The Red Hollow - Natalie Marlow

Second novel of Birmingham Noir by Natalie Marlow 

out 28th March from Baskerville

Natalie Marlow's highly anticipated sophomore novel set in the fracitious 1930s Birmingham backstreets made more relevant to people by the astronomical success of Peaky Blinders, Marlow has crafted a fascinating protagonist in William Garrett, a private detective who resides out of Needless Alley (title of the first book). Garrett has daily dalliances with the ne'er-do-well's of Birmingham's backstreets and he must maintain his head above the parapet as he always deals with problems.

While the first book became a gripping whodunnit, in this second novel Garrett and his now wife become entangled in what can be described as a what-dunnit. They are called to the titular stately manor on the outskirts of Warwickshire countryside to oversee a mysterious sequence of deaths in this house that now operates as a male-only sanatorium, overseen by Dr. Moon whose patients are leaving premises.

On the wettest day of the year, local flooding makes it hard for Garrett and Queenie to arrive at the site, and the tale of the mysterious mermaid who may or may not be responsible for the murder that has occurred. Disturbances that appeared to be pranks are now being claimed upon the ghost of the Red Hollow, a girl who seeks revenge upon the men who killed her. 

The placing of the narrative in a bottle format or self-contained environment is a clever tweak and acts as a homage to the works of Agatha Christie especially The Mousetrap. This is in stark contrast to the debut novel where Garrett was discovering different landscapes, traversing those places that do not exist anymore with Marlow/Garrett acting as our guide. 

In this novel, the limitations of the narrative by restricting it in one setting does a disservice to Garrett's potential as a character, one who needs to discover due to his job title and by restricting him to one location is a shame.

This reader hopes that Marlow returns Garrett to the cobble streets of the second city - the different districts encourage different cultures and language. In this setting, you have Garrett always being the smartest person in the room where you always felt he would overcome the problem he faces eventually in this instance. 

That is only a small note of criticism, credit where it is due, the professional relationship Garrett has with Phyll Hall, a fresh detective, is a winning one. They are a platonic pair who finish each other's sentences and the pain he feels when trouble arrives at Phyll's feet is clearly felt and well handled along with the precarious nature of the situation Garrett/Phyll have gotten themselves into.

Marlow also cleverly melds the influences of Gothic influences of British literature with the back and forth dialogue that effortlessly flies off the page, a book of atmospheric pressure that resonates creating a taut and scary tale. Marlow a self-confessed film fan brings those influences of the Haunting and The Innocents to her advantage in creating the eerie environment.

William Garrett is back and he will return. This is a character you cannot wait to see more of the future.

The Red Hollow is out on 28th March from Baskerville/John Murray Press

THE BURNING TIME - Peter Hanington

 

New William Carver novel out July 6th from Baskerville 

Timely and perscient, Hannington has written a novel that is both of our time and for our time as we follow investigative journalist William Carver who attempts to take down an Australian inventor, Clive Winner who may or may not hold the secret to global warming.

William is tipped off by a Whitehall insider who fears that the influence Winner is having over the current PM is doing an injustice to government policy when ulterior motives may be more apparent for the antipodean.

Globe-trotting from Spain to Washington DC and Sydney to London; Hannington has captured the spirit of Jason Bourne for journalism with a fast paced taut thriller that is unputdownable.

Paranoid thriller tropes abound from suspicious disappearances to the general sense of being followed along with the presence of the lazy eyed henchman who strikes fear into all who cross paths with him.

Short, sharp chapters maintain attention and the tight plotting moves along a pace keeping the reader enthralled with intrigue and panic, and how refreshing to see a journalist be the hero for once in narrative fiction.

A must for new people to the series and character in the same vein as Mick Herron

THE BURNING TIME is out 6th July from Baskerville 

My thanks to Baskerville for the review copy.

Natalie Marlow Interview - Needless Alley

Natalie Marlow's debut novel NEEDLESS ALLEY is one of the first whetting of one's appetite of 2023, a fresh voice from a bygone age as her story set around a private detective in Birmingham during the 1930s is a engaging and enjoyable historical fiction novel. It is both tantalising to see where the series will go and how her lead character William Garrett will develop over the forthcoming years in partnership with Baskerville Press

Read my review of Needless Alley here, and below is an exclusive interview with the author ahead of the novel's publication on Thursday 19th January 

Interview with Natalie Marlow

 

·        What was the genesis of William Garrett?

This is such a good question. I wrote Needless Alley following Raymond Chandler’s rules in The Simple Art of Murder. For Chandler, the detective must be a ‘complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must me, to use a weathered phrase, a man of honor – by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it.’ This was my starting point. However, William was the culmination of a lifetime of reading classic crime fiction.

 

·        Where do you live? Has this impacted your writing?

I live in the Midlands, near Coventry. I’ve lived here all my life, apart from my time at university. And, yes, the landscape, history and people of the Midlands has impacted my writing to an extent I doubt I could write about anywhere else.

 

·        Where did the idea to incorporate this Peaky Blinders world with a detective come from?

The whole Peaky Blinders thing was just an accident! I’ve only watched the first series, and I decided not to watch any more as I didn’t want it to influence my writing. Queenie, who is the most ‘Peaky’ of all the characters, is very loosely based on a relative. My great grandma was a canal boatwoman and ran the illegal bookmaking in her area of Coventry in the 1920s and 1930s.

 

·       What are your influences upon this book?

My main influences are the books and films of the 1930s and 1940s. I’ve read a lot of Graham Greene. He called his thrillers his ‘entertainments’ and both Brighton Rock and A Gun for Sale are important influences on Needless Alley. I’ve also read a lot of Hammett, Cain, and the female noir writers, particularly Vera Caspary and Dorothy B Hughes. However, my biggest influence is Raymond Chandler. I adore Chandler.

 

·        We started corresponding due to a love of film and pre-WW2 Hollywood stars – what are your favourites?

This is such a tough question, Jamie! I’ll stick with pre 1939 films just to thin the herd. I love The Thin Man series; It Happened One Night; Top Hat and The Gay Divorcee; The Old Dark House; The Lady Vanishes; The Maltese Falcon; Mr Smith Goes to Washington; Bringing up Baby; The 39 Steps; Dames; Gold Diggers of 1933; The Women; Scarface…I could go on!

Favourite pre war film stars? I adore Myrna Loy, Jean Arthur, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, William Powell, Dick Powell, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and, of course, James Stewart.

 

·        What are you currently reading?

I’m writing right now, so I find it difficult to read. However, I’m listening to a lot of Golden Age detective fiction on Audible. I like the British Library Crime Classics.

 

·        What are you currently bingeing on TV?

I’ve just finished watching Slow Horses on Apple and loved it. Have you seen The English on BBC IPlayer? I love big sweeping narratives and this one was a doozy. Highly recommended.

 

·        What advice would you have for would be authors who think it is too late to write?

I honestly thing maturity is an advantage. I don’t think I would’ve had the patience, or time, in my twenties to write Needless Alley. My advice to any writer is to sit down and write a few hundred words a day. Don’t get het up about other people’s word counts or processes. Write your way but just write.

 

·        How good is your relationship with Baskerville?

Baskerville have been wonderful. They’ve really guided me through the process of being a debut and have been very supportive of my writing. I’ve been overwhelmed by their support.

 

·        What are your hopes for Needless Alley?

Honestly, I’d love for someone to read Needless Alley and love it the way I love my favourite books. We’ll see!

Needless Alley is out on 19th January from Baskerville (Hachette) in all formats

You can follow Natalie on Twitter @NatalieMarlow2