Have you ever walked the streets of North Shields and thought this would be a great place to dump a body? No? Well, local crime writer, B Baskerville, certainly has. Many of Baskerville’s thrillers are set right here in the Northeast, bringing local lingo and legends to life on her pages. Her latest novel in the popular DCI Cooper series, The Bridge, was released on December 1st.
How many books have you written so far?
Ten. I have two stand-alone novels: The Only Weapon In The Room, which is set here in North Shields, and Dead In The Water, which takes place on a yacht in the Ionian Sea. My DCI Erica Cooper series is now eight books long and begins with Cut The Deck which opens at King Edwards Bay in Tynemouth.
Tell us more about DCI Erica Cooper.
When we meet Cooper at the beginning of Cut The Deck, she’s a single mum returning to work after completing treatment for breast cancer and is immediately thrown into a serial killer investigation. She’s feeling run down and insecure, but she’s also a clever and determined lady, and as the series progresses we see her grow in confidence.
Which local landmarks will people recognise in your novels?
Lots! Low Lights – both the pub and the beach – feature in The Only Weapon In The Room, as does the Fish Quay and Preston Cemetery. The DCI Cooper series begins with a scene at King Edwards Bay and includes numerous local places such as Northumberland Park. Further afield, my characters travel throughout Newcastle and Sunderland and venture to Northumberland’s Kielder and Holy Island.
What are you working on at the moment?
The latest book in the DCI Cooper series, The Bridge, was released on December 1st, so I’m taking a few weeks off before I begin plotting both the ninth Cooper book and a new international series which should kick off in Gibraltar.
Where can readers find you?
My website is betsybaskerville.com or you’ll find me on facebook.com/BBaskervilleAuthor
Or search B Baskerville on Amazon.co.uk
