Death of a Princess
by R.N. Morris
Summer 1880.
Lipetsk, a spa town in Russia.
The elderly and cantankerous Princess Belskaya suffers a violent reaction while taking a mud bath at the famous Lipetsk Sanatorium. Soon after, she dies.
Dr Roldugin, the medical director of the sanatorium, is at a loss to explain the sudden and shocking death.
He points the finger at Anna Zhdanova, a medical assistant who was supervising the princess’s treatment.
Suspicion also falls on the princess’s nephew Belsky, who appears far from grief-stricken at his aunt’s death.
Meanwhile, investigating magistrate Pavel Pavlovich Virginsky arrives in Lipetsk from St Petersburg, seeking treatment after a nervous breakdown.
Against his better judgement, Virginsky is drawn in to the investigation. But is he getting closer to the truth or walking straight into a deadly trap?
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Guest Post – My writing regime
Coffee is an essential part of my routine. I have a mug which I got in New York with the word “Kawfee!” on the side. I couldn’t find it this morning and now I’m worried that I won’t ever be able to write again.
The view from my desk looks out over the neighbours’ garden. They have a coat hanger on the roof of their shed. I spend a lot of time trying to work out how it got there. Maybe it landed in one of the recent storms? Occasionally one of the local cats climbs up to look at it. They seem as mystified as me.
Sometimes I’m joined by my writing partner, our own cat Moomin. She insists on a certain number of tummy tickles before we get down to work. She also likes to insert random letters into the text by lying on the keyboard. Alternatively, she positions herself between me and the screen, staring me down while purring ridiculously loudly. I can’t work out whether she thinks she’s helping or is being deliberately obstructive.
I aim to write at least 1,000 words a day. I’m more productive in the morning, with a second cup of coffee at 11-ish to keep up my energy levels. I think it was Hemingway who suggested you should break off when things are going well so that you can pick up where you left off the next day. It’s good advice but I generally stop when I’m exhausted and can’t write anymore.
Then I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea for the next scene.
PS – I found the mug – it was in the microwave. I must have got distracted, let my coffee go cold and then forgotten about it!
About the Author
Roger (R.N) Morris is the author of 18 books, including a quartet of historical crime novels set in St Petersburg featuring Porfiry Petrovich, the investigating magistrate from Dostoevsky’s great novel Crime and Punishment. These were followed by the Silas Quinn series set in London in 1914. He has been shortlisted for the CWA Duncan Lawrie Gold Dagger and the CWA Historical Dagger.
A former advertising copywriter, Roger has written the libretto for an opera, modern retellings of Frankenstein and Macbeth for French school children. He’s also a scriptwriter for an award winning audio producer, working on true crime and history podcasts including The Curious History of your Home.
His work has been published in 16 countries.
Married with two grown-up children, Roger lives in Chichester where he keeps an eye out for seagulls.
Author Links:
Website: www.rogernmorris.co.uk
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Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001JP9XXA
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/608784.R_N_Morris
