Set across the pond in 1920s San Francisco , Jeffrey J . Lousteau ’ s historical fiction novel , All We Have To Believe In focuses on Edward Dooley . A veteran of the Great War , we see Dooley struggle to accept life after the conflict , fall in love with a first generation American and the perplexing heartbreak felt when the world recovered from one devastating war , only to plunge head first into a new , more brutal and horrifying one . The novel deals expertly with themes of racism , xenophobia , greed , love , and redemption , the depiction of these themes are nuanced and some are as heartbreaking as they are heartwarming . A deeply emotional and poignant story whose complicated themes remain more relevant than ever today . If you are looking for a deeply emotional , human book that may have you shed a tear or two , All We Have To Believe In is the Christmas read for you .
MATTHEW ROSS : DEATH OF A PAINTER
Set in Medway Towns , Death of a Painter by Matthew Ross is the first in a comedic crime thriller series that will keep your stomach churning , and your belly laughing . When builder Mark Poynter discovers a body on the site of one of his jobs his life is turned upside down . With large debts owed to some pretty sketchy characters and fearing for his own life , he is faced with the choice of clearing his name of the suspected murder or clearing his debts . Darkly humorous and delightfully clever , this crime story will have you guessing its twists and turns until the very end - and loving every minute of it .
Where did the inspiration for Death Of A Painter come from ? I have always been partial to crime and mystery stories when the lead character is not a police officer or private detective , but an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary circumstances . Also , because my background is in the building industry , I felt I was familiar enough with it to create my own fictional universe for the characters .
Where did the inspiration for All We Have To Believe In come from ? Peter Jackson ’ s They Shall Not Grow Old and Sam Mendes ’ s 1917 were inspired in part by the memories of their grandfathers who served . My maternal grandfather was an American veteran of the conflict , and I ’ ve long wondered what he felt when the war to end all wars was resumed a generation later with even more disastrous consequences .
What has the reception been like since you released the book ? As a Yank , I am gratified that my book was published in the UK because the conflict resonates more profoundly across the Commonwealth than in America . The poetry of A . E . Housman and the writing of Vera Brittain , Pat Barker and Thomas Keneally moved me deeply as I wrote the novel .
Have you always wanted to write historical fiction ? I am an architect by background , which may explain why I ’ m drawn to the timeless patterns between the past and present . How ironic that we should find ourselves again in the grips of a global pandemic as we were a century ago , humbled once more by our hubris .
What is your connection to Kent ? I accompanied my wife on a business trip to London in 2013 . On an unseasonably warm day in February we took a day trip to Leeds Castle , Canterbury Cathedral , and the White Cliffs of Dover . I was thrilled when The Conrad Press , based in Canterbury , offered to publish my novel , bringing my work to the heart of Kent .
What is the most exciting opportunity you ’ ve had since Death Of A Painter was published ? Lockdown has sadly pressed the ‘ pause ’ button on live launches and booksignings , but thanks to the marvels of Zoom and Skype , I have been lucky enough to be invited on a number of podcasts , radio interviews and online panels . There is a very active writing community on all social media platforms and they all have been very welcoming and supportive , which is very nice .
Have you always wanted to write crime thrillers ? I ’ ve always wanted to write , and I ’ ve always enjoyed reading crime and mysteries , so I guess when the itch to write got too much , it was only natural for me to go down the crime route .
Why did you decide to feature Kent in Death Of A Painter ? I ’ m very proud to be a ‘ Man of Kent ’. I was born and raised in the Medway towns , and my family have been here for generations . It never crossed my mind to set my home anywhere other than in Kent , and Medway in particular . In Death Of A Painter , I like to think the location almost serves as a character in its own right to enrich the story .
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