My Books

Book Birthday!

| linleysarah1

Today (11 February 2023) marks a year since the publication of my second novel, The Wedding Murders.

In that time, it’s had two different covers!

I must admit I prefer the original cover although the second perhaps reflects the book more accurately. (It’s not that blood thirsty!)

The Wedding Murders is set at a celebrity wedding in a grand manor house in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.

Libby is the plus-one of her boyfriend Matthew a former drummer in a 90s band. It’s the first time the group has got together since their acrimonious split, and she soon learns that they all have secrets to hide…

The Wedding Murders was published by One More Chapter, the digital imprint of HarperCollins, in February 2022.

One of the highlights of the past year was getting an amazing endorsement from crime writer Sophie Hannah. She said:

“This gripping murder mystery will keep you riveted from start to end.

“The Wedding Murders has all the traditional satisfactions of a golden age puzzle plot, while at the same time demonstrating a wholly contemporary sensibility.

“Fans of Lucy Foley and Agatha Christie will love it.”

You can buy The Wedding Murders here:

Amazon UK: The Wedding Murders

Amazon US: The Wedding Murders

The Wedding Murders has a new cover!

| linleysarah1

My second novel, The Wedding Murders, has a new summer jacket!

I must admit I loved the old cover with its bright colour contrast but I think the new jacket is a closer reflection of the story. I particularly love the discarded high heels!

If you love closed-door mysteries, lots of 90s nostalgia, and a fast-paced plot, check out The Wedding Murders on Amazon UK or Amazon US

It’s also available as a paperback from Waterstones.

Book Three – the story so far (setting)

| linleysarah1

All my books so far have been set in Yorkshire, and Book Three is no exception!

Book Three, provisionally called The Challenge, is set in the city of York. York has a special place in my heart as my grandma used to take me as a child to see the daffodils around the city walls.

It is a place steeped in history and full of iconic buildings, such as the magnificent York Minster. You can find out more about the history of York on this website: https://www.visityork.org/history-of-york

The Challenge sees Libby and Peter (from The Wedding Murders) reunited to investigate the mysterious death of a teenaged boy in York.

As part of the research, I made several trips to the city, looking for good places to set key scenes.  

The Museum Gardens and St Mary’s Abbey

The ruins of St Mary’s Abbey, York

York Minster

Micklegate Bar

Micklegate Bar in York

The River Ouse

Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower

The Challenge is currently with my agent, awaiting her feedback, before we submit it to my publisher. Fingers crossed they like it! 

On the Shelf: October 2021 reads

| linleysarah1

In October 2021, I read:

  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
  • Watch Her Fall by Erin Kelly
  • Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara 
  • Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
  • Crossing the Lines by Amanda Huggins (proof copy)
  • The Strangeworlds Travel Agency 2: The Edge of the Ocean by L D Lapinski

I am a big fan of The Hunger Games trilogy, so I was excited to read the spin-off which takes us back to the origins of the Games when Cornelius Snow is a young man, acting as a mentor to one of the tributes. I wouldn’t recommend starting with this book if you haven’t read the others, or you weren’t a fan of the original books, but it was great to be back in this world and I am hoping this is the start of a new series.

Watch Her Fall is set in the world of ballet, and it was fascinating to get a peek behind the curtains of a professional dance school. I was a bit disappointed though that the whole book wasn’t set in this world though. A very enjoyable read and a good, twisty plot that kept me guessing.

I had come across Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line when it was appearing on the shortlists of writing competitions before it got a publishing deal. I’d always loved the title and the opening sequence, and the rest of the novel didn’t disappoint. It follows a group of street kids in India solving the mystery of the disappearance of children from their shanty town. Heart-breaking at times, and hard-hitting in its depiction of poverty, I am definitely following this series.

Confessions of a Bookseller is a non-fiction book I was given for my birthday. I enjoyed the wry humour and the ups and downs of running a book shop.

Crossing the Lines is an atmospheric and haunting coming-of-age story of a young girl escaping her fate and returning to her roots. With compelling characters and evocative prose, this is a journey of self-discovery that will stay with you long after you read the last line. Crossing the Lines was a proof copy and was published in November 2021.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Strangeworlds Travel Agency 2: The Edge of the Ocean. It’s a middle-grade book so I am not its intended audience, but I just love the world(s) L D Lapinski has created. I am definitely going to be reading the rest of this series. I’ve bought these books as Christmas and birthday presents and they always get the thumbs up from young readers.

A COVER AND A NEW TITLE FOR BOOK TWO!

| linleysarah1

You’re invited to the wedding of the season…but you might not live to tell the tale!

The cover of my second book was revealed on social media this week and I love it!

I love the striking contrast between the red, white and black. Coincidentally these were the colours of my own wedding which makes it extra special.

Some of you will know that I originally called the book The Wedding Guest, but the title was changed after discussions with the publisher, One More Chapter.

The Wedding Murders features Libby Steele, a plus-one at a celebrity wedding. She’s the guest of her boyfriend Matthew who used to be in a Britpop band with the groom. It’s the first time the band have been reunited since their acrimonious split in the 90s and Libby soon realises they all have secrets to hide.

When a bridesmaid goes missing just hours before the ceremony, Libby suspects there’s a killer on the loose…

I was lucky enough to get an endorsement from the amazing Sophie Hannah which blew me away. This is what she said about the book:

‘This gripping murder mystery will keep you riveted from start to end. Fans of Lucy Foley and Agatha Christie will love it.’ 

You can’t get much better than that! But here are some of the other lovely endorsements I’ve received from published authors:

‘An intensely compelling, riveting story with a nail-biting climax!’ Abby Davies, author of Mother Loves Me

‘A fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns’ Sophie Flynn, author of All My Lies 

‘A gripping tale with plenty of twists and turns making for a most enjoyable read!’ Roz Watkins, author of The Devil’s Dice

I really enjoyed writing this book. It will be published as an ebook in February 2022 and a paperback in April 2022 and is available to pre-order now.

If you’re a book blogger, you can request a review copy on Netgalley.

Book Two is on its way!

| linleysarah1

I’ve had a busy couple of months since signing with my agent.

I have recently signed a book deal for my second psychological thriller, provisionally called The Wedding Guest. If all goes to plan, book two will be published by One More Chapter in April 2022.

Local journalist Libby is a plus-one at a celebrity wedding at a grand manor house in rural North Yorkshire. She’s the guest of her boyfriend, Matthew, who used to be in a Britpop band in the 90s. It’s the first time the band members have been reunited since the band split up and she quickly discovers that they have something to hide…

I’m really looking forward to launching Libby into the world! This book was a lot of fun to research and write.

At the moment I am doing my structural edits. These are big changes that the editor suggests in order to make sure the story works. They’re a little tricky, as you have to check that when you change something in chapter 20, it doesn’t impact on something in chapter 47. There is a lot of ‘find and replace’ going on! The plan is to complete these edits by the end of May.

I have also been working on a follow-up to this book. It’s early days and I have just done an outline, a bit of preliminary research and written about 3,000 words. This means I have put aside the other novel I was working on for the time being. At some point I am hoping to pick it back up and work on them both simultaneously but I’m not sure if my brain can handle that…

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash