Spring in the Cotswolds and Thief’s Mark

With spring here (finally!), I find myself remembering April visits to the English Cotswolds. I couldn’t help but be inspired to write what became Thief’s Mark. It’s an incredibly part of the world, the perfect place for us to find mysterious, enigmatic Oliver York and his farm.

“A crime thriller of rare depth and complexity.” Providence Journal

A murder in a quiet English village, long-buried secrets and a man’s search for answers about his traumatic past entangle FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan in the latest edge-of-your-seat Sharpe & Donovan nov

… Read More

Read More >

Early signs of spring in Vermont and Ireland

Hi everyone!

Early spring here in Vermont means maple sugaring. I love seeing the traditional buckets to collect sap but tubing is more prevalent. Sugarhouse visits are a favorite activity this time of year, including in my hometown in western Massachusetts.

And I love, love visiting Ireland in spring. Bluebells! Lambs!

A number of my books are set this time of year. My work-in-progress Sharpe and Donovan novella is set in April. I can’t wait to get it into readers’ hands!

A memorable scene for me is when Olivia Frost and Dylan McCaffrey meet in Secrets of the Lost Summer on a not-gr… Read More

Read More >

Irish Roses for Valentine’s Day :-)

Hello from cold, snowy Vermont. We won’t see roses in our garden for quite a while, but I love looking at photos of roses. These are a few of mine, taken casually in Ireland. Southwest Ireland in particular is a prominent setting in a number of my books from The Angel to the Sharpe and Donovan series, starting with Saint’s Gate. 

Enjoy, and I hope your 2026 is off to a great start wherever you are.

Red roses on a wall in Killarney National Park:

Red and yellow roses in beautiful Kenmare on the southwest Irish coast: 

… Read More

Read More >

Happy Thanksgiving 2025!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From my Vermont hilltop home, my best to you for a wonderful day. 

We’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner with our gang, with all our favorites. I’m making dinner rolls from scratch this year for the first time in a while. We’ll see how it goes. 

Do you have a Thanksgiving favorite? Mine is apple pie. Nothing fancy, just good apples lightly sweetened with a touch of cinnamon, and a buttery crust. But I’m not fussy. It’s rare I’ve had bad apple pie.

Enjoy the day, and check back soon for news and updates about new tales coming your way (yay!).

Again, many thanks, as always. … Read More

Read More >

A recipe for applesauce spice cake and maple buttercream frosting

Happy autumn! Here’s one of my favorite cake recipes, a real indulgence and a favorite as the leaves turn color and the temperatures cool. I love it with maple buttercream frosting, recipe below. Soooo good.

I try to use my own homemade applesauce. There’s nothing quite like writing away with applesauce bubbling on the stove and a fire in the woodstove. Just can’t get too absorbed in the writing and forget the sauce and the fire! APPLESAUCE SPICE CAKE

Ingredients

2½ c. all-purpose flour

 

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. g… Read More

Read More >

A spring hike in Woodstock VT

We live on the doorstep of beautiful Woodstock, Vermont. Here are photos from our recent hike up Mt. Tom via the Faulkner Trail and then down via the Billings and Precipice Trails. It had rained hard the day before, making for some soggy sections, but what a great day to get out in nature as I write away.

Enjoy!

… Read More

Read More >

British crime fiction from book to screen

The first time I binge-watched a television series was on a long flight from Dublin to Boston. I immersed myself in multiple episodes of the often grim but always gripping British series “Spooks”—“MI-5” in the U.S. with its dark world of conflicted agents and deadly plots.

Since then, I’ve binge-watched a wide range of British crime series. Some of my favorites are based on book series.

Endeavour

A young Endeavour Morse, smart, awkward and dedicated, solving crime with mentor Fred Thursday in 1960s Oxford and surroundings, based on characters created by Colin Dexter.

Here’s a photo o… Read More

Read More >

Spring on the southwest Irish coast

The snow is melting fast now on our Vermont hilltop, with green grass, flowers and tulips not far off. Spring in northern New England! I’m loving the longer, warmer days, but I also love this beautiful time of year on the southwest Irish coast. It’s one of my favorite places.

Lambs hiding in tall grass. Pink blossoms on a “secret” trail. Wildflowers on a hedgerow.

I can walk forever this time of year (that’s me in my Irish mack!). I’m always refreshed when I return to writing.

Wherever you are, happy spring, and happy reading!

… Read More

Read More >

Happy New Year!

Here’s to a wonderful 2025 for you and yours!

May your year be filled with good books and a comfy spot to read, whether it’s tucked by a fire or a pool or some other place you love to turn pages.

My 2024 didn’t go exactly as planned (sigh) but I look forward to getting new titles in readers’ hands in 2025.

Meanwhile, happy new year, and happy reading.

Note: The photo is a winter sunrise on our hilltop in Vermont.

 … Read More

Read More >

Ah, Boston, for real or in fiction

Boston has served as a setting for a number of my books. I think of it as my city, although I live on a hilltop in northern New England. I attended college in Boston, and Joe and I lived in a cute (as in tiny) Beacon Hill apartment when we were first married. We went back for a year when our daughter was small. Now our adult children and our grandchildren live in the Boston area.

Let’s just say my love of this great city continues and my frequent visits inspire new scenes, characters and stories.

I was struck recently by this quote from iconic author Mary Stewart:

“If you create a place properl… Read More

Read More >