OUT

Were she still with us, my mother would have celebrated her 95th birthday today. She passed away of a congenital heart condition 23 and a bit years ago. I recall speaking to the hospital on the night she died and they told me to get a move on if I wanted to see her. The missus and I jumped in the car and I must have broken the land speed record getting from Manchester to Leeds, but she died ten minutes before we got there.

She was a tough lady. A tiny woman, always frail, and yet she was afraid of nothing and she was the only person who ever had any control over me. Even today when I’m down or annoyed, there are times when I could do with speaking to her if only for her to kick my arse and tell me to get on with it… whatever “it” may be.

The anniversary of her birthday is one of the reasons I don’t care for Christmas.

It seems fitting, therefore, that the release of Sanford 3rd Age Club Mystery #24 A Deadly Twixmas, is today:— her birthday.

As Sanford 3rd Age Club Mysteries go, it’s darker than the usual tales. There’s a still a dash of humour, obviously. It wouldn’t be a Sanford 3rd Age Club Mystery without. But the underlying tone, the murder of  a police officer and his wife, compounded by a third killing, threats against Joe and his two best friends, the invasive presence of the media, even the setting, the cold days between Christmas and New Year, make for a moody tale.

But it’s one I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

And don’t forget, there’s an official launch event on Facebook starting at four o’clock (UK time) this afternoon. No invite needed, just forget the Christmas shopping, come along and join in, and I’ll see you there.

You can find A Deadly Twixmas at: mybook.to/dtwix

And the Facebook launch is at: https://www.facebook.com/events/447632816732297