Haunting is how I’d describe The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O'Connor at Factory International. A mix of Sinéad’s narration from her memoir that’s poetical & dance set to her music performed by 10 women with 500 years of collective wisdom & experience. It captures her defiance, passion & spirit

Love the paintings by talented artist @chriscyprusart.bsky.social that are displayed throughout Mossley. His vibrant, colourful art brightens up the streets & captures the spirit, identity & history of the town.

Proud of my local writing group Mossley Writers who have published this collection of short stories, poems & musings to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Fantastic work from a brilliant bunch of writers (& people) - my own short story is included.

Couldn’t help but admire this horse’s hairstyle. It’s the mane event.

Can’t say I’ve read the Enid Blyton books - I don’t think I’m their target market - but I enjoyed the musical of Malory Towers at Home Manchester. A witty & clever production, as always from Emma Rice’s Company, with many lessons to be learned on girl power.

Like Chalk and Cheese by Colin Collier is a flowing, fun read full of intrigue. Set in the 90s, it follows global pop star Michael & his estranged siblings Jake & Alice as their paths cross again. It features romance, deceit & betrayal & focuses on relationships, sibling rivalry & music.

Not often the author plays a song at their book launch. Hats off to @cmacwritescrime.bsky.social, a fab event at @serenitybookshop.bsky.social last night - in conversation with insightful author Natalie Chandler then a song that’s in his crime thriller The Wrong Man.

A bit different for Manchester on a Saturday night. ‘Music of the Mystics’ at the Royal Northern College of Music featured a Sufi Qawwali performance led by group Fanna-Fi-Allah. It was beautifully hypnotic & joyous in its spirituality.

Find a penny, pick it up … I’ve no idea why these giant penny coins are in the beer garden of a pub on the Mossley border but I like them. Just not sure I’d be able to lift enough up to pay for a pint.

It’s great to see a film shot in Manchester for a change like Finding Emily. While you know where it’s going, the journey is fun & sweet & spotting all the iconic places is as entertaining as the plot. And Phil Wang’s Mancunian accent is bob on.

I know next to nothing about dance but have somehow seen several Hofesh Shechter shows & been fascinated by them all. His latest In Your Brain at Home Manchester was as hypnotic & rhythmic as usual - part rave, part ritual. Amazing music & dancing from frenetic to languid.

A bit of brass - here’s some snippets from today’s Whit Friday Brass Band Contest at scenic Seel Park, home of Mossley AFC. Known as “the greatest free show on earth”, the iconic musical tradition sees brass bands travel from across the country to perform at venues around Tameside & Saddleworth 🎺🎶

June is #NationalCrimeReadingMonth courtesy of @thecwa.bsky.social I’ve done my bit by writing a cosy crime novel! If you want to get involved & fancy ‘an absorbingly unusual murder mystery’ then #TheMargaretCode is available from bookshops & libraries 😁 Whatever you delve into - happy reading! 📖

Former I Am Kloot frontman John Bramwell charmed an appreciative audience at The Vale. The hilarious anecdotes were as spellbinding as the music & it was the perfect venue for his mellow, heartfelt tunes. He vowed to return to Mossley - & I’d be first in the queue.

Spotted this giraffe sculpture at Tameside Hospital. Known as “Mother and Baby” it’s above the entrance to the children's outpatients ward to provide a cheerful welcome for young patients. It’s lovely to see great art used in such a setting to brighten the building.

Love this colourful bridge created in Mossley of a desert mountain range scene. It was spray painted by local artist Lawrie Wiliams who is using his talent to transform neglected public places into vibrant murals. A drab spot has become a bright landscape.

Top tips for budding crime writers. Pen to Print have compiled advice from authors longlisted for the @thecwa.bsky.social 2026 Daggers Awards. My own contribution is among them. Link in the comments.

Improv is the hardest comedy to do but Kool Story Bro at Home Manchester found some comedy gold amid the chaos. Kiell Smith-Bynoe & his group of quick-witted comedians, alongside special guest Jamali Maddix, created sketches from crazy audience stories. Salford Val is now a local legend! 🫢

A fresh spin on a classic dance, Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty at the RNCM Manchester, uses glow-in-the-dark costumes to illuminate the fairy tale. Graceful movement & clever lighting made it a dazzling performance.

Following the “Wuthering Heights” film, I revisited Emily Brontë’s classic novel. Far from a romance, it’s a gothic ghost story on obsession, childhood trauma & generational damage - everyone is haunted. I find the cruelty, abuse & selfishness too unremitting. But there’s hope in its ending.

Still excited about my debut novel being on the @thecwa.bsky.social Daggers longlist among these great authors & books - as showcased on Waterstones’ website. It’s fantastic to see #TheMargaretCode take its place in such great company.

Bank of Dave: The Musical at the Lowry is joyous - it’s funny & heartfelt with catchy songs & poignant moments A David v Goliath true-ish tale of Burnley’s Dave Fishwick taking on banking bigwigs to support the community & give profits to charity If only all banks could be like the Bank of Dave

A classical concert in the deep end of a swimming pool! Victoria Baths, Manchester, was a unique & apt setting with superb acoustics for the wonderful Manchester Camerata last night. The mix of 2 pioneering composers from different eras - Beethoven & Anna Meredith - was fascinating.

Mossley in springtime when the sun is shining ☀️

I’m a Radiohead fan so No Surprises I loved Radiohead Reimagined - orchestral versions of their greatest hits performed by London Concertante at the majestic Manchester Cathedral as part of Candlelight Concerts. Clever adaptations to create a sublime soundscape.

Blending ballet with flamenco for an opera? Not something I’ve see before, but it works brilliantly in Carlos Acosta’s Carmen at Manchester Opera House. It uses an intoxicating mix of classical ballet, contemporary dance, flamenco & Cuban folk to tell Bizet’s tragic tale. Passionate & playful.

#TheMargaretCode has been spotted on display in Forest Town Library in Mansfield where I grew up. I frequented Mansfield’s libraries in my formative years, so delighted to see my novel on the bookshelves there.

The Cherry Blossom is blooming! Should we be more like the Japanese & revere the sakura, picnicking under its delicate petals while we have the chance?

Want to shop the Daggers longlist? We've made it oh-so easy for you... uk.bookshop.org/shop/TheCWA Let us know what you pick! #TheDaggers #TheCWA #IndieBookstores

Folk duo @lisaknappmusic.bsky.social & @gerrydiver.bsky.social performed a spellbinding set at The Vale in Mossley. Amazing vocals & multi-instrumental virtuosity combined for a beautifully haunting gig. It’s fantastic to have such a wonderful venue & talented artists on our doorstep.

Thank you so much CWA. It’s fantastic to be on this list. 🤩

I’m thrilled to share that #TheMargaretCode has been longlisted for a Crime Writers Association award. It’s an honour to be named among such fantastic authors & novels. Thank you to my publishers Little Brown, agent Sam Copeland & everyone who has supported my debut novel.

To us it’s an Ancient Egyptian monument that’s survived for thousands of years. For this little feathered friend it’s a place to build a nest. His bigger brother is as hard as stone & there to protect him! 😁

Wrong Place Wrong Time by @gillianmauthor.bsky.social is a riveting read that mixes a Groundhog Day concept with an organised crime thriller. Skilfully plotted, tense & taut, with a twist that pulls the rug right from under you.

Margaret is one year old! #TheMargaretCode was published a year ago today - thank you to everyone who’s bought or borrowed a copy & supported my novel in any way. And if you fancy reading ‘an absorbingly unusual murder mystery’ it’s available in all formats.

The Cherry Blossom trees are starting to bloom in Mossley, brightening up my walks. It must be spring now? Surely!

Happy Easter from Margaret & James - your favourite detective duo! #TheMargaretCode is out on paperback: sweeter than chocolate, more wholesome than an egg, chirpier than a chick & more playful than a lamb in springtime 😃

An Easter treat & it doesn’t cost a penny! You can get the Kindle version of fellow author Colin Collier’s novel Like Chalk and Cheese for FREE over the Easter Weekend. It’s got an overall 5-star rating after amassing a string of top reviews. Well worth snapping up!

Nephthys by @rachloudriscoll.bsky.social transports you to late 19th Century Egypt in a gripping tale of relics, curses & tragedy. Blending Victorian society with Ancient Egypt, it’s absorbingly atmospheric with unexpected twists. It was magical to read it during my own journey through Egypt

When a bridge blocks your progress cruising down the River Nile in Egypt & the local lads leap into action to use old-fashioned manpower & traditional mechanisms to swing it aside & wave you on your way 🤩 Thanks guys! 🙏

Egypt-style hot air balloon trip over Luxor during sunrise - from a motorboat ride across the Nile in the dark to a smooth landing. It was so tranquil floating above the ancient temples as the sun bloomed 🌞

Thank you to new publication Oldham Online for their fantastic article about #TheMargaretCode and my writing. It was a pleasure to be interviewed by them & to be featured in one of the first articles on their website. oldhamonline.uk/article/form...

Showing that I can put a shift in by grinding alabaster the old fashioned way at a traditional workshop in Luxor. The real artisans & their creations are in the next photo.

I’ve changed my mind about which tomb I want to be laid to rest in: the tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor are much more spacious & colourful than inside a pyramid I’ve chosen one belonging to Seti I, if he doesn’t mind King Tutankhamun remains at rest in his tomb

The decoration in the Temple of Hathor at Dendara is spectacularly colourful. The carvings of gods & pharaohs are how it would have looked thousands of years ago. 🇪🇬

The rock tombs of Beni Hasan, overlooking the Nile River near Minya, show the ancient Egyptians were so advanced that they listened to harpists, had back massages, played hockey, did dentistry & performed acrobatics thousands of years ago - a health & wellbeing guide!

Met a monk while visiting the Red Monastery & White Monastery near Sohag. The Red Monastery is stunning with its beautiful frescoes. Egyptians are the friendliest & smiliest people I’ve ever met.

Chosen my tomb for when the time comes. Plenty of room for books on the journey into the afterlife.

Made some new friends & found a new way to travel.

There’s something mysterious about this character. What secrets might it hold?