We are delighted for Laurence Anholt, whose thrilling murder mystery Festival of Death (Little, Brown) is published today in UK paperback. The second instalment of the Mindful Detective series is set among the roaring crowds of Glastonbury and follows detective Vincent Caine and his partner, DI Shanti Joyce, as they try to uncover what really happened to Ethan Flynn, a superstar singer who gets electrocuted by his own guitar in front of 175,000 witnesses on the Pyramid stage.
Early reviews for this gripping story have been nothing short of positive, with Kate Ellis describing it as ‘quirky, compelling and thoroughly enjoyable‘, and L C Tyler noting it as ‘an entertaining murder mystery‘. It was also given a glowing review by Devon Life, which wrote ‘Laurence’s plots are incredibly well-thought out and have depth, emotional intelligence and elements that set his work apart from the standard murder mystery‘. To celebrate the launch of this twisty paperback, Laurence will be speaking to Caroline Maston on the UK Crime Book Club about his book tomorrow on 7th May at 7.30pm. If you can’t wait that long though, you can catch Laurence in conversation with fellow writer Jason Webster here!
Now, welcome to the world of the Mindful Detective…
When Ethan Flynn, charismatic vocalist of supergroup Stigma, is electrocuted by his own guitar in front of 175,000 witnesses on the Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival, suspicion falls on his tyrannical twin, Tyrone.
Leading the murder investigation is Buddhist detective, Vincent Caine, and his partner, DI Shanti Joyce. To Shanti’s consternation the pair have become known as ‘the go-to team for weird stuff in the West Country’ and few crimes come weirder than this. Amidst the pulsating beats of the festival, the unlikely duo struggle to untangle the wildly conflicting statements of minders, lovers, drug-fuelled roadies, and dodgy divas.
Against the mystical backdrop of Glastonbury Tor and the tiny Somerset village of Kilton, the terrifying trail leads Shanti and Caine from clairvoyant Tarot readings to the cryptic lyrics of a lost song, cunningly concealed by the tragic superstar.
Can the unlikely mix of Shanti’s down-to-earth pragmatism and Caine’s intuitive sleuthing skills solve this most singular of murders? Is the future of the world’s greatest festival in peril? And what happens when two consummate professionals are forced to share a tent in the steamy heat of summer?
In a career spanning 30 years, Laurence Anholt has produced more than 200 books in dozens of languages, for every age from babies to adults. These include his newest venture into adult crime fiction, Art of Death, and the multi-award winning Young Adult novel, The Hypnotist, published by Penguin Random House.
A huge congratulations on this very special day, Laurence. And if you haven’t bought yourself a copy yet, you can do so here.
