everything writing and publishing. Then on the evening out to Totnes to meet more locally based writing friends old and new! Now though it's back to work as these books won't write themselves! The first in my new series, The Secret Detective Agency which will be out next year is sitting with my agent and my editor so I'm diving into writing book 2. The next Miss Underhy book, Murder on the French Riviera is out May 28th - the day before my middle daughters wedding! And I'm halfway through writing the next Miss Underhay, Murder at the apple orchard. So I'm a busy bee. Remember you can preorder Murder on the French Riviera now and you can always catch up with me on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook author page.

Book signing

Such fun today to visit my lovely chum Lesley at First Draft books in Bovey Tracey for a book signing for Murder at The Island Hotel! She has a few signed copies left and a couple of signed copies of Murder at The Dolphin Hotel too! So if you are outthat way pop in and treat yourself!

The Secret Detective Agency

Huge, bigly announcement from me today!!! The Friday Night Project has been contracted and is now called The Secret Detective Agency. Here is what my publisher had to say!!!! We’re over the moon to announce that commissioning editor Maisie Lawrence has acquired a world rights in a brand-new cosy crime series by Helena Dixon from Kate Nash of Kate Nash Literary Agency. Dixon is the author of the bestselling Miss Underhay mystery series, which has delighted fans worldwide with over 95 million Kindle Unlimited pages read and over 250,000 copies sold. Bookouture are also thrilled to be publishing four new Miss Underhay mysteries with Dixon in 2025. The first book in her new series, The Secret Detective Agency, will publish in March 2025. The book opens in 1941 at the house of Arthur Cilento, an asthmatic academic, who finds a woman’s body in the gardens of his manor house. Miss Jane Treen, a government officer from London who manages an elite group of spies, knows exactly who the mystery woman was and why she was there. Forced to work together, the race is on to solve a deadly puzzle that Arthur and Jane were not anticipating. Maisie said, ‘Helena Dixon is a cosy crime master and totally brilliant at crafting twisty, gripping plots, combined with tantalising settings that are an utter joy to read. In this new series, she has created two truly unforgettable characters – and an excellent cat – who will solve tricky crimes together. She’s a joy to work with, always going above and beyond to delight her readers and I can’t wait for them to fall in love with The Secret Detective Agency.’ Helena said, ‘I am so excited to bring The Secret Detective Agency to readers. Maisie and the team at Bookouture are so great to work with that I know Jane, Arthur and Marmaduke the one-eyed cat couldn’t be in better hands.’

Murder at the Island Hotel out today!

A gorgeous island off the English coast, a beautiful hotel perched on the cliffs, a group of glamourous friends… and a suspicious death? Kitty Underhay’s invitation didn’t mention murder! Spring, 1936. As the boat draws into the harbour of Bird Island, Kitty is absolutely delighted to see the stunning hotel for the first time. She and her friend Alice have been asked to join the distinguished guests before the hotel officially opens its doors, but they have barely unpacked when the owner is found dead in his own study… Sir Norman’s death looks like suicide. But Kitty isn’t convinced – she cannot find a note, and he is left-handed but was shot on the right side of his head. Kitty tries to reach the police, but a violent storm engulfs the island and the power goes out. Kitty and Alice need to move quickly before anyone else finds death on their dinner menu! With several old friends amongst their suspects, Kitty decides the investigation should stay secret. But it’s not until Kitty uncovers Sir Norman’s financial difficulties that she’s on the killer’s trail. Can Kitty and Alice catch the culprit in time for tea, or will they become the next guests on the murderer’s list? Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie or Lee Strauss will adore this warm and witty whodunnit. An utter delight to read! Get your copy HERE

Cover reveal!

Yay! The cover and preorder are now up for Murder on the French Riviera! Ooh la la! PREORDER

A grand old hotel, fresh coffee on the balcony, a perfect view of the sparkling ocean and… surely not another murder? Thank heavens Kitty Underhay is on the case! Late spring, 1936. As Kitty Underhay steps onto the sun-drenched station platform in Nice, on orders from Whitehall to track down a missing man, she hopes there will still be time to lie by the pool, preferably with a cocktail in hand. But when she and her husband Matt take a brief evening stroll, instead of finding a perfect croissant, they stumble across a body… Kitty and Matt quickly realise it is Fred Bennett, the man from Whitehall they were hoping to find. Had he simply drunk too much fabulous French wine, or is something fishy going on in this seaside city? When Kitty and Matt uncover a casino matchbook in Fred’s pocket, they head to the glamorous waterfront establishment where a wealthy widow, a disreputable aristocrat and a cash-strapped reporter swiftly make their suspect list. But with more questions than cards in a pack, can Kitty and Matt nail the killer before he comes after them too? Or will they realise that everything isn’t always nice in Nice?

Guest Blogger - Eva Glyn

A very warm welcome to a new guest blogger, Eva Glyn talking about her new book: The Dubrovnik Book Club

'The perfect summer escape, I adored it!’ USA Today Bestseller, Faith Hogan In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town, a book club begins... Newly arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomson’s life is about to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin Vedran, employee Luna and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club. But when their first book club pick – an engrossing cosy crime – inspires them to embark upon an investigation that is close to the group’s heart, they quickly learn the value of keeping their new-found friends close as lives and stories begin to entwine... The Dubrovnik Book Club is published by One More Chapter on 8th March. I asked Eva to tell us about what she enjoyed about writing the book and her inspiration for the story. One of the most fun things about writing The Dubrovnik Book Club was actually choosing the books. They all had to fit into the story somehow (well, one is a bit tenuous but the title worked!), and each character needed to have a book which would help them along their journey in one way or another. So what would the new English shop manager choose as the very first read for a book club in an international bookshop in Dubrovnik? At the beginning of the story in particular Claire is not an especially brave soul, so my guess was that she’d play it safe. And there’s little safer than the bestselling British book of the previous year; Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. Reading it also inspired bookshop assistant Luna to suggest they tried to solve a mystery for themselves. Claire’s cousin Vedran’s girlfriend had disappeared under suspicious circumstances a few months before, leaving social media firmly pointing the finger of blame in his direction. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could clear his name? And so Luna (enthusiastically) and Claire (reluctantly) decide to give it a go. But when Vedran asks Claire to pick a sporting biography for his book club choice, things begin to go horribly wrong. It sounds fabulous! You cn get your copy HERE Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the stories they hide.Her love affair with Croatia began in 2019, and since then the country’s haunting histories and gorgeous scenery have proved fertile ground for her books, driven by her friendship with a tour guide she met there. His wartime story provided the inspiration for The Olive Grove and his help in creating a realistic portrayal of Croatian life has proved invaluable for all her books. ​ Eva lives in Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and is lucky enough to be married to the love of her life, who she’s been with for almost thirty years. She also writes as Jane Cable.

Guest Blogger - Morton S Gray

A warm welcome to this weeks guest - Morton S Gray Morton is a dear friend and the author of the fabulous Borteen Bay series. I asked her to tell us more about herself and her books, especially her new release, A New Arrival In Borteen Bay Morton lives in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors. Morton worked for many years in the electricity industry in staff development and training. She is a qualified hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

Skye knows it’s now or never. It’s time for her to reveal herself to the father she’s never met. So she hops on a plane from Dublin to the English seaside town of Borteen. But between the father she’s just getting to know and her worried mother, Skye realizes thatthe past is never that simple as a whirlwind of secrets turns their world upside down. And now Skye has Adam, the hunky guy next door, to contend with. He’s determined to showher there’s room in her life for love. Skye thinks they’re better off as friends, but Adam has other ideas. Even when she reveals a secret of her own. Will Skye allow history to repeat itself? Or will she let go of the secrets of the past and open herself up to the future? Perfect for romance lovers! I asked Morton to tell us the inspiration behind writing seaside set books... My seven published novels have all been set in my fictional seaside town of Borteen. I am now so familiar with the place that I can easily walk along the streets and go into the shops, pubs and cafes in my mind. It is often as if I am actually there. However, I have lived for all of my life in the UK West Midlands, I even went to university inLoughborough in the East Midlands and yet I love the sea – the sound of the waves, the smellof the air and walking on a beach hunting for sea glass is my idea of heaven. The beach features quite heavily in this new book, A New Arrival in Borteen Bay, as one of my characters, Buzz regularly makes labyrinth walking paths on the beach and asks people todonate money for a homeless charity to walk them. It is on the beach that Buzz first catches sight of another main character, Skye, although at that point he is convinced she is actually her mother, Wynn. As I have never managed to live on the coast, I guess my writing being based in Borteen allows me to indulge my love of the seaside in between holidays. I always said that I’d move to a seaside place when I retired, but now we have our grandson, to whom my new book is dedicated, I’m not sure that I want to move away. I guess I’d better write another book in Borteen! You can get your copy of A New Arrival In Borteen Bay HERE And there are six other books in the series for you to catch up with too!!! You can find Morton on Twitter on Instagram and on Facebook

Guest Blogger - Nicky Peacock

A warm welcome to my guest today - Nicky Peacock.

Nicky is here to tell us about her fabulous new book! The 13th Girl and the motivations that lay behind it. Here's what she had to say! I’ve always had quite a few motives for writing my books, but my main one for The 13th Girl was very close to my heart. Mental health is something that, for a long time, has been overlooked by society. I remember the days when, if you felt down, unhelpful people would tell you to just to ‘cheer up’ or ‘look on the bright side’; generally showing zero understanding as to the lack of choice that person has over these dark feelings and when they come knocking. No one wants to feel lonely, sad, or that their presence doesn’t matter in the world, so simply telling them to ‘belt up’ really doesn’t help. Then there’s the people who have gone through traumas, (like The 13 th Girl’s protagonist Dee) who are victims of someone else’s actions and are seeking help, yet instead of being accepted, or even celebrated, for doing something about their psychological and physical issues, they are shunned and made to feel like outsiders – whether that is on purpose or not. So I guess that’s a long winded way of saying that I wanted to shine a light on those with mental health issues, how society treats them and how hard it is for them to ever be considered ‘normal’ again. I also really wanted to write about a serial killer too – but I always want to do that. That sounds quite a motivation for the book. To whet your appetite even further here is the blurb! 12 girls gone. Can she save The 13th Girl? After decades in a mental health hospital, Dee knows that people find her creepy – because they tell her so. Once the reluctant star of an infamous documentary, she is trying to blend back into the outside world. But when a string of local girls disappear, only to be found dead days later, she becomes fixated on the case and decides to film her own True Crime documentary. There is a serial killer on the loose - The Righteous Wraith. Girls are being found one by one, their bodies gruesomely staged in the most innocent public spaces. With the killer taunting the police and public fear mounting, online armchair detectives begin pointing fingers at one suspect – ruining his life. But for Dee, something isn’t adding up. She knows what it’s like to be accused of something that you didn’t do, so resolves to prove his innocence, unmask the real killer, and save The 13th Girl. But who will believe her? A dark, inventive thriller perfect for fans of Chris Carter, Alice Feeney and C.J. Skuse. You can buy Nicky's book The 13th Girl HERE You can also follow her on Facebook or find her on Twitter Thanks Nicky for visiting and it sounds a great read for anyone who likes a good murderous thriller!

Guest blogger - Rachel Wells

A warm welcome to todays guest blogger, lovely Rachel Wells. Rachel and her co-author Jessica Adams are the creators of Leo Moon, the astrologer detective! This sounded like enormous fun so I asked Rachel to tell us about how she and Jessica came up with the idea. Jessica and I came up with the idea for Leo Moon, astrologer Detective, during one of our weekly zoom calls in Lockdown. I, Rachel wrote the series, Alfie The Doorstep Cat (seven books), and Jessica is an author and an astrologer, currently based in Australia.​ We were coming up with new ideas and from cats to crime (for me), Leo Moon was born. The main character, Leo is the son of famous astrologer, Helena Moon, he is alsoher manager and knows as much about astrology as her. Helena Moon is an astrologerthe star, she’s a bit stuck in the ‘80s which was her heyday and has a penchant for wine and younger men. Karen Penn completes the trio, she’s a journalist from Brooklyn and Leo’s friend. They all live in Brighton although the first story - Aries Billionaire - takes place on an island off the Irish coast. Mainly through Helena’s clients, they get drawn into mysteries, or murders and Leo uses Astrology to solve them. It’s fun rather than dark, in the vein of the old fashioned whodunnit and it’s brilliant to write. Working with Jessica who is such a brilliant astrologer is amazing and of course with Aries being the first zodiac sign, (born late March/April), we have another eleven mysteries up our sleeves! I now many of you love listening to audio books so I was very excited to learn that Aries Billionaire was going to be available in that format. You can get your copy HERE

Here's the blurb just to whet your appetite!! Aries billionaire Mike Kirby is celebrating his 50th birthday on his remote island with his unhappy wife, handpicked guests, a Blood Moon Eclipse and...a rocket launch. A coma and a murder later, it’s down to astrologer Leo Moon to uncover the truth. Join Mike, his wife Renee, her sister Rachel and Rachel’s husband Neil in their glamorous world of swimming pools, horoscopes and deadly secrets. You can follow Rachel on facebook acatcalledalfie (Rachel Wells) on Instagram rachelwellsauthor on Twitter/X @ACatCalledAlfie and TikTok @rachelwellsauthor You can find Jessica on Twitter/X @Jessicacadams

January Update

Wow! This year is already racing away. Miss Underhay book 16 is at 42k already and the proofs have just arrived for Murder at The Island Hotel. I can't wait for you all to read that one! I've some lovely guest authors lined up for you in the next few weeks too. It's been rather cold here in Devon with a north easterly blowing in but at the moment the sun is out and the sea is calm. The seals are in the harbour and my snowdrops are poking their heads out of the ground.