Interview: Lizzie Sirett in conversation with Hannah Dennison

 Hannah Dennison was born and raised in Hampshire, but on leaving school landed a job as an obituary writer/amateur dramatic reviewer for a Devon newspaper.
Hannah is the author of the Honeychurch Hall Mysteries and the Vicky Hill
Mysteries, both set in Devon, England. Also, two books in Island Sisters Mysteries.

She has been an obituary reporter, antique dealer, private jet flight attendant and Hollywood story analyst.
Hannah originally moved to Los Angeles from England to pursue screenwriting. 

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Crime Writers Association, Mystery People, The Historic Houses Association, the National Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.
She enjoys hiking, horseback riding, skiing, theatre and seriously good chocolate. 

www.hannahdennison.com

Lizzie:          You have just published your twelfth book in the Honeychurch Hall series.  Can you tell us about this latest book and how Honeychurch Hall came about. Is it completely out of your head or based on somewhere?
Hannah:       Honeychurch Hall itself is fictional—a mash-up of two grand houses I know very well (although there is a real Honeychurch in North Devon which I only discovered after the first book was published). The idea really came from my own recently-widowed mother, who rather alarmingly bought the wing of a country house in her seventies, which led me to create Iris, the romance writer–and my protagonist, Kat Stanford, who quit her TV job in London, to move 200 miles to the West Country to keep an eye on her. 

As for book 12, Deadly Derailment has all the elements of a juicy mystery—a 50-year old heist at nearby Honeychurch Halt, missing diamonds, collectible “railwayama” and, naturally, the discovery of a body or two.

Lizzie: Your main character in the Honeychurch Hall series is Kat Stanford, a dealer in antiques. Is that something that you are particularly knowledgeable about, or you are interested in?
Hannah: In my early twenties, I was lucky enough to work for an antique dealer who had a beautiful shop in The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells. I’ve always been fascinated by antiques—the idea that objects carry stories and history with them. Kat’s profession gives me a chance to do just that. Each book features an antique in some shape or form. 

Lizzie: Your first series features investigative journalist Vicky Hill who will do anything to get a front-page story.  The first book in this series was published in 2008. Things were quite different for female journalists at that time.  Was Vicky your pioneer to a journalist career? 
Hannah: Ah, good old Vicky Hill. Full disclosure: she was based on my experiences as a trainee reporter who really was stuck writing the obituaries. So, in this case, it was quite the opposite rather than a pioneer! The series was born in a writing class, when our assignment was to submit five different ideas. Vicky was the last one, but she jumped out. By the way, I am nothing like Vicky Hill!  

Lizzie: In 1993 you moved to the Los Angeles in the US. Can you tell us what prompted that move, the chance of becoming a better writer, a better climate or … ? 
Hannah: I had been studying screenwriting—taking classes (I still take writing classes—I love learning). I was accepted into Bournemouth University to do a degree, but a director friend of mine insisted that if I was truly serious about my craft, I should move to Los Angeles. Yes. Just like that. A series of lucky breaks made that happen. I got a job working for a studio and read a lot of other people’s screenplays (called ‘doing coverage’) and wrote a gazillion of my own. Some of which got very close to being made but never quite did.  As for the weather—the American work ethic is brutal. I enjoyed looking at the sunshine from my window.

Lizzie: I read that you missed the UK countryside, the pubs, Christmas and Easter, and everything British, especially their sense of humour.  Did you consider writing a series set in the US?
Hannah: You’re right about how much I missed the UK. Writing my series set there eased the homesickness a lot. I think I have a manuscript in my bottom drawer about a British assistant who moves to Los Angeles to work for a film producer—I should get that out again and see if it’s any good. Once I’ve finished a project, I completely forget about it!       

Lizzie:          Do you have the whole book planned out when you settle down to write, or does it change during the writing process, or does it pan out exactly as you had originally planned?
Hannah:       I wish! A story is usually sparked by an idea or perhaps a conversation overheard in a restaurant (writers are terrible eavesdroppers). I already have my foundations—my characters and setting—so I write around that kernel of an idea. For example, the train idea in Deadly Derailment came from talking to a handful of train fanatics (and I mean that literally) who were restoring an old railway carriage from the 1950s. I just thought – hmm there’s a story around that. As always, it provided the spark, but the final product was quite different. I know the ending, but it’s a case of freefalling to get there. I trust the process and my characters to show me the way. 

Lizzie: Why did you choose to write crime novels?
Hannah: Believe it or not, it’s not the crime that interests me. I think crime is such a natural way to explore people and relationships—what makes someone ‘cross to the dark side’? A mystery gives you structure, but within that you can look at all sorts of human behaviour. And of course, I do enjoy the puzzle—although it gives me sleepless nights when I worry I can’t make the pieces fit. 

Lizzie: Do you have a favourite part of the writing process?
Hannah: The early stages, definitely—when the idea is fresh and anything feels possible. And the moment when everything clicks into place and you think—it works! Hurrah! 

Lizzie: Do you write for a certain number of hours each day or set yourself a target of x number of words.
Hannah: I tend to work more by time than word count—usually two to four hours a day, more when I am on deadline.  I admire fellow writers who can produce a thousand words a day—or even two thousand—but if I focus on that, I seem to lose the creative momentum. Sometimes I could spend three days working on one page. Often in that case, I realise —wait, that scene isn’t important anyway. That’s why I can’t get past it. So I cut it. You have to learn to kill your babies, as they say.

Lizzie: What triggers the idea for a new book?   Something that you see or read about, or a personal experience ….?
Hannah: All of the above. I’m always amused when someone asks me if I ever run out of ideas. The answer is— never. I don’t think I’ll be alive long enough to write everything I want to write. 

Lizzie: Who are the authors whose work you enjoy and why?
Hannah: I’ve always loved authors who create strong worlds and memorable characters—writers like Barbara Pym and Jane Austen for their observation of people. I enjoy Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, M.M. Kaye, authors I read as a much younger woman, that have stood the test of time.  I hope, one day, my books will too!

Thanks for chatting with us Hannah. 

Books by Hannah Dennison

Vicky Hill Mysteries

Exclusive
Scoop
Exposed
Thieves
Accused
Trapped

Honeychurch Hall Mysteries.

Murder At Honeychurch Hall
Deadly Desires at Honeychurch Hall
A Killer Ball At Honeychurch Hall
Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall
Dangerous Deceptions at Honeychurch Hall
Tidings of Death at Honeychurch Hall
Death of A Diva At Honeychurch Hall
Murder in Miniature at Honeychurch Hall
A Killer Christmas at Honeychurch Hall
Dagger of Death at Honeychurch Hall
A Fatal Feast at Honeychurch Hall
Deadly Derailment at Honeychurch Hall

Island Sisters Mysteries

Death at High Tide
Danger At The Cove

Coming Soon: 'The Cliff's Edge Murders' by Priscilla Masters

Published by Joffe Books

25 June 2026

The 8th book in the Coroner Martha Gunn series

One storm-dark night in the Shropshire Hills, a car goes hurtling down the lonely track to Clive Quarry. Careering ever closer to the sheer drop at the end of the lane. It teeters on the edge for one heart-stopping moment. Then plummets down to the jagged rocks below.

Next morning, the bodies of two teen boys are pulled from the twisted wreck. But the real mystery is what’s locked inside the boot.

The body of a frail old woman, wrapped in a woolly blanket. Nails painted, hair freshly dyed. Six months dead.

With no leads, no ID and no living witnesses, only Coroner Martha Gunn can piece together this Jane Doe’s story. 

Priscilla Masters was born in Halifax, and brought up in South Wales, one of seven multi-racial children adopted by an orthopaedic surgeon and his Classics graduate wife. Priscilla trained as a registered nurse in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. She moved to Staffordshire in the 1970s, had an antiques business for a while and two sons. She started writing in the 1980s in response to an aunt asking her what she was going to do with her life! Winding up the Serpent was her first Joanna Piercy story, published in 1995.  There are now fifteen books in the series. She has also written several medical standalones and a series set in Shrewsbury, featuring coroner Martha Gunn. Her most recent series features Dr Claire Roget who is a forensic psychiatrist who has some very unpredictable patients. 

http://www.priscillamasters.co.uk/ 

‘Murder at the Folly’ by Jane Adams

Published by Joffe Books,
2 December 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-80573387-4 (PB)

The latest episode in the long-running TV series featuring amateur sleuth, Lydia Marchant, played by actress, Rina Martin, is being filmed on location at Septon Hall. Rina’s co-star, Grace Sweeting, is playing the murderer. The production is not going well, and constant delays are causing tension among actors and crew alike, which is not helped by Grace’s difficult behaviour, constantly finding fault. 

A poison pen letter addressed to Grace arrives at Septon Hall, witnessed by the show’s leading man, Phil Perry. Things come to a head between the two of them, when an unpleasant scene breaks out onset. Phil misses his cue resulting in Grace storming back to her dressing room. The next morning Phil’s body is discovered on the floor of the wardrobe room with a brooch stuck in his neck. The brooch was last seen on the lapel of the Victorian costume coat worn by Grace during the previous day’s filming. 

Grace immediately becomes the prime suspect. Afterall, as all his colleagues are keen to tell the police, Phil was a pleasant guy who got on with everybody. No one else would have cause to harm him. Only Rina has doubts about Grace’s culpability. If justice is to be done, it’s up to Rina to track down the real culprit. 

This is book 11 in Jane Adams’s series featuring Rina Martin. New readers will soon get to grips with the large cast of characters and there is plenty of action to keep them turning the page. Murder at the Folly ticks all the boxes for those who like a cozy whodunit – interesting, well-drawn characters; lots of suspects; a fast-moving plot with plenty of twists and turns and red herrings; interesting remote location; all written in an easy, straightforward style.   
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Reviewer: Judith Cranswick
http://www.judithcranswick.co.uk   

Jane Adams was born in Leicestershire, where she still lives. She has a degree in Sociology and has held a variety of jobs including lead vocalist in a folk rock band. She enjoys pen and ink drawing; martial arts and her ambition is to travel the length of the Silk Road by motorbike. Her first book, The Greenway, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Award in 1995 and for the Author's Club Best First Novel Award. Jane writes several series.  Her first series featured Mike Croft. Several books featuring DS Ray Flowers. Seven titles featuring blind Naoimi Blake, and eight titles featuring Rina Martin. Her most recentt series is set between the two World Wars and featuring Detective Inspector Henry Johnstone and his Sergeant, Micky Hitchens. Jane has also written several standalone novels. She is married with two children. 

janeadamsauthor.com  

Judith Cranswick was born and brought up in Norwich. Apart from writing, Judith’s great passions are travel and history. Both have influenced her two series of mystery novels. Tour Manager, Fiona Mason takes coach parties throughout Europe, and historian Aunt Jessica is the guest lecturer accompanying tour groups visiting more exotic destinations aided by her nephew Harry. Her published novels also include several award-winning standalone psychological thrillers. She wrote her first novel (now languishing in the back of a drawer somewhere) when her two children were toddlers, but there was little time for writing when she returned to her teaching career. Now retired, she is able to indulge her love of writing and has begun a life of crime! ‘Writers are told to write what they know about, but I can assure you, I've never committed a murder. I'm an ex-convent school headmistress for goodness sake!’

http://judithcranswick.co.uk/ 

‘Her Perfect Escape’ by Rachel Wolf

Published by Head of Zeus,
7 May 2026.
ISBN: 978: 0-3591686-3 (PB)

Rachel Wolf’s latest thriller ticks all the boxes for an enjoyable summer beach or poolside read. Location: the glamorous side of Greece familiar to the rich and famous—a sun-drenched landscape of sea, sand and islands replete with yachts and expensive clothes and exclusive restaurants. Characters: a diverse cast of wealthy or high-profile individuals fond of using drink, drugs and sex to obviate the suffering inseparable from the human experience no matter our net worth. Plot: as twisty and fast-paced as they come in current crime fiction, of the variety inevitably termed addictive. 

The action of Her Perfect Escape takes place in two different time frames—the summer of 2025 and the summer of 2026—but in the same place, with nearly the same characters gathered for the same occasion: a couple celebrating their son’s birthday at their holiday villa on a Greek island. Tash and Mark are a power couple who have parlayed their tech skills into the development of a high net-worth business and have a dearly loved son, Dom, who’s a student at Harvard. 

Mark and Tash seem to have it all, but it’s a misleading façade. Their relationship is riven by tragedy. They are now living apart, and Mark even has a new girlfriend. Tash’s sister Emma disappeared at the birthday weekend in Greece in 2025, and Tash, preoccupied by the inexplicable and unbearable loss of a dearly loved sibling, has alienated her husband by spending her days in a miasma of misery. She tries to summon up good spirits for the tradition of the son’s birthday party but is only fitfully successful. When Mark appears with his new partner, grief for her missing sister is complicated by sadness at her estrangement from her husband and jealousy of his attractive new girlfriend. 

A murder at the second birthday weekend, in 2026, stirs up old memories for everyone involved. The story is told through various viewpoints, with Tash’s predominating, but her recollections prove strikingly different from those of other members of the cast of this compulsively readable novel, reminding us of the adage that it is hard enough for us know ourselves let alone anyone else. Everyone harbours secrets or tells lies. Everyone struggles to look perfect and act impeccably, intent on hiding personal suffering, weakness or guilt. 

The story is full of sexual intrigue and betrayal, of incidents of blackmail and violence, of individuals revealing themselves to be loathsome or lovable. Personal relations are strained to breaking point. It’s The White Lotus pattern, reassuring the general reader that the fabulously wealthy aren’t necessarily as blissfully happy as they might appear. 

Highly recommended as a pleasurably immersive holiday read that will keep you absorbed—wondering, speculating, guessing—right up to the very last page. 
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Reviewer: Lea O’Harra 

Rachel Wolf grew up in the North of England and studied at Durham University. Before turning to writing, she worked for a holiday company and travelled widely. Her thrillers take inspiration from some of those travels.

 

Lea O’Harra.  An American by birth, did her postgraduate work in Britain – an MA in Lancaster and a doctorate at Edinburgh – and worked full-time for 36 years at a Japanese university. Since retiring in March 2020, she has spent part of each year in Lancaster and part in Takamatsu on Shikoku Island, her second home, with occasional visits to the States to see family and friends. An avid reader of crime fiction since childhood, as a university professor she wrote academic articles on it as a literary genre and then decided to try her hand at composing such stories herself, publishing the so-called ‘Inspector Inoue mystery series’ comprising three murder mysteries set in rural, contemporary Japan. The fourth and final book of this series was published in February 2026. She has also published two standalone crime fiction novels. 

Crime Writers’ Association Announces 2026 Dagger Awards Shortlist

 

The shortlist for the Crime Writers’ Association’s prestigious
Dagger awards has been announced.

Created in 1955, the world-famous CWA Daggers are the oldest awards in the genre and have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century.

This year’s shortlists showcase the range and depth of the genre, from historical fiction, to thrillers and classic whodunnits.

As well as championing established authors of the genre, it also provides a platform for debut and emerging talent.

Nadine Matheson, Chair of the CWA, said: "This year’s shortlist is a fantastic reflection of the extraordinary breadth and diversity of crime fiction today, and a celebration of authors from debuts to established names, whose creative talents ensure that the genre continues to grow from strength to strength.”

The coveted KAA Gold Dagger, sponsored by Kevin Anderson & Associates, is awarded for the best crime novel of the year.

Shortlisted novels are S.A Cosby with King of Ashes,
Abigail Dean’s The Death of Us, Holly Jackson with Not Quite Dead Yet, Vaseem Khan’s The Girl in Cell A, Ariel Lawhon with The Frozen and Lara Shepherd-Robinson’s The Art of a Lie, a novel that also makes the Historical Dagger shortlist.

S.A. Cosby is the only author to be shortlisted for an unprecedented three Dagger awards. As well as Gold, the American author of “Southern noir” is also in contention for the Short Story Dagger and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, which honours the best thriller of the year.

Also shortlisted for the Steel Dagger is the standalone thriller by BookTok sensation Noelle W Ihli, Such Quiet Girls inspired by the real-life 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping. She’s up against the global bestselling author Karin Slaughter for We Are All Guilty Here, Tariq Ashkanani’s The Midnight King, Robert Crais with The Big Empty, Mark Ezra’s A Sting in her Tale and
Liam McIlvanney’s The Good Father.

Joining Laura Shepherd-Robinson, authors Nina Allan, Rob McInroy, Donna Moore, Alan Parks and Sally Smith make the Historical Dagger shortlist.
The historical novels span 18th century London to 1920s Glasgow, from stories inspired by gritty true crimes to a cosy Christmas mystery.

The Twisted Dagger for psychological suspense shortlist features Sarah Pinborough, the author behind the New York Times bestselling breakout novel (and hit Netflix show) Behind Her Eyes with a haunting Gothic novel, We Live Here Now. She’s up against Kia Abdullah, Nicci Cloke, Fiona Cummins, Carole Hailey and Sam Lloyd.

The Whodunnit Dagger for books with an intellectual challenge at the heart of a good mystery, sees Alexandra Benedict, Victoria Goldman, Anna Fitzgerald Healy, Robert Holtom, Mel Pennant and CJ Wray in the running.

The global reach of the genre is showcased in the Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger.

International authors include two German writers - Karsten Dusse with his bestselling dark comedy series, Murder Mindfully and Leonie Swann with her mystery novel, Big Bad Wool, the anticipated follow-up to her breakout hit, Three Bags Full that follows a flock of sheep as they try to solve a murder.

The shortlist also sees Norway’s Jørn Lier Horst, the Croatian writer and journalist Jurica Pavicic, Finland’s Antti Tuomainen, and Strange Pictures – a novel from the Japanese YouTuber and writer, Uketsu.

Their translators are also recognised in the award, which is sponsored in honour of Dolores Jakubowski.

The ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction includes The Spy in the Archive by Gordon Corera and Shaun Walker’s The Illegals, profiling Russia’s most audacious spies, reflecting the enduring fascination with espionage and true crime, alongside Shadow of The Bridge by Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee, John Curran’s The Murder Game, Caroline Fraser’s Murderland, and
Susannah Stapleton with That Dark Spring.

The Short Story Dagger features S.A. Cosby, alongside the acclaimed Scottish author Denise Mina and the bestselling Abir Mukherjee.
The Daggers are one of the few high-profile awards celebrating short-form storytelling.

The Dagger in the Library, voted for by librarians, recognises authors whose bodies of work have resonated with readers over time. On this year’s shortlist are Paula Hawkins, best known for her huge hit, Girl on the Train alongside JD Kirk, Clare Mackintosh, Freida McFadden, Abir Mukherjee and Tim Sullivan.

The CWA Daggers are also known for providing a platform for emerging talent, with the much-anticipated ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger and the Emerging Author Dagger competition, sponsored by Fiction Feedback; over two dozen past winners and shortlisted debut authors have signed publishing deals to date.

The Best Crime and Mystery Publisher category recognises the publishers behind the genre’s success, with leading imprints including Faber & Faber, Pan Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster shortlisted against Bitter Lemon Press, No Exit Press and Viper.

The CWA Diamond Dagger, sponsored by Karen Baugh Menuhin, is awarded to an author whose crime-writing career has been marked by sustained excellence, is announced in early spring and in 2026 was awarded to Mark Billingham.

The winners are announced at the CWA gala dinner awards night in July.

The shortlists in full:

CWA KAA Gold Dagger

S. A. Cosby King of Ashes (Headline)

Abigail Dean The Death of Us (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Holly Jackson Not Quite Dead Yet (Penguin Random House/Michael Joseph)

Vaseem Khan The Girl in Cell A (Hodder Fiction).

Ariel Lawhon The Frozen (River Swift Press)

Laura Shepherd-Robinson The Art of a Lie (Pan Macmillan/Mantle)

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

Tariq Ashkanani The Midnight King (Profile Books/Viper)

S. A. Cosby King of Ashes (Headline)

Robert Crais The Big Empty (Simon & Schuster UK)

Mark Ezra A Sting in her Tale (Bedford Square Publishers/ No Exit Press)

Noelle W Ihli Such Quiet Girls (Pan Macmillan/ Pan)

Liam McIlvanney The Good Father (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

Karin Slaughter We Are All Guilty Here (HarperCollins Publishers)

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee Shadow of The Bridge: The Delphi Murders and The Dark Side of The American Heartland (Pegasus Books/Pegasus Crime)

Gordon Corera The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB (HarperCollins/ William Collins)

John Curran The Murder Game (HarperCollins/Collins Crime Club)

Caroline Fraser Murderland (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

Susannah Stapleton That Dark Spring (Pan Macmillan/Picador)

Shaun Walker The Illegals (Profile Books)

Historical Dagger

Nina Allan A Granite Silence (Quercus/riverrun)

Rob McInroy Barvick Falls (Tippermuir Books)

Donna Moore The Devil's Draper (Fly on the Wall Press)

Alan Parks Gunner (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

Laura Shepherd-Robinson The Art of a Lie (Pan Macmillan/Mangle)

Sally Smith A Case of Life and Limb (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger

Karsten Dusse Murder Mindfully (Faber) translated by Florian Duijsens

Jørn Lier Horst The Lake (Penguin Random House) translated by Anne Bruce

Jurica Pavicic Red Water (Bitter Lemon Press) translated by Matt Robinson

Leonie Swann Big Bad Wool (Allison & Busby) translated by Amy Bojang

Antti Tuomainen The Winter Job (Orenda Books) translated by David Hackston

Uketsu Strange Pictures (Pushkin Press) translated by Jim Rion

Whodunnit Dagger

Alexandra Benedict The Christmas Cracker Killer  (Simon & Schuster UK)

Victoria Goldman Little Secrets (Three Crowns Publishing UK/self-published)

Anna Fitzgerald Healy Etiquette for Lovers & Killers (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

Robert Holtom A Queer Case (Titan Books)

Mel Pennant A Murder for Miss Hortense (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

CJ Wray Bad Influence (Orion Fiction)

Twisted Dagger

Kia Abdullah What Happens in the Dark (HarperCollins/HQ Ficiton)

Nicci Cloke Her Many Faces (Penguin Random House UK/Harvill)

Fiona Cummins Some of Us are Liars (Pan Macmillan/Macmillan)

Carole Hailey Scenes From A Tragedy (Atlantic Books/Corvus)

Sam Lloyd The Bodies (Transworld/Bantam)

Sarah Pinborough We Live Here Now (Orion Fiction)

ILP John Creasey (First Novel) Dagger

Sam Guthrie The Peak (HarperCollins Publishers)

Elspeth Latimer The Lost Detective (Story Machine)

Laura McCluskey The Wolf Tree (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Zoë Rankin The Vanishing Place (Profile Books/Viper)

Bailey Seybolt Coram House (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Henry Wise Holy City (Bedford Square Publishers/No Exit Press)

Short Story Dagger

SA Cosby ‘Split Your Silver Tongue’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Denise Mina ‘The Karpman Drama Triangle’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Abir Mukherjee ‘Full Circle’ in Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club (Severn House)

Ambrose Perry ‘The Apple Falls Not Far’ (Canongate)

Peter Swanson ‘Strangers on a School Bus’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Michael Wood ‘Waiting’ in Criminal Pursuits: This Is Me (Telos Publishing)

Emerging Author

Rod Cookson, Ill Met By Murder

Sophia Georghiou, The Man Who Fit the Case

Kate Koester, Just a Simple Wedding

Lorna Mathew, The Fixer

Rebecca McFarland, The Madam of Morningside

Michael Nikitin, Blind Side of the Sun

Melisssa Smith, The Pattern of Absence

Dagger in the Library

Paula Hawkins

JD Kirk

Clare Mackintosh

Freida McFadden

Abir Mukherjee

Tim Sullivan

Best Crime & Mystery Publisher

Bitter Lemon Press

Faber & Faber

No Exit Press (Bedford Square)

Pan Macmillan

Simon & Schuster

Viper (Profile Books)

‘Heroica’ by Alison Morton

Published by Pulcheria Press,
10 May 2026.
ISBN: 9791097310424 (PB)

Heroica is the latest book in the alternative history series based on the concept that when the Roman Empire was crumbling a group of the foremost families fled and established a new country, Roma Nova. This small but prosperous country has always been ruled along traditional Roman lines by the women who are the heads of the founding families and this method of government has continued until the present day. Roma Nova has become a blend of the past and present as they practise traditional religious rites alongside utilising their groundbreaking technology and ruthless military and espionage abilities.

Heroica consists of three short stories, all dealing with different aspects of challenges to the political integrity of Roma Nova. The first story is set in 2020 and is titled Revolution? The protagonist is Carina Mitela, an officer in the Praetorian Guard, who is also heir to one of the most influential families in the country. Carina is sent to Brancadorum, an agricultural backwater, to investigate reports that a rabble rouser is creating dissatisfaction among the people by playing on their weaknesses and spreading the belief that the government is using the poor workers to enrich themselves. Carina knows that this narrative is false but she is also aware that it could lead to riots, and even to revolution. Carina goes to Brancadorum in the guise of a market researcher, a persona she finds hard to maintain when a thug acting as an enforcer for the main agitator threatens her and she has pretend to be afraid, even though her military training has prepared her to deal with far tougher opponents than this ruffian. Despite getting caught up in a riot, Carina manages to bring her mission to a successful conclusion, but in doing so she comes by a piece of information that could have disquieting implications for her family. 

The second story Honoria’s Battle is set in 1683 when Honoria Mitela, the chief of intelligencers, is summoned to interrogate a spy who is believed to work for an ally of the Ottoman Empire, which is threatening to overrun much of Europe. This is a meeting that will change Honoria’s life. A few months later Honoria is leading troops to help defend Vienna from the Ottomans, utilising the innovations that Roma Nova have developed. 

The third and final story is called The Idealist and it begins in the present day with Carina as the protagonist. Carina has succeeded her grandmother as the head of the Mitela family when a discovery in the archives threatens everything that she and her family have built up over the generations. The story moves to the outskirts of Rome in 1849 and features a second protagonist, Statia Mitela, who is the head of the family. In this story, Statia makes a courageous decision that is rooted more in idealism than in political expediency, which could have grave implications for not only for Statia herself but for the Mitela family right through to the twenty-first century. 

Heroica is a fascinating trilogy of stories in which the political framework of the past has relevance to present times. The protagonists are not merely strong courageous women, but also women who are accustomed to wielding power and making hard choices and who accept accountability for their decisions. The three stories form into a fast-paced political thriller because there is a central theme that links the stories. Heroica is the latest addition to the books featuring Roma Nova and the Mitela family. It is a great addition to the series for those who are familiar with the earlier Roma Nova books, and enjoyable as a stand-alone for those who have that pleasure yet to come. I recommend Heroica to any reader who is looking for an enjoyable and exciting read that explores some important and recurring political themes in the setting of alternative history.
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Reviewer: Carol Westron

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. She lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her latest three contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double Pursuit and Double Stakes. Her eleven-book Roma Nova thriller series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue. Six years’ military service, a fascinating with ancient Rome and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction have inspired her writing. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history. For the latest news, subscribe to her newsletter at

 https://www.alison-morton.com/newsletter

Carol Westron is a Golden Age expert who has written many articles on the subject and given papers at several conferences. She is the author of several series: contemporary detective stories and police procedurals, comedy crime and Victorian Murder Mysteries. Her most recent publications are Paddling in the Dead Sea and Delivering Lazarus, books 2 and 3 of the Galmouth Mysteries, the series which began with The Fragility of Poppies. 

www.carolwestron.com 

‘Lost Girls’ by Charlotte Philby

Published by Baskerville,
12 March 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-399-81212-2 (HB)

Serious Crime Investigator DS Madeleine Farrow is in Dubai when she is awakened by a call from her colleague Jonny Robertson advising her that the Swedish Ambassador’s daughter Freya Sjoberg has disappeared from her prestigious school in London and they could do with her help to find her. So far there has not been a ransom demand. She seems to have just disappeared. It’s Wimpole Girls school, isn’t that where your niece goes? says Jonny. As a former pupil of Wimpole Girls school, Madeleine has only painful memories of her time there. But even worse is to come.  Constance Fairweather is now head of the school and was no friend to her.

 As Madeleine heads back to London, she muses on her situation, she has reaches the big 50 and has to decide whether to apply for promotion to D.I. which would mean a managerial role or remain in her role within the Serious Crime Investigation Department working in the field. Whilst pondering on that decision she is also aware that she must visit her boss Paul Ritter, who is terminally ill in hospital. She just keeps putting it off! 

For assistance in finding missing Freya Sjoberg, she calls on young Ramona Chang, a former journalist, now a private investigator who is currently facing a charge of manslaughter after she killed a gang member in self-defence.  Pleading guilty to manslaughter she knows that she will most likely be facing a prison sentence. Things are not going well for Ramona as she is now being evicted from her flat at the end of the week. Can things get any worse?  Will gangster Michael O’Keegan now send someone else to kill her after she killed his brother. Daniel. 

With no ransom request, has Freya run away? The last person to actually speak to Freya during games lesson at a nearby park was teacher Sarah Booth.  Madeleine senses that there is something the teacher is not telling her and gets Jonny to do a bit of digging into her past. 

Cleverly and intricately plotted this is a page turner. There are several different threads running though this book.  A compelling read. Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett 

Charlotte Philby worked for the Independent for eight years, as a columnist, editor and reporter, and was shortlisted for the Cudlipp Prize at the 2013 Press Awards for her investigative journalism. Founder of the online platform Motherland.net, she regularly contributes to the Guardian and iNews, as well as the BBC World Service, Channel 4 and Woman's Hour. She has three children and lives in London. Charlotte is the granddaughter of Kim Philby, Britain’s most famous communist double-agent. 

‘Death in a Shetland Family’ by Marsali Taylor

Published by Headline Accent,
16 April 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-0354-3627-9 (PB)

Shetland's sailor sleuth Cass Lynch is home from the sea and looking forward to spending a few days with her partner, policeman Gavin Macrae, but the best laid plans don't always work out. Gavin has been called away; his mother has been taken ill, and Cass comes home to an empty house and a list of unfamiliar chores. On the way, an encounter with a runaway horse will lead to unexpected ramifications, though she doesn't know that yet. That evening she meets the horse's owner and is unimpressed by his suave attitude and very un-Shetland demeanour. He has recently returned to the island after forging (or failing to forge) a career in England and has made himself unpopular. 

A day later the same man's murdered body is discovered – and it becomes evident that Cass was one of the last people to see him alive. With Gavin away and an investigation team brought in from mainland Scotland, Cass's local knowledge and easy-to-talk-to manner mean she is soon doing what she does best, apart from sailing of course: gathering pieces of information everywhere she goes and putting them together.  

As always in one of Marsali Taylor's novels, there's plenty of sailing. Cass is glad to be reunited with her own beloved yacht Khalida, and there are trips to look forward to on her new ship the Shetland-based Swan. There's also Shetland itself: the variety of lifestyles, the country shows, the harvest festivals, all described in the kind of detail that makes you feel you're right there in the middle of it. And it seems that everywhere she goes on land or at sea, something significant occurs or Cass happens upon someone who has new light to throw on the murder. 

We meet plenty of familiar characters: Magnie, Cass's retired fisherman friend; Anders the Norwegian engineer; Cass's father and redoubtable Maman; Freya Petersen, Gavin's super-efficient sergeant. The family of the murdered man figure as strongly as you might expect: his stern mother, alcoholic brother and fragile sister; also, his neighbours: Mattie, who is in love with the brother's estranged wife, and observant Mary, who lives according to strict religious principles. Everyone is as rounded as regular readers have come to expect, with the ring of reality; there's good in all the bad guys and no one is perfect. 

It's all set against a background unfamiliar to both Cass and her legions of fans: the croft where Cass and Gavin's cottage is situated. In Gavin's absence she finds herself learning more than she bargains for, about feeding, counting and rounding up a whole troop of animals: ponies, hens, sheep and of course the cats. 

Naturally, the information Cass gathers plays a key role in solving the murder, and as always she finds herself in trouble and gets out of it with ingenuity and courage. And there's a hint – just a hint – at the end that there are plenty more adventures in store. I couldn't be more glad of that.
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Reviewer: Lynne Patrick 

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland's scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.  

www.marsalitaylor.co.uk

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives in Oxfordshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.