Newcastle upon Tyne – The Miss Clara Vale Mysteries by Fiona Veitch Smith

Newcastle Noir 10th Anniversary!

Fiona — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:39:05 +0000

As an author I travel to a lot of festivals and events in far-flung places. So it’s always a treat to have a crime festival right on my doorstep! And not just any festival, but one of the best in the country. I was delighted this year to appear on the Cosy Crime & Golden Age panel at Newcastle Noir’s 10th anniversary at Newcastle City Library. With me were Golden Age mystery novelist Tom Mead (the Spector Locked-Room Mysteries) and contemporary cosy writer Antony Johnston (the Dogsitter Detective). We were interviewed by the fabulous Kitty Murphy, who writes the Dublin Drag Mysteries. I was talking about Miss Clara Vale and the Pyramid Murders. Thanks to the incredible Jacky Collins (aka Dr Noir) for running the whole show, warmly and professionally. May there be many more!

Clara on location at the Royal Station Hotel

Fiona — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:19:55 +0000

Join Fiona as she takes you to various locations for the setting of the Miss Clara Vale Mysteries – while wearing vintage style clothing she made herself from original 1920s patterns. In this second video she visits the Royal Station Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne, where Clara sets a honey trap for one of the main suspects in The Picture House Murders. You can read about how Fiona made her fabulous outfit here.

Clara’s Newcastle

Fiona — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:20:17 +0000

As part of Fiona’s writing process, before she start writing a new book she looks for an original map from as close to the period in which she is writing as possible. It helps her to visualise the location and to be aware of the historical differences of locations from what they are now. She found this fabulous map in Reid’s Newcastle City Guide (1928). See below the main locations of The Picture House Murders and follow Clara as she solves the case.

Clara on location at Exhibition Park

Fiona — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 11:08:06 +0000

Join Fiona as she takes you to various locations for the setting of the Miss Clara Vale Mysteries – while wearing vintage style clothing she made herself from original 1920s patterns. In this first video she visits Exhibition Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, the location of the Great North East Coast Exhibition in 1929. You can read about how Fiona made her fabulous outfit here.