What is coming up?

In the world of A B Morgan there is news…

Rendered Incapable The fourth book in the Quirk Files Series will be out in the big wide world on June 6th in paperback, ebook and hopefully the audiobook will be ready on time too. The Quirks are back and the banter is most entertaining.

What is this one about?

Peddyr and Connie Quirk head for the Isle of Man, hoping for a well-deserved break from their private investigation business. However, in an underhand move by Peddyr’s cousin Superintendent Eddie Cadogan, their hotel booking is changed, and they are redirected to Hodge Fell Farm, with its farm shop, butchery, café and quaint holiday cottages.

When they meet their hosts – including a certain Nick Popadopoulos – a relaxing holiday of bracing walks by the sea is quickly replaced by pigs, adultery, soap-making, drag queens, smoked sausages, scams and skulduggery. In their quest to work out what despicable scheme Nick has underway, Peddyr and Connie soon realise that not everyone is being honest with them. Time is not on their side, and they must rely on their wits to act before someone gets away with murder.

Meanwhile, if you fancy a trip into the world of audio – I recently narrated ‘Cousin Ash’ by S.E. Shepherd (Sue to you and me) which is the follow up to ‘Swindled’ which I hugely enjoyed narrating for Hobeck Audio. The audio for ‘Cousin Ash’ will be out on the 18th May.

In other news, I am restricting my public speaking engagements through necessity. My health has taken somewhat of a nosedive recently and as a result I must cut down on energy-sapping activities. Therefore, I’m taking no more bookings for talks or workshops for the foreseeable. However, I will be at Ampthill Literary Festival on Saturday June 10th and Bedford Library on 29th June, then taking a break over the summer to see if I can recharge the flat batteries.

After that I shall set about completing another book, it may just take me a while.

Whodunit First?

Vintage detective fiction is loved by many but who wrote the first whodunit?

There is a recognisable pattern to a good British murder mystery, and I’ve recently begun to explore the history of the genre. I wanted to know why and how detective fiction became so popular and why the 1930s became the golden age of the ‘Whodunit’. The biggest breakthrough for me came with listening to a podcast hosted by Caroline Crampton. ‘Shedunnit’ is a gem for all lovers of mystery and detective fiction and it’s safe to say that Caroline has high standards when it comes to her research on the subject.

There is a debate to be had about who wrote the first whodunit as we know it – a mystery, a puzzle in the form of a neatly plotted storyline which must be satisfactorily solved. Some would assume that Agatha Christie must take that title. She wrote so many and is the most well known of our vintage crime fiction writers. However, Agatha Christie was not the only queen of the vintage mystery. The genre also boasts some other famous women of crime fiction such as Margery Allingham, Dorothy L Sayers, Christianna Brand and many others. The kings of detective fiction of that era are plentiful too. G K Chesterton, Anthony Berkley, E C Bentley, H C Bailey and A A Milne , to name a few.

With thanks to the Eagle Bookshop in Bedford for allowing me to rummage.

It is evident the 1930s brought with it some astounding crime fiction books published by the likes of Penguin in their uniform green covers, and via Collins Crime Club, all very collectable and still as popular as ever. The golden age of detective fiction also saw the founding of The Detection Club (click for an article in The Guardian about the history of the club) a secret society for mystery writers, still in existence today. All fascinating stuff.

However, when it comes to detective fiction, I think immediately of Sherlock Holmes as the outstanding character created by Conan-Doyle as far back as 1887 which is way before the likes of our Agatha. Previous to the mad flurry of the 1930s, Charles Dickens in the 1850s gave us Inspector Bucket (Bleak House). Then, as a contemporary and friend of Dickens, in 1868 The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins was published; and it is this mystery about a jewel thief that has been recognised by many as the forerunner of the now classic ‘modern’ whodunit. The Moonstone featured Detective Sergeant Cuff as the investigator. Was he the first proper fictional detective?

What had prompted this sudden Victorian interest in detectives, I wondered.

The answer was relatively simple; 1842 saw the creation of the Detective Branch of Scotland Yard which replaced the famous Bow Street Runners. Aha! Major clue number one. It seems detective fiction was ignited by real life detectives, especially one Jonathan Whicher or, as he is more commonly known, Inspector Jack Whicher. One of the original eight detectives in the Detective Branch, he seems to have inspired Wilkie Collins to write The Moonstone, taking the true crime story of the 1860 Road Hill child murder case as inspiration.

As National Crime Reading Month is upon us in June, it may be time to revisit these vintage crime stories and that is exactly what I intend to do with the help of my local bookshop. The Eagle Bookshop in Bedford sell vintage, collectable, antique and secondhand books on all subjects, as well as supporting local authors like me… The staff have an encyclopedic knowledge on such matters and I’ll be picking their brains. Watch out for some entertaining posts on social media as I begin my tour of the shop only to be confronted by a series of mysterious incidents. #BodiesInTheBookshop #NCRM

The Quirk Files update

What news from the world of A B Morgan?

It seems like an age since ‘Throttled’ was published, but I haven’t been slacking. Promise. Narrated by yours truly, ‘Over Her Dead Body’ has been published as an audiobook, ‘Throttled’ will be out on audio soon and I had my first narrator commission for Sue Shepherd’s ‘Swindled’ which has recently been released on Audible and other platforms. As a new string to the aging bow, I even taught myself to edit the audio recordings with much help from Adrian Hobart Publishing Director at Hobeck Books.

However, in amongst the madness of narration, giving talks, and starting work on the next Quirk Files case, I managed to complete the edits for ‘Verity Vanishes’ in record time.

What can you look forward to in this adventure featuring Peddyr and Connie Quirk?

It would be remiss of me to give too much away… but I can tell you that this mystery isn’t as simple as someone goes missing and then they are miraculously discovered living in the house next door. I can also reveal that the banter between Connie and Peddyr is as sharp as ever. Crime with a smile.

If you haven’t caught up with the series yet, or you’re not certain it’s for you, treat yourself to a freebie prequel Quirk Files novella – ‘Old Dogs, Old Tricks’ and many other free samples of excellent crime fiction can be accessed by subscribing to www.hobeck.net (no catch, just good stories)

Want to chat to Peddyr and Connie? They have their own Twitter feed @TheQuirkyLifeFiles or drop me a line.

Meanwhile a thank you to everyone who has read, enjoyed and reviewed the files so far.

Those Characters Living in my Head

Crime fiction writing is more than words on a page and a crafty plot

The news is good. Book 3 of The Quirk Files series will be out this summer and I’m working on Book 4.

If you haven’t read book one, then here is a little offering for you and a link to a free novella featuring The Quirks.

Today, I revisited the audiobook of ‘Old Dogs, Old Tricks’ the prequel novella to The Quirk Files, in which Peddyr and Connie Quirk, husband and wife private detectives, take on their very first case…

I’d forgotten how funny it was…

There was no respite from Connie on their return to the apartment. ‘Three rounds of Thwack Bugger with a bunch of shallow moronic women, and I’m accused of enjoying myself,’ she yelled, battling to open a can of lemonade in the privacy of their borrowed apartment. She hopped onto a tall stool at the breakfast bar, her chosen soap box. ‘That stupid biddy Georgette Wilmott can’t even pronounce the word flowers properly. She says “flahhhs” and her teeth never seem to meet. Probably caused by the plums in her mouth.’

Thwack Bugger was Peddyr’s name for golf. Many years previously he’d made overtures about taking up the sport with visions of the enjoyable competition between him and Connie but after four lessons with a professional he confessed to indifference. ‘It’s not for me, Lao Po. I can hit the ball and make it fly but always in the wrong direction. All day long it was thwack… bugger!’

A free Novella: Prequel to ‘The Quirk Files’

Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s a proper whodunit, a mystery to be solved and a couple of deaths thrown in for good measure – but Connie and Peddyr make it come to life. They may be fictional but they reside in my head and they come to life on the page.

And when another body is discovered, Peddyr is in his element.

Charlie had been right. Face down on the seat of an armchair, arms pinned beneath his chest by the weight of his own body, Peter Harrington’s saggy form lay slumped and lifeless. It appeared as if he was kneeling on the carpet when he died, exposing not only his back of waxen skin but a series of red welts on his crinkled buttocks and signs of old bruises on his right shoulder. The clothes he had been wearing were folded neatly in a stack and placed on a coffee table a few feet away, as were his expensive wristwatch, belt, and wallet. Peter Harrington had left this world as he had arrived; naked with a slapped arse, Peddyr thought, grinning to himself. 

Now he felt useful, now he could hit his stride. There was nothing like a good death to shift a hangover.

If you are on Twitter, Peddyr and Connie have their own account https://twitter.com/TheQuirkyFiles where they chat about the most random things. It’s joyful.

And by way of a gift, a carrot, a taster … please feel free to download the Kindle ebook file for “Old Dogs, Old Tricks” by clicking just below the cover picture above. It could cheer you right up!

Of course if you prefer an audiobook this is available from a number of sources, Kobo https://bit.ly/3kocW1F and Google Play https://bit.ly/3jneF6w and not forgetting direct from the publishers www.hobeck.net where you can find many a great crime novel.

Happy reading…

Book #1 Over Her Dead Body Book #2 Throttled Prequel Novella Old Dogs, Old Tricks

A little fun with murder…

There I am on a list of local crime authors … fame at last.

Last week was a busy one. Two talks and a workshop in one week saw me criss-crossing the county three days on the trot. Tuesday I visited a new community hall in Cranfield to give a morning talk to the WI – my standard ‘From Nurse to Crime Writer’ talk is a self-deprecating look at how I slid so neatly from carer to killer. This always goes down well.

Wednesday turned out to be a foggy dismal November evening. It seemed to put a few ticket-holders off, either that or they gave up trying to find the venue which was tucked away on a new estate in Biggleswade. Luckily some of the locals decided that participating in a workshop about murder was preferable to another night in front of the TV. Best of all, I shared a hug with Donna Morfett who I had become Zoom and Facebook friends with some time ago. We have only met in person once before, so this was our chance for a real get together, mainly due to her determination and willingness to travel.

For those of you who haven’t come across Donna, she is one of the greatest supporters of indie crime authors I’ve ever come across. She has interviewed most of us…and bagged some big names in the world of crime fiction too. Simon Kernick… she’s coming for you next. Have a listen to her podcast interviews

Anyway, the merry band of crime fans in Biggleswade managed to pull together a workable plot in the space of an hour. We had much fun exploring methods of killing, motives for doing so, the role and function of suspects, finding a name for an investigator and many other important factors to a good murder mystery. The plot was so good Donna was tempted to try and write it!

A recent visit to The Eagle Bookshop in Bedford

Come Thursday and I had a date with more fascinating ladies of the WI in the north of the county and I could fit in a vocal warm up with a stirring rendition of Jerusalem before regaling them with my exploits as a psychiatric nurse and my weird life as an author and now a narrator.

The coming week is less fraught with travel worries: Fuel, sat nav, roadworks, parking… I have another chance to plot a murder tomorrow. This time the village of Riseley have the pleasure of my twisted sense of humour. One small worry…I’m running out of paperbacks to sell. They’ve been so popular I made enough money to buy a new screen for my motorbike. (well, I never said this writing malarky was a money spinner!)

But I’m not complaining about a slower pace to my working week, because yesterday I came up with a plot of my very own for The Quirk Files series. Just one small problem; I haven’t finished the one I’m on now. Must crack on and finish it.

This week I must also get my head up and my voice oiled. Narration for Sue (S.E.) Shepherd’s ‘Swindled’ is well underway, and I’m learning the audio editing process too, under the guidance of Mr H (Adrian Hobart, Publishing Director at Hobeck Books) and his years of broadcasting experience. All new strings to my writing bow. I’ll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, December is fast approaching and I must use the C word because Hobeck Books have produced a Christmas Charity Anthology of short stories which is due out on 7th December. Click here to treat yourself to a copy and support the Street Reads charity this year. Or visit www.hobeck.net to order a copy or sign up to their newsletter and nab your free ‘Crime Bites’ – an e-selection of novellas and short stories by Hobeck authors.

The Dark Side of Christmas: An Anthology of Twisted Winter Tales by [The Hobeck Team]

That’s all for now:

The Quirk Files box set: https://amzn.to/3eUJD5m

‘Swindled’ by S E Shepherd – book review

Swindled is a great title for this uplifting crime novel by Sue Shepherd.

Because if dark and gritty is getting too much for you, it’s just the antidote you could be looking for. In fact, if ‘Swindled’ were an ice cream, a suspense ice cream, it would be a colourful sundae with sprinkles, a swirl of raspberry sauce, and a chocolate flake. Dip your reading spoon in and you find yourself immersed in the world of Vincent Rocchino, a scallywag, a scoundrel, a pocket-rocket Italian and a smooth con-artist to boot. You will love to despise Vincent.

Here’s the blurb:

Lottie

Beautiful, but a little spoilt, Lottie Thorogood leads a charmed life. Returning home from horse riding one day, she finds a stranger, drinking tea in the family drawing room – a stranger who will change her life, forever.

Hannah

After a bad decision cut short her police career, Hannah Sandlin is desperate to make her mark as a private investigator. She knows she has the skills, but why won’t anyone take her seriously? She’s about to become embroiled in a mystery that will finally put those skills to the test and prove her doubters wrong. It will also bring her a friend for life.

Vincent

Vincent Rocchino has spent his life charming the ladies, fleecing them and fleeing when things turn sour. How long can he keep running before his past catches up with him?

S.E. Shepherd’s brilliant new novel is a tale of how the strong bond of friendship can overcome the darkness of deception, and a gripping new thriller that you won’t want to put down.

My Review

If Sue Shepherd and I have the chance to meet in future, which I hope we do, we are destined to laugh a lot. She has my sense of the ridiculous, a ripe humour, she gets the banter… And because of that innate ability to entertain, her writing style suits the story and vice versa; it’s unpretentious, straightforward and yet expressive. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a cosy mystery, there are expletives aplenty, but neither is it hard-boiled and filled with guts spilling onto rain-soaked city streets. This book is British.

Set mainly in Hampshire, Sue Shepherd takes us on a true to life journey, rags to riches, riches to rags, comeuppance, restitution and revenge… something for everyone without spraying bullets willy-nilly or jumping from planes.

‘Swindled’ is Sue’s first crime novel (although she does have three published rom-coms to her name, neatly explaining that wry humour running through ‘Swindled’). The storyline scoots along with sharp chapters and avoidance of waffle. With characters neatly drawn, the reader quickly invests in them – good or bad.

Being a bit bonkers, I often read aloud and this was one such time when doing so paid dividends. The story jumped off the page, Lottie, Hannah, and Vincent instantly came to life and I couldn’t stop reading on to find out what happens at the end of this delightfully engaging piece of crime fiction.

‘Swindled’ falls neatly into the category of crime with a smile. I loved it. Highly recommended.

A Box Set: The Quirk Files

Over Her Dead Body, Throttled, and the prequel novella Old Dogs Old Tricks are now available as an ebook box set. The Quirk Files – hours of crime fiction entertainment.

A Flaming Busy June

National Crime Reading Month in the UK saw a surge in activity for this crime writer…

Publication of ‘Throttled’ How did that go?

The second Quirk Files book to be launched during the pandemic and the challenges remained the same: How to steer readers towards a book you have spent months writing. A story, an entertaining story, a story worth reading (in my opinion, of course). The reviews are great… so what else could I do in support of the publishers and in tribute to the book and its characters?

Book 2 in The Quirk Files Series

A global pandemic there may be… But when did that ever stop my attempts to market a book? Getting seen in a huge pond of other crime books can seem like an impossible task but, like the lottery, you have to be in it to win it. It was social media all the way again…

What did this mean?

Another ‘appearance’ on The Hobcast Book Show: With publishers Adrian Hobart and Rebecca Collins. Always so entertaining.

A quick plug, on June 10th courtesy of BBC Three Counties Radio: (49 minutes in) Thanks to the lovely Roberto Perone and his afternoon show. Mind you, he was more interested in discussing sunflowers.

With no possibility of a live launch and a reading to an audience, I made a video of me reading the first chapter of ‘Throttled’…and posted it on Facebook. It seemed to go down well. I braved Instagram but haven’t got the hang of it yet… I may have to leave it to the youngsters.

On launch day, I was given the chance to take part in an author takeover on one of the Facebook groups where readers and authors gather and share all things book related. The competition went down well, but I may have caused a little stir by sharing clips from ‘Singalong Sunday’: light entertainment videos provided by The Bearded Wonder and myself to amuse friends and family during lockdowns.

The Bearded Wonder about to perform an Elton John number!

Leading up to publication, I gladly accepted the chance to be interviewed online by the lovely Donna Morfett (click to take a look via Facebook) who has interviewed the likes of Peter May and Mark Billingham. We had a proper giggle because she’s so easy to chat to. Admittedly we may have gone ‘off piste’ a time or two but I do have a habit of digressing.

What would we authors do without the help of fellow writers, readers and bloggers? A massive ‘thank you’ to everyone who read and reviewed advanced copies of ‘Throttled’ then shared and retweeted and gave me a helping hand.

As well as the 2nd book in the The Quirk Files Series, Hobeck pulled together an ebook box set: two and half books! It of course includes the prequel novella ‘Old Dogs, Old Tricks’, which is an easy read… #CrimeWithASmile

What else could I do?

I hit upon the idea of a T-shirt and because ‘Throttled’ is a play on words, and features murder and motorbikes, I am now taking said T-shirt on tour. First stop The Ace Cafe. We rode there on Sunday on ‘Bernard the Bonneville’ and ‘Daffodil’. More tour dates to follow…

And then just when we thought the excitement was dying down, yesterday was publication day for the audiobook of ‘Over Her Dead Body’ Book 1 in the series. I am really chuffed to have been asked to narrate my own book and even more astounded to have been encouraged to do so. I think the result is a credit to Hobeck Books and some very professional editing. I did enjoy the experience though.

The audiobook is available via Audible , Kobo (where the audiobook for ‘Old Dogs, Old Tricks’ can be found) and Authors Direct

I suppose I should get back to writing book three… oh, and the narration for ‘Throttled’. Here we go again. All aboard the author train…

What books or authors started you off as a crime reader? June is National Crime Reading Month

ebook box set of The Quirk Files so far…

So what #books or #authors did start you off as a crime reader?

I am often asked this very question, and I don’t really have a definitive answer because I think it was ingrained in me even before I could make out words on a page. I blame my parents, of course, for reading me those old folklore tales, the classic fairy stories, which (in my view) were not of the dainty fairy variety.

Look at this with a more critical eye and you will see I’m right. ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ has a classic crime story arc, so does ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and most definitely ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ which has its roots in a true story of Medieval Germany. It is said that 130 children were lured away on 26th June 1284 by a piper wearing colourful clothes. The day and year is set by an entry in Hamelin’s town chronicle, which was dated 1384 and said, chillingly, “It is 100 years since our children left.” From what I can find, with a swift perusal of the internet, is that rats didn’t appear in the story until about 1560, when the tale became a moral one. Pay your dues: “Pay the Piper” or there will be a terrible revenge…

The Pied Piper of Hamelin The Pied Piper with the village children following him in The Pied Piper of Hamelin from a children's bedtime story book. Antique etching from the late 19th century. the pied piper stock illustrations

But where did the children go? How was it possible?

“The street in Hamelin, where the children were last seen, is today called Bungelosenstrasse, translated to ‘street without drums’. No one is allowed to dance or play music there.” Your Life Choices

One theory is as follows: ‘Most likely though, the children were recruited to help colonize newly liberated German land. Hamelin family names start showing up in new German territories outside of Berlin with notable frequency. Times were tough, people were poor and this colorful musician was offering opportunity to the children and one less mouth to feed to the families. There is some documentation of this tactic being used in Germany at the time.’ (From an article by Adam Moderow)

As a small child, tucked safely in my bed, I recall asking my father what happened to the children of Hamelin and he had no answer to give. There is still no answer to that question.

Mother and daughter reading a book

Mother and daughter reading a book gpointstudio64021 Freepic.com

‘This will never do!’ I hear you cry. ‘All good crime stories must have a resolution’. And that is why as a crime writer I was advised never to make use of a ‘cliffhanger’ ending. I also never write about children disappearing…

Books by Agatha Christie, Jack Higgins, Len Deighton and Dick Francis were handed down to me once I did progress from children’s books and adolescent nonsense. They gave me a taste for more and I went in search of my own favourites. These days that would be Mark Billingham, M W Craven, Ann Cleeves, S.E. Lynes, Anthony Horowitz, C J Skuse, C L Taylor, John Marrs, Tony Forder and the list goes on and on and includes historical novels, psychological suspense, police procedurals but nothing too gory or emotionally traumatic. I’m a slow reader so I get through far more by listening to audiobooks. And as for all the crime drama on the telly… we are spoilt for choice.

The good news is that with National Crime Reading Month in the UK, there is no shortage of crime fiction out there. Pick your preferred sub-genre and dive on in. Try a new author, a different style.

Not sure? Want to try a new crime writer for a change but daren’t risk spending out on a book or books you might not like? Here’s an offer you should take up: visit www.hobeck.net and subscribe to their newsletter.

Crime Bites.jpg

Hobeck (as well as being enthusiastic book fanatics) are an independent publisher specialising in crime and have attracted some fabulous writers. I would suggest there is just about something for everyone in their list of publications and to show confidence in their product they are offering free e-samples; novellas and short stories crafted by their authors and available to readers of crime.

Happy Reading!

Where do writers get their characters from?

Meet the Quirks

Thank goodness my lovely publishers at Hobeck Books asked me to write a series. It has given me the chance to develop the characters of Connie and Peddyr Quirk even further. They are stuck firmly in my head as it is, and having invented them for ‘Over Her Dead Body’ they very rapidly grew into three-dimensional beings. But how do you invent a believable character for a book?

Peddyr, where in my head did he come from?

The answer is relatively simple until you try to explain it: Having hit upon the premise for ‘Over Her Dead Body’ I knew that the main character, Gabby Dixon, couldn’t solve the puzzle of her own death without help. Yes, that’s right… she was registered dead when very much alive. She wasn’t in a position to investigate death certificates and funeral services, so it became obvious that my story required an investigator.

After checking with my “friendly neighbourhood retired police officer” that this wouldn’t have been viewed as a crime unless some type of fraud or worse had occurred, I rapidly concluded that a PI was needed to drive the story forward. But who?

Decisions had to be made: How old, what was his background, did it need to be a he, what about a she? Aha … how about both! I’m not sure which order these thoughts arrived in my head, but I distinctly remember vowing to avoid the stereotypical burnt-out recovering alcoholic divorced detective from the Met. My writing style wouldn’t cope with a dark and gritty tortured soul, so I had to come at from this at another angle. I needed to think ‘Moonlighting’ not ‘Bosch’ and ‘Frost’ rather than ‘Luther’. Someone down to earth, a man who could spot a liar but not be infallible.

Having spent thirty years in the NHS, most of those years at the front line of mental health services, I still possess the gallows humour that saw me through the most bizarre and risky of situations faced in my career. I’m cheerful and a bit potty, and yet I saw stuff that I can only ever talk about with my ex-colleagues because nobody else would believe such things. Death, stress and chaos don’t have to destroy a person and I therefore knew that my PI had to have an unflappable calm determination, as well as honesty, integrity and guts. Above all he must retain the humour that goes with the job and saves your sanity. Rugby not football; a safe pair of hands– that’s Peddyr.

I can’t write without ‘knowing’ the character and to not only name them but to understand them: how they walk, how they speak, their personality type, strengths and weaknesses. Peddyr started off as Paddy but that changed when I decided he should originate from the Isle of Man. That led to thoughts about motorbikes and celtic names and from there to Peddyr Quirk, (nearly went for Quayle, another IOM surname). His name is often misheard, so I can have fun with that as a writer.

The background story for each character doesn’t have to be wheeled out for the reader, but has to be really clear to the writer. I ended up with a retired police officer in his mid-fifties who most recently had become a consultant to the film industry regarding policing, security, protection and motorbikes. A man who had been stationed in Hong Kong for the early part of his policing career: Research was required here… and during that process I gave him a wife; one he still loves to pieces.

Low and behold, Fen Fang Wong (Western name: Connie) was wooed by a young Peddyr. She was bright, articulate, witty and had a secretive role at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the time, meaning he had to work hard to win her trust. Several decades and two grown up children later in the lives of Peddyr and Connie and I had created the Quirks and P.Q. Investigations. My story could be told.

Connie, what makes her so special?

Peddyr’s wife Connie kills houseplants, she drives too fast, she is a force of nature and as bright as a button. Never has a character jumped out of my head and onto the page so quickly. Where she came from I’m not sure, she just arrived and the dialogue flowed as if I knew her as well as Peddyr does – you see what just happened? I talk about them as if they are real people.

Here’s how she is introduced to the world:

The tiny oriental woman who greeted me was effusive and rather peculiar. She was a whirlwind of activity and of cheerful chitchat, and the severe fringe of her shining black bobbed hair shimmered as she spoke with only a hint of Chinese inflection. ‘Everyone calls me Connie. Connie Quirk is so much better than Fen Fang Wong, don’t you agree? I tell everyone my husband bought me for my brains and beauty. He doesn’t have either. Take a seat, you’re early.’

For a second I thought I’d misheard her. ‘He bought you?’

‘It’s a joke. I married him by mistake…’ Connie’s slender frame vibrated as she laughed at her own witty reply. ‘Like my new cactus?’ she asked. ‘Tina in the florist’s up the road promised me I wouldn’t be able to kill this one. She even gave me an instruction book.’ Connie Quirk proudly turned the spiky plant in its pot, left and right, showing it off to its best advantage. ‘Mr Quirk gives it less than six months.’ It was hard not to smile, despite my misgivings about making use of a private investigator.

Connie understands her husband, she manages his insecurities and grounds him when necessary. In the same breath she also admires his ability to get to the truth and his dogged determination. One of life’s eternal optimists, Connie also finds Peddyr highly entertaining and their banter is a reflection of this. She rarely nags, often pretending to be annoyed when he and his good friend Kershaw have one too many in the pub, or spill wine, or swear like troopers. Confident in her own skin Connie Quirk is someone I would love to spend time with. I couldn’t be her best friend though. Peddyr is her best friend.

What next for the quirky Quirks?

In book 2 ‘Throttled’ we see Peddyr and Connie in a desperate race to prove a woman’s innocence. Peddyr gets caught performing car karaoke, Connie is likely to get a speeding fine as we follow them into suspects’ homes, and to a psychiatric unit… Out in paperback and ebook on 22nd June. Pre-order a Kindle copy now in good time for National Crime Readers Month https://amzn.to/3w4E22Y or visit www.hobeck.net

Me? Thanks to a recent email from Germany, I’m off to research the linguistics of liars!