Once again, bestselling Queen of Crime Elly Griffiths is using this area to launch her brand-new series. Events in Huntingdon, Ely and King’s Lynn open a tour of England and Scotland to introduce legions of faithful and fresh readers alike to DI Ali Dawson, time-travelling detective whose new task is to return to Victorian London to solve a murder mystery that hasn’t gone away yet.
“Elly is a publishing phenomenon,” says David Learner, in charge of the first event on Tuesday 11 February at the Commemoration Hall Huntingdon. “Thirty books, twenty award nominations and six million readers across five continents and it seems there’s plenty of tea left in the pot.”
Elly Griffiths –will be in King’s Lynn on February 12, and Ely on February 11 (see links below for details) The Huntingdon event is from 2pm to 3.15pm and Ely from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Tea is just one element that roots Elly’s work in her readers’ imaginations. “She’s able to take the everyday and make it special but more importantly make it accessible to all her readers,” says David.
“She’s one of the best storytellers we have, and that was evident right from her first book, The Crossing Places.”
Set in north Norfolk that tentative toe into the North Sea introduced Elly’s readers to Dr Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist with at least one foot in the past. From the coast to the forests Elly has put Norfolk on the map so successfully that at least one of her titles – Norfolk – is a pictorial guide to the stunning flatlands, causing specialist outings to visit some of the sites of derring-do that have made her books so successful.
“Her visibility on social media,” says David, “is such that the world has taken Elly to their hearts and their bookshelves.
“Amazingly, she’s entirely responsible for its content. That’s another thing that’s worked so well in her favour – she connects with each and every reader in a way that’s down-to-earth, unfussy, and companionable.
“Now, more than ever, in a world that needs companionship Elly Griffiths has reached out to her audience and embraced them all. It’s a rare ability”.
Full details of Elly’s tour are available online.
More: