Today I am delighted to be hosting an interview with Pat Adams-Wright. Pat is the author of the recently published, BEST SERVED COLD. This is her first delve into mainstream crime fiction and it is a fantastic debut that I absolutely loved. I will tell you a little about the book in a while but lets find out a little about the author first:
Interview with Pat Adams-Wright
Hello Pat, congratulations on the publication of Best Served Cold, everything crossed it does well. Thank you for joining us today. I am sure your readers are eager to find out more about the author behind the book.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer after briefly skirting the idea of joining the navy. I did achieve my writing goal, via teacher of domestic science, teacher of Life and Social skills, lecturer in the same, and then finished with H.M. Inspector of Taxes.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Towards the end of junior school, when I was of an age to be able to write stories. Luckily, I had a series of teachers who were very supportive. The deputy-head of my last but one school said when I was choosing career options, he would like to see me at university reading English Literature and then writing as a career. Unfortunately, pressures and influences of real-life rear their ugly heads and I made a bad decision. However, that choice allowed me to meet my wife and partner of 44 years. I still feel as though I was the winner. As an aside, that teacher lived very close and at every chance meeting he would ask if I’d written that book yet. When I finally published, I went in search of him to share the news. He’d passed away a few weeks before, at the age of 92. I wept buckets.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Normally around 6 months. However, because of the in-depth research needed for this one it took around 8 months.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
Basically, I don’t have one. I write nearly every day but when is a matter of how I feel. I’ve started at 9 in the morning and as late as 4 in the afternoon. I try not to write in the evenings simply because logistically, it’s difficult. I don’t know when my wife will decide it’s bedtime.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I always have to have a cup of tea at the side of me, or I don’t write!
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Social media is good. I hear people say, don’t air your dirty linen in public, however, sometimes it is useful. Then, just everyday places, overheard conversations, sometimes even taking something you’ve just thought of to the ultimate conclusion.
What are you working on now?
The follow-up to Best Served Cold, number 2 in the Kirsty Savage series.
Is there anything else you think your readers would like to know about you or your writing?
I never gave up hope of being a published author and neither should anyone else. Go down every route you have to, just write, write, write.
That is very interesting. I know you are active on Social Media so if your readers have any more questions they can contact you via the links below. Thank you for joining us today and once again good luck with Best Served Cold.
Best Served Cold (DCI Kirsty Savidge #1) by Pat Adams-Wright
Available from AMAZON
DCI Kirsty Savidge and her team (MCTF – Major Crimes Task Force) are tasked with solving the murder of Avril Webb, the third member of a vicious, bullying school gang from twenty-five years ago, to be killed in a matter of weeks. Although two previous deaths are brought to her attention by pathologist Dr Benedict Aldredge (Benny), they have been ruled a drowning and a gang-related murder in another district. Once Kirsty is aware of them, her detective instincts begin to kick-in, but because of the different Modi Operandi, she’s not sure she’ll be able to convince her superior Chief Superintendent Alison Fry, of a connection. The two women have history and cooperation is rarely a given. However, during the interviews into Avril’s death the remaining members of the gang are adamant about a link between the deaths and press Kirsty to investigate further. This gives Kirsty a legitimate reason to ask for the other two cases to be reviewed although none of those in the higher echelons would want to hear the term ‘serial killer’.
Another murder occurs quite soon, again with a different MO. At the same time, Kirsty becomes aware she’s had an intruder in her home, but she and DS Danny Hewitt decide to put off any investigation until the current case is finished. Also, Chief Superintendent Fry appears to be having some personal problems when Kirsty spots her wrist wrapped in bandages and bruising on her neck. The inclement weather is also having an effect on the investigation, as some people are having to work from home, including Savidge and Fry, who finds herself stranded at Kirsty’s cottage because of the heavy snowfall. Fry brought news Kirsty could proceed with linking all the cases. Members of the now covert group (nobody is aware in the present that these people are still linked and running false businesses for their leader, Chris Shaw), are now beginning to take care of their own security turning down protective custody. The police become suspicious.
Throughout, there is a running commentary from the murderer, about his methods and reasoning. Kirsty has her suspicions and is convinced one of the gang members is carrying out the murders. Only when information from those badly bullied at school does the method of the killings fall into place. Background information on two of suspects is proving illusive. A failed copy-cat attack narrows Kirsty’s choice to one and covert surveillance is set-up. At the time of Avril’s funeral the next day, it’s revealed the man watching the suspect has been murdered and the suspect has disappeared. He’s gone to Plan B – murdering the rest of the gang at the funeral. He kills two more using sniper-fire, then escapes. At the airport he is apprehended and held at gunpoint by two armed response officers, but is then shot himself when one officer mistakes a remote-control for the handle of a gun. The suspect’s lap-top reveals all, in the form of two books so all questions can be answered at a meal supplied by the Chief Superintendent. At the end of the book we are left wondering whose Kirsty’s intruder was and also who had leaked information to allow a copy-cat attack.
Pat Adams-Wright Author Bio
Pat Adams-Wright was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK, on the 15th October 1954, in Wellesley Barracks, to a sergeant major father and a working mother. Teacher trained in Liverpool, she actually taught very little during the austere period for practical subjects, doing any work she could find to keep the wolf from the door. However, this did provide plenty of experience and writing material. Finally settled into a teaching job, disaster struck after an accident left her disabled. After many years of using writing to distract her from pain, she successfully completed her debut novel, Run, which was published on the 18th April, 2015.
LINKS
Website: https://pat-adams-wright-author.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.adamswright.5
Twitter: @WritePAW
