The Best Corpse for the Job Tour Stop!

 Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly.
Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village.

Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony.

As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts.

So this was a hard book for me to read and to rate, because even though I liked the story enough to finish it, I really did feel as though I had to push myself to finish it.

Even with that in mind, like I said I did still enjoy the book because I liked the characters, Adam and Robin.  There was just something about the two of them that stuck out to me.  I thought that the author did a great job with their relationship as well.   I did think that the twists that the author added to the story were very good and interesting!  That totally made the story worth the read for me personally.

This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I will give them another shot in reading their books in the future.  This story in particular just wasn’t my cup of tea.

What’s a typical day like for you?

I don’t have typical days. I do freelance training, so I might have that in the diary, or have a commitment for one of the voluntary things I do. My husband took early retirement so maybe we have plans for a walk and lunch, or I might have an author thing on. The only non-variables are that I’ll do some writing and check my e-mails, but the exact timing or location of those things is flexible.

Describe your workspace.

I normally work in our study. Bit of a story, there, in that we moved three of our rooms around at home last year. So the study became the dining room, the dining room became a large bedroom (do keep up!) and the small bedroom became…the study. It’s great, as it has a view out over fields and gets the morning sun.

What’s your favorite quote?

If I could write the beauty of your eyes

And in fresh numbers number all your graces,

The age to come would say 'This poet lies:

Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.’

Shakespeare, in praise of a man. ?

How long does it take you to write a book?

That’s a movable feast. Sometimes, particularly for short stories, the words just flow, and nothing in the story changes from first draft to first edit. Other times it’s like sweating blood, every word an effort, even though I have as much urge to tell the tale that’s forming in my head. Having said that, my ‘natural’ writing amount is 500 words a day, but they’re 500 good words, I hope.

How do you get past writer’s block?

By writing! Either by writing something different – fanfic, limericks, whatever – or by writing in a different way, eg longhand on paper. It usually works.

What is your favorite book from childhood?

Gosh, that’s a long time to think back. Lord of the Rings, probably. That’s the one I remember reading and re-reading with most pleasure.

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As Charlie Cochrane couldn't be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes, with titles published by Carina, Samhain, Bold Strokes, MLR and Cheyenne.

Charlie's Cambridge Fellows Series of Edwardian romantic mysteries was instrumental in her being named Author of the Year 2009 by the review site Speak Its Name. She’s a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People, International Thriller Writers Inc and is on the organising team for UK Meet for readers/writers of GLBT fiction. She regularly appears with The Deadly Dames.

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Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for an e-book from Charlie Cochrane's backlist (excepting The Best Corpse for the Job). Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 29.  Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.