Tuesday 16 July 2024

In The St Hilda's Spotlight - Elly Griffiths

 Name:- Elly Griffiths

Job:- Author

Website:- https://ellygriffiths.co.uk

Facebook:- EllyGriffithsAuthor

X:- @ellygriffiths

Instagram:- @ellygriffiths17

Introduction:-

Elly Griffiths is the Edgar Award winning author of the Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries, The Brighton Mysteries, the Harbinder Kaur series and the Justice series as well as a number of standalone novels. She was awarded the CWA Dagger in the Library in 2016. In 2020 she won an Edgar Award for Best Novel for The Strangers Diaries. In 2021 The Postscript Murders was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Her most recent book is The Man In Black and Other Stories.

Current book? (This can either be the current book that you are reading or writing or both)

Currently reading: The Examiner by Janice Hallett. It’s the story of a murder told through the emails and coursework of six students on a multimedia MA. The reader is the examiner and, such is the author’s brilliance, I have no idea what’s going on!

Currently writing: The Frozen People, the first book in what I hope will be a series about a time-travelling detective.

Favourite song: 

Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen

Which two musicians would you invite to dinner and why?

Bruce Springsteen and Giuseppe Verdi. I’m half Italian (as is Bruce!) and I’d love to talk to Verdi about his role in the Risorgimento, the unification of Italy. We could end by singing Va Pensiero with Bruce on the harmonica. 

How do you relax?

I swim every day and, however knotty the plot problem, I usually find that I’ve solved it after a few lengths. Otherwise I like to read, do crosswords and listen to podcasts. 

Which book do you wish you had written and why?

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. For me, it’s the perfect novel: thrilling, moving and endlessly inventive. It also has the best heroine, Marian Halcombe, and the best villain, Count Fosco. 

What would you say to your younger self if you were just starting out as a writer.

 Keep going! I wrote my first novel at 11 so had many rejections before I was finally published at 40.

How would you describe your latest published book?

The Last Word is the story of an ill-matched group of private detectives investigating the death of a writer. The trail leads them to a sinister writers’ retreat and an even more sinister book group…

With A Dance to the Music of Crime: the artful crime to murder being the theme at St Hilda's this year, which are you three favourite albums?

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

The Kick Inside by Kate Bush 

Neapolitan Songs by Giuseppe Di Stefano

If you were given the ability to join a band which, would it be and why? 

Well, it has to be the E-Street Band. I could take over the position currently held by Patti, Bruce’s wife, shaking the tambourine and looking soulful (OK, she sings quite well too).

If you were to re-attend a concert which, would it be and why

Bruce Springsteen, Wembley 1985. It was the first time that I saw Bruce in concert. I’ve seen him on every subsequent visit to the UK but I’d like to relive that first time. 

What are you looking forward to at St Hilda's?

Everything: the talks, the discussions, the chance to overact in the murder mystery play…but mostly just meeting old friends and making new ones in a beautiful, inspiring setting. 


The Man in Black and Other Stories by Elly Griffiths (Quercus Publishing) Out Now

This collection of tales by the No 1 bestselling author features all her best-loved characters: Dr Ruth Galloway, Harry Nelson, Max Mephisto, Detective Harbinder Kaur and more. It features several stories never published before, including a brand new Ruth and Nelson story. A must for all her fans. Have you been wondering what happened to your favourite characters Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson? Dive into this fabulous collection of stories and find out. Here are stories to suit all tastes. There are ghost stories and mini cosy mysteries; tales of psychological suspense and poignant vignettes of love and loss. There's a creepy horror story to make you shiver and a tale narrated by Flint, Ruth Galloway's cat, to make you smile.


Information about 2024 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend and how to book online tickets can be found here. 

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