Lockdown search led Staffs writer to dead body mystery
Added: (Wed Jul 26 2023)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
A lockdown search through the archives has led a retired Staffordshire administrator to a dead body and a debut novel.
Jilly Fry was ploughing through the pages of 19th century newspapers when she came across a missing persons appeal.
Almost three years on, the 66-year-old has just released her first novel, Mrs Wynter Investigates, to critical acclaim.
The historical thriller has already racked up a string of five-star reviews from captivated readers.
Jilly’s debut has been described as ‘intriguing’, ‘a great first book’, and ‘a cracking Victorian tale’.
The mother-of-one admits it was the 150-year-old Guardian article that acted as a catalyst for her becoming a published author.
Jilly said: “During lockdown, I read an article in a facsimile of The Manchester Guardian dated 1881.
“Someone was asking for information of the whereabouts of a friend who had gone missing after meeting his friends.
“I was intrigued as to whether he was found - my research led to a series of missing girls in London and the girl in the box.
“A story formed in my head so of course, I had to write it down - the result was Mrs Wynter Investigates.”
Mrs Wynter Investigates begins in the aftermath of a young girl’s body being found in a wooden box at a carrier’s office.
The mystery of her death and the attempt to have her body sent to a mistaken address draws in many investigators, including the inexperienced and recently widowed Mallory Wynter.
Mrs Wynter Investigates is a perfectly paced historical novel that expertly captures the unforgiving underbelly of Victorian London.
With memorable characters, authentic detail, and an unpredictable plot, Jilly’s debut has become one of the thrillers of the summer.
And much of what grips readers did really happen.
Jilly explained: “In 1883 the body of a young girl was found in a wooden box - two feet long by 18 inches wide.
“It was in a carrier's office in London.
“They were unable to deliver the box due to an incorrect address.
“Postmortem results revealed a high dosage of opium, but they couldn't say how it was administered or whether it was given to cure an illness or for nefarious purposes.”
Although Mrs Wynter Investigates is Jilly’s first full-length novel, she regularly writes murder mysteries for the local women’s rural.
She also won a national short story competition while at school – and even had a poem read out on BBC radio.
Jilly is currently considering a sequel to Mrs Wynter Investigates.
For more information visit Amazon and search for Jilly Fry, where the Kindle and paperback versions of Mrs Wynter Investigates are available.
Notes to the Editor
PublishNation was formed in London in 2011 to provide high quality services to writers at affordable prices.
Since its launch, the company has assisted in the publication of around 2,500 books in a variety of genres for clients throughout the world.
For more details on PublishNation, visit their website at www.publishnation.co.uk