A NEW STANDALONE - DROWNED LIVES

My Derbyshire police detectives Ben Cooper and Diane Fry are on holiday at the moment (I think they deserved it after 18 novels and all those murders!). 

So my next book, due out in the UK in August, will be something different - a standalone novel with a historical theme, called DROWNED LIVES.

This is set in Derbyshire's neighbouring county, Staffordshire, and in particular around the fascinating city of Lichfield, which is packed with history. 

DROWNED LIVES is a story of family secrets and a centuries-old feud, told against a background of the often dark history of inland waterways, from their origins in the industrial revolution to the restoration projects of recent decades. 

Even now, the West Midlands region of England contains more than 500 miles of canal, which run not only through countryside but right into the centre of major urban areas like Birmingham. 

Canals are very appealing as a setting for crime fiction. They may appear very peaceful on the surface, but they attract all kinds of crime. And who knows what's under the surface? When something (or someone) disappears into water, we tend to think it's lost for ever. But we may be wrong... 

I've always loved to explore the ways the past can affect the present, and in DROWNED LIVES council officer Chris Buckley is about to discover a lot of things from his past which he might have preferred not to know.

I set this book in the late 1990s. That's only 20 years ago, but it feels like a historical period - there were no smartphones, and the internet was just becoming more popular. Remember the dot.com bubble? Companies like eBay were starting up, but a lot of investors in other internet start-ups got their fingers badly burned.

The point where the 20th century was about to give way to the 21st felt like an interesting time to explore the buried secrets of the past.

DROWNED LIVES will be published by Sphere in hardback and ebook on 15th August 2019, along with an audio download. 

I hope you enjoy reading something a bit different!

DROWNED LIVES can be pre-ordered in all the usual places, including your local bookshop or online here:

Waterstones:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/drowned-lives/stephen-booth/9780751576283

WH Smith:

https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/drowned-lives/stephen-booth/hardback/9780751576283.html

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drowned-Lives-Stephen-Booth/dp/075157628X/

The Book Depository:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Drowned-Lives-Stephen-Booth/9780751576283

The Hive:

https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Stephen-Booth/Drowned-Lives/23831158

*The Book Depository offers free shipping to readers in the USA (and many other countries).

Of course, I'll also be doing a number of events and signings following publication, including:

THURSDAY 15th August, 11am - 1pm
Retford Library, Churchgate, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 6PE - book signing for DROWNED LIVES (in conjunction with Bookworm of Retford). To reserve a signed copy, phone 01777 869224 or email: sales@bookwormretford.co.uk
https://bookwormretford.co.uk/events/

SATURDAY 17th AUGUST, 9.30am onwards
Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 1QN - Derbyshire Noir one-day crime writing festival, with many other local authors including Sarah Ward, Roz Watkins, Sophie Draper, Jo Jakeman, Fran Dorricott, Caroline England, Tony R. Cox, James Ellson, Andrew Lowe, and Sylvia Marsden.
Tickets available now. Book online here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/derbyshire-noir-book-festival-2019-tickets-60198444167

SUNDAY 18th AUGUST, 1-3pm
High Peak Bookstore, Ashbourne Road, Brierlow Bar, near Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 9PY - signing for DROWNED LIVES. http://highpeakbookstore.co.uk/

TUESDAY 20th AUGUST, 7 for 7.30pm
Bakewell Bookshop, Matlock Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1EE - talk and signing for DROWNED LIVES. Tickets £5 including glass of wine and nibbles. To book, phone 01629 812818 or email: info@thebakewellbookshop.co.uk http://www.thebakewellbookshop.co.uk

THURSDAY 29th AUGUST, time tba
Gillingham Library, High Street, Gillingham, Medway, Kent ME7 1BG - talk and signing.
(Details to follow)

SATURDAY 24th AUGUST, 2 - 4pm
Scarthin Books, The Promenade, Cromford, Derbyshire DE4 3QF - book signing for DROWNED LIVES. http://www.scarthinbooks.com/

SATURDAY 31st AUGUST, 12 - 2pm
Reading Matters Bookshop, 48 Market Street, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire SK23 0HY - signing for DROWNED LIVES. https://readingmattersbookshop.co.uk/

OUT NOW IN THE USA - DEAD IN THE DARK

The 17th Cooper and Fry novel DEAD IN THE DARK is out this week in the USA, released in ebook formats with this wonderful cover from Witness Impulse.

How do you prove a murder without a body?

Ten years ago, Reece Bower was accused of killing his wife, a crime he always denied. Extensive police searches near his home in Bakewell found no trace of Annette Bower's remains, and the case against him collapsed.

But now memories of the original investigation have been resurrected for Detective Inspector Ben Cooper - because Reece Bower himself has disappeared, and his new wife wants answers.

Cooper can't call on the Major Crime Unit and DS Diane Fry for help unless he can prove a murder took place - impossible without a body. As his search moves into the caves and abandoned mines in the isolated depths of Lathkilldale, the question is: who would want revenge for the death of Annette Bower?

Meanwhile, Fry is working on a murder investigation of her own in an entirely different part of Derbyshire, where a community is divided against itself.

A blog tour is now under way in the US, organised by Partners in Crime. Check out all these lovely bloggers who are hosting reviews, features, interviews and guest posts over the next few weeks for the launch of DEAD IN THE DARK:

http://www.partnersincrimetours.net/dead-in-the-dark-by-stephen-booth/

In particular, check out the interview Stephen did for Crack a Book Cafe, where he talks about his influences, the inspiration for Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, and how he finds time to write (among other things!):

https://crackabookcafe.com/interview-stephen-booth-author-dead-in-the-dark/

A Rafflecopter giveaway has just started, with the chance of winning one of three copies of the previous Cooper & Fry novel SECRETS OF DEATH. Enter here to be in with a chance of winning:

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f24bf84b582/

US readers can download the ebook of DEAD IN THE DARK here:

Amazon Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dark-Novel-Cooper-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07B2TWX8J/

Barnes & Noble Nook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-in-the-dark-stephen-booth/1129201851

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/dead-in-the-dark-3

Google:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Stephen_Booth_Dead_in_the_Dark?id=WAZODwAAQBAJ

Apple iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dead-in-the-dark/id1353112013

* A US paperback edition of DEAD IN THE DARK will be released in October.

FALL DOWN DEAD is coming!

I've just opened a box of these beauties - advance copies of the new Cooper & Fry novel FALL DOWN DEAD, due for UK publication in hardback and ebook on 16th August. 

And you can pre-order it right now!

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/…/f…/stephen-booth/9780751567618


WH Smith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/prod…/fall-down-dead/9780751567618


Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fall-Down-Dead-Coope…/…/0751567612/


Or call in at your local bookshop and ask for it, of course.

MURDER IN THE PEAKS

For readers in the Derbyshire area, the last chance this summer to hear me talking about the Peak District locations in the Cooper & Fry series and the new Cooper & Fry novel SECRETS OF DEATH will be on Thursday 14th July at my 'Murder in the Peaks' event for Buxton Festival Fringe. 

This is the first time I'll be taking part in the Fringe, which is one of the highlights of July in Derbyshire. 

On the evening, there will also be a chance to ask all those questions you've been itching to get answers to. And copies of SECRETS OF DEATH, and all previous Cooper and Fry titles, will be on sale at a special event discount.

So make sure your book your places now! Tickets are just £6 (£5 concessions), available from the box office at Buxton Opera House:
http://www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/murder-in-the-peaks

You can also now order tickets via PayPal from my website:(it isn't necessary to have a PayPal account yourself, but you will need a credit card):
http://stephen-booth.com/BuxtonFringe.htm

Don't forget the date - Thursday 14th July. See you there!

Date:      THURSDAY 14th JULY
Time:     7.15pm
Venue:   Buxton Methodist Church Hall, Market Place, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6HX
Event:    'Murder in the Peaks', with talk, Q&A and book signing.
Tickets:  £6 (£5 concessions) *

* Concession ticket price is for under-16s, over 65s, students or unwaged.

Directions:

Buxton Methodist Church is centrally located on Buxton Market Place, and the entrance to the church hall is a few yards along Chapel Street. The postcode is SK17 6HX.

There is pay-and-display parking in the Market Place, as well as some on-street parking on either side of the church in Chapel Street and Fountain Street. If busy, a larger pay-and-display car park can be accessed from Market Street or Clough Street, and is just a short walk through an alley to the church hall.

A NEW COOPER & FRY NOVEL - SECRETS OF DEATH

The new Cooper & Fry novel SECRETS OF DEATH has arrived! UK hardback and ebook editions are released this week. 

SECRETS OF DEATH introduces a new phenomenon - suicide tourists, people who have decided the Peak District is a good place to die. The story involves DI Ben Cooper and his team from Edendale CID investigating a sudden upsurge in suicides, not knowing where the next death might happen.

 

And when a suspect in a Major Crime Unit investigation goes missing, Cooper faces two more challenges - the arrival of DS Diane Fry from Nottingham, and the possibility that one of these deaths wasn't suicide at all...

In the UK, you can buy the hardback and ebook editions in all the usual places:

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Death-Cooper-Stephen-Booth/dp/0751559989/stephenbootho-21

Waterstones:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-secrets-of-death/stephen-booth/9780751559989

WH Smith:
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-secrets-of-death-cooper-and-fry-16/9780751559989

The Hive:
http://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Stephen-Booth/The-Secrets-of-Death/18735717

or call in at your local bookshop.

An audio download edition of SECRETS OF DEATH is also released today. Publication dates will follow soon in other countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We're still awaiting news of publication in the USA.

I'll be doing a launch event for SECRETS OF DEATH this Friday (17th June) at Spring Bank Arts, New Mills, Derbyshire. I'm on at 7.30pm (but the bar opens at 7pm!). Tickets are £7, including a glass of Pimms, available from Spring Bank Arts on 01663 308202 or springbankarts@gmail.com, from High Street Books in New Mills, or online here:
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/357413

On Saturday I'll be at Bookworm bookshop in Retford, Nottinghamshire, from 10am - 12noon to sign copies of SECRETS OF DEATH. To order a signed copy in advance, phone the shop on 01777 869224 or email: sales@bookwormretford.co.uk

On Sunday I'll be at Lowdham Book Festival in Nottinghamshire for the festival's 'Day of Crime'. Also taking part are Elly Griffiths, Sharon Bolton, Anne Zouroudi, Steven Dunne, Sarah Ward, Chris Ewan and Robert Thorogood. Full day tickets are £15 (£12 concessions, £10 festival friends).
http://www.lowdhambookfestival.co.uk/

Don't miss your chance to get a signed copy of the new book - just in time for Father's Day too!

Other dates here:
http://www.stephen-booth.com/events.htm

NOTTINGHAM CRIME EVENING

Don't miss 'The Line-Up' - an evening of crime fiction coming up at Waterstones Nottingham on Friday 6th November.

Suspect number one: Steven Dunne

Steven's explosive and gripping self-published debut in 2008, 'The Reaper', dropped a bomb on the crime scene and led to a string of thrillers starring the troubled DI Damen Brook. He presents Eexhibit A: his latest novel 'A Killing Moon'.

Suspect number two: Glenis Wilson 

Already a celebrated author of literary fiction Glenis has turned her talented hand to crime, 'Dead Certainty' was released earlier this year to widespread acclaim. She will bring Exhibit B: her second crime novel set in the hidden underbelly of the world of horse racing, 'Dead On Course'.

Suspect number three: Stephen Booth

Derbyshire's grand master, the multiple award-winner has a rap-sheet 15 novels long, starring his contrasting characters, Cooper and Fry. Exhibit C is the latest Cooper & Fry novel 'The Murder Road'.

Tickets are just £3 from Waterstones. Call now to reserve your place!

Tickets and further details on: 0115 947 0069

https://www.waterstones.com/events/the-line-up-with-steven-dunne-glenis-wilson-and-stephen-booth/nottingham

BOOKS IN THE CASTLE - WITH PETER ROBINSON

In August, Nottinghamshire hosts a new literary event when the first Newark Book Festival is held. It boasts a fantastic venue in the grounds of the historic Newark Castle (hence the festival's tagline 'Books in the Castle'). 

The castle's long history includes its important role in the English Civil War and its fame as the place where King John died after issuing Magna Carta and suffering a disaster crossing The Wash. The castle stands right alongside the River Trent, and Newark has many other attractions to make it well worth a visit if you've never been before.

This festival came about following an event I did at the Storytellers Bookshop in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, earlier this year. During a chat with the owner, Paul Trickett, he mentioned that he lived in Newark and that he'd always thought the town should have its own book festival. I thought so too, and added "someone ought to organise one". And Paul went off and did it! 

He's done an amazing job putting it all together and getting some fantastic authors to take part over the two days (Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August). Please come along and support it if you're in the area. 

Full details of the festival are on the 'Books in the Castle' website here:

http://www.booksinthecastle.co.uk/

And I'll be there, of course. On the Saturday I'm doing a special event with one of our top crime novelists - the wonderful Peter Robinson (pictured left), author of the Inspector Banks series (now DCI Banks on TV). I've been reading Peter's books for years, and I'm thrilled to be sharing the stage with him (or a marquee, at least). 

Our crime fiction event will be on Saturday 8th August at 4pm, when we'll be chaired by Hull crime writer Nick Quantrill. 

Though admission to the castle grounds is free for the festival, places for our event are limited and tickets are £8 each. Tickets are available from WH Smith 38 Market Place, Newark (phone 01636 677518), or from the Secret Garden Cafe, 6 Stodman Street, Newark (phone 01636 676999) or can be booked online here:

http://www.etickets.to/buy/?e=12869

Don't forget - the capacity of the marquee is limited, so don't delay in reserving your places! 

Books will also be available to buy and get signed on the day, of course.   

BELPER ARTS FESTIVAL 'AUTHOR SHOWCASE'

I'm looking forward to visiting Belper again next month, when I'll be taking part in Belper Arts Festival's 'Author Showcase' on Saturday 3rd May. I'll be at the Strutt's Centre on Derby Road from 10am - 3pm, selling and signing copies of all the Cooper & Fry novels - with plenty of time to chat too!

If you're in that part of Derbyshire, why not call in? There'll be plenty of other things going on, including a craft fair:
http://www.belperartsfestival.org/litMain.php

The Strutt's Centre is the former Herbert Strutt School, located opposite Babington Hospital on Derby Road, Belper.
Anyone who hasn't visited this small Derbyshire town before might be surprised to known that it's in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Just one of Derbyshire's many attractions!

Also during May, I'll be doing events in Chepstow in Monmouthshire, Wells in Somerset, Bollington in Cheshire, Clumber in Nottinghamshire, and Doncaster in South Yorkshire, as well as appearing at the crime fiction festival CrimeFest in Bristol.
More details for events in May are here:
http://www.stephen-booth.com/events.htm

THE DEFINITIVE CRIME NOVEL

So what is 'The Definitive Crime Novel'?

Well, it's the subject of my guest post today over at Misty Rayburn's blog 'The Top Shelf':

http://www.the-top-shelf.com/?p=6528

My post includes a few ideas about where the first detective stories originated. And one or two of them might surprise you!

Meanwhile, there's a terrific interview I did with Cheryl Masciarelli on her blog 'CMash Reads':

http://cmashlovestoread.com/2013/10/23/guest-author-stephen-booth/

Cheryl and Misty are the latest bloggers to support my virtual book tour for the new Witness Impulse ebook edition of BLACK DOG, recently published in the USA:

http://www.stephen-booth.com/blackdogwitness.htm

The 2nd book in the Cooper & Fry series, DANCING WITH THE VIRGINS, will be released by Witness Impulse next week:

http://wmmorrow.hc.com/witnessimpulse/dancingwiththevirgins-9780062302014

Nottingham Festival of Words

This year, the city of Nottingham will get its first ever book festival with the launch of Nottingham Festival of Words.

Next weekend (Saturday 16th February) I'll be taking part in 'Arsenic and Nottingham Lace', a crime and noir panel as part of the festival. Also on the panel are local authors Niki Valentine, Danuta Reah and David Belbin.

Admission is by festival day or weekend pass. Make sure you book now!

The full festival programme is here: 
http://nottwords.org.uk/resources/nottsfest2012-lowres.pdf

SATURDAY 16th FEBRUARY, 11.15am - Nottingham Festival of Words - 'Arsenic and Nottingham Lace' crime and noir panel with Niki Valentine, Danuta Reah and David Belbin at Nottingham Trent University's Newton Building, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU. Entry with day or weekend pass, tickets available from Nottingham Tourism Centre on Smithy Row, by phone on 0844 477 5678, or online through the festival website: http://nottwords.org.uk/

During the summer, I'll also be taking part in the first ever Gedling Book Festival, which will be held in Arnold in July. 

For details of more forthcoming events, please visit the website:

http://www.stephen-booth.com/new events.htm

ENCOUNTERS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE

Another newcomer to the blogosphere is one of my crime writing heroes, John Harvey, who is blogging over at:

http://mellotone70up.wordpress.com/

Mr Harvey is much more cultured than me, and can be found discussing poetry and jazz as well as crime fiction. He's also a recent recipient of the CWA's Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement, and happens to be a really nice guy too. You've got to hate him, haven't you?

I've also added a few more blog links below, including Martin Edwards' "Do you write under your own name?" As well as being a wonderful writer himself, Martin is a reviewer, and you can often find recommendations of new books on his blog before the books have even been published.

CUT WORDS TO CUT COSTS?

A fellow crime writer has reported receiving an email from her US publishers, asking all their authors to keep their books under 100,000 words, in an effort to reduce production costs (i.e. creating fewer pages to print).

I'd be interested to hear what readers think of this one. On the one hand, there are probably many books that would benefit from being pruned! But my agent once said to me that a book should be as long as it needs to be for the story you're telling.

And the author who received this email has just finished a new book that is 120,000 words long, meaning she might be asked to cut one sixth of the book - for the US market, at least. As an author, it's probably better to write shorter books than be dropped by your publisher. But will some readers notice that that they're getting less value for money?

DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY CALL

Here in the UK, the Crime Writers' Association has just opened nominations for this year's Dagger in the Library Award.

Sponsored by Random House, the £1,500 award recognises an author's body of work. Recent winners have included Stuart McBride, Craig Russell and Alexander McCall Smith. (oh, and me!) This year, the panel of judges will be chaired by Mark Benjamin, Team Librarian at Hexham Library.

Libraries have until 11th April to make up to three nominations for each of their reading groups. Libraries that nominate shortlisted authors will be entered into a draw for tickets to the glittering awards dinner in London, and for a £300 prize. Entry forms can be downloaded at the CWA website:

http://www.thecwa.co.uk/

THE REAPER IS COMING...

Congratulations go to Derbyshire crime writer Steven Dunne, who is one of the latest signings for HarperCollins imprint Avon.

Steven is a fine example for other aspiring authors who dream of getting that big publishing contract. After a number of rejections, he decided to go it alone and self-publish his first novel 'Reaper', a detective thriller set in Derby, featuring Detective Inspector Damen Brook in a hunt for a long-dormant serial killer. The book ended up being stocked and championed at Steven's local Waterstone’s.

He then placed his book on HarperCollins' new writers' networking site authonomy.com in the hope of reaching a wider audience. And 'Reaper' was spotted by a HarperCollins editor, who has signed Steven up for at least one more book. 'Reaper' will be hitting shops across the UK this summer.

I read the book a couple of months ago, and it's great stuff! I even think the cover of the self-published version is pretty cool too (and that's not something you can always say). I'm looking forward to seeing what HarperCollins do with it.

A graduate of Kent University, Steven Dunne works as a supply teacher in Derby. He uses a number of recognisable locations in the city for his book.

I think you'll be hearing more of him after this summer.

You can visit his website here:

http://www.the-reaper.com/

SIZZLE & CRUNCH

Well, here's something new to brighten up your year (we certainly needed something didn't we?). Yes, it's the brand spanking, all-singing, all dancing, almost sinfully fascinating Stephen Booth Blog.

In the midst of all the credit crunch crises and rumours of rampant recession, this is the place where I'll be bringing you little glimmers of light. There'll be snippets of news picked up on my wanderings through the weird world of UK crime fiction, tantalising glimpses into the alarmingly labyrinthine life of a writer, and lots of other sizzlingly esoteric smatterings to keep you sitting up and paying attention.

Some of it, though, will be written in quite short sentences.

And there might never be any more alliteration, ever...

...but I might occasionally mention goats.

It could be quite a journey!