Hi all,
I have had a few people ask me when the next Inspector Stark novel is coming out and I thought it only courteous to give you an update.
As you know I have spent the last 18 months or so working on a diary about the coronavirus and its impact on society.
There were a couple of reasons for my getting involved with this, one was that it was a moment in time and an opportunity to record, as it happened, what was likely to be a historic event.
I think what tipped me over the edge was watching the first Press Briefing. You may recall it. The A Team, Boris Johnson, Professor Sir Patrick Valance, and Professor Chris Whitty came out and as I watched it, I was totally unconvinced. They were telling us that there was nothing to worry about and nothing to see here. This was on 3rd March 2020.
I have a lot of experience in noticing when people are being economical with the truth and I didn't buy it. I felt there was likely to be huge public interest in what was to follow.
What I didn't know was how long the pandemic was going to go on for!
Incidentally, I have tried to get a link for the first press conference which was on 3rd March 2020 where they were playing it down, and I cannot find one for you on YouTube. Worse than that, there is one that purports to be the 3rd March but is the one on 9th March when it was a slightly different tone.
That's a little strange, isn't it?
A cynic might say that this has been taken down.
Anyway, the book, in three parts, is out, and naturally I thoroughly recommend it as a record of the times, and also as an easy to read account that will always be of interest over the years.
So it is done and it is out there for posterity. I am working on the audiobook.
However, I am yearning to get back to my first love; the team at Nottingham CID under the leadership of Detective Inspector David Stark, and write another novel for you crime fans.
The big news is that I have been plotting another book and I hope to be close to beginning the writing proper soon. The aspiration is to have a book out by Christmas if I go hard at it every day. I usually do once I start writing, in any case.
The working title is 'The Inevitable Death of Daisy Day.'
Daisy is wrapped in the comfort of a nice life and expects this status quo to continue. Then one day she knocks into a shopping trolley in the supermarket, and everything changes. Just like that.
For those not having caught up with the latest Inspector Stark book 'Murder Me Tomorrow,' winner of The Independent Press Awards 2021 for Crime Fiction; you can see it here.
I will keep you updated on progress.
Thank you so much for your continued support.
Keith