In The Lyme Crime Spotlight: Amanda Jennings

 Name:- Amanda Jennings

Job:- Author

Website:- https://www.amandajennings.co.uk

Twitter:- @MandaJennings

Introduction:-

Amanda Jennings is the author of 5 standalone novels. The most recent being The Haven. She is a regular guest on BBC Berkshire’s Book Club, and is a judge for the annual Henley Youth Festival writing competition. 

Current book?

The Gone and The Forgotten by Clare Whitfield

Favourite book

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Which two characters would you invite to dinner and why? 

I would invite Romeo and Juliet to dinner and beg them not to muck about with deadly poisons. This is a tragedy that might have been avoided if only they’d thought through a better plan. After coming for dinner I would urge them to pack a small bag and disappear together and live happily ever after away from their meddling families. 

How do you relax?

I do a lot of walking with my dogs. I also look after ponies and chickens. I play tennis if I can. And get up into the mountains or to the sea for holidays. Getting outdoors and into nature is a natural valium. 

What book do you wish you had written and why?

I would have loved to have written The Beach. It’s everything I would love to create. Page-turning, with strong characters, a vibrant and evocative setting, growing tension and darkness, moments of shock, and - oh - the way Alex Garland writes the beach and the sea and those scenes of communal bliss. I think it was quite influential for me when writing The Haven. A utopian idyll gone awry.

What would you say to your younger self if you were just starting out as an author?

“Dear Amanda, I know, it’s bonkers, but you’re going to actually get published. I know! Not only that but you’ll see your books translated into other languages and see them on supermarket shelves. There’ll be times when it feels bleak, a total waste of time, but soon the rejections will be a think of the past. Keep going!”

Why do you prefer to write standalone books as opposed to a series and would you consider writing a series.

My stories are centred around the personal journeys of my characters and are very much concerned with a path to some sort of resolution. Once the story has come to its end, there is no more drama there in my mind. Life returns from the extraordinary to some semblance of normality. It becomes time - as tough as it sometimes feels - to bid fond farewell to these people I know like family. Though I can clearly picture them existing beyond the final page, their lives into become mostly unremarkable. (Which is probably a great relief for them given the trauma I put them through…) 

What are you looking forward to at Lyme Crime?

Getting back to live events following the pandemic and lockdowns feels like a real privilege. I can’t wait to be with other authors and readers, and come together to indulge our common love of books. And what joy to be beside the sea as well. Books, readers, and the sea. How perfect!

The Haven by Amanda Jennings (HarperCollins Publishers)

It was meant to be paradise...Winterfall Farm, spectacular and remote, stands over Bodmin Moor. Wanting an escape from the constraints of conventional life, Kit and Tara move to the isolated smallholding with their daughter, Skye, and a group of friends. Living off-grid and working the land, they soon begin to enjoy the fruits of their labour amid the breathtaking beauty and freedom of the moor. At first this new way of life seems too good to be true, but when their charismatic leader, Jeremy, returns from a mysterious trip to the city with Dani, a young runaway, fractures begin to appear. As winter approaches, and with it cold weather and dark nights, Jeremy's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. Rules are imposed, the outside world is shunned, and when he brings a second girl back to the farm, tensions quickly reach breaking point with devastating consequences...

You can also find her on Instagram @amanda_jennings1 and on FaceBook.

Tickets can be bought here:- https://www.lymecrime.co.uk/tickets--contact.html

Being by the seaside at Lyme Crime!

 

What do Barbara Nadel, Amanda Jennings, Charlotte Philby, DV Bishop and William Shaw all have in common? 

Aside from the fact that they are all great authors, they are all due to be at Lyme Crime taking part in various panels and they have all agreed to respond to some questions from me. So look out for some mini interviews from them on the Shotsblog. 

Up first will be D V Bishop who is the author of the brilliant Cesare Aldo historical mysteries set in Renaissance Florence.

Tickets and information can be found here.

Books to Look Forward to From HarperCollins

January 2022 

All For You is by Louise Jensen. Lucy: Mother. Wife. Falling to pieces . . .Aidan: Father. Husband. In too deep . . . Connor: Son. Friend. Can never tell the truth . . . Everyone in this family is hiding something, but one secret will turn out to be the deadliest of all . . . Will this family ever recover when the truth finally comes out?

They all have opinions, they all have secrets. In a small town like West Burntridge, it should be impossible to keep a secret. Rachel Saunders knows gossip is the price you pay for a rural lifestyle and outstanding schools. The latest town scandal is her divorce - and the fact that her new girlfriend has moved into the family home. Laura Spence lives in a poky bedsit on the wrong side of town. She and her son Jake don't really belong, and his violent tantrums are threatening to expose the very thing she's trying to hide. When the local school introduces a new inclusive curriculum, Rachel and Laura find themselves on opposite sides of a fearsome debate. But the problem with having your nose in everyone else's business is that you often miss what is happening in your own home. Other Parents is by Sarah Stovell.

February 2022

Take Your Breath Away is by Linwood Barclay. It's always the husband, isn't it? One weekend, while Andrew Mason was on a fishing trip, his wife, Brie, vanished without a trace. Most people assumed Andy had got away with murder, but the police couldn't build a strong case against him. For a while, Andy hit rock bottom - he drank too much, was abandoned by his friends, nearly lost his business, and became a pariah in the place he had once called home. Now, six years later, Andy has put his life back together. He's sold the house he shared with Brie and moved away for a fresh start. When he hears his old house has been bulldozed and a new house built in its place, he's not bothered. He's settled with a new partner, Jayne, and life is good. But Andy's peaceful world is about to shatter. One day, a woman shows up at his old address, screaming, 'Where's my house? What's happened to my house?' And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, the woman - who bears a striking resemblance to Brie - is gone. The police are notified and old questions - and dark suspicions – resurface. Could Brie really be alive after all these years? If so, where has she been? It soon becomes clear that Andy's future, and the lives of those closest to him, depends on discovering what the hell is going on. The trick will be whether he can stay alive long enough to unearth the answers...

March 2o22

The Haven is by Amanda Jennings. Winterfall Farm, spectacular and remote, stands over Bodmin Moor. Wanting an escape from the constraints of conventional life, Kit and Tara move to the isolated smallholding with their daughter and a group of friends. Searching for a purer existence, they live off-grid and work the land, and soon begin to enjoy the fruits of their labour amid the breathtaking beauty and freedom of the moor. At first this new way of life seems too good to be true, but when their charismatic leader Jeremy returns from a mysterious trip to the city with Dani, a young runaway, fractures begin to show. As winter approaches, and with it cold weather and dark nights, Jeremy's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. Rules are imposed, the outside world is shunned, and when he brings a second girl back to the farm, tensions quickly reach breaking point with devastating consequences.

You get away with murder. In a remote sea loch on the west coast of Scotland, a fisherman vanishes without trace. His remains are never found. You make people disappear. A young man jumps from a bridge in Glasgow and falls to his death in the water below. DS Max Craigie uncovers evidence that links both victims. But if he can't find out what cost them their lives, it won't be long before more bodies turn up at the morgue...You come back for revenge. Soon cracks start to appear in the investigation, and Max's past hurtles back to haunt him. When his loved ones are threatened, he faces a terrifying choice: let the only man he ever feared walk free, or watch his closest friend die... The Blood Tide is by Neil Lancaster.

April 2022

Breakneck Point is by Tina Orr Munro. CSI Ally Dymond follows the evidence wherever it leads. Her commitment to justice has cost Ally her place on the major investigations team. After exposing corruption in the ranks, she’s stuck working petty crimes on the sleepy North Devon coast. Only when the body of nineteen-year-old Janie Warren turns up in the seaside town of Bidecombe can Ally put her skills to good use. Yet the evidence she discovers contradicts the lead detective’s theory. And no one wants to listen to the CSI who landed their colleagues in prison. Time is running out to catch a serial killer no one is looking for — no one except Ally. What she doesn’t know is that he’s watching, from her side of the crime scene tape, waiting for the moment to strike. When he does, Ally will be forced to question the true nature of justice like never before.

A nightclub singer with more than one secret hastily leaves London on The Queen Mary after her best friend's husband is murdered...only to discover that death has followed her onboard, in this thrilling locked-room mystery. London, 1936. Lena Aldridge is wondering if life has passed her by. The dazzling theatre career she hoped for hasn’t worked out. Instead, she’s stuck singing in a sticky-floored basement club in Soho, and her married lover has just dumped her. But Lena has always had a complicated life, one shrouded in mystery as a mixed-race girl passing for white in a city unforgiving of her true racial heritage. She has nothing to look forward to—until a stranger offers her the chance of a lifetime: a starring role on Broadway and a first-class ticket on the Queen Mary bound for New York. After a murder at the club, the timing couldn’t be better, and Lena jumps at the chance to escape England. But when a fellow passenger is killed in a strikingly familiar way, Lena realizes that her greatest performance won't be for an audience, but for her life. Miss Aldridge Regrets is by Louise Hare.

May 2022

To The Grave by John Barlow.is the second in the series set in Leeds featuring half Sicilian detective Joe Romano.

June 2022 

Such a Good Mother is by Helen Monks Takhar. Rose O'Connell is barely surviving. Her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and their son has isn't fitting in at his new school, the prestigious Woolf Academy. Their tiny flat in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood--the very place Rose grew up as the daughter of an infamous local con artist--can barely contain her family. Rose can't catch a professional break either, trapped in the same junior bank teller role for years. Life as the only mom in a name tag and uniform at The Woolf's shiny school gates isn't easy. Not so for those in the elite and secretive Circle, a tight-knit group of mothers who rule the school, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur. In exchange for supporting The Woolf's relentless fundraising and public image drives, the women enjoy lucrative business opportunities, special privileges for their children, and the admiration of the entire community. After the mysterious death of one of The Circle's members, Rose dares to hope that filling the vacancy could set her family up for success. And when Amala makes the shocking decision to invite Rose into their clique, her fortunes, self-esteem, and status soar. But the deeper Rose gets inside The Circle, the darker the secrets lurking within every perfectly Instagramable life. Far from being a dream come true, being inside The Circle could prove Rose's worst nightmare...

Louise Beech on Seven crime novels I wish I’d written – and why.

When my publisher told me I’d written a psychological thriller with my second book, The Mountain in my Shoe, I was surprised but very proud. I wasn’t sure I knew anything about such things. And now many people have asked me what crime novels I’ve liked, and I’ve tended to say that I don’t really read crime. Until I realised, when looking at my bookshelves and Kindle, that I do. Quite a lot of it. And the only reason I didn’t know is that I’m very genre-unaware. That is, I read for the story. I’ll read any category in the world if the story is there. If the beautiful writing and engaging characters are there. And in the following seven novels, all were present; while each had a different thing I love in my psychological thrillers…

The Murder Wall  by Maria Hannah

A strong lead character

This novel stood out for me because of the strong lead character – DCI Kate Daniels. She’s complex; both direct yet private, a risk-taker yet a woman who wants to help others, confident yet insecure, torn between career and love. I adore character-led stories and Kate truly leads this book. Much seems to be made in reviews of her being a lesbian - and the central lesbian relationship - but for me this is incidental. Mari Hannah writes exquisitely, and Kate is a character I’d be proud to have created.

Kind of Cruel by Sophie Hannah 

Masterly twists and turns

I first discovered Sophie Hannah four years ago when I read Kind of Cruel. The title intrigued me; the double meaning and play on words. These words are something Amber Hewerdine comes out with under hypnosis, words that mean nothing yet are somehow familiar. As a result of saying them aloud, she is then arrested. I was utterly hooked, with no clue how Hannah would resolve the mystery. And so I devoured the other books in the Spilling series, each one more addictive then the previous, each hook more bizarre and seemingly impossible. But Kind of Cruel was my first, and another I wish I could have come up with.

In Her Wake by Amanda Jennings 

Emotional resonance

With Jennings, you get ‘the feels’. She has an extraordinary way of touching you while terrifying you. (I just read that sentence again and it does sound rather creepy, which is perfect for a piece like this!) I’m not sure what her trick is, but I sure wish I’d written In Her Wake. In the novel, Bella is on a personal journey to discover her own identity, and the shocking crime that happened twenty-five years earlier. Because Jennings gets you under the skin of her characters, you care for Bella, you care what happens, and so you personally feel every shock discovery, which makes this book truly a thriller on all levels.

Exclusion Zone by JM Hewitt

A strong sense of place

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such a strong sense of place as this one. Set in Pripyat, Chernobyl, it follows the disappearance of a teenager, Afia, during 1986 and the famous reactor explosion. Hewitt deftly uses the backdrop - the horrific fallout, the dying land, and the freakishly altered creatures - to create an added sense of dread. I learned a great deal from this novel about the importance of the where as much as the who and the how.

Stasi Child by David Young

Era is everything

In Stasi Child, David Young has captured not a long-gone time, for 1975 really isn’t that far in the past, but certainly a very different time. By setting this incredible thriller during the Cold War in East Berlin, Young cleverly brings into play all the restrictions of the time, the strict regime, the power of the Stasi. This lends a dark, claustrophobic, big brother is watching kind of feel, and makes it one of my favourite crime novels of the year.

A Suitable Lie by Michael J Malone

Close to home is just as chilling

While far-flung lands and eras gone by make for fantastic fiction, so too do places quite close to home. And in A Suitable Lie - which is perhaps what people are now calling Domestic Noir - the setting is an everyday marriage, in the modern world. The difference is that there are dark secrets within this marriage, ones you might not expect. Malone cleverly manipulates your emotions, but with truth. The bare and honest prose grabs you roughly by the collar and doesn’t let you go until the final sentence. Another top read of 2016 for me.

  

Before It’s Too Late by Jane Isaac

Time running out

Tension is key in a good crime novel. And what better cause of anxiety than someone being abducted, while detectives search desperately for the truth, and for their whereabouts. In Before It’s Too Late, Isaac does it all. There’s the sharp writing, the relentless pace, the shocking twists, and above all - for me anyway - the sublime characters. An abductee we really care about, and an interesting detective, means this great novel is the whole package. 

The Mountain in My Shoe by Louise Beech is out now and published by Orenda Books (£8.99)

A missing boy. A missing book. A missing husband. A woman who must find them all to find herself. On the night Bernadette finally has the courage to tell her domineering husband that she’s leaving, he doesn’t come home. Neither does Conor, the little boy she’s befriended for the past five years. Also missing is his lifebook, the only thing that holds the answers. With the help of Conor’s foster mum, Bernadette must face her own past, her husband’s secrets and a future she never dared imagine in order to find them all.

You can find more information about Louise Beech on her website. You can follow Louise Beech on Twitter @LouiseWriter.

Amanda Jennings on 5 books of my past

I love thinking back over the books that I have read in my past. It’s wonderful to remember those that struck a special chord and consider why they meant something special to me, why I identified so strongly with them at that particular time in my life. 

Books are the gateways to other worlds. They provide snapshots of a different way of life and allow the reader to experience all sorts of things – dangerous, sad, terrifying, romantic, erotic, fantastical – and all from the safety of a favourite reading spot. Escapism, stepping out of conscious reality and into the pages of a book, even if only occasionally, is a glorious thing.

Books are tools of empathy, they allow us to walk in another person’s shoes. It was the books I’ve had an emotional connection with that helped to cultivate my sense of injustice, opened my mind, made me think, and challenged me, and hence have had the greatest impact. The five I’ve selected from a very long list are:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Soon after we got together, my then-boyfriend, now-husband, was appalled when he found out I hadn’t read this book. He gave me his many-times read copy and insisted I read it. I feel in love with the book from the first page. Everything about this story of prejudice, hypocrisy and justice transfixed me. As I turned the pages, I was enveloped by the story of Scout and Atticus and the idea that we must all be brave and stand up for what is good and right. I gave my husband a signed copy of the book for our first wedding anniversary and our second daughter’s middle name is Scout.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

This allegorical gem from George Orwell was the first book to make me cry real tears. I must have been about thirteen when we read it out loud at school, each of us taking it in turns to read passages. When we reached the part where Boxer is loaded into the horse transporter and driven away – betrayed, lied to, used and dispatched, his innocence and faith present as he walks trustingly to his fate – my tears flowed freely. Even now that scene has the power to move me deeply.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

I read this book when I was about fifteen and was mesmerised by this nightmarish vision of society. It was like nothing I had ever read before – and I’d go so far as to say like nothing I’ve read since. I was both horrified and addicted to Alex, Our Humble Narrator, and his gang of Droogs as they marauded heir way through the pages in a flurry of rape and mindless violence, my stomach seizing up with disgust and fascination. I later learnt that Burgess wrote the book in a matter of weeks following an attack on his wife by a group of men that resulted in her miscarrying, which gives this depiction of a broken dystopian society yet more resonance. Removed from us, yes, but not so very far.

Carrie by Stephen King

This revenge parable, with bullying at its core, held me from the first page. I knew what Carrie was doing as she wreaks havoc on her tormentors was wrong, but at the same time I cheered her on. The depictions of the bullies, that group of girls intent on making the vulnerable outcast’s life a misery with taunting, teasing and humiliating her, cut to the bone. King was one of my favourite writers as a teen, and this tale stuck with me as an example of how cruelty and unkindness should have no place in any human interaction.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Such a beautifully written book. The prose is stunning and Ian MacEwan captures that period so perfectly you feel as if you are living with the Tallis family. I read it when it came out, I was twenty-eight and had just had my second child, and I understood childhood very differently once I had become a mother. The pain of watching Briony wrongly accuse Robbie in a fit of childish petulance and hurt, of observing the far-reaching effects of that lie, undoubtedly influenced on the type of stories I now write myself. Atonement is one of the books I wish I’d written.

In Her Wake, by Amanda Jennings is published by Orenda Books

£8.99

You can find out more information about her work on her website.  You can also follow Amanda Jennings on Twitter @MandaJJennings

First Monday - A Regular Night of Murder and Mayhem

Copyright Goldsboro Books

First Monday is a new monthly crime fiction/thriller night to be held in Central London, starting on April 4th. A mix between a social evening and a festival-style panel, First Mondays will offer the crime fiction community – whether readers, writers or industry professionals – a place to meet, enjoy each other’s company and hear about the latest and most interesting crime fiction around.

First Mondays will begin at 6.30pm on the first Monday of each month with a panel discussion chaired by, amongst others, Barry Forshaw (Brit Noir etc), Jake Kerridge (Daily Telegraph) and James Kidd (Independent). Upcoming authors include Elly Griffiths (April 4th), Christopher Fowler (May 9th), Peter James (June 6th), Sophie Hannah and Belinda Bauer, as well as a host of established and debut authors from all over the world. After the panels, the conversation will spill over to a local bar.

The intent of the night is to create a knowledgeable and substantial audience for a social event which is also an opportunity for publishers and authors to promote new crime fiction. 

The event is receiving practical support from The Crime Writers Association, City University’s Crime Thriller MA Programme, The International Thriller Writers and Goldsboro Books – and several publishers have committed to sponsoring evenings, beginning with Orenda Books (2016 IPG Nick Robinson Newcomer Award shortlisted publisher) in April.

There will be a small entry charge (£5), which will include a glass of wine compliments of Goldsboro Books, and 50% of the revenue for the evening will go to the participating authors and the chairperson. Books by the authors will be sold by Goldsboro and there will be an extensive social media campaign to promote the event, including via the Goldsboro, ITW, Crime Writers Association and Crime Readers Association mailing lists, as well as other means.

First Monday is the brainchild of David Headley and Harry Illingworth (Goldsboro books), Katherine Armstrong (Little, Brown) and William Ryan (author of The Holy Thief and lecturer on the City University Crime Thriller MA course). It will be held in the College Building of City University on St John Street (close to Angel Tube station).

April 4th: Elly Griffiths, Amanda Jennings, Mary Paulson-Ellis and Leye Adenle, chaired by Barry Forshaw.

May 9th: Christopher Fowler, William Shaw and Jack Grimwood, chaired by Jake Kerridge.

For more information and to book tickets: www/goldsborobooks.com/events

Follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FirstMondayCrime/ or Twitter: @1stMondayCrime.

If you’re interested in supporting the evening or would like to suggest an author for a panel, please contact: firstmondaycrime@gmail.com

CWA Dagger Longlists and Criminal Splatterings ...

CWA DAGGER LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED

The Crime Writers' Association is delighted to reveal the long listed authors for the CWA Goldsboro Gold Dagger, the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.
The results were revealed mid-way through National Crime Reading Month (www.crimereadingmonth.co.uk) and the shortlists will be unveiled at the Dagger Awards dinner on 30th June 2015. Tickets for the Dagger Awards - which will be held at Hotel Russell in London - are now on sale (http://thecwa.co.uk/event/dagger-award-dinner-2015/).  "Our judges have had a wonderful time reading all these brilliant books," says CWA chair Len Tyler. "What a year for crime fiction. These long lists are a great demonstration of how diverse and fascinating the genre is right now. No wonder it's the most popular type of fiction with UK readers." The CWA Goldsboro Gold, CWA John Creasy (New Blood) and CWA Ian Fleming Steel Daggers will be presented to the winners at a ceremony in the autumn. Full details will be announced in due course.

THE LONGLISTS

 

CWA GOLDSBORO GOLD DAGGER LONGLIST

The Shut Eye by Belinda Bauer/Transworld Publishers/Bantam Press

The Rules of Wolfe by James Carlos Blake/Oldcastle Books/No Exit Press

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith/Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere

Missing by Sam HawkenProfile Books/Serpent's Tail

Mr Mercedes by  Stephen King/Hodder & Stoughton/Hodder & Stoughton

Pleasantville by Attica Locke/Profile Books/Serpent's Tail

The Bone Seeker by M.J. McGrath/Pan Macmillan/Mantle

The Serpentine Road by Paul Mendelson/Little, Brown Book Group/Constable

Life or Death by Michael Robotham/Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere

The Kind Worth by Peter Swanson/Faber and Faber/ at Bloomsbury House  

 

CWA JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER LONGLIST

The Abrupt Physics of Dying by Paul E Hardisty/Orenda Books

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little/Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House/Harvill Secker

Dry Bones in the Valley by Tom Bouman/Faber and Faber

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng/Little, Brown Book Group

Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson/Random House/William Heinemann

The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer/Faber and Faber

The Killing of Bobbi Lomax by Cal Moriarty/Faber and Faber

The Well by Catherine Chanter/Canongate Books

You by Caroline Kepnes/Simon & Schuster  

 

CWA IAN FLEMING STEEL LONGLIST

No Safe House by Linwood Barclay/Orion Publishing Group/Orion Fiction

The Defence by Steve Cavanagh/Orion Publishing Group/Orion Fiction

The Stranger by Harlan Coben/Orion Publishing Group/Orion Fiction

Missing by Sam Hawken/Profile Books/Serpent's Tail

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins/Transworld Publishers/Doubleday

Nobody Walks by Mick Herron/Soho Crime/ Soho Crime

The White Van by Patrick Hoffman/Atlantic Books Ltd/Grove Press

The Final Minute by Simon Kernick/Random House/Century

Runner by Patrick Lee/Penguin/Michael Joseph

The Night The Rich Men Burned by Malcolm Mackay/Pan Macmillan/Mantle

Cop Town by Karin Slaughter/Random House/Century

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson/Faber and Faber

Heartman by M.P. Wright/Black & White Publishing

Good luck to all!

 

Crime Writing Festival Noirwich

Returns for a second year this September, launching its programme with Lee Child, and announcing new partner Dead Good Books

After the success of last year's festival, Noirwich Crime Writing Festival is returning to the streets of Norwich from Thursday 17 September to Sunday 20 September to bring award winning authors to the UNESCO City of Literature.

In 2014, over 500 people attended the festival and this year plans to be even bigger with Lee Child announced as the headline act on Thursday 17 September at Jarrolds Department Store.

This year, festival goers can experience the breadth of crime writing, from exciting debuts to new author collaborations at the festival.

The full line-up, tickets and more information about Noirwich can be found on www.noirwich.co.uk

 

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith to be published October 2015

J.K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith have announced the publication dates for the upcoming Cormoran Strike crime novel, Career of Evil.

The book, which will be published by Little, Brown Book Group, is set to be released in US on 20th of October and in UK on 22nd of October

 

Orenda Books Signs New Amanda Jennings Thriller

Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights for bestselling author Amanda Jennings' In Her Wake, from Broo Doherty at DHH Literary Agency.

A dark, page-turning psychological thriller, In Her Wake is also a profoundly moving and dramatic story of one woman's self-discovery, when a family tragedy reveals shocking news that changes her life forever.

Karen says, “In Her Wake is a chilling, exquisitely written and evocative thriller that hinges on the abduction of a child, and the effect this crime has on everyone connected with it. It's also a compelling study of the nature of identity, with a series of interconnected, shocking discoveries driving a complex and deftly orchestrated plot set on the ruggedly beautiful, richly described Cornish coast. Amanda's reputation as a fine writer preceded her, and In Her Wake is undoubtedly her best yet, placing her firmly at the heart of contemporary crime fiction. I could not be more excited to publish Amanda, and know that In Her Wake is a perfect fit for the growing Orenda list.”

Amanda says, “I am over the moon to be joining Orenda. I am inspired by Karen's energy and passion, and it's wonderful to see how she champions her books and takes care of her authors. It's an exciting time for me and I very much look forward to working with her and the rest of the talented team.”

In Her Wake will be published in Spring 2016, by Orenda Books.

 

Cooking Classes with Agatha Christie

 

A unique cookery demonstration is to be held to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime. It will be in Christie’s own Devon kitchen, and guests are advised to treat samples with extreme caution.

 

The French writer Anne Martinetti will be recreating recipes from Christie’s books, singling out those particularly suitable for concealing poison as an extra ingredient. As any devotee of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot knows, the great detectives only have to show up for a morning coffee, light luncheon or afternoon tea party for one of the guests to topple over the table clutching their throat and turning blue.  Read more...