Let’s talk about race and sex, shall we?

Had such good fun writing this article for the Bookseller. Read in full here

Another review that made me swoon

“A deeply romantic and politically astute exploration of love, race and class in Regency England.” –Boston Globe

This one meant a lot, coming not only from the Boston Globe but from the wondrous Carole Bell.

I’ve been working hard in Book3, An Unladylike Secret, so more on that soon. Meantime here’s the full review.

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Lila and Anya bookmarks

These bookmarks were designed especially for Lila and Anya by the wonderfully talented artist and author Ciara Flood.

Three of the Gloriously Unladylike Marleigh Sisters

Here they are: Lila, Anya and Mira! The older three Marleigh sisters. These are the UK covers and you can scroll this blog to decide if you like the UK or USA covers more.

I’m so lucky that Unladylike Rules of Attraction, that comes out in the UK on May 23 2024 has had such glowing reviews.

This one is so beautifully written by Kirstyn Smith for MyWeekly, it may be my favourite.

Others say:

The second superbly entertaining book in Murray’s Regency-set Marleigh Sisters series, following Unladylike Lessons in Love (2023), serves up a full complement of intriguing characters, a lively plot spiced with a generous measure of danger, and the welcome addition of diversity in the world of historical romances.” – Booklist

Full of suspense and scandal, this plot-driven novel is exciting and engrossing. This book will appeal to readers seeking a richly detailed historical romance with a side of intrigue and adventure.  ––Library Journal

But can they let down their emotional walls and open their hearts to love? Murray’s complex, well-shaded protagonists shine as they work through past trauma and champion progressive causes. – Publishers Weekly

Calling all Bridgerton fans! Scintillating and scandalous. – Cosmopolitan UK

I loved the witty dialogue and the strong, independent main character in Lila, the eldest daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. Nothing brings out chemistry and sizzling repartee like a good mystery with personal stakes! —@goodhousekeeping Lucie Goulet (about ULIL)

Unladylike Rules of Attraction

This is the beautiful Avon/HarperCollins USA cover of this book. It came out in May14th 2024!

Unladylike Lessons in Love comes out in May ’23!

Just check out this glorious Avon/HarperCollins USA cover for Unladylike Lessons in Love. It took a few goes to get there, but then this beautiful thing emerged and it captures Lila Marleigh perfectly.

Lila is an independent young woman. She doesn’t play by Regency society’s rules, but then as her friend Kenneth always says why be only a tiny little bit outrageous when you can go all out? As the daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila will never be fully accepted by the ton. She will always remain an outsider. She knows this and uses it to her advantage.

One night, when Lila is busy managing her bustling salon, a friend from the past – Maisie Quinn – comes begging for her help.

Ivor Tristram is the one man who can help – except he’s infuriating and – tiny problem – he is certain that Lila is his father’s mistress. Sparks fly. And, well, you can imagine what happens then.

There is a lot inherited from the wonderful Georgette Heyer – witty banter, high passion, all the ton’s secrets and rules of etiquette, not to mention a curricle race or two. But there is the added element of a very diverse cast of characters. And some sexy goings on. We also visit underground London cultures and the odd pleasure garden.

Must thank the fabulous Kerry Rubenstein for this cover. And Lucia Macro for helping us push to get to the right one.

And a bow to Julia Quinn, the queen of modern Regency, to light the way for new Regency writers and readers.

Arya Winters ‘irreverent and funny’

This is the second instalment of Arya Winters (the first was Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death). The series is shelved as a cosy, but I’m never sure it is really a cosy.

It’s a murder mystery, and yes, as the Booklist review suggests, it is deliberately irreverent. The trope of the ‘nice’ woman is an old and tired one. I have no time for it. Arya let’s me explore all the sides of myself – dysfunctional, neurotic, high anxiety, very blunt, intense – that it’s sometimes hard for women to explore in real life.

Do I push the bar a bit with how irreverent it gets? Yep, for sure. There’s no point pushing the bar a tiny little safe amount. So there is a little bit of sex, there is a some swearing, and yes, ribald humour, there is some of that. But there is also an exploration of vulnerability. Emotional dysfunction. How we hide or reveal our true selves. How desperately we want to connect with others and how we get in our own way.

Arya is invited to bake for a residential art retreat not far from Trucklewood. All Arya wants is to get away from her nosy neighbours and get some time off from feeling terrible about her break up with Branwell. So, off she goes to the retreat. And of course who should arrive there but Branwell. (You didn’t really think this would be a Bran-free book, did you?)

Murdery things happen. Arya has to grapple with her demons. She is excruciatingly blunt. She doesn’t like to hold on to secrets, her own or others’. And this house is a buzzing hive of secrets and it’s all Arya can do to not put her foot in her mouth all the time. Oh, and Bran has a perky girlfriend with a perky ponytail, and that isn’t helping anything either.

This book comes out just in time for Christmas 2022.

Unladylike Lessons in Love

The first of my Marleigh sisters Regency romance series comes out with Avon and HarperCollins in Sp/Su2023.

I can’t wait for this series to hit the bookshelves. In the first book, Lila, the oldest daughter of an earl and his Indian mistress, sets out to help an old friend who comes begging for her help. In helping Maisie, Lila must navigate the rat pits and pleasure gardens of Regency London, but most of all she’ll have to pit her wits against the gorgeous but infuriating Ivor Tristram to protect the sanctity of her heart.

Over the course of a six book series not only will the six sisters navigate what it’s like to be a mixed race woman in 19th c England but also uncover their late-parents’ secrets.

Check out the announcement here: https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/harperfiction-pre-empts-three-witty-and-romantic-regency-novels-from-murray

I’m definitely getting ‘eye popping raciness’ printed on a t shirt!

More big news coming soon…

I write in two genres – contemporary mystery and Regency mystery-romance. There’ve been some very exciting developments in the Regency side of things recently, but all top secret until the press release. More on this soon.

Photo: Stewart Williams @photostew

Thirteenth Night wins the Exeter Novel Prize!

So this was very, very cool. Hearing from and seeing the fellow finalists (even though on zoom) was brilliant. Lots of great novels to come from them. I was so excited about the short list I already spent a couple of days in Exeter before the prize ceremony, took a train to nearby Dawlish and did the coastal walk from Dawlish Warren, a quick charity shop crawl (which is the main point of going anywhere, obvs), and of course a stop at Brody’s for breakfast (they actually had fried bread in their buffet!) Winning the prize was amazing. I love this novel. It’s Knives Out but with an edgy, slightly neurotic, high anxiety podcaster from London who gets caught up in a MYSTERY when a respected actor gets murdered in Yorkshire. More about this soon….

photo: Stewart Williams @photostew