Jefferson Tayte is Back!

 New Jefferson Tayte novella coming 23 March

If you've been missing JT these past couple of years, you'll be pleased to know that the man in the tan suit is set to return this March in a brand new genealogical mystery called The Girl in the Painting. It's about half the size of the books in the main series, and I've written it both as a stand-alone introduction to Jefferson Tayte for new readers, and as a continuation for existing readers, although this book does stand apart from the main series, so there are no repeat characters apart from JT.

It's been a challenge writing a story that would appeal to both new and existing readers, and to fit a full JT story into half as many words as I usually do, with a present-day genealogical investigation, and a past mystery. This time it's about a young girl living in the slums of Victorian London, and what became of her.

You can pre-order your Kindle copy from Amazon HERE, where you can also read the description and discover more about the book. The paperback edition will be available in April.

The Secret Wife is out now!

What happens when you take a modern psychological thriller, such as Emma Donoghue's ROOM, and blend it with Daphne du Maurier's classic, REBECCA? That's the question I had in mind when I set out to write my latest gothic suspense thriller, THE SECRET WIFE, which is set in a remote part of Cornwall in the 1840s.

The title has just been released for Kindle and in paperback. Here are some of the things readers are already saying about it...

'An excellent and compelling story'  . . .  'To say I was hooked by the bottom of the first page is an understatement'  . . .  'An engrossing page turner, tense and dramatically descriptive'  . . .  'You just can't put it down. A must read.'

Click here to discover more

The Secret Wife - Out 25 June

New book release - The Secret Wife

My new historical suspense thriller, The Secret wife is now available to pre-order and will be out for Kindle and in paperback worldwide on 25 June.

You can visit the product page and pre-order it from Amazon in your country HERE.

From the author of The Penmaker’s Wife, and the million-copy bestselling JEFFERSON TAYTE series, The Secret Wife is a chilling tale of survival in nineteenth-century Cornwall.

Description:

Locked away. Believed to be dead. Can a mother survive her murderous husband's cruel oppression?

A house fire at Crows-an-Wra Manor in a remote part of West Cornwall supposedly takes the life of its mistress, Rosen Trevelyan. Sometime later, she awakes to find herself locked in an unfamiliar room, questioning why her husband, Richard, has done this to her. And what of their daughter? Did Sophia really die in the fire, as Rosen has been led to believe?

When a stranger arrives at the manor, and the reason for Rosen’s incarceration becomes clear, she fears that her husband can ill afford to keep her alive much longer. But could this harbinger of her death also be her salvation? 

Under the watchful eyes of Richard’s hateful mother, Mariah, Rosen must do all she can to survive their cruelty, in the hope that she will some day be reunited with her daughter, but time is running out. 

Can this stranger to Crows-an-Wra Manor discover the truth before it’s too late for both of them?

Room meets Rebecca in a suspenseful tale of deception, murder, and survival in nineteenth-century Cornwall.

The Penmaker's Wife is Out Now!

Historical noir anyone? Welcome to my dark side. 

I've very pleased to announce that my new historical thriller, The Penmaker's Wife is out now in all formats worldwide! 

Okay, it's not too dark. If you can handle Peaky Blinders I think you'll be fine with The Penmaker's Wife, which is also set in Birmingham, although a little earlier, in the late 1800s.

I was in what I imagine was a small minority of TV series viewers when I wrote this book, in that I hadn't seen a single episode of Peaky Blinders. That is until my Publisher Thomas & Mercer wrote the following comparison: 'Alias Grace meets Peaky Blinders in this tale of obsession, ambition and murder in Victorian England.' How could I not watch the TV series after reading that? Having now binge-watched the first five seasons, I'm actually in withdrawal as I wait with everyone else to watch season 6. Gripping stuff! I can't get enough of it!

So why did I set my book in Birmingham? The simple answer is trains and pens. Early on in the book Angelica Chastain has to flee from London with her young son, William. As the rail link between London's Euston station and Birmingham was already well established by the time the story takes place -- initially running to Curzon Street in 1837 and then New Street from 1851 -- it was a logical choice. More importantly, I chose Birmingham because it was then the centre of Britain's thriving pen-making industry. I had a great time with the research for this book, exploring Birmingham's Victorian streets and suburbs, and the riches of the Jewellery Quarter. 

If you'd like to discover more about me and my books, please visit my website. To order a copy of The Penmaker's Wife from Amazon, here's a link.

Praise for The Penmaker's Wife from Amazon UK readers:

'An incredible, shocking and chilling masterpiece.'

'I didn’t see the final twist coming at all but I’m not going to say anymore as you need to read this book for yourself to find out the delights that are contained in its pages.'

'A tale told cleverly leading this reader with mixed emotions about the central character- but I cannot say more without spoiling it for A N Other. Steve Robinson is an author to follow.'

'This is a brilliant book and I highly recommend this to those who enjoy getting totally engrossed in a tale of struggle and determination to escape their past and improve life for their children.'

'Masterfully transporting. Loved It! A well orchestrated story of love, despair, deception and survival.'

'It was very good indeed, totally unexpected and original. Well written too. A good one!'

'Very cleverly written. The author brings alive London and Birmingham during the late 1800s.'

'Page turner. I wasn't sure if this was going to be as riveting as Jefferson Tayte's stories but I was not disappointed. Excellent story. I couldn't put it down.'

'Great story. Didn't want to put it down. Steve Robinson writes historical drama so well.'

'I loved this book, I didn't really know what to expect, but from the minute I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. So cleverly written with lots of twists.'

'The writing style captivated me and held my attention throughout and I truly could not have guessed the ending.'

'The historical detail included made you feel as if you were really there in Victorian times.'

'What a very brilliantly written book. I loved the characters and especially how the story was delivered.'

'I found this book to be a compelling historical noir. It grabbed me from the first couple of pages and I found it very hard to put down!'

'What a twist! … I highly recommend this book.'

My author copies of The Penmaker's Wife have arrived!

THE PENMAKER'S WIFE -- OUT SOON!

I was so excited to receive a box full of books from my publisher, Thomas & Mercer. It's the paperback edition of The Penmaker's Wife, my new historical thriller. I've always thought the cover image looked great - love the colour scheme - but there's nothing like holding one in your hands after what has amounted to almost two years since I began plotting the story. It's my eighth published book, but that special feeing never wears thin. 

It will be out in the UK on 1 November and elsewhere on 1 December, so not long to wait, wherever you are. It's a breakaway from my Jefferson Tayte series, although it shouldn't be entirely unfamiliar to those who have read my JT books as it's much like one of the historical narratives you'll have read in those. If you get a copy, in whichever format you choose, be it paperback, Kindle or audiobook, I hope you enjoy it.

In Victorian England, a mother is on the run from her past—and the truth about what she did. Alias Grace meets Peaky Blinders in this tale of obsession, ambition and murder in Victorian England.

If you'd like to pre-order a copy, here's a link.

The title of my next book is...

New book from Steve Robinson coming soon.

My next book is called The Penmaker's Wife, and it will be out worldwide in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook formats on 1 December 2019. The cover hasn't been finalised yet, but here's a peak at what it's going to look like.

Not a Jefferson Tayte novel.

With seven Jefferson Tayte books now published, I decided it was time to take a break from my genealogy mystery series. With over a million copies sold, the series has been very successful and it was a difficult decision to make, but I felt the need to try something a little different. Does that mean there won't be any more JT books? I hope not. I like to think of it as giving the poor fella a much needed rest after all the scrapes he's been in since the first book in the series, In the Blood, was released back in 2012. 

So, what type of book is The Penmaker's Wife? Well, if you've enjoyed the historical narratives in my JT books, or you enjoy historical thrillers in general, then I think you'll enjoy this. I actually started plotting it for a JT book some years ago, but it became too big a story in itself. It's set entirely in the late Victorian era, and my development editor has described it as a fantastically dark and creepy gothic thriller. I hope you'll give it a try.

I'm very excited about it and can't wait to let you know more. The description should be ready soon, and I'll be sure to share it, along with the full cover, when I can.

Images from my recent hiking trip

I've been to Barmouth - the 'Little Gibraltar of Wales.'

Image from Barmouth.org.uk

I've not long been back from a hiking trip in mid-wales, this time in the southern region of the Snowdonia National Park. We stayed just above the town of Barmouth, with some great walks right on our doorstep. With all the glorious weather we've had this summer and early autumn, we hoped we'd be in for a treat, but unfortunately the weather had other ideas, with not just one, but three different storm systems heading our way. To say it was wet and windy would be an understatement, but we got out there and it was great fun, if you like that sort of thing. As far as hiking goes, I'm fond of the phrase, 'there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing,' and we were well prepared. The weather even cooperated a few times, enabling me to bring a few images back with me that I like, and wanted to share.

For those interested in photography, I've just switched from my Canon full-frame gear to the Fujifilm mirrorless X-System, which uses a crop sensor and is much lighter for hiking with, yet still offers great image quality. I hope you enjoy the photos with captions. Click on any image to enlarge them.

Looking into the Mawddach estuary from Barmouth Bridge.
William Wordsworth called it the sublime estuary, and JRR Tolkien
 was so taken with the town of Barmouth that it became his model
for the fictitious town of Hobbiton in The Lord of the Rings.

Barmouth Bridge - a Grade II listed wooden railway viaduct with
pedestrian foot bridge. High winds were a challenge as we crossed
the bridge during the full force of Storm Ali.

Looking towards the Mawddach estuary with Cadair Idris mountain
range in the background.  

Some interesting light amidst the storm clouds one morning, looking
towards Cadair Idris from the balcony outside our accomodation.

More interesting sunlight through the storm clouds.

Heading back to our accommodation on the Panorama Walk above Barmouth.

Taken during a hike from Barmouth to Tal-y-bont on the Ardudwy Way.

A seascape taken from Fairborne, which is on the other side of Barmouth Bridge.