Let’s face it: gripping gothic mysteries are best read at this time of year, when leaves are falling and nights are drawing in. As it gets colder in the approach to Christmas, nothing beats snuggling up in front of the fireplace with a mug of tea, and a sinister, spooky thriller.

In the first of a two-part series, I pick two of my published novels that are best read in the run-up to Christmas, beginning with The Birds Began to Sing. It concerns Alice Darnell, a struggling, not-yet published author, who has suffered the usual setbacks faced by wannabe authors, namely rejection from agents and publishers. Yes, I know this already sounds self-indulgent, but bear with me.

Alice is ambitious, but she isn’t an insufferable narcissist. Significant past trauma, including drug addiction, has left her with psychological scars, an occasional tendency to slip into delusion, as well as a peculiar bird phobia. A couple of incidents in the opening act – one involving an apparent stalking on the London underground, and a misunderstanding during a work performance review – underline her potentially fragile psyche.

When Alice finally acquires a literary agent, he enters her into a mysterious writing competition at Blackwood House on Dartmoor. Alice has been chosen, along with other candidates, to write the final act of an unfinished manuscript, penned by the late, great Sasha Hawkins; a bestselling author of popular thrillers, who died at a tragically young age, in a car crash. Blackwood House is the ancestral family home of Sasha Hawkins, and her former publishers have persuaded her family to host the competition.

• 

• 

The winner of the competition will have their ending selected for publication, as well as their own novel. However, a number of peculiar rules must be strictly observed. Competitors have to stay at Blackwood House for two weeks, where they must write the ending cut off from all contact with the outside world. Intrigued and somewhat bemused, Alice agrees to join in, excited at the potential opportunity.

However, once she arrives at Blackwood House, and the competition gets underway, strange things starts to happen. Alice is unsure who to trust, as she is drawn into a labyrinth of deceit, revenge, and perhaps even murder. But the biggest secret of all is more shocking than Alice could have possibly imagined.

The Birds Began to Sing draws inspiration from mystery classics such as Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, to Agatha Christie whodunnits, specifically Sleeping Murder, and also the gothic literature of the Bronte sisters, particularly Jane Eyre. There’s even a bit of Michael Crichton or Dan Brown style conspiracy thriller in the mix, and a dash of Arthur Conan Doyle, most obviously The Hound of the Baskervilles. But The Birds Began to Sing is also a unique and nail-biting thriller in its own right.

Intrigued? Here’s what a few Amazon reviewers had to say:

“I loved this! Absolutely awesome read clever plot and ruddy brilliant twist! If you love a good mystery and a bit of a thriller this is for you!”

“An excellent psychological thriller… kept me turning pages right to the end.”

“A maze of spooky encounters… Full of exciting twists and turns.”

“A memorable lead character, mystery, suspense, eerie settings, a couple of genuine surprises, all sprinkled in with a healthy dose of wit.”

“A terrific read for lovers of suspense and mystery.”

“A great read and I loved the twist. Did not expect it at all.”

I should add that the bulk of the narrative (from act two onward) is set during the run-up to Christmas.

The Birds Began to Sing is available in paperback or on Kindle from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US).