The other day, in a deep dark wood, I stumbled across various reviews of my Abbot Peter detective series, all gathered together.
It reminded me that I have a new Abbot Peter story written, ‘A Hearse at Midnight’, set in an undertakers in Stormhaven.
I haven’t offered it for publication yet. The Abbot failed to get much national attention, which is why I hesitate.
But never say never, and in case you were wondering about dipping your feet into the murky water of murder, here are some outsiders’ assessments of the series so far.
‘Cunningly plotted, scary and darkly funny . . . the dialogue crackles as crisply as ever’. Source: Church Times
‘Abbot Peter is a true original’. Source: Daily Mail
‘To a long list of much-loved detective pairings, which includes Holmes and Watson, Poirot and Hastings, and Morse and Lewis, we must now add Abbot Peter and Tamsin Shah.’ Source: Church Times
‘He is a brilliant creation. Clever. Rounded. Articulate and real. It may take a few years for him to be accepted as one of the greats. But . . . he will be.’ Author: Tim Hastie-Smith, National Director of Scripture Union
‘The characters that Parke pens are convincing, and the dialogue is rich and entertaining.’ Author: The Revd Professor Nicolas Goulding Source: Church Times
‘Highly original . . . very different from most detective stories.’ Source: Clerical Detectives
‘An engrossing page-turning thriller, propelling the reader through its multiple twists and turns and keeping one guessing until the final unpredictable – yet satisfying – denouement.’ Source: Irish Independent
‘A nicely plotted, swiftly paced yarn, full of teases . . . Parke evokes the creepiness of the setting marvellously. He has a stunning ear for the way people actually speak, with pages of uninterrupted dialogue flashing by with the speed of a radio play.’ Fiona Hood Source: Church Times
The series so far, in order of publication, (tho’ each is self-contained) ‘A Vicar Crucified’, ‘A Psychiatrist Screams’ ‘A Director’s Cut’ ‘A Very Public School Murder’ and ‘The Indecent Death of a Madam.’
