What's up World

My fellow Bookaholics, given my lack of posts recently you may be wondering why I'm starting the blog with hooray. There are several awesome hoorays in the post.

Firstly, Hooray, I've actually managed to carve out some time to write a blog and to do admin. Life has been crazy recently with writing my books taking priority. I have also been on holiday and a couple of writing conferences. Add all that in and blogging feel by the wayside. Not much of an excuse I know. I did plan on writing my blog whilst I was on holiday. However, add the WiFi from hell into the mix and the blog went nowhere. Still, I can rejoice that I am now back on track.

The next Hooray is a huge one. As I said in my previous blog, I have signed a contract for a series of Young Adult Mysteries, The Fergus and Flora Mysteries. The first of these, Dagger's Curse, is with the editor and will be released on September 2016. The cover is currently being designed and I am excited to see it when it arrives. I have enjoyed getting to know Fergus and Flora as they have told me more about themselves. They're cracking characters who live life to the max. No sitting around saying "I'm bored," for them.  When I attempted to create them one way, they firmly refused to comply. Okay then, I'm only the writer, I'll do what I'm told. Writing for young adults is a new experience for me. It has been a challenge but also lots of fun. I have joined SCWBI (pronounced Scoobie) and I am learning a great deal from others. Exciting times for this writer.

The final Hooray is that DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries book 5 is coming along nicely. Shona is once more in the midst of a puzzling case with very few clues as to the identity of the killer. I love these books and enjoy writing them. Even I do not know what Shona will get up to next. Go Shona, don't you let anyone change who you are. 

So life is full on, and I have so much to celebrate. I exhort you to enjoy your life. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly and make the most of it. What have you been up to recently, either with reading or writing?

Life and New Beginnings

Good morning my Bookaholic friends, and a beautiful morning it is too. The sun is shining in Bonnie Dundee and I am going to spend the day reading. I want to start by apologising for the lack of blogs recently. Life has been frantically busy. I hope you will forgive me when you find out why.

Firstly I have been doing the final edits to KIller's Cut. I am excited about this book and I absolutely love the cover. I am sure you will agree that Cathy Helms of Avalon graphics has done a cracking job. As with all my books the bottom picture is of Dundee where the books are set. The top picture is indicative of the theme of the book. This will be released on 18th April at 6.30 pm in Waterstones, Dundee. Dundee in Scotland that is. If you are nearby then you are more than welcome to come along and help the book to get off to an explosive and fun filled start. 

I have also been all over the country giving talks, attending conferences and even a few days holiday. During this holiday I even managed to spend time in a Jail. Before everyone thinks I am some sort of criminal mastermind, it was a tourist attraction. Inveraray Jail. So I am sure you can see that I haven't had a second to think about blogging. 

So on to those new beginnings. As a crime writer I am usually thinking about endings - ending someones life. But April is a month of new beginnings for me. It's spring and that always makes me think about new life. My first new beginning is this blog. I will be back to bringing it out more regularly. That;s my promise to you. Another new beginning is the next book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. I have already started this and am enjoying spending more time with Shona and her disparate team. I love these books and it is truly a pleasure to write them. The final new beginning is that I have signed a publishing contract to write a series of mystery books for Young Adults. These will be called the Fergus and Flora Mysteries, and they will also be set in Dundee. I am thrilled to be writing these and look forward to writing Young Adult books. 

So, as you can see it has been an exciting few months for this author and Bookaholic. What new beginnings have you had in your life recently? I am sure there are many. It would be great if you could share some of these in the comments below. 

Now, I am off to do some reading. I will be finishing off a cracking mystery and starting a biography. I certainly have eclectic tastes in reading. That's it for now Bookaholics. See you all back here soon. 

Book Review: A Very Private Grave

After a hectic few on this I have actually been able to breathe again and do some reading. What to pick when you need a new book.min my case it is usually a mystery. So today I bring you ne which is a mixture of contemporary and historical. 

I have had this book on my kindle for some time but, as I say, have only just got around to reading it. I really wish I had read it sooner. This is the first in one of Donna Fletcher Crow's series and introduces the reader to Felicity and Anthony. A beloved priest, father Dominic, is found bludgeoned to death. Following this felicity and Anthony have to flee from the monastery in order to protect themselves. This leads to a chase throughout the UK whilst they investigate the murder. Without giving too much away ecclesiastical history forms a large part of the story. The historical research in the book is sound and I found this aspect fascinating. The sense of place in this book is also excellent. I learnt so much about different areas of the UK, including Scotland, where I live. This is a first class book with a strong plot and likeable characters. 

I am looking forward to learning more bout the characters in future books. It is always both interesting and fun to see how characters develop in a series.

There we have it for another day my bookaholic friends. I will be back soon, but until then, keep reading. 

It's November and that means ...

Good morning Bookaholics. I trust you are all having a fabulous day. Today I am going to talk about the month of November. What's that got to do with reading I hear you ask. Well, it has a lot to do with reading, and writing of course. 

This morning my little corner of Scotland had its first snow of the year. Admittedly, not enough to build the cheery wee chappy above, but snow nevertheless. Along with snow comes very cold weather. I'm cuddled up in a blanket writing this. The heating is on, but my office used to be a garage and it's not terribly well insulated.

November also brings the first Christmas songs of the year. Personally I would rather these waited until December, but that's life as the saying goes. It also brings the first Christmas adverts and the kids go into overdrive. Everyones thoughts turn to buying Christmas presents. 

November also brings long cold nights. It is dark in Scotland by 4 pm. The curtains are drawn and the heating is on and all of us readers know what that means. Yes, it's more time to curl up with a good book. I have a reading pile which is so huge it is threatening to fall over. I've decided on a bit of eclectic reading this November. Here is a small section of what I will be reading. 

To writers November also means NaNoWriMo. This stands for National Novel Writers Month. This month writers, from all corners of the globe, will be writing up a storm. They will be counting words like a demon, and every word counts. They will update their word count daily on the NaNoWriMo site as they work towards the 50,000 they have pledged to write in November. They will be checking their buddies total and wondering how they are doing in comparison. Novels will get written during this month and the winners will rejoice. It is a time of elation, and a time of despair. Despair if you are not meeting your target for the day. Despair as you realise that you have to make that superb word total into a manageable manuscript. I am storming ahead with my fourth book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries.

This year, November also sees the arrival of the third book in the series, Killer's Cross. It will be launched in Waterstones, Dundee on 16th November. It is available from Amazon on the link to the right. In the UK signed copies are also available from my website and would make a fabulous Christmas present. See, I'm also solving your Christmas present problems in this blog.

Bodies with crosses carved on their chests! All left outside Dundee Churches! All members of the religious community! DI Shona McKenzie has to find the common factor linking the deaths, and catch the killer before he strikes again. Is her latest case as simple as it seems?

So November means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Whatever November means to you, my wish is that it brings you lots of lovely books to read. If you are a writer, and doing NaNoWriMo, my hope is that it is going well. My wish is that you will see that winner's video. I am off back to the writing. I will see you all back here soon. Have a great, fun filled, November. 

Research for Writers

In day two of my blogging challenge I am looking at research for writers. I am sure that all writers would agree that research is crucial in informing their writing. I would venture to say this is true in all genres, even in Fantasy. Not being a fantasy writer I can't actually comment on that, however, as a crime writer I think research can often be key. This is not just for ensuring accuracy but also as ideas for future plots. The most unlikely things can make a crime writer's mind go in seriously deranged directions. 

I am currently in London and when I discovered that there was a Crime Museum Exhibition at the Museum of London, I had to go. This is a temporary exhibition so I paid my money and took my chance. What a fabulous couple of hours. The museum is packed with evidence from crimes throughout the history of the Met Police, as well as other artefacts I never even knew existed. How about Death Masks from offenders hanged outside Newgate Prison. The earliest one I could see was that of James Greenacre aged 42. He was known as the Edgware Road Murderer and was hanged on 2nd May 1837 for the murder of his fiancee, Hannah Brown aged 47. I'm never going to stroll up the Edgware Road in quite the same way again. 

An older case, but no death mask on display was that of Henry Fauntleroy in 1824. He was the last man to be hanged in Britain for Forgery. Another interesting facet of this case is that he was a partner in the bank from which he stole the money. He admitted guilt but his defence rested on the fact he said he did it for the good of the bank. Funnily enough they didn't believe him. He was hanged outside Newgate Prison in front of a crowd of 100,000 spectators. That's some audience. 

Exhibits include The Kray's Briefcase and a stocking mask which literally is made from the top of a stocking. There are outlines of numerous real cases with the artefacts from these cases displayed alongside them. The most modern exhibits are those from acts of terrorism including the 7/7 bombings. This certainly makes you think about the fragility of human life. It is fascinating in a macabre sort of way. 

As a writer, research can come in many different guises. It is worth looking to see if there is anything you can do which will help you with your writing. My day out has certainly helped me. Look around and see if there is anything different you can do that will help you. It is so much fun being an author so make the most of it. 

There we are for day two my Bookaholic friends. See you back here tomorrow for the next blog in the challenge. Until then keep reading and writing. 

Writing Crossover Fiction

I have been listening to a lot of podcsts recently about both writing and marketing. A recurring theme is to understand your audience and write for them. Now to a great extent this is true, although some people may like multiple genres. When marketing your books this also holds true. 

Regular readers of this blog will know I write crime books. These are realistic and therefore deal with the seedier underbelly of Scotland. They pull no punches when it comes to description. The descriptions of the city are both real and factionalized. In other words they are as authentic as I can make them. 

Long before I heard this advice I had decided my target market was anyone who read crime books. Many people on here will know I am a Christian. Many Christian authors will only write for a Christian Market. My books are not Christian and contain no Christian themes. They have been written for the secular market. However, they have been written in a way which means they can be read by anyone. There is a fine dividing line when writing crossover crime fiction. The books need to be gritty and absorbing, whilst avoiding themes such as sex, or containing too many swear words. I feel I have managed the balance in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries.

 

Many people have asked me how I have managed to write a book about the police and criminals with no swear words. Especially since my books are definitely not cozy crime. I have made this issue a part of the books. Shona is totally against swearing and this is a recurring, if minor, theme. It leads to some comedic scenes and many readers have said they like this aspect of the book. It is also fun to write. 

That' sit for another week bookaholics. If you want to take a look at the books then you can do so by clicking on the links on the right. See you all back here soon. Until then, grab a good book and keep reading 

An Author's Thoughts Revealed

It has been a bit of a busy time for me recently. Book two in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries is finished and I am waiting for the proof copy to turn up. I am reliably informed it will be here today. This means I can't settle and my thoughts are all over the place. There is still much to do before the launch which still seems so far away. Yet it is less than five weeks. The launch will be held in Waterstones, Dundee on 20th July at 6.30 pm. I'm excited beyond belief, and very much looking forward to the event. So I am sure you can understand why my thoughts are erratic. 

Whilst I am writing this blog, and doing anything else in fact, all I can think about is the postman arriving. Only a writer will understand what it means to hold the first copy of a new book in my hands. This is a time of magic. It belongs to me, and all those months and years of hard work have come to fruition. For five weeks I can hold it in my hand. There is still time to nurture it and make changes. However, in five weeks it will be set free and into the hands of the reading public. All authors know that this is an anxious time. Will readers enjoy the book is what fills my thoughts on launch day. 

So, today, I am finding it difficult to settle. I am finding it difficult to concentrate. What does an author do in such circumstances? Why read a book of course. In order to be an author, you first need to be a reader. My love of reading is up there with that of my writing. I have bookcases full of books which I have not yet read. I can savour the glorious feeling of anticipation as I choose the perfect book. I will then grab a cup of tea, a chocolate biscuit and sit down with the book. It will occupy my mind and hold me in its grip. It will stop me thinking about the postman's arrival.

What's that you say? What have I chosen? That my friends will remain a mystery until next time. See you all back here soon with a review of my chosen book. 

In the meantime I will leave you with a picture of the cover of book two in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. If you haven't yet read book one you can get it from the links on the right hand side of the blog. By for now, and keep reading. 

Deadly Crime Box Set

Dundee Crime Series Box Set

I have a real treat for all Bookaholics on the blog today. I bring you news of a deadly trio of crime novels in one great value box set.

Hot off the press, Chris Longmuir has combined the three books of her Dundee Crime Series into a Kindle box set, which means you can get the three books for the price of two. I have read this series and these books are gripping. Chris Longmuir is a highly talented writer who uses words with killer effect.

Three Scottish suspense thrillers featuring Dundee detective, DS Bill Murphy. I love the character of Bill Murphy. He's the sort of man you want to take under your wing and sort out. Don't let this fool you. As a detective he is as sharp as a tack.

Night Watcher: Obsession and death! Two stalkers, one target, and a woman seeking revenge! Can DS Bill Murphy find the killer before he strikes again?

Dead Wood: A mystery and detective story. A combination of police procedural and woman in jeopardy. (Dundee International Book Prize winner, 2009)

Missing Believed Dead: Missing children! Internet predators! Dead bodies! Is Jade alive or dead? Or has she returned to wreak a terrible vengeance?

Three books that will have you looking over your shoulder, and keep you off your sleep. I cannot recommend them highly enough, as you probably realise from my waxing lyrical.

   

Dundee Crime Series Box Set

Website:      http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/

Blog:       http://chrislongmuir.blogspot.co.uk/

Amazon UK:   http://ow.ly/GeM1w

Amazon US:    http://ow.ly/GeM9R

That's it for another week bookaholics. See you all again back here soon. Until then, grab these books, and keep reading. 

Interview with Scottish Crime Writer Michael J. Malone

Today on Bookaholic we welcome Scottish Crime Writer Michael J. Malone. Thank you for agreeing to take the hot seat Michael. 

I am sure the readers would love to hear about you. Could you start by telling them a little bit about yourself?

I’ve lived in Ayrshire all of my life and like most writers I’ve had a multiple jobs. From stacking shelves, to selling books and suits. From banking to publishing. But the one constant throughout has been books – both reading and writing.

I have a yellow Labrador (Bob) and a teenage son who keeps me grounded with comments like, “I hope you realise I won’t be reading your book, Dad.”

As Glasgow is so important to the story could you tell the readers something about the City?

When I was younger, Glasgow held a good deal of glamour. It seemed like an exciting, vibrant, funny and somewhat dangerous place. The clothes were better, the music more exciting and the girls more attractive than what was going on in Ayrshire. But that’s a (very) young man’s view and maturity teaches that cities like Glasgow have much, much more to offer.

Which is your favourite character in any of your books and why?

Ray McBain. He’s a man with enough baggage to keep an airport carousel in business for a month, but he’s also funny, vulnerable and honest to a fault.

When you are not writing what types of books do you read? What would you say was the best book you have ever read?

I read a variety of things. Crime mostly, because I review for Crimesquad. And I tend to seek out American and Scottish authors. I enjoy the scale of much of the stuff coming out of the US, and the grit and humour my fellow Scots are renowned for. But I like to mix it up with fantasy, historical and some contemporary fiction (I’m resisting  the “Literary” label – hate that word).

As for my favourite ever book, that changes depending on the prevailing winds, but my favourite authors include, Pat Conroy, Robert Crais, James Lee Burke, John Connolly, Don Winslow, Raymond Feist, Denise Mina, Fiona McIntosh. I could go on, and on. And on.

I have reviewed Beyond the Rage below. Can you tell the readers something about your other books?

Blood Tears and A Taste for Malice are thrillers starring D.I. Ray McBain.

The Guillotine Choice is an inspirational novel based on the true story of an innocent Algerian sent to Devil’s Island by the French colonial power.

Carnegie’s Call is a non-fiction book detailing the lives and successes of a number of prominent Scots.

Now we are getting personal. What is your favourite food?

Cake.

But I also enjoy a fry-up – bacon, black-pudding, square sausage and eggs. Never get tired of that.

If you ever have a day off from writing exciting books what do you like to do in your spare time?

Walk the dog. Go to the gym. Read a book. Watch a movie. That’s pretty much my life right there.

Beyond the rage is a gritty novel and deals with the criminal underbelly of Glasgow. Where did you get your inspiration for such a dark novel?

Kenny O’Neill is the hero of this book – and he features in my first two novels as Ray McBain’s criminal best friend.

While my first two books were doing the rounds of the publishers and receiving rave rejections I knew I had to keep writing, but I didn’t want to write a third McBain book until the first two had a home, so I hit upon the idea of a book with Kenny acting front and centre.

Is there anything, which has surprised you as a writer? If so what is it?

Lots and lots. It has been a big, steep learning curve. The thing that occurs to me right now, given that I’m in the agony of writing a new book – is that I can manage to come up with another one.

Each time I’ve typed those two little words “The End” I have the strongest feeling that I will never EVER be able to do that again. That I’ve left everything on the page and there is nothing in the creative well. But, after a break the drive to write rises, there’s a spark of an idea and I’m off. It shouldn’t still surprise me, but it does.

Thank you for joining us Micael and for being patient in answering all my questions.

Beyond the Rage

This is the first book I have read by Michael and I am sure it won't be the last. This is a gritty book which is down to earth and real. Malone gives the reader a flavour of the Glasgow underworld which is realistic. His writing style is excellent and he does not pull any punches. I started of by disliking the main character Kenny, O'Neill but I ended up loving him. He is a multifaceted character with a lot of endearing features. For a gangster that is. The basic premise of the story is that Kenny is trying to find his long lost father. This leads to a well written story and a tight plot which races along. The story pulls the reader along with it, and the tension ramps up towards the end. This is an enjoyable book.

The only thing I will add is that there are  a lot of sexual scenes and references in this book. Whilst this supports the story well I felt I should let readers know in advance.

You can find out more about Michael and his books on his Amazon Author page

That's us for another Bookaholic day. See you back here very soon. Until then keep reading and writing. 

Book Review: Fixed in Blood by T.E. Woods

Good evening Bookaholics. I realise there has been a lot of writing talk on the blog recently so to make up for it I am bringing you a review of a top rate book. All the mystery fans out there will love this one. 

I really enjoyed Woods first book the fixer and was looking forward to this new offering. I was not disappointed. Woods is an excellent storyteller and uses words to good effect. She draws the reader in and keeps them reading. I was engrossed in the story form the first word. 

Initially the different parts of the story seem a little disparate but once you get to know the characters and the story better they start to pull together. In fact the wondering where it is all going is part of the overall tension. There is tension aplenty in this book. There are parts which are high octane and others which are slower paced, but the tension never eases up. 

I liked the characters, particularly that of the Chief of Detectives Mort Grant. He is not a caricature but a real person, confident, knows what he is doing and yet with his own foibles. Woods uses dialogue to good effect to keep the story moving and to give characters their own voice. 

Some parts of the book are really creepy and the reader feels like they are in the presence of evil. There are some parts which are not for the faint hearted. Given the themes of the book such as the sex trade, they are necessary for the story and help to set the tone of the book. I feel they are handled well. The resolution of all the storylines and the way they pull together is excellent. I certainly wasn't expecting the end. 

This is a top notch book, fast paced and engrossing, and I would highly recommend it. 

   

This book will not be available until 16th June. However, it is available on preorder from Amazon on the link above. 

That brings us to the end of another review and book aloha blog. See you all back here very soon. 

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. At no time was I asked to provide a positive review. The review is imperial and based on my reading and enjoyment of the book. 

Book Review: I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork

Today I am excited to bring you a great new voice in the Nordic Noir genre.

I love Nordic Crime and I was looking forward to reading this book by debut author Samuel Bjork. I was not disappointed. What a brilliant book. The story line is taut, the writing, draws you in and the plot is excellent. As this is the first book in, what I hope will be, a series, Characterisation plays a large part. Bjork excels in this area. Each character is different and has a distinct personality and speech pattern. This makes it easy to differentiate between them. However, the main character, Mia Kruger, is exceptionally well written. She is complex, multifaceted and haunted by demons form her past.

In this book Mia is dragged back from the brink of suicide by the lure of one, last, dark case. A serial killer is murdering young girls and leaving them with a note around their neck, "I am Travelling Alone." This description alone had me wanting to read more. From the first word to the last I was hooked and could not put this book down. I would say that Samuel Bjork is an exceptional new voice in Nordic Crime and definitely one to look out for. The book is atmospheric and sets the scene for the novel well.

A definite highly recommended from this very satisfied reader. If you like crime books then do not miss this one.

I was given a copy of this book from Amazon for review purposes. I was not expected to provide a positive review, and my review is based on my reading, and enjoyment, of the book. PLEASE NOTE the book is not published until July. It is available for preorder via Amazon.

That's it for another Bookaholic day. See you all again soon with another great book. Until then, what are you waiting for, get reading. 

Genre Fan or Genre Hopper

Good evening Bookaholics. Today's blog is for both readers and writers. I have been thinking a lot about genres recently. This was sparked by a talk I was giving at a local library. One of the questions asked by the audience was what type of books do I read. Now I would have said I am an eclectic reader but it made me stop and think. What do I actually like reading?

If there is nothing else available then I will pretty much read anything, including, but not limited to, the back of a cornflakes packet. I need to add the disclaimer that other cereals are available. Or serials I suppose as we are talking about reading. However, my passion remains crime. I love crime bookstand am fortunate to be able to live, and write, in Scotland. Tartan Noir, or Scottish Crime Fiction is huge in Scotland which gives me a lot of Authors from which to choose. We have Ian Rankin, Quintin Jardine, Stuart McBride, Lin Anderson, Alex Grey and Chris Longmuir amongst many other great writers. However, I read crime books from all over the world and I love both Nordic and American crime writers. I have also read books translated from Spanish, German and French. 

As I write crime fiction it is good that I read so many crime books. However, there is an argument that reading widely across genres is better to develop your skills as a writer. With this in mind I do read other genres such as Chick Lit, Literary Fiction, Autobiographies and historical amongst others. Does this make me a better writer? I would like to think so. Do I enjoy reading other books? Yes, whilst I am reading them but I am always drawn back to crime.

Another aspect to look at is genre hopping as a writer. I haven't tried this to any great extent as yet. I have written some memoir as part of a course. I have also written a couple of comic pieces. I have a plan to develop these and turn them into a book one day. I can assure you, so far, there isn't a dead body in sight. I can't promise that will remain the case for the entire book however. 

Some authors are superb at genre hopping. PD James did an excellent job with the book Death Comes to Pemberley pictured at the top of the page. She had many years as a writer under her belt when she did so. She was also a master of her craft. 

So the question to the readers on here. Do you like to read different genres, or have a passion for one? My question to the authors. Do you find yourself genre hopping or sticking to the one genre? 

I look forward to seeing you all back here soon. Until then, keep reading or writing as the case may be. 

A Happy Crime Writer's New Year

Good afternoon Bookaholics and welcome to the first blog of 2015. I trust you all had a great Christmas and New Year and that you got lots of lovely books for Christmas. I was fortunate to get a few so watch this space.

So what has this Crime Writer and reader been up to over Christmas and new year? Firstly I am sporting one of my Christmas presents. I love this T-Shirt and the perfect present for me. In case you can't read it from the picture it says "You are Dangerously Close to Becoming a Body in my Next Novel." You do not know how true this is. As a crime writer I am always one step away from planning the next murder. Seriously, never upset a crime writer. They can bump you off in ways that are too horrible for the human mind to imagine. Unless it's a crime writer's mind that is.

So what of 2014. The most exciting part of this had to be the launch of the first book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. Shona is keen, eager and ready to prove to the world what she can do. So far she hasn't disappointed with the book being warmly received. The book launch at Waterstones Bookstore was so much fun and very well attended. Definitely a great way to launch my career as a published author.

Unfortunately I haven't had huge amounts of time to read recently as I have been knee deep in all things Christmas and New Year related. Much like the rest of the world. I am waiting for my family to arrive so we can have our New Years Day Dinner together. That brings me neatly to the end of my post as I have a steak pie to carve up, er. sorry cut up and serve. See you all back here very soon my bookaholic friends. My wish for you over the coming year is that you will have everything you need. See you all soon. 

A Winter Murderland by Juliet B. Madison

Today I’m pleased to welcome fellow crime author Juliet B Madison back to my blog to talk about A Winter Murderland, her recently released DI Frank Lyle novellas collection.

Can you briefly sum up A Winter Murderland for those who haven’t read it?

Juliet:  It’s winter and DI Frank Lyle, along with his team, are hoping for a crime-free season.

DS Thomas Fox feels threatened after a chance encounter with someone from his past. Can he and his boyfriend, James Lyle, deal with the emotional consequences of both the encounter and a revelation it forces Thomas to make?

John Cassidy is found dead. As DI Lyle and his team investigate they uncover sinister secrets and darker motives as they are drawn into the unfamiliar world of pharmaceutical malpractise and the minefield of murder by prescription.

A Winter Murderland also includes two DI Frank Lyle short stories: Wishing on a Star and The Dare.

I haven’t read the book as yet, but I believe it includes your NaNoWriMo piece?

Juliet:  Yes, that’s right Wendy. I’m really very proud of Prescription for Murder. I had to do more research than normal as I had to find out about pharmaceutical practise and prescription drugs, including ones which contraindicate one another. Cathy Goddard, the palliative care pharmacist where my mum works, was incredibly helpful and her husband, Tim, features in a cameo role as a paramedic (his real life profession)

Do you think DI Frank Lyle learns anything new as a result of this investigation?

Juliet: I don’t think he learns anything new police procedure-wise as he’s already an experienced detective, but he learns about prescription drugs and gets an insight into more of the darker facets of the human psyche.

Why did you include short stories in this collection?

Juliet: Originally the first novella, A Murder-Free Christmas, was to be published separately, but I decided to put two novellas together. Wishing on a Star is a story set in 1977 when James, DI Lyle’s son, is only six. The other story, The Dare was published in the Shadows & Light charity anthology to promote the work of Women’s Aid and to raise awareness of the more subtle aspects of domestic violence. James is sixteen and it’s a kind of emotional maturity coming of age tale (although not legally coming of age as no one turns eighteen).

I understand that DI Lyle is a big fan of Joan Baez and his colleague, DI Redfern, is into Bruce Springsteen. Do your characters’ musical tastes reflect your own in any way?

Juliet: When it comes to a character’s preferences in matters like music, reading matter, gastronomic tastes and even sexual tastes I think a lot of the author’s personal preferences do tend to creep in. Yes, I do admire Joan Baez and have seen her live twice. The fact that she is still doing live performances at the age of 73 shows incredible resilience. How many X factor winners will we remember even a year from now? I suspect that there is probably quite a bit of you in DI Shona McKenzie as well.

I know from previous interviews you’ve done that you enjoy reading crime fiction, but what’s the last book you read that wasn’t in the crime genre?

Juliet: I’m currently reading “My Life”, (David Jason’s autobiography), which I’m really enjoying.  I’m a huge David Jason fan and I think that DI Frost was the best part he played. I learnt a lot from watching that series and paid homage to the airing of the first ever episode in my last novel Best Served Cold. David is one actor I would love to meet.

Do you think DI Lyle & DI Frost would get on?

Juliet: On a personal level maybe, But DI Lyle would definitely be a straight man to Frost’s constant flouting of procedure and rule-breaking. I think he would really disapprove of Frost’s methods. They both get results in different ways.

Do you think that the crimes DI Lyle investigates will change as you move the series closer to the present day?

Juliet: There will ALWAYS be murderers, but yes, I suspect he will start to investigate things like Internet crime and identity theft as time moves on.

What’s next for DI Lyle & his team?

Juliet:  Another investigation involving people and drug trafficking, murder and corruption. I haven’t gotten very far with Dead on Arrival yet though.

Would you be prepared to share a short excerpt from A Winter Murderland with us?

JULIET:  Here’s a little bit from Prescription for Murder

Jean crossed the street and pressed the intercom button for Cassidy’s flat. The receiver crackled but there was no response. She swallowed hard.

“Mr Cassidy, are you alright?” she called. Ashbeck City Council paid Cassidy’s housing benefit direct to his bank account on a fortnightly basis and she came to collect. He had once been a lecturer at Ashbeck University, but about a year ago he had had surgery for a heart problem and not worked since. It seemed wrong to Jean, he was only in his early forties after all, but, she reminded, herself, when had life ever been fair?

There was still no response. Jean gave a glance at the leaden skies, before another tenant came out and held the door open for her.

“Thank you Mr Sakura,” she said, “Have you seen Mr Cassidy lately?”

“Not for a couple days, Miss Leyton,” he bowed respectfully as was Japanese custom.

“Alright, thank you.” she watched the Japanese walk across the road and down the street before ascending a flight of stairs to Cassidy’s apartment.

She knocked on the door, but there was no response.

She hated to invade a tenant’s privacy, but she had a need.

She unlocked the door and went in, calling his name. As she approached the door to the lounge she smelt an overpowering stench of decay. Almost afraid she pushed open the door and went in. She had not gotten more than two steps inside when the reason for Cassidy’s lack of response was made shockingly clear. Cassidy was slumped in the armchair, a bottle clutched in his hand. His dead eyes stared past her at nothing.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Where can my readers get their own copy of A Winter Murderland?

JULIET:  You can buy A Winter Murderland here

Thank you Juliet. It was a pleasure to have you on the blog today and to find out more about your latest book. I wish you and all the readers of Bookaholic a very Merry Christmas