The Coffin Trail and the Lake District Mysteries

The Coffin Trail is available today as an Amazon Kindle Daily Deal for a modest 98p - a price which I hope will tempt you if you haven't already read it! (The offer isn't available in the US, I'm afraid.) And this reminds me that I ought to give an update on progress with the Lake District Mysteries. In case you're wondering - I'm writing a new one right now!

The Coffin Trail is the first book in the series and when I went back to it to refresh my memory about a number of details, I was startled to realise that I wrote it seventeen years ago; it was then published in 2004 and shortlisted for the Theakston's Prize for best crime novel of the year. Since the other shortlisted novels were by Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Susan Hill, Stephen Booth, and Lindsey Ashford, it was a truly memorable experience.

When I wrote The Coffin Trail, I intended that it should be the first in a series. That said, I didn't anticipate the direction my career would take in the ensuing years; if you'd told me what would happen, I doubt I'd have believed you. But because I write for the long term, there were ingredients of that first story which I intended would gain greater significance in subsequent books.

The first of those ingredients concerned the garden of Tarn Cottage, which becomes relevant in the second book in the series, The Cipher Garden. The second ingredient - well, I'll leave you to figure it out. Suffice to say that, at long last, I've picked up those early threads in the new book, The Crooked Shore. And readers will therefore encounter the resolution of a mystery they might not even be aware was bubbling under the surface...

I'm hoping that within a week or so, I will have completed the first draft, with a view to the book being published next year. It's been fascinating to return to the Lakes, after a break of several years while I've focused on Gallows Court and Mortmain Hall, among other projects. And I hope that today's deal will introduce a few more readers to the delights of the Lakes as well as the tangled lives of the lead characters, Hannah Scarlett and Daniel Kind. 

Ruskin, Research, and The Gateway to Paradise

John Ruskin must have been one of Victorian Britain's most fascinating men. An eccentric, perhaps, but blessed with many gifts. I enjoyed referencing his work in The Arsenic Labyrinth, and on Saturday, I saw for myself what he described as "the gateway to paradise" - the view from Muncaster Castle, just outside Ravenglass. Muncaster is a terrific place, and I was lucky enough to bump into and have a chat with the owner, Patrick-Gordon-Duff-Pennington, who at the age of 84 was quietly doing a bit of pruning far from the madding crowd (a crowd which on Saturday included a wedding party, the inhabitants of the owl sanctuary and more than a dozen herons, whose feeding time was a memorable free-for-all which attracted a couple of marauding buzzards.) Mr Pennington is a published poet, and I'm quite sure he finds his home surroundings inspirational.

Here are just a few of the herons. Muncaster is said to be one of Britain's most haunted castles, and though I'm not sure whether it fits in to my current storyline, it might prompt an idea for a ghost story or two. Not far away are several intriguing villages, ranging from Newbiggin, close to the M.O.D. firing range (warning notices tell visitors to beware of "strange objects" found on the beach - the mind boggles....) to Gosforth, with its ancient cross in the churchyard, and Eskdale Green, where I chanced upon a Japanese garden that the Forestry Commission is, thanks to volunteer work, reclaming more than sixty years after it was abandoned and became overgrown. A magical place, and very accessible.

Through talking to a number of people over the week-end, I felt I got a better handle on the way of life led in western Cumbria. I suppose many might ask whether all this research is necessary. Will it result in a better book, or is it really just an excuse for a trip to a lovely part of the world? Well, I am firmly of the view that, so far as possible, research for a book should be a pleasurable experience. While researching The Cipher Garden, for instance, I was kindly offered the chance to go sky-diving along with an expert in the field, but that wasn't my idea of fun, so I declined with thanks. There are definite limits to how far I'm wiling to go in the quest for authenticity! But I do think it helps to see the setting for one's book at the right time of year. I have set several scenes of the new story in Ravenglass and its vicinity in April, and I wanted to see the village at the right time of year.

Thanks in no small part to Neil of the Rosegarth Guest House, I got more out of the week-end than I'd bargained for, as he drew my attention to two particular locations not too far away which may well feature, not in the book I'm writing at present, but in a later Lake District Mystery. In the meantime, I came home having had plenty to savour and having gained insights which will, I hope, strengthen my work-in-progress. I'm certainly very motivated about the project,and feeling more optimistic about it than is often the case at the half-way stage of writing a novel. Time well spent in literary as well as feelgood terms, I like to think.

Waterstones

I had a very enjoyable Saturday, touring around a number of bookshops in, or just outside, the Lake District. The trip had been arranged by my publishers, and I had the pleasure of signing plenty of books – which is always something an author enjoys! But an even greater pleasure proved to be the chance to meet, and talk books with, quite a number of very likeable people.

The tour began in Lancaster, a city I know reasonably well from many visits over the years. In fact, it was over a restaurant dinner in Lancaster that I had a conversation that gave me the idea for the sub-plot of The Cipher Garden. This time I was calling at the Marketgate branch of Waterstones, where I had the chance to talk to both readers and members of staff, including Penny and Lynn.

Waterstones has changed over the years, and for quite a period of time it was difficult to avoid the feeling that there was heavy emphasis on bestsellers and "three-for-the-price-of-two" offers. Mid-list writers like me, who were given great support by Waterstones for many years, found it increasingly difficult to feature on the shelves. But things seem to be taking a real change for the better, following the change in ownership of the company. The impression I have is that the people at the top are taking the business in a new direction, not necessarily trying to compete simply on price with Amazon – which strikes me as a losing battle – but offering a crucial personal ingredient in bookselling with enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff. I'm sure that this is the right way to go from a business perspective, and it also makes Waterstones increasingly attractive to book buyers. I'm not saying the price isn't important, especially in tough economic times, but it is not the only factor that matters.

Then it was onto Kendal, one of my favourite northern towns, and one which features regularly in the Lake District Mysteries. Once again, the local Waterstones featured knowledgeable and – so very important – enthusiastic staff, managed by Caroline, who is clearly a real book lover. We all know that things are difficult in the retail sector these days, and staff who have a genuine passion for the products they sell are the key to making a success of any retail business in competing with online stores. Amazon reviews and ratings have become really important for writers – perhaps disproportionately so – but there's no doubt that word-of-mouth recommendation from readers and booksellers remains enormously valuable.

All in all, I was greatly heartened by these visits to Waterstones, not just from a personal perspective, but more generally as a book fan. And after that, it was on to two independent bookstores of great appeal – more about them soon.

The Cipher Garden and Amazon

I’ve received glad tidings from Allison & Busby, namely that The Cipher Garden is to be reprinted shortly, with new cover artwork in the same style as that for The Serpent Pool and the recent reprint of The Coffin Trail. An early version is illustrated above, although there may be a few changes before it is finalised.

This is pleasing news, because one of the unfortunate aspects of life as a published writer – if you are lucky enough to hang around for a few years, and produce a number of books – is that it’s all too easy for your work to slip out of print. This can be frustrating for several reasons. In my own case, I do find that people attending talks I give are sometimes keen to buy the early Harry Devlin books, and I don’t have that many of my own stockpile of copies left!

Yet the truth is that I was relatively lucky. The Devlin series did have a second life – after the books first came out, Hodder reprinted the early titles in the late 90s, as well as publishing the sixth and seventh entries in the series – but even that came to an end. As a result, when I wrote Waterloo Sunset, I was quite careful to make sure that someone could read it without any previous knowledge of the Devlin saga. And at least Waterloo Sunset – a book I enjoyed writing enormously - remains readily obtainable.

As for The Cipher Garden, I wonder if the fact that it’s been quite extensively (and positively, thank goodness!) reviewed on Amazon is a factor in its continuing sales and longevity. I guess that it may be. Whatever people may think about Amazon reviews, they do influence buyers, with five-star reviews clearly pretty important, and I’m certainly very grateful to those who have reviewed this and others of my books kindly on Amazon. One quite prominent writer recently told me of his dismay about negative reviews on Amazon of his latest book, and this rather sad story illustrates, I think, the impact of Amazon reviews on writer morale as well as on sales.

Canals and Crime

A highlight of the week-end was a canal cruise with dinner on board, starting out from Bollington in Cheshire and organised by my friend from schooldays, Stephen, who is the dedicatee of The Cipher Garden. Among our fellow guests were Kate Ellis and her husband Roger.

The very agreeable trip reminded me of an article sent to me a while ago by that great crime buff, Philip L. Scowcroft. Philip contributes to many publications, including CADS and Deadly Pleasures, and this essay, ‘Canals and Waterways in British Crime Fiction’, which started life in an American canal history journal, is a very wide-ranging overview.

Philip identifies The Canal Mystery (1928) by John Remenham – an author unknown to me, I must confess – as the first British detective story with a canal setting; that is, if one discounts spy stories and books set around the navigable River Thames. He points out that the Grand Union Canal features in books by Margery Allingham and Harry Keating, while the Oxford Canal plays a part in two of Colin Dexter’s novels.

A good many other crime writers have used canal settings in their fictions. Examples that Philip gives include Andrew Garve, Marjorie Eccles, John Gano and Reginald Hill. And there’s a pleasing paradox about this, which struck me as we dined on Saturday evening. For to drift along an English canal in a comfortable narrow boat is one of the most peaceful experiences imaginable. It takes the imagination of a crime fan or writer to turn such tranquillity into something sinister!

The Coming of Spring

It’s been a long, hard and at times horrible winter, and even this morning, on the last day of March, the headlines in Britain are about heavy snow and ‘traffic chaos’. The brighter days can’t come soon enough.

So I thought I’d indulge myself with a few photographs taken on Sunday, when the sun made an appearance. On my visit to St Deiniol’s Library in Hawarden, to launch The Serpent Pool last month, I became aware of the 18th century ‘new’ Hawarden Castle, once home to William Ewart Gladstone, the Prime Minister who founded the Library, and now home to his descendants. In the grounds are the ruins of a much older castle, built around the 13th century, but with Iron Age origins.

Because I love history, I love castles. Kendal Castle features in a scene in The Cipher Garden, and I like writing about Daniel Kind’s passion for history as a subject which does require many of the skills of a detective. I also love attractive gardens (I admit to preferring to visit them than to doing my own gardening!) and again this is reflected in The Cipher Garden. So when I heard that Hawarden Castle would open its gardens last Sunday, I seized the moment – and was rewarded with a thoroughly enjoyable trip to another country (well, Wales) that was only 35 minutes from home. A beautiful place.

Up the Garden Path

I’m very keen on visiting gardens, though not at all keen on gardening. It’s much more appealing to admire the fruits of other people’s labours. My interest in gardens (and above all, garden design) lay behind the idea of the mysterious garden at Tarn Cottage in my Lake District Mysteries – the secret behind the garden is a puzzle posed in The Coffin Trail and unravelled in The Cipher Garden.

Although last Sunday was primarily devoted to a hospital visit, I also fitted in a trip around a nearby garden, under the auspices of the National Garden Scheme. Under the Scheme, every Sunday in summer (and on a few other days) private gardens are opened for charity, and this affords a wonderful opportunity to benefit good causes and show off some remarkable labours of love. Cheshire is blessed with countless attractive gardens, although only a minority of them are well known.

The garden at Haughton Hall, near Nantwich, struck me as very impressive and there was a sort of ‘Agatha Christie’ feel to the setting – a rather grand house, which has been in the same family for at least half a century, with rolling lawns, a magnificent glass house and a lake with a bridge. You could easily imagine it as a setting for a delicious whodunit, and on a sunny afternoon, it was the perfect place to be.

Mystery Women and reviews

The latest issue of the Mystery Women newsletter has just arrived, and one of the upcoming events advertised on the front cover is to take place at the Portico Library in Manchester at 6.30 pm on 8 July. The Portico is quite a famous venue but one which, unaccountably, I’ve never attended. But I’ll be putting that right on 8 July, since I’ll be appearing in a panel discussion with Kate Ellis, Dolores Gordon-Smith and Cath Staincliffe. The moderator is to be Jennifer Palmer, whom Cath and I met the other day when talking to an audience at Waterstones’ in Altrincham.

The Mystery Women newsletter covers events involving members, but the main focus is on reviews. I’m glad to say that there is a gratifying review of Waterloo Sunset by Sue Lord: ‘a well-plotted novel with twists, turns and surprises. The mix of beautifully drawn characters contains gangsters, cleaners and security men…’

Sue Lord also makes mention of the Lake District Mysteries, and the books have been reviewed very favourably in recent blog posts:

The Coffin Trail

The Cipher Garden: Books Please

The Cipher Garden: DJ’s Krimiblog

Die Ohne Schuld Sind

Overseas publication of British crime novels can be unpredictable. Tastes vary, and what appeals in one country is sometimes less popular in another. My Harry Devlin novels have never been published in Germany, but I'm glad to say that a very good firm, Luebbe, have acquired the Lake District Mysteries. Last year saw the publication of Tote schlafen nicht - that is, The Coffin Trail (they don't go in for literally translated titles - the German edition translates as The Dead Don't Sleep.)

Now the German translation of The Cipher Garden has come out. This is Die Ohne Schuld Sind (my A Level German is rusty, but I think this means Those Who Are Without Guilt). I was glad to receive an author copy this week and I do like the cover artwork.

The first book did very well last year. I'm hoping for similar luck this time around.

Cafe d'Art

The publication of Dancing for the Hangman is a nice excuse for a variety of celebrations. Last Wednesday evening I was in Formby, half-way between Liverpool and Southport, for a pleasurable event at Café d’Art. It was organised by Tony Higginson from the local indie bookshop, Pritchard’s. The format of the evening was that I was interviewed by Jane Gallagher – we did something similar three years ago, when The Cipher Garden was first published, and it seemed like a good moment for a reprise to coincide with the publication of the new book.

Jane must have an extremely good memory, for she remembered that, on my previous visit, I’d been rather struck by the café’s ambience and mused idly about including such a place in a scene in a future novel. As it happens, I did indeed use the setting in The Arsenic Labyrinth – but transplanted to Kendal in Cumbria and changed around a bit. It’s the scene of a rendezvous between Hannah Scarlett and Daniel Kind.

Jane is a local journalist and our paths have crossed on many occasions – she once wrote a feature about our home for the ‘Real Rooms’ column in the Liverpool Daily Post – and among her accomplishments, she has become a highly successful blogger. In fact, she has two main blogs, one dealing with matters literary (see the new link on my blogroll) and another, very well visited, blog, Work That Wardrobe, dealing with clothes and fashion. Now there is nobody less competent when it comes to elegant clothes and fashion than me, but even I can recognise hers as a very appealingly personal take on the subject.

Jane is also writer in residence at a prison and, as if all this, freelance p.r. work and bringing up a family wasn’t enough, she’s currently working on her first novel. I haven’t read the manuscript, but Jane is a high calibre writer whom any publisher is bound to find very marketable. I have little doubt that she has the potential to achieve just as much success as a novelist as she has in her various other activities.