johnburns

johnburns

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Last week's position: 612

first registered 05.01.10

last online 3 hours ago

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about me

I have had seven books published - a series through Pan Macmillan, two others with Corgi TransWorld and a ghosted autobiography with Geffen Tel Aviv. I am presently trying a new series on a South Indian restauranteuse, Queen Victoria, who solves murders and assorted mysteries. I have the first five chapters written.

favourite books

Lucky Jim, The Great Gatsby, The Third Policeman, anything by P.G. Wodehouse, The Quiet American, The Outsider, Treasure Island, The Wind in the Willows, Two Women of Rome, Comfort Me With Apples, Thurber's Fables

my websites

    

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my books

Queen Victoria and the Yellow ....

John Burns

A lost dog, a stolen scooter…and a spicy murder.

All are on the menu at Queen Victoria’s Empire Restaurant.


On a hot summer’s night in Canapur, a thief steals Queen Victoria’s prized scooter.

Yes, yes, the police will find it. But only when they’ve solved their more pressing cases.

Such as?

Such as the Englishwoman’s lost dog. Perhaps if Queen Victoria could help with that, they might…

And so begins her career as an amateur detective.

Soon she is asking awkward questions. Why is the Englishwoman offering such a huge reward for a yellow street dog? And why did the goondah who stole Queen Victoria’s Honda dump it unscathed with a full tank of petrol.

Then a new darker question arises: how did the beautiful and rich Sunita die alone in her locked penthouse.

Queen Victoria sifts through all the ingredients and finds out what’s really cooking in Canapur.

(Cover image: Carlos Porto)

 

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latest

AuroraNemesis wrote 2 days ago

I would be very grateful if you could find the time to check my book ....

Davidmauriceware wrote 3 days ago

Hello gifted writer, I would like to take this time to personally inv....

Diwrite wrote 19 days ago

Dear John, Pascual lost his birthday in the Spanish Civil War. No....

EMDelaney wrote 21 days ago

http://www.authonomy.com/books/36969/one-wrong-turn/ Making a wr....

A G Chaudhuri wrote 24 days ago

Dear John, My apologies for this unsolicited message. I'm pleas....

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my comments

latest

I wrote 4 hours ago

A brisk no-nonsense opening with the family pecking order swiftly served up, and the central mystery - all in a dozen paragraphs. The tempo will suit young readers, and Ricky's mix of obedience and rebelliousness is one with which they should identify. There is a shade to much telling instead of sho... view book

I wrote 29 days ago

There is a real quirk to all of these yarns which gives a terrific rug-pull ending to each. The storytelling en route to the denouments is engaging with the characterisation deftly sketched, and never at the price of pace. Although SF isn't my favourite genre, I feel these make a winning cross-over... view book

I wrote 113 days ago

There is an immediate warmth to your story, so that one instantly is with Maddy. The mishaps at school might have been better detailed and both instances used were confused. Her home life is brightly and briskly painted in, though Mum becomes well night invisible after the Phoenix Sanctuary visit. I... view book

I wrote 135 days ago

Dear John, Thank you indeed for your generous words. I was delighted that Paradise Garden made the Desk - is there any news of publication? If you are ebooking it, please let me know. I would (along, I suspect, with many others) be keen to buy it. The best of days. John view book

I wrote 135 days ago

I understand your desire to make the narrative urgent and testerone-fuelled, but very often it rides on a wave of neat hysteria, to the detriment of the story. On the positive side, the tension is well realised and you cleverly unspool the back story. Your palette lacks colours, so that Jason is ei... view book

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