Category: Saving Grace

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series Saving Grace

Christmas Newsletter

IMG_20171202_105608

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.

Three_Cliffs_Bay_Gower.jpeg

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!

 

Categories
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

HH Book 3 The Big Chill FINAL RGB

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.

889px-A_south_east_view_of_the_great_town_of_Boston_in_New_England_in_America_(NYPL_Hades-250999-465401)

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’.

Jean-Baptiste_Greuze_The_White_Hat_2120759508

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Saving Grace Victorians

Saving Grace Background #1

It’s wonderful when your imagination and research overlap. In my mind’s eye I pictured Daniel Morgan, Grace’s advocate in Saving Grace, as Byronic in appearance. During my research I read that the real-life advocate Daniel is based on was also described as ‘Byronic in his handsomeness’. I think only a romantic would choose to speak up for Grace. In contrast, his rival advocate (in real-life and my book) had a weak chin, an unkempt moustache and he wore a monocle.

George_Gordon_Byron,_6th_Baron_Byron_by_Richard_Westall_(2)

Carys is a Welsh word for love while the Beaumond, or Beaumont, family were medieval lords. Carys is a young widow with an interest in books. As the story starts, she is translating early medieval manuscripts. She is also concerned about her friend, the extremely rich Grace Petrie, who is suspected of poisoning her husband. And so she hires the dashing Daniel Morgan, a lawyer, to save Grace. Picture, a coat of arms associated with the Beaumonds.

CheckyAzure&OrAChevronErmine

Sker Grange, photographed c1901, Grace’s home in Saving Grace.

sker-house-c1901

Florrie Williams was Grace Petrie’s maid. She was the first on the scene when Charles Petrie was poisoned and a key witness at the inquest. Meanwhile, here is a maid’s typical day.

5.30 am Clean the kitchen floors

6.00 am Hot water

6.30 am Wake seniors, lay and light fires, lay servants’ breakfast, deliver nursery breakfast

7.30 am Water and tea-trays to family, empty chamber-pots

7.45 am Servants’ breakfast

9.00 am Family breakfast

9.30 am Clear and clean

12 noon Servants’ lunch, nursery lunch

1.00 pm Family lunch

2.30 pm Clear lunch, rest

4.30 pm Tea-trays for household

5.30 pm Servants’ tea, nursery tea

6.00 pm Lay dinner, help in kitchen

7.00 pm Family dinner, serve and clear

9.00 pm Servants’ supper

10.00 pm Bed

Wages in 1876, £20-25 per annum

Picture: a maid with her fellow servants and a guest, enjoying a tea and cake break.

Victorian Maid

Take a ride on a Victorian train.

 

Categories
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.

a-parcel-of-rogues-master-updated

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.