Blog Tour: ‘A Public Murder’ by Antoinette Moses

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘A Public Murder’ by Antoinette Moses, a clever police procedural introducing DI Pam Gregory.

With thanks to Random Things Tours for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

From the Publisher:

‘My mother was a very difficult person, Inspector, and not always a very nice one. I   can think of any number of people who would want her dead.’

The shocking murder of the archaeologist, Stephanie Michaels in the new Leotakis Gallery in Cambridge is clearly going to be a troublesome high-profile investigation from the outset. But to track down the killer, DI Pam Gregory has to travel to the Greek island of Crete where she finds herself on a journey she never expected, one which will change her life for ever.

‘Original and thrilling…’ Trezza Azzorpardi author of The Hiding Place

 ‘Pam Gregory joins the ranks of the country’s most compelling fictional detectives. This book doesn’t let you go until the final page – bring on the next!

Alex Smith, bestselling author of Paper Girls

‘As Nikos tells DI Pam in the final chapter “We were all looking in different directions. It was you who put the pieces of the puzzle together.” That was this reviewer’s experience and an enthralling journey it was, too. Bring on the next Pam Gregory murder mystery!’

‘Intrigued by the superb front cover, I bought this book late last week, before spending my weekend on the most gripping adventure. No spoilers here, but when storytelling is this good you are simply compelled to keep going. DI Pam Gregory has been a delightful companion on this thrilling journey, and I hope to read more of her soon! A murder mystery wound so tight it’ll make you want to scream. Utterly wonderful stuff!’

‘The author’s descriptions of Crete were just what I needed on a damp and cold March weekend. I could almost taste the retsina.’

My Review:

A pleasing coincidence with this one – I’d just finished and loved ‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint and was delighted to pick up another book that featured Crete, a labyrinth and a Cretan bull/minotaur!

This novel opens with the murder of a celebrated archaeologist, Stephanie Michaels, in a new labyrinth-themed gallery at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The victim has been placed on the horns of the giant golden Cretan bull at the gallery’s heart – seemingly attacked as she worked on a new exhibition about a recently-unearthed Minoan palace. DI Pam Gregory leads the investigation which takes her to the sun-soaked island of Crete and tensions around the historical discovery.

This book is intended as the first in a series to feature DI Pam Gregory and we definitely need more!

Pam Gregory is an engaging central figure – she doesn’t seem to be carrying lots of personal baggage (a relief) and is slightly older (early forties, I think) and confident in her own abilities. I love that her personal life doesn’t get in the way of the investigation as I’ve read a lot of crime novels recently where the traumatic past of the detective is central to the case – this isn’t one of those! Similarly, her relationship with her policing team is pretty positive and straightforward. I also liked that Pam had a sense of humour!

As well as Pam, the other characters are well-drawn and realistic. I liked the fact that the supporting cast were interesting, for example Mike Petersen (Pam’s contact in Greece), multi-millionaire Leotakis, Greek police officer Stavros, Pam’s Cambridge-based partner Josh and the victim’s daughter, Jen. All played important parts in the book and were well-developed.

I thought that this book was very well-plotted and enjoyed the police procedural elements as the Cambridge team picked up the investigation. However, once the action moved to Crete, I really felt that this book came alive. The writer clearly has a deep love for Crete and it shows in the descriptions of the landscape, people and food. It made me really want to visit!

This was one book that did keep me guessing to the end – I absolutely devoured this book because I needed to know how it finished and I wasn’t disappointed. The ending is satisfying and definitely left me wanting more from this writer and detective.

Overall, I’d say this is a strong opener for a new series. This isn’t a fast-paced thriller with a high body count, but a good character and process-led police procedural with an interesting Cretan dimension. Definitely worth a read for all those who like their mysteries with intelligence, wit and a clear sense of setting.

About the Author:

When I was young, your passport included your profession. I put writer. ‘Why writer?’ asked my then boyfriend, ‘You never write anything.’ ‘But I’m going to,’ I said.

I always knew I was going to be a writer. It just took a while to get going. I kept getting distracted by other things.

First distraction: Editing. Journalism

I had to earn my living and so I got jobs in journalism, publishing and as a staff writer for a photographic news agency. I also took time off to travel. That’s when I first lived in Greece which was on and off between 1973 and 1978.

Second distraction: Festivals.

I first helped run a festival in 1970. It was the Oxford Animation Festival, and it was a huge success. It ended with Yellow Submarine and the Beatles singing ‘You’re such a lovely audience’… I was hooked. Both on audiences and festivals.

When I came back to England in 1978, I re-founded the Cambridge Animation Festival, and was its director for six years. I also helped set up the Hiroshima Animation Festival, and worked for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. In 2013 co-founded the Festival for Literature for Young people (FLY) at the University of East Anglia (UEA). I was its producer until I retired in 2018.

Third distraction: Teaching:

I started writing fulltime in 1994 and had several books published. Then I began writing plays which led to my getting an MA in creative writing at UEA, followed by a PhD on verbatim theatre, and ten years teaching as a lecturer in Creative Writing and Literature.

And so we come to the writing:

My first published book was a guidebook to Athens, then I wrote a cookbook for dieters and then I wrote a number of short fictions for young people learning English. These were published mostly by Cambridge University Press and have won three Extensive Reading Awards; Jojo’s Story‘ was described by one critic as ‘a classic for all time’.Several became bestsellers. I’ve also published essays and stories.

I wrote my first play when I was 9. It was an adaptation of The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Graham and I performed it with my father at the family Christmas. (Poor family)

I’ve written a number of plays which have been produced in Norwich and Cambridge and Heidelberg, and have received rehearsed readings in Ipswich, London and Paris. A few have won prizes and awards.

And now it’s crime fiction.

And finally I’ve launched the first Pam Gregory novel, A Public Murder.

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A Public Murder is now available:

(published December 2020)

From:

Amazon-  Kindle (£4.86)  and paperback (£7.99)

Apple ebook  (£4.99)

Paperback from independent bookshops (via Gardners) (£7.99)

From Smashwords ($6.49)

From Waterstones (£7.99)