Lambeth Croak: Writing a Crime Series

The reasons I decided to make Lambeth Croak into a series rather than a stand alone book were three fold.

1. I Love the Main Character

I first came up with the main character and principle investigator in the series Bev Stone, twenty years ago when I wrote a Chandler pastiche for a writing class. Over the years I have written a couple of short stories and three unfinished novels before I came up with Death Came Stalking and the idea of the Lambeth Croak Series. 

I can't explain why this particular character is so important to me. Yes, there is some of myself on the page as there will be for many writers, particularly those with a series in mind, but at the same time she is nothing like me. She's childless for instance, while I have a large family, we're both dog lovers and have both survived domestic violence. Originally I wrote her as a simple private investigator but over the years that has changed, she is now a writer and social researcher (again like me) and a reluctant detective (not me). I don't know how the series will fare, nor how popular a character Bev might be, but I intend to keep growing with her over the foreseeable future.

2. I Love and am Familiar with the Setting

 I grew up in South London and as a child was often taken on shopping trips to Brixton in South London. Later, during my first marriage I lived in the area, and for a while in the actual road where Bev has her flat. if you've never heard of Brixton, the area became infamous during the riots of the nineteen eighties. I just love the feel of the place and its (as a rule) well adjusted multicultural atmosphere.

Situating my character in Brixton meant that it seemed sensible to me to make her of dual Irish and Afro-Caribbean heritage. As I have four dual heritage grandchildren I am well aware of the difficulties they face growing up in Britain. Having a character of similar background means that as time goes on there are other issues to explore.

3. Alter Ego

To some extent Bev is an alter ego for me. She does things that I have never really managed, I still can't drive for instance and although I can be as stubborn as she, I don't have the courage to get involved in things in the same way. Whether readers will feel sympathy with this particular character I don't know. Beta readers did find her engaging and sympathetic, it remains to be seen whether others will do the same. What does your series character mean to you?