TWO NEW BOOKS!

You wait for an age and then you have not one but two new books to talk about.

Finally, I have news about the fourth book in the Maybridge Murder Mystery series. Garden designer and amateur sleuth, Abby Finch, is at it again,,,

It’s a golden summer’s day in the Cotswolds. And garden designer Abby Finch is about to uncork the perfect murder . . .

Huge-hearted Abby loves dogs — and doesn’t think twice about swerving to avoid an adorable terrier in a country lane. Or following along, when the troublesome pup goes darting off into a local vineyard.

But she never expects where the runaway dog is leading her — straight to a corpse!

 Clementine Courtenay, elegant matriarch of the May Valley Vineyard, lies floating face-down in a stream.

The police say she must have slipped and drowned. But Abby’s not so sure.

 As rumours begin to swirl amid the tangled vines, Abby realizes that no one in Clementine’s inner circle is quite what they seem.

 Between jilted lovers, greedy offspring and bitter rivals, Clementine kept her friends close and her enemies closer still...

What secrets will Abby find — fermenting in the darkest corners of the Courtenay family cellar?

It’s up to Abby to solve the case before this sweetest vintage turns sour...

Murder in the Vineyard with be available for pre-order from 25 August at Amazon.

 

Now the second exciting news. I have been working with five author friends on an anthology of novellas with a ghostly theme that will be published in time for Halloween.

A welcoming inn with a shiver down the spine

The ancient Black Cat Inn is rooted on the wild Cornish coast. It's a haven for travellers but its hospitality comes with an unsettling feeling that all is not as it seems.

Over the centuries many claimed to have seen or heard the lost souls who inhabit the inn.

Do you believe the famous writer of mysteries? Can anyone explain the bullet hole left in the fireplace by a veiled lady, or what lay in wait for the survivor of the Spanish Armada? And how did a night in the inn forever change the lives of the visiting French medium, the young Australian in search of her past, and even, perhaps, the diarist with roving hands?

Who knows the truth? Perhaps only the cats that wait and watch as the years pass by and time seems to ebb and flow.

Hauntings at the Black Cat Inn is available for pre-order now so grab it at the launch price of 99p/99c - it will be going up in price straight after publication on 13 October. This link will take you to whichever book outlet you choose (you might have to be patient for Apple, they always take a little longer to get their ducks in a row!)

 Good morning!

I hope you all had a chocolate-filled Easter. So many of you downloaded the free books on offer - I hope you enjoy them when you have a chance to read. I don't have to keep you too much longer waiting for Murder in the Vineyard.

This week I'm child, cat and house-sitting while my daughter and her husband have a much needed break. 

I've settled myself at my daughter's kitchen desk. a lovely location - so near the kettle!

It is handily placed by the back door so that I only have to reach out a hand in my new - full-time - role as cat doorperson.

This is Luna - she is the oldest and a mama cat. She's had eleven lovely kittens. These are her first four babies. 

The little black and white one is Bear, who has grown up to be a fine cat. She made herself thoroughly at home on my keyboard yesterday evening.

The second litter was unintended, but it was lock-down and the vet refused to do the necessary so another seven arrived. Seven kittens were never going to sit nicely for a photograph!

And this is Mochi, the newest edition to the family. She had a inclination to come in through this door next to me, and then immediately goes to the garden door asking to be let out again.

Thankfully, she's bright enough to work out that is not going to happen and aa "I don't think so" and a firm point at the beside me and she come back.  Honestly with three of them, it's a full time job!

Have a lovely weekend all and happy reading.

A Visit from the Easter Book Bunny

HAPPY EASTER!

I've been thinking about what my readers, all over the world, will be doing this holiday weekend. Are you, like me, surrounded by blossom as we edge, somewhat uneasily in Spring. (We had hail yesterday!)  Or is summer fading into autumn with you? 

Will you be dashing to the airport to take advantage of the school holidays?  I hope the airports are running smoothly. Or maybe taking a walk in the country or on the beach?

I'll be with my family having the traditional hot cross buns on Friday and roast lamb with all the trimmings on Sunday while the kids eat too much chocolate. They're growing up (the little on in the picture hiked 14 miles with a backpack as big as her last week for her Duke of Edinburgh awasrd). It's Pandora from me for the girls this year and Stranger Things merch for the lad!

I'd love to be able to send you all an Easter Egg, but since that's not possible, I'm giving you all some free books to read this spring.

The first is Her Wish-List Bridegroom which was a bestseller when it was first released, and inspired a very well known author (a Sunday Times bestseller) on her journey to publication. This is an Amazon only download - and it's yours, wherever you are in the world. .

"Throwing champagne over the Chairman of her company - and the lowlife boyfriend who'd stolen her work and the directorship she'd earned - had, inevitably, proved somewhat career limiting for Juliet Howard Having been shown off the premises with her personal belongings in a box, she'd sworn off men for good and headed back home to Melchester to start again. And then she found herself face to face with her childhood crush -- Gregor McLeod."

Funny. emotional, a little bit sexy. 

Here's the link - HER WISH-LIST BRIDEGRROM, Amazon

The second book, is actually a two-in-one, so it's two books and it's available everywhere other than Amazon for those of you who prefer to get your reads from platforms. So, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo for your Nook and a lot of other places..

A  WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE

A celebrity wedding deep in wilds - what could possibly go wrong?
A multi-millionaire footballer and his stunningly beautiful model fiance are about to be married n a luxury safari lodge in Botswana. Top wedding planner Serafina March has been forced to bow out at the last minute and events planner ,Josie Fowler - last seen in The Bride's Baby - is a last minute replacement. It's a huge opportunity for her to prove herself, but nothing is running smoothly. The best man and the bridesmaid have broken up causing accommodation problems and lodge designer and entrepreneur, Gideon McGrath, is stuck n the bridal suite with a bad back and can't - or won't - move. And that's just the beginning.. Josie is furious with him, but as she wrestles with taffeta and table plans Gideon's sexy smile is getting under her skin...

ANYTHING BUT VANILLA

Even more tempting than ice cream!

Sorrel Amery is determined to make her summer event the talk of the town, and she knows just the way into people's hearts―champagne sorbet! It's the perfect strategy… Until the ice cream parlor's owner runs off, leaving Sorrel's plans melting faster than a sundae in the summer sun.All Sorrel wants is to get back into her comfort zone, but when the gorgeous Alexander West arrives to help pick up the pieces her life gets shaken up more than ever before! Especially as this globe-trotting adventurer is determined that nothing in Sorrel's life should ever be boring old vanilla again…

Here's the link RISKY BUSINESS, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and lots of other

The downloads, as you can see on the images are available only between 2 - 7 April, so fill your egg baskets, and tell your friends. The more the merrier!

And whatever you'll be doing this weekend, happy reading.

xxx

Book Giveaway!

 This is just a quickie so you don't miss it. If you love reading crime novels with women sleuths, there's a big giveaway at the moment, and one of my books is included.

eBook & Paperback Sweepstakes!

(2) Winners of eBook "Gift Baskets" of ALL ebooks
Other Winners of individual ebooks or paperbacks (randomly selected)

Here's the link - https://authorsxp.com/giveaway

 First the big news!

I'm thrilled to announce that I have signed a new contract with Joffe Books for two more Maybridge Murder Mysteries.

The first, Murder in the Vineyard, will be released later this year, with Murder at the Holly Bush Inn early in 2027.

A lunch date

Today I was at a literary lunch given by my local indie bookshop  The guest speaker was the Rev Richard Coles, who has recently taken to writing cosyish crime.

We have both written books called Murder Under the Mistletoe, (his)  and mine. 

There is no copyright in titles and actually we're not alone. A quick count on Amazon revealed that there are at least sixteen books with that title. Clearly it's a seller!

The lunch was great, the Rev (formerly of the pop group The Communards (Don't Leave Me This Way), is a wonderful speaker and he very kindly accepted a copy of my book (I'd already read his) and joined me for a photograph.

Many thanks to Helen and John at the bookshop for organising yet another great event. And to the wonderful staff at Rocca for a delicious lunch.

 

First a grovelling apology!

I have just discovered that the blog post that my wordpress blog that should have gone out on the 30 December, only went out on the 30 January.

I'd blame Christmas, but honestly, it's more to do with my struggles with the US way of writing the date.

Grovelling apologies that,  unless you caught it on Facebook, you will have missed the free book promotion for Anything But Vanilla. However it is still available for 99p/99c.

Let's try again!

I'm unable to repeat that offer for another couple of months, but by way of compensation, I have set up a new freebie - from Tuesday 3rd February thru Saturday 7th February.

Here's the blurb -

Newly single Sarah Gratton is headed for a new life in Rome with a photograph of Lucia, the woman who saved her great-grandfather in 1944, determined to find out what happened to her. She hasn't taken his advice to find a red-hot Italian lover seriously but when searching for Lucia she meets dark-eyed Matteo di Serrone. This Italian count is ideal flirting material - if she's brave enough to make a move! Fortunately, the suspicious Matteo is! Matteo decides to keep this mysterious woman close - no hardship at all, given their spine-tingling awareness of each other...

And here's the link - Flirting With Italian

 It's always the weather

2026 started with some pretty gruesome weather. I know we're pathetic in the UK - in Canada and the US you go to work with countless feet of snow on the ground, but everything it set up for this because you're used to it. 

We don't get that kind of snow here, thanks to the Gulf Stream which keeps us warm and which will undoubtedly shift with the rising sea levels and give us a new ice age. So the trains stop running, the roads are a nightmare and working from home is not just us whinging. Honestly, it's safer all round.

However, we're back to rain this morning so I'll be taking the car out for a little run to perk up the battery before the cold returns later in the week. (That's the other thing - the weather changes on a sixpence.)

Slow start

I've had a slowish start to the new year.

I've heard from my editor that she loves the new book so, fingers crossed, I'll be able to give you more news about that very soon.

I've opened up the document for book five in the Maybridge Mystery series, working title, Murder at the Holly Bush Inn and words have been written.

I took a day off yesterday. I had an eye clinic first thing, then I met authors Jenny Barden and Paula Lofting for coffee at my local indie bookshop. Well, two cups - we were there for the best part of two hours!

Re-organising

I returned home to find a parcel with the new kitchen storage containers I'd ordered had arrived so I spent the afternoon clearing out kitchen cupboards, setting aside stuff for the charity shop and having fun filling the new containers and labelling them with the new labels that had also arrived.

The labels turned out to be American where the names are slightly different, but they are very pleasing and I know what they mean. These are just a few. All very satisfying. 

Back to work

It's going to be a busy year, I'll be writing a novella for an anthology with a group of fellow writers - here's one we did earlier -  as well as the new Maybridge Mystery, so it's back to work today.

I'll try and keep this weekly, but for now, enjoy the rest of your week and happy reading.

 

A freebie to start the New Year

I'm starting the new ear with a gift to my wonderful readers. It's a romance, there's a very hot hero, a career focussed heroine and a lot of ice cream! 

I hope you all love it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

You can download it here.

 

Wishing you joy for 2026

Wishing a very happy new year to all my followers, with endless thanks for the support, for the shares, for reading the books. You are cherished!

Copyright Bigstock: 55634066

With love, Liz

 Many thanks to everyone for your support this year, for reading the books and the wonderful reviews.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season with friends, family, your cat or dog and a good book!

I'm off to make mince pies - see you all next year.

 

It’s been a while

The good news – the really good news – is that I have finally finished the fourth book in my Maybridge Murder Mystery series. – Murder in the Vineyard.

It’s taken far longer than it should, which is what happens when you set off into the mist, flying by the seat of your pants, as you follow your characters through the story.

The Process

Sue Grafton

The wonderful Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone crime series (A is for Alibi etc) once said that when things got tough with a book she was writing she “relied on the process”

E L Doctorow wrote that “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.!

It’s what I’ve done all my writing life. Sit down at the keyboard and leave it to my characters to show me the way. If I’ve set them up with a strong enough situation they will show me the way.

It’s a process that has worked for me through nearly eighty romances. I am here to tell you that it does not work for crime. At least not a crime series.

The series

It worked for the first book. New characters that I didn’t know well, who I’d set up with a strong situation and followed to see what would happen. I had a good plot idea for the second book and Abby and I worked it out together. In the third book I threw Abby into a situation that I had already set up in the second book.

By the time I came to the fourth book, I had a title and a great set up.  I wrote the opening, couldn’t figure out how it was going to work. I may get there, but this time the headlights were not helping.

I started again. Wrote fifteen thousand words. Hated it. Scrapped them. (You can see why book 4 has taken a while!)

I was rescued by the dog. Then I had a body. The mist, however, was thick and remained like an old-fashioned London pea-souper as I inched my way to the end.

That is to say that I reached a conclusion, named the murderer and have sent it off to my editor.

Lesson learned

I have always said that when writing my crime novels my sleuth, Abby Finch and I, have worked out what happened together.  This will always be the case to some extent, but I have had to accept that when writing crime, you need a road map and some very good headlights.

When…

Your next question, when will you be able to read it…

Well, there will undoubtedly be revisions coming back at me in the near future – that is normal and a fresh pair of eyes is vital to spot plotholes, repeats and all the other things that you miss when you’ve read something a gazillion times and your brain sees what it expects to see.

Starting research for book five – Murder at the Holly Bush Inn – I’ve discovered at least one error that I missed. Possibly two…

And honestly, not much seems to have in publishing in December, so the chances of get my notes before the middle of January at the earliest are remote.

 

Stock Photo ID: 140158661
Copyright: SerjantKaysa

I will keep you informed but in the meantime, as I mentioned, Murder in the Vineyard starts with a dog.

Meet Scout.

In other news

Harlequin have reverted the English language publishing rights  for some of my romances and, in the gaps, when staring at a blank screen became intolerable, I have published a few more.

Risky Business

Is a two-in-ne containing A Wedding at Leopard Tree Lodge and Anything But Vanilla – available here wide for the first time

And Family for Beginners is a two-in-one,  Mother Makes Three and Her Ideal Husband, again available wide for the first time. (I played with the cover for this one. What do you think?)

All books are available individually on KU at Amazon.

 

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TOP TIP from Romance & Murder Mystery Author LIZ FIELDING - Write every ...

In case you've missed it!

This is the first in my Maybridge Mysteries series published by Joffe Books. It has over 3000 reviews on Amazon and won the Daphne du Maurier Kiss of Death Mystery and Suspense award. It available #free if you subscribe to KU, in ebook, paperback and audio with a LP library edition coming soon.

Here's the link to this book and the two following stories in the series, Murder Under the Mistletoe and Murder in Bloom.

Maybridge Murder Mysteries

I am now blogging  at Wordpress.

To keep in touch, please follow me here.

Glitz previews the royal wedding...

Obviously, any royal wedding will attract the gossip magazines. There will be cover pictures, stories about the dress designer, speculation on the honeymoon destination. Our royal wedding is no different..

The editor of Celebrity, having sacked my heroine and having totally blotted his copybook with an outrageous article, is out in the cold, but Glitz was given a preview of Ally's diary of the wedding, Becoming a Princess.


Here's the cover of their wedding "special". :)
The Baronet's Wedding Engagement is still available to download free -  here are the links.




Tule
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
iBooks

How to plan a royal wedding: the venue...

Check out this lovely post by Jessica Hart over at  the Tule blog today. There's a chance to win a copy of The Prince's Bride by Sophie Weston.

And you can still download The Baronet's Wedding Engagement free!

Here are the links.

Tule
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
iBooks

Two Royal Wedding Giveaways!

Today is the day!

I've already told you about the beautiful bone china commemorative mug I'm giving away today, but there's an extra! The Baronet's Wedding Engagement by award winning author, Jessica Hart, one of the books in the Royal Wedding Invitation from Tule is free to download today.

Jessica's book is the story of the unlikely romance between Sir Max Kennard, the bride's older brother, and the wedding caterer (and one of Hope's bffs).

There are a whole lot of complications involving a pretend relationship, a fake engagement - bags of emotion and lots of fun.

Here are the links - grab a copy today!

Tule
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
iBooks

Linked characters...

I've been asked about secondary characters in my Rita nominated book, The Sheikh's Convenient Princess.

Does Violet have her own story? Do the Garland Girls appear in other books?

Happily, the answer is yes and yes.

I created the Garland Agency for the book Dating Her Boss.

When Jilly Prescott arrives from London clutching her certificates for incredible typing and shorthand speeds, Amanda Garland is torn.

 Garland Girls are the creme de la creme of secretarial/PA staff and Jilly doesn't have their finishing school gloss or style but she is desperate. Her brother needs help, but he's grown suspicious of her efforts to tempt him out of a very dark place by sending him her most attractive temps. Jilly, with her uncontrollable mop of hair and a Geordie accent that elocution lessons have not been able to entirely eradicate, will at least deal with his immediate need for secretarial help.


Jilly, who has arrived in London to catch up with her childhood sweetheart, only to have her dreams smashed, touches Max's grieving heart and he sets out to help her be noticed in her friend's glamorous new world.

Amanda Garland has her own story. Self-sufficient, successful, independent but with love all around her, her biological alarm clocks goes off and she decides it's time for a baby. She is highly organised, independent and doesn't need a man - she's going to use a donor clinic to achieve her dream. That's until she meets car hire chauffeur Daniel Redford and The Baby Plan begins to unravel.

Having created the Garland Agency, whenever I need a competent woman to take charge of a difficult situation, that is - like it's very happy clients - where I always go, so the name does crop up in other books.

Finally, there is Princess Violet, English wife of Sheikh Hamad, who is determined to give Ruby and Bram a wedding that, while private, will be unforgettable.

Descended from a runaway princess who took with her the legendary gold and ruby encrusted dagger, the Blood of Tariq, I wrote Violet's story, Chosen As the Sheikh's Wife  as a special commission for the 100th anniversary of Mills and Boon.

It's a novella, but packed with action. A life-threatening situation, a marriage of convenience, a kidnapping and an attempted coup. And two lovely people falling in love.

And while I'm here talking about linked characters - one of the books in the Invitation to a Royal Wedding series, The Baronet's Wedding Engagement, by Rita award winning Jessica Hart, is free at the moment.

Here are the links -

Tule
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
iBooks