Setting the Scene with Fleur Hitchcock

I'm so pleased to welcome Middle Grade author, Fleur Hitchcock onto the blog today, to tell us all about the settings in her latest book, Murder in Midwinter, which was recently published by Nosy Crow. Keep a look out for a review of the book, coming very soon!

Setting the scene...

At the heart of Murder in Midwinter, is Maya, a London girl, a girl who knows and walks the streets just south of the river, around the Southbank and Borough and just to the east of Waterloo. It’s an area I know well, my niece, Ruby, and her family live there - here’s a lino cut Ruby did of the block of Corporation of London flats that they live in. 

I didn’t actually use these flats, not completely, because I wanted Maya’s family to live over the plumbing supplies shop that they run. That was an amalgamation of a decorator’s shop near Southwark street and Pimlico Plumbers who have a huge sign on the railway line as you approach Waterloo station. 

But what I really used was the Thames, at night in the winter. It’s stunning, all purple and green lights, monumental architecture and silhouettes and reflections - and at one point Maya and her sister Zahra are sitting watching the streams of tourists passing the Globe theatre and Zahra says: “God. London’s beautiful.” She’s speaking for me at that point, because I love to sit on those Thames side benches in the twilight just looking. 

And when Maya needs to flee, I had to find somewhere that was the absolute opposite. Somewhere with no lights, no architecture, nothing. 

A snowy mountain in Wales. 

I have to confess that although I’ve lived in Wales, I’ve never lived in the mountains, I’ve only visited them in the winter, not in the snow, but I have lived in the countryside most of my life and a couple of years back we had some very severe winters, so I used what I remembered of those.

And finally there were the horses. I was a horse kid, but never a very able horse kid, but I do remember one particular pony, black, mean, standing in the snow, biting my best friend on the bum. I used that pony. 100%.

Is that a setting?

I think so. 

Sadly, I have no photos of him. I never thought I’d need it. 

Summary

Sat on the top of a bus days before Christmas, Maya sees a couple arguing violently in the middle of a crowded Regent Street. They see her watching, she looks away, and the woman disappears. Maya goes to the police, who shrug and send her away. Then a body turns up… Now convinced she is a vital witness to a crime, the police send Maya into hiding in rural Wales. She resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery. Then the snow comes and no one can get out. But what if someone can still get in?

Published by Nosy Crow in October 2017

To find out more about Fleur Hitchcock:

Twitter / Website

Setting The Scene with Kerry Drewery

I'm so pleased to welcome author, Kerry Drewery, onto the blog to talk about the fascinating settings for her latest YA novel, Cell 7.

Thanks so much to Serendipity Reviews for having me over on the blog, and giving me the opportunity to talk about settings in Cell 7. 

Cell 7 is set in a society where the death penalty hasn’t been abolished but has evolved into a system where guilt is decided by public internet and phone votes over the course of seven days. There are seven cells on death row, one for each day of the week, until the accused reaches the Cell 7 where their fate is finally decided. 

There are a few key settings within the novel, but one of the most important is death row itself, and the cells within it. 

I wanted the cells to be very basic, and had a look around the internet for ideas and inspiration and found these - 

I also spent the day at the old Victorian prison in Lincoln. 

The old Victorian prison in Lincoln 

My death row needed some specifics though; it needed to have a room for the counselling sessions close-by, it needed a larger cell at the end for the (potential) executions, and this needed to have space for an audience, and the audience needed to be able to access this without coming through the ‘cell’ building. I’m not very good at drawing but I do find it helps to map something out, so in my head, this is what death row looks like in Cell 7. 

Rough sketch of how I saw the layout of death row 

Another key setting within the book, is the area called The Rises. The people with money, power and influence live in the City or the surrounding Avenues, but those at the other end of society live in the Rises, a poverty-striken place, it’s made up of high rise flats, unkempt parks, and boarded up shops. 

There are areas like this in most towns, so I took a trip to a town close to me and took some photos of the high rise flats, some of the public spaces and some of the boarded up shops (see above). 

I took this in Grimsby - some old flats are being demolished. 

It was very interesting to watch the people, the general comings on goings and remember that although this section of society is often looked down on, and assumptions are made about 

their lifestyles, most are just people trying to survive and do the best for their families. It reminded me that criminals exist in all sections of societies - just a different type.

 

Inspiration for the underpass in Cell 7 

The most fun setting to create was those for the TV sections. The show, Death is Justice, ended up with a couple of different studios depending on the show for that day. For the usual ‘news’ show I wanted something very glitzy and glam and looked at American news shows like Fox News. 

Still c/o Fox News website 

Another setting was a ‘talking heads’ section called ‘Judge Sunday’ and the inspiration for this came from a visit I made to the Old Bailey the summer before I started writing it. I found out that the public are allowed to sit in on trials within the Old Bailey (there’s information here), and I went and spent a couple of hours watching a trial and drawing the layout of the space. For security reasons, you’re not allowed to take in any electronic devices, but armed with some paper and a pencil I made a rough sketch. 

Rough sketch of a court room in the Old Bailey 

I realised that in the society I had created in Cell 7, the Old Bailey wouldn’t be used for its original purpose, but I thought that as it’s such an iconic building with such a rich history, it would be a perfect location to use as the story developed, and so it became a key setting within the series. 

 I hope you’ve enjoyed my mini tour of settings, and I hope if, or when!, you read Cell 7 you can see the influences of these real-life places.

Published by Hot Key Books in September 2016

Summary

An adored celebrity has been killed. Sixteen-year-old Martha Honeydew was found holding a gun, standing over the body.

Now Justice must prevail.

The general public will decide whether Martha is innocent or guilty by viewing daily episodes of the hugely popular TV show Death is Justice, the only TV show that gives the power of life and death decisions - all for the price of a phone call.

Martha has admitted to the crime. But is she guilty? Or is reality sometimes more complicated than the images we are shown on TV?

To find out more about Kerry Drewery:

Twitter / Tumblr

SaveSave

Breaker by Kat Ellis

The rope around my ankles burned, but it was a good burn. It meant I wouldn't plunge head-first onto the cobblestones four stories below - at least, as long as the roped didn't break. 

Published in May 2016 by Running Press Teen

304 pages

Summary

Kyle Henry has a new name, a new school, and a new life. A year has passed since his serial killer father’s execution, and it finally looks like he has a chance to escape the stigma and fear that haunts him. 

Until he recognizes the girl sitting in the back row in homeroom.

Naomi Steadman is immediately intrigued by Kyle, but she doesn’t know he is the son of the man who murdered her mother. What she does know is she and Kyle have a connection—and a spark that Kyle continues to back away from.

Pretty soon, the death count on campus starts to rise. Someone is set on finishing what the Bonebreaker started, and reliving the horrors of their past may be the only thing that can stop the spree.

Told in alternating viewpoints, Kat Ellis’s tale of mystery and horror is full of broken bonds and new beginnings.

*****
The book is told in dual narrative which fits the tension perfectly. It allows us to get a clear picture of  two  very different sides of a story and keeps us nail biting in between the tension. I found I was so gripped by this book, I read it in two sessions.
I love the romantic sub plot within this book. By rights, Naomi and Karl shouldn't really be together as it's way too complicated and heartbreaking. Yet the instant chemistry that builds between Naomi and Karl is unstoppable. Karl is so sweet as he tries his hardest to pull away, desperate not to cause Naomi any more hurt than he already has.
The book is extremely gripping. The tension gathers quickly through the first few chapters and you find yourself desperate to find out who the killer is.
I was shocked and surprised by the final outcome. I honestly didn't expect it to end in the way it did.
There was a character who I felt we were left unsure about and it would have been good to find out there final outcome and motivation, but I can't name them as it would give away one of the suspects. However it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.
A brilliant, nail biting drama that keeps you guessing until the end. 

Dark Room by Tom Becker

Walter West was placing the final picture into his new photograph album when he hear the delicate chime of the doorbell. Frowning at the interruption, he checked that the photograph was aligned perfectly before closing the album. He walked up the steps out of his basement studio, blinking in the light as he emerged into a grand hallway lined with large windows. Opening the front door, Walter saw a girl standing on the step outside.

Published by Red Eye, an imprint of Stripes Publishing in September 2015

Pages - 394

Summary

When Darla and her feckless dad, Hopper, move to Saffron Hills, Darla hopes it'll be a new start for the both of them. But she stands no chance of fitting in with the image-obsessed in-crowd at her new school. Then one of her classmates is brutally killed when taking a photo of herself. A murder Darla herself predicted in a bloody vision. When more teens die in a similar fashion it appears that a serial killer is on the loose - the 'Selfie Slayer'. Darla alone is convinced that the murderer might not be flesh and blood...

*****

Reviewed by Vivienne Dacosta

I really think Stripes have hit on a gap in the YA market with these older YA horror novels. I've read a few of the books in the series and Dark Rooms is definitely my favourite so far.It reminded me of the Richard Laymon mystery / horror novels I used to read when I was a teenager, so it was brilliant to see a modern day version of this type of book. 

This book is set in the Deep South of America and has smatterings of Nashville about it. I love the clash between the rich and powerful Southern families and the families considered to be trailer trash. Darla is a brilliant character - the feisty new girl from the wrong side of town who definitely doesn't fit in. If I'm honest, I didn't buy into her visions about the murders and I felt that this gave the book a little bit of a paranormal feel that it really didn't need. Having said, since reading the last few pages, I can see why she had them and it definitely didn't spoil my enjoyment of the novel.

I had no idea who the killer was until the last couple of chapters, so I'm very impressed with the author's plot journey to the big reveal. I realised early on in the novel who the next victim would be, as the point of view would change from Darla's to the person who was about to die. In the chapter leading to the last death, I was so hoping it wouldn't happen!

I loved the inclusion of social media as part of the plot. The use of Instagram and blogs to show off photos that were taken was brilliant. 

If you are looking for a scary book along the lines of I Know What You Did Last Summer, then this is the book for you. 

****

Make sure you pop back later for a guest post from the author of Dark Room, Tom Becker.

Soul Fire by Kate Harrison

Pages - 400

Published by Indigo in June 2012

Happiness is simple. All you need are the people you love.

After Meggie died, I thought I'd never be happy again. Yet here I am on the Beach, where life is absolute heaven. I can hear my sister humming softly as she draws patterns in the sand. I feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, and the touch of Danny's body against mine, and the sway of the hammock as the sea breeze rocks us. 

Goodreads Summary

Alice Forster talks to her dead sister, Meggie, in the virtual world of Soul Beach - an online paradise for the young, the beautiful and the dead - but paradise can be stifling and the Beach’s guests want to move on.

If Alice can solve the mystery of her sister’s murder then Meggie will be free.

But passions are running high, the temperature’s rising and as Alice gets closer to finding the killer, the killer is getting closer to Alice . . .

*********

The thing I really love about the Soul Beach books is how easily I can consume them. Seriously! With short sharp chapters, I could easily read this book in one day, which just adds to the intensity of the already gripping story. 

Nearly a year has passed since Meggie's murder and Alice's parents finally realise that Alice is spending far too much time online. They have no idea that she is wiling away her time on Soul Beach in the arms of the gorgeous but dead Danny. By setting down rules, Alice has to find another way to get to Soul Beach. On top of that, a newcomer to Soul beach has changed everything about Meggie's murder. Alice embarks on a rather dangerous mission to discover who really killed her sister.

 Poor Alice, she is really struggling to appear to move on in the way her parents want. Luckily her friend Cara, comes to the rescue and helps to rekindle the relationship. Alice is finally getting out of the house and spending time with people who are alive.

I really do love Soul Beach. The concept behind it really calls to me and I honestly hope that a part of Heaven resembles something like this. It is just gorgeous. Everyone is just beautiful,on the inside and out and  you long for a dip in the sparkling blue ocean.Not content with just one gorgeous setting in this book, the author takes us to another as we embark on a thrilling adventure in Barcelona.  I came away with a yearning for the exotic. Barcelona has definitely been added to my list of future holiday destinations. 

It is impossible to warm to any of the other characters outside of Soul Beach, as you don't want to be lulled into a false sense of security and be ridiculed when you discover they are the murderers. 

 My only niggle with this book, is that I would have liked to have seen us move forward in finding Meggie's killer. Instead I felt we gained more possible killers instead of losing them.  I have a theory about who might have actually done it and I am really hoping am I am wrong.  I also came away with more questions unanswered. I want to know the truth!

 So we may not have discovered how Meggie died, but we do find out how another character died, which was lovely to discover. Alice really saves the day in this book. 

Alice is a bit like a supernatural crime solver, bringing peace to many as she searches eternally for the truth. I really do like Alice, yet I can't help but wonder how she will cope when her time at Soul Beach ends. I am not convinced that real life will be able to compete. 

Another cliff hanger ending to leave us desperate for the next book. It was good to be back on Soul Beach with the beautiful people and I long for my next visit.  Well done Kate Harrison, you have definitely earned your YA stripes. 

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Review written by Georgina Tranter

Published  - March 2012 HarperCollins Children's Books
Pages - 256

I’m slumped at my desk, fighting to keep my eyes open. A drop of sweat meanders down my back. It’s got to be eighty-five degrees in here, though it’s only October. When we complained, Mrs. Winger mumbled something about waiting for a custodian to come fix the thermostat.
Beside me, hunched over his desk, Icky Ferris stumbles over the words in Julius Caesar. We’re supposed to be reading in partners - but his monotonous tone, paired with the unintelligible Shakespearean language that gets English teachers all hot and bothered, makes me feel unbearably sleepy.


Goodreads Summary
Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy.
But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth. When Vee passes out she slides randomly into other people’s heads and ends up seeing through their eyes. Then Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a dead cheerleader, and she’s beyond freaked.

Vee knows that this was no suicide. And when another cheerleader turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted ‘gift’, Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger…

***********

Vee, the central character, suffers from narcolepsy which means she cannot control herself falling asleep at any time of the day or night. The thing that makes this more dramatic for her is that if she has something on her possession that belongs to another person, for example clothing or jewellery, she can transfer herself into their heads. This really sounds so totally over-the-top and implausible that I really thought this book wouldn’t work out. I’m glad to say that I was wrong.

Whilst it might not sound believable, I never for one moment doubted this book. The central character Vee, is a high-school student living with her father and younger sister. She used to be part of the popular kids at school but her narcolepsy singles her out and she is no longer part of the inner circle of students which includes her younger sister Mattie. With her dyed pink hair and penchant for 90s indie rock bands, Vee doesn’t need to be made any more weird by disclosing her unique ‘talent’.

When the first murder occurs, everyone believes it to be a suicide but Vee is the only one who knows the truth. She realises that no one would believe her if she said what she had seen, so tries to find out who the killer is by sliding into them while she sleeps. Could it be her male best friend Rollins who has been acting ‘kinda weird’ lately, or is it the gorgeous new-boy Zane who has developed quite an interest in Vee? Then again, it could be teacher Mr Golden, who clearly has some secrets of his own?

This is not your typical high school novel but it flows easily and I finished it over a weekend. It’s also not a book for girls or boys - there are enough characters and plot strength for it to appeal to most teenagers. It’s also not gory in its descriptions so suitable for younger teenagers. If anything, the cover is scarier than the book! I had my suspicions but despite all the crime novels I read I still didn’t quite work out whodunit! Definitely worth a read!