Crime Writers’ Association – Fiona Veitch Smith

Delicious chills and un-sensible shoes

Fiona — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 11:12:46 +0000

A delicious review of The Cairo Brief from the CWA’s delightful Dea Parkin, writing for Promoting Crime Fiction

“Atmosphere is as important as the slick plot and engaging story in this novel and it added hugely to my enjoyment. The misty gardens at Winterton Hall, the British Museum and surrounding streets in snow, all underpinned by that first spooky scene in the newly discovered tomb provoke delicious chills and put the reader very firmly in Poppy’s un-sensible shoes. A delight from start to a rewarding finish.”
– Dea Parkin, Secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association.

Read the full review here.

If you have read The Cairo Brief, please consider voting for it for the People’s Book Prize where it has been shortlisted for the best winter read of 2018/19. You can vote here.

The Death Beat & Trump’s America

Fiona — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:05:51 +0000

Today I am honoured to be a guest on the blog of Martin Edwards, chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, and expert in Golden Age mysteries for the British Library. I talk about some of the unnerving parallels between Donald Trump’s America and the America of 1921 in my new book, The Death Beat. You can read the blog post here.

Flappers, fops and murder

Fiona — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 09:10:57 +0000

Anyone in the Newcastle area on Monday 26 September, between 5 – 6.30pm (you can come straight from work), I am giving a talk at the central library on writing historical crime fiction in the jazz age. The event is free and there will be tea and biscuits. This is aimed at the general public and writers and readers of historical crime fiction.

(Please note this is not the launch party of The Kill Fee – I will be sending out invitations to that later!)

For more information and to book your free ticket click here.

CWA Historical Dagger shortlist

Fiona — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 11:24:13 +0000

I am delighted to hear that The Jazz Files is on the short list for this year’s Crime Writers’ Association Endeavour Historical Dagger award. The Daggers are sort of the Baftas of British crime writing. The winner will be announced at a swanky dinner in London on 11 October. In the meantime Poppy Denby and I are toasting each other with pink champagne and wondering what to wear!

This is what the judging panel said about the book:

“This first entry in a new series featuring a female journalist in 1920s London is, like its heroine, buoyant and stylish but with a core of steel. Poppy Denby arrives in London from the north of England determined to make it as a journalist and gets her chance when she has to finish a murdered reporter’s investigation into the death of a suffragette. The Roaring Twenties are beautifully evoked.” – the CWA judging panel http://thecwa.co.uk/the-jazz-files/

If you haven’t already read The Jazz Files, why not remedy that now? The sequel, The Kill Fee, will be coming out on 16 September. You can click on the book covers on the right hand side of this page to buy them. Cheers!

Crime Writers Association Dagger Nomination

Fiona — Sat, 21 May 2016 11:25:11 +0000

I am over the moon to hear that my debut historical crime novel, The Jazz Files, has been longlisted for the CWA Endeavour Historical Crime book of the year. I’m one of 10 nominees. Totally unexpected. I’m humbled and delighted

Click here to see all ten nominees

Crime Writers’ Association

Fiona — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 10:27:36 +0000

I’m chuffed to have been accepted as a full member of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) on the back of my Poppy Denby Investigates series. I’ve attended a number of their events over the years – particularly the Crime Fest in Harrogate – but never thought I’d actually be a member. Happy face.