Intrigue at The Old Swan Hotel

Taking Stock and Pressing the Reset Button

The Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate

Hello and welcome!

It has been an exciting week with the publication of my cosy crime novel, which has finally been released into the big wide world.

A “Fabulous Murder Mystery”

The Mysterious Disappearance of Marsha Boden is a gripping murder mystery set in a tranquil rural village. Dark secrets are revealed after Marsha goes missing and the tension and the suspense build into a sinister tale, skilfully created by the author. There's a diverse set of characters beautifully portrayed and adding depth to the narrative who become amateur detectives and the story evolves to demonstrate the impact of secrets in a small community. Eventually, the contrast between village life and the underlying suggestions of crime make this a really gripping read. The characters are carefully described and add to the complex plots but remain always realistic in the way they develop. I was kept in suspense right to the end and would recommend this as a great read for everyone who enjoys a good English mystery with a very satisfactory ending. Captivating! Susan Sharp

Thank you, Susan, for that wonderful review!

As luck would have it, my husband and I booked a break away in the spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. What a beautiful place we chose to relax and unwind in. There is an abundance of great places to eat, both during the day and in the evening, and so many interesting places to visit, including the Royal Pump Room Museum, which is a fabulous building housing all sorts of artefacts and interesting information documenting the local mineral springs, for which the town is famous.

Everywhere we go there are beautifully tended gardens and flower beds, bursting with colour, hanging baskets that would make any gardener proud and the attention to detail is heartening to see. The town is clean and a joy to wander around.

In the surrounding areas, we visited York Minster, an imposing and fascinating cathedral, Castle Howard, which is famous for Brideshead Revisited, the iconic novel by Evelyn Waugh, and nearby Knaresborough, which has the Nidd River meandering gently in its midst watched over by the imposing viaduct pictured in the link to Harrogate above.

But as a crime writer and a lover of mystery novels, I was particularly intrigued by The Old Swan in Harrogate. Not only is it an atmospheric old-style hotel, which is like stepping back in time with its revolving door and panelled walls, it is utterly charming and captivating. It is here that Agatha Christie chose to hide away for ten days in 1926 when she went missing following the announcement by her husband that he was having an affair and asked her for a divorce. The couple quarrelled and Agatha Christie left their home in Surrey, kissing her sleeping daughter, Rosalind, before she left, leaving a letter for her secretary saying that she was going to Yorkshire. In the hotel foyer, I read about how she danced among the guests in the Palm Room (having signed in under the false name of Mrs Teresa Neele from Cape Town) and all the while, the world was on tenterhooks wondering where she was. Bizarrely, the woman her husband had fallen in love with was called Nancy Neele. You can read all about the strange case here.

There were many theories as to why Agatha Christie ‘disappeared’, one being that she had a nervous breakdown following the death of her mother earlier that year. Others speculated that it was a publicity stunt. I am going to add my own theory as to why this prolific and brilliant crime writer, whose books I adored reading as a youngster, chose to go AWOL. Following the loss of her mother and the request by her husband for a divorce following his infidelity, perhaps this lady just needed to take stock and step back from life for a while. Or perhaps she was getting back at her husband. Some say she did it to make the police think he had murdered her. Her crime writer’s mind never let up.

Whatever the reasons Agatha Christie chose to disappear for ten days, one thing is certain. She couldn’t have chosen a better place to take stock and reset her life, if that is, indeed, what she was doing. She went on to become one of the most prolific and famous crime writers of all time and remains the best-selling novelist of all time. That is one heck of an accolade.

Of course, no visit to the area would be complete without enjoying afternoon tea at the famous tea room, Betty’s, which has been serving delicious treats in a warm and friendly atmosphere since 1919.

Naturally, you would have to round off your trip with a visit to The Old Swan or better still, stay there and soak up the atmosphere and elegance of days gone by, while taking stock and slowing the pace of life down to a manageable speed.

Thank you to everybody who has sent warm wishes on the publication of my book. I can’t begin to tell you all how much it means to me to have the support and kindness of so many people around me.

Have a wonderful week.

Best wishes,