Ahead of an event at Gozo Library on March 26 (10.30am), I catch up with author Lynne Marie Taylor to find out more about her first historical crime novel.
It is the summer of 1880, in Death in Valletta, and DI Sam McQueen has been summoned to our oppressively hot Mediterranean island from the grey, damp streets of Edinburgh to investigate a murder in Valletta.
“I have long had a fascination with Victorian detectives and was inspired by the real-life character of Jonathan Whicher, immortalised in Kate Summerscale’s account of the Murder at Rode House, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher. McQueen shares with him a dogged determination to keep going until the case is solved, even when everything seems to be going against him,” says Lynne.
“McQueen is, of course, from Scotland. Somewhere in my early research I found a reference to the Maltese police being moulded on the Edinburgh police force. I later found this wasn’t the case, but it was too late. I had set my heart on a Scottish detective. With my murder mystery being set in Malta in 1880, it seemed natural to send a detective there who would be deeply uncomfortable. So, who better than a dour Scot from Edinburgh, hating the heat and distrustful of the dominant Catholic church?”
Inspector McQueen has an unusual background, being the son of a Scottish Presbyterian minister which offers an interesting perspective on Maltese culture. However, he is far more likely to be found in a bar than in a church. At a crossroads in his career, he is good at his job, but he’s haunted by mistakes he has made in the past. The story also encompasses themes of colonial rule, Malta’s status as a military base, poverty and corruption.
The local police chief is distinctly unwelcoming toward this interloper—but has no choice in the matter since Admiral Collingwood’s wealthy widow insists that her husband’s fatal fall from the roof of their villa was no accident.
Fortunately, McQueen gets help from a police physician and the resourceful daughter of a newspaper editor—support he will need as he tangles with local aristocrats unearths secrets and conspiracies, and is faced with more suspicious deaths that may or may not be connected to the late admiral.
“I chose to set the book in Valletta,” Lynne explains, “because an island setting lends itself well to murder mysteries: tight-knit communities with very few places you can run to. Think of the Shetland book series by Ann Cleeves, or the BBC TV series Death in Paradise or Bergerac. Malta immediately came to mind, because of the beautiful landscapes and intriguing history – and because I was born in Mtarfa.”
“Although I was born in Malta, I’m British. My father was in the RAF stationed in Malta in 1963/4 – just before independence. This trip will be the 5th time I have visited Malta for research since starting to write the first book. It’s been a fascinating journey; delving into research and meeting people, who have been so welcoming and helpful.”
“I’m immensely flattered to be asked to speak at the public library in Gozo. I’ve been working with libraries in the UK for nearly thirty years and currently work for the Arts Council in England as a libraries’ relationship manager. I’m passionate about the importance of public libraries; the books, information, resources and support that they bring to people’s lives.”
“As well as giving the talk in the library, I hope to go walking on the coast in Gozo, on the western side of Malta and I’m looking forward to spending some time in Valletta, where I’ll be doing more research. I love visiting Valletta. I love the architecture, the views, the rich history. An unbelievable number of stories are hiding within and beneath the streets. Every visit feels special, and I learn more each time I stay.”
And on the future?
“I have just finished writing the second book in a planned series. Detective Inspector Sam McQueen is still in Malta and set to stay there for many more months. It seems that every time he decides to leave, another case pops up for him to investigate!”
Get your copy of Death in Valletta (Bloodhound Books) and hear Lynne talk in Gozo.