Marjorie Swallow readers are a cheery lot! Last month I asked for tips on staying cheerful in gloomy weather, and I had plenty of lovely suggestions.
- Annette suggests re-reading books that make you laugh. I absolutely agree – I’ll do a round-up of favourite comic novels next month. I’m a big fan of funny fiction.
- Andrew looks for laughter too. He goes onto YouTube to find his favourite comedians Billy Connolly, Michael McIntyre, and Jack Whitehall, or watches his dogs playing.
- Dave cheats! He goes to Brisbane in Australia every year to visit family. ‘Sun and a view of the sea – you can’t beat it!’ he said.
I’d add spending time with friends, going walking whenever the sky clears, and where possible getting out to see live performances. We were lucky enough to go to the Royal Opera House to see the Royal Ballet perform Lights of Passage this month, which was a wonderful treat.
Finally, in very cheerful news, Death On Fleet Street is out! I can’t wait to share it with you.
Read on for news about audio books, recommendations , and your chance to win a signed copy of Death On Fleet Street.
Audiobooks and new books
Kim Bretton is busy narrating the audiobooks of Blackmail In Bloomsbury and Murder At The Ritz, which should be ready in the next month or two. I’ve done my bit – recording an author’s message for the books while sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe! It might look silly but it helps muffle the sound so my voice doesn’t sound echoey.
I’ve begun work on the next Marjorie Swallow mystery, which I plan to set just outside Broadstairs, not far from my flat on the Kent coast. I was the only person walking on the sandy beach surrounded by white cliffs, overlooked by a castle which was a smart hotel in the 1920s. Lots of scope for murder and mystery!
Recommendations
I’ve been cheering myself up with episodes of Renegade Nell on Disney +, which is ridiculous but also great fun. As I child, I never quite got over wanting to be a highwayman (blame the romantic poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, which I learned by heart). And I can almost convince myself it counts as research for the Regency series I plan to write next year.
Talking of TV, I had to watch the BBC drama Dope Girls, which was based on the same history I investigated for The Soho Jazz Murders. This lively drama takes place immediately after the First World War, as a group of women try to make their way in the seedier side of London. The nightclubs and gangsters are certainly reminiscent of The Soho Jazz Murders, but the language is a lot saltier and there’s more violence than in my book. Be warned if you decide to try it!
Finally, I’m indulging myself with Dorothy L Sayers’ 1931 novel Have His Carcase, a Lord Peter Wimsey mystery co-starring Harriet Vane. It’s a twisty mystery with plenty of dodgy alibis, false names and hidden motives for Lord Peter and Harriet to explore, in between exchanging snappy dialogue and jokes.
The big question!
Which are your favourite comic novels? Whether it’s PG Wodehouse or Terry Pratchett, Nancy Mitford or Mick Herron, I want to know whose fiction makes you laugh.
My early readers told me that Death On Fleet Street made them chuckle, so I’m hoping that will cheer you up when it’s published next week. To win a free signed copy, hit reply and let me know your favourite funny fiction. I’ll pick a winner at random.
Wishing you a marvellous March, and happy reading!
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