Playing Dead for Murder
The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead, the third book in the award-winning mystery series, is now on sale!
Gwinny Tuffel is on location in the misty Yorkshire Dales filming a small part in Draculania, a gender-swapped remake of Bram Stoker's classic tale, when life begins to imitate art a little too closely. One of the cast members is found dead inside a locked trailer, with a stake through their heart.
With a prima donna in the starring role, filming is already facing delays, while Gwinny is being run ragged by Lily, the Jack Russell terrier she's looking after for a friend in hospital. Against the backdrop of Hendale Hall with its own vampire legend, a flesh-and-blood killer has struck. Will Gwinny be able to find the murderer before the production or any further victims are cut?
Today sees the release of the hardback in the UK, and ebook everywhere. I’m sorry to report that the audiobook has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, but everyone is working hard to get it out there as soon as possible.
Here’s a selection of lovely things that lovely people have said about the book:
'Another fine cosy crime caper from the master of the genre. I adored it'
- Josie Lloyd
‘A fantastic page-turner filled with Johnston’s characteristic warmth and wit. The perfect read on a cosy night’
– Katherine Black
‘A great cast of characters, witty dialogue, an intriguing murder mystery… and a dog. What's not to love?’
– Jackie Kabler
‘A gorgeously gothic Dracula spoof – with a Jack Russell. Pawfect!’
– Fiona Veitch Smith
‘I loved this latest adventure for our dog-sitting detective, with one of the most satisfying locked room – or in this case film trailer – solutions I've read in a while!’
– Fliss Chester
‘I loved it. Like Lily the Jack Russell, I tore through the story. If you like a Gothic whodunnit with a hefty fistful of intrigue, humour and horror then this book is for you’
– JM Hall
‘TBH you had me at “dogs”, but Gwinny (and Antony) deserve two paws up for this one’
– Blake Mara
‘A tail-wagging romp from first page to last’
– Orlando Murrin
As always, I encourage you to buy the book from your local bookstore wherever possible. If that’s not possible, however, you can of course order it online at all the usual places. More information and links:
Bring Out Your Dogs
Once again we’re asking readers to take photos of their dogs with a copy of the book and post it on social media – use the hashtag #TheDogSitterDetective and we’ll compile any we get sent into a collection in the next week or two.
(Pictured above: Ollie the chihuahua 😍 courtesy book blogger Karen K)
Four(th) Legs Good
I’m still hard at work on the fourth Dog Sitter Detective book, and last weekend I passed the 60,000 words mark.
Not bad considering I only started writing in November! Though you’ll recall from my last newsletter of 2024 that I hit 30K in mid-December, so this is only a little above what I expected by now.
(And if you’re an author impressed by this output, remember that my productivity guide The Organised Writer was written to help you achieve the same…)
Events & Appearances
I’m in London this week for meetings, so yesterday I popped in to Waterstones Piccadilly and Hatchards to sign copies of my books. Along with Goldsboro Books they’re the places to go if you want a signed edition.
(I was supposed to do the same at Foyles, but they’d already sold all the copies they initially ordered, and couldn’t get a re-order delivered in time. All things considered, a good problem to have!)
Meanwhile, back up north…
Wed 29 Jan @ 7pm: Barnoldswick Library
A general talk about my books and career, where I’ll also be selling and signing books. This is my local library, so I’m delighted to have been asked by the Friends of the library to appear.
Free admission, light refreshments available
Library details: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/libraries/find-a-library/barnoldswick-library/
Tue 4 Feb @ 6.30pm: Serenity Booksellers
It’s fast becoming something of an annual tradition to launch each new Dog Sitter Detective book with an event (reading, Q&A, signing) hosted by the lovely people at Serenity. So here I am again, this time talking about The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead.
NB Serenity now has two branches – this event is at the original store in Romiley
See https://serenitybooksellers.com for more about the store
Sat 8 Feb, all day: Stockport Noir
Stockport Noir is a new one-day crime festival co-organised by Serenity Booksellers (them again) and Manchester-based author Chris McDonald.
I’ll be there to moderate the “Crime With a Twist” panel, featuring authors Jo Callaghan (In the Blink of an Eye) Sarah Moorhead (Witness X) and Adam Simcox (The Dying Squad).
More details and tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/serenity-booksellers/stockport-noir-crime-fiction-festival/e-boelze
Three for One Dollar
Which social media platform will eventually win the ongoing battle for supremacy? Who knows? For the moment, you can find me on most of them – simply search for my username @antonyjohnston, or check the Contact & Follow page of my site for links to the most popular networks: https://antonyjohnston.com/contact/