It’s open season at Penford Manor in Northumberland – and someone has murder in their sights…
Miss Clara Vale returns in ‘The Penford Manor Murders’ by Fiona Veitch Smith on 15th April! Pre-order now in #eBook, #audiobook and #paperback https://tinyurl.com/4t5hnk2k
As an author I travel to a lot of festivals and events in far-flung places. So it’s always a treat to have a crime festival right on my doorstep! And not just any festival, but one of the best in the country. I was delighted this year to appear on the Cosy Crime & Golden Age panel at Newcastle Noir’s 10th anniversary at Newcastle City Library. With me were Golden Age mystery novelist Tom Mead (the Spector Locked-Room Mysteries) and contemporary cosy writer Antony Johnston (the Dogsitter Detective). We were interviewed by the fabulous Kitty Murphy, who writes the Dublin Drag Mysteries. I was talking about Miss Clara Vale and the Pyramid Murders. Thanks to the incredible Jacky Collins (aka Dr Noir) for running the whole show, warmly and professionally. May there be many more!
I’ve been making another vintage dress. This one is a 1932 inspired Chanel evening dress in teal Crepe Georgette. It was a challenging make, not least because the instructions on these vintage patterns are so sparse! That and they seemed to have very skinny arms back in those days (well that’s my excuse and I’m going to stick with it.) This is the dress that Miss Clara Vale will be wearing in book 4 in the series, Another Class of Murder. Meanwhile, I will give it a test run at Crime Fest in Bristol next week.
I’m delighted to announce the upcoming release of Miss Clara Vale’s next adventure, The Pyramid Murders. Due out on 13 June. Ebook, paperback and audio. Click here to pre-order the book now.
I’m delighted to see that The Picture House Murders has reached the #1 Best Seller spot in historical mysteries on Amazon UK. How heartening that so many people are loving this book. Thank you to all my readers – old and new – who have made this happen. I’m tickled pink and Clara is quietly chuffed.
Miss Clara Vale and I are delighted to be on the @instabooktours for The Picture House Murders! Thanks to all the Instabloggers and reviewers for taking part. Turn up the volume for this one, it will have your toes tapping! Music is ‘I’d Rather Be Blue’ by Alfredo & His Band (1929). Enjoy!
One of the reasons I chose to sign a contract with Bonnier Books is that they are an ethical publishing company committed to becoming carbon neutral. So I was delighted, yesterday, when I received an email from them telling me that for every book they publish they plant 10 trees – and I could choose where ‘my’ trees go! They partner with a number of reforestation projects around the world, and their latest one is in the Eastern Cape, on the outskirts of Addo. This is where my husband’s family live and where we met, at Rhodes University, over 30 years ago now.
So, thank you for buying The Picture House Murders. You will be contributing a couple of leaves to those trees! 
https://www.reforestaction.com/en/bonnier-books-uk
Lights, camera, action! It’s publication day for The Picture House Murders, the first in the Miss Clara Vale Mysteries. Is it too early for champagne? While I ponder that, you can get your copy now! Ebook, print or audiobook via Amazon, or order a copy through your local bookshop. Embla Books, Bonnier Books UK
The audiobook of The Picture House Murders, narrated by the very talented Hannah Geniuses , is available now! The Picture House Murders, published by Embla Books, is the first in the new Miss Clara Vale Mysteries. It is set in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1929, and Hannah does a smashing job with the Geordie accent. The clip below is from the opening scene of the book (no Geordies involved yet!). You can order the audiobook for yourself here: The Picture House Murders audiobook.