It's his turn

Yesterday I finished the first draft of The Letter. It’s the third novella in my ‘Crossed Paths’ prequel series—stories based on various supportive ‘cast' individuals regularly found in the mysteries. The name for the series comes from how these characters and McLaren came to know each other from their crossed paths in the story. The first two books were The Swim and Storms, which focused on the back stories of McLaren and then Melanie. The Letter reveals Barry Grady’s story. As many of you know, having read the McLaren mysteries set in Cumbria instead of in Derbyshire, Barry is the man who wandered into the village of Moorton one day and stayed to become the church sexton. He was fine on his arrival, but years later he fell down a flight of stone stairs. He hit his head and wasn’t the same after that. His brain was injured and he became a child trapped inside his adult body. Many readers are intrigued with Barry and want to know his back story. I tell that in The Letter. I hope it will be published by the middle of May or the beginning of June. And if you read it, I hope you like it. I must say, I do like this cover! I won’t reveal the front just yet, but here is the back…

I know in the last of these delightful tidbits I mentioned I was plotting (or at least thinking about) the sixth Cookies and Kilts mystery. As you can no doubt deduce, I was sidetracked and wrote The Letter instead. I’m not chiseling this in stone, stating I will definitely resume my plotting of The Cupid Culprit, or even begin plotting McLaren book #23, but I’ll consider something. Cupid appeals to me because I already know the storyline, have figured out who the featured animal is (a basset hound), and have created the cover — which is important to prod my brain into activity. I can’t say that about the next McLaren mystery. I had a super title and story idea, but the months of the story would have to be changed now if I use that. No big deal, I hear you say? Yes, it is a big deal. Half my research would be thrown out the window. I would need to research non-winter fishing (where to go, what fish would be caught, what equipment would be needed for non-winter, etc) and weather that would now effect the outdoors camping in different ways, a major winter activity that would pivot the storyline in another direction… So, let me recuperate from The Letter’s second draft before I ponder if I pursue McLaren or Kate Dunbar. But I’m sure something will suggest itself.

For anyone liking the audiobook editions of many of the McLaren mysteries, a new one will likely be available for purchase in June or July. My incredible narrator, Callum Hale, is narrating Bitter Night—hopefully even as I type this. I know he’s working on chapter 21 today, at any rate. The chapters I’ve heard already are really incredible, especially the one when McLaren rescues Jamie from possibly freezing to death outside in a January night. Anyway, I’ll let you know when it pops up for purchase. I’ll be the first one to get a copy!

Thanks for your interest. Hope you like my little bits of excitement. More later… Jo