Cover reveal for Murder at the Beauty pageant!

I'm thrilled to share the cover and details for Murder at the Beauty Pageant. The next Miss Underhay mystery! PREODER HERE

Spring, 1935. Kitty Underhay is delighted to be hosting the Miss Dartmouth Jubilee beauty pageant at the Dolphin Hotel. Excited to see gorgeous gowns and terrific talents, Kitty is horrified when contestant Peggy Blaine is discovered murdered in the bandstand of the local park, stabbed with an ornate paper knife. Was jealousy over a sash and diamante tiara a motive for murder? The day before the event, a spate of spiteful anonymous letters arrived, warning of dire consequences for anyone involved with the show. The new police inspector had ignored them, but when Kitty’s husband Matt discovers that Peggy received a similar missive the morning of the performance, they vow to track the letter writer down. With help from a local newspaper, they find religious scaremonger Preacher Bob. He is clearly their poison pen – but Bob has a beautiful alibi for the murder… As Kitty questions the other entrants, she discovers Peggy wasn’t as innocent as she’d seemed and several of the other girls wished her harm. Convinced they are getting closer to the truth, Kitty is shocked when another young competitor turns up dead after an apparently accidental overdose. Can newlyweds Kitty and Matt see this wicked murderer brought to justice before he claims another victim or is their number up at last…? Fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss will fall head over heels for this utterly compelling and totally charming historical cozy mystery!

Whew!

Thank you all so much for the fabulous reviews for Murder at the Charity Ball! I am so thrilled that you are enjoying Kitty and Matt's latest adventure, and of course, the wedding! The next book is Murder at the Beauty Pageant and will be up for preorder any time and a cover reveal to follow. I'm currently busy researching for the next one in the series which will see Matt and Kitty back in Yorkshire to solve the death of a fortune teller poisoned inside her tent during a country bazaar!

Thought you might enjoy seeing this fabulous selection of powder compacts.

Murder at the Charity Ball is out today!

Kitty Underhay is enjoying a night off from wedding planning as she attends a charity ball at the home of Lady Eliza Foxley. She’s excited to see her father, Edgar Underhay, but the evening takes a turn when they find their hostess dead, strangled by her own silk stocking. When suspicion falls on Edgar, Kitty has to act fast to clear his name. But time is soon running out for Kitty to solve the case and make it to the church on time. With a devious killer on the loose, will she end up leaving as a newlywed, or newly dead…? Available as audiobook, kindle or paperback and on kindle unlimited Get your copy HERE

Guest Blogger - Ally Sinclair

Please give a warm welcome to my latest guest - The fabulous Ally Sinclair and her brilliant new release! A Season For Love 'I loved it! Clever, romantic, funny and completely different!’ Katie Fforde Can old-fashioned courtship survive in today’s dating world? When Emma Love’s mother retires, it is time for her to take the reins of the family dating agency and build on its success. And she has a fresh new idea: to host a Jane Austen-style Regency Season of glamourous events where potential lovers can actually take the time to get to know each other in person, with no apps in between. As the round of glamourous social events begins, we meet some of Emma’s new clients, and see her matchmaking skills in action. Annie, who has a romantic soul but believes she lost her chance at love a long time ago; recently divorced Jane, who is not quite ready to see what her new love life might look like, and wild child Lydia, who is more interested in hooking up than finding her Mr Darcy. All is going swimmingly but as the Season unfolds, there is a fly in Emma’s ointment – the irritating Mr Knight, with his casual attitude and gentle cynicism. Why is she allowing him to ruffle her calm, ordered life and why can’t she stop thinking about him? She has no intention of becoming romantically involved herself, of course; she is far too sensible to take a chance on love – isn’t she? Jane Austen meets Sophie Kinsella in this laugh-out-loud, captivating romantic comedy. If you love Julia Quinn, Lex Croucher or A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, you'll love this!

Copies available HERE

Murder at the Charity Ball out Jan 20th

Book 12 in the Miss Underhay series is with my agent and my editor eek! The release date for Murder at the Charity Ball is getting closer and the lovely Judge Rob Rinder had this to say! ‘Nobody does tension and crime thriller writing quite like she does. Some books are guilty pleasures, she’s guilty of being a superb writer (and an inspiration).’ Rob Rinder I'm currently reading his debut book, The Trial which is due out in the Summer, and Wow! It's so good.

Get your copy HERE

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy peaceful New Year with good books, joy and good things.

Happy Christmas

Stopping by to say that the first draft of book 12 aka Murder at the Jubilee is done and marinating now until the New Year when I'll polish it up and send it to my new editor. Thank you to all of my guest bloggers. And a huge thanks to all my lovely supportive readers for the kind comments and reviews this year. It means so much to know that someone has enjoyed a story that I've created. It makes all the research, muttering and neglected housework worthwhile. I'm looking forward to bringing you more Matt and Kitty stories in the New Year. Stay safe and have a lovely, healthy, peaceful celebration xx

A bit of a catch up!

I honestly don't know where the time gets to. It seems to simply fly past. I realised I sould give you all a bit of a catch up. Murder at the Pageant (Jubilee) aka book 12 is continuing a pace. Just as well since Murder at the Charity Ball releases in the New Year and has just arrived on Net Galley. Over on my author page on facebook my lovely readers made lots of brilliant suggestions for the name of Kitty and Matt's new pet. With Harriet Notley suggesting the winner. Rascal the kitten will be making a first appearance very soon! For my UK readers, Murder at Enderley Hall is just 99p this month. I'm thrilled to say that December 11th marks the 3 year anniversary since Kitty and Matt first came to life in Murder at the Dolphin Hotel. My editor tells me that in this time over 300,000 copies of the Miss Underhay series has been sold! Wow!!! Just Wow!!! Thank you all so much for your support and here's to the next adventure and more stories to come!

Verity Bright is back!

A warm welcome back to my fabulous writer colleagues, Verity Bright with their latest release Murder in an Irish Castle. Irish whiskey, rolling green hills, a traditional Christmas feast and… a murder? Lady Swift will need the luck of the Irish to survive this holiday season! Christmas, 1923. Lady Eleanor Swift has received a rather unexpected invitation to the village Christmas party in the tiny, rural hamlet of Derrydee in the west of Ireland. Eleanor is thrilled about exploring her ancestral roots at her late uncle’s estate and spending the festive season in a castle. Packing Gladstone the bulldog’s coziest Christmas jumper, they set off to the Emerald Isle with her butler Clifford in tow. Arriving late at night, Eleanor and Clifford are shocked when they find a body sprawled in the snow on the winding country lane outside the estate. The local constable is immediately suspicious and all but accuses the pair of murder. This isn’t the warm Irish welcome Eleanor imagined! Clifford is certain he recognises the poor fellow from the funeral of Eleanor’s uncle – but what was their connection? Undeterred by the villagers’ lack of gossip on the matter, Eleanor is determined to get justice for the victim. The man’s pockets are suspiciously empty of personal effects, but closer inspection reveals an old key hidden in the heel of his boot. Could this unlock more than one mystery for Eleanor? But when a fire breaks out at the castle on Christmas Eve, an even bigger question looms: is someone out to ensure the family line dies with Lady Swift? And will Eleanor’s first Irish Christmas be her last? Intrigued? Grab your copy HERE

UK bargain alert!

Murder in theBell Tower is 99p on a #UK kindle deal this month HERE

Murder at the Charity Ball!

After all the excitement yesterday of the release of Murder on Board I am so thrilled to share the cover of Murder at the Charity Ball PREORDER

Guest Blogger - Elizabeth Ducie

I'm delighted to welcome a new guest to the blog. Elizabeth Ducie is a Devon based crime writer and has another fabulous new book in the Coombesford Chronicles series out today!!!!!

Villainy at the Village Store Stanley Wentworth was no saint. He’d had his fair share of trouble with the law. He’d upset his former partners in gangs across the Midlands. And he’d abandoned more than one woman in his time. But did he really deserve a cold and lonely death in the Country Park? Charlie Jones, Annie McLeod and Rohan Banerjee are on the track of another murderer.An old friend is under suspicion once more. While a new friend has troubles of her own to contend with. And it looks like she's about to lose her greatest ally. Can the intrepid trio save their friends and find the true culprit? Fans of Lisa Cutts, Frances Evesham or Midsomer Murders? Then the Coombesford Chronicles series will be right up your street. Get your copy HERE or HERE

Email surprise!

For a while now I wanted to reward all my lovely loyal readers with a little gift. So, if you subscribe to my Bookouture newsletter check your email and you'll find a bonus story starring the lovely Alice. I hope you'll enjoy it!

You can sign up HERE

Publication month!

Murder on Board releases on the 20th!!! Eek! My editor is currently reading book 11 and so far she loves it - phew. I have a little surprise treat for you all this month too. My editor and I have been working on it for a while and it's almost ready to share. Keep a sharp eye out and make sure you are all signed up to my newsletter over on the Bookouture website.

Book 11 is done!

Book 11 is now completed and with my agent and my editor. No fixed title as yet. The working title was murder at the Charity Ball but that may change. Time for an admin break to catch my breath and research for book 12. Murder at the Pageant - again a working title.

Wow!!!

Thank you all so much! Murder at the Dolphin Hotel is on a free offer for ebook at the moment and went to number 1 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia yesterday. Number 1 in the kindle free charts out of all the millions of books on those charts. Just mind blowing. I do hope that people enjoy it and will go on to explore the series further!!

Talk tonight

If you are in Paignton, Devon I'm talking tonight at Paignton Historical Society on blending local history facts with fiction. It's at the Gerston Hall at 7pm. I'll be covering my research methods and how the facts get blended into each of the Miss underhay stories.

Murder on Board is on Netgalley!

Murder on Board has gone live on Netgalley. this is not a drill. Repeat - this is not a dril. You can get your review copy HERE

Guest post from Verity Bright

My lovely writerly chums, Verity Bright have a new release out today!

You can get your copy HERE The society wedding of the decade has everything: the blushing bride, beautiful flowers… and the groom arrested before he can walk down the aisle? Thank goodness Lady Swift is on the guest list! Lady Eleanor Swift isn’t normally one for grand social occasions, but who can resist a wedding? Especially when it’s her old friend, Constance Grainger, marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Lord Peregrine Davencourt. Eleanor is taking Gladstone the bulldog as her plus one, with a smart new bowtie to match her bridesmaid’s dress. But the big day is ruined when the groom is arrested for murder before he makes it to the altar. In a baffling twist, it turns out he was already engaged to the lovely Daisy Balforth, who has been found dead at the local inn with Lord Davencourt kneeling over her. The gossip pages will have a field day! The distraught bride-to-be asks Eleanor to clear her fiancé’s name, as she’s certain he wouldn’t hurt a fly. With help from handsome Detective Seldon, Eleanor examines the evidence. But she’s barely had time to write down her suspect list before Constance’s father is set upon by a bearded stranger on the golf course. Clearly there is more to this story than Eleanor first thought, but can she catch the real killer before the wedding turns into her wake? How can you resist?

Miss Underhay is available in Bulgarian

the loveliest thing about foreign translations is seeing the fabulous covers. I just love these for Murder at the Dolphin Hotel and Murder at Enderley Court!