Local authors launch new novels in time for Xmas

The Horncastle area is renowned as the '˜Gateway To The Wolds' but it appears it could also be the gateway to a successful career as an author.
Local authors are providing a wealth of books to settle down with this winter. EMN-161124-163215001Local authors are providing a wealth of books to settle down with this winter. EMN-161124-163215001
Local authors are providing a wealth of books to settle down with this winter. EMN-161124-163215001

Several local authors have published new novels, just in time for the Christmas sales rush.

The list includes a book by Avril Ford, a retired reverend, who has written a clerical whodunnit called ‘Who Killed Schofield?’

The book follows on from Avril’s autobiography ‘Going Home The Long Way Round’ that was published in 2013.

Avril was at Perkin’s Newsagents in Horncastle last Saturday to sign copies of her new novel.

Mendus Harris, who lived in Belchford before moving to Wales, has published his new thriller ‘Dead Man’s Gold’, which features a number of locations in and around Horncastle.

It is the first book in his ‘Gold Mine’ thriller trilogy.

As a geologist, Mendus has worked all over the world -including in African gold mines.

In Dead Man’s Gold, he has drawn on his own experiences to create a fictional gold mine in a small town in Ghana, Africa.

A central character in the plot is a Edryd (Ed) Evans who arrives in Ghana to investigate the disappearance of an old friend, Greg Boston.

Without giving too much away, a fictional antique shop in Horncastle later becomes key to the plot.

Horncastle astronomer Paul Money, Reviews Editor for Sky at Night magazine, has published the latest ‘Nightscenes’ guide to the night sky for 2017.

‘Nightscenes 2017’ provides readers with information and charts about upcoming night sky events for the coming year.

It follows last year’s successful edition featuring a four page fold out monthly section for each month.

Also included are lunar phases, meteor showers and special events to look out for during the year.

Locally Nightscenes 2017 can be bought from Perkins and Coningsby Bookshop

Nightscenes 2000 was published in 1999 and was originally intended to be a one off but quickly became popular leading to nationwide sales and further editions.

Paul’s debut novel ‘A Ghostly Diversion’ was published earlier this year and the sequel ‘A Ghostly Diversion, Secrets of Grasceby Manor’ is planned for publication next spring.

Tim Shipman, who attended Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Horncastle between 1986 and 1993 and is now the Political Editor of The Sunday Times, has written ‘All Out War’ - the full story of how Brexit sank Britain’s political class.

The book, which is available on pre-order from Amazon, has received positive reviews from a number of political commentators, including Andrew Marr.

Marjorie Sargeant has produced her new book which chronicles life in Woodhall Spa in the year 1914.

It complements her previous book about 1910.

Entitled ‘Portrait of a Village 1914: letters from Woodhall Spa’, it was launched last Saturday at a coffee morning in Woodhall Spa.

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