Friday, March 15, 2013

Welcome Lesley Cookman, Author of the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries


 
Hi! My name’s Lesley Cookman, and Melissa has very kindly invited me to introduce myself and my books on her lovely blog.

I’m an English writer, living in Kent, England at the seaside. The heroine of my series, Libby Sarjeant, also lives in Kent, although in a typical English village. Her best friend Fran, however, does live at the seaside. Both the village, Steeple Martin, and the seaside town, Nethergate, are fictional, although my British readers have great fun trying to identify the real locations. Here is the map of Steeple Martin, drawn by my friend Susan Alison, which appears in the front of all the books and on my website.
 
 

Libby and Fran are both ladies of a certain age. Libby is lively, nosy and a bit of a bull in a china shop. Fran is much calmer and an occasional unwilling psychic, which is why the local police use her as an “expert” witness now and then. Both Libby and Fran were professional actors in a former life, and Libby now helps to run a community theatre.

There are cats, too. Libby shares her house with Sidney, a rather belligerent silver tabby who appears in her back garden on the map, and Fran has adopted Balzac, a black and white longhair. There is a whole gang of friends and relations who appear regularly, and my dear editor at Accent Press has put together a Who’s Who in the front of every book. The series, currently eleven in all, is available in print and ebook and the twelfth, Murder In The Dark, will be out in October. This is the most recent, Murder In The Monastery.
 
 

As for me, I live with my two rescue cats, a mother and daughter called Godiva and Gloria, and an occasional returning grown-up child. I, too, am a former actor who keeps her hand in at our beautiful Victorian theatre in my home town. I love to hear from readers, so please get in touch, either through my website, Facebook page or Twitter, links below. On my website, you can also sign up to receive my newsletter.

And last, but not least, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of my publishers, Accent Press, we are releasing an anthology of my short stories to be called Bad Behaviour. I can’t show you the cover yet, as it hasn’t been designed, but rest assured it will soon be appearing at all my online homes - and, of course, Amazon!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to “meet” some of you soon.
 
Lesley has generously offered to send a signed print copy of either the first book in the series (Murder in Steeple Martin) or the last (Murder in the Monastery) to one lucky commenter. Please leave your email address; contest is International and runs until 3/22.

16 comments:

Acemommy said...

I'd love to win!

Acemommy said...

sarah2323 at gmail dot com

Michelle Fidler said...

Sounds like a good series and the type of mystery I'd like. I love cats and mine were all strays before we adopted them.

catbooks(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Love this interview. Would be so nice to win.

nlb1050@yahoo.com

Carol N Wong said...

Glad that she has two rescue cats in her home, two more happy cats in this world. I would be delighted to read the first book in the series or the last!

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Sue said...

I love English village cozies---and especially those with cats. Please enter me in the drawing.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

Jayne Ormerod said...

You had me at the cover! Would love to see what's inside!

Anonymous said...

Saw your post on mystery most cozy. Would love to win book #1 - love English cozies!
lattedavotion@hotmail.com

Aurian said...

I really enjoy reading cozy mysteries with older sleuths, so your series sure fit me. And they "play" in England is a bonus. I would love to win the first one.

auriansbooks at gmail dot com

Lesley Cookman said...

Thank you all very much. Apparently, the Libby books also come under the heading "Boomer-Lit"! Melissa will let you know who has won the book, and thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Having just read all 11 Steeple Martin mysteries back to back I can thoroughly recommend all and any of them - so I'm not competing for a copy, just saying, great reads
Louise Allen

maudemaxine@gmail.co, said...

This is a new author to me. I would love to win one of her books. The sound of the 3rd one I really like.
Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com

Lesley Cookman said...

Thanks again, everyone, and especially Louise Allen for her endorsement. For those who might not know, Louise writes quite fabulous Regencies for HMB and knows more about that era than anyone else I know.

Unknown said...

I am delighted to be introduced to you and your books.
www.libbydoddart.com

Rachel Brimble said...

This series SO appeals to me, Lesley - great to see a UK author writing cosy mysteries!

Rachel x
rachelbrimble@googlemail.com

Lesley Cookman said...

Thanks, Rachel!