Friday Feature, Guest Post & Giveaway: The Best Corpse for the Job by Charlie Cochrane

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“The Best Corpse for the Job” is the first contemporary story I’ve written. I describe it as like Midsomer Murders with a dash of slash. That’s not just a catchy by-line – it started life as a possible TV script, before being converted into the medium I’m more used to. I have to say I see what I’m writing as though it were playing out on a screen in my head, which is probably why my editors are always asking me to put more description in. Because I “see” it I forget that other people can’t. I was brought up on weekly episodes of crime shows, which is a huge influence on my writing, and I still love to watch – or listen to – the things, particularly if they’re in the classic mode.

Is my detective, Inspector Robin Bright like Barnaby, though? Or Alleyn or Wycliffe or any of the other TV policemen I like? Well, he’s a lot younger and better looking for one thing. And he’s gay, which I’m not sure applies to any of the others. (No, let’s not get into a debate about Sherlock Holmes.) Maybe he should answer for himself. Robin, have you ever imagined yourself and your cases being serialised on TV?

No. That would be my worst nightmare, appearing on television. It’s bad enough when I have to do a press conference, which is thankfully rare. Middle England is not the hotbed of murder that those TV series depict it as; I think of them as being set in a parallel universe. Imagine if Oxford really was like it’s shown in Morse and Lewis. Nobody would let their kids go to the university there!

 Good point. Although I was less thinking about you appearing than somebody fictionalising your adventures. You don’t fancy some handsome actor playing you?

I fancy plenty of handsome actors, although I’m not sure who should play me. John Barrowman’s a bit old and a bit too film star. Tom Hiddleston’s a bit of alright, though. Maybe he could play Adam and I could play myself and we could…

 I’m sure you could! Don’t let Adam hear you say that. Talking of Adam, who is also a bit of alright, how did you feel when he walked in the door of the interview room?

As I’ve heard you say, my flabber was gasted. It’s my second worst nightmare, having to deal with a witness – and not just a witness, a potential suspect – that I fancy the pants off. You can find yourself overcompensating and being even harsher with them than normal. All the time you’re trying to ensure that the contents of your trousers don’t cloud you judgement.

I won’t ask whether Adam turns out to be the murderer, because that would spoil the book, but I will ask you to tell us about “Bosies’s” which gets mentioned a few times.

Oh, yes. “Bosie’s” is Stanebridge’s one and only gay bar. If I say it’s less Provincetown than Clacton-on-Sea you’ll probably get the picture. Very pleasant, a bit staid, you could take your granny there and she’d have a whale of a time. So long as she didn’t venture near the men’s loos, of course.

Quite. When I take my granny there I’ll make sure I steer her clear of them.


best corpseTitle: The Best Corpse for the Job by Charlie Cochrane
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Romance, Mystery
Length: 309 pages/Word Count: 81,000

Summary:

Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly.

Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village.

Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony.

As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts.

Purchase Link: Riptide Publishing


Author Bio

As Charlie Cochrane couldn’t be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes, with titles published by Carina, Samhain, Bold Strokes, MLR and Cheyenne.

Charlie’s Cambridge Fellows Series of Edwardian romantic mysteries was instrumental in her being named Author of the Year 2009 by the review site Speak Its Name. She’s a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People, International Thriller Writers Inc and is on the organising team for UK Meet for readers/writers of GLBT fiction. She regularly appears with The Deadly Dames.

Author Links: Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Blog * Website


Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for an e-book from Charlie Cochrane’s backlist (excepting The Best Corpse for the Job). Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 29. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

Follow the rest of the tour HERE.

22 Comments

Filed under Blog Tour, Contest, Friday Feature, Guest Blog

22 Responses to Friday Feature, Guest Post & Giveaway: The Best Corpse for the Job by Charlie Cochrane

  1. charlie cochrane

    Thanks for hosting me!

  2. Lee Todd

    please count me in

    • charlie cochrane

      Will do. You’ve been very sensible and entered at different sites, which will increase your chance of winning!

  3. Maya

    Yes please, count me in! Thanks!

  4. Jen

    Thank for the fun interview and contest! I loved this: “my flabber was gasted.”

  5. JenCW

    Thanks for the fun post and giveaway chance!

  6. laurie g

    Yes please, count me in! Thanks!

  7. Trix

    It sounds so intriguing!

  8. H.B.

    Sounds great. Thank you for the giveaway =)

  9. Sounds like a great book.

  10. I really like the sound of this one. I love these kinds of tv shows too.