The launch event for a new book in the Whitstable Pearl series offers a chance for 2 people to have their names appear as characters in the next book in the series.
Whitstable residents may well spot a familiar image on the cover of a new book, Murder at St Alfred’s, due to be launched on June 10th, and those attending an event that night organised by WhitLit, will get a chance to have their names appear in the next book after author Julie Wassmer picks two names from a hat on the night.
‘It’s always nice to be able to include real names for characters in my books, as it’s something I’ve done in the past, with people’s permission,’ says Julie, ‘so we’ll be asking anyone who wants to take part to simply write their names down on a piece of paper, two of which I’ll then choose at random at the end of the event.’
The 11th novel in the Whitstable Pearl crime series, Murder at St Alfred’s has a storyline featuring a prominent local church but Julie has been keen to make clear that both the murder mystery at the heart of the novel and its location are entirely fictional.
She explains, ‘I know readers have noticed a distinct resemblance between the church on the cover and the real-life St Alphege Church in our high street but as I’ve mentioned in a note at the end of the book, St Alfred’s is as fictional as my Whitstable Pearl vicar, Rev Pru, who actually appeared in the very first book in the series in 2015. But St Alphege’s high street location did serve as inspiration for St Alfred’s and the book is very much my tribute to several churches in Whitstable which comprise our local Church of England ministry.’
A former TV drama writer, Julie began writing the books in 2015 and later became Executive Producer of the TV series, Whitstable Pearl, based on the novels and starring Kerry Godliman as private detective/restaurateur Pearl Nolan, and Howard Charles as her partner in crime, Canterbury-based DCI Mike McGuire. There have been more than a few hiccups in Pearl and McGuire’s rocky relationship but as Julie explains: ‘In this book they’re actually on the brink of getting married – at St Alfred’s – when two fateful events threaten the happy occasion; the discovery of a body on hallowed ground and the return of a ghost from Pearl’s own past.’
Originally made for the subscription channel Acorn TV, 3 seasons of the TV series Whitstable Pearl are now streaming free on U&Drama and Channel 4 about which Julie says: ‘All would-be viewers need to do is just register for free on either of those channels to view the show, the third season of which was actually being filmed when my last book, Murder at the Allotment was published in 2024. I was very grateful to several members of the cast who came along to that book launch at Whitstable’s literary festival, WhitLit, as we donated all the event proceeds to the local charity Tankerton Football Club.
The launch event for Murder at St Alfred’s will take place at 7pm on June 10th in the theatre of the Whitstable School, Bellevue Road, Whitstable CT5 1PX. Tickets are available now from: https://whitlit.org/:
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