Category: Cocktail Lounge

Louise Beech

Louise Beech’s debut novel, How to be Brave, was published in 2015, followed by The Mountain in my Shoe, Maria in the Moon, The Lion Tamer Who Lost, Call Me Star Girl and, most recently, I Am Dust all published by Orenda Books and all attracting great reviews and accolades.

Hi how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge, Louise. What can I get you at the bar?

L: I’m a girl of routine. If I’m having a meal, I like a glass of Pinot Grigio. If I’m celebrating, then it’s Champagne or Prosecco. And if I’m out on the town, a Gin Sling or two. So what are we doing? Partying? Eating? Celebrating? All of it…

All of it but let’s start with Champagne. So where did we first meet in real life?

L: I believe we first met outside Goldsborough Books in London. It was September 2016, and I’d just had my launch of The Mountain in my Shoe at Waterstones. There was some sort of crime event and so I rushed across to attend that too. It was hot. I was quite drunk, I believe.

Yes, I was at your launch and then we all dashed over to Crime in the Court led by Karen Sullivan! You looked stunning and so happy. First impressions?

L: You had a lovely smile, and hair almost as wild as mine. I was on a high and a bit overwhelmed with having a new book out, and just having done a Q&A, but I clearly haven’t forgotten it. I think we have since met at a few festivals. And it’s always a pleasure.

Yes I think the last time was at CrimeFest 2019 where you did a fantastic job moderating a panel. Any points in common?

L: Writing is always a great thing to have in common. And there are not many out there with the same curls as I have. Most people give in and straighten them.

I’ve read all but two of your books and I loved I am Dust which resonated with some personal memories for me. Tell us about it?

L: I Am Dust is a bit of a ghost story and a bit of a love story and a bit of a whodunnit too set in a theatre – and was inspired by my own time working as an usher. The theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, Morgan Miller, looking for the person who killed her.

Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes…

 It’s been a challenge launching it during lockdown.

Yes so many authors have found themselves “grounded” during this time. What are you working on now?

L: I just finished a couple of books. This Is How We Are Human will be published by Orenda next year (pencilled in for June) and is about a young autistic man looking for love. It was inspired by the son of a great friend of mine, and a particular dilemma he had. It explores a few modern-day issues, including consent, sex workers, and how we judge those with any sort of disability. I also finished my memoir, Daffodils, inspired by my mum’s suicide attempt last year and have been sending it out to publishers.

That must have been difficult for you. On a lighter note what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

L: I’d love to do a panel with some of my favourite memoir writers, like Rhik Samadder and Maggie O’Farrell. Even though she writes fiction, it would be cool to have Margaret Atwood there too, just for the privilege. I’d also invite dear friend Madeleine Black, author of Unbroken, and we’d have a juicy chat all of us.

Sounds fascinating – mind you any panel that includes you is always fun. In the meantime what are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

L: Hugging my friends.

Another thing we have in common! Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

L: It made me complete my memoir and decide to send it out for publication. I wasn’t going to, feeling it was too personal. But I realised it might help others.

Louise it’s been a delight to catch up with you. Good luck with This Is How We Are Human and your memoir, Daffodils. Let’s have another glass of Champagne to celebrate.

You can find out more about Louise Beech here and follow her on Twitter @LouiseWriter.

Victoria Dowd

Victoria Dowd was a criminal law barrister for many years, until she finally hung up her wig in favour of more fictional crimes. An award winning short story writer, Victoria’s début novel, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder, was published by Joffe Books in May this year and is the first in a series featuring the Smart women.


Hi Victoria how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

V: Hello! I’d like a Guilty 12 please, the cocktail invented on The Orient Express in homage to Agatha Christie. The 12 mystery ingredients represent each of the suspects. Sounds pretty lethal to me!

Deadly but I’ll join you – probably keeps all viruses at bay! So I don’t think we’ve actually met in real life, have we?

V: Sadly not but after lockdown ends I’ve made a promise to myself to meet all the wonderful authors, bloggers and reviewers I’ve met online as a result of my book being published. I’m going to be very busy!

But happily busy, I hope. Apart from both being authors what else do you think we have in common?

V: I absolutely love the Cocktail Lounge! Cocktails and books – two of my favourite things. And crime, of course.

Of course. Tell me about your début.

V: The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder was published by Joffe Books last month. It’s a crime novel in the tradition of the Golden Age of crime fiction. Members of a book club stay at an isolated country house and when they are snowed in the murders begin. There’s a lot of dark humour between the guests, particularly the mother, daughter and aunt. The atmosphere is very far from cosy! To survive, they will, of course, need to work out “whodunit”.

Another one for my TBR pile. What are you working on now?

V: I’m hard at work on the follow up book in the series. It’s called The Smart Woman’s Guide to Survival since the women who survive the first book decide they need to get better at surviving so they go on a Bear Grylls style survival course. They’re not well-suited to this kind of environment. When they find themselves on an uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides and people start being murdered, it’s either one of them or someone else is on the island with them. I’m loving writing this novel. It’s based on an actual island in the Outer Hebrides which has one large Manor House and a very small chapel. I first saw it in photographs taken by John Maher and got in touch with him. It turned out he was the drummer in the punk band the Buzzcocks. The island is uninhabited but I managed to speak to the owner who is absolutely wonderful and agreed to take me over there. There’s no electricity and, of course, no phone reception or WiFi – perfect for a murder mystery so it’s all very exciting, if a little scary. I’m hoping to get over there later in the year or next year maybe – who knows?

What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

V: I’d love to be interviewed by Caitlin Moran at a literary festival such as Hay. I’ve seen her in conversation a few times and love her books. Because it’s a “dream” panel, I’m going to have to say Agatha Christie. She is my heroine and I utterly adore her work. Alongside her, I’d go for Sophie Hannah (because she writes the new Poirot so beautifully), Susan Hill (as I adore everything she writes and love her gothic novels such as The Woman in Black), Hilary Mantel (for sheer genius and eccentricity) and crime writer Margaret Murphy. Margaret gave up so much of her time just before my book was published to speak to me on the phone and email to give me so much advice and support. I couldn’t believe a best selling crime writer would be so interested and helpful to a new crime writer. She really made such a huge difference and is an amazing author. And finally, I’d have to have Helena Kennedy QC. When I had my first case in the Old Bailey, I remember sitting in the loo just saying to myself, “I can’t do this!” There was a knock on the loo door, I opened it and there was Helena Kennedy who simply said, “Yes, you bloody can. Now get out there!” She is the very epitome of yes, you bloody can and a strong, incredibly intelligent woman who, no matter what the case, crusades for justice. I think that’s a wonderful panel of Smart women to dream about sitting alongside.

An amazing array of smart women – a real dream panel. And what a lovely tribute to Margaret Murphy and Helena Kennedy. In the meantime, what are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

V: Having a hug with my sister and having a launch party for my book – which I’m hoping to combine. It’s been a little weird having a launch during lockdown but it has been very special and unique. The wonderful authors at Joffe Books and Books ‘n’ all Promotions came together for a Facebook launch that involved virtual drinks, food and quizzes with real prizes to celebrate the launch of The Smart Woman’s Guide. One of the lovely ladies even made prizes for the quiz of key rings of my book and fridge magnets. I was just so incredibly touched by the effort that went into this for a first time author that none of them had ever met. I also had a zoom party with close friends who all appeared on the screen in various forms of fancy dress. There were quite a few cocktails drunk that night. People have been absolutely wonderful and, in some ways, it has been so different that it’s made it something I will always cherish the memory of. Having said that, I think I can still have a real party too. As I’m sitting in the garden for this interview, my lovely neighbours who are part of a jazz band called Kalamazoo are rehearsing, I’m having a cocktail in the sun and talking about books. What could be more perfect?

What indeed? Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

V: It’s really made me think how important independent bookshops are and libraries. I used to spend a lot of time grabbing a coffee and wandering around my local bookshop browsing and chatting to the owner and all the people who work there. I miss that a lot and hope that when we surface, those shops are still intact and can thrive again. Local based businesses have been so important over the last few months. Not just for books, but round us the farmers, dairies and local farm produce shops have been utterly invaluable. It used to be so easy just to click on a supermarket website for whatever we wanted but I’m never going back! I love the local farm shop and the tiny dairy who have never failed to deliver milk and fresh eggs. I think it has really hit the re-set button for me and I’m going to hold my family and friends so close and value all the small, irreplaceable things in life.

It’s been lovely to chat with you Victoria and I’m really looking forward to celebrating with you in the real world!

Your can find out more about Victoria Down here and follow her on Twitter @victoria_dowd 

Ruby Speechley

A pleasure to welcome Ruby Speechley to the Cocktail Lounge. Before becoming a full-time writer Ruby’s career spanned HM Land Registry PR and marketing then journalism. She has had two psychological thrillers published by Hera Books: Someone Else’s Baby (July 2019) and Every Little Secret (April 2020).

Ruby how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

R: A glass of Prosecco please!

I’ll join you. So where did we first meet in real life?

R: I think I first met you at a Vanguard evening in Peckham, although I’m sure we knew each other before that on Twitter.

We did and it was so lovely to meet you IRL. I was delighted when you came over to me and were so friendly. What were your first impressions?

R: You gave me such a warm welcome when we first met, as though we’d known each other for years!

So we must have a few points in common.

R: We both enjoy crime fiction and know lots of other writers: Angela Clarke,  Amanda Saint (Retreat West) and Richard Skinner (Faber Academy), to name a few.

I’ve read and enjoyed Someone Else’s Baby so tell me about your latest book?

R: My second psychological thriller, Every Little Secret came out on 23 April this year. Maddy and Max Saunders are devastated by the death of their five-year-old daughter, Chloe. Maddy is trying to keep the family together for the sake of their other daughter, Emily but then Max goes missing and the fallout following his apparent suicide reveals he had told her lie after lie. His web of betrayal forces her to examine their life together to uncover the truth of his secret life…

Sounds right up my street. What are you working on now?

R: I’m working on the edits for my third as yet untitled novel with Hera Books, which is due out this November. Book four is planned out and I have a solid idea for book five.

You’re being amazingly productive. What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

R: I’d liked to be at one of those old informal late-night TV chat shows with guests drinking and smoking and not being at all guarded about what they say. Daphne du Maurier, Patricia Highsmith and Agatha Christie discussing their writing craft would be interesting clash of the titans.

That would be an amazing array of writers. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

R: Spending more time with my new grandson! He was born a month ago and I’ve only seen him once. I’ve not seen my parents for six months either due to them shielding (even before lockdown) so I would love to see them too.

Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

R: Family, friends and my health have always been important to me and lockdown has emphasised this. It has also proved to me the importance of creativity in all its forms, writing, reading, cooking, films, TV dramas, art and music.

I’d agree with all that Ruby. Thank you so much for joining me and I’m looking forward to seeing you when we can. In the meantime, may I refresh your drink?

You can find out more about Ruby Speechley and her books here and follow her on Twitter @rubyspeechley

Bernie Steadman

I’ve missed seeing Bernie Steadman at our usual get-together at CrimeFest this year so am delighted to welcome her here. Bernie is the author of The West Country Crime Mysteries (Bloodhound Books), a trilogy set in the city of Exeter and the surrounding Devon towns, coast and countryside.

Hi how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

B: It’s very nice to be invited, thank you. I’ll have a dry gin with Fevertree tonic, much ice and a slice of lime. Under no circumstance must there be vegetables in my gin. Shall I bring two?

One of my own favourites so yes please! Where did we first meet in real life?

B: We met at Bristol CrimeFest, several years ago. Actually, we met in the bar at CrimeFest I seem to remember.

Always a good place to meet! First impressions?

B:I thought you were warm and welcoming, as I knew very few people, but you gave me your time, which was kind. Now, you’re a mate. You took me along to dinner one evening, and now we have a regular “girls’ night out” on the Friday of CrimeFest where seven or eight of us go for something to eat and a good old natter.

A highlight of the weekend. Points in common?

B: We both started writing a little later than some of our contemporaries, but have refused to be judged by that paltry detail! We both lean to the left of politics, love animals, and our families, and are determined to do what we want to do, when and how we want do it.

Sounds about right. Tell me about your latest book?

B: My last published book was Death on the Coast (Bloodhound Books), the last of a trilogy of police procedural crime books set in and around the Devon coast and Exeter. It deals with issues of revenge and betrayal, and rounded off the series, at least for now!

What are you working on now?

B: My next book, The Man She Couldn’t Trust is a standalone thriller set in Crete. It was a book shouting to be written, and the research was fun, too. No cover to reveal as yet, until edits are completed, but there will be more to follow over the summer, which is exciting! It will be published by Bloodhound Books in November 2020

B: Following that I have started a slightly “cosier” crime series which will be set in Lyme Regis, near where I live, and feature two women who run an art gallery and uncover fraud and other poor behaviour amongst the local populace. Lyme is a beautiful place, and will be almost a character in the books.

I shall look forward to that, as Lyme is one of my favourite places. We’ve missed book events under lockdown so what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

B: My dream panel would be at CrimeFest, with Kevin Wignall as moderator. He’s hilarious, and I like to have a laugh to conquer the old nerves. It would be around a sense of place in novels. Kate Atkinson with her “Jackson Brodie” hat on, mainly so I can bow a lot, Stuart McBride because his Scottish characters leap off the page and beat you round the head, Jane Harper because the sense of place in “The Dry” was handled superbly, and finally, Peter May, because I have read everything he has written and you cannot beat the Lewis Trilogy for bringing the Scottish Islands to life. I’d just sit there, that would be enough.

Sounds a perfect panel. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

B: Well, I had to miss a holiday to Crete, so that could come back. It will be wonderful to see and cuddle my family again. I’ve missed them.

One thing lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

B: Write a Will. Also, to do the things I really want to do, because we genuinely have no idea what’s coming next. Don’t put stuff off, do it!

B: Well that was thirsty work. Thank you so much for inviting me to the Cocktail Lounge, mine’s a large one!

A pleasure to see you here, Bernie – cheers!

You can follow Bernie on Twitter @BernieSteadman and find out more about her and her books here

Alice Castle

Great to catch up with Alice Castle today. Before turning to crime, Alice was a feature writer on national newspapers. She writes the Death in Dulwich cozy crime series for Darkstroke/Crooked Cat as Alice Castle and psychological thrillers for HQDigital under the name A.M. Castle.

Hi Alice, how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

A: Hi Anne, thanks so much for inviting me! And great to clink glasses with you again. I’d love a Mojito, please

So where did we first meet in real life?

A: We met via Twitter, when you cleverly realised we both write murder mystery series starring female amateur sleuths, based in Dulwich and south east London! Luckily yours are based in the 1990s and mine are contemporary, otherwise we’d probably have to bump each other off.

Very true! And our first meeting was, of course, in Dulwich. First impressions?

A: It’s such a pleasure to meet someone who’s so effortlessly good at networking. It’s not one of my skills but you have it in spades. Since then we’ve been to CWA events together as well as First Monday Crime. And met for mojitos of course!

Not sure about the networking but happy you think that! Any points in common?

A: We both have a background in journalism and I’d say there is a very strong sense of place in our books.

And cats – don’t forget the cats! You’ve moved away from Dulwich in your latest book, tell me about The Perfect Widow.

A: The Perfect Widow, published by HQDigital, is a bit of a departure for me as it’s a psychological thriller about a woman with a seemingly perfect lifestyle. However, when PC Becca Holt arrives to break the news that Louise’s husband has been killed in an accident, the widow doesn’t react in the way Becca would have expected. And there are only three plates set out for dinner, as if Louise already knew Patrick wouldn’t be home that night… I love my heroine, though she’s the scariest person I’ve ever written about.

What are you working on now?

I’m writing a more traditional murder mystery, for HQDigital again. It uses one of the classic whodunit devices, the locked room, which I’ve never tried before and I’m really enjoying playing with the constraints it imposes. Plus I have a fabulous cast of twisted, dysfunctional characters who are getting up to no good at all. I’m hoping my cozy crime readers will love it as a fresh take on a genre.

I’m sure they will! Thinking about all the book events we’ve missed during lockdown, what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

A: I get very nervous about public speaking, though I’ve done a fair bit of it now. I’ve also given workshops on crime writing, which I enjoyed more. I once interviewed P D James and Ruth Rendell for a newspaper article and, although they’d be quite a daunting combination, I’d love to appear on a panel with them – they really had all the answers and I could just soak up their expertise!

Definitely be interested in that one. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

A: I really miss going to art galleries, including Dulwich’s own Picture Gallery which stars in one of my whodunits and is the most perfect space to sit and think in. It’s also wonderfully cool on a hot day. In its grounds is an ancient mulberry tree which will be coming into fruit soon so it would be great to pop along and snaffle a few of those while no one’s looking!

I won’t tell! One thing lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

A: I think lockdown has made me think a lot more seriously about climate change and our use of fossil fuels. Outside my study window I’ve seen so many more species of birds, as well as squirrels and foxes, and it’s been lovely watching children learning to ride their bikes in our quiet street. I hate the thought of going heedlessly back to pollution and traffic jams.

Indeed. Thank you so much for joining me, Alice hopefully not to long before we can meet up properly.

Find out more about Alice Castle and her books here and follow her on Twitter @AliceMCastle. She lives in south east London with two children and two cats.

David Barker

Welcome to fellow Urbane author David Barker whose debut novel, Blue Gold, was released in 2017, followed by Rose Gold, 2018and White Gold, 2019forming the Gaia trilogy. He lives in Berkshire with his wife (a picture book author) and daughter.

Hi Dave, how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

D: A Sea Breeze, please! (Vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice. Very refreshing.)

The last time we met was at your launch for White Gold but can you recall where we first met in real life?

D: I can’t honestly remember, but I think it was probably at a Vanguard Reading night down in Camberwell or Peckham. They were great evenings of established and wannabe authors reading extracts from their latest works over a drink and a pizza. Great fun!

Yes we did. Then later we both read from our books there. First impressions?

D: You were very friendly. And what a fantastic smile. 😊

Any points in common?

D: Both part of the Urbane stable of authors. And we both enjoyed nights out at Vanguard Reading, of course.

Tell me about your latest book?

D: The final part of the Gaia trilogy, White Gold, was out in May 2019. It’s an exciting stand-alone adventure but also draws together several threads from the previous two books, hopefully into a satisfying conclusion.

D: Some readers/reviewers are desperate for a fourth instalment, but I’m giving the main characters a well-deserved break.

What are you working on now?

D: I’ve been working on some children’s fiction since last year but haven’t found a home for the stories yet. (Urbane Publications don’t do children’s fiction.) I’ve also been tinkering with a new darkly comic thriller. If I can get the plot and characters to work, watch this space!

We’ve all been deprived of the books events we love.  What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

D: I would love to have been on a panel with Douglas Adams. I adore his books. He was a genius about many things, so it wouldn’t matter what the discussion was about. Oh, and Gillian Anderson, just because she’s Gillian Anderson.

That’s a bit cheeky but I’ll let you off. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

D: Heading to Devon for some time near the sea and enjoying a pint of beer.

Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

D: I dug out an old Airfix kit that’s been lurking in the loft for many years and finally started putting it together. It’s a very big and complicated model of a WWII airplane called the Mosquito. No idea what I’m going to do with it once finished!

Well good luck with that! And thank you for joining me virtually!

Follow David Barker on Twitter @BlueGold201 and find out more about his books here.

Noelle Holten

Delighted to welcome award-winning blogger and author Noelle Holten who worked as a Senior Probation Officer for 18 years before writing Dead Inside – her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins – which  introduced DC Maggie Jamieson in a series which continues with Dead Wrong.

Hi Noelle how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

N: I’d love a double rhubarb gin and tonic!

Sounds good, I’ll join you. Where did we first meet in real life?

N: We met at Morecambe & Vice Crime Festival in Sept 2019 – though we’ve be “friends” online for a few years.

It was wonderful to meet up there. What were your first impressions?

N: Adored you – adored you even more when I saw the evil eyes you gave the bar staff who tried to remove your glass of wine with one sip left! LOL Still makes me giggle!

My work is obviously done. Points in common?

N: Crime fiction; a good laugh and enjoying ourselves amongst our kind of people!

And crime festivals, of course. What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

N: I love the topic of Offender Profiling so I think having the chance to interview Prof David Wilson would be interesting. I met him at Bloody Scotland last year and had a good chat, I also saw his panel and could have listened to him all day long!

I’d come along to that. I loved Dead Inside, tell me about Dead Wrong, the second in your series.

N: In Dead Wrong DC Maggie Jamieson’s past comes back to haunt her.Three missing women running out of time… They were abducted years ago. Notorious serial killer Bill Raven admitted to killing them and was sentenced to life. The case was closed – at least DC Maggie Jamieson thought it was… But now one of them has been found, dismembered and dumped in a bin bag in town. Forensics reveal that she died just two days ago, when Raven was behind bars, so Maggie has a second killer to find. Because even if the other missing women are still alive, one thing’s for certain: they don’t have long left to live.

A reading treat in store for me. What are you working on now?

N: Dead Perfect (Book 3) is coming out October 2020 and I’m working on the final legs of Book 4 for submission. Then I will be starting to write Book 5 – which is the last in my contract. After that – who knows? If I am not offered a further contract for this series, I have an idea for a psychological thriller which I wouldn’t mind having a go at.

You’ve certainly been busy! Is there one thing lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

N: Spend more time with friends and family – get my ass out more too! I am quite an introvert but when the choice is taken away from you – and you can’t go anywhere, you really appreciate the things you could do pre-lockdown!

That resonates with me too. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

N: Meeting up with friends / crime fiction tribe for a MASSIVE G&T and some laughs! Hoping to also be able to go to Ireland for my dad’s one-year memorial mass and over to Canada to see my mom, sister and brothers.

Noelle, I do hope you can make your dad’s memorial mass and see your family soon. It was lovely to chat here and I look forward to that massive G&T in real life.

You can find out more about Noelle Holten’s books here and follow her on Twitter @nholten40

Ian Patrick

Today I’m delighted to welcome Ian Patrick who, before becoming an author, spent 27 years in the Metropolitan Police. Rubicon, his debut novel currently in development with the BBC for a six part TV series, was followed by Stoned Love and he has  just published How the Wired Weep. Ian is also an ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy Scotland where he lives dividing his time between family, writing, reading and photography. 

Hi Ian how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

I: I’m so happy to be here, thank you. I don’t drink alcohol so I’ll have a mocktail please.

So where did we first meet in real life?

I: I believe it was at a book launch in London for Louise Voss and Mark Edwards. Jane Isaac brought me her guest and it was a great evening with a room full of writers. Many I then followed on Twitter. The energy in the room was addictive. It reinforced my belief that I was on the right path with my own writing.

Well, I’ll have to dispute that, Ian. We first met at BeaconLit when Jane was one of the panelists. However what were your first impressions?

I: You were very approachable, kind, and enthusiastic about my writing. I’d just started out and you agreed to read a draft of a novel that I’d written. I think it’s important to mention how that feedback went! Needless to say it was a bitter pill to swallow but as a result of your honesty, I wrote Rubicon. Criticism is hard to take but if you can’t take it and adapt then you will never know your best self. It was a valuable lesson and one I will never forget.

I must admit when I read Rubicon, I was amazed at how much your writing had improved and if my criticism helped in some small way to achieve that, I’m delighted! Points in common?

I: I know there’s a theory about six degrees of separation and this was evident when it transpired you are friends with family on my wife’s side. You also have an excellent series set in the 90s, when I was policing, so that was an enjoyable thing for me to help with advice for the first in the series.

Not just the first book, Ian and I really appreciate how quickly you respond to a query.Tell me about your latest book.

I: How the Wired Weep follows the paths of a detective called Ed and a Covert Human Intelligence Source (informant) called Ben. This book is very much a baby of mine. It’s taken two years for me to get it right and I’m very pleased with the result. It’s a fast paced dose of urban contemporary fiction. If your readers enjoyed the TV series The Wire or have read Richard Price’s Clockers, then they will enjoy How the Wired Weep. I like to get into the minds of both the detectives and the criminal when I write, as each brings a different perspective to the table.

I’m looking forward to reading this, Ian. What are you working on now?

I: At the moment I’m spinning plates! I have two novels in development both based in Scotland. One is very much a personal based drama story and the other more speculative fiction along the lines of The Hunger Games. I’m also developing a script for a short film.

A busy time. We’re all missing book events, so what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

I: I was very close to a dream panel at Newcastle Noir this year but sadly it was cancelled. To get an invite to appear at any festival is a privilege and I was very disappointed to miss this opportunity. As a wheelchair-user, festivals that promote inclusivity are very important to me. Newcastle Noir and Bloody Scotland are two inclusive festivals. I was at Bloody Scotland in 2018 on the main stage with Val McDermid and Denis Mina. Reading from Rubicon and the memory of that event, in front of 800 people, will always stay with me.

I: I would love to be on a Q&A panel with Margaret Attwood and Chuck Palahniuk chaired by Joe Rogan. It would be great to just sit and explore the craft of writing with these people and hear their take on the world. 

That’s a panel to aspire to! What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

I: This is a very interesting question because for me not a lot will change. I’ve been shielding for the entire time. I’m also listening to the science more than the government. I’m fortunate because we live in a very remote area of Scotland so live a pretty isolated lifestyle anyway but when tourism opens up again it will be interesting for me to see how things are and whether the R rate goes up.  

One thing lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

I: I’m a thinker; always have been. I like to be introspective and this period has been both a cathartic and challenging time. I have an incurable muscle condition but if you met me you’d never think I was vulnerable. I don’t consider myself so but nevertheless it wouldn’t do me any good to be laid up in bed as my muscle wouldn’t repair in the same way as most people’s.

I: It’s made me more aware of how precious life is and that we don’t have long to live a life of value. I write so people like myself who have times of struggle get a break from reality and can enter another world. I want to write more and support people in this way. Life really is what we make it and it’s very easy to lament what we don’t have rather than embrace and develop where we can and add value to others’ lives. 

I: Thank you so much for having me here and for all your support over the years. It’s very much appreciated. Ian x

Fabulous to catch up and good luck with all your projects, Ian.

You can find out more about Ian’s books here and follow him on Twitter @ipatrickauthor

Rachel Sargeant

My guest today is psychological thriller writer Rachel Sargeant, who is published by HarperCollins. Based in Gloucestershire for several years, she previously lived in Lincolnshire, Surrey, Shropshire, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Ceredigion. She likes to feature settings she knows in her writing, but gives them a twist so they are far darker than the real places.

Hi how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge, Rachel. What can I get you at the bar?

R: Thank you for inviting me, Anne. I’m going to pretend it’s a balmy evening and your cocktail lounge has moved outside. Please can I have a Pimm’s and lemonade with lots of strawberry, orange, cucumber and a sprig of mint to enjoy on this sunny patio.

Always happy to enjoy a drink in the evening sunshine. So where did we first meet in real life?

R: We met in the grand foyer of The Midland Hotel in Morecambe during last year’s Morecambe and Vice Crime Writing Festival. We admired the wonderful art-deco staircase that featured in at least one Poirot episode.

We did and what an impressive building! And a fabulous festival. First impressions?

R: I’d formed my first impressions of you the day before when I attended the panel Let Them Lead the Way. You ably moderated a panel of children’s mystery writers: Sharna Jackson, Sarah Todd Taylor and Nicki Thornton. It was a lovely panel that particularly interested me as my last job before I became a full-time author was librarian in a primary school. I had read Sharna’s novel and bought it plus books by Sarah and Nicki for the school library. It was good to hear them speak enthusiastically about their work with children. You did an excellent job of moderating. It was clear you had done a huge amount of preparation, but, like the good author you are, you didn’t let your research dominate. Perfectly demonstrating the art of show not tell, you posed well-thought-out questions and let the panellists take centre stage.

Wow thank you! Points in common?

R: I think on that occasion in the hotel foyer we talked about the rain. There was rather a lot of it that morning. Since we’ve been friends on Twitter, it’s clear that we share a love of languages as well as writing. I believe you studied French at university. I studied German and lived there with my family for several years. We took the opportunity to travel to other European countries. My daughter spent last year in Belgium and Germany, and it was wonderful to see those countries again when we visited her. Spending time with our European neighbours is an enriching experience.

Talking about university reminds me of your latest book. Tell me more.

R: The Roommates is a psychological thriller set on a fictional British university campus during freshers’ week. Four new students, each hiding a secret from their past, find themselves sharing a flat. When one of them suddenly disappears, the others must trust each other and work together to find out what has happened. Little do they realise the danger ahead.

R: Four roommates, four secrets, one devastating lie.

What are you working on now?

R: I’m putting the finishing touches to two books. One is a serial killer thriller, the first in a new police procedural series. The other is a psychological thriller set in a Then-There-Were-None-type inaccessible location. I’m also part way through the first draft of a literary project that is going to take at least two years to complete.

You obviously don’t let the grass grow… What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panellists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

R: I think I speak for all authors in 2020 when I say any panel at all would be a dream panel.

R: I was due to appear at CrimeFest to discuss: Sanctuary? When Familiar Surroundings Become Murderous. I hope it gets to take place one day as my novels tend to feature everyday settings that have taken a turn towards darkness and I was looking forward to talking about the theme.

R: I went to CrimeFest last year but not as a panellist. It was my first time at a literary festival and I’m so grateful to Chris Curran and Anja de Jager for keeping me company in the bar each evening and inviting me to join them for dinner. It would be nice to appear on the panel with these friendly writers. I know setting is important to both of them. Anja’s Lotte Meerman police detective series is set in Amsterdam, and Chris’s alter ego Abbie Frost has scored a recent hit with The Guesthouse.

What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

R: When lockdown is properly over, I’ll be very pleased to go to the seaside, but I won’t go yet. I like all the fish and chip cafés, town museums and souvenir shops that go with a day out.

That’s another point in common. I love English seaside towns – and fish and chips – but like you I’ll be waiting for the right time. Thank you so much for joining me today, Rachel and I look forward to seeing you at a book event when they again become a feature in our lives.

Find out more about Rachel Sargeant’s books here and follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelSargeant3

Beverley Harvey

My guest today is Beverley Harvey who, like me, grew up on Enid Blyton.  Her career has spanned working as a receptionist, a PA, a PR, a media consultant, a copywriter and a dog walker – all roles which helped inspire her first two novels, Seeking Eden (2017) and Eden Interrupted (2019) published by Urbane Publications. Born in Yorkshire, but raised in Kent, Beverley has spent her adult life in London and the South East – until recently, when she and her partner moved to Chichester.

Hi Bev how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?

B: Thank you, Anne. That’s very kind. I often love a vodka martini but as the weather’s so glorious I’ll take a chilled Sauvignon Blanc Blush, please. Will you join me?

I certainly will. So where did we first meet in real life?

B: At an Urbane drinks party in November 2016 at the Phoenix Arts Club, and happily a couple of times since then. I met so many wonderful Urbane authors that night and was completely awestruck to be surrounded by such talent.

That was a wonderful party. First impressions?

B: Big cheeky smile, deep, musical voice and lots of quite naughty laughter.  I thought: there’s a girl who knows how to enjoy herself! You were very welcoming to a then unpublished author. You and several others were so kind to me that night and it meant a great deal.

Naughty laughter? I wonder if that was a point in common?

B: There are others. In addition to both being published by Urbane and our mutual love of books, two words: South London! Before I “moved out” in 2007, I’d lived there most of my adult life. We also share a love of animals and have both been scarred by losing dogs we adored.

Yes we have but you have an adorable terrier now. I haven’t taken the plunge to adopt another canine friend. Unlike you I haven’t included a dog as a character in my books. How’s life on the book front in these strange times?

B: I’ve just celebrated the first birthday of Eden Interrupted, my second in a series that takes a wry look at family life on a prosperous, modern housing estate.

B: Plus I recently signed a two-book contract with Bookouture so I’m currently working across two psychological thrillers – editing one, whilst writing the other from scratch. It is a new experience for me, but I’m getting there. The first of these will publish in November 2020.

Congratulations. Looking forward to when we can enjoy festivals again, what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?

B: I would love to be in a room with Louise Beech, Louise Candlish, Cara Hunter and Gillian Flynn to talk thrillers and the art of suspense and scaring people. I adore these authors and could learn so much from them. 

Fabulous choice. And what are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?

B: Ah, that’s a no-brainer, Anne. Hugging my brother and sister. I haven’t seen either since early March and we’re a close family.

Hugs are so important aren’t they? I have just been able to join my daughter and her family in a “bubble” and the joy of being able to be with them is overwhelming. Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?

B: I’ve realised just how much I enjoy my partner’s company and I marvel that we never run out of things to talk about. Friends and family are everything – the rest is just set dressing and easy to suspend for a while.

That’s lovely to hear, Bev.

B: Gosh, Anne, so lovely to chat over a drink, but we made short work of those. Must be my round. Same again?

Thank you, and thank you so much for joining me in the Cocktail Lounge.

You can find out more about Beverley Harvey here and follow her on Twitter @BevHarvey_