KENTISH CHRISTMAS MUST READS CONT .
© Stephanie Mohan
STUART HUTCHINSON : WHATSOEVER IS JUST
Whatsoever Is Just is the gritty , crime thriller by Stuart Hutchinson that packs a punch while at the same time delving into issues of love , loss , crime and war . Chief Inspector David Warne processes the loss of his murdered wife and revenge by a London crime boss for putting him away , as he hunts for the killer of the heir to an important local family . He must figure out the connection between the murderer and the crime boss before it ' s too late , while also navigating the tense political climate of the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Heart-pounding , chilling and toecurling , this will have you on the edge of your seat for the entire bumpy ride .
Where did the inspiration for Whatsoever Is Just come from ? The title derives from St Paul to the Philippians 4.8 . My Canterbury detective reflects on justice following the murder of his wife and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq . The novel , therefore , has a personal and public dimension .
What has the reception been like since you released the book ? Covid 19 has been a nearly hopeless time for a barely known writer to publish a novel . No chance of a reading at the local Waterstones , as happened with my first novel . But reception has been good from people I know and trust .
Have you always wanted to become a writer ? I taught literature in universities ( principally the University of Kent ) for 40 years and felt vulnerable , when asked , ‘ Do you write yourself ?’ I guess I wasn ’ t able to , or ready , till retirement . After all it ’ s a demanding occupation ; several hours every day , writing and re-writing , always thinking , have I got it right , would the characters say that . But also uniquely fulfilling .
Tell us a little about your connection to Kent ? I ’ m from Lancashire and came to Canterbury in 1970 . Prior to the interview for the job my wife and I walked the streets sure it would be lovely to live in the city . So it has proved , but , as in the novels Lancashire is always a formative presence .
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR : THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE ’ LL BE LAUGHING
New York Times best-selling author Jacqueline Winspear has written mystery novels that have been enjoyed by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton . But with her latest project , a memoir titled ; This Time Next Year We ’ ll Be Laughing , she delves deep into her own past and recounts her childhood in Kent in stunning detail . Her ability to write captivating people and timeless narratives are not lost in this new medium , and she is able to bring complicated , interwoven themes of family , adolescence , classism , war and mental health to life in an easily digestible , yet beautifully real way . This is the perfect book to lose yourself in over the holiday period . Curl up in front of a fire , open that crisp first page and delve into the author ’ s fascinating life .
What made you want to write a memoir ? I love memoir as a literary form – it brings together the personal and the universal , so that people from different cultures and with different life experiences find points of connection in the story .
What has the reception been like since you published This Time Next Year We ’ ll Be Laughing ? Great ! In the memoir I write about my connection to the land – it ’ s a relationship that really speaks to readers . In addition , my family endured some very difficult times – after the year we ’ ve all had , readers take heart in those stories of resilience !
Was it daunting branching out into a completely different form of writing after being so successful with your Maisie Dobbs novels ? Stepping away from the known path is both daunting and exciting – but to grow and develop as a writer it ’ s important to embark upon fresh challenges . I also veered off course in 2014 , when I wrote my non-series WW1 novel ( The Care and Management of Lies ), which was also set in Kent .
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