I’ve wanted to write a festive mystery for some time but was looking for a particular theme. It had to be more than just a story set over the Christmas period; I wanted it to have a distinct feeling of place and time.
I finally achieved my ambition with A Corpse in Christmas Close.
The first chapters are based on a real event, when the Prince of Wales, later to become Edward VIII, visited Winchester on 7 November 1923. This provided the perfect opening to the book.
Reporter Iris Woodmore is sent to cover the event for The Walden Herald, and I’ve depicted the actual royal itinerary as Iris spends the day following the prince around Winchester. The mystery begins when a body is discovered in Christmas Close, where a charity pantomime is being staged in aid of Winchester Cathedral’s Great War Fund.
I live not far from Winchester, and it was hugely enjoyable to have this fascinating historical city play a central role in my story. Although Christmas Close is fictitious, it’s nestled amongst the real ancient roads surrounding Winchester Cathedral.
I describe the close as a narrow cobblestone road enclosed by the tall, grey-stoned medieval walls Winchester is famous for. You can easily walk past Christmas Close without realising it’s there – making it the ideal location to commit murder.
With my setting in place, I could now bring in Christmas customs of the time, such as preparing plum puddings, drinking mulled wine, and kissing under the mistletoe. Iris investigates deadly secrets at the school carol concert and watches extraordinary performances at the ill-fated charity pantomime.
I hope you enjoy being transported to Winchester in 1923 to spend Christmas with Iris and her friends. The story ends on New Year’s Eve with a hint of what’s in store for Iris in 1924…