Undercover: Crime Shorts published at last and #18 on Amazon out of the box
I’m absolutely delighted to share my excitement at the publication of my very first collection
of short stories
UNDERCOVER: CRIME SHORTS
(Plaisted Publishing House)
Paperback and eBook – most digital platforms globally.
It will be out in paperback with Amazon soon and is already with Lulu.com as well as Barnes and Noble and many other platforms.
Undercover: Crime Shorts went straight into the Amazon Best-seller listings at #18 Mystery Collections and Anthologies, and in the top 50 for Crime, Thriller, Mystery Anthologies and in the top 20 for Crime, Thriller, Mystery Short Stories on the day of publication.
It seems like ages since I started putting this collection together.
I’ve always wanted to publish my short stories which I’ve written over a period of about 10
years and to date they number over 100 in total.
Of course, I’ve published stories in various anthologies – 15 in total – and I’ve written for
on-line newsletters and magazines, but I’ve never put out my own collection under one cover
until now.
And as you probably know I’ve co-written (Accent Press Ltd) a Women’s Fiction
novel with Christina Jones, Only One Woman, which is set in the UK music scene of
1968/69 and is a love triangle. It features lots of social commentaries, including the huge
world events of the era which shape the lives of the three main characters as well as featuring
so many cultural references: music, fashion, food, drink and more.
Plus I am working on the sequel to Only One Woman and my Crime/thriller Ms Birdsong
Investigates so I am not sitting back on my laurels.
Undercover: Crime Shorts is the first time I have published a book under my own name –
flying solo at last!
Undercover: Crime Shorts features 6 short crime stories plus a taster from my
Ms Birdsong Investigates series of novels which feature former MI5 Intelligence Officer,
Lavinia Birdsong.
In Ms Birdsong Investigates Murder in Ampney Parva: Operation Matryoshka – the first novel
in the series – Lavinia has been ‘voluntarily’ retired following a botched joint operation
with MI6 and is anxious to keep her hand in. She dreams of being taken back into the fold of
the Security Services and when given the opportunity she gets involved with the search for a
missing woman.
Ms Birdsong is soon up to her elegant neck in Russian Mafia people traffickers and Ukrainian
gun-runners.
The extract I’ve included is called Undercover and it is taken from a chapter some way into
the book when an informer is in danger of being discovered by the Russian crime boss,
Marko, for whom she works.
I do hope it interests my readers enough to read my Ms Birdsong Investigates series once
published – hopefully sometime later this year or early 2020. Ms B is in with my publisher,
Accent Press, so fingers crossed they love it.
Keep ’em peeled for Ms Birdsong Investigates Murder at Ampney Parva: Operation
Matryoshka.
The stories in Undercover: Crime Shorts have a variety of female protagonists and cover a
number of scenarios, including a Femme Fatale – Sweet Sable: The Red Siren
working the Hollywood Jazz clubs living off her wits and her sex-appeal enabling her to carry
out ‘stings’ on her male victims, to a female Hit Woman – The Look – seeking out and
dispatching her chosen victims with skill and ingenuity.
Undercover: Crime Shorts – my readers say:
Charlie Plunkett – reader says: Jane Risdon my pleasure lovely, praise where it’s due, you have written a fabulous selection of short stories and I will definitely look out for Ms Birdsong.
Fast-paced, well written, page-turner that had me so engrossed my train journey flew by. The author clearly has done a lot of research, these short stories all felt very authentic and each had me gripped and on the edge of my seat wondering how they would play out. It’s been a long time since I read anything quite so intriguing and twisty. It certainly got my heart beating faster and I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great murder, mystery.
Roger A Price – Former detective and author of Nemesis and Vengeance:
Undercover: Crime shorts is a wonderfully satisfying anthology of seven short stories which transcend above the crime fiction genre providing a ripping yarn irrespective of the reader’s crime fiction preference. Jane Risdon has cleverly stitched together a mix of tales to suit all fans of the genre.
Margot Kinberg – Associate Professor and author of the Joel Williams series:
What a gripping story, so well written. You’ve packed so much ‘punch’ into it, loved it. I really felt the rising tension and suspicion! You’ve captured the suspense of it beautifully and it is such a great set-up with good characters.
Gloria Clulow – Reader:
As with all your stories, I find them intriguing and unpredictable, leaving me wanting more; I don’t want them to end.
Stacy Margaret Allan – Author of Sorrow Dreams:
Wow, Jane, this is one of the best stories I’ve ever read! It doesn’t matter that it is so short, I was right there with her and this blew me away. You are such a good writer!
Jeff Lee – Author of Chump Change, The Ladies Temperance Farewell Tour and Scrotus:
Jane Risdon is an author of exceptional talent. When you get the opportunity to read her work you certainly should, she is an awesome talent. She gives a view in her writing which is both full of imagination and technique. an author who knows exactly how to convey her thoughts and ideas to her readers and her writing is of a calibre and quality only seen in the very best authors.
Tina Jaray – Reader:
Wow, I could hardly breathe while I read this. Glad it was short or I would’ve joined the corpse!
Dave Michael Prosser – Author of The Barsetshire Diaries and more:
What a fantastic story. I was glued to the screen and stopped work which means another late night (thanks).
I hope to publish more collections in the future.
https://books2read.com/b/4jD0wo
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-cover-cri…/1130007355
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RFRVL4P
http://www.lulu.com/…/under…/paperback/product-24082039.html
https://www.facebook.com/JaneRisdon2
Categories: Blog
Congratulations, Jane! So happy for you, and it sounds like a terrific read. 🙂
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Jennifer, many thanks. Yes, for me although I’ve published a novel, and 15 anthologies included me, this is a first for me on my own. I hope folk enjoy it. I have 4 reviews on Amazon to date and dead chuffed with them. Thanks for dropping in. Have a fab week. xx
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Reblogged this on Wilfred Books and commented:
A flying start for Undercover: Crime Shorts, by Jane Risdon
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Jon, much appreciated. Thanks x
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Many congratulations Jane. Wishing you continued success.
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Ah thanks so very much, I am chuffed but in the naughty corner with Facebook at the moment so unable to share. I am there until 20th. Hoping you are well and life good, not seen much of you of late, but I have been off-line sick so not around much either. Thanks xx
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Thank you Jane. I have a blog post scheduled for tomorrow which will explain a little. xx
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Oh cool I will look for it – I hope I can reply. I seem to be getting hammered left right and centre on social media. I shall share for you. xx
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Thank you Jane. Your support is much appreciated. xx
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I try my best and you only need ask me and if I can help with anything I shall do my best. xx
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Shared your blog on my author Facebook page so hope you get some traffic tomorrow too. xx
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Thank you. That is terrific. Today’s post is really important.
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Grand. Going over now.
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a fab post, have tweeted and commented.
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Congrats, Jane!
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Cynthia, I am so chuffed to get it out at last, started trying to do it last August! I’ve been sitting on about 100 for yonks. My publisher won’t publish collections for one author so I thought I’d give it a go. Fingers crossed. I’ve done if for me. If anyone likes it then that is a fab bonus. Appreciated. xx
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Delighted for you, Jane!!! Wishing you much success with this!
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Margot thanks so much and hey guess what? Facebook immediately lock me out for a week so I cannot do any promotion on groups etc. Deep joy.
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Yes, I saw that you were in FB ‘timeout,’ Jane – unbelievable! I hope it all gets sorted so that won’t happen to you again. How frustrating!
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All I did was open FB, never got any further. LOL
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