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Murder in the Valleys by Pippa McCaithie
7th January 2023. Having loved the second book in the series, (check out my review of Murder at the Old Abbey here), I had to read the first, which introduces Fabia Havard, a former superintendent, and DCI Matt Lambert. When a young woman is brutally murdered and dumped in the river, Fabia’s the first to discover the body. Lambert and his team are soon on the way. It’s clear from the start that these two have unresolved issues. While Fabia may no longer be in the police, none of her instincts and experience has deserted her. She also knows many of the locals and potential suspects for the murder. As…
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An environmental health officer solving murders?
‘Kent Fisher is a wonderful creation and unique in crime literature.‘ Susan Corcoran, wrote this on 14th April 2018 when she reviewed No Bodies, the second Kent Fisher murder mystery. While I’d never considered him like this, I hope he joins a long list of amateur sleuths who’ve graced literature and TV screens. A quick glance at crime fiction novels reveals sleuths who are village gossips, ecologists, forensic archaeologists, taxi drivers, obituary writers, magicians, or retired people in a care home. TV crime has had local radio presenters, pensioners and gardeners solving murders. But let’s take a reality check for a moment. You wouldn’t pop into your local town hall…
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A semblance of reality
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No Cure for Death by Colin Garrow
3rd January 2023. What a terrific story to start the New Year. In his fifth outing, taxi driver and sleuth Terry Bell faces his most challenging investigation to date. His best friend from school, who disappeared 27 years ago, is back and leaving cryptic notes that suggest he has a hit list of ten people to murder. Is Terry on the list? He feels partly responsible for his friend’s disappearance. Even with the help of his partner Carol, and DI Brown, he can’t prevent the murders. His only hope is to get one step ahead, but when the clues stop, is Terry next? From the start to the finish, the…
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Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
2nd January 2023. Agatha Christie’s most famous book reveals her mastery of plot, character and setting. At the time it was written, I imagine the plot was ground breaking – a locked room murder with a difference. Hercule Poirot is on hand to investigate as the Orient Express is stopped by snowfall and left isolated on the tracks. As no one could have escaped, the murderer must still be on the train. With only observation, interviews of the witnesses and deduction, Poirot has to solve a seemingly insoluble puzzle. And he does it with style, pulling apart an elaborate plot that must have taken some creating. The directness to the…
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Who Do You Think You Are?
A Writer’s Journey Part 1 Becoming a celebrity could help me solve a couple of problems. If I was a household name, it would be easier to get a book deal and sell thousands of novels. Quicker too. There’s also a chance of being invited onto the BBC ancestry series, Who Do You Think You Are. If nothing else, it might help me to discover whether I have ancestors who passed down their creative DNA to me because I’ve no idea why I wanted to become a writer. Okay, in case you’re thinking I’m a tormented soul in an ivory tower, or one of those people who papers their bedroom…
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More than a Murder Mystery
Isn’t it lovely when readers surprise you? Here I am, writing murder mysteries for crime fiction lovers, doing my best to create the most baffling and convoluted plots possible. Being a huge fan and admirer of Agatha Christie, I’ve studied her approach and techniques, determined to learn from the best-selling crime writer of all time. When the reviews and feedback come in, I’m delighted when readers enjoy the plots, the complexity and the unexpected twists that lead to an exciting climax. But many of them love the characters and the backstory. They want Kent Fisher to find the woman of his dreams, to deal with his boss and the bureaucracy…
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A hero for today’s murder mysteries
Have you ever read a book or watched a TV programme and wished you could write something as good? Neither had I until I saw the original Inspector Morse series. The superb characterisation, complex and intriguing plots, and the beautiful Oxford settings captivated me. About the same time, BBC 1 aired the Miss Marple series, adapted from Agatha Christie’s books. Both programmes evoked the same emotion and desire to write a complex murder mystery. At this point, I should tell you I was already a writer. Not a successful one, unless you include the national short story competition I won at the age of 12. That early enthusiasm and promise…
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Talking to Boomers on Books
25th April 2021. My thanks to Vince Stevenson for a fascinating interview about the creation of No Accident and what goes on in the mind of a crime writer. Check out the interview below.
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No Sex Please We’re Crime Writers
Have you ever wondered why there’s so little sex in crime fiction? Maybe there is and I’m reading the wrong books. Maybe sex and murder are not good bedfellows. Some categories of crime fiction, such as cosy mysteries, exclude explicit sex, graphic violence and excessive swearing. In my book, literally and metaphorically, this doesn’t exclude romance, sexual tension and people sleeping together. It simply frowns on graphic description. But sex scenes should only be in a story if they are essential to the plot or character development. This should be the case in any book in any category. If a killer, for instance, seduces his or her victims before killing…
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An interview with author Paula Williams
I’m delighted to welcome crime novelist Paula Williams to Robservations. The third novel in her Much Winchmoor series, Burying Bad News, is published on 17th March 2020. Having enjoyed the first book in the series, Murder Served Cold, I thought it would be interesting and fun to learn more about Paula and her writing. Paula, please tell me a little about yourself and your writing. I began my writing career writing short stories and serials for women’s magazines, which I still do sometimes, although it’s now a sadly shrinking market. So I started thinking of a change of direction and decided to dip my toe in the murky waters of…
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An interview with author, Colin Garrow
I’m delighted to welcome author, Colin Garrow, who writes the entertaining Terry Bell murder mysteries and a glorious spoof of Sherlock Holmes, The Watson Letters. He’s also written plays, books for young adults and always has several projects on the go. Colin grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland. He has worked in a plethora of professions including: taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, Word Bohemia, Every Day Fiction, The Grind, A3 Review, 1,000 Words, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. He currently…
