Murder at Wintertide

George and his father are heading for Lyme Regis for a family gathering to celebrate both his grandfather’s birthday and Christmas where the two halves of his step-family are coming together. This includes Isla, his slightly terrifying, very intelligent step-cousin. When a body washes up on the beach, George is convinced it has something to do with some strange lights he saw on the cliff top and together with Isla, he finds himself investigating the mystery. However, someone is determined to stop them…

Once again, Fleur Hitchcock delivers an excellent murder mystery! ‘Murder at Wintertide’ is a completely absorbing and entertaining read, every bit as enjoyable as the previous ‘Murder…’ books.

Perfectly pitched for Y6/7 readers, ‘Murder at Wintertide’ offers a captivating thriller complete with red herrings, plenty of peril and ‘pesky kids’ determined to solve the crime. Readers familiar with Lyme Regis, where the action is set, will recognise many of the details Fleur adds to the story, including the sculpture of ‘some famous fossil hunter’, and the descriptions of a seaside town in winter add much to the atmosphere of the story.

George makes an appealing main character and the complexities of his blended family life add plenty of substance and realism to the story. As his friendship with Isla develops, George realises that he has misunderstood someone who actually makes a brave an loyal friend, showing how easy it is to misjudge people. They make quite a team and it would be great to see them make a reappearance in a future book!

It is always hard to review this sort of story without giving too much away and spoiling it for others, but anyone who reads this (and everyone should!) will instantly recognise the skill with which Fleur writes these stories, making them every bit as enjoyable for older readers as for those they are officially aimed at! Thoroughly enjoyable, endlessly readable… another triumph!

Murder at Wintertide

Fleur Hitchcock

Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1805132233

Published 10th October 2024

You can read my review of ‘Murder at Snowfall’ here, ‘Waiting for Murder’ here and ‘Murder in Midwinter’ here.

Meet Fleur Hitchcock

This week has seen the publication and launch of ‘Murder at Snowfall’, the latest book by the very wonderful Fleur Hitchcock. It is a gripping, thrilling tale which is sure to be every bit as popular as her other stories. I was delighted to have the chance to ask Fleur some questions about her work…

1.       Being a very versatile author, you have shown you can write for children of all ages and in a wide range of styles. Which age range do you prefer to write for and which genre do you think you do best?!

Very kind words!

I love to write thrillers, stories that take the reader to the edge of their seat where they HAVE to turn the page because they care so much about the character and the risks are so high – but whether that’s in an historical thriller or a contemporary crime caper I don’t really have a preference. My historical books are set in a different time space, but to me the characters are the same as the characters in one of my contemporary stories. Mouse is not so far from Maya in Murder in Midwinter, just different clothing and different surroundings. The past is fun because there are no mobile phones, the present is fun because there are.

 But I do like pushing the stories as close to adult crime thrillers as I dare, and then, inevitably pulling back, the younger the child, the harder it is to do that – not that I don’t enjoy writing straightforward fun adventures, after all, they were so much what I longed for as a child. Having said that, I wish I had the skill to write a picture book.  I haven’t answered your question at all, have I?

2.       If one of your ‘Murder’ books- Murder in Midwinter, Murder at Twilight, Waiting for Murder and Murder at Snowfall- was to be made into a film, which would you choose and why?

Ooh – without spoilers, Murder at Snowfall has the whole safari park section – Murder in Midwinter has the snowy Welsh mountains and Waiting for Murder has the aeroplane bit. Maybe Murder at Snowfall? But that’s because I’ve imagined it most recently. Can I put Mouse Heart forward please? (Absolutely!)

3.       Brilliantly written, ‘Murder at Snowfall’ really racks up the tension and peril! It sits perfectly in the space for those children who are strong readers in Y6/7, but not yet ready for the content of some older books.  Do you have plans for more stories like these- and would you be tempted to revisit any of these characters, leading them to solve the crime once more?

Thank you! Yes, I think my books are a preamble to Good Girl’s Guide to Murder etc – mine are “one foot on the floor (see Hollywood)” but just as risky. They’re certainly the books I wanted to read aged 10/11, but could only find Dick Francis (Eek) at the time. I love writing for this age, it’s so strong in my memory, and I really hope I get to write more. I’ve definitely got another Ruby and Lucas idea in my head, but time of year is important in my stories and I’m not sure what season would be best – perhaps they should have another snowy adventure? 

4.       I love your ‘Clifftoppers’ series. They have the feeling of the Famous Five, but the writing and content is so much better! Were you an Enid Blyton reader as a child- and did you prefer the Famous Five, the Secret Seven or the Five Find-Outers?

I have to confess that I never read the Famous Five – or any of Enid Blyton’s books. Our school librarian, and the mobile library driver steered me towards Malcolm Saville – they were similar, probably just as badly written, and addictive. I must confess, I haven’t read one for many years! When the Clifftoppers series was mooted, I wondered if I should read Enid Blyton but decided that I would end up with a pastiche if I wasn’t careful. I had a notion of what was needed, and I looked back at my own unconfined childhood, hanging out with a group of similar aged children in rural Hampshire and used that. My own children roamed free here in Wiltshire, so I was able to make it relevant and updated without much research. Oh, and I gave the older Clifftopper children mobile phones. Well you would, wouldn’t you?

5.       ‘Mouseheart’ is set during the reign of Queen Anne II in an alternative Bristol. Are you planning any more adventure for Mouse- or any which use this setting again?

No more adventures for Mouse at the moment – I think it would take a couple of years for something to float to the surface - I started to write the original in 2019 - but she’s so close to my heart I wouldn’t rule it out. Also, there’s a lot of fun to be had with Queen Anne II, she refuses to toe the line which makes her a joy to write. I do love characters who rebel.

6.       What can you tell me about the next book we can expect from you?

It might be a sequel to Murder and Snowfall and I probably shouldn’t say too much I am hoping to write something about the Anglo Saxons. I’m certainly doing a shed load of research and I have a story bubbling… Did you know Alfred the Great had an even greater daughter?

7.       And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?

That’s a very tricky question. It so depends on my mood, but a lovely light Victoria sponge with added strawberries and cream is hard to beat. Or a good coffee and walnut or sometimes it just has to be a brownie – dark chocolate…

Many thanks to Fleur for joining me today! I, for one, am very excited to hear about your potential future projects and look forward to reading whatever comes next.

You can read my review of Mouse Heart here and Murder at Snowfall here - both brilliant books!

Murder at Snowfall

On Tuesday evening, I had the great pleasure of joining the loveliest group of people to celebrate the launch of ‘Murder at Snowfall’, Fleur Hitchcock’s thrilling new murder mystery story. Damp and drizzly though the evening was, Bath looked as atmospheric and beautiful as ever- very appropriate as it is the backdrop to the novel with familiar places such as Mr Bs and Waterstones featuring in the story.

There was a lovely atmosphere at Waterstones as everyone gathered. There was even a surprise acting element to Fleur’s reading and plenty of snow flake shaped snacks and mulled wine. Time flew by and a wonderful time was had by all to celebrate a wonderful book! Here’s my review!

Ruby’s mum is preoccupied. There has been a fire at the surgery where she works, her boss, Dr Price, has gone missing and she is convinced someone has been following her. As the snow falls and odd things keep happening, everyone is jumpy. So when Ruby’s ‘Step’, Lucas, dares her to open an abandoned cabinet they walk past on their way home from school, she soon wishes she hadn’t as a gruesome discovery sets off a chilling chain of events and a mystery which they must solve.

Fleur Hitchcock is an incredible writer. No matter what she tackles, the result is an absorbing, exciting story. With her ‘Murder’ stories, she achieves the perfect balance of thrills and chills for anyone looking for a compelling mystery with enough bodies, clues and red herrings to please Poirot yet keeping the story appropriate to the target audience. ‘Murder at Snowfall’ is her most sinister yet- and makes an excellent read!

Full of action, the story has plenty of tension, offering frissons of fear as the children tackle the mystery surrounding the events at Ruby’s mother’s work. There are twists and turns aplenty with some real surprises and miscues to take the reader down the wrong path, but everything comes together brilliantly in the end. Snow gives Bath an eerie feeling as the weather adds much to the atmosphere of the story, but readers who know the city will still recognise it in the story.

As well as the murder mystery, the story shows the development in the relationship between Ruby and her ‘Step’. When her mother married Paolo, Ruby hadn’t really understood that this would mean the addition of a strange, extremely intelligent boy who she views with suspicion and who seems to barely acknowledge her existence. However, as the novel develops, she comes to appreciate him, showing the importance of getting to know someone, being there for them and becoming family.

Brilliant!

Murder at Snowfall Fleur Hitchcock

Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1839945908

You can read my review of ‘Mouse Heart’ here.

Mouse Heart

In the reign of Queen Anne II, in an alternate Bristol, a foundling called Mouse lives in the Moth Theatre with the people who took her in. Loving and loyal, Mouse adores her theatre family and so when Walter, the troupe’s leading man, is wrongly arrested for murder, she is determined to identify the real culprit and free Walter from prison. But Mouse’s investigation becomes increasingly fraught with peril as she realises that someone she trusts may be hiding a deadly secret, leading danger to those she loves the most.

What an adventure! Packed with action and mystery, sinister villains and theatricals, ‘Mouse Heart’ is a completely captivating and thrilling read that is impossible to put down.

Mouse is a fabulous heroine, brimming with courage and determination. Her affection for those around her and her resolve to keep them safe at all costs is heart warming as she launches herself into her investigations. Using her acting skills, Mouse transforms her appearance as she makes her way around the Bristol-that-isn’t-the-real-Bristol, piecing together the events surrounding the crime and the story is full of references to locations which can be found in ‘real’ Bristol- St Michael’s Hill, for example, where executions were held until 1816 and Newgate Prison with its disgusting, insanitary conditions, so vividly described in the novel.

Rich in historical details as the story is, ‘Mouse Heart’ is set in an imaginary time hole in the early 1700s when the fictious Queen Anne II is on the throne. Edward Teach- Bristol’s infamous Blackbeard- also makes an appearance, further mingling reality with fantasy to create the perfect backdrop to Mouse’s adventures. Added to this is an array of wonderful characters who surround Mouse in her daily life which is full of the rivalries, affections and irritations experienced by those living in close contact.

The story romps along to its satisfying and dramatic climax, but although everything is brilliantly concluded, it would be wonderful to think that Mouse might have another adventure in the near future. There seems to be so much potential for adventure in her world!

Put this to the top of your to be read pile- you won’t regret it!

Mouse Heart Fleur Hitchcock

Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1788009485