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A welcoming U3A listens enraptured to tales of criminality
On 19 June 2014 I had the pleasure of speaking to members of a very friendly and welcoming U3a at Ringwood, Hampshire. Ringwood is an historic market town in Hampshire located on the River Avon, on the western edge of the New Forest. It’s situated between Southampton and Bournemouth. Ringwood had a long history of a thriving hand knitting industry. I knew I should have taken my knitting with me. It became famous for its "Ringwood" woollen gloves, which were knitted in either cotton or wool 4 ply, and on fairly thick needles. Ringwood gloves were knitted commercially until after the Second World War. But it wasn’t to talk about knitting that I was there but about my crime novels.
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POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 21ST, 2021 AT 6:12:02 BST
Inspector Andy Horton on investigation in DEATH LIES BENEATH
DEATH
LIES BENEATH, number eight in the Detective Inspector Andy Horton
series of police procedural mysteries (15) is set in June when the
famous Isle of Wight Festival usually takes place, except for 2020 when
it was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic and in 2021 it has
been moved to 16-19 September when all restrictions in the UK will have
ended owing to a successful vaccine roll out programme. In DEATH LIES
BENEATH, DI Horton's investigations take him from Portsmouth across the
Solent on the Wightlink ferry to the Isle of Wight and to the festival
itself.In this extract DI Andy Horton is at the Isle of Wight Festival with Agent Harriet Eames from Europol.
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 18TH, 2021 AT 6:20:26 BST
A ticket to Ryde for Inspector Andy Horton in Lethal Waves
Train
fans and those who travel from the mainland of Portsmouth (DI Andy
Horton's CID patch) to the Isle of Wight five miles across the Solent,
and vice versa, will recognize this station at the end of Ryde Pier on
the Isle of Wight. They will also be familiar with the unusual train
line, Island Line, operated by South Western Trains. In LETHAL WAVES, (DI Andy Horton 13) Horton has crossed the Solent on the Wightlink Fast Cat ferry to Ryde in pursuit of his investigation into the murder of a vagrant found under a houseboat on the shores of Portsmouth close to the marina where he lives on his small yacht.
Read more the Island Line trains and DI Andy Horton Lethal Waves
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 14TH, 2021 AT 6:37:58 BST
Read Page One of DI Andy Horton mystery, DEATH LIES BENEATH
DEATH
LIES BENEATH is set in June and is number eight in the Detective
Inspector Andy Horton series of police procedural mysteries of fifteen.
(I'm currently writing number sixteen 2021). Like most of my crime
novels it is inspired by locations in the area where I live and where
the novels are set, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. It is also
inspired by topical crimes. In this case, metal thefts, fraud, salvage
operations and more.It is available in paperback, as an e book, on Google Books, Apple
Books, Amazon Kindle and Kobo, also as an unabridged audio book narrated
by Gordon Griffin.
If you've not read Death Lies Beneath then here's a taster below.
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 11TH, 2021 AT 6:22:00 BST
Falling in love with Inspector Andy Horton
I have been asked if I am just a tiny bit in love with the main character in my series of crime novels featuring the modern day flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton. The answer is yes and not just a tiny bit but a lot. Inspector Andy Horton is fit, about forty and fearless. And to me he is gorgeous despite or maybe because of his flaws. I thought it might sound odd saying that I was in love with Andy Horton but having read a recent survey that said a high percentage of women are more in love with fictional characters than their partners I feel a lot better about it. Although I had better say here that I, am, of course, still in love with my long suffering husband, Bob! Apparently James Bond tops the list of the character most women love and he too is fit and fearless and I suppose if you think of the films rather than the books, where you can let your imagination create your own version of Bond, it depends which Bond you have fallen in love with. I know who my hero is - the wonderful late Roger Moore.
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POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 9TH, 2021 AT 6:30:54 BST
On location with Inspector Andy Horton in DEATH LIES BENEATH
DEATH
LIES BENEATH is set in the month of June and is a multi-layered
Detective Inspector Andy Horton crime novel, number eight in the series
of fifteen. (I'm currently writing number sixteen in the series 2021) There are two locations that inspired me for the setting of DEATH
LIES BENEATH, one was the marshes on the northern boundary of the city
of Portsmouth, facing on to Langstone Harbour, Farlington Marshes.
The other was the area of Tipner, or more specifically the sea
bordering this north western boundary of Portsmouth, which filters into
Portsmouth Harbour.
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 8TH, 2021 AT 6:24:27 BST
A crime writing work or two in progress
Very neat piles of my 'workings out' for DI Andy Horton 16 & Inspector Ryga 1950s set mystery 4, both work in progress.
I am on seventh revisions for DI Andy Horton 16, and have set that aside for a short time while I work on plot lines and first draft of Inspector Ryga number four. I usually do eight revisions of a novel before I am happy with it, so not long now until I finish DI Andy Horton 16.
I guarantee that it rarely looks this neat, the notes are usually scattered all over my desk, the coloured tabs refer to character summaries, factual info., area research & plot lines.
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POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 7TH, 2021 AT 6:24:28 BST
A blast from the past of talks - 2013 and Test Villages U3A
Now this really is a blast from the past! On 5 June 2013 I gave a talk about my DI Andy Horton mystery crime novels set in the Solent area on the South Coast of England, to the Test Villages U3A at a village called Longstock near Stockbridge in the heart of the Hampshire countryside. It was a glorious sunny day and the audience were lovely. They asked lots of questions about my flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton, and my life of crime, writing that is.I'm continuing my theme of looking back at my talks because of the absence of them since the Covid-19 crisis banned all social gatherings in Britain. But it won't be long now (hopefully) to when I can post a brand new LIVE talk on my website as I am booked to do my first talk since lock down in March 2020 on 27 July 2021 to Portsmouth U3A.
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POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 5TH, 2021 AT 6:16:54 BST
The story behind Death Lies Beneath - An Inspector Andy Horton crime novel
DEATH
LIES BENEATH is set in the months of June. It is amulti-layered
Detective Inspector Andy Horton crime novel, number eight in the series
of 15. (I'm currently writing number 16). Like most of my novels it is
inspired by locations in the area where I live and where the novels are
set, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. It is also inspired by topical
crimes. In this case, metal thefts, fraud, boat salvage operations and
more. DEATH LIES BENEATH, DI Andy Horton mystery, inspired by location, metal thefts, fraud and a boat salvage operation.
"A fast paced excellent
mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an
intriguing hook at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.Highly recommended." Mystery People
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 4TH, 2021 AT 6:03:16 BST
DI Andy Horton helps Portsmouth International Port celebrate 40 years in 2016
DI
Andy Horton was called to assist Portsmouth International Port kick
start their 40th anniversary celebrations in 2016 (now 45 years) with
the launch of an exhibition showing the development of the Port over the
years. OK, so it wasn't actually Andy Horton who showed up in person
but me and I took him along for good company in the form of of Fatal Catch.
Since this event DI Andy Horton has indeed been at Portsmouth Port in
LETHAL WAVES when a woman was found dead in a cabin on the Condor
Commodore Ferry which sails from Portsmouth to the Channel Islands.
Condor were hugely helpful as was Portsmouth Port in helping with my
research.Read more
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 3RD, 2021 AT 6:20:35 BST
What's on in June 2021
In June I'll be featuring the DI Andy Horton novel DEATH LIES BENEATH because this Andy Horton crime novel, number eight in the series, is set in June. I'll be working up the ideas and plot lines for Inspector Ryga mystery number four set in March 1951, and setting aside DI Andy Horton number sixteen for a while which is almost finished before returning to review it with a fresh eye. A body found on a rotting boat being salvaged in Portsmouth Harbour throws Horton into a complex and frustrating investigation.
POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
JUNE 1ST, 2021 AT 6:13:51 BST
- 2021
- June
- A welcoming U3A listens enraptured to tales of criminality
- Inspector Andy Horton on investigation in DEATH LIES BENEATH
- A ticket to Ryde for Inspector Andy Horton in Lethal Waves
- Read Page One of DI Andy Horton mystery, DEATH LIES BENEATH
- Falling in love with Inspector Andy Horton
- On location with Inspector Andy Horton in DEATH LIES BENEATH
- A crime writing work or two in progress
- A blast from the past of talks - 2013 and Test Villages U3A
- The story behind Death Lies Beneath - An Inspector Andy Horton crime novel
- DI Andy Horton helps Portsmouth International Port celebrate 40 years in 2016
- What's on in June 2021
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- June
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012