Category Archives: The Delamere Files

The Thirteen Club

Posted on by
Reply

Is this the title of the next Delamere mystery? I’m not sure.
What is the Thirteen Club? In my case, it’s not a clothing store in Canada, but one of those quirky, Victorian societies. In this case, it sought to debunk superstitions. It met at least once a year, usually on the 13th of the month, and held a dinner at which there were 13 tables of 13 people each, 13 waiters, speeches that lasted 13 minutes, toasts with only 13 words, and members of the group would smash mirrors and walk under ladders — and more.

Here’s what the Illustrated Police News wrote on January 6th, 1894, in regard to the meeting due to be held on the 13th of that month.

The Thirteen Club

Formed to demonstrate the folly of the superstitious, this club has gone on prospering, and with every appearance of still further advancement. The annual feast will be held in room number 13 of the Holborn Restaurant, and as is customary on these occasions, members and their friends will occupy thirteen tables with thirteen at each. Peacocks’ feathers will abound, while the knives and forks will be crossed, and any quantity of salt will be spilt. During the evening, the toast-master, instead of informing the assembly that the chairman will be happy to take wine with them, will vary the stereotyped declaration by announcing that Mr Furniss will be happy to spill salt with them. The club saltcellars are coffin shaped, and the best “dim religious light” obtainable from skull-shaped lamps will illuminate the banqueting hall, before entering which the company will pass under the club ladder. Other details which are said to be “too gruesome to mention,” will be revealed at the last moment.

Inside the Holborn Restaurant, where the meeting was held on January 13th, 1894. (This is a later, Edwardian, photo.)

The Delamere Involvement

It’s a very new idea – I only came across it yesterday, but I thought it would be fun to put Jack and Larkin at that dinner, which really did happen on 13th January, 1894. Ah, but then what?

That’s what I am going to think about over the weekend – a mystery based around the Thirteen Club, but what mystery? I also want the next book to have a little more ‘heat’, so I am planning something for Baxter and Charlie. A previous character may be coming back, too, and we still have the madman Orlando Temple on the loose, so there is a lot to consider as I slowly start my way back to creative work after a long break.

Before you go, though… There is still a promo featuring one of my titles, so if you’ve not looked at what’s on offer this month, here’s the link.

New Year, New Attitude: Memoirs, Poetry, Relationship, Inspirational reads

Here’s something slightly different from my usual promotion. It’s a collection of 28 titles, all of which are non-fiction. In fact, they are more along the lines of inspirational fic, women’s fic, literary fiction, memoirs, poetry, etc. There are no self-help books, and nothing done by AI.

I have entered my godfather’s biography, ‘Bobby, a Life Worth Living’, into this promo.

Cover Reveal: A Depraved Indifference

Posted on by
Reply

Something simple today. The cover for the Delamere Files Book Ten, ‘A Depraved Indifference,’ as created by the wonderful Andjela K.

All being well, the book will be published this week, so keep an eye on your Amazon notifications and my Facebook page.

UPDATE: 29th October. The Kindle version of the book is now available. Click here.

If you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter, you can do so here and be among the first to receive news of my books and other authors’ work in special free-to-browse promos. Talking of which, I have another for you after the cover reveal, which I will do after reminding you of the blurb:

A Depraved Indifference

The Delamere Files Book Ten

Jack Merrit longs for a case more challenging than burglaries and missing jewels, and when someone finds a skeleton inside a pipe organ, his wish comes true. At first, the strange discovery in the church of St Clement Danes seems like a prank, but when Jack’s next call is to a crime within earshot of the bells of St Martin’s, an uneasy pattern emerges.

Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clement’s
You owe me five farthings, say the bells of St Martin’s

And then, the murders start.

If the first is chance, a second becomes a coincidence, but a third? That’s a pattern, and these are no ordinary murders. They involve diabolical contraptions that kill seemingly random victims. Asked by both London police forces to investigate without being told why, Jack and his men embark on an investigation knowing where the killer will strike next, but not when.

When the killer invites Jack to join his game, a contest of intellect begins, and knowing failure will lead to disgrace, he pits himself against his most cunning adversary so far.

PROMOS

MM Romance & Fiction There are 22 MM titles here, some, like mine, you may already know, but there are others I’ve not seen advertised before. Plus, there are some new authors to explore and a variety of niches within MM romance.

LGBTQIA+ Characters in Romance (All Pairings Welcome)

There are all manner of pairings within the realm of queer romance. KC Karmine is doing things with tentacles, Ann Lister is Pitch Perfect, and I have the Mentor of Lonemarsh House in the list. It’s a trifle awkward that on the row below that book is another using the same model in the same pose (it’s the same stock photo). Strangely, the book is called ‘Without Respect,’ which I find strangely fitting for the placement of our two novels.

A Thriller of a Blurb?

Posted on by
Reply

Hello!

I have the blurb for ‘A Depraved Indifference’, the Delamere Files, Book Ten. The MS is with the proofreader, who has already attended to the blurb and author’s notes for me, and I am also talking to Scott about a map for the front of this one – so, as they say, it’s all go!

I also have another great collection of thrillers and mysteries to share with you, and I’ll put the link at the bottom of this post.

Meanwhile, here’s the blurb:

A Depraved Indifference
The Delamere Files Book Ten

Jack Merrit longs for a case more challenging than burglaries and missing jewels, and when someone finds a skeleton inside a pipe organ, his wish comes true. At first, the strange discovery in the church of St Clement Danes seems like a prank, but when Jack’s next call is to a crime within earshot of the bells of St Martin’s, an uneasy pattern emerges.

Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clement’s
You owe me five farthings, say the bells of St Martin’s

And then, the murders start.

If the first is chance, a second becomes a coincidence, but a third? That’s a pattern, and these are no ordinary murders. They occur in churches named in the rhyme, and they involve diabolical contraptions that kill seemingly random victims. Asked by both London police forces to investigate without being told why, Jack and his men embark on an investigation knowing where the killer will strike next, but not when.

When the killer invites Jack to join his game, a contest of intellect begins, and knowing failure will lead to disgrace, he pits himself against his most cunning adversary so far.

Thriller, Mystery & Suspense – Huge promo

You can click on either or both of these links; they will take you to the same place, but either James or Jackson will get the kudos (and score) generated by your click.

The 51 titles in this promo take us mainly into the world of straight adventure, mystery and thrillers. I had a look, and I think my ‘Finding a Way’ is the only gay and historical offering, but you never know, it might pick up some new readers.

The same goes for my ‘The Saddling’ which is in here. (Note: I must get Andjela to design me a new cover.)

The Saddling              James Collins

Finding a Way             Jackson Marsh

Very Nearly There

Posted on by
Reply

WIP

I am very nearly at the end of editing ‘A Depraved Indifference,’ and will be sending it to be proofread and checked in a day or so. Meanwhile, I am waiting to hear from Adnjela about the cover ideas, and Neil is beta-reading it for me. His comments so far include, ‘This would make a great horror film.’ I know what he means, but it isn’t a horror story, though some of what takes place is horrific, as you will see. I have one major change to incorporate today, and about 30 pages to read through, but as I have very little else on my plate today, I should be able to round this one off and start thinking about the next one tomorrow.

It’s been an interesting ride. If I turn to my ‘A Depraved Indifference’ folder, I can see some of the research materials I have collected while writing the book. These include a cover of the Police Illustrated News from 1888, various articles from London newspapers of 1893, a map or two of the city with churches marked on it, a map of the Old Nichol rookery in Shoreditch, plans of various London churches, and a photograph of a now destroyed pipe organ.

I’ve shown you this before. It is where the investigation begins with the finding of something very unusual…

I hope to have a cover idea for you soon, and I am aiming to have the book out around the end of the month. Fingers crossed!

PROMO
If you like a spicy MM read, then this promo is for you.

Spicy MM Books in Kindle Unlimited

All these titles fall under the ‘spicy’ heading, which means there’s nookie in them, and that’s fine. That’s what this promo of 55 books is focusing on. My Mentor of Wildhill Farm is in there, my spiciest novel outside of writing for the adult industry, and there are plenty of different niches, all with spicy MM romance involved.

These are all available on Kindle Unlimited too.

Click to browse for free

WIP: A Depraved Indifference

Posted on by
Reply

I’m now onto draft two/three of this one, and Neil is about to start beta reading for me. I know I have some tidying up to do, and I must go through the entire thing again, all 100K words of it, before sending it to my lovely proofreader. Once that’s on its way, I will turn my attention to what comes next… Whatever that may be.

A Depraved Indifference has an open ending, as you will see, so it is definitely not the last Delamere File, but before I get to whatever comes next for Jack and Co., I was thinking about another small collection of short stories. My thinking cap is on!

Meanwhile, here’s a promo you can support:

Queer Romance Is Resistance

This promo is being hosted by the lovely Elle Keaton, who has appeared on my blog in the past. There are 45 titles to explore here, and covers suggesting firemen in love, daddies, dragons, mystical places, and good old MM romance.

Says the Great Bell of Bow

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s a quick update on Delamere ten, ‘A Depraved Indifference.’

When I stopped work yesterday, I was at 92,000 words and halfway through a climax, if you see what I mean. I had two of my heroes just about face to face with the villain (whoever he is), and they had just discovered what is about to happen, with time running out, and now have an impossibly situation to resolve without loss of life. They are also in the belfry of St Mary le Bow church, Cheapside, London, in the middle of the night. Why has all this come about? Because the villain has a depraved indifference to human life caused by other people’s indifference to him. It will all be explained in the story.

Meanwhile, here is a plan of the church, which is the only image to have joined my research folder in the last few days.

In my folder so far, I have a rare photo of the inside of St Clement Danes church, a photo of Morley’s hotel from the late 1890s (Trafalgar Square), some maps and other church floorplans. All this is based around ‘Oranges and Lemons,’ but the nursery rhyme has been twisted by my villain, as you will see, hopefully before this month is out.

New Month, New Promos

Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter if you want to get news on new promos. I have six this month, and will be sending out information about them on Saturday, when the newsletter comes out. Tell you what, I’ll give you a preview of the first one now.

MM Romance & Fiction

There are 22 MM titles here, some, like mine, you may already know, but there are others I’ve not seen advertised before. Plus, there are some new authors to explore and a variety of niches within MM romance.

Reviews

Posted on by
Reply

First, let me say thank you to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to post a review of any of my books on Amazon. They really do make a difference, as do rates. I’m pleased to say that Snake Hill has already attracted some lovely words of praise, such as:

The writing is lyrical with visuals. The story at the end had me misty-eyed. He captures the depth of male friendships and love perfectly.

This one especially touched me in a way that left me happy and sad at the same time. Every book in this series, along with the original series, is an excellent and exciting read.

I’m not here to hear my praises sung, although it is very rewarding to do so, and it’s always a boost when you read a positive review; it’s moving, too, and boosts self-esteem. The star ratings also help, and although I seem to have a mysterious reader who relishes dropping in one, two or three stars about half an hour after a book comes out, my star ratings are usually four or five, I am pleased to say. Finding a Way, which came out in August 2023, has 199 already, and Deviant Desire, published in 2019, has picked up 322 so far, as well as some excellent reviews. (Plus one which reads like a disgruntled author trying to trash a book because it was better than he could have done, while giving away some of the plot.) That is a no-no in the review world; you never give away twists or plots, but some people can’t help themselves. Ah well…

So, the message of today, folks is, please don’t hesitate to leave reviews whenever you can. Even if it’s only one or two lines, the more reviews and stars a title has, the more chance there is of Amazon recommending it – the same goes for Goodreads, I believe, and other publicity sites. My ‘Follow me’ list is towards the top of the right-hand column, if you use any of those platforms and want to follow me.

Meanwhile… Promos!

Banyak & fecks was taken out of a historical fiction promo for some reason. Either they didn’t like the gay aspect (boo), or it wasn’t bodice-ripping enough for them, and there was no busty wench on the front cover falling out of her clothing and into the arms of a swarthy lord of the manor, I don’t know, but there you go. Still, there are more to indulge in, such as today’s recommendation, which is:

Fall In Love: MM Romance in Kindle Unlimited

If you simply hanker for good, old-fashioned MM Romance, and you’re on KU, then this is the one to check out. You can add up to 30 new titles to your library.

You can do so by clicking the banner, as always, and having a browse. I’ll be back on Wednesday with an update on ‘A Depraved Indifference,’ which is coming along very nicely (well, it’s a bit gruesome in places, but otherwise, it’s quite nice).

Oranges and Lemons

Posted on by
Reply

This nursery rhyme has been in my head since I started writing ‘A Depraved Indifference’, and for a very good reason, which will become clear when you read the book. (Maybe next month, certainly by November.) I’m excited to tell you about the action through the story, but I can’t, of course, so I will just have to get on and finish it, so we can then discuss it, but I will say that it is definitely a mystery, and it has something to do with the nursery rhyme, ‘Oranges and Lemons.’

A letter from a publication of 1891, noted that beadles and porters of St Clement’s Inn (London) handed out oranges and lemons at New Year, so it wasn’t just children who knew the song. It is sung to the melody of certain church bells, St Clement Danes being one.

The melody of the sung rhyme is always the same, but the couplets can vary, and it always starts with St Clement Danes.

South-west view of the church of St Clement Danes

There are various versions of the lyrics, and it’s not unheard of for people to add their own, as happens in my story. I have gone for the standard version as written in The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, although I notice that the ending can also vary. In some modern versions, they have changed the bit about having your head cut off to something less violent. I can’t think why. It’s only a nursery rhyme, and I grew up with a chopper chopping off my head and ‘the last man is dead’, and I haven’t grown up to be a head-chopper-offer.

Below is the version I grew up with, and I remember playing the Oranges and Lemons game on the field in summer at primary school. We would have two children stand making an arch with their arms, and as we sang the rhyme, we took turns to walk beneath the arch. On the last line, the ‘chopper’ came down, and whoever was caught had their head chopped off. (Not really. It was a rural school, but not barbaric.)

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St Clement’s.
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St Martin’s.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know,
Say the great bells of Bow.

Here comes a candle,
To light you to bed.
Here comes a chopper
To chop off your head.
Chip chop chip chop the last man is dead.

For more info on the rhyme, start at: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranges_and_Lemons]

St Clement Danes is top right (You will also notice Holywell Street.)

There is also a debate, or several, about which churches are referred to in the rhyme. Some say St Clement’s isn’t the church in the Strand, but the one over at Eastcheap, and so on, but there are probably as many arguments for each one as there are additional lyrics.

Bull’s eyes and targets, say the bells of St Margaret’s, for example; I’ve never heard that one before.

Anyway, Oranges and Lemons features in the story and so far, and so do some other interesting ‘props.’ At the moment, I am asking myself, ‘What do the following have in common?’

A church organ, a medical skeleton, graffiti, a charitable organisation, and a ring? The answer? A Depraved Indifference – coming soon.

PROMO

This Saturday’s ‘please give these books some attention’ promo is the one I take part in every month because it is organised by Book Mojo, and they never send me unsolicited AI emails about book promotions.

MAYHEM & MOTIVES: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads – September Edition The M&M, Book-Mojo collection this month includes my three series starters. There are 45 titles to check out, all various kinds of thriller or mystery, and not necessarily MM related, but still, a good read.

You know how it works, click the banner to reach the page of books…

WIP: Delamere Ten

Posted on by
Reply

Snake Hill (Delamere Nine)

The good news is that Snake Hill is doing well, which means people must have enjoyed the previous books in the series. The ongoing news is that the paperback is not quite ready, but I hope to have the full cover in the next day or so.

Snake Hill universal link. Click here.

A Depraved Indifference (Delamere Ten)

This is off to a good start, and I even know what is to happen and when. The idea came to me very quickly, which is often a good sign and a warning sign. I warn myself to slow down and not rush ahead, and then I tell myself I can because I am creating this, so I can always uncreate it and change things, though, this time, I haven’t had to. Yet.

Without giving too much away, so far, Jack and Baxter have been called to a famous London church where something mysterious has been discovered. It could be 300 years old or three months, but the thing should not be there. Doctor Markland gets involved briefly, and Ned comes along with his scientific bits and pieces, and the next thing you know, we’re having lemonade on the back terrace at Delamere, where Will asks Ronny to sing some nursery rhymes. You can imagine the reception that gets. Later this morning, I will finish chapter six, that’s how well the storytelling is going. So far.

The research is happening as well. Here, for example, is the only image I can find of the church of St Clement Danes (Strand, London) before it was bombed in WWII. This is the original organ, which was built in 1690.

I also did some digging around Trafalgar Square and discovered that where we now have South Africa House was once Morley’s Hotel. That was a handy find as I needed there to be a hotel there in 1893, and lo! Here it is.

Photo is early 20th century

That’s my Wednesday update. If you haven’t joined my newsletter yet, please do, as there’s a heap of hot books coming your way in several September promotions. And, if you’ve not started sharing my BookBub and other links around your social media, please do! (Top of the right-hand column) Back on Saturday with another update.

Snake Hill on Kindle and KU

Posted on by
Reply

Snake Hill is now available on Kindle and in KU. Here’s the universal link.

https://mybook.to/SnakeHill

That should take you to your appropriate Amazon site, and all will be well. The paperback version should be out next week. We’re just organising the full cover, which is something we can’t do until we know the page count, which we now know. So… In case you have missed it, here’s the blurb.

Albert Arbon collapses at Delamere House after a three-day trek. His only son, Robert, has vanished after seeing a strange light in the Suffolk sky, and Arbon is desperate to find him.

Detectives Jack and Baxter, with young Simeon, accompany Arbon back to his remote Suffolk farmhouse, only to find themselves faced with a combination of rural legends seemingly tied to a series of unsettling events. A body lies inexplicably in the middle of an untouched wheat field. Other children have gone missing. There is talk of a ‘fire snake’, and no-one dare share the secrets of what can be seen from Snake Hill.

As the investigation deepens, Jack must navigate more than the mystery. He must also face the burdens of responsibility — not only for uncovering the truth and doing the right thing, but also for guiding Simeon, a boy on the cusp of manhood, who’s willing to risk everything to prove himself.

What Next? Delamere Ten.

You might not be surprised to know I am already working on Delamere 10, and it has the title of ‘A Depraved Indifference.’ I am working with the idea that will combine:

Murders past and future.

A nursery rhyme.

Several London churches.

A Church organ.

So far, it starts on Simeon’s 17th birthday, so it’s set in August 1893.

My original idea for Delamere was to see where Jimmy Wright had come to, following his entry into the Clearwater world back in ‘Twisted Tracks’ in 1888 (although his first appearance is in Deviant Desire, but it’s very brief). I soon discovered that Jack and Will Merrit were to be my leads, and so, the series has become their story, and I, for one, am enjoying exploring their lives. I was going to write one book for each of 12 months of their lives, but that’s kind of gone by the by. Having said that, we’re on book ten (almost) and the series started in June 1892 and we’re only now in August 1893, so I haven’t done too badly. A lot has happened in that time.

I often wonder if it’s too much and how long a series should run for. I think, as long as I am writing a good, entertaining read, and as long as people are still enjoying the stories, i.e. buying them, then I’ll carry on until it feels right to finish. If you have any other ideas, let me know.

Meanwhile… It will soon be September promo time, so get ready for a new list, but in the meantime, there’s a new one just started up a few days ago, and we’re in it, so if you want to boost my kudos, hit the banner. This is a collection so thriller and mystery reads that are available on a variety of platforms.