My guest today is popular author Sarah Dunnakey. Sarah is going to talk to us about her writing journey and her new book. So grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get chatting to Sarah.

AUTHOR BIO

Sarah is an award-winning author of novels and short stories. Her best-selling The Twelve Murders of Christmas is published by Avon. Her previous novel The Companion won a Northern Writers’ Award.

Sarah also works as a TV quiz show question writer and verifier, on shows including Mastermind, University Challenge and Pointless. Her fiction reflects her love of the north of England, of classic murder mysteries and of puzzles.

When she is not writing she can be found walking and running in the hills and occasionally swimming in lakes.

Welcome to my blog, Sarah. Your work as a TV show question writer and verifier sounds fascinating! Can you tell us about your writing journey?

My writing journey started with ideas, beginnings, then… more ideas and more beginnings. In a writing class led by the wonderful author Linda Green, I was persuaded to do what you need to do if you want to be published – finish something. The result was ‘The Marzipan Husband’, which won a short story competition and was broadcast on Radio 4.

I subsequently became more of a completist. Success in other competitions inspired me to tackle a novel. Although the true inspiration came from a location, Hardcastle Crags in Hebden Bridge, a National Trust property with an old cotton mill at its heart. Built in the 1800s it shortly became redundant. In the 1920s, its entrepreneurial owner relaunched it as an entertainment centre, with a café, dance hall, boating lake and skating rink. Sitting by the mill pond it’s not hard to imagine that the building, now housing an interpretation centre, might still contain the noise and rhythm of the cotton spinning machines, centuries of voices and dancers waltzing on the upper floor. It was such thoughts that led to The Companion, a dual timeline mystery set in the 1930s and the present day, which won a Northern Writer’s Award.

My next novel, set in 1920s Manchester, won New Writing North’s Arvon Award, but didn’t find a publisher. It took me a while to move on. When I did put it aside I found it difficult to stir up passion for a new project, to find the voices and characters that bring a story to life.

Meanwhile I continued with my career as a TV quiz setter. It’s a job I’ve been doing for thirty years, working on a wide range of quiz shows. I love devising questions, whether general knowledge or Specialist Subject and creating puzzles. The pedant in me also enjoys the other side of my job, verifying other writer’s questions, checking they are correct and unambiguous, and adjudicating during show recordings.

I’ve often mentioned my job in interviews and in my author talks and frequently incorporated quizzes into my events.

This attracted the attention of an editor at Avon Harper Collins who asked me if I would like to combine my passions, to write a Christmas murder mystery puzzle book.

It was the spark I needed. I instantly saw how it could work. I’ve been a fan of Agatha Christie ever since I was a teenager. One of my favourite Christie’s is The Thirteen Problems. In a similar vein I created a frame story, within which twelve murder mystery stories are told and twenty puzzles are presented to be solved.  The resulting The Twelve Murders of Christmas was published in hardback in 2024 and in paperback in November 2025 and is an Amazon bestseller. I am now working on a second murder mystery puzzle book which will be published by Avon next year.

I strongly believe that writing works best when you’re passionate about it – when the characters, setting and twists and turns of the plot live and breathe for you. Adding puzzles to my novels has added an extra layer of delight for me. Hopefully readers will enjoy them as much as the murder mystery stories themselves.

What a fascinating job, and writing journey, Sarah. Thank you for dropping by to talk to us today. I see that your new book already has a Bestseller badge! Wishing you lots more writing success in 2026. ☺️

Sarah’s latest book

BLURB

12 murderous mysteries to read.

20 perplexing puzzles to solve.

1 mystifying murder to unravel…

Mastermind Puzzlemaster Sarah Dunnakey cordially invites you to crack the code of who killed Edward Luddenham.

It’s the first anniversary of the mysterious death of Edward Luddenham, found dead at his home on the Yorkshire moors one frosty Christmas Eve.

Now nine people gather at his manor house for the reading of the Will. Each has their own motivations for coming: curiosity, duty, love, desperation, greed.

They have been instructed to bring a “festive mystery story” to share.

But all you need is a pencil.

Safe from the biting cold and the relentless snowfall outside, settle in with your favourite tipple in hand, as the storytelling begins.

Though you’ll need to keep your wits about you – for among those present is Edward’s killer…

Can you solve the puzzles and unmask the murderer before they strike again?

Agatha Christie meets Murdle with these twelve puzzling whodunnits from renowned professional puzzler Sarah Dunnakey, that will test even the most seasoned of sleuths this Christmas.

**Praise for Sarah Dunnakey:

‘Fiendishly clever and highly addictive reading. Perfect for a quiet Christmas corner by the fire.’ Ian Moore, author of Death & Croissants

‘An inventive combination of gripping read and fiendish puzzles. If you liked BBC’s Ludwig, you’ll love this.’ Paddy Duffy, panellist on Radio 4’s Round Britain Quiz

‘Wonderfully well-crafted and delightfully devilish at every turn – it’s Christmas crime with a head scratchingly fantastic twist.’ Jonathan Whitelaw, author of Murder in Tinsel Town

‘Such a treat – fiendishly clever murder mysteries along with puzzles that will keep you guessing for ages … I can’t think of a better present for everyone you know. Just remember to keep a copy for yourself.’ Amanda Lees, author of The Dictionary of Crime

‘Very, very clever and like nothing I’ve ever read before,’ Alex Pine, author of The Killer in the Cold

‘A perfect stocking filler this Christmas for anyone who enjoys a good yarn and is an enthusiastic puzzler.’ Liz Fielding, author of Murder Under the Mistletoe

‘Utterly addictive – never has the phrase “one more chapter before bed” been so literarily appropriate.’ G.D. Wright, author of Into the Storm

‘A totally unique book, combining great murder mysteries with proper brain-teasers. I loved it, and I’m sure other puzzle fans will too.’ Antony Johnston, author of The Dog Sitter Detective.

Buy Link:

Amazon

Sarah’s Contact Links:

Website: https://sarahdunnakey.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahdeewrites/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdunnakeyauthor/

More of Sarah’s Books