A Slight Curve on the Sanford 3rd Age Club Mysteries

The last Sanford 3rd Age Club Mystery, Trial by Fire, was published in August, and since then you’ve heard very little.

There were a number of reasons for this, not least of which were observations from regular readers that the tales were becoming repetitive, and that the background characters, particularly Brenda and Sheila, were not sufficiently involved. It was something I tried to address in Trial by Fire, and if nothing else, it caused me to take a step back and re-evaluate the series.

At the same time, I began to develop another series, the Midthorpe Mysteries, and I chose to self-publish these, rather than put them through Crooked Cat. I’ve said a number of times, and I make no apologies for repeating it, the decision to self-publish is not a reflection on Crooked Cat.

The truth is, the Midthorpe Mysteries are experimental in that while the amateur sleuth element is there, the mystery is subjugated in favour of the humour, and they are not cosy crime. Neither are they hard-boiled. There is a stronger sexual element, but it’s still not graphic, and neither is the violence, but the language is more reflective of modern society than one would expect to find in a cosy mystery.

I mentioned in my last post that I’ve had to deal with a range of personal issues which caused a great deal of distress, but that hiatus also gave me time to think about the way forward, and the Sanford 3rd Age Club Mysteries remain a part of my plans. (Did I hear a cheer or was it a groan?)

Joe & Co will be back some time in the New Year, but with a slight curve designed to take them in a different direction.

Heavily involved with Denise Latham, Joe will assist in her insurance investigations, which will doubtless bring him into more unexpected adventures, and he will need to call on the help of his friends, the members of the Sanford 3rd Age Club. Plans also include Sheila and Brenda investigating their own mysteries, with Joe taking a back seat as an advisor.

So if you’re a STAC fan, hold on to your hat. We will be back.

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