'When The Clouds Have Passed': Writing and getting all of the details right for the 2012 publication of my Motorhead 'Live To Win' book, I didn't write any fiction for about 4 years. But when Xmas 2009 came along, I decided that it was about time that I did so again, and got down to starting it over the festive break.
Mrs. B is a nurse, and often works over Xmas, so there are quite a few hours here on my own to enjoy. There was no plan to the story, other than wondering, at the outset, what a retired man whose wife has passed away would do with his time in a small village like Upton? Quite a cast of characters presented themselves as the plot progressed, so much so, that one of my Scandinavian readers commented that the story was very much like an Agatha Christie.
Flattered to be even mentioned in the same breath as the great lady crime writer, I hadn't thought about that aspect, but yes, it as a spot-on observation; mainly due to the 7 widows whom our retired man, Fred Whistler, helps with their gardening.
The story begins with Fred paying one of these lady's a visit for a day of weeding and tidying up, only to find that she has passed away in her sleep. Calling the doctor, who announces that the death is not by natural causes, but by smothering with a pillow, the story forges ahead from that point onwards. Somehow, Fred is named in her Will as the sole inheritor, how, he doesn't know, but it points the finger of suspicion at him; and the relatives who stood to benefit, are not amused, either.
It is about a 4 hour read, as I wanted it to be fairly low priced book to encourage sales, and there's also the download for even less.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=when+the+clouds+have+passed+alan+burridge