Category Archives: News

News

Poppy is pick of the week!

What a lovely surprise to hear that The Cairo Brief is one of the Love Reading’s editors picks of the week. And what a fabulous review!

“An entirely charming, fascinating murder mystery set in the Golden Age Twenties. The Cairo Brief is the fourth in the simply fabulous ‘Poppy Denby Investigates’ series. Poppy is invited to attend a country house for the auction of an Egyptian mask… murder, curses and general skulduggery await her keen investigative skills. While this could potentially be read as a standalone, I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series with the wonderful The Jazz Files which was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association Endeavour Historical Dagger Award. Fictional characters mingle quite beautifully with historical figures such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Howard Carter and Emmeline Pankhurst. I adore Poppy, she’s intelligent, progressive, and knows her own mind. Fiona Veitch Smith’s descriptive detailing is just gorgeous, the dresses sparkle, the cars zip (or putter) along, and historical facts pepper and blend in with the storyline. Just perfect if you love to visit a bygone era, The Cairo Brief is a teasingly delicious and wonderfully readable mystery.”

LIZ ROBINSON

To read other reviews of The Cairo Brief on Love Reading click here.

News

Vote for Poppy to win the People’s Book Prize!

Friends, fans and followers of Poppy Denby I need your help. I’m delighted to report that book 4 in the series, The Cairo Brief, has been nominated for the People’s Book Prize for fiction. It is one of 20 books on the shortlist. The list now goes out to public vote. If you enjoyed the book – or haven’t read it yet but have read and enjoyed the other Poppy books – please vote for it. And ask your friends and family who you have passed it onto to do the same! Thank you :) You can vote here.

News

The Cairo Brief out today!

Fiona Veitch Smith - The Cairo Brief

Happy publication day to Poppy on her latest adventure, The Cairo Brief. As of today it is available at all good bookshops in the UK and through online stores. It will be released in the USA in the new year. This is book 4 in the series and it already has some fabulous reviews!

If you are a book blogger and want to be part of an upcoming blog tour, drop me a line and I’ll put you int touch with Poppy’s publicist.

“Poppy Denby is on top form solving the mystery surrounding the ancient Egyptian mask of Queen Nefertiti. Highly recommended!”
Dolores Gordon-Smith, author of the Jack Haldean murder mysteries.

“Fiona Veitch Smith, where have you been all my life? Poppy Denby is delightful, the plot rocks, and the 1920s era is perfectly evoked. British mystery fans, you want to read this. You really, really do.”Cassandra Chan, author of the Bethancourt & Gibbons mysteries.

“Thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Murders, sinister figures, a cursed Egyptian mask… and a séance! All the ingredients for another superlative Poppy Denby investigation.”
A.J. Wright, author of the Lancashire Detective series.

Get your hands on a copy here!

News

Historical Novel Society reviews The Death Beat

A lovely review of The Death Beat in the recent Historical Novel Review magazine.

As with the previous two novels, this was taut and entertaining. I also liked Poppy’s development from the earlier books. She’s always been torn between her upbringing as a Methodist minister’s daughter and her own desires as a career-minded young woman in the 1920s. Her inner conflict felt more pronounced to me in this book. Poppy has enlightened standards for how women should be treated that deviate quite a bit from her very traditional, conservative background, which at times cause her stress. This fits in well with the blossoming awareness about the conditions of immigrants and sweatshops and people forced into prostitution. While it was fun to see 1920s New York, I confess I missed London. In any case, it was an exciting, well written story and a good series addition. Recommended.

You can read the full review here.

News

The Cairo Brief cover

Drum rolls and trumpet toots … ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the new Poppy Denby! The Cairo Brief, fourth in the series, will be published 21 September. If you haven’t read the first three books yet, I suggest you get started! They are great holiday reads (if I may say so myself).

Fiona Veitch Smith - The Cairo Brief

Poppy Denby is on top form solving the mystery surrounding the ancient Egyptian mask of Queen Nefertiti. Highly recommended!

Dolores Gordon-Smith, author of the Jack Haldean murder mysteries

Intrepid Poppy Denby visits a country estate not unlike Downton Abbey in this caper. It’s great fun following Fiona’s crew of early 20th-century reporters as they seek scoops and solve murders on the side

Deb Richardson-Moore, author of The Cantaloupe Thief, The Cover Story and Death of a Jester

Thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Murders, sinister figures, a cursed Egyptian mask…and a seance! All the ingredients for another superlative Poppy Denby investigation.

A. J. Wright, award-winning author of the Lancashire Detective Series.

Fiona Veitch Smith, where have you been all my life? Poppy Denby is delightful, the plot rocks, and the 1920s era is perfectly evoked. British mystery fans, you want to read this. You really, really do.

Cassandra Chan, Author of the Bethancourt & Gibbons mysteries

News

The Death Beat & 1920s US Immigration Policy

I’ll be giving a talk at Newcastle Central Library at 6pm on Thursday 18 January on the background to The Death Beat. The book is set against the 1921 US Immigration Restriction Act, which has some disturbing parallels with today. Come along for a warm welcome and interesting discussion. The event is free, but please register your interest here. Signed books will be available to purchase.

Ellis Island

News

The Death Beat launch party – no Prohibition here!

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Last week I held a 1920s-themed launch party for the release of the third book in my Poppy Denby Investigates series, The Death Beat. Intrepid reporter sleuth Poppy and her friends would have felt right at home at Blackwell’s Bookshop in Newcastle, with live jazz and wine freely flowing. Although snow threatened to scupper the launch – with the band getting stuck somewhere en route – the party got off to a delayed but warm start. Former ITV journalist Mychaela Stephenson interviewed me about the latest book set in New York and then the guests were treated to a reading set in a speakeasy, where Poppy and her friends flout Prohibition. Thanks to everyone who braved the weather and helped make it such a fun evening.

Me channeling Lady Cora Crawley. And yes, that is an original 1922 Remington typewriter. Gorgeous, isn’t it?
No this isn’t a cast call for Peaky Blinders. Friends Ben and Diana really looked the part.
Fun, fun, fun! Jack & Alex playing some fab 20s Jazz and friends Becca (left) and Helen (right) breaking Prohibition.
My beautiful family: husband Rod and daughter Megan. Doesn’t she look flapulous?
Mychaela Stephenson interviewing me about The Death Beat
Bookshops make the world go round. Thanks to Mariana from Blackwell’s Newcastle for hosting the launch.