G.B. Ralph's Blog

Re-introducing G. B. Ralph

I’ve been updating my pinned posts across a bunch of the social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky). Why? It’s a quick and easy way to briefly introduce myself to any readers stumbling across my page and I like to give it a refresh occasionally to keep it relevant.

For anyone who has hunted down my website, I tend to rely on the home and about pages, but I thought I’d share the intro / re-intro post here too anyway:

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Hello, my name is G. B. Ralph. ...

What the library means to me (video!)

“OK, give us a goofy grin while slowly lowering your books… Yes! Perfect, just like that.”

Those weren’t my instructions but that’s what we ended up with! I had fun filming around the Palmerston North City Library though was clearly starting to lose the plot by the time we wrapped.

Watch the video

After much editing behind the scenes, I suspect, the final result is excellent and you should absolutely check out this short clip of me talking about my books and my wonderful local library! ...

Cosy crime capitals: St Mary Mead, Cabot Cove, Brokenwood, and Milverton

Another wonderful review for the latest Milverton Mystery, Fright on Stage Right, this time by Craig Sisterson writing for the Fall 2025 edition of the US-based Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine, featuring words like “intriguing” and “charming”!

Addison Harper’s Milverton is held up alongside other cosy crime capitals such as Miss Marple’s St Mary Mead and Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove. There’s also the suggestion that fans of TV shows like Murder, She Wrote and The Brokenwood Mysteries might...

A brief debrief of the Local Readers and Authors Day 2025

Local Readers and Authors Day at the Palmerston North City Library was a hit and I had a great time chairing the first event of the day!

Romance panel

It was initially a mystery to me why I – G. B. Ralph, primarily a mystery author – had been asked to chair this romance panel. I considered it might have been because my Milverton Mysteries feature a very slow-burn romance throughout the series, but I suspect it was because the librarians just know I love to chat. And so yes, of course, I wa...

The Bookshop Detectives co-author praises The Milverton Mysteries

The despicably clever and talented co-author of The Bookshop Detectives, Louise Ward, has said such wonderful and generous things about The Milverton Mysteries:

The Milverton Mysteries are a breath of sweet, fresh air: funny, cosy, full of atmosphere and heart. You’ll fall in love with Addison.

Louise Ward, co-author of The Bookshop Detectives

Investigate for yourself

Don’t believe a word she says! I reckon we all ought to investigate the books for ourselves, cover to cover, just t...

Local Readers and Authors Day 2025

Love is in the air! I’ll be chairing the romance panel at the Local Readers and Authors Day at Palmerston North City Library next weekend, chatting with A.J. Lancaster, Carole Brungar, and Sean Monaghan about their brand new romance novels.

I’ll be asking them about subgenres, tropes, settings, writing something new, their readership, writing process, research, any advice they might have for us, and I’ll be sure to open it up to the floor for audience questions too.

And that’s only the sta...

The New Zealand Listener book review: Fright on Stage Right

A “charming cosy series” and “an intriguing Kiwi mystery laced with plenty of grin-inducing elements among the dark deeds” according to Craig Sisterson’s review in this week’s edition of The New Zealand Listener.

I’m so chuffed to see Addison, Jake, and the rest of my Milverton crew getting highlighted in print, and in such excellent company too!

I nabbed myself a copy of the print edition, of courseCraig Sisterson reviews three sleuths digging into troubling deaths Book rev...

Hawke’s Bay Readers and Writers Festival 2025: indie publishing panel (and more!)

‘A thorn between two roses’ is how Kate described us here – her words, not ours! – which I think captures the support, generosity, hilarity, and light-hearted ribbing of our indie publishing panel at the Hawke’s Bay Readers and Writers Festival earlier this month.

Indie publishing panellists G. B. Ralph, Kate O’Keeffe, and James Russell

Chaired by the wonderful Catherine Robertson, our panel featured USA Today bestselling romcom author Kate O’Keeffe, acclaimed children’s book author James ...

Kindle Daily Deal: Murder on Milverton Square on sale for 99p in the UK

Surprise! The first Milverton Mystery has been tapped for a Kindle Daily Deal in the UK and is on sale for 99p today (Thursday 30 October 2025) only. So, if you’ve been flirting with maybe visiting Milverton, today’s your day! I’ll see you there?

Grab Murder in Milverton Square for 99p on Amazon UK

Of course, if you’re outside the UK, you can still pick up a copy or read the books via Kindle Unlimited:

Buy Murder on Milverton SquareKindle / ebook

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amaz...

New books in two brilliant mystery series

Following some rather unsubtle hinting, look what I unwrapped on my birthday last week:

It’s the latest releases in two of my favourite mystery series which never fail to deliver laughs and gasps. They are, of course, the fifth Thursday Murder Club from Richard Osman and fourth Ernest Cunningham from Benjamin Stevenson.

I can’t wait to get stuck into these two books! If you find yourself all caught up with these brilliant series and you’re looking for something to investigate next, mig...