My agent:
1 East Cliff Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9AD
My UK publisher:
Headline Publishing Group
338 Euston Road
London
NW1 3BH
Telephone: +44 (0) 207 873 6000
Email: enquiries@headline.co.uk
And in the US
Pamela Dorman Books/Viking
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 366-2546
Me:
imogen.robertson(at)gmail.com
I have just finished reading Island of Bones and feel that a visit by old friends has come to an end. I have never posted a single comment regarding any book I have read, but your books are so full of atmosphere and rich characters that I just wanted to extend my congratulations and thanks for sharing Gabriel Crowther and Harriet Westerman with the world. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
Like your previous correspondent I have never contacted an author in the past although I am an avid reader. But I read Instruments of Darkness and was hooked! I have now read all three books, recommended them to relations and friends and look forward to the release of your next book. Congratulations and well done!
That’s lovely to hear! And thank you for recommending them, it makes a big difference. I think I only ever contacted one author to say I liked their books before I got published. If I knew then what I know now I’d have done so a lot more often. It really is greatly appreciated.
I have to agree with the others. I just finished Circle of Shadows and once again was happily carried away by this unusual “family” on another nail-biting adventure. Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther are one-of-a-kind, rich satisfying characters– as are the Clodes and Graves familes and other friends. It will be interesting to see the children grow into their own parts in future books as they mature. I can already picture Harriet’s son grown up with his own ship to command. Please say you will carry on with this series!
If you ever decide to attend any of the crime writing festivals, please put Bristol’s Crimefest on your list. It would be great to see you on a panel.
Thanks, Lauren. My boyfriend is very keen of Stephen getting his own ship too! I hear great things about crimefest. Hope I’ll make it up there sometime soon.
Very much enjoyed Anatomy of Murder. A deft weaving of two strands of plot. Please note, however, that on pg. 125 and 265, it should be “any more,” two words, not one. Sorry, I used to be an editor!
I shall forward that on! Very glad you liked Anatomy. (You should see the state of my MS though, enough to make an editor weep. Flora and my copyeditor save me a lot of embarrassment)
I am just about to embark upon the second chapter of Island of Bones (about which I am quite excited). But I am already burning with questions about your inpsiration and sources for the book. I have a special interest you see, as I live in Keswick and work at Barrow House (a youth Hostel)on the shores of Derwent Water, which was built by one Joseph Pocklington, an 18th Centrury eccentric who had three houses in the area, the most famous of which was on Derwent Isle. Derwent Isle appears to be Vicars Isle on your map at the beginning of the book, but it was definitely known at the time Pocklington’s heyday – from about 1776 to the turn of the century – as either Derwent Isle or Derwent Island. I was therefore wondering how much of your locations were fictional and how much are real. All the other places on the map, eg Gutherscale, are named now as they were then, so I did wonder about Vicar’s isle. And, even though no-one likes a pedant, I’m going to go ahead and risk the ire of many and point out that the river marked “Derwent” on your map is, in fact, the River Greta – the same as the Earl in your book (which would make sense really….). The Greta joins the Derwent further along and becomes the Derwent all the way to Cockermouth (where it merges with the Cocker and on to the sea at Workington). Phew! Got that off my chest and feel SO much better now…Anyway, I would be really interested to know how you came to write the story and what historical sources you came across in researching it. Right, back to the book and chapter two!
Hi Fiona,
I know Barrow House, walked by that way a couple of time while we were researching! What a wonderful place to live. I spent a lot of time in the Lakes when I was a child, so that’s where the inspiration for Island began. I’ll reply properly in a day or two about the specific inspirations for the book. Sorry for the dealy but I got married last weekend and we are in Darlington this weekend for a big family party and we are all cutting up salads and roasting beef for the party at the moment, also all my notes are down south so I don’t want to tell you I got something from one source when I got it from another. You’ll find some information in the Historical Note at the back of the book, and some of the references used. I shall check up about our renaming of the Greta too and why we did that. Certainly Pocklington was a big inspiration for my museum owner in the book. Right, sorry, got to get back to the cooking. Hope you enjoy the book in the meantime…
Hi Imogen,first i must apologise for taking so long to getting round to reading Circle of Shadows but i blame Goldsboro Books for having so meny good authors who produce such great reads and there is not enough hours in the day and my pile to read just keeps growing. My expectations for my next adventure with Harriet and Gabriel were always high,but i did not expect the bar to be rise as high as it was in Circle of Shadows,which for me is the the best of the four booksto date,i do hope we have more to come.Your creation of the Dachy of Maulberg was a delight and having all the gang exploreing the secrets of the palace as the body count mounted was just great,but for me dropping into the mix Manzerotti was the iceing on the cake.I also enjoyed Pegel,a nice mixer of a man of action and style.So far this year i have read three top grade Historical detective fiction,first there was Rory Clements Traitor,followed by S.J.Parris Sacrilege and now your good self with Circle of Shadows.More of Harriet and Gabriel as soon as possible please.
Reading “Instruments of Darkness”, I was so very pleased to find a book that was everything I love in a good mystery-engaging characters, intriguing plot and beautiful writing-until, for absolutely no good reason, Ms. Robertson chose to show no regard for her reader or to be consistent with what had been the integrity of her characters. She chose to write an unnecessary act of extreme animal cruelty, with the same vividness of description as shown throughout her prose. Characters, portrayed as enlightened, even noble, stood by watching as a loyal, old dog was poisoned and died in agony.
A good writer can write his or her way around any dilemma. There could have been any number of alternative methods devised to test for poison. To portray characters, supposedly working to right a wrong, testing poison on a dog, sanctions such an act and makes those characters hypocritical in their regard for life. Again, there is no excuse for inserting a scene like this, in an otherwise enjoyable read. I did not finish the book and will not read another book by this author or recommend her work. I am very disappointed. I was looking forward to reading what I’d hoped would be a long series. I am certain that I am not alone in finding the animal cruelty offensive. Thankfully, animal cruelty is becoming far less tolerated in our society. The author should be aware of this. Respectfully, Roberta Stewart, Columnist for the World Animal Foundation.
I’m sorry that you were so upset by the death of the dog in Instruments, and sorry that I’ve not made any response till now. I was still on my honeymoon when your comment appeared and frankly, I don’t think we are ever going to agree about this but as I just answered the comment below, here’s my reply. I believe that in that time, with their resources and with the murders mounting up around them, this is what Crowther and Michaels would do. Being a good writer is not just about trying to find ways out, I think it is about being as true to your characters and their time as you can.
I find all cruelty offensive. The scene is not there to titillate but to show the extremity of the situation. There is no element of sadism in it. Harriet in particular, made vulnerable by her involvement in the case identifies strongly with the dog, though she accepts they need to know if the bottle is poisoned.
Dear Ms. Robertson:
Although I much enjoy your books – have just finished reading Anatomy of Murder – I would suggest that you find a new editor.
You may not know – although I feel you should – but your editor should be aware that when a person is strung up by the neck until dead he is NOT “hung” he is “hanged”. “Hung” refers to beef, venison or other comestibles; to a picture on a wall, or curtains. A person is always “hanged” and your editor is not much good if he/she does not know this.
Yours sincerely,
N. J. Callis (Mrs)
Member of the The Queen’s English Society (http://queens-english-society.com/)
Dear Mrs Callis,
I’m sorry you found ‘hung’ rather than ‘hanged’ annoying, but I think your suggestion that I fire my editor is rather harsh.
An editor has many roles in the production of a book; commissioning it, championing it with the marketing, publicity and sales teams within the publishing company, overseeing the production, working on the cover design and copy and so on and so on. The most important part of his of her job as far as I’m concerned though is working with the author on the book as a whole, offering guidance and suggestions on structure, character and plot as well as enthusiasm and support during the dark and confusing times all writers go through.
My novels are much better than they otherwise would have been because of the hard work my editor puts in and the discussions we have together. I am very grateful to her. After she has my final draft, a copy-editor works through the manuscript line by line checking for spelling mistakes, checking proper nouns are correctly spelled, spotting punctuation errors and so on, as well as double checking that after all the writing and re-writing, dates and days of the week within the book are still consistent and accurate. She has saved my blushes more times than I can count. However in a work of more than a hundred and twenty thousand words, some errors will creep through. I hope you do not think something is worthless because it is not faultless. We do try and keep mistakes to a minimum.
As for what I should or should not know, that is a difficult one. I can only hope that what skills I have make up for those I lack.
I rely on my editor for an expert, sympathetic reading of my work as it develops, and on my copy-editor for her patience with a dyslexic author who tends to get caught up in the flow. With apologies, I think we’ll stick together as long as we can.
Yours sincerely,
Imogen Robertson
Dear Ms. Robertson:
The use of “hung” rathr than “hanged” is not JUST annoying – it denotes extremely poor knowledge of the English language. If you are dyslexiic then I consider that you do a fabulous job – in fact I consider that you are a fabulous writer in any case! But SOMEONE is letting you down very badly to have let this mistake pass.
Sincerely,
N. J. Callis (Mrs.)
Well, after our correspondence I certainly won’t forget the distinction! I’m glad you like my writing otherwise and hope you have a good Christmas.
With best wishes,
Imogen
Thank you for responding. However, I believe you do your characters a disservice. The 19th Century was an era of scientific awakening, as witnessed by your protagonist’s interest in anatomy. I respectfully suggest that Crowther might have been able to test for poison with chemicals common his day. Failing that and although no animal deserves a painful death, I cannot see how you can justify the murder of a dog, when rats certainly were more than plentiful and easily put to the same purpose. Rather than being true to your characters, you diminish them by your choice. You are right, we will never agree and, in this era, when the humane treatment of all animals is still something we must fight to achieve, we at World Animal Foundation support only film makers and authors who are more sensitive to this issue than you are willing to be. Roberta Stewart-World Animal Foundation Columnist
Thank you for your comments.
I’ve just finished Circle of Shadows and am already suffering withdrawal pains. I started Instruments of Darkness on February 14 and, as you can imagine, have done little else since then except read your four novels. Please tell me there is a fifth on the way…and soon, I hope.
I’ve enjoyed the entire series immensely. Your characters and your settings are all so well drawn, and your plots so intriguing, that it is difficult to pick a favorite. However, I believe that Island of Bones is my favorite so far. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series…and many more.
Wow, February 14! Thank you, that’s very good to hear. I’m actually writing the next one in the series at the moment. It’ll be published in Spring 2015 if all goes well. I have a special fondness for Island of Bones too, probably because I love the Lake District so much. In the meantime I’ve a novel set in the belle époque, The Paris Winter, coming out in the UK in April. I’m very pleased you enjoyed the books and thanks again for taking the time to let me know. It’s much appreciated.
Just finished “Anatomy”! How I missed it I don’t know, after reading the first and third. All I can say is, awesome, awesome, awesome. You’re magnificent. A true wordsmith, and storyteller. Thank you. Pre-ordered #4!
P.s. Island of Bones? Wow.
Ahh, shucks! Thanks, Mike. Hope you like Circle of Shadows too.
Can’t wait….almost the best part! Kinda like Xmas!
I just finished ‘Circle of shadows’ and it’s a pity that we have to wait till spring 2015 for a following book. I love them all very much.
I am a flemish reader, reading in english because your books aren’t translated, but i can read them without problems.
Thank you and good luck with the next story
Thank you! I’m very glad you’re enjoying them.
I have just read a sample of Paris Winter and love it already. Being an art teacher who travels to Paris a lot, it’s great to see some of my favourite places mentioned and has made me feel very nostalgic! You have done a fantastic job and I have waited eagerly for the release of this book no other author I have read in between your books has grabbed my intrigue and imagination. I am surprised by the some of the negative comments people have made here regarding supposed inaccuracies – some people just have too much time on their hands! Just ignore these and keep up the excellent writing :)e
Thanks, Rachel! I get a lot of support and kindness from readers such as yourself, so it’s no problem if some people have gripes occasionally. I hope as an art teacher and francophile you don’t find anything wrong in Paris Winter. Again, thank you for those kind words and I shall certainly keep writing. Promise!
Love the Westerman and Crowthers Mysteries any new offerings in the near future?? You’ve created an addict — if you have a newsletter for updates, please put me on the list — Thanks for the many hours of enjoyment you’ve offered in your books!!!👍👍👍👍
Delighted you like them! Depends whereabout in the world you are. I’m finishing the MS of the fifth Westerman / Crowther mysteries now. It’ll be out in the UK next spring. I don’t have a news letter, but if you like my facebook page that should let you know when things are happening. The fourth H&C, Circle of Shadows, comes out in the US next month. Thank you for stopping by.
Thanks for the update — I just finished “Circle of Shadows” and will check out Facebook — located in Boynton Beach, Florida — will look for the new installment in the spring!!!
Hi Imogen!
Just wanted to say how much I love your books!!! I’ve read the first three so far (and recommended them to countless friends too) and my paperback copy of Circle of Shadows has just arrived so I’m beyond excited! I live near Sedgefield in County Durham and was very pleased to see that you come from Darlington….Do you ever do any book signings up here? I have been asking Waterstones in Durham for your books on several occasions and they did not realise you were a local author originally. Hopefully they will stock your books soon as a matter of course :-).
All the best to you and your family and keep up your wonderful writing!
Julie
Thanks, Julie, I really appreciate it, and it’s very kind of you to recommend me to your friends. I must admit when I’m up in Darlington I normally spend most of the time seeing family. Mum and Dad occasionally throw me a signing party though, which is nice of them! I get shy about hassling bookshops to let me come in and sign, but maybe this year I’ll be a bit braver. If I do I will mention it here on the blog, and I have an author page on facebook which I’ll keep updated too. Thank you again for those very kind words, and I hope you enjoy Circle. All best, Imogen
Dear Imogen,
Thank you for sharing your gift with us! Your books are a delicious treat I cannot wait to devour. You truly are a wordsmith. I love how you reveal the depths of your characters throughout the series and how it gives us a greater understanding of them at well-paced intervals. You keep us wanting to know them in even greater ways-the mystery behind the mystery. This is one reader who leaves your “literary table” fully satisfied and wishing to dine again as soon as possible. Again, thank you for blessing us with your talents. I look forward to seeing what you “cook” up in the future. 😉
That’s very kind of you. Thank you so much, I’m delighted that you are enjoying the books and the characters. All best wishes to you!
Sadly, I just finished my last adventure of Crowther and Mrs. Westerman, “Island of Bones”. I first read “Circle of Shadows” and was firmly hooked. Even though I read the series out of order it did nothing to lessen my enjoyment of their pursuit of the bounders and miscreants that populate the 18th century. The opposite was true; I was eager to know how they came to be. The characters are so finely drawn I wonder that they are not in production for future installments of Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. Ralph Fiennes as Crowther? Cate Blanchett as Mrs Westerman? Please, please tell me there will be more pairings of this fascinating pair.
Thank you! Yes, I think that’s great casting and I’m glad you didn’t mind reading the books out of order. I’m actually editing the next one at the moment, so it will be appearing in the UK in May next year. It’s called ‘Theft of Life’. Thanks again, it’s very kind of you to get in touch.
I sent this to PBS/Masterpiece Mystery Theatre:
Imogen Robertson has introduced two of the freshest, engaging crime solving duo ever; Crowther and Mrs. Westerman. Read Instruments of Darkness, Anatomy of Murder, Island of Bones, and Circle of Shadows and I think you’ll agree they belong on Masterpiece Mystery. Showcased during the 18th century she has woven real history into the lives of victims and suspects alike. Please tell someone about this writer!!! Ralph Fiennes or Gary Oldman as Crowther? Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet as Mrs. Westerman?
I wish I could win the lottery and I would put the money up to bring these stories to the screen.
Dawn, you’re a star! If they make it I shall take you to the party. All best, Ix
just finished ‘instruments of darkness’ and really enjoyed it. i’m not usually a fan of historical fiction; but these characters seemed so real because of your fantastic writing. i can’t wait to read the other books you’ve written. question: i’ve visited penguin, viking, and p.dorman books websites and can’t find you listed as one of their authors. neither can i find any sort of contact list on this website. please allow your admiring fans an opportunity to know when you have a book released by starting an email list. thank you very much
I’m so glad you liked it! There is a list of my books published in the US on the Penguin site.I found it just by searching for my name on Penguin.com That said, I’ll certainly have a think about starting an email list. In the meantime, thank you again for those kind words.
Just placed an order for “The Paris Winter”. I’ll be on pins and needles waiting for it to arrive in my mailbox! And looking forward to the next Crowther & Westerman adventure. Imogen Robertson rocks.
Dawn, I just read your suggestion from last month about Masterpiece – Terrific idea! I think I could handle Colin Firth as Crowther, as well. But Kate and Cate are blonde. A redhead for Harriet, I think. Forgive an Amercan suggestion but maybe Jessica Chastain would do …just an idea.
Kate and Cate have donned many different hair colors throughout their respective acting careers. I was thinking more of the many strong women they have portrayed so well. I love Colin Firth. But I do feel the actors must be British. How can we get the right people to put these great characters on the screen?
Don’t know how, but at least you’ve planted the seed. Well done – we’ll see what happens!