As soon as I heard that historical novelists, Helen Hollick and Alison Morton had each written a new book, I asked them onto my blog to talk about the fact that, coincidentally, each has written a crime novel.. I have known both authors for a long time via various writers’ organisations and always thought of Helen in terms of poor old King Harold in her Hastings novels or dashing pirates in the Sea Witch series and of Alison as Ancient Rome reimagined in 21st Century Roma Nova – so I had to find out what prompted changing genres from historical fiction to crime.

Over to Helen first, from her desk in lockdown Devon.

Hello Clare, thank you so much for inviting us onto your blog! By pure coincidence, Alison and I both, more or less, thought of branching out into a mystery series at the same time – we had a good chat about our ideas when I met Alison for some quality ‘author time’ together while she was in Bristol a while ago attending CrimeFest. She had her characters and plot, I was at the ‘Well, I might do xxx’ stage. But Alison was busy with her stunning Roma Nova series, I with my Sea Witch Voyages series, so we both shelved the mystery idea until this year, when we were surprised to discover that we were bringing our new ventures out within a week of each other!

A murder mystery is a big departure from my usual historical novels, but I do have elements of mystery (and a murder or two!) in my Sea Witch series – my pirate captain usually finds himself mixed up in dangerous situations. My tagline is: ‘Trouble follows Jesamiah Acorne like a ship’s wake.’ However, I wanted to write something more light-hearted and different, a quick-read novella that would be easier to research… Hah! I missed that idea tenfold!

I decided to set A Mirror Murder in the 1970s, using my experience as a library assistant during that decade for my lead character, Jan Christopher. Her uncle and legal guardian is DCI Toby Christopher, and she forms a romantic alliance with his Detective Constable, Laurie Walker. So I had my characters, the setting, the plot – the murder (and the murderer) but to my astonishment I discovered that I had to do as much research for writing about 1971 as I did for 1719! Did we have teabags back then? What fashions were popular? How did the police communicate in the ‘70s? (Remember the blue police telephone boxes now only used in episodes of Dr Who?)

Looking up all those small details was great fun, but hard work!

The book sounds intriguing, Helen, and since the pandemic struck I’ve found cosy mystery can be the perfect escape! – Clare

Now Alison from her desk in lockdown France

Being a life-long ‘Roman nut’, I’d always wondered what a society would be like if the Roman Empire, even in a small part, still existed. Enter the Roma Nova alternative history series of thrillers. I threw in a twist of women running things – although men were not disadvantaged. In fact, there are several who think things would be better if they ran the show… Anyway, to date I’ve produced six novels, two novellas and a collection of short stories

I thoroughly enjoy these alternative explorations (although they are historically logical), but it’s the thriller element that I find fascinating. I blame my new venture Double Identity on author Conn Iggulden who, after reading INSURRECTIO suggested I recast one of my alternative Roma Novan heroines as a member of a modern day European organisation and to set the story as a crime thriller. So I did.

In my Roma Nova alternative world, it’s normal for women to be Praetorian soldiers, prominent politicians and business leaders. In Double Identity, set in the ‘real’ world, of the 2020s, sexism still abounds even if far more opportunities are open. Mel, the heroine, is an ex-French special forces soldier. She has access to modern equipment – and (initially at least) finds herself having to work with a crabby detective who is somewhat biased against not only her being female, but also half French.

Helen and I have both found that where research is concerned, everything you know – or think you know – has to be double-checked. As historical fiction writers we’re used to this; it’s second nature for every sentence or phrase we write. The difference is the setting, the plot, the story. Whether mystery or thriller, there’s a problem to be solved, the problem being who committed the murder, and why.

Both of us have characters in our stories who are investigators in a murder enquiry, and both of us draw on our own past to create the background reality: I use my army career, Helen, her thirteen years of working as an assistant in a north London branch library.

Early readers and reviewers seem to like what we’ve both produced, so fingers crossed for the wider readership! I’ve only read an early draft of the opening chapter – and can’t wait to read the whole book – Clare

ABOUT  A MIRROR MURDER 

The first in a new series of cosy mysteries set in the 1970s. Will romance blossom between library assistant Jan Christopher and DC Laurie Walker – or will a brutal murder intervene?

Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy Friday evening in July 1971, when her legal guardian and uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, gives her a lift home after work. Driving the car is her uncle’s new Detective Constable, Laurie Walker – and it is love at first sight for the young couple.

But romance is soon to take a back seat when a baby boy is taken from his pram,  a naked man is scaring young ladies in nearby Epping Forest, and an elderly lady is found, brutally murdered…

Are the events related? How will they affect the staff and public of the local library where Jan works – and will a blossoming romance survive a police investigation into  murder?

To buy A Mirror Murder – head to Helen’s Amazon Author Page (Universal Link) http://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

ABOUT HELEN HOLLICK

Helen and her family moved from north-east London in January 2013 after finding an eighteenth-century North Devon farmhouse through being a ‘victim’ on BBC TV’s popular Escape To The Country show. The thirteen-acre property was the first one she was shown – and it was love at first sight. She adores her new rural life, and has a variety of animals on the farm, including hens, ducks, geese, dogs, cats, Exmoor ponies and her daughter’s string of show jumpers. She is hoping to raise a couple of pigs soon.

First accepted for publication by William Heinemann in 1993 – a week after her fortieth birthday – Helen then became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she also writes a pirate-based nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages. .

She is currently writing more Voyages for the Sea Witch series and the next in the Jan Christopher Mysteries series. She has other ideas for other tales – and would like the time to write them!

CONNECT WITH HELEN on her website: www.helenhollick.net

ABOUT DOUBLE IDENTITY

Deeply in love, a chic Parisian lifestyle before her. Now she’s facing prison for murder.

It’s three days since Mel des Pittones threw in her job as an intelligence analyst with the French special forces to marry financial trader Gérard Rohlbert. But her dream turns to nightmare when she wakes to find him dead in bed beside her.

Her horror deepens when she’s accused of his murder. Met Police detective Jeff McCracken wants to pin Gérard’s death on her. Mel must track down the real killer, even if that means being forced to work with the obnoxious McCracken.

But as she unpicks her fiancé’s past, she discovers his shocking secret life. To get to the truth, she has to go undercover and finds almost everybody around her is hiding a second self. Mel can trust nobody. Can she uncover the real killer before they stop her?

To buy Double Indentity for all ebook and paperback retailers: https://bit.ly/3s0XUlV

ABOUT ALISON MORTON

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers series featuring tough, but compassionate heroines. She blends her deep love of France with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical, adventure and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history. She now lives in Poitou in France, where part of Double Identity is set and is writing a sequel as well as continuing her Roma Nova series. Alison continues to write thrillers and drink wine in France with her husband.

Connect with Alison on her website: https://alison-morton.com

Thanks Helen and Alison! I’m looking forward to reading both books and finding out how the new departure works out for you. Very best of luck to both of you! And looking forward to raising a celbratory glass to you once we can do so safely!

Clare Flynn is the international best-selling author of twelve historical novels including the award-winning The Pearl of Penang