Sam Blake's Blog
May 1, 2024
Read it First: Something’s About to Blow Up
My next YA thriller Something’s About to Blow Up is out on 23rd May, and you can read the opening chapter here! If you prefer to see the *actual* opening pages in a pdf, click here.
Something’s About to Blow Up takes us back to Raven’s Hill School…When an explosion rips through the chemistry lab and six girls are injured, the first thought is that it’s an experiment gone wrong. Then the guards start investigating and suspect a bomb. But if so – who was it targeting, and why? Ella, Becky, Maeve and Mackenzie are rushed to hospital, along with the injured Frankie and Sorcha, who team up with Jess to try to find out what actually happened. But what they discover is more sinister than even they could have imagined…
MONDAY*
THE SCIENCE BLOCK RAVEN’S HILL SCHOOL11.20 a.m.
Frankie
As Frankie hurried into the Raven’s Hill School science building, she had many things on her mind, but getting caught up in the explosive events that were about to unfold wasn’t among them. Not even close.
She would have had to have been psychic for that.
And if she had been psychic and had had any idea of what might happen in the next 24 hours, she could have saved herself, her friends, her family, her teachers and the Guards a whole lot of drama. To say nothing of public humiliation, life-changing injuries, death threats and prison.
But Frankie wasn’t psychic, so right now, getting Becky’s iPad back to her before Chemistry began was her priority number one. And that was looking increasingly unlikely unless she moved super fast.
Priority number two was making sure everyone had reviewed their group video English project, so she could submit it before the lunchtime deadline. The internet cutting out at home last night had been a major crisis, for her and all the guests at the Berwick Castle Hotel, if the irate American at the front desk was to be believed. Her parents, who ran the hotel, had tried to keep every- one, including Frankie, calm. But they couldn’t work magic.
Living in a hotel had definite advantages, but some big disadvantages too. At least Frankie had saved the last video edits before the Wi-Fi went down. Becky’s ideas for the presentation had been so creative and clever, everyone would have killed her if she’d lost them.
Frankie mentally kicked herself as she hitched her backpack higher onto her shoulder with her free hand, holding on tight to the iPad in the other, and pounded up the last flight of stairs.
She was such an idiot for not setting her alarm this morning. And why had she put on her school jumper? Now, the winter sun was streaming through the glass walls that surrounded the architect-designed staircase. It was like a fishbowl. A hot fishbowl, and Frankie was starting to understand how a boiled fish might feel.
If she could just get the iPad back to Becky and get straight on to History she’d only be a few minutes late, and then at least only one of them would be in trouble.
She was just glad she’d pulled her dark hair up in a high ponytail today so at least some air could circulate around her neck. She could feel the sweat running down her back already. And her face had to be at least as bright red as the wool of her jumper.
But she didn’t have time to worry about that now.
Getting to the top landing, Frankie paused for a split second and tried to catch her breath. The sprint up just proved her cousin Sorcha was right: she needed to get fit. Why was the Fifth Year Chemistry lab on the third floor? And who built classrooms six flights up anyway?
Becky would have full justification to never speak to her again if she didn’t get the iPad back before class started. She was having enough problems with Chemistry as it was. And if Frankie landed her in it, after Becky had worked so hard on the project and lent her the iPad over the weekend, she knew she’d feel horrible forever.
Becky had only moved to Raven’s Hill in third year, and they’d been in different forms lower down the school. When Frankie had first met her, she seemed nervous of everything and just wanted to please every- one. Once she let down her defences enough to trust you, she was an absolute mine of fascinating, random information, and really creative, but it took a long time for her to trust. Ages, actually.
Frankie pushed open the glass doors at the top of the stairs into the bright white tiled hallway and power- walked through them, trying not to run. Teachers had a way of materialising when you were running in the corridor, and she really didn’t need a detention.
If her little brother Max hadn’t dropped Frankie’s own iPad none of this would have happened. But then if she hadn’t left the group project to the last minute and been up all Sunday night working on it, she wouldn’t have overslept and been late this morning in the first place. Maybe her mum was right, and she was spending too much time with Danny. Or ‘mooning over Danny’, as her mum said. Today was already proving to be the worst Monday on record.
Speed-walking past the Applied Maths room, then the Biology and Physics labs, Frankie glanced in through the glazed panels in the doors. Applied Maths was already underway, and she could see a crowd of girls in white lab coats in Physics, but the other room looked empty. Could she risk running?
Chemistry was in S12 at the very end of what felt like the longest corridor in the school. But the teacher, Mr Murray, always took a few minutes to get everyone settled, so if she stuck her head in the door, Frankie was sure she could hand the iPad to Sorcha to pass back to Becky. If Mr Murray had started already he’d be mad, but at least Sorcha was always at the front. Frankie could just whiz in and whiz out again. And pray he didn’t give her a detention for interrupting.
She was almost there. And the door was open, so it looked like the class hadn’t started yet.
That was one good thing …
Frankie heard the sound before she felt the impact. Like a punch to her stomach.
There were probably only microseconds between them, but one moment she was heading for the Chemistry lab door and the next she was falling backwards and hitting the floor. Hard. And the ceiling was coming down on top of her.
And then it all went black.
Preorder your copy of Something’s About to Blow Up at your favourite book store, or preorder online at any of these fabulous shops. If you’d like a signed, dedicated copy, order from Halfway Up the Stairs and add the message you’d like me to write on their order form.
I do hope you enjoy it! And if you haven’t met the girls from Raven’s Hill before, don’t worry, you don’t need to have read Something Terrible Happened Last Night to get caught up in the explosive drama in Something’s About to Blow Up!
February 12, 2024
Three Little Birds in the News
Three Little Birds is getting incredible reader feedback and this week is in its 5th week in the Irish top 10!
Here’s some of the coverage to date, with links to watch back, although I wouldn’t recommend taking my financial advice – Chris McGale is the man you need to follow!
Sunday Independent (February 4th)
Ireland AM with Virgin Media (January 31st)I had such a lovely chat with Muireann O’Connell and Tommy Bowe – they are both huge supporters of Irish writers.
Pen names and princes, facial reconstruction research, Bob Marley, the two Paul’s and Dr Carla Steele – and Cat Connolly! Where else would you get it on a Wednesday morning?!
You can watch back: https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/player/show/Sam-Blake
The Sunday Times (January 28th)Three Little Birds flew into No 8 in the overall Irish bestseller list – and was No 3 in the Irish Times Original Fiction chart snapping at the heels of my pals the two Paul’s. Very good company indeed!
Huge thanks to everyone who is reading, reviewing and sharing, it means the world!
What’s the Story? (January 28th)
‘What’s the Story?’ kicked off the new year in January with fabulous host Tara Lynne O’Neill, who was joined in studio by Emma Doran who reviewed Munich Wolf by Rory Clements and international best selling author Andrea Mara who delved into Three Little Birds by Sam Blake.’ And what a wonderful review from Andrea!
‘What’s the Story?’ is a monthly book show created by Eason in partnership with Virgin Media, featuring exclusive author interviews and book reviews. Now available on Virgin Media Player, and you can watch back here:
Watch ‘What’s the Story?’ on Virgin Media Player
The Meath Chronicle (January 27th ) – Review by Anne Cunningham
https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2024/01/27/wild-atlantic-way-anthology-has-some-surprises/
“There’s plenty of action and intrigue, not to mention lightly worn but meticulous research on the part of the author to keep the reader engaged right to the end.
Sam Blake is the nom-de-plume of literary agent, author, publication consultant and founder of the writing.ie website, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, who has tirelessly championed the cause of dozens of emerging Irish authors over the last twenty years. Since her debut, Little Bones, in 2016, she has proven herself to be up there with the best when it comes to crime/noir novels. This novel is grim in parts (very!) but it’s an utterly immersive thriller.”
Irish Independent Book Review (January 14th)“With deft plotting, pacey writing and a dramatic finale, this is one to devour.” – Breda Browne
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/skull-in-lake-leads-to-an-immersive-pool-of-grim-secrets-in-three-little-birds/a404640847.html
When divers find a skull in a lake in Coynes Cross village in Co Mayo, Dr Carla Steele, a forensic facial reconstruction specialist, is called in by Detective Sergeant Jack Maguire to assist in the investigation.
Carla runs the forensic anthropology and computer enhancement department at Garda Headquarters and works with skulls to build a model of the face of the dead person to help with the identification process. Her job is to find out the who, so others can find out the why.
She’s quickly able to tell Jack that the skull belonged to a young female and had been in the water for a number of years. With fracture lines evident, she also reveals that whatever happened to the victim involved a blow to the head. But how and why had she ended up in the lake?
Carla and her girlfriend Dr Grace Franciosi, a forensic psychologist who fronts a cold case series on TV, travel to Coynes Cross to see the victim’s last resting place. While there, the pair are shocked when a local woman is found murdered. When another copycat murder follows, fear spreads over the locality.
How is the killer choosing his prey? Why are they positioning each body in a particular way? And could these murders have anything to do with the skull discovered in the lake?
Three Little Birds, the 10th novel from Irish author Sam Blake, is an immersive thriller that offers a fascinating insight into forensic facial reconstruction. Dr Steele is a memorable protagonist and, combined with Grace’s psychological nous and Jack’s intricate police work, the trio make a formidable team.
With deft plotting, pacey writing and a dramatic finale, this is one to devour.
‘Sam Blake has written another cracker of a crime novel with just the right amount of technical detail. It also has an emotional core’ – Colette Sheridan
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41305144.html
Ticket, The Irish Times Culture Magazine with Martin Doyle (January 13th)Thanks to Martin Doyle for these brilliant questions and for running my answers in today’s Ticket, the Irish Times Culture Magazine – the Orient Express is definitely on my bucket list!!
RTE Culture 5 – your cultural highlights for the next seven days (January 12th)
Newstalk FM (January 11th)I had a great time chatting to Pat Kenny, Newstalk FM about Three Little Birds.
Pat is such a huge champion of books, we talked forensic facial reconstruction, where ideas come from and detail!
You can listen back here 
- https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-pat-kenny-show/author-sam-blake-on-her-new-book
Big Issue – Patricia Scanlan’s Book Club Picks (January Issue 2024)https://irelandsbigissuemagazine.com/assets/images/laptopmagazinepdfs/January2024Laptop.pdf
The Belfast Telegraph (January 6th) – Review by Aine Toner
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/books/new-reads-for-the-new-year/a1375720593.html
“Dr Carla Steele is a facial reconstruction expert working within Garda headquarters in Dublin. Upon hearing that a skull was discovered in Loch Coyne, Carla’s interest is piqued. Visiting the site, she wants to gather information about not only whose skull it is, but also how they lived their life. She and partner Grace — a criminal psychologist — team up with DS Jack Maguire and the trio work together nicely… which is handy, as a body is later discovered in the area. All three will have different skills and insights on hand to help solve the whodunnit. To be able to maintain a reader’s attention over 500 pages, keeping them turning the pages, also takes skill and, once again, Sam Blake has demonstrated her writing prowess.”
The Gloss Magazine (January 4th)‘A gripping and dark thriller perfect for the January fireside‘ – Edel Coffey
https://thegloss.ie/the-best-books-to-read-this-january/
Three Little Birds is a Dubray staff recommended read (January)https://www.dubraybooks.ie/pp/recommended-reads
Myles McWeeney Irish Independent (January 1st)
Dr Carla Steele has a most unusual profession. She’s the director of the Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement department, affectionately known as FACE, at Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park.
She and her small team can take a skull and quickly make a three-dimensional recreation in clay and latex of the victim’s head and face. Carla’s skill is particularly useful in cold cases, as her creations help identify the victims and bring closure to the families of missing people.
When DS Jack Maguire from the village of Coyne’s Cross in Mayo arrives in her office with a skull just dredged up from the seabed, Carla and her life partner, the eminent and extremely elegant criminal psychologist Professor Grace Franciosi, find themselves plunged into a real-life murder enquiry. When she and Grace decide to spend a weekend in Coyne’s Cross to see the spot where the skull was found, Carla and Jack Maguire stumble across the gruesomely displayed and mutilated body of a woman, one of two sisters who own the ‘big house’ outside the village.
Ever since her best friend Lizzi had disappeared many years ago, Carla felt her task in life was to bring the dead home. Now the living need her just as badly as the body count in Coyne’s Cross begins to mount. Can she, Grace and Jack unearth the secrets of the past and stop a serial killer determined to keep them buried? Highly entertaining.
https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-novels-short-story-collections-published-2024-6245954-Jan2024
Huge thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed Three Little Birds – without the support of the media, bookshops, book bloggers and reviewers, readers might not be aware of it – THANK YOU!
January 23, 2024
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin elected new Chair of the Board of the Society of Authors – Press Release
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, novelist and founder of writing.ie, takes over from Joanne Harris to begin two-year term as Chair of the SoA’s board of directors.
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, who writes crime as Irish bestseller Sam Blake, has been unanimously elected Chair of the Society of Authors’ Management Committee – the SoA’s member-elected board of directors and charity trustees – at their January 2024 meeting. The position has been held since 2020 by Joanne Harris, who has now come to the end of her second two-year term.
The Management Committee meet six times a year to govern the direction of the SoA. Twelve elected members, alongside the chairs of professional and nation groups – including the Translators Association, the Children’s Writers & Illustrators Group, and the Society of Authors in Scotland – are responsible for setting the strategy and policies of the organisation.
Vanessa is founder of the Inkwell Group publishing consultancy, Europe’s biggest online writing resources magazine writing.ie, and Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival. She has served on the Management Committee since 2019 and was previously the Chair of Irish PEN.
Credit: Alice-Rose JordanCommenting on her appointment, Vanessa said, ‘This will be a year of change for the SoA, as we welcome a new Chief Executive in April and a new Honorary President later in 2024. But change is exciting and having worked with the staff team over the past few years I know their strength is adapting to the issues that impact members – their support and advocacy is at the forefront of everything they do. It is a great privilege to take on this role from Joanne, and I look forward to working with board members and the staff team on the challenges ahead. We are seeing many already – from AI to falling incomes, not to mention cyber-attacks on the institutions that pay authors. I can’t wait to get started.’
During Joanne’s two terms as Chair, membership grew by 13% to 12,400, we navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, awarded more than ever in grants to authors in need and to support new work, and campaigned on piracy, author incomes, artificial intelligence, and more.
Reflecting on her time in the role, Joanne said, ‘It has been an honour to serve as Chair of the SoA for the past four years. I’m very proud of the progress we have made together: greater diversity and accessibility; online events; new prizes; the millions given out by the Contingency Fund; the steady increase in members. And good luck to Vanessa in her new role. It has been a pleasure to work with her over the past few years. With her years of experience of advocating for authors in the UK and Ireland I am confident I’m leaving the board in very safe hands.’
Empowering authors since 1884.
The SoA is the UK’s largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. We have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession for more than a century.
Members receive unlimited free advice on all aspects of the profession, including confidential clause-by-clause contract vetting, and a wide range of exclusive offers.
We campaign and lobby on the issues that affect authors and hold a hundreds of events annually across the UK and online. Find out more about membership.
The SoA also administers grants and prizes to support and celebrate authors at all stages of their careers.
We administer many literary estates, the income from which helps fund our work.
More details available at: https://www2.societyofauthors.org/
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin elected new Chair of the Society of Authors – Press Release
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, novelist and founder of writing.ie, takes over from Joanne Harris to begin two-year term as Chair of the SoA’s board of directors.
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, who writes crime as Irish bestseller Sam Blake, has been unanimously elected Chair of the Society of Authors’ Management Committee – the SoA’s member-elected board of directors and charity trustees – at their January 2024 meeting. The position has been held since 2020 by Joanne Harris, who has now come to the end of her second two-year term.
The Management Committee meet six times a year to govern the direction of the SoA. Twelve elected members, alongside the chairs of professional and nation groups – including the Translators Association, the Children’s Writers & Illustrators Group, and the Society of Authors in Scotland – are responsible for setting the strategy and policies of the organisation.
Vanessa is founder of the Inkwell Group publishing consultancy, Europe’s biggest online writing resources magazine writing.ie, and Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival. She has served on the Management Committee since 2019 and was previously the Chair of Irish PEN.
Credit: Alice-Rose JordanCommenting on her appointment, Vanessa said, ‘This will be a year of change for the SoA, as we welcome a new Chief Executive in April and a new Honorary President later in 2024. But change is exciting and having worked with the staff team over the past few years I know their strength is adapting to the issues that impact members – their support and advocacy is at the forefront of everything they do. It is a great privilege to take on this role from Joanne, and I look forward to working with board members and the staff team on the challenges ahead. We are seeing many already – from AI to falling incomes, not to mention cyber-attacks on the institutions that pay authors. I can’t wait to get started.’
During Joanne’s two terms as Chair, membership grew by 13% to 12,400, we navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, awarded more than ever in grants to authors in need and to support new work, and campaigned on piracy, author incomes, artificial intelligence, and more.
Reflecting on her time in the role, Joanne said, ‘It has been an honour to serve as Chair of the SoA for the past four years. I’m very proud of the progress we have made together: greater diversity and accessibility; online events; new prizes; the millions given out by the Contingency Fund; the steady increase in members. And good luck to Vanessa in her new role. It has been a pleasure to work with her over the past few years. With her years of experience of advocating for authors in the UK and Ireland I am confident I’m leaving the board in very safe hands.’
Empowering authors since 1884.
The SoA is the UK’s largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. We have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession for more than a century.
Members receive unlimited free advice on all aspects of the profession, including confidential clause-by-clause contract vetting, and a wide range of exclusive offers.
We campaign and lobby on the issues that affect authors and hold a hundreds of events annually across the UK and online. Find out more about membership.
The SoA also administers grants and prizes to support and celebrate authors at all stages of their careers.
We administer many literary estates, the income from which helps fund our work.
More details available at: https://www2.societyofauthors.org/
October 28, 2023
Double Award Shortlisting for Something Terrible Happened Last Night! Vote Now!
August 26, 2023
The Discover Irish Children’s Books Campaign
Award winning author and champion of Irish children’s books, Sarah Webb (to whom Something Terrible Happened Last Night is dedicated) has increasingly realised that the Irish children’s top ten bestseller list rarely features ANY Irish books. From March to the start of August 2023 – twenty weeks – only ten books by Irish children’s authors or illustrators charted in the top ten. There were 123 Irish authors in the adult original fiction chart in the corresponding twenty weeks. Sarah wants to do something about it.
Bringing together a team of authors and illustrators to help, Sarah has created the Discover Irish Children’s Books campaign, where she hopes to to highlight and celebrate Irish children’s books, by bringing Irish children’s books, and their authors and illustrators, to the attention of young readers and their grown ups.
Sarah is an award-winning children’s author . She has also worked in the book trade for many years and now works as the Events Manager at Halfway up the Stairs children’s bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow.
On publication day for Something Terrible, with the fabulous Sarah Webb, whose advice ‘just keep writing’ got me here!There are around 350 published Irish children’s authors and illustrators, including those living and working in Ireland. We have our own Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde, who writes in both Irish and English. Some of our children’s authors and illustrators enjoy huge international success. Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl book was a New York Times bestseller. John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has been translated into around 56 different languages, Oliver Jeffers’ into over 50 different languages (with over 14 million sales worldwide). The children’s books of Catherine Doyle, Judi Curtin, Roddy Doyle, Derek Landy and Mary Murphy are also widely translated.
24% of book sales in Ireland are children’s books. But when they are asked, many children living in Ireland cannot name any children’s authors who are Irish or living in Ireland. Very few children’s authors and illustrators based in Ireland are appearing at book and arts festivals in Ireland, or in the Irish media, although they work incredibly hard visiting schools and libraries. It is only recently that childrens and YA books have begun to be reviewed consistently in the main stream media. While authors are doing their best on a local level, it’s a national approach that’s needed.
While children’s authors are on the road constantly talking in schools and libraries, doing their bit to bring attention to their books, bookshops are reporting increased sales of books by brand authors like Dahl and Blyton plus celebrity authors who parents have heard of. There is no shortage of talent but Irish children’s books are not charting on the Irish children’s bestseller charts or receiving the national recognition and attention that they deserve.
Sam Blake talking to audiences of 250 transition year students on launch day for Something Terrible Happened Last Night at Dun Laoghaire’s Lexicon Library. She has spoken to well over 1000 students at events since the launch in May.Focusing on highlighting children’s books and bringing national attention to this problem, the Discover Irish Kids Books site has many resources for librarians, teachers, booksellers, festival programmers, as well as parents, grandparents and book lovers. From an age categorised list of authors (which will grow as the site grows) to an ‘if you loved that, you’ll love this’ listing (coming soon), each week the site will feature a different independent bookseller’s top ten bestselling children’s books as an alternative to the Irish Times/Nielsen Book Scan bestseller lists.
This week Charlie Bryne’s Bookshop in Galway has listed their top ten bestsellers 
You can see this image at Discover Irish Kids Books here.
If you are a librarian, teacher, bookseller, festival programmer, parent, grandparent or book lover, you can help Sarah and the team by being an Irish Children’s Book Champion. Find tips and action points at the site.
Resources will be coming to the site soon to help programmers to organise events and to develop their children’s books offering. There will be point of sale material for bookshops and you can already download artwork to print stickers for children and books. Independent booksellers have found that a table of Irish authored books, bringing the focus home, has a huge impact on sales.
Discover Irish Kids Books would love an all Irish top ten in Christmas week (and so would I!) If you liked One of Us is Lying or The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, you’ll love Something Terrible Happened Last Night!
For more information check out Discover Irish Kids Books and make your next children’s book purchase an Irish one!
July 3, 2023
National Crime Reading Month Blazing Through June
As a board member of the Crime Writers Association, at the end of 2021 I was asked to pick up the reins of National Crime Reading Month in the UK and Ireland. I’m thrilled that it’s quickly becoming an exciting and significant ‘festival’ that takes place in June every year, culminating with the hugely prestigious Daggers, the Crime Writers Association’s internationally recognised award at the beginning of July.
In 2022 the ground work was laid for a re-imagined NCRM, run in partnership with The Reading Agency and developing crimereading.com as a site not only that listed all the events running across the country, but one that is packed full of resources for crime writers who plan to run events – from press release templates to posters and tips for successful events.
In 2022 we listed over 100 events at crimereading.com, and in 2023 we have had a magnificent response from crime writers, libraries, independent bookshops and Waterstones nationwide. Kicking off with simultaneous launches in London, Belfast and Edinburgh – appropriately in one of Waterstones flagship stores in Piccadilly; No Alibis, an independent bookshop in Belfast, and in Edinburgh Central Library – crime readers were treated to events with some of the biggest names in the business.
In London, The Reading Agency brought two of their Quick Reads authors Dreda Say Mitchell MBE and Louise Candlish to chat to the fabulous Abir Mukherjee in a fascinating and hilarious discussion. Preceding them, I chatted to Andrew Hunter Murray about genre and the breadth of crime fiction, which is the main theme for this year’s NCRM. Andrew’s critically acclaimed dystopian crime novel The Sanctuary came out on 1 June and shows just how broad ‘crime’ is as a genre.
In Belfast, NCRM Northern Ireland Ambassador Steve Cavanagh and Brian McGilloway chatted to a packed house, hosted by David Torrans in his famous bookshop, and in Edinburgh, Dr Noir (aka Jacky Collins) discussed all things forensic with Professor Jim Fraser, one of our Scotland Ambassadors – to another full house.
Events continued in London at the British Library on 2 June with Mark Billingham and Victoria Selman joining author Kate Jackson whose How to Survive a Classic Crime Novel formed the theme for the evening, hosted brilliantly again by Abir Mukherjee. Over 150 crime lovers braved the train strikes to celebrate the start of NCRM at what was a fabulous event.
The crimereading.com site listed over 150 events happening right across the UK and Ireland, from Scotland to the Channel Islands, online and in person including workshops, talks, panel events, crime board game sessions (what a fabulous idea) with huge support from libraries – there was literally something for everyone. Events can be searched by location at crimereading.com so readers can find one near them easily. Launch events alone brought almost 300 crime lovers together with some of the UK and Ireland’s biggest authors – Steve Cavanagh’s star studded online event reaching another 150. NCRM recorded/online events, podcasts and articles will stay live until NCRM 2024, so readers can watch back.
As well as being embraced by institutions like the British Library and Senate House, in Yavneh College in Borehamwood, librarians ran a series of crime-related events. Students were treated to a crime-themed ‘books and biscuits’, a regular lunchtime reading event for years 7-11s. They ran their first ever school-wide ‘murder mystery’ with clues in the library and beyond to work out whodunnit. The CWA’s Abi Silver was invited to speak on different types of crime fiction; psychologist Brendi Waks ran a fascinating session on psychopaths for sixth formers and Carl Woolf, criminal advocate, discussed his murder cases. They said, ‘We have made book displays, including crime fiction, psychology and true crime, and there is a real buzz amongst our students!’
Waterstones blog featured ten thrilling crime reads as recommended by our ambassadors, and Lovereading.com posted a round up of 100+ Female Led Crime Fiction (which included The Dark Room as one of their ebooks of the month – thank you!) plus several brilliant crime related reading articles.
I was at the launch events at the start of the month and then in Dunstable and St Albans libraries mid month to talk all things crime with some fanstastic readers. Murder One brought internatinal superstar Karin Slaughter to Dublin and the Lexicon Library to an enthralled audience and then I rounded off with a fabulous book club visit to Tregolls bookclub in Truro with authors Roz Watkins and Jo Jakeman.
Check out our #PickUpAPageTurner hashtag on social and www.crimereading.com to see the range of events – and pop over to crimereading.com to watch/listen back.
Dreda Say Mitchell MBE and Louise Candlish, both Quick Reads authors, in conversation with Abir Mukherjee at the launch on National Crime Reading Month in Waterstones Piccadilly.
Andrew Hunter Murray, Louise Candlish, Dreda Say Mitchell MBE, Sam Blake and Abir Muckerjee in Waterstones Piccadilly
David Torrans, Brian McGilloway and Steve Cavanagh in Belfast
Prof Jim Fraser with Jacky Collins, Dr Noir, in Edinburgh
Mark Billingham, Abir Mukerjee, Kate Jackson, Victoria Selman and Sam Blake at The British Library
Sam Blake with (L-R) Jess, Matt, Pyper, Ethan and Harry at Dunstable Library 
Fabulous crime scene tape in Dunstable!
Books supplied by Chapter 25 Bookshop in Barton-le-Clay
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, organiser and moderator Candy Denman/Annie Payne, Sam Blake, Rachel Blok and Howard Lynskey in St Albans Library
Edel Coffey in conversation with Karin Slaughter at the LexIcon Library for Murder One 
Cecelia Ahern, Sam Blake and Karin Slaughter at the LexIcon Dun Laoghaire.
June 17, 2023
Something Terrible in the News
There isn’t a Young Adult only top 10 in the Irish bestseller lists – YA gets mixed with children’s books, but I’m thrilled that Something Terrible Happened Last Night has been in the top ten bestselling YA books since launch. Media coverage has been incredible and I’m hugely grateful to the Irish book trade for supporting it so whole heartedly – it’s teen book of the month in The Book Centre, Waterford, and in Barker and Jones in Naas (right), yay!
Something Terrible Happened Last Night is also included in Eason’s latest recommendations for YA Summer Reads. I popped into Eason stores to sign copies but they were already sold out in some shops!!
Radio & Podcasts‘Best-selling author Sam Blake joins us to talk about her young adult novel ‘Something Terrible Happened Last Night’.
Listen back- Pat Kenny on Newstalk Radio
‘Pat brings you the sharpest analysis of news and current affairs on the radio and fresh perspectives on the issues that will define a generation. Breaking news is interwoven with reflective news features and reports from a variety of reporters based across the country. Experts are on hand to guide listeners on everything from consumer and employment rights and health issues to savvy holiday options. And Pat is joined by all the best personalities from the entertainment world.‘
Listen Back – Dublin City FM with Kate Conneely
Every Thursday afternoon, All About Books will introduce you to the books you need know to about. From new releases to the latest industry news, from non-fiction to fiction and everything in between. Presented by Katy Conneely, join us each week at 2.30pm as we hear from Irish and International authors, booksellers, publishers, agents, reviewers and more.
Print MediaHuge thanks to Ciara Dwyer for these brilliant questions for Upfront in the Sunday Independent and Steve Humphries for the shot – taken in the DLR LexIcon Library -there can’t be many libraries in the world with a view like this! Just keep writing was the best advice I was ever given! Moreon my mother’s letter from Enid Blyton, why I write crime.
I had such a lovely chat with Erin McCafferty of The Sunday Times who made sense of my ramblings, and what a headline!! Photo by Bryan Meade.
Lovely to see that Darragh McManus (Irish Independent) thinks Something Terrible Happened Last Night would make a great Netflix series! Have to agree with that 
“You could easily see it being adapted for a Netflix series…it’s good fun, a story with smarts and a lot of heart: which, as it happens, sums up the heroines of Something Terrible Happened Last Night. Frankie, Sorcha and Jess are all dead sound, the kind of girls you’d be proud to have as a daughter and fortunate to have as a friend — and, as a reader, happy to root for.”
Rights enquiries to Simon Trewin!
Thanks to Ruth Concannon, Children’s Books Ireland for this wonderful review in the Irish Examiner
“Something Terrible Happened Last Night by Sam Blake (Gill Books) for ages 15-plus, is a fast-paced Irish crime-thriller. For Frankie and her friends, fifth year begins on a terrifying note; after popular girl Katie’s 17th birthday party gets out of hand and a body is discovered in the living room. As the dust settles, only one thing certain: a killer is on the loose. A classic whodunnit with more than one mystery for readers to solve.”
And huge thanks to Claire Hennessy for reviewing Something Terrible Happened Last Night in The Irish Times!! I feel like I’ve passed the test needed to slip into the YA world now – she’s the expert in this genre and a brilliant writer herself, phew!
So lovely to feature in Ireland’s Own where I chatted to Max McCoubrey about books, writing, The Mystery of Four and Something Terrible Happened Last Night.
Sarah Caden says Something Terrible Happened Last Night in a necessity in The Independent – thank you Sarah!
“Sam Blake’s latest thriller Something Terrible Happened Last Night is a must-read for teens, but worth a go for anyone who’s suffered post-party dissonance, and who hasn’t?”
May First Flush is out with Books Ireland and I was thrilled to see Something Terrible Happened Last Night featured there.
‘Sam Blake offers up a murder mystery YA read in Something Terrible Happened Last Night that combines house parties and murder in a chilling combo‘
Huge thanks to Sarah Gill at Image for some excellent questions about Something Terrible Happened Last Night, my literary influences and fav books, and you even get to see my TBR pile (the one next to my bed, not the Creasey Dagger award pile!)
You can read the full article at: https://www.image.ie/
I did a piece for thejournal.ie about how I write, approach a new story, and build a story house. Useful for new writers I hope!
In my online coaching & mentoring writers group Writers Ink (info at my website) I do tips every Tuesday (we have an AMA on Mondays, writing prompts on Wednesdays and a WIP critique session on Thursdays) – I find talking and listening to writers about process improves my own, I learn something new from every conversation – and aim to pass that on.
Creativity is unique and developing your own process by mining advice is crucial to developing your work – there’s no ‘right way’ to write, you have to find what works for you. That could be writing every day, or it could be writing once a week, it could be plotting or letting your story develop organically or something in between.
Learning the techniques is crucial, but how you write is unique to you and we’re all different.
You can read the full article here: https://www.thejournal.ie/.
A ‘page-turning mystery, which uses the ubiquity of social media to its advantage’ Thanks to Sara Keating for this fantastic mention of Something Terrible Happened Last Night in The Sunday Business Post’s ‘selection of books to keep all ages enthralled over the holidays’
And last but by NO means, least, Something Terrible Happened Last Night has been longlisted for the Great Reads Award 2023 in the YA category https://booksirelandmagazine.com/long-list-for-the-great-reads-award/
Pick up your copy of Something Terrible Happened Last Night at your favourite bookshop – lots of links to choose from on this page, wherever you are in the world (Barnes and Noble link in the body text).
April 15, 2023
Something Terrible is Happening…
There are just THREE WEEKS to go to the release of my YA debut Something Terrible Happened Last Night, and Gill Books have sent me an amazing video of it being printed!! Some of you may have seen this already on my social media channels – do follow @SamBlakeBooks, but for anyone who missed it, here we are!
This is a busy book year – The Mystery of Four came out in January, went straight into the bestseller list and stayed there for 7 weeks. An Eason No 1 bestseller it was knocked off the top spot by the Prince and Spare. The Mystery of Four is an Agatha Christie style country house mystery and features a character who is a tribute to Agatha herself (Agatha experts will spot her!) Something Terrible Happened Last Night owes a lot to Christie too, as it was inspired by the classic locked room mysteries that Agatha Christie was an absolute master of. But Something Terrible is definitely more Gossip Girl than classic crime.
Will you be able to work out what happened at Katie’s 17th birthday party? There are 100 suspects but only one killer…
Something Terrible Happened Last Night features a cast of fabulous characters that I had a lot of fun writing – they are all very different and I hope readers can identify with them – you can find out more about the key characters, Frankie, Sorcha and Jess, and of course Katie here. Plus see a fabulous sketch that to me, looks just like Frankie!
We’ve also recreated Katie’s house in the SIMS4 – if you don’t play the SIMS, you can see the screenshots here, but if you do, we’ve used the baae game so it’s free for everyone. Find it under my EA ID SBlakeBooks.
Preorders make a massive difference to a book’s success, and you can order from your preferred supplier here – there are lots of options! For international orders, Kenny’s in Galway have incredible shipping rates (and thousands of amazing books!) do click through to check them out. If you’d like a signed copy, order from Halfway Up the Stairs!
April 4, 2023
The Mystery of Four in the News
The Mystery of Four spent SEVEN weeks in the Irish top ten and has had fabulous reviews! You can listen in to me on national radio and chatting to some fabulous podcast hosts here – on the same page see me interviewed by the brilliant UK Crime Book Club (video).
With stunning windows in Dubray stores around the country, The Mystery of Four was a No 1 bestseller in Eason stores and reached No 2 in the Irish Times original fiction, hitting the No 5 slot in The Sunday Times bestseller list across all the books sold in Ireland. I’m hugely grateful to everyone who reviewed it!
You can grab your copy and see what people said about it here!
Below is just some of the coverage (launch photos at the bottom) – there’s more on my Facebook page @samblakebooks
Dubray Books Nationwide
No 2 in the Irish Times bestseller list 
RTE News – knocked off the top spot by the Prince
Book of the Month at Apple Books
Sunday Independent
Irish Examiner
The Sunday Times Crime Club
The Mail YOU Magazine
Irish Examiner
National Irish Bestsellers
Huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed on Amazon, it makes such a difference!If you haven’t read The Mystery of Four, you can pick up a copy in your preferred book store here!
