News

Historical Novel Society reviews The Death Beat

A lovely review of The Death Beat in the recent Historical Novel Review magazine.

As with the previous two novels, this was taut and entertaining. I also liked Poppy’s development from the earlier books. She’s always been torn between her upbringing as a Methodist minister’s daughter and her own desires as a career-minded young woman in the 1920s. Her inner conflict felt more pronounced to me in this book. Poppy has enlightened standards for how women should be treated that deviate quite a bit from her very traditional, conservative background, which at times cause her stress. This fits in well with the blossoming awareness about the conditions of immigrants and sweatshops and people forced into prostitution. While it was fun to see 1920s New York, I confess I missed London. In any case, it was an exciting, well written story and a good series addition. Recommended.

You can read the full review here.

News

The Cairo Brief cover

Drum rolls and trumpet toots … ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the new Poppy Denby! The Cairo Brief, fourth in the series, will be published 21 September. If you haven’t read the first three books yet, I suggest you get started! They are great holiday reads (if I may say so myself).

Fiona Veitch Smith - The Cairo Brief

Poppy Denby is on top form solving the mystery surrounding the ancient Egyptian mask of Queen Nefertiti. Highly recommended!

Dolores Gordon-Smith, author of the Jack Haldean murder mysteries

Intrepid Poppy Denby visits a country estate not unlike Downton Abbey in this caper. It’s great fun following Fiona’s crew of early 20th-century reporters as they seek scoops and solve murders on the side

Deb Richardson-Moore, author of The Cantaloupe Thief, The Cover Story and Death of a Jester

Thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Murders, sinister figures, a cursed Egyptian mask…and a seance! All the ingredients for another superlative Poppy Denby investigation.

A. J. Wright, award-winning author of the Lancashire Detective Series.

Fiona Veitch Smith, where have you been all my life? Poppy Denby is delightful, the plot rocks, and the 1920s era is perfectly evoked. British mystery fans, you want to read this. You really, really do.

Cassandra Chan, Author of the Bethancourt & Gibbons mysteries

News

The Death Beat & 1920s US Immigration Policy

I’ll be giving a talk at Newcastle Central Library at 6pm on Thursday 18 January on the background to The Death Beat. The book is set against the 1921 US Immigration Restriction Act, which has some disturbing parallels with today. Come along for a warm welcome and interesting discussion. The event is free, but please register your interest here. Signed books will be available to purchase.

Ellis Island

News

The Death Beat launch party – no Prohibition here!

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Last week I held a 1920s-themed launch party for the release of the third book in my Poppy Denby Investigates series, The Death Beat. Intrepid reporter sleuth Poppy and her friends would have felt right at home at Blackwell’s Bookshop in Newcastle, with live jazz and wine freely flowing. Although snow threatened to scupper the launch – with the band getting stuck somewhere en route – the party got off to a delayed but warm start. Former ITV journalist Mychaela Stephenson interviewed me about the latest book set in New York and then the guests were treated to a reading set in a speakeasy, where Poppy and her friends flout Prohibition. Thanks to everyone who braved the weather and helped make it such a fun evening.

Me channeling Lady Cora Crawley. And yes, that is an original 1922 Remington typewriter. Gorgeous, isn’t it?
No this isn’t a cast call for Peaky Blinders. Friends Ben and Diana really looked the part.
Fun, fun, fun! Jack & Alex playing some fab 20s Jazz and friends Becca (left) and Helen (right) breaking Prohibition.
My beautiful family: husband Rod and daughter Megan. Doesn’t she look flapulous?
Mychaela Stephenson interviewing me about The Death Beat
Bookshops make the world go round. Thanks to Mariana from Blackwell’s Newcastle for hosting the launch.
Background material, News

Travelling 1920s style

I’ve just updated the Poppy Denby website with information on, and fabulous original photos of, the various trains, boats and automobiles Poppy and her friends use in London, Paris and New York. For readers who have already read the books, you can now see if your imagination matches up to reality. For those who haven’t, don’t worry, there are no plot spoilers as to whodunnit. Although book 3 is not quite out yet, I have included information on that too as a little taster (you can pre-order The Death Beat here). To go straight to the Transport page click here.

Model T Ford

Background material, News

First woman statue in Parliament Square

Next year, 2018, will be the 100 year anniversary of the Representation of the People Act, which gave women in the United Kingdom, over the age of 30, who owned property, the right to vote. It took another 10 years for all women over the age of 21, regardless of their economic status, to be able to vote; but at least the 1918 act was a start. It was the culmination of many years of struggle of brave women (and some notable men), one of whom was Millicent Fawcett. Millicent was the chairperson of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. She adhered to a strict code of non-violence (in contrast to the Pankhursts and the Women’s Suffrage and Political Union who feature in The Jazz Files). She retired in 1919 after achieving her goal and died in 1929. She is now going to be honoured by a statue in Parliament Square, London. Incredibly, it will be the first statue of a woman to be erected there; a reminder, perhaps, that the battle for the recognition of women as equal contributors to society still has a way to go. Nonetheless, Aunt Dot and her friends would be delighted to hear that Millicent is finally getting some attention. I hope to be in London next year for the unveiling.

Millicent Fawcett

Millicent Fawcett 2

Poppy Denby investigates