Over to Lesley:
Although we are still both members of the same organisation, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I don’t write romance. I write very light mystery novels, called in the US “cosy crime”, a term which is gradually being adopted in the UK. They are books where the crime happens “off-stage” and there is almost more focus on the characters than the crime, easy in my case as I write a series with a whole village full of regular characters. Think Rebecca Shaw with murder!
My series character, Libby Sarjeant, is a former actor in her mid-fifties who paints touristy pictures for a local gallery and helps run the local community theatre. Libby has remained in her mid-fifties for a long time now, which occasionally throws the reader trying to make sense of the past, but I claim authorial privilege. There are series characters of all ages, genders and sexual orientation, so something for everybody, I hope.
However, for all the lightness, murder is a serious subject, and I have tackled some fairly grim themes, such as violent homophobia and illegal immigration. My poor police force are probably the most unrealistic element in the books, as Libby rides roughshod over them, so I have taken to apologising to all police forces in the front of every book.
If any of Kate’s readers would like to see what Libby’s books are like, there will be a paperback copy of the first in the series on offer, in the all new rejacketed B format. Welcome to Steeple Martin!
You can find out more about Lesley at her website www.lesleycookman.co.uk or her blog at
http://lesleycookman.blogspot.com/
Or talk to her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SteepleMartinMysteries?ref=hl
Follow her on Twitter @LesleyCookman
6 comments:
It's been quite a while since I attended a pantomime.
The books all look amazing.
I like cosy mysteries and I am sure I would like yours. In Cleveland, Ohio which is not to far from where I live Boucheron is taking place this weekend. Mary Higgins Clark will be there. Unfortunatle, I am not going but I wish now I were.
sounds a great series :)
The series sounds intriguing.
First name drawn from the hat for ‘Murder in Steeple Martin’ – Mary Preston. Please contact me kate(dot)hardy(at)btinternet(dot)com with your details, and I'll get everything sorted :o) Thanks for taking part!
Thank you all for your comments, and I'm delighted a copy will be winging its way to Australia, Mary. The ebooks are doing quite well over there.
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