Tag Archives: A Thorn in Winter

Thrilling News! Novel Publication Announcement

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I am ecstatic to announce that my mystery thriller novel, A Thorn in Winter, will be published this autumn. The precise date is to be confirmed, but my publisher, the Ireland-based Ring of Culture, has agreed to let me make the announcement early on my website.

Needless to say, I’m absolutely thrilled by this news. Thank you all so much for all your support and encouragement over the years. This publication deal is a major victory and the culmination of many years of hard work. I wrote A Thorn in Winter in early 2023, and it has since been through a few drafts, but beta reader response has been ecstatic. I can’t wait to share this book with you, so watch this space.

At this point, I’m remaining tight-lipped on the plot, but I can tell you it’s a page-turning whodunnit involving a young woman initially caught in a web of blackmail, only for her to uncover something much more sinister when a tarot card reading links her situation to a decades-old unsolved murder case. She discovers an alarming personal connection to the victim and consequently finds herself in deadly peril.

This twist-laden tale features everything you’ve come to expect from my modern gothic thrillers, including an imperilled heroine, sinister locations, buried secrets (literally and figuratively), and a host of supporting characters who aren’t quite what they seem. There’s also a romantic subplot of sorts, amid themes of infidelity, revenge, and something potentially supernatural. A rollercoaster of suspicion and suspense, you won’t want to miss this one.

Over the next few months, more will be revealed (include an exact publication date), so watch this space. Please note, the above image is not the official artwork, merely something I put together for this update.

(Image created by author in Canva.)

New Novel Update Plus Title Reveal

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Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay

One of my major goals this year was to write the first draft of my new gothic mystery novel. I can tell you that I have now completed this. It’s a twisty-turny murder mystery thriller with hints of the supernatural, and I’m rather pleased with how it turned out.

What’s it called?

Drumroll… The title is A Thorn in Winter. This title not only sounds suitably sinister but has a hidden meaning that only becomes apparent as the plot unfolds.

What’s it about?

It concerns a young woman who is being blackmailed. Upon learning her blackmailer is linked to a decades-old unsolved murder, she discovers an alarming personal connection to the victim, and consequently finds herself in deadly peril.

I don’t really want to get more specific than that at this point, as this is one of the most twist-laden novels I’ve ever written. At the same time, it delves into themes of infidelity, revenge, and even reincarnation. It ticks many of my gothic mystery trope boxes: Imperilled heroine, sinister locations, buried secrets (literally and figuratively), and supporting characters who aren’t quite what they seem. It’s a rollercoaster of suspicion and suspense, and I think it has some emotional heft too (there’s a melancholy romantic subplot of sorts).

“Modbridge” looks a bit like this. Photo by Beth Jnr on Unsplash

The bulk of the novel is set in the fictional town of Modbridge, with occasional visits to Plymouth. Modbridge is a small town based on the real town of Modbury. The name combines the two local towns of Modbury and Kingsbridge. The steep main road running through Modbury, with shops either side, is also a key location that inspired a similar location in the novel.

When can I read it?

Not for a while, as I’ll probably sit on this manuscript for at least a year, per my standard procedure, before looking at it again with fresh eyes. On the other hand, I’m about to polish up the novel I completed this time a year ago, The Hobbford Giant, with a view to submitting it to agents and publishers. So you are one step closer to seeing that one. Watch this space.