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Books and Background Sam Smith Mystery Series

Books and Background #3

Sins of the Father, my eighth audio book, is now available from iBooks and Audible 😃

SINS OF THE FATHER AUDIO BOOK

For the first thirty-three years of my life I had no knowledge of my father, no idea what he looked like, his name, whether he was dead or alive. Then fate brought us together. Then, a year later, he decided to hire me.

Although we had talked for a year, my father was still Gawain Morgan to me, a stranger, not my dad. Would the task of locating Frankie Quinn bring us closer together, or drive us further apart?

Frankie Quinn was a con-man, a life-long villain, a member of my father’s old gang. That’s right, my father was a villain too, with dodgy contacts, a shady past and sins he preferred to forget. The police wanted Frankie and, if arrested, he faced the prospect of spending his final years in prison. However, he had a trump card, evidence of my father’s indiscretions. Frankie was looking to cut a deal with the police, my father was looking for Frankie. They knew that one of them would spend the winter of their days in prison; but who would it be?

Meanwhile, the clock was ticking towards my wedding day. Would I enjoy the happiest day of my life, or be left crying into my champagne?

Sins of the Father, ten days that defined my relationship with my dad.

 

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

Books and Background #2

FACEBOOK HEADER SAM AND ANN

A Parcel of Rogues, Sam Smith Mystery Series book thirteen, was published on 1st January. You can read full details about the book here

The River Wye plays a crucial role in A Parcel of Rogues. This painting of the River Wye was created by Thomas Jones, 1742 – 1803, a highly respected Welsh landscape painter. He was the son of Thomas Jones and Hannah 😃

Landscape_with_View_on_the_River_Wye_by_Thomas_Jones

The writing of Saving Grace, my forthcoming Victorian novel, has reached the courtroom stage of the story. This is a scene from the Balham Inquest, the true story my novel is based on. As you can see, the courtroom is crowded. Indeed, interest in the case was so great that people were bribing police officers to get in.

victorian-inquest-room-cox_kindlephoto-11256017

Saving Grace and Professor Vernon Pennington gives evidence on the first day of the inquest into the poisoning of banker Charles Petrie. This is an amazing chapter to write because it contains a dramatic incident that goes beyond the realms of fiction, yet it is true. For an author, true satisfaction comes from a successful writing session 😃

Victorian Gull

This morning, while writing my 1944-5 mini-series, I had an idea to take a character forward ten years into the mid-1950s. The story would be a mystery, influenced by classics such as Tiger Bay.

Sam’s Song began the year in the top ten of the private investigator’s chart and, I’m pleased to say, the book ends the year in the top ten of that chart, with five #1 positions in between. Many thanks to everyone who made this possible.

 

 

Categories
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.

Greeting_Card_Christmas_Victorian_1870

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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
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.