Category: Sam Smith Mystery Series

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Ann's War Books and Background Sam Smith Mystery Series Saving Grace

Books and Background #1

FACEBOOK HEADER SAM AND ANN

While researching my forthcoming Victorian novel, Saving Grace, I discovered this Christmas card, which dates from the 1870s. It is so beautiful I felt that I should share it with you.

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Saving Grace is set in 1876, the year Mata Hari, the famous spy and exotic dancer, was born. Other notable events that year included the premiere of the stage production of the verse-play Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen with incidental music by Edvard Grieg, Elisha Gray (pictured) and Alexander Graham Bell’s application for a patent for the telephone while Wyatt Earp (also pictured) started work in Dodge City, Kansas, serving under Marshal Larry Deger.

The inquest into the poisoning of Charles Petrie, the centrepiece of my forthcoming novel Saving Grace, takes place at the Seabank Hotel, Porthcawl. The Seabank began life in 1860 and was redeveloped ten years later. The building is still in use as a hotel, though much changed from this Victorian photograph.

Seabank_Hotel_1900

I am a big fan of 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s movies and for Christmas this year I received a number of DVDs from those decades, including this classic

And a reminder that Betrayal, story number one in my 1944-5 mini-series is currently available free

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sam Smith Mystery Series Saving Grace

Christmas Newsletter

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I am delighted to say that Sam’s Song, book one in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, is currently available FREE! Here is a recent review from Amazon:

I really enjoyed reading this character driven mystery. Sam is a female detective, damaged, determined. Her character is extremely well developed, real, the flaws serve her. There were several secondary characters who were also fleshed out, making this a richer read. Sweets gave me a few giggles, he played well against Sam. Dan, oh my, I wanted to pop that man on more than one occasion. The balance to him was Alan, a good man. Is she too broken by Dan to give Alan the chance he deserves? That she deserves?

In addition to rich characters, there is a lovely narrative that paints easy to imagine settings, and brings the characters thoughts to life. The pace was deliberate with a nice balance of intensity and introspection.

The mystery was interesting, with a satisfying conclusion. This is a great start to a series and I look forward to reading more.

Most of my books start with the central character and develop from there. However, with Sam Smith Mystery Series book sixteen the title, Snow in August, came first, with no idea regarding the content. However, an article read yesterday suggested a location, that location suggested an atmosphere, that atmosphere suggested the crimes, and the crimes suggested the central characters. Within five minutes the story unfolded like a movie in my mind. Snow in August will follow A Parcel of Rogues, Boston, and The Devil and Ms Devlin in the series.

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In my forthcoming novel, Saving Grace, Carys Beaumond invites advocate Daniel Morgan and his associate, Mr Robeson, to dinner. After dinner, she entertains the gentlemen on the pianoforte. Then she encourages Mr Robeson to sing two songs, including this song, Woodman, Spare That Tree, from 1837, an early environmental song. Here is a modern version.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Merry Christmas!

 

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Ann's War Sam Smith Mystery Series Saving Grace

December Newsletter

FACEBOOK HEADER SAM AND ANN

This week, The Big Chill, book three in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, made the top one hundred on the Amazon private detective chart, alongside Sue Grafton, Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert B Parker.

Set at Christmas, and with a snow storm gripping the city, someone is out to murder private detective Samantha Smith. Using her wits and skills as a detective, Sam sets out to track down the assassin leading to a dramatic showdown in her snowbound apartment.

https://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Howe/e/B00OK7E24E

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I have storyboarded Boston, book fourteen in the Sam Smith Mystery Series. This story takes place over Christmas and features a range of new characters, including Gabe, a Boston private eye. The picture shows a south-east view of Boston, c1730.

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In chapter three of Saving Grace, my forthcoming Victorian mystery novel, Daniel Morgan, my advocate, meets Grace Petrie, his client, for the first time. Grace reminds Daniel of Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s paintings, in particular the sensuality of the lady in ‘The White Hat’, pictured, and the vulnerability of the girl in ‘The Broken Vessel’.

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The picture below is from my research into Victorian fashions for my forthcoming novel, Saving Grace. Saving Grace is set in 1876 when slimline dresses, bottom left of picture, were in.

Fashions

Below, the location for the dramatic finale in Betrayal, Ann’s War Mystery Series book one. This location also features in the Sam Smith Mystery Series.

If you have any comments or questions about my books please feel free to contact me via my website. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Newsletter Sam Smith Mystery Series Saving Grace Victorians

November Newsletter

FACEBOOK HEADER SAM AND ANN

October was a busy month for me with book projects and writing ideas aplenty. First, a reminder that my latest Sam Smith Mystery, Digging in the Dirt, book twelve in the series, is now available. This is a personal favourite of mine so if you should read the book I hope you enjoy it.

DIGGING IN THE DIRT PRINT

Over the autumn months I’ve been writing A Parcel of Rogues, book thirteen in the Sam Smith Mystery Series. This book is now available for pre-order at my usual pre-order price of $0.99/£0.99€0.99. You can learn more about the book here Hannah’s Amazon Page.

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Also this month the announcement of Saving Grace, an exciting new project. Saving Grace is a mystery set in Victorian times, in August 1876 to be exact. It is based on a true story, a remarkable unsolved mystery that has baffled the police, the judiciary and readers for nealy 150 years. After extensive research I believe that I have found the solution to this mystery. All will be revealed in Saving Grace.

SAVING GRACE MASTER

More news of Sam and Saving Grace next month. In the meantime, thank you for your interest and support.

 

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Ann's War Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #21

FACEBOOK HEADER SAM AND ANN

Last week, Sam’s Song reached #1 on the Amazon private detective chart for the fifth time (56 on the main chart). This will probably be the last time one of my books tops an Amazon.com chart because I will not be promoting directly to that site in future. Nevertheless, five number ones is a record I’m pleased with and proud of.

FAMILY HONOUR AUDIO BOOK

Digging in the Dirt was published this weekend. The book broke my pre-order record so many thanks to everyone who pre-ordered it. I hope you enjoy the story. Also published this week, the audio book of Family Honour narrated by Suzan Lynn Lorraine. Please see my Audio Book page for samples of my audio books.

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The Austin 10 driven by spy master Charles Montagu in my forthcoming Ann Morgan Mystery Series. Currently, I’m editing Betrayal, book one in the series, for publication in November.

The cliffs at Southerndown provide the dramatic location for the finale of Betrayal, Ann Morgan Mystery Series book one, published in November. Here is a short film showing the cliffs in all their glory.

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In case you missed it, here is my appreciation of actress Gene Tierney a woman whose life was far more dramatic than any of the roles she played. Her quotes, taken from her autobiography, are particularly poignant and insightful. This is my most popular article to date.