Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder: A Novel by Melinda Mullet. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder: A Novel
by Melinda Mullet
A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder: A Novel
Traditional Mystery
First in Series
Setting – A houseboat along Regent’s Canal in central London
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books
Publication date : July 29, 2025
Hardcover Print length : 320 pages
Charming yet wickedly imaginative mystery ghostwriter Maeve Gardner finds herself at the center of a murder investigation with more twists and turns than any story she’s ever written, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz and Richard Osman.
Maeve Gardner kills people for a living. A dodgy occupation perhaps, but as ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hills mysteries, Maeve has planned the perfect murder time and again, and she enjoys it. She dreams of writing something under her own name someday rather than babysitting her adopted character Simon, but at least she’s writing. And as one of the burnt-out souls who’ve run away from dry land to live on London’s waterways, she has the joy of working from the home she loves: a colorful houseboat. Life on the canals is grand, but when her cheating ex-boyfriend turns up floating facedown in the water outside her boat, murdered, and the police arrest her, the plot takes a wayward turn.
Suddenly, Maeve is thrust into one of her own crime dramas, complete with missing money, violent thugs, extortion, and conspiracy. Only this time, there is no real-life Simon Hill to come to her aid. Instead, with the help of friends from the river—India, owner of a popular floating bookshop; Paul, the exceedingly attractive landlord of the local pub; and Ash, Maeve’s quiet, nerdy neighbor who is keeping some secrets of his own—Maeve may have a shot at saving herself.
As Maeve and her motley crew of would-be investigators find themselves wondering if they are in over their heads, a killer lurks and won’t hesitate to kill again…
Author Guest Post
When I write stories, I tend to write about places that I feel a strong affinity for––places that bring me joy. A Ghostwriters’ Guide to Murder is no exception. The story of ghostwriter Maeve Gardner and her dog Captain Jack plays out along the Regent’s Canal in the heart of the city of London.
Regent’s Canal is part of an historic network of waterways that runs throughout Britain. The canals once helped transport goods from the docks on the River Thames up to the northernmost parts of the country. Barges were pulled by horses and maneuvered through locks to bring their cargo and passengers from London and into the canal network. The canals thrived until the railroads came into full force transporting goods and people at far greater speeds.
Today, tourists often miss this charming part of the inner-city landscape. There are still miles of picturesque waterways that flow through the heart of town and provide a delightful respite from the chaos of city life. In recent years the number of river dwellers has exploded, particularly as rents in London have skyrocketed. Permanent mooring fees aren’t cheap but compared to apartment rent they can feel like a bargain. Is it any wonder so many folks have run away from life on dry land to join London’s urban armada?
Regent’s Canal is one of the most popular neighborhoods for houseboat dwellers. As a child growing up in and around London, the towpaths along Regent’s Canal were a favorite haunt of mine. Even now, when life becomes particularly stressful, I still dream of buying a floating fixer-upper to serve as my own London retreat.
Sadly, I’m still boatless, but I am living vicariously by setting my newest mystery A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder along the canals of central London. My protagonist, Maeve Gardner, kills people for a living. A reluctant ghostwriter, Maeve is paid to construct perfect murders, and truth be told she rather enjoys it. She dreams of writing something under her own name someday, but in the meantime, she finds peace in the post-Covid routine of working from her longboat the Writer’s Revenge. That is until her ex-boyfriend turns up floating face down in the water adjacent to her boat, and the police are convinced she’s gone from penning murders to perpetrating them.
Writing Maeve’s story gave me the chance to immerse myself in the life of the Regent’s Canal liveaboard community. You might not expect it, but most boats are equipped with all the mod cons––heating, fully functioning kitchens, showers and often even washers and dryers. To get the real flavor for this magical setting, I’d recommend walking or cycling the towpaths. From quaint Little Venice you can follow the towpath east as the canal meanders past Regent’s Park, and along the backside of the Zoo. As a child I loved hearing the sounds of wild animals floating out across the water––it made me feel like a jungle explorer!
At the Cumberland Turn you’ll find a bright red Chinese building called The Feng Shang Princess. This floating Chinese restaurant is essentially a pagoda balanced on a barge in the water. Lunch here was a favorite treat when we were out exploring. After lunch we’d head for Word on the Water, a floating bookstore housed in a 1920s Dutch barge near King’s Cross Station. The boat is stuffed with books of all kinds that often spill out onto tables on the towpath. Word appears in Ghostwriter’s Guide as Maeve’s friend India’s shop the Book Boat.
I bought my first copy of Wind in the Willows from Word on the Water. I loved hearing my father read about Ratty and Mole living life on the water. Ratty lived to simply mess about on boats. He said it was good for the soul, and I agree.
Today the main tourist attraction on Regent’s Canal is the markets at Camden Lock. The area is best known as the birthplace of the Punk movement in the late 1970’s with bands like the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols performing in small local clubs. I have fond memories of the venues from my teenage years, and I’m happy to say that the rebellious vibe has been carried on by contemporary performers. In recent years, Amy Winehouse, was immortalized with a statue at the entrance to the Stables Market.
The Stables Market was once the place where draft horses were supplied and housed as they worked pulling commercial barges along the canals. There were farriers and stables and watering holes for the men who accompanied the horses. The stables have since been repurposed to house amazing food vendors and a warren of shops offering new and vintage items. During the day it’s a bustling hive of activity, but at night its cold echoing brick tunnels make the perfect backdrop for a chase scene and an attempted murder.
Tempted to give it a try for yourself? There are several agencies that rent houseboats for holidays. It’s a great adventure and a chance to immerse yourself in the new nautical way of life.
About Melinda Mullet
Melinda Mullet is a dual US/UK national. Formerly a lawyer specializing in communications, media, and entertainment law she is now enjoying a second career as a mystery writer.
Melinda is the author of the Whisky Business Mysteries, a six-part series of traditional mysteries set in and around a boutique single malt whisky distillery in Scotland. And coming in July 2025, the first of a new traditional series, A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder, set on a houseboat along the Regent’s Canal in London.
Melinda is a travel junkie and a life-long advocate for children’s literacy causes both domestic and international. When she is not in the UK, she lives just outside of Washington, DC, with her whisky-collecting husband and two wild Covid canines named Bailey and Captain Jack.
Author Links
Website: https://www.melindamullet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mulletmysteries/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melindamullet/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-mullet-b499564b/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16251039.Melinda_Mullet
Purchase Links – Penguin Random House – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Books-A-Million
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A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 30 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
July 30 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
July 30 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 31 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 31 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
August 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
August 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUES POST
August 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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