Alys Cummings

I will do 👍🏻

I’m looking forward to finding out!

Thank you Void! 🙏🏻

Absolutely delighted that Murder Most Cryptic is going to be published in the US 🥳

We *will* get the cryptic to catch on Stateside.

Oh and I was so excited I added a couple of gfx to the official trade announcement, but kept it v subtle and British-understated so not sure if you’ll spot them.

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Good morning. We are open. 📖☕️

When it’s Monday morning and you need just a few mins before you get up and at ‘em.

A smiling woman outside the National Theatre

A rain soaked National Theatre at dusk, lit up by gold and purple lights, which are also reflected on the wet ground

Wherever I go and whatever I do, walking across Waterloo Bridge to the National Theatre, even (especially?) on a drizzly dark Monday evening, will always, always make me happy.

Thinking about a book dedication so here are a few I love from some of my favorite authors. The dedication to a string of letters, for the lack of letters particularly has my ♥️

With thanks to Josephine Tey, Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Caudwell and Robert Crais.

I received The Vanished Bride as my secret Santa from Bert’s Books and was delighted! It’s now next on my list to read and really looking forward to it 🙂

Ah, thanks - glad you’re enjoying it!

Thank you! Appreciate your feedback 🙂

Cryptic crossword No 3,134 · MyCrossword Solve Cryptic crossword No 3,134 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 32 clues by Penelope. Published Tue 17 Feb 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

The sun is shining and I’ve uploaded a puzzle on to mycrossword for the first time. What a brilliant site it is.

Here are some tasters…

Explosive snort before stable-boy’s vault (6,4)

Baby bird’s noisy ring? (6)

www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/3134

A round orange sun rising and castling light over a silhouetted boatyard.

A round orange sun, rising over the sea, with a boat on the beach in the foreground and a silhouetted bird flying in the sky.

Sunrise over the boatyard and bay 🌅

My first Anna Sharpe thriller is out in paperback today so here’s the obligatory photograph of me looking awkward while holding a copy of my own book. Please for godssakes buy it. It got great reviews. People like it. And if you hate it, you can always use it to swat flies.

geni.us/NotesOnADrow...

A new copy of Unch magazine on a green velvet stool, with a black cat with green eyes sitting next to it and looking nosy.

The new issue of the fabulous Unch magazine has arrived and Teddy is curious.

Thanks @unchcrosswords.com 🙏🏻

Finish screen of mini crossword, showing you completed in 00.14 seconds

🥳

I get pleased when get a fast time and then get annoyed I’ve finished and not even had a chance to look at all the clues. No pleasing some people.

⏱ I just completed Mini Crossword No. 1,161 in 00:14. www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/puzz...

A teaset with blue roses, laid ready for tea. A plate of homemade chocolate brownies and a plate of slices of Mr Kipling Battenberg.

The title page of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials on Netflix.

It’s Sunday, it’s raining, so….

Ooh what deck is this??

Four pictures, top left of the front cover of Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce, a black crow on turquoise background with pink writing; top right wording in typewriter font saying ‘Harriet is absolutely the High Priestess of suspense’; bottom left, a tarot card showing the High Priestess, and bottom right, Harriet Tyce in her official The Traitors portrait

Just finished reading Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce and it is absolutely brilliant. If you think Harriet’s smart on the Traitors, you ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s out next month and I highly recommend, so gripping, so genius

So here are some of the high priestesses from my tarot card collection 💫💫💫

Happy birthday! 🥳

A revitalising trip to Barter Books in Alnwick today. Sent some from my shelves to a new home and got these instead 🌺 🕵🏻‍♀️ 🫏

Ah! Me too!

I keep forgetting I’m not on instagram and can actually add links 🤦🏻‍♀️ so here it is! baytales.com/event/the-ba...

Q. What’s the only thing that’s (very, very nearly) as much fun as reading a crime novel??

A. A crime fiction quiz!

Mix things up a bit, come along! 🕵🏻‍♀️

I’m very much looking forward to co-hosting a crime quiz as a fringe event following some brilliant panels @baytales.bsky.social

Newcastle's national writing centre may open to public in 2028 - BBC News The centre will support community writing and reading initiatives, according to New Writing North.

Keeping absolutely everything crossed for this! 🤞🏻 🤞🏻
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Red onion and banana soup for tea again until the snow melts

December Saturday morning 🌅

🙌🏻🙌🏻 Mr Train!

Shout out to anyone else who had Honky Tonk as their #1 🙌🏻😳

Great culture can save lives. Literally.

Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard