Christmas is about comfort, goodwill, and the perfect family gathering. But in a cozy mystery, those elements become the perfect disguise for a shocking crime. The most satisfying holiday mysteries follow a strict formula, using the traditions of the season to heighten the stakes and amplify the suspense. If you love your festive cheer served…
The tradition of the advent calendar is one of waiting, ritual, and the daily reveal of a tiny treat. This concept is the perfect foundation for my serialisation of Much Ado About Stuffing, which will give you a new chapter of mystery every day until December 25th! But the simple cardboard calendars we know today have…
The Christmas pudding is more than just a dessert; it’s a centuries-old tradition wrapped in superstition, fire, and secrets. As we look forward to the serialisation of Much Ado About Stuffing, it’s worth remembering that this festive, dense cake is the ultimate backdrop for hidden clues and thrilling discoveries. The pudding embodies the cozy mystery…
I am thrilled to announce that my upcoming Christmas mystery, Much Ado About Stuffing, will be published daily, one chapter at a time, from December 1st to the 25th! This format—releasing a story in tantalising instalments—isn’t a new gimmick; it’s the original engine of suspense, drama, and community reading. The rich history of serialisation proves…
Valentine’s Day is meant for comfort, sweetness, and perhaps a perfectly baked treat. In my latest culinary cozy mystery, The Cakes of Wrath, amateur baker and sleuth Jessica Askew is hosting a special event in Little Quillington and her biggest worry is purely domestic: whether her Battenburg is going to turn out neat enough. But…
My new book, The Cakes of Wrath, isn’t your usual Valentine’s Day story. Instead of heart-shaped chocolates and roses, we’ve got a mystery rooted in a cozy book-town tearoom and a cast of peculiar villagers. The key figure in all the chaos is my brilliant local herbalist, Mrs Pankhurst, who makes drinks and ointments from…
I adore the glorious strangeness of British celebrations. While our big, well-known holidays are peculiar enough—take Boxing Day, which for most of us is a national holiday dedicated to rubbing our overfull stomachs and finally tackling the unpopular chocolates left in the tin—it’s the niche, small-village traditions that are positively shocking and perfect for cozy…
If you’ve picked up a cozy mystery set in an English village, you’ve probably come across a mention of a cream tea. And if you’ve considered trying one yourself, you’ve likely seen the words clotted cream—a name that sounds about as inviting as a cow pat. But don’t let the name fool you. Clotted cream…
There is no setting more comforting—or more deceptively deadly—than a classic English tearoom. For fans of cozy mysteries, the gentle chime of porcelain and the scent of strong tea provide the perfect backdrop for discussing cunning plots and calculating killers. If you are hosting a book club, or even diving into our new book club…
For a crime writer, the setting is never just a backdrop—it is a character in its own right. The walls, the windows, and the sheer proximity to a neighbour all determine the kind of murder that can happen and, crucially, how the killer gets away with it. Forget the Californian mansion; in a true British…