UNFORGOTTEN: Season 5

Unforgotten, Season 5, starts September 3 at 9:00 p.m. on MASTERPIECE Mystery!  Can't wait! 

This award-winning cold case crime drama follows veteran London detectives who uncover the truth behind tangled, complicated murders from the past. The new season sees DI Sunny Khan’s (Sanjeev Bhaskar) loyal and hard-working investigations team back to work and attempting to get along with a new and all too business-like DCI Jessica James (Sinéad Keenan). Jess’s first case is the discovery of human remains in a newly renovated period property in Hammersmith, London. But how long have they been there and is this a murder dating back to the 1930’s or has the body been disposed of in more recent times?
You can catch up with full episodes of Seasons 1 through 4 streaming now on PBS Passport.

Of course, I'll miss Nicola Walker, but I'm sure it will be a great season. 

Here's the trailer.

Cartoon of the Day: Burglary

 

SOHO CRIME PRESENTS: THE LINEUP -July 30

Be sure and register!!!

Wow! This is going to great  fun. Here's the 'skinny.'

SOHO CRIME'S new virtual author event series.

SOHO CRIME PRESENTS: THE LINEUP: a series of live conversations with Mystery & Thriller authors about their books—from new installments of fan-favorite series to captivating debuts. Attendees will have access to special signed editions, bookplates, or other select items available with the purchase of any featured book from their independent bookstore partner, Mystery to Me (quantity limited!)

For the first event: Sunday, July 30

Join authors Katharine Beutner (KILLINGLY), Naomi Hirahara (EVERGREEN), Sujata Massey (THE MISTRESS OF BHATIA HOUSE), and Nilima Rao, Writer (A DISAPPEARANCE IN FIJI) on July 30 @ 8PM ET for a conversation about Historical Mysteries moderated by NYTimes Bestselling author Cara Black.

Tune in to listen to your favorite authors for FREE and secure your copy of a limited item wherever you are. 

 

Register now and discover upcoming events at https://www.sohocrimelineup.com/

Cartoon of the Day: Cats

 Happy Caturday!

JILL CHURCHILL (Janice Carol Young Brooks): R.I.P.

Sad News. Jill Churchill (Janice Carol Young Brooks) passed away on July 12, 2023.  (Born, January 11, 1943)

Family Obituary on DignityMemorial.com

Best known nationally for her award winning Jane Jeffry and Grace and Favor mystery series, Janice is the author of 39 published books, including 12 historical fiction books written under her name, 22 mysteries published under her pseudonym “Jill Churchill” (because, as she would have explained,  “Churchill is next to Agatha Christie on the bookshelf.”), and is co-author, under the pseudonym “Valerie Vayle” of three bodice ripper romances (that her adult children still won’t crack open for a read). 

Janice’s historical fiction book Seventrees, was set primarily in Kansas City during the 1800s, and appeared on many local high school recommended reading lists through the 1980s and 1990s. 

Her World War II historical fiction book Guests of the Emperor, followed female prisoners of war captured in Singapore and was produced as an NBC movie of the week in 1993 under the title Silent Cries. 

She received the American Association of University Women’s Thorpe Menn Award in 1982 for Seventrees and Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award and Mystery Readers International’s Macavity Award, both in 1990, for her first published mystery book Grime and Punishment.

Janice loved her steaks medium-rare and her opinions expressed. Consequently, her books are filled with impressively strong, well-informed women, who never stood in anyone’s shadow – and always had more than a hint of Janice’s own personality written in between the lines.

Janice famously wrote about her mystery detective Jane Jeffry, “The most important thing she’d learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” This simple truth about “Jane” is a lasting reminder to her family that perfection is over-rated and doing “good” is enough. Her family will miss this incredibly strong-willed, opinionated, intelligent, talented, funny, good woman in a million ways and her children thank her for making them read, think, laugh, imagine, memorize poems when they said they were bored and making them generally do things for themselves.

Cartoon of the Day: Memoir

 

The Chelsea Detective, Season 2

AcornTV has announced that Season 2 of the Chelsea Detective will premiere Monday, August 28th, with new episodes airing weekly. I really enjoyed Season 1 (still available on Acorn). Great setting, plot lines, and acting.

Adrian Scarborough stars as DI Max Arnold, a recently-separated police officer who lives on an old houseboat while holding out hope that he’ll get back together with his wife. He's clever, determined, and perhaps most importantly, he doesn't care about wealth or status when it comes to getting justice. Raised by a local bookshop owner, he's a life-long Chelsea resident – but not part of the elite class of people who make up most of the neighbourhood.

Read more about the neighborhood, the plot, and the cast at BritishTV.com 

https://www.britishtv.com/the-chelsea-detective-season-2-what-we-know-right-now/

Cartoon of the Day: Emotional Support Dog

 

Only Murders in the Building, Season 3

Only Murders in the Building, Season 3, premieres August 8. I can't wait. 

Only Murders in the Building is a unique show with quirky story lines, great performances, and an amazing cast. The past two seasons have included wonderful actors such as Tina Fey, Jane Lynch, Sting, and Amy Schumer.  This season, Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd join the returning trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. And there will be other surprise performances .. not to mention storyline!

Only Murders in the Building Season 3 premieres on Hulu August 8, 2023. Mark your calendars!

TOM SCHANTZ: R.I.P.

Sad news. Tom Schantz, book seller and publisher, mystery fan, and friend, passed away on June 4. Tom loved adventure, gardening, building, and life. He was a journalist, a  Peace Corps volunteer, a reader, a bookseller, a publisher, a teacher, and an activist. He was many things, but I will remember him as a stalwart member of our mystery community. He will be remembered -- and missed.

I knew Tom for many years, but in the past 10, probably only 'saw him' on Facebook. Before that we always chatted at Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon. He always had a table in the bookroom. Tom was on the Left Coast Crime Board, and with his wife Enid, co-chaired the 1995 Left Coast Crime in Boulder, CO. Tom was Fan Guest of Honor at LCC in 2013. I'm pretty sure Tom and Enid put on a Bouchercon, too, and he was awarded a Raven from MWA in 2001

Read about Tom in this LCC program book:
https://www.leftcoastcrime.org/ProgramBooks/2013Program.pdf

Enid and Tom were founders of both The Rue Morgue Mystery Bookstore and The Rue Morgue Press. The Rue Morgue Press was "dedicated to the idea of reprinting 'mysteries for little old ladies of all ages and sexes.' Their specialty was the traditional mystery (1920-1940). Tom and Enid chose the books, edited them, and published them. It was a great imprint.

Enid and Tom, Barbara Peters, and Jim Huang helped found the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA), a trade association of retail businesses devoted to the sale of mystery books. The IMBA's goals are simple but so important: to promote specialty mystery booksellers to both the book-buying and the publishing communities and to offer support to member booksellers.

SILVER FALCHION AWARD NOMINEES 2023

The Full List of Silver Falchion Award Nominations in Multiple Categories was just announced. Wowza! So many great nominations!Congratulations to all! 

Winners will be announced on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at Killer Nashville. 

THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR

Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year: M.W. Craven for The Botanist

Elly Griffiths was Highly Commended for The Locked Room

Ann Cleeves was awarded the Theakson Old Peculiar Oustanding Contribution.

Congratulations, All! Wish I could have been there! 

Cartoon of the Day: Bookshops

From the amazing Tom Gauld 

2023 MACAVITY AWARDS: Mystery Readers International

The Macavity Nominations 2023 
(for works published in 2022)

The Macavity Awards are nominated and voted on by members of Mystery Readers International, subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal, and friends of MRI. Stay tuned for your ballot. The winners will be announced at opening ceremonies at the San Diego Bouchercon in late August. 

Congratulations to all.

 

Best Mystery Novel
 
Back to the Garden by Laurie R. King (Bantam)
Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone (MCD)
A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin (Little, Brown)
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley)
Secret Identity by Alex Segura (Flatiron Books)
 
 

Best First Mystery

 
Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz (Atria/EmilyBestler) 
Shutter by Ramona Emerson (Soho Crime)
Devil’s Chew Toy by Rob Osler (Crooked Lane Books)
The Verifiers by Jane Pek (Vintage Books)
The Maid by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
 
 
Best Mystery Short Story
 
“The Landscaper’s Wife” by Brendan DuBois (Mystery Tribune, Aug/Sep 2022)
“Beauty and the Beyotch” by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Jan 2022)
“First You Dream, Then You Die” by Donna Moore (in Black is the Night, Titan Books)
“Schrödinger, Cat” by Anna Scotti (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Mar/Apr 2022) 
“Stockholm” by Catherine Steadman (Amazon Original Stories)
“The Angel of Rome” by Jess Walter (in The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, Harper)
“My Two-Legs” by Melissa Yi (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Sep/Oct 2022)
 
 
Best Mystery Critical/Biographical
 
The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)
The Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie edited by Mary Anna Evans & J.C. Bernthal (Bloomsbury Academic)
The Crime World of Michael Connelly: A Study of His Works and Their Adaptations by David Geherin (McFarland)
Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley (Pegasus Crime)
 
 
Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery
 
The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur)
In Place of Fear by Catriona McPherson (Hodder & Stoughton)
Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris (William Morrow)
The Secret in the Wall by Ann Parker (Poisoned Pen Press)
One-Shot Harry by Gary Phillips (Soho Crime)
Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen (Forge)

 

BOARD GAME OF THE DAY: JAMES BOND: Secret Agent 007 Game

 Have you ever played the James Bond: Secret Agent 007 Game? Have you ever seen it? 

Cartoon of the Day: A Day at the Beach

 

Tea and Tea Eggs in Shanghai: Guest Post by Tori Eldridge

If you love tea even half as much as me or my ninja sleuth heroine, Lily Wong, you’ll flip over my recipe for mosaic-patterned, tea-marinated eggs. These beautiful eggs, flavored with Chinese five spice powder, ginger, peppercorns, a hint of sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and tea make a memorable treat for yourself, family, and friends.
 
Read on for the recipe and an excerpt from The Ninja’s Oath, book four in my Lily Wong mystery-thriller series, set in Shanghai and Japan.
 
In the scene below, Lily buys tea eggs on Chongming Island with Lee Chang (AKA Uncle), a former Shanghainese triad enforcer and head cook back in Los Angeles for Lily’s father, a North Dakota-Norwegian Hong Kong cuisine chef. They are joined by J Tran—a mysterious Southeast Asian assassin who tangled with Lily in The Ninja Daughter, invaded her thoughts in The Ninja’s Blade, and made a surprise appearance in Hong Kong during The Ninja Betrayed.
 
In The Ninja’s Oath (coming 9/12 in a hardcover release), my Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja travels to Shanghai and joins forces with J Tran to help Lee locate and rescue his kidnapped twelve-year-old grandniece. When the hunt leads to another missing relative, the trio of dangerous heroes—ninja, triad, and assassin—are pitted against an even greater foe.
 
Of course, family complicates everything!
 
This mission would be far simpler if not for Lee’s resentful brother, conniving cousins, and despairing elderly mother who Lee and Lily must move out of the family’s shikumen house before the government tears it down. Forged by the Japanese invasion, Chang Kai-shek, the Green Gang, and Mao Zedung, Lee’s family lineage is entwined into the stunning history of Shanghai. 
 
Back in Los Angeles, Lily’s father is struck down with an unknown disease. Lily’s mother begs her to return, but dire consequences force Lily to stay the course. While she faces potentially insurmountable odds and worries about her father’s waning health, she is shocked by the true identity of her ninja teacher—known only Sensei—and the truth behind why he left Japan.
 
The Ninja’s Oath is a high-octane thrill ride. More action. More ninja. More family. And more intriguingly delicious food. Keep your local Chinese and Japanese restaurants on speed dial. And be sure to accompany it with a fine pot of tea.

*** 
 

Excerpt from THE NINJA’S OATH by Tori Eldridge

We stopped at a grocery shack with a picnic table by the side of a canal where I brought out the first aid kit I carried in my pack. After washing off the blood with the water from my pouch, I disinfected and glued the slash on my arm. I did the same for the cuts on Uncle’s shoulder and cheek. Feeling more presentable, we left Tran to watch his motorcycle and our rideshare bikes while Uncle and I bought tea eggs, sweet potatoes, and bottled water for lunch.

 

I unwrapped my egg and admired the tea-stained designs that had seeped through the cracks. The shop owners had partially boiled the eggs, cracked the shells, and soaked these beauties in a spiced brew of black tea. The Shaoxing rice wine and soy gave it a gorgeous color and an inviting scent. I bit into the egg and showed it to Uncle.

 

“They made the yolk soft like yours.”

 

He nodded with approval. “The trick is to soak the eggs overnight instead of boiling them a second time.”

 

Tran peeled open his sweet potato and revealed the purple flesh. “You cook for her father’s restaurant?”

 

Uncle frowned my way. “How much does he know about you?”

 

“More than I’d like.”

 

He eyed the assassin and stuffed the entire egg into his mouth.

 

Tran shrugged. “I asked out of courtesy. I know all about Red Pole Chang.”

 

“Then tell me about you,” Uncle said, his mouth full of egg. “Lily called you a killer. Out of fun or for hire?”

 

“Hire. Mostly. Never for fun.”

 

“American?”

 

“Depends.”

 

“On what?”

 

“Convenience.”

 

Uncle wiped his mouth. “Why are you here? And what do you want?”

 

“To help.”

 

“Help is the means. What do you want from Lily?”

 

Tran stared into my eyes with the same uncomfortable fascination he had shown in Los Angeles. Then he looked back at Uncle and stuffed the entire sweet potato into his mouth.

***

 

 
TEA EGG RECIPE
 

Notes: I’ve substituted mixed color peppercorns for Sichuan peppercorns and Chinese 5 spice powder in place of star anise and cinnamon bark to make the ingredients easier to attain. I kept the Shaoxing wine because it has a distinctive flavor. Find it in Asian markets and try it in all of your meat marinades. Delicious! Sake is the next best thing. Or simply add an extra ½ cup of tea instead.

 

Ingredients:

 

6 to 12 Eggs

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

(Or use 6 tablespoons of whatever soy sauce you have)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon mixed color peppercorns (any color or black is fine)

1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder 

1 to 2-inch knuckle of ginger, peeled and smashed

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (according to taste)

1 teaspoon salt (use less or none if soy sauce is salty enough for your taste)

2 tablespoons Asaam or other black tea leaves (or 2 quality black tea bags)

2 cups water

½ cup Shaoxing Chinese Rice Wine

 

Instructions:

 

Ø  Bring all ingredients (except for eggs) to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for ten minutes. Remove cover, turn off heat, and let marinade sit until it cools to room temperature.

Ø  Boil water for eggs. Lower to simmer, and gently cook the eggs for 7 minutes for medium boiled eggs.

Ø  Plunge cooked eggs into an ice-water bath.

Ø  Tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack the shells enough for the marinade to soak through.

Ø  Place eggs in a quart–size ziplock bag with the marinade.

Ø  Place in refrigerator for 1 to 5 days. (Eggs become more flavorful after time)

 

Enjoy on their own or with noodles or congee.

*** 

 

Tori Eldridge is the bestselling author of THE NINJA’S OATH (out September 12), book four of the Lily Wong thriller series—two-time Anthony Award nominee, Lefty, and Macavity Awards finalist, and 2021 Crimson Scribe winner for Best Book of the Year. Her dark fantasy thriller, DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES, was inspired by her screenplay that earned a semi-finalist nod from the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Tori’s shorter works appear in numerous anthologies including MWA’s 2022 anthology, CRIME HITS HOME. Tori has performed on Broadway, television, and film, and earned a 5th degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninja martial arts. Learn more at www.ToriEldridge.com.
 
Preorder and read early to participate in Tori’s Virtual Book Club!
bit.ly/SaveYourSpotTNO
 

Cartoon of the Day: Books

 

Cartoon of the Day: Cats

 Happy Caturday!

BASTILLE DAY: MYSTERIES SET IN FRANCE

Celebrate Bastille Day with a copy of  Mystery Readers Journal: Mysteries Set in France (Volume 28:1)! Buy this back issue! Available in hardcopy or as a downloadable PDF.

MYSTERIES SET IN FRANCE: MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLES

• A Brief Panorama of Early French Crime Fiction by Jean-Marc Lofficier
• Sex and the Country: Some Thoughts on Pierre Magnan by Peter Rozovsky
• An Interview with Sîan Reynolds by Peter Rozovsky
• My Affair With the Birthplace of Crime Fiction by Bernadette Bean
• Tale of Two Dominiques by Cary Watson
• The Father of the Detective Story: Emile Gaboriau by Nina Cooper

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

• Passion, Bloodshed, Desire, and Death by Susanne Alleyn
• How I Got Into My Life of Crime French Style by Cara Black
• Honest! I Was in Paris Working Very Hard! by Rick Blechta
• Having a Nice Time? by Rhys Bowen
• Inspector Aliette Nouvelle by John Brooke
• The French Adventure of a Full-time Lawyer and Part-time Fool by Alan Gordon
• Escape From Paris by Carolyn Hart
• Maggie MacGowen Goes to France by Wendy Hornsby
• France on Berlin Time by J. Robert Janes
• Experiencing Provence by M.L. Longworth
• Writing a French Police Series by Adrian Magson
• France, the Write Country by Peter May
• Travel + Fiction: You Want to Go There by Lise McClendon
• Hemingway's Paris Remains 'A Moveable Feast' by Craig McDonald
• Inspired by the "Where" by Tom Mitcheltree
• It's All About Me? by Sharan Newman
• Drinking Tea From a Bowl: Getting France Right by D-L Nelson
• Mysteries Set in France: Vive la Différence! by Katherine Hall Page
• Provence—To Die For by Renée Paley-Bain
• Mick Jagger, Kirs Royales, and Paris by P.J. Parrish
• Paris Shadows by M.J. Rose
• Diplomatic Mystery by William S. Shepard
• Alpine Beach: My French Connection by Susan Steggall
• She Lost Her Head in La Belle France by Nancy Means Wright

COLUMNS

• Crossword: The French Connection by Verna Suit
• Mystery in Retrospect: Reviews by Lesa Holstine, L.J. Roberts, Alana White, Marlyn Beebe
• Children's Hour: Where's Madeleine? by Gay Toltl Kinman
• In Short: Glimpses of France by Marvin Lachman
• The Art of French Crime by Cathy Pickens
• Crime Seen: Le Crime Vu by Kate Derie
• Mysteries Set in France by British Authors by Philip Scowcroft
• From the Editor's Desk by Janet A. Rudolph

Cartoon of the Day: Bastille Day

Cartoon of the Day: Google Search

 

GRANTCHESTER NEWS: MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!

As filming gets underway on the ninth season of the MASTERPIECE and ITV show, Grantchester, lead actor Tom Brittney has confirmed that Season 9 will be his last.

Tom, who has played the much-loved character Reverend Will Davenport since 2019, is stepping back from his role to focus on new projects. But as one door closes, another one opens and the village welcomes Rishi Nair (Hollyoaks, Count Abdulla) as the charismatic vicar, Alphy Kotteram.

Grantchester is a Co-Production of Kudos and MASTERPIECE for ITV. It airs on MASTERPIECE on PBS in the U.S. and on ITV1 and ITVX in the U.K.

Tom Brittney said, “I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years. I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for. I’ll miss it more than anything. But it’s time for the baton to be passed, as it once was to me, and I’m so excited for Rishi to join the Grantchester family.”

Rishi Nair added, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Grantchester. The welcome and support I’ve received from everyone has been overwhelming. The success of the show and the reason we are here for a ninth season is a testament to all the people that have previously worked on it. I’m really excited to get started and cannot wait for the Grantchester fans to meet Alphy and to see all that’s in store for him.”

Robson Green said, “I feel so blessed to be embarking once again on this thrilling journey with the beloved series, Grantchester. The anticipation is palpable however, amid the exhilaration, a tinge of sadness lingers for all of us as we are bidding farewell to my close friend and remarkable actor Tom Brittney, whose portrayal of the charismatic Will Davenport will be sorely missed. Yet, we are all delighted in welcoming the incredibly talented Rishi Nair to the Grantchester family! With his exceptional skills and magnetic presence, I have no doubt that Rishi will be captivating the hearts of millions not only in the UK but also across the globe.”

Emma Kingsman-Lloyd, Executive Producer for Kudos, commented, “It’s the end of an era as we say an emotional farewell to Tom Brittney. He’s been extraordinary in the past five series, and we’ll miss him very much. But audiences can look forward to a new and fantastically entertaining chapter as we welcome Rishi Nair to the series. Alphy Kotteram is charismatic, witty and will give Geordie a run for his money. I think the audience will love our new addition.”

MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Susanne Simpson added, “It’s so hard to say goodbye to Tom Brittney, who has become a beloved member of the Grantchester ensemble. Fortunately for MASTERPIECE and the show’s devoted audience, Rishi Nair is terrific as Alphy Kotteram, a character who we know will quickly become a fan favorite.” 

MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! INSIDER: Sign up now!

I've mentioned this before, but just wanted to remind you to sign up for Masterpiece Mystery! Insider.

The MASTERPIECE Mystery! season on PBS is in full swing, so now is the perfect time to sign up for the free, award-winning MASTERPIECE Mystery! Insider email newsletter exclusively for mystery fans. 

Plunge into the world of British mysteries and crime dramas with MASTERPIECE show schedules, news, and full episode streaming details; interviews with cast, producers, and authors; trivia and quizzes and more. Sign up at PBS.org/mysterynewsletter

***

Artwork by Edward Gorey!

KEEPING A SERIES FRESH: Guest Post by Cathy Ace

This month, the 8^th book in my WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery series will be published, and I already have a dozen deadly Cait Morgan Mysteries published too (the thirteenth will come out later this year), so I dare say that “keeping a series fresh” is something I grapple with on an almost daily basis.
 
Of course, my hope is that readers find that I do – in fact – manage to keep both series fresh (!) so I’m going to proceed on that basis (LOL). 
 
For the Cait Morgan Mysteries, the challenge is eased by the fact that each book has a totally different setting: Cait travels the world tripping over corpses (please suspend your disbelief for that aspect, dear readers…but be happy that you don’t have a boarding pass to the same destination!) so I’m able to use the location to frame the tale each time, and do my best to craft a story that’s quite specific to the place. I also get to introduce a whole new cast of characters in each book – with Cait Morgan (professor of criminal psychology) and her now-husband Bud Anderson (retired homicide detective, with a past that involves high levels of security clearance) always being there, of course. There are also a few other recurring characters (Cait’s sister is in the next book, and we haven’t seen her since Cait and Bud got married in book #5), but – in the main – each group is specific to each book, which allows for high stakes as far as they are concerned. This is really helpful, because readers expect Cait and Bud to emerge, if not unscathed, at least able to continue with their adventures when they’ve solved each closed-circle puzzling mystery. 

 

However, my WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries feature a quartet of soft-boiled female PIs who run their business out of a converted barn on the Estate of a Welsh stately home. Thus, in these books, the cast of characters from Chellingworth Hall and the village of Anwen-by-Wye, as well as our detectives themselves, are all featured each time (not forgetting Gertie and Rosie the Labrador pups, Bunty the calico cat, and McFli, the Jack Russell who is the dowager duchess Althea’s constant companion). These are quintessentially British mysteries, but told with a Welsh accent, because that’s where they’re all set. Wales is a beautiful country with a long and storied history, and I showcase different parts of it in each book, beyond the stunning Wye Valley, where Chellingworth Hall sits. However, to be honest, the challenge of bringing enough small and large crimes to the attention of a group of four female private eyes who live in bucolic surroundings keeps me on my toes.
 
To keep things bowling along, I like to weave several cases into the plot of each book: some might be “small” cases (like The Case of the Purloined Pickles, in The Case of the Disgraced Duke, for example) or they might be utterly devastating to certain people (like The Case of the Suspicious Sister, in the forthcoming The Case of The Uninvited Undertaker). I do my best to allow all my main characters to be fully involved in each book; while I hope that readers can suspend their disbelief about four women being able to make a living being private eyes in a Welsh village, I want to show how all of my detectives can apply their specific, and group, talents to non-paying cases by helping out folks they know, as well as successfully tackling cases which line their coffers…which often take them beyond the confines of the village to other parts of Wales, and the rest of the UK. 
 
Thus, each of my series presents a different challenge when “keeping things fresh”. To be honest, I believe that the main reason that readers keep coming back for more (and you do, thank you so much!) is because I enjoy writing both series, which appears to translate to readers enjoying them too. And, trust me, I know how very fortunate I am to have readers who follow my characters through thick and thin; you’re always on my mind as I write.

***
 
For those who want to find out more about my work, you can do so at my website: https://www.cathyace.com/
 
Or you can stalk me online at my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCathyAce/
my Twitter feed: @AceCathy or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathyace1/
 
 

Cartoon of the Day: Cats

 Happy Caturday!

CWA DAGGER AWARD WINNERS 2023

The Crime Writers Association announced the CWA Dagger Award Winners in all Dagger categories last night. Congratulations to all.

Diamond Dagger (previously announced)

Walter Mosley

Gold Dagger

The Kingdoms of Savannah, by George Dawes Green (Headline)

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

Seventeen, by John Brownlow (Hodder & Stoughton)

John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger

Dirt Town, by Hayley Scrivener (Macmillan, Pan Macmillan)

Historical Dagger

The Darkest Sin, by D.V. Bishop (Macmillan)

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

Unlawful Killings: Life, Love and Murder: Trials at the Old Bailey, by Wendy Joseph (Doubleday)

Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger

Even the Darkest Night, by Javier Cercas, translated by Anne McLean (MacLehose Press)

Short Story Dagger

“Cast a Long Shadow,” by Hazell Ward (from Cast a Long Shadow, edited by Katherine Stansfield and Caroline; Honno Welsh Women’s Press)

Best Crime & Mystery Dagger

Viper (Profile Books)

Debut Dagger

Sideways, by Jeff Marsick

Dagger in the Library

Sophie Hannah

The CWA Red Herring

Corinne Turner, Gary Stratmann