Lesley Cookman's Murder at the Manor

Today’s guest blog is from Lesley Cookmam. She has held a variety of jobs including that of an air stewardess, disc jockey and model. She lives near the sea in Kent, and has written features, short fiction, pantomimes, one musical, a non-fiction book She is the author of the Libby Sarjeant series and the Steeple Martin series. Murder at the Manor is the ninth book in the Libby Sarjeant series and is published today.

On November 7th, the ninth book in the Libby Sarjeant series, Murder At The Manor, will escape into the world – in print and ebook across most platforms.

I am, of course, delighted and slightly surprised, as the genre of lighthearted murder mysteries known in America as “cosies” is not exactly celebrated here in the UK. There are a few of us struggling against the odds, and the feedback I receive from readers is heartening, but I really would like to know how we are regarded in the wider world of crime writing and reading. I hesitate to say I write “Crime” as I feel that refers to the more gritty side of the genre, and I have the distinct feeling that some of the writers of that kind of book rather dismiss us as frivolous and not part of the genre at all.

That is one of the reasons I left the CWA – I just didn’t fit in, but following a small event in beautiful Adderbury with Adrian Magson, Rebecca Tope, Judith Cutler and Edward Marston, where at least half of the (admittedly small) audience actually knew my books, I decided I’d been too hasty, so I’ve come back. And I’d like to thank ShotsMag and Ayo for keeping me up to date during my absence!

More information about Lesley Cookman and her work can be found on her website and her blog.