Gay Marris

We are thrilled to welcome Gay Marris to Pickering Book Tree to celebrate the publication of her debut crime novel A Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder. This delightfully clever collection works as individual stories, while weaving together to create a brilliantly intriguing overarching narrative. The darkly witty writing is reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s short stories for adults, while maintaining a style that is entirely its own.

We’ll be in conversation with Gay to discuss the book and her writing, and Gay will read an extract from the story to complement the discussion. There will also be time for audience questions and a chance to have copies of the book signed.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. The shop door will be open from 7pm, and complementary drinks will be available before the event starts. We hope to see you there!

About the Book

Set in London in 1968, A CURTAIN TWITCHER’S BOOK OF MURDER follows the lives of the inhabitants of a suburban London street. But this is no ordinary road.

“Ask anyone on Atbara Avenue how well they know their neighbours, and they’ll answer ‘well’. After all, they see each other across the vast distance afforded by close proximity, and that is probably for the best…”.

For the best, because Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution.

With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting, and an utterly unique voice, Gay Marris’ first book is remarkably accomplished. If you’ve been longing for a fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction, your wait is over.

‘I am not Crime’s biggest fan by a long shot but this book is CLEVER. Written as a series of short stories you can dip in and out of it at leisure, but as you get further in you realise how the web of stories are being woven together to create the novel. The characters you met at the beginning pop up again in the least expected of places and of course at the centre are the vicar and his wife…It really does give you the feeling of being a curtain twitcher! The cast of characters in Atbara Avenue are deliciously dark, they plot and scheme whilst polishing the silver and being very polite to each other… I really enjoyed it, it’s full of dark humour and it’s very entertaining. A great read!’

About the Author

Gay Marris is a retired research scientist whose career focussed on insect ecology, parasites and honey bee health.  A Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder is her first novel, set in the deceptively dangerous suburbs of 1960s London, where she grew up.  Gay now lives in York with her husband, a cat and a tortoise.