Interview by JWT Book Adventures

A Llanrwst Christmas Not Worth Dying for is based on a true murder that happened in Llanrwst, North Wales, on Christmas Day, 1937.

Caroline Williams is accused of murdering her husband, William, with a horrific knife wound to his neck.

The doctor and police arrived to find the blood flowing from an horrific knife wound in William’s neck. William had been a cruel, itinerant, out-of-work, lame hawker, who got offensive when he drank and left Caroline penniless and hungry, living in a squalid, condemned house. But she loved him. People had often witnessed her wielding the knife. She called it her ‘protection’. It was her way of keeping herself safe in their constant arguments

Caroline confirmed to the police that it was just the two of them in the house, which was her downfall, as she was arrested, although she vehemently stated she was innocent. She had no memory of committing the act. Her son, Edward, tells her to say it was Robert, whom William thought she was having an affair with. However, Robert had an alibi. Caroline was taken to Court, listening to the doctors’ reports and the witnesses' statements. What followed was a gruelling court case, trying to fathom out the truth within the lies and deceit that her sons had used to try to save their mother from the gallows. However, even though the Jury had requested mercy, the Judge donned his black cap, and she was sentenced to hang.

This book is about prejudice and how the legal system pre-judges guilt. Her defending lawyer put up the flimsiest of defences – he was obviously sure she was guilty and didn’t want to defend her, especially as Caroline was an illiterate gypsy, in Wales, not able to read or write, living in a dirty slum, and naïve in respect of the law. She was not even allowed to go into the witness box.  He did present the case to the judge of Caroline being tried for murder or manslaughter.  The jury could only decide whether she was guilty of murder or not.

Throughout the investigation, I have added notes where I felt the case had truly let Caroline down, bringing to light, via a fictitious Cold Case Team, the inconsistencies in the police investigations and trial. In my view, Caroline could not possibly have made such a deep wound in William’s neck as she suffered from neuritis in her hands and could just about slice a loaf of bread. Her hands were either numb or burning. Someone else must have murdered William.  Police investigations did not find anyone, but that’s not saying there wasn’t another person, who slipped in via the back door.   

I have also given an indication of how an investigation would have been carried out nowadays.

Caroline’s sentence was repealed to life imprisonment, after an initial unsuccessful appeal, followed by a campaign, when the verdict was finally overthrown and ascertained as being a miscarriage of justice. After 20 months in prison, Caroline revealed the truth about the murder – a truth that is truly unpredictable – and yet another lie, possibly made up by her sons! I prove that it could not have happened in that way, but it led to Caroline finally being released.

This particular book is a stand-alone book.

I heard a podcast about the murder.  The guest was indicating that Caroline Murder was indeed guilty.  I was intrigued and decided to look into this further.

There is no-one who is my inspiration.  I moved to Staffordshire in 2016 and started researching the area.  I came across the Pottery Riots of 1842, which I had never heard of.  Then, hearing that a local nursing home had ghosts, I thought of the possibility of linking the two.  As it happens, the nursing home, Ash Hall, was actually built by Job Meigh (a major potter at the time), for his own villa, and he was paramount in the Pottery Riots, being a magistrate. The rioters also descended on Ash Hall and threatened to burn it down. That book, Footsteps in the Past, actually turned into a trilogy – The Secret and John’s Story. From there, I have now written eight books

I take great interest in thoughly investigating true, historical events.  I want to find something that will interest me, as well as my readers, something not run-of-the-mill.  There are murders that happen every day, but there's got to be something that is different about a particular murder, such as "A Llanrwst Christmas" book, where I am 100% sure Caroline didn't do it.  Or, in the case of "The Barlaston Murderer - Leslie Green", why did a basically friendly sort of a guy, although he wa a petty thief, actually commit such an horrendous murder. In this case, I was taken by Leslie Green denying all along that he was ever there, and had been asleep in a park bench in Stafford at the time of the murder.  He also walked into the local police station and said, "I hear you're looking for me." Now what brutal murder and thief of £3000 jewellry (price as at 1952) would do that - he'd be well away and out of the country?  So, I have looked at a possibility of him having multiple personalities - meaning he didn't know he was there and thought he was asleep in a park bench.  I delve into the psychology behind what turns a young lad into a brutal murderer and to develop DID (dissociative Identity Disorder).

I wrote a biography, in 2013, after my return from living in Belgium.  The book is called Escape from Reality.  I also wrote two short detective novels about two true-life murders/suicides that had happened in Belgium.

I have no plans, at present, to write any further books. However, if an interesting story comes my way, possibly.

There are so many authors out there, trying to get their books seen. It is an impossible situation.  Literary agents are swamped and most enquiry letters go direct into the bin.  Then there are so many scammers around, wanting to advertise your book, but are asking for money to do so.  No legal, professional publisher will ask you for money.  If a publisher accepts your work, you will receive an official contract. 

I have self-published all of my books, as I have written multiple letters to literary agents, who have shown no interest, even though I did a course on how to write the exceptional enquiry letter that will get a literary agent's attention. 
So I have got myself a marketing manager (at great expense), who has produced a brilliant website plus numerous videos and posters I can use to promote my work, which I do to all the social media platforms and various Facebook sites where you can advertise your books.  The marketing manager is also looking at promoting my status on Goodreads and Amazon and is also going to look at getting my memoir infront of a literary agent and, if not help with the advertising after self-publishing.
What I also do is attend fairs and table top sales with my books.  I have produced at 7ft banner also, which I put in place at my table.  The banner references a QR code, which links directly to my website. My marketing manager is also in the process of producing quizzes, which will be added to my website, to draw interest from possible readers.  The quiz will offer a free book to the first to answer.

I am looking at the possibility of a historical novel about a 12th century hall in my local area - a sort of 'house through time' - who lived there over the centuries, the wars, the intrigue, the love stories. However, I plan to write it like the hall speaking - these walls have ears! So what the hall has seen and felt, with bullets piercing its walls during the civil war as so forth.  

It's just an idea at present.