{"id":9,"date":"2015-11-03T13:15:41","date_gmt":"2015-11-03T13:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2025-08-01T10:47:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T09:47:06","slug":"diary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/diary\/","title":{"rendered":"Diary"},"content":{"rendered":"

August 01 2025<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As reported in the Penarth Times, I have now published my third book about Merlin Protheroe, P.I., \u201cA Third Set of Cases for Merlin Protheroe, P.I.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The rather mundane title was chosen because of a pun I rather liked, using the photograph <\/span>of the suitcases <\/span>on the cover.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, my proofreader felt that this was a bit too cryptic and didn\u2019t really suggest Penarth, so I changed it to<\/span> a wrap-around cover as above.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cases include a bookshop that suddenly disappears from the centre of Penarth (not Griffin Books, I should add!); an inept pair of burglars; a man who dreams he is going to die and almost does; and a killer brought to justice through his DNA.<\/span><\/p>\n

The paperback is now available from Griffin Books in Penarth at \u00a38.99<\/span><\/p>\n

and is also out on Amazon in paperback<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0FJ1NHTK4<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle e-book<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0FJS8DJD7<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

September 13 2024<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I had a nice article published today in the online version of the Penarth Times.\u00a0 I assume it will appear in the printed edition as well.\u00a0 To tell you the truth, I haven’t read it too closely, as I know there are always little inaccuracies in these articles …<\/p>\n

Penarth private investigator second book published<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

B y Elen Johnston<\/p>\n

@johnstonel74025<\/p>\n

Trainee Multimedia Journalist<\/p>\n

A local author has published his second book about a private investigator solving murder cases in Penarth.<\/p>\n

Rob Falconer who lives in Penarth has published his seventeenth book, nine years after his first ever book was published in 2015.<\/p>\n

He published Merlin Protheroe, Private Investigator: Twenty Short Stories featuring the Penarth Detective earlier this year.<\/p>\n

It contained twenty puzzling cases about the private investigator, Merlin Protheroe.<\/p>\n

This included death by chocolate in a honeymoon hotel, an avenging cockatoo, and a death in a charming Dylan Thomas-like Welsh village.<\/p>\n

His new book, More Cases for Merlin Protheroe, P.I., contains another twenty puzzling short stories about the private investigator.<\/p>\n

The cover features a photograph of Penarth Pier \u2018to prove it is still set in Penarth,\u2019 said the author.<\/p>\n

The new book includes a Murder in the Orion Espresso, which is about an actor who is killed during a murder mystery weekend.<\/p>\n

The Bear\u2019s Head also features in one of the new short stories with a body found at the foot of the pub.<\/p>\n

The other short stories include the case of a death in the middle of a Shakesperean play and a story the author is dragged into after a death at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cReaders from the area should find plenty of places they recognize in the stories,\u201d said the author.<\/p>\n

The paperback is now available from Griffin Books in Penarth, which recently celebrated its 10th birthday, for \u00a38.99.<\/p>\n

The author<\/u><\/p>\n

Rob Falconer, born in Cardiff, has published several books over the years and even written for comedy shows on both BBC and ITV.<\/p>\n

His first book, The Return of Inspector Pirat: His First Book, because he often could not sleep, and amused himself by thinking up puzzles, which he then put into print.<\/p>\n

He first gained a degree in psychology from Cardiff University and joined the family coach business.<\/p>\n

After working for the business for nine years he became a computer programmer up until 2001.<\/p>\n

He has since written several short stories and won competitions with The Times, International Mensa, and the South Wales Echo.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

September 09 2024<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s all been a bit hectic of late. I was trying to juggle publishing my latest book, the second Merlin Protheroe book, with attending my son\u2019s wedding in Reading \u2026 and it must have got rather too stressful. As soon as the wedding started, I went down with some facial infection and, in the wedding photographs, I look as if I\u2019ve had some sort of minor stroke (I hadn\u2019t, thankfully). It rather looked as the Addams Family\u2019s Uncle Fester had been a guest.<\/p>\n

In addition, I had to pose for a photograph to put up in the local press. It doesn\u2019t look too bad (I think \u2026 er, I hope), but I will totally understand if they consign it to the editorial bin or wait until Halloween.<\/p>\n

Anyway, as my first book about Merlin Protheroe, P.I., sold well, here is the second, unimaginatively titled “More Cases for Merlin Protheroe, P.I.”<\/p>\n

I think the title explains exactly what the book is about!<\/p>\n

And, just to prove that it is still set in Penarth, there is a photograph of Penarth Pier on the cover (well, I feel that that’s practically required by law).<\/p>\n

This book contains another twenty puzzling short stories about the private investigator, who works in Penarth, where I live, and readers from the area should find plenty of places they recognise in the stories.<\/p>\n

The cases include a body found at the foot of the Bear’s Head; a death in the middle of a new Shakespearean play; the murder of an actor during a murder mystery weekend in Penarth (‘Murder in the Orion Espresso’); and a story in which I myself am dragged into after a death at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.<\/p>\n

The paperback is now available from Griffin Books in Penarth at \u00a38.99<\/p>\n

and is also out on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0DFPBSY9B<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle e-book<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0DFMPL38J<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

February 28 2024<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

My latest book is now available from Griffin Books in Penarth!<\/span><\/p>\n

After eleven books of detective short stories featuring Detective Inspector John Pratt and his alter ego, Juan Pirat, it seemed time for a change.<\/span><\/p>\n

A publisher suggested that I should write about a detective who works in a real rather than a fictitious location, perhaps somewhere local, somewhere I know well.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, this book contains twenty cases about a private investigator, Merlin Protheroe \u2026 and the setting is Penarth, where I live. <\/span><\/p>\n

Readers from the area should find plenty of places they recognise in the stories.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cover features a photograph of Penarth Pier, to some extent because I have been upset a few times by finding crime novels with a similar picture on the cover, only to find that the books are about a detective in England! At least the photograph is honest this time!<\/span><\/p>\n

The book is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0CW114YCZ<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0CVXP3PGJ<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

August 02 2023<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been a hectic July for us.\u00a0 My daughter, who lives in Norway, announced the birth of identical twin daughters in June, and we were requested to stay there for almost three weeks to baby-sit, as the local nursery was closed for much of July.\u00a0 We didn’t need asking twice!\u00a0 And we found we could fly from Cardiff (Wales) Airport to Torp, just over a mile from their house, with only one change at Amsterdam.\u00a0 That certainly beats travelling by coach to Gatwick and then having to take an ailing train from Oslo.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I have found time to complete my eleven<\/span>th collection of puzzling detective short stories, \u2018Inspector Pratt <\/span>Goes Up to Eleven.<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

It is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/<\/u><\/span>dp\/B0CDDNM1TM<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/<\/u><\/span>dp\/<\/u><\/span>B0CDCM3HWG<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The twenty stories <\/span>include an apparent murder by a herd of cows, a dead Father Christmas, a burnt-out body in a van, and some mysteriously vanishing bodies.<\/p>\n

So, here it is!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

December 20 2022<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

After a few problems with updating this website, I can announce that my tenth collection of puzzling detective short stories, \u2018Inspector Pratt at Number Ten,\u2019 is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0BQK6PMXW<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0BQJS4YTH<\/a><\/p>\n

This time, Detective Inspector John Pratt gets star billing in the title of the book!\u00a0 But the content and style are just the same as in the previous Pirat books.<\/p>\n

The twenty-plus stories include an apparent demonstration of time travel, a man vanishing in a house surrounded by police, the mystery of a ghostly hairy hand, and an autobiography in which the author confesses to murder.<\/p>\n

But I have had such a long wait to publish this, I already have over half the stories for the next book ready for proofreading, so that book may be out sooner than one expects!<\/p>\n

So, here is my tenth collection, out now!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

October 31 2022<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Reviewing my Diary, I realise that I did say that the tenth collection of the exploits of Inspector Pirat would be out in a couple of months.<\/p>\n

But I have been trying to sort a few things out with my publishers, so that may not now be until mid December.<\/p>\n

Sorry.\u00a0 It\u2019s all ready, anyway.<\/p>\n

July 19 2022<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, we (like many others) have finally managed a few holidays outside the U.K.<\/p>\n

We managed to see Val\u00e9rie\u2019s mother in Avignon in March, and even our first grandchild, Carlin, in Norway for the first time in June.\u00a0 He was then twenty months old!\u00a0 And we managed a cruise to the Baltic in May, although the planned visit to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg was cancelled due to various international matters \u2026<\/p>\n

But, even if inspiration was less forthcoming on these holidays, the tenth Inspector Pirat will be out in a couple of months.<\/p>\n

Just as soon as this heat gives up!<\/p>\n

December 11 2021<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, our holiday plans have been disrupted by Covid \u2026 and therefore my chance to write whilst relaxing on holiday has vanished.<\/p>\n

My wife, Val\u00e9rie, went to play in the p\u00e9tanque team representing Wales at the Eurocup in Angouleme in the first week of December.\u00a0 After the latest raft of Covid restrictions, we knew that there could be a problem with getting the results of her post-holiday PCR test back in time to go on our trip to the Christmas markets in Brussels and Amsterdam departing today.\u00a0 But they arrived in time, so we relaxed and started packing and planning all the additional health documentation ready for today.\u00a0 Then she received a Test and Trace notification yesterday that she had been in contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid, clearly on the flights between the U.K. and France.\u00a0 We immediately arranged for a visit to a Covid-testing station, where the results were later confirmed, again, as negative \u2026 but it was too late, as we had already had to cancel the trip to the Christmas Markets.\u00a0 So, it\u2019s back to work for Val\u00e9rie and a quiet week for me!<\/p>\n

October 18 2021<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, thanks to Covid, it’s been a strange year.\u00a0 We haven’t been able to take our usual holidays abroad, nor visit my French mother-in-law in Avignon … and yesterday we had a video “chat” with our first grandchild in Norway on the occasion of his first birthday.\u00a0 We still haven’t actually met him though …<\/span><\/p>\n

So I haven’t been able to relax and think up new stories on foreign soil for some time.\u00a0 However, we have been able to have some stunning holidays in North, Mid and West Wales, at some wonderful cottages (and one not-so-wonderful cottage).\u00a0 Watching dolphins and seals is a tremendous experience.\u00a0 Unfortunately, these holidays are not so relaxing, involving long walks around the Great Orme, Llanberis (and a superb waterfall there), the Marloes headland, Tenby, and other beauty spots.<\/p>\n

However, I have been able to write my ninth collection of puzzling detective short stories, imaginatively titled ‘Inspector Pirat’s Ninth,’ and I have just published it.<\/p>\n

It is available on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B09HNRDQ1B<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B09JN6GJ2R<\/a><\/p>\n

The twenty stories include the murder of a masked singer on a television show, a death on a canal barge, and a witch who seems to turn children into pumpkins.\u00a0 They include my usual occasional references to other detective writers\u2019 books \u2026<\/p>\n

These stories involve a lot of thought (and perhaps cunning!).\u00a0 Most of them contain enough plot for a whole novel, but the format suits me (and, hopefully, the reader).<\/p>\n

So, here it is!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

February 16 2021<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

O.K., I know I only published a book the previous month, and I don\u2019t want it to seem that I\u2019m churning these books out, but it has nothing to do with the Coronavirus and lockdown. In fact, I have been writing it for many years.<\/p>\n

This book has been on my mind for decades, and to some extent reflects my own feelings. I originally thought of it for television, especially as it\u2019s quite episodic, but it\u2019s finally emerged as a book.<\/p>\n

I hate these self-penned blurbs that say things like \u201cThis book will change your life,\u201d or \u201cThe funniest book you will read this year, or indeed any year.\u201d I shall just say that it\u2019s meant to be funny \u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the story of someone who doesn\u2019t want to just drift idly though life as others seem happy to, without achieving anything memorable. He wants to secure a place in history, as have Brunel, Dickens, Elgar and Shakespeare.<\/p>\n

To become immortal \u2026<\/p>\n

It is now available on Amazon in paperback (@\u00a34.00)<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B08WSC59LK<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle (@ \u00a31.77)<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B08WPZPS9K<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

January 11 2021<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

My eighth collection of puzzling detective short stories, \u2018Inspector Pirat\u2019s Pieces of Eight,\u2019 is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B08SLGF4HF<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B08SLBGRKK<\/a><\/p>\n

WARNING : THIS IS NOT A PIRATE BOOK!<\/p>\n

The twenty stories include a murder mystery set on the Disorient Express, the murder of an internet troll, and a mysterious case of dognapping. They include my usual references to other detective writers\u2019 books and \u201cinverted jokes\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n

I would have thought that this would have appeared much earlier because of the lockdown, but I get most of my ideas on holiday, so this is a little late.<\/p>\n

And, as usual, formatting and proofing took a long time.<\/p>\n

So, here it is!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

July 29 2020<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I know my latest collection of Inspector Pirat \/ Detective Inspector John Pratt books was out in May, but I have been asked (honestly!) whether the next one will be out really early, because of all of us being stuck in the house during the Covid-19 lockdown.<\/p>\n

In fact, I have been out and about rather more than usual (apart from not going on holiday).\u00a0 Val\u00e9rie and I have been using the lockdown period to make use of a system of walks and rambles in the Vale of Glamorgan.\u00a0 However, the downside is that I fell over two stiles (on different days), although a large network of brambles and nettles broke my fall gently, and I also hurt my right knee after we were stampeded by a herd of malevolent cows near Duffryn Mawr (the bull, like most males, just stood and watched).<\/p>\n

But the lockdown situation (and the fact that there have been enormous digging machines excavating at the house next door for the past four months) has not been really conducive to thinking up stories with the sort of plot devices that I approve of.\u00a0 And, in fact, going on holiday helped this process best \u2026<\/p>\n

So, it may be a while before anything is published (although I am over two-thirds of the way there \u2026)<\/p>\n

May 13 2020<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The seventh collection of puzzling detective short stories featuring Inspector Pirat (as anglicised as Detective Inspector John Pratt), \u2018Inspector Pirat\u2019s Seventh Heaven,\u2019 is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1671837037<\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B088HHZY25<\/a><\/p>\n

Cases include an actress being blown up in her own trailer (whilst afloat!), a murder at a health spa, and a mysterious death during a reality television show.<\/p>\n

This should have been out a lot earlier.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure everybody was waiting for this to read whilst in lockdown!<\/p>\n

But formatting and proofing took a long time.<\/p>\n

So, here it is!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

April 30 2020<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As I wrote last November, I\u2019ve been working on a new book, but, although it\u2019s been ready since early March, proofreading has had to take a back seat, largely due to the coronavirus, as my proofreader works for the NHS.<\/p>\n

However, that is now finished, and I have arranged for a proof paperback to be sent to me, only to discover a glaring error (a repetition of a paragraph in consecutive chapters), which will have to be fixed when I\u2019ve checked the proof and received other feedback.<\/p>\n

Publication is now on for the middle to the end of May.\u00a0 By then, if lockdown has finished, everyone will have stopped reading!<\/p>\n

November 30 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

For some months now, I\u2019ve been thinking that it\u2019s about time I published another Inspector Pirat book.\u00a0 And yet the last was published only in June, so there\u2019s certainly no hurry.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I\u2019ve had too much spare time, as I\u2019ve been doing no DIY and as little gardening as possible (as usual), although we have had a few longer holidays, to visit the eastern cities of Canada, to stay in a g\u00eete in the Vend\u00e9e in France, and to see the Northern Lights above the Arctic Circle in Norway for the second time, which was even more satisfying than our first visit.<\/p>\n

But, even though I\u2019ve written fourteen stories for the next book, I\u2019m increasingly finding it very difficult to write the standard of stories I want to publish.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to write stories with good plot ideas for crimes or even with humorous or farcical crimes, but with little else.\u00a0 It\u2019s also easy to write character-driven stories, as all the other crime writers seem to do these days.\u00a0 But I want my stories to hinge on a puzzle or plot point that the reader can work out for himself or herself, in fact, something interactive.\u00a0 As I have often said, there seem few of these being published today, especially as short stories, probably because they use up ideas and plots too quickly,<\/p>\n

So, I must try harder.<\/p>\n

August 10 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I recently decided it was about time I sorted out the many slides (transparencies) that my family took of our holidays, relatives, and, perhaps more importantly, our coaches.\u00a0 As I was unable to secure the use of a reliable projector, a neighbour said he had a slide scanner, and allowed me to borrow it for as long as I needed.<\/p>\n

I had two groups of slides.\u00a0 One I brought from my house in Llanishen about thirty years ago, and had stored in boxes in a wardrobe.\u00a0 These were fine.<\/p>\n

However, the other batch my mother had kept in her house in Kimberley Terrace, and these had been attacked by damp.\u00a0 I tried to clean them, but without any great success.<\/p>\n

Still, I have now managed to scan many slides into the computer, and will put some of these up on my website as soon as I have time.<\/p>\n

June 09 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hi!<\/p>\n

My latest Inspector Pirat book, \u2018The Scrapbook of Inspector Pirat,\u2019 is now out on Amazon in paperback<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1099153611<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

and Kindle<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B07STHZD8M<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Gosh, is it really my sixth Inspector Pirat outing?<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m not as happy with my cover as I usually am.\u00a0 Despite my daughter Clare recreating the original cover template style for me, the problem now is that the \u201ccartoon\u201d element I myself set up isn\u2019t quite what I was hoping for.\u00a0 Still, I have had so many problems with the proofreading as well that I am going ahead as it is.<\/p>\n

Anyway, it\u2019s the content that matters, not the cover surely?\u00a0 I am certain that Desmond Morris\u2019 \u2018The Naked Ape\u2019 would have sold just as well without the naked bodies on the cover.<\/p>\n

Anyway, here it is.<\/p>\n

I have included a dedication to the usual suspects, plus also to all those people who have read my books.<\/p>\n

So, buy a copy and be dedicated to!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

May 29 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, I did say that my next Pirat book would be out in June, but things were progressing so well, it might have been out a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

But my publisher has changed all the cover design templates, and I cannot use the original design without creating it again myself \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 which I have done, or rather which my daughter Clare has done.\u00a0 She runs a software company in Norway with her husband Christer.<\/p>\n

But I just cannot get it to fit into the print area available.<\/p>\n

This may take a while \u2026<\/p>\n

April 26 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Free book!<\/p>\n

Because I found that so many of my friends were retiring and yet unprepared for so much leisure (and with so little money), I have written what I have described as a small book or a large pamphlet, full of advice about retirement, entitled \u2018How to Retire Ungracefully.\u2019<\/p>\n

O.K., so it\u2019s not meant to be taken seriously, but, as I said, it\u2019s free, so you could check it out on Smashwords<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/934785<\/a><\/p>\n

But I felt I had to change the cover for this.\u00a0 I had originally used a photograph of a strange piece of street art that I saw in Tonsberg, Norway, where my daughter, Clare, now lives.\u00a0 However, she said it was by quite a famous artist, so I decided to change it in case of copyright issues.\u00a0 Finding a cover for a book with that title was never going to be easy, but I finally settled on a photograph my son, Marc, took of me looking sleazy in a caravan in Yorkshire.\u00a0 O.K., so I wasn\u2019t near retirement age then, but I do look old.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And a new Inspector Pirat book should be out in June.<\/p>\n

Do I hear rejoicing?<\/p>\n

April 03 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Whilst the first Inspector Pirat book, \u2018The Return of Inspector Pirat,\u2019 and \u2018Joan Malone Alone\u2019 are still available free on Amazon\u2019s Kindle Unlimited scheme until June 02 2019, I have also added the second and third Inspector Pirat books (\u2018Pirat\u2019s Early Cases\u2019 and \u2018The Trial of Inspector Pirat\u2019) to the scheme until July 01 2019.<\/p>\n

I suppose I must be fed up making so much money!<\/p>\n

February 15 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As from the first of January until at least the end of March, two of my books are available free on Amazon\u2019s Kindle Unlimited scheme.<\/p>\n

They are the first Inspector Pirat book, \u2018The Return of Inspector Pirat,\u2019 and \u2018Joan Malone Alone.\u2019<\/p>\n

February 14 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

If any of my readers were upset to learn that my mother\u2019s longcase clock was no longer working, they might be pleased to know that I have decided to have it repaired.<\/p>\n

However, I was not so pleased to learn that that will cost around \u00a3500 (and that after St. Fagan\u2019s had advised me they have no interest in my donating it to them, as they already have too many!).<\/p>\n

I am sure it will take many millennia before the profits from sales of my book cover the cost of repairing the clock \u2026<\/p>\n

January 15 2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"43574432\"<\/p>\n

I have been working on this latest book for some time. In fact, one of the stories won first prize in a Mensa International Short Story Competition some years back. But I got spurred on to finish the book only recently.<\/p>\n

Whether or not time travel will ever be a reality (especially for the masses) is unclear, but, if it ever does happen, I\u2019ve always wondered about the actual stages of invention, such as how the first pioneers went about it, and what accidents befell the less successful inventors.<\/p>\n

So, this little tome tries to consider what might have happened to those early time-travelling pioneers.<\/p>\n

However, please note it does not include blueprints on how to assemble one.<\/p>\n

The cover picture is of my mother\u2019s old grandfather clock. I had intended to try and convey the concept of \u201cbreaking time,\u201d and had already benefited from my darling wife\u2019s smashing the glass on my beloved G.W.R. waiting-room clock. However, images of that weren\u2019t too clear, so I opted for the grandfather clock instead. It has a lovely Victorian feel to it (although it\u2019s possibly a little earlier), and is indeed broken, as the face needs to be reassembled.<\/p>\n

Paperback :- https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/179310204X<\/a><\/p>\n

Kindle :- https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B07MQQCRWX<\/a><\/p>\n

September 20 2018<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, my fifth collection of Inspector Pirat stories is available.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The books are available on Amazon :<\/p>\n

Paperback (\u00a35.99) :- https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1724393782<\/a><\/p>\n

Kindle (\u00a31.99) :- https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B07HHG8LM5<\/a><\/p>\n

September 03 2018<\/u><\/p>\n

Everything seemed to be going so well for my fifth collection of Inspector Pirat stories.<\/p>\n

I had written it all, Val\u00e9rie had proofread it, and I had made any necessary amendments.\u00a0 I then approved the on-line proof copy, and ordered the printed proof to be created and sent to me.\u00a0 And it even turned up ten days earlier than scheduled.<\/p>\n

Then I flicked through the printed copy and found that most of two chapters was for some reason printed with (the correct) black letters, but on a grey-shaded background.<\/p>\n

The problem appeared to be with my Word documents.\u00a0 We could not find out how to remove the shading.\u00a0 Eventually, the only way we could get around it was to cut and paste the offending text to a point before the error occurred, setting it to ‘Match Destination Formatting.\u2019<\/p>\n

Then a few paragraphs had to be shifted around, and the whole chapter proofread again.<\/p>\n

I am now waiting for my second printed proof copy.\u00a0 Hopefully, this one will be all right.<\/p>\n

February 16 2018<\/u><\/p>\n

I seem to have been a little quiet of late.<\/p>\n

But I have noticed how much interest there is in old Llanishen village (and indeed in our coach company, Falconer and Watts), especially on the various nostalgic Facebook sites, such as \u2018Cardiff Now and Then\u2019 and \u2018Llanishen and Rhiwbina Past and Present.\u2019<\/p>\n

It has also disturbed me that so much of the anecdotal social history of Llanishen has recently been lost with the passing of so many of the older residents of the village.<\/p>\n

So I have written \u2018Memoirs of a Coach-Operating Man,\u2019 not only to include my memories of my life growing up in the village, but also the history of the coach company and some anecdotes of the highs and lows of the running of a small semi-rural coach operation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.<\/p>\n

Paperback :-\u00a0https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1985262738<\/a><\/p>\n

Kindle :-\u00a0https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B079VKWNYM<\/a><\/p>\n

October 05 2017<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s that time of the year again!<\/p>\n

Yes, my fourth Inspector Pirat book is now out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.<\/p>\n

Paperback :- https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1974281523<\/a><\/p>\n

Kindle :- \u00a0https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0765CJRN3<\/a><\/p>\n

I was warned that the colour I chose for the cover was a little weak, and it may look as if the cover is all white.\u00a0 Actually, there\u2019s a light brown colour, but you may need good eyes to see it \u2026<\/p>\n

This think this will be the last for a while, as my creativity is nigh-drained!<\/p>\n

July 12 2017<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

OK, so you can buy my latest book now … or rather get it for free.<\/p>\n

It’s available on Smashwords at<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/734198<\/a><\/p>\n

There are a few download options. The “mobi (Kindle)” download is probably best if you have Kindle.<\/p>\n

It contains three stories that have been previously published, and one not yet published. So, even if you bought the other books, there’s still one story you haven’t read … and it’s free!<\/p>\n

July 04 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t buy my latest book!<\/p>\n

I wanted to put up a free sample of my Inspector Pirat stories on Amazon (one story from each book, plus one not yet published). But that may take a while as Amazon will not sell Kindle books for free unless they are price-matched. So I’m trying to set it up free on another platform.<\/p>\n

\"Pirat<\/a><\/p>\n

March 31 2017<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I have had another nice review on Amazon from Dawn F. Taylor, of Mensa\u2019s Whodunnit S.I.G. (Special Interest Group).\u00a0 I hasten to add that she is no relation to me, but I sometimes wonder if she is the only one reading my books!<\/p>\n

5.0 out of 5 stars<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Another excellent collection of funny cosy crime stories<\/a><\/p>\n

Dawn F Taylor<\/a>\u00a0on 31 Mar. 2017<\/p>\n

Format: Kindle Edition<\/p>\n

This third collection of short stories is as good, and as varied, as the previous two books.<\/p>\n

All the stories contain clever puzzles with ingenious twists but the tone varies between very funny to quite sad and poignant.<\/p>\n

Most of the characters are people we can relate to as these stories all have a very human, as well as humorous, quality.<\/p>\n

As each story is self contained, this is an excellent book to dip in and out of if you don’t have much time but would work equally well for a one sitting read.<\/p>\n

I hope we see more of Rob’s work, and Inspector Pratt, soon.<\/p>\n

Thanks again, Dawn!<\/p>\n

February 22 201<\/u><\/strong>7<\/u><\/strong>\"KDP.Cover.2017-02-18.rlf\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My proofreaders have been very busy of late, but, unfortunately, not on my third Inspector Pirat book. However, it is now ready and published, both as paperback and Kindle on Amazon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Details are on the Books page of this website.<\/span><\/p>\n

I will write more when I have time.<\/span><\/p>\n

November 30 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadly, my mother passed away last night. \u00a0My thanks go to the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth for their care and attention.<\/p>\n

November 20 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m afraid I haven\u2019t written anything here for a while.<\/p>\n

The reason is that my mother, who is 86, had a fall in the middle of July, and has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.\u00a0 After she had been thrown out of hospital even after a bad fall in the bathroom there, I looked after her twenty-hours a day, firstly at her house in Cardiff, and then at ours in Llandough.\u00a0 After four weeks, the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth suggested that she should go there for a while for assessment.\u00a0 I have to say they were marvellous there.\u00a0 After several weeks there, she returned to her own home, but was clearly unable to cope on her own (even with regular medical and care visitors), so I have moved into her house to care for her. \u00a0At least my wife can stay with me at weekends!<\/p>\n

I did think it might give me plenty of time to myself so I could get some writing done, but I find looking after my mother very time-consuming, from arranging visits from her friends, to liaising with doctors and nurses, preparing her medication, and even racing around the area trying to locate errant prescriptions.\u00a0 I even have to rise every morning at three to turn her over in bed!<\/p>\n

So, I\u2019m not getting much done.<\/p>\n

However, the third Inspector Pirat book has been finished, and is currently being proof-read (thanks, Marc and Val\u00e9rie).<\/p>\n

June 30 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not really sure I should have done this, but I wrote a book for young adults a while ago, and, rereading it, I decided I really liked it \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 so I\u2019ve published it.<\/p>\n

The book is entitled \u201cJoan Malone Alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JMA.Front<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s about a thirteen-year-old girl left on her own in her house for a month.\u00a0 She copes with the cooking by eating microwaveable ready meals, fixes a leak in the roof, and even takes part in the Tour de France on her exercise bicycle \u2026 well, in her imagination anyway.<\/p>\n

The problem is that I\u2019m a little unsure for what ages it\u2019s best suited.\u00a0 It\u2019s not for very young children, certainly, as I don\u2019t like using too many small words, but I enjoyed reading it myself, so perhaps it\u2019s best for children of about my age!<\/p>\n

As usual, it’s available in both paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.<\/p>\n

The details are in the \u201cBooks\u201d section of this website.<\/p>\n

May 13 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve just had another five-star review from Dawn F. Taylor of the Whodunnit S.I.G. (Special Interest Group), this time for “Pirat’s Early Cases” :<\/p>\n

5.0 out of 5 stars<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>An excellent collection of short stories<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

By Dawn F Taylor<\/a> <\/span>on 13 May 2016<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Format: Kindle Edition<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

This second collection of short stories from Rob Falconer is just as good as the first.<\/p>\n

Each is different, some poignant, some very funny, but all good whodunnits or puzzles to capture the readers imagination.<\/p>\n

The plots and characterisation are excellent and the “bite size” stories make this very easy reading.<\/p>\n

I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who likes sensitive cosy crime fiction with a few laughs thrown in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Thanks again, \u00a0Dawn!<\/div>\n

April 30 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The on-line edition of the Penarth Times, our local newspaper, has run a story about me!<\/p>\n

Llandough author publishes second book of short stories<\/h1>\n

\"Penarth<\/a><\/p>\n

Anthony Lewis<\/strong><\/a>, Penarth Times reporter<\/p>\n

AN AUTHOR from Llandough has published his second book.<\/p>\n

Rob Falconer has completed his second collection of mainly detective short stories which is available as a paperback or as a Kindle e-book.<\/p>\n

His first book was published in 2015 and was entitled The Return of Inspector Pirat: His First Book.<\/p>\n

According to Mr Falconer, it was largely written as a result of insomnia.<\/p>\n

He said: “Often unable to get to sleep, I started thinking up puzzles to pass the time.<\/p>\n

“These were later developed into a series of detective short stories, which were published by CreateSpace on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats in early 2015.”<\/p>\n

The Return of Inspector Pirat: His First Book is a series of apparently-unrelated detective short stories, but with a link that may not become apparent until the final chapter.<\/p>\n

Mr Falconer added: “And if you think the title is a little strange, you might have to read the book to understand what it means.”<\/p>\n

It has gathered a number of very good reviews, as has his second book entitled Pirat\u2019s Early Cases which is now available on Amazon.<\/p>\n

“It has a similar format to the first, but without the surprising ending”, said Mr Falconer.<\/p>\n

More details are on Mr Falconer’s website at robertfalconer.co.uk.<\/p>\n

April 25 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

At last!<\/p>\n

At long last!<\/p>\n

What you\u2019ve been waiting for!<\/p>\n

Well, what I\u2019ve been waiting for \u2026<\/p>\n

My second Inspector Pirat Book – \u201cPirat\u2019s Early Cases\u201d – is now available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon :<\/p>\n

Paperback :-<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Pirats-Early-Cases-Rob-Falconer\/dp\/1530449219?ie=UTF8&keywords=ROB-FALCONER&qid=1460575778&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3<\/a><\/p>\n

Kindle :-<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Pirats-Early-Cases-Rob-Falconer-ebook\/dp\/B01E7RP15A\/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1460619253&sr=8-2&keywords=ROB-FALCONER<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Pirat<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sorry it\u2019s taken so long.\u00a0 For me, it\u2019s been really frustrating.<\/p>\n

The book has been ready since around the beginning of the year, and I had hoped to get both versions of the book out by March 17, one year after the first book.<\/p>\n

However, my proof-reader found a stupid error in the first book, so I corrected that first, and then I had to wait for her to read the second book.<\/p>\n

When she had approved it, I set the paperback and Kindle versions up on Amazon, but chose the wrong delivery option (the proof comes from America), and so had to wait for that to be delivered.\u00a0 Finally it arrived, and I signed it off.<\/p>\n

Both the paperback and Kindle versions were supposed to be ready in three to five working days, which was by April 20, but, although the Kindle version was almost immediately available in all markets, the paperback was not available in the U.K. for a few days more (but it was in America, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain!).<\/p>\n

Anyway, it\u2019s now ready.\u00a0 I shall try to be more organised next time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

February 21 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"DSCN7803\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It has been suggested that I should include a photograph of myself as well as the caricature I usually use.\u00a0 This is apparently to show that I am (all too) human, but, having adjudged the photograph above to be the best of the bunch, I\u2019m none too sure it was such a good idea.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

February 20 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

In case any of my readers think I have a new book out\u00a0(but the next one will be published very soon), I hasten to point out that the cover of my first eBook, as displayed on Amazon, has merely been brought into line with the cover of the paperback.\u00a0 To tell you the truth, I never liked the strangely-coloured cover of my eBook, but the facilities for creating it on Kindle did not seem as good as with CreateSpace.<\/p>\n

I remember when the publishers rather naughtily started selling the American version of the first Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Philosopher\u2019s Stone) in Britain under its American title, it appeared (with a brand-new cover) as \u2018Harry Potter and the Sorcerer\u2019s Stone.\u2019\u00a0 Grandparents were thrilled to be able to buy a \u201cnew\u201d Harry Potter book for their grandchildren, not realising that it was only renamed as it was feared that no American would buy a book with the word philosopher in the title, notwithstanding the fact that the Philosopher\u2019s Stone is something that has been around for centuries.<\/p>\n

Well, I\u2019m not trying to fool the public by changing my eBook cover.\u00a0 I just hated it!<\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

January 26 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I love thinking up puzzles.<\/p>\n

I love writing these stories.<\/p>\n

I hate proof-reading!<\/p>\n

My second Inspector Pirat book was almost all ready.\u00a0 I had even finished proof-reading it.<\/p>\n

Of course, the background story of the first book couldn\u2019t really be repeated (apart from a reference to Professor Guiteras), so I had intended this second book to be just an unrelated collection of puzzles, more or less the same as the first, but without the linking intervals and epilogue.<\/p>\n

Then I realised that it was really a bit too unconnected, with no linking story and no central character.<\/p>\n

So, despite what I wrote at the very end of my first entry in this diary, I suppose I have to have a constant character in most of the stories.<\/p>\n

And that involves more than just changing the names, as the way in which they are applied needs to be changed too (for instance, do I use the first or second name in each particular case?).\u00a0 Also, any biographical references may need to be altered.<\/p>\n

Ah well, back to proof-reading and a lot of changing.<\/p>\n

January 06 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the questions that authors are asked, for example, on goodreads.com, is what inspires them, or each particular story.<\/p>\n

Some of the stories in \u201cThe Return of Inspector Pirat\u201d were just written as a story wrapped around a puzzle I\u2019d dreamt up.<\/p>\n

But others have more of a history, perhaps as a result of something seen or said, or a particular location.<\/p>\n

As I have said elsewhere, I used to have problems getting to sleep, and so, to have something to do, I used to think up puzzles, based on the sort of books I was reading at the time (I have also said elsewhere that Edmund Crispin was a great influence).\u00a0 However, it was many years (until the advent of home computers) before I started to put them down in print.<\/p>\n

I cannot remember when I first decided on the format of the collection of short stories.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure I have ever seen such a book with a unifying theme before (except perhaps Agatha Christie\u2019s \u201cThe Labours of Hercules\u201d).\u00a0 I think the concept works, but some readers might be a little confused unless they read through to the end.\u00a0 I think it came to me because I remembered the lecturers\u2019 parties I went to when I was studying in Cardiff University.<\/p>\n

Here are a few notes about some of the stories in \u201cThe Return of Inspector Pirat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 1 \u2013 Snow Job<\/p>\n

This was derived from experiences on a group ski holiday I went on to Cerler in the Spanish Pyrenees.\u00a0 Actually, nobody was murdered on that particular trip, although one girl was a little concerned when a fellow-skier insisted on trying to speculate how one might have \u2018intimate relations\u2019 on a chair-lift (thus joining the forty-foot high club?).\u00a0 It was also very easy to spot first-time British skiers from their attire.\u00a0 The story just evolved from that \u2026\u00a0 Oh, and some of the personal names in the story were derived from that of one of our ski instructors on a later holiday, to Bulgaria.<\/p>\n

Chapter 2 \u2013 One-way Ticket<\/p>\n

This may be the earliest such story I wrote.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t put it first in the book, because I wanted a very obvious story to begin with, because it has to be recognisable at the end of the book.\u00a0 The story seems to have been two separate stories that I suddenly realised could be combined into one longer story \u2026 I think that inspiration came to me whilst in the toilets at my place of work in the mid-1980\u2019s.\u00a0 However, one of the strands was triggered off by a story my father had told me that he had once had a few problems getting all the luggage into the boot of a coach he was driving back from an extended tour.\u00a0 He finally managed it, but, when he got home, a guy walked up and thanked him for carrying his cases home for him, as there wasn\u2019t space in his own car (the coach\u2019s destination was marked clearly on the boot door, of course).\u00a0 I realised that the same ploy could be used by drugs smugglers, trying to get their wares into another country with little risk to themselves.\u00a0 But, as I also like the situation where a crime has a fairly obvious, but high-powered motive, such as espionage or organised crime, but turns out to be have been the result of one of the more basic human emotions, such as love or greed, I decided to merge the two ideas into this story.\u00a0 Oh, and I have known coach operators very much like the one I describe.<\/p>\n

Chapter 3 \u2013 Cin\u00e9ma V\u00e9rit\u00e9<\/p>\n

I just liked the idea that one of the most famous non-alibis should here be a strong alibi.\u00a0 The story led on from that.<\/p>\n

Chapter 4 \u2013 On the Warpath<\/p>\n

The plot mechanism here I derived from a small incident in a comedy starring Steve Martin.\u00a0 I shall say no more, in case Mr. Martin demands money from me.<\/p>\n

Chapter 5 \u2013 The Milk of Human Unkindness<\/p>\n

Yes, this may be a little contrived, along the lines of the old \u2018The Avengers\u2019 television series, but I enjoyed writing it.\u00a0 I had to change the name of the milk company from my original name of Udder Bliss, as some company already had that.<\/p>\n

Chapter 6 \u2013 The Little Lady Vanishes<\/p>\n

This is my favourite story of the book.\u00a0 I feel there are plenty of clues as to the solution, and the final few paragraphs were most satisfying to write.\u00a0 There are also a few paragraphs relating to coach operation, which my family were involved in from 1919 to 1982 in a suburb of\u00a0 Cardiff.<\/p>\n

Chapter 7 \u2013 Downwardly Mobile<\/p>\n

This was just an idea that I hope works.<\/p>\n

Chapter 8 \u2013 Get Off the Earth<\/p>\n

This is written around Sam Loyd\u2019s \u201cGet off the Earth\u201d puzzle.\u00a0 I thought I managed to work it into a story pretty well.<\/p>\n

Chapter 9 \u2013 A Load of Old Rubbish<\/p>\n

This was written because I wondered what people would do with the objects stolen when a murder was made to look like a burglary.\u00a0 I thought it worked well.<\/p>\n

Chapter 10 \u2013 Going for Baroque<\/p>\n

This was written because I wanted to write a first-person story.\u00a0 I did write this with an actor very much in mind for the lead role, but perhaps I shouldn\u2019t mention who it was.<\/p>\n

Chapter 11 \u2013 Abracadaver<\/p>\n

As David Renwick clearly realised, there is a close link between stage magic and detective stories.\u00a0 Both feature puzzles which the spectator or reader is challenged to solve.\u00a0 However, in the former, it is hoped that the puzzles will not be solved, and, in the latter, whilst the hope is the same, the solution is almost always given at the end.<\/p>\n

Chapters 12 and 13 \u2013 A Hostile Reception \/\u00a0Grotesquerie<\/p>\n

These were just puzzles I worked into a story.<\/p>\n

Chapter 14 \u2013 A Surfeit of Shoes<\/p>\n

This was a vague idea I\u2019d had, that finally crystallised into something which I hope works.<\/p>\n

Chapter 15 \u2013 Foul Whisperings<\/p>\n

This was generated when my wife passed her British Sign Language Level Two (she still regularly meets members of a local club for the deaf).\u00a0 The story was submitted to the South Wales Echo as my entry for their Christmas Short-story Competition in December 2012, which had to be on the theme of \u2018A Christmas Murder Mystery.\u2019\u00a0 It won first prize.<\/p>\n

Chapter 16 \u2013 Justice is Done<\/p>\n

This is just a variant on the locked-room mystery.<\/p>\n

Chapter 17 \u2013 Upstairs and Downstairs, and in My Lady’s Chamber<\/p>\n

This is just another variant on the locked-room mystery.<\/p>\n

Chapter 18 \u2013 Casualty of War<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think there was any real reason I wrote this, other than the fact that I wanted one story where a very cold crime is solved.<\/p>\n

Chapter 19 \u2013 Truck Stop<\/p>\n

This was very definitely conceived whilst we were on a holiday in the Loire Valley.\u00a0 We had booked into a g\u00eete that consisted of a farmhouse and a large barn, separated by a very narrow alley that led directly onto the road, with no pavements in that area.\u00a0 For some reason, perhaps that we had recently been burgled, I often found it difficult to sleep on holiday at that time, and this may have triggered the story.<\/p>\n

Chapter 20 \u2013 Another Brick in the Wall<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not too sure what made me write this.\u00a0 I have always felt that seaside resorts in the winter are often sad and depressing places, especially in relation to the sunny summer months, when the place is filled with happy families on holiday.\u00a0 I also vaguely remember seeing a television series in which someone was murdered in a rainy alleyway at night, so that may have started it off.\u00a0 I think this may have been another instance when two separate stories dovetailed into one, here with plenty of small additions.<\/p>\n

January 05 2016<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
I’ve had another nice five-star review on Amazon.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
A really enjoyable read<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

26 Dec. 2015<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Format: Paperback<\/span> Verified Purchase<\/span><\/p>\n

I really enjoyed this book. The plotting in all the stories is excellent as is the characterisation; it certainly doesn\u2019t read like a first novel! I would recommend The Return of Inspector Pirat: His First Book to anyone who likes their crime cosy with a bit of humour thrown in.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Thanks, Merry.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

November 24 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

For those of you who want to know what my first book is like, I have now added the first chapter on-line, which you can read free from the home page. \u00a0Just click on “Snow Job.”<\/p>\n

November 11 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I now have an author’s page set up on www.goodreads.com. \u00a0Readers can ask me questions on-line there. \u00a0Go on, I dare you!<\/p>\n

November 10 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve just had a lovely five-star review of my book from Dawn F. Taylor of the Whodunnit S.I.G. (Special Interest Group) :<\/p>\n

Excellent cosy crime<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

By Dawn F Taylor<\/a> <\/span>on 30 Oct. 2015<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Format: Paperback<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

This collection of seemingly unconnected short stories is simply delightful and the twist which joins them at the end is clever and one I didn\u2019t see coming even though, with hindsight, the clues are there.<\/p>\n

It is after the first story that you find out that the link between the stories is seemingly only that they are all told by promising students at a supper party thrown by a Spanish professor with a passion for crime fiction.<\/p>\n

Each story is linked by a short piece about the on-going party which involves too much alcohol, girl fights and a very mangy, flea-ridden cat amongst other things. The comedic content of these intervals also comes through in some, but not all of the stories.<\/p>\n

There are 20 tales in all, each different from the other, some funny but others touching and poignant. One thing that is consistent throughout is the subtle understanding of human beings as villains, victims and witnesses. This book is full of what Miss Marple would call \u201cvillage parallels\u201d. I felt I could relate each character to someone I know or have known, with the exception of the only psychopath in the series.<\/p>\n

The plotting in all the stories is excellent as is the characterisation. I would recommend this to anyone who likes their cosy crime with a bit of humour thrown in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Thanks, Dawn!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

November 03 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Few Thoughts on Writing Detective Fiction<\/u><\/p>\n

So, thanks to Christer and Clare Eckermann of Snuti (based in Horten, Norway), my new web-page is finally up-and-limping.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m often asked from where one gets the ideas (one can hardly call them plots) for these short stories.<\/p>\n

But no, I have to be honest, nobody\u2019s ever asked me that.<\/p>\n

But they should have, so I\u2019ll proceed.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s quite difficult to create them.\u00a0 The actual writing itself is easy, and there are plenty of chances to inject a little humour (often at the expense of some rather pompous individuals) \u2026 or so I hope.<\/p>\n

But creating a device whereby the reader is presented with a puzzle, which hopefully won\u2019t be too easy to unravel, is not so simple.\u00a0 And neither is deciding whether or not to add a point where the writer asks the reader \u201cYou have all the information now \u2026 so how did it happen?\u201d\u00a0 I try to avoid those situations, because they might seem out-of-place in such a short story, and because it\u2019s rather a blunt instrument.\u00a0 Certainly having all the suspects rounded up in one room for The Great Man to announce the culprit is rather heavy-handed.<\/p>\n

And talking about \u201cThe Great Man,\u201d you may have realised that I don\u2019t really like the concept of having a famous and popular detective appearing in all one\u2019s books. \u00a0I think the general public rather likes that concept though, but I find it rather hard to believe that so many incredible things could happen to the same person, especially if he or she is only an amateur detective.\u00a0 And not having The Great Man also means you don\u2019t have to keep changing and distorting his personality, interests and job to fit in with the current puzzle (for instance, I would certainly feel cheated if the victim were killed by a psychopathic bee-keeper, and we discovered for the first time that The Great Man is in fact also a world-famous expert on bees and a passionate apiarist himself).<\/p>\n

Another point which few people seem to acknowledge is how easy it is to create serious continuity errors.\u00a0 For instance, you may have noticed in a film (particularly an old film) that someone is first introduced to a character when, quite clearly, they have already met that person earlier in the film.\u00a0 The director, producer and\/or editor of the film have decided that a particular section of film would fit in better at an earlier point in the film, but have neglected to realise that things are now out-of-sequence.<\/p>\n

It is the same with books.\u00a0 You think of a far better way of presenting the story or the puzzle, and move a section of text, and – hey presto! – the book now suffers from\u00a0serious continuity errors.\u00a0 It may be even more misleading in a detective story, because the readers may think they have found the mistake in someone\u2019s testimony, for instance, and believe they have solved the puzzle.<\/p>\n

A final (for the time being!) problem with detective stories is that you can present a puzzle which the detective deftly solves in \u201dthe only way possible\u201d \u2026 for the reader to then realise that there is in fact at least one other solution (and perhaps many others).\u00a0 Or perhaps some vital bit of information is generated by the detective using infallible logic \u2026 which the astute reader realises is totally flawed.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of such gaffes to be found throughout detective fiction, as long as the writer is not overwhelmed with admiration and respect for The Great Man.<\/p>\n

Well, you won\u2019t find Him in my books!<\/p>\n

Well, not for the time being anyway.<\/p>\n

Return to Home Page<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

August 01 2025 As reported in the Penarth Times, I have now published my third book about Merlin Protheroe, P.I., \u201cA Third Set of Cases for Merlin Protheroe, P.I.\u201d The rather mundane title was chosen because of a pun I rather liked, using the photograph of the suitcases on the cover. However, my proofreader felt … Continue reading Diary<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":113,"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":683,"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions\/683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfalconer.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}