Today I am featured in the rather splendid Historia Magazine, talking about researching and making vintage fashion connected to my 1920s and 30s murder mysteries. If you’re curious about how I got started, and some of the resources I use, do have a read. https://www.historiamag.com/fashion-research-historical-novels/

Poppy Denby is back! In this final book in the current series Poppy heads to Oxford to investigate the mysterious death of an Oxford scientist, a Somerville College graduate who is found dead in the History of Science Museum. But ghosts from Poppy’s past haunt her and her ‘happy ever after’ with Daniel may soon fall apart. Will Poppy unmask the villain and save her love life all at the same time?

Murder of an Oxford Scientist (previously published as The Crystal Crypt) is out now in ebook and paperback (still in audio as The Crystal Crypt). The gorgeous cover is by Lisa Brewster. And yes, that is a real 1922 Remington portable typewriter! (it’s mine!). Buy here now!

https://www.soft-press.com/en/

It’s 1924. Poppy Denby, Fleet Street journalist, is hoping for a few weeks off, visiting her family in Newcastle upon Tyne. She’s reluctantly roped into filling in for the publicist of a renowned artist who, inconveniently, is then murdered on Poppy’s watch – at the Laing Art Gallery. ‘Murder at the Art Gallery’, #5 in the Poppy Denby Investigates series, is out now! https://loom.ly/gdhqLcY

(This was formerly published as The Art Fiasco by Lion Fiction. The audiobook by WF Howes is still under that name.)

Since the first Poppy Denby book, The Jazz Files, was re-released under the new title A Front-Page Murder, I have been delighted by the reception the books have received from fans old and new.
My wish was to give these wonderful stories new life and for them to reach a new audience. Here’s a sample:

“Now this is what I call a page turner! This is one of the best books I’ve read for a long time. Loved Poppy Denby.”

A new Poppy fan

Quick on the heels of A Front-Page Murder, the new titles have been released one a month. So far there are three out, the fourth will be out in December – and a further two in January and February! So why not gift yourself (or a loved one) the first four Poppy books for Christmas? Click here to order.

I am delighted to announce that the Poppy Denby Investigates books are going to be re-published with new titles and covers by Embla Books (an imprint of Bonnier Books UK).

The first in the series, formerly The Jazz Files, is now called A Front-Page Murder and is available now! Order your copy here.

The next books will be released one a month for the next five months. They are:

Murder at the Old Vic Theatre  (formerly The Kill Fee) – October 2024

Murder on Lexington Avenue (formerly The Death Beat) – November 2024

Murder at Winterton Hall (formerly The Cairo Brief) – December 2024

Murder at the Art Gallery (formerly The Art Fiasco) – January 2025

Murder of an Oxford Scientist (formerly The Crystal Crypt) – February 2025

Please note: the audio version of each is currently only available under the old name. 

Delighted to see that Poppy Denby has been named as one of the Magnificent Seven Amateur Female Detectives in Shots Magazine! Poppy will be tickled pink that she’s in there with Miss Marple. She doesn’t know who the others are (Agatha Raisin, Margery & Thyme, Vera Stanhope, Jessica Fletcher, Delilah Metcalfe and Abby Knight) as they are after her time, but she was thrilled to learn about them! Thank you Antony Johnston author of the delightful Dogsitter Detective series and SHOTS Magazine http://shotsmag.co.uk/feature_view.aspx?FEATURE_ID=531

Today on Poppy’s blog tour for The Crystal Crypt we are stopping of at Jaffareadstoo. She says:

“Beautifully written, with both a sense of fun, and pathos, the glorious city of Oxford comes to life and thanks to the cleverly designed map, I was able to, quite literally, follow in Poppy’s footsteps as she moves through the city on her hired bicycle. […] Poppy Denby is, by far, my favourite amateur sleuth, and I look forward to meeting her again soon.”

I must confess, the map is my favourite part of the book. It took me ages to source just the right one and to plot Poppy’s adventures on it. But it helped me visualise where Poppy was going from the very beginning.

And it’s Happy Publication Day for The Crystal Crypt! Out today in paperback and ebook (already out in audio). Poppy and I will have a glass or two of bubbly this evening. It’s hard to believe this is book 6 already. Thanks so much to my family, friends and loyal followers of Poppy for your support over the years. It brings me joy to know that my imaginary friend and literary creation is so well loved. Thank you all

Get your hands on a copy here. 

“Whoopee, isn’t this just the bee’s knees of a murder mystery!” says Liz Robinson of Love Reading.

You can read the whole review here:

https://www.lovereading.co.uk/genres/lrbom/books-of-the-month

Just a reminder of publication dates:

The audio version, published by WF Howes, and narrated by the fabulous Helen Keeley, is coming out on Thursday 4 November. The paperback and ebook versions, published by Lion Fiction, will come out on Friday 19 November. You can pre-order by clicking here.