Helen Smith

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About Helen Smith

Helen Smith is a novelist and playwright who lives in London. Her books have reached number one on Amazon's bestseller lists in the US, UK, Canada and Germany. They have been praised in The Times, The Times Literary Supplement, the Guardian, Time Out and Wired.com and appeared on "best of the year" lists in For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent and the Guardian. Her books have been optioned by the BBC.

Helen Smith travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel. Since then, she has read at literary events and festivals in London and New York and points in between - including, most recently, a cruise ship en route to California via the Suez Canal. Her work has been read or performed at the National Theatre, The Royal Festival Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, Amnesty International's Headquarters, The Edinburgh Festival and The University of London. She's a Literary Death Match champion and the recipient of an Arts Council of England award.

Helen Smith is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, The Crime Writers' Association and English PEN.

"Smith is gin-and-tonic funny." Booklist

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Author Updates

Titles By Helen Smith

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Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #2: The Body Oct 27, 2017

by Killer Women, Colette McBeth, Julia Crouch, Tammy Cohen, Rachel Abbott, Erin Kelly, Elly Griffiths, Laura Wilson, Amanda Jennings, Sarah Hilary, Helen Smith

( 14 )

$3.93

A Times Crime Fiction pick 2017

Bodies surface and disappear, seduce and corrupt in these original stories by bestselling, award-winning female crime writers from the Killer Women crime-writing collective. Keep your eyes peeled, your ears cocked and your wits about you as twenty deliciously twisted tales take you to surprising places...

'Tough, brutal, scary and disturbing' Marcel Berlins, The Times, Crime Fiction picks 2017

'A killer collection of dark and devious tales' Mark Billingham

'A lot of women have terrified me over the years, but none quite like these!' Linwood Barclay

'This mix of playfully twisted, macabre tales showcases the Killer Women at the top of their game. I loved it!' SJ Watson

'Accomplished and exciting' Barry Forshaw, Crimetime

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback

Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #1 Sep 15, 2016

by Killer Women, Helen Smith, Jane Casey, Erin Kelly, Louise Millar, Alex Marwood, Tammy Cohen, Melanie McGrath, Colette McBeth, D.E. Meredith, Val McDermid

( 33 )

$1.30

Blade-sharp and pared to the bone, these original stories by bestselling, award-winning female crime writers will lure you to the dark side. Fifteen perfectly twisted tales with a measure of evil, a dash of horror, and a dose of humour. Expect the unexpected…

Fifteen original stories by Jane Casey, Tammy Cohen, Sarah Hilary, Alison Joseph, Erin Kelly, Alex Marwood, Kate Medina, Colette McBeth, Melanie McGrath, D. E. Meredith, Louise Millar, Kate Rhodes, Helen Smith, Louise Voss and Laura Wilson, with a foreword by Val McDermid.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Stage Fright: A British Mystery (Emily Castles Mysteries Book 3) Sep 26, 2018

by Helen Smith

( 11 )

$4.99

When amateur sleuth Emily Castles joins a community theatre project in Edinburgh, she begins to suspect that she has been recruited by a cult. When a fellow performer goes missing, she must risk her life to investigate…

PRAISE FOR THE EMILY CASTLES MYSTERY SERIES
Helen Smith manages to pack in surprises and plot twists, creating a story that is fully engaging from start to finish. As a wallflower turned super-sleuth, Emily Castles is a wonderful protagonist and I'm eager to read more of her adventures.
—Her Book Self

I love Helen Smith's writing. Her brand of mystery, shot through with clever observational humour and the sharpest of wit, is something that's been missing from the genre for far too long.
—Alex Marwood, Edgar award winning author of The Wicked Girls

Helen Smith has created a great little cozy series with the charming Emily Castles.
—Criminal Element

Emily Castles is one character you cannot help but fall in love with!
—Julie's Book Reviews

Helen Smith has created a great little cozy series with the charming Emily Castles.
—Criminal Element

Very funny indeed... There seems to be a winning line on every page.
—The Bookbag

Delightful
—Shots Magazine

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Showstoppers: A British Mystery (Emily Castles Mysteries Book 2) Dec 5, 2011

by Helen Smith

( 95 )

$2.99

Twenty-six-year-old amateur sleuth Emily Castles helps out at a local stage school in London. As parents and prospective new pupils turn up at the end of term show - where prizes will be handed out by eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel and famous romance novelist Morgana Blakely - Emily deals with a blackmail threat and two deaths, before teaming up with the guests of honour to try to prevent a massacre happening live on stage.

The funny lines will keep you giggling as you race through this madcap story to discover whether Emily and her friends will triumph over disaster.

Readers of M C Beaton or Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy discovering a new author in this entertaining British mystery series.

Chosen as a Favorite Book of the Year by Julie’s Book Reviews.

This short mystery is a standalone story set in London. The Emily Castles mysteries can be read in any order.

PRAISE FOR SHOWSTOPPERS
"It's a confection of intriguing characters and situations. The small details that season the story keep the reader turning the pages. The cleverly written story shows a deep understanding of human motivations and reactions, even as it reveals a sense of how ridiculous people can be. Dive in to 'Showstoppers' when you have time to relish every line. You'll be glad you did." Mary Beth Magee, Yahoo Voices

PRAISE FOR THE EMILY CASTLES MYSTERY SERIES
I love Helen Smith's writing. Her brand of mystery, shot through with clever observational humour and the sharpest of wit, is something that's been missing from the genre for far too long. Alex Marwood, Edgar award winning author of The Wicked Girls

Helen Smith is a master story-teller. Socrates Book Reviews

Emily Castles is one character you cannot help but fall in love with! Julie's Book Reviews

Helen Smith's books have reached number one in the Amazon store in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. Her books have appeared in "best of the year" lists by For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent, and the Guardian.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Three Sisters: A British Mystery (Emily Castles Mysteries Book 1) Feb 5, 2011

by Helen Smith

( 322 )

$2.99

Join twenty-six-year-old Emily Castles for her first outing as an amateur sleuth. Emily is invited to a party in a large house in London, hosted by a mysterious troupe of circus performers. She accepts, despite her misgivings, because her dog has died and she needs cheering up. But when she witnesses a murder in the midst of the surreal entertainment, no one will believe what she has seen. Is Emily befuddled with grief at the loss of her pet? Or has something wicked happened in plain sight? Emily teams up with her neighbours to investigate.

Readers of M C Beaton or Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy discovering a new mystery author.

Chosen as a “Book of the Year” by Elizabeth at The Frugal Ereader.

Three Sisters is a standalone story set in London. The Emily Castles mysteries can be read in any order.

PRAISE FOR THREE SISTERS
Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious all at the same time… I can’t wait to see what Emily’s next adventure will be. Socrates Book Reviews

Helen Smith manages to pack in surprises and plot twists, creating a story that is fully engaging from start to finish. The characters are creative and multi-dimensional and I loved the unique personalities and talents of all the party guests. As a wallflower turned super-sleuth, Emily Castles was a wonderful protagonist and I'm eager to read more of her adventures. Her Book Self

PRAISE FOR THE EMILY CASTLES MYSTERY SERIES
Helen Smith has created a great little cozy series with the charming Emily Castles. Criminal Element

Very funny indeed... There seems to be a winning line on every page. The Bookbag

Helen Smith's books have reached number one in the Amazon store in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. Her books have appeared in "best of the year" lists by For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent, and the Guardian.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Real Elves: A Christmas Story (Emily Castles Mysteries Book 5) Sep 16, 2014

by Helen Smith

( 71 )

$0.99

REAL ELVES is a short Christmas story. In a department store in London, a little girl called Sophie visits Santa’s magical forest with her grandfather. As they emerge from the forest, Sophie’s grandfather reports her missing… but the little girl’s right there. Is she a ghost, a twin, an alien abductee—or is there some simpler explanation? Twenty-six-year-old amateur sleuth Emily Castles has fifteen minutes to figure out the puzzle before the police are called and Christmas is ruined.

This short mystery is a standalone story set in London. The Emily Castles mysteries can be read in any order.

PRAISE FOR THE EMILY CASTLES MYSTERY SERIES
Helen Smith has created a great little cozy series with the charming Emily Castles. Criminal Element

Emily Castles is one character you cannot help but fall in love with! Julie's Book Reviews

Very funny indeed... There seems to be a winning line on every page. The Bookbag

Helen Smith is a British crime writer who lives in London. Her books have appeared in "best of the year" lists by For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent, and the Guardian.

Readers of M. C. Beaton or Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy discovering a new mystery author.

Alison Wonderland Aug 16, 2011

by Helen Smith

( 355 )

$1.99

After Alison Temple discovers that her husband is cheating on her, she does what any jilted woman would do: she spray-paints a nasty message for him on her wedding dress and takes a job with the detective firm that found him out. Being a detective at the all-female Fitzgerald's Bureau of Investigation in London is certainly a change of pace from her previous life, especially considering the characters Alison meets in the line of duty. There's her boss, the estimable Mrs. Fitzgerald; Taron, Alison's eccentric best friend, who claims her mother is a witch; Jeff, her love-struck, poetry-writing neighbor; and -- last but not least! -- her psychic postman. Together, their idiosyncrasies and their demands on Alison threaten to drive her mad...if she didn't need and love them all so much. Clever, quirky, and infused with just a hint of magic, Alison Wonderland is a literary novel about a memorable heroine coping with the everyday complexities of modern life.

Free to borrow with Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , MP3 CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

The Secret Ingredient: A British Mystery (Emily Castles Short Mysteries Book 4) Oct 21, 2018

by Helen Smith

( 6 )

$0.99

This is an Emily Castles short mystery.

When amateur sleuth Emily Castles and her friend Dr. Muriel meet Gareth Crabbe, newly-appointed poet-in-residence at Brixton’s windmill, he reveals that an intruder has been breaking in at night. While Emily and Dr. Muriel try to discover the identity of the intruder, Gareth must find the inspiration to write a poem, or funding for his residency will be withdrawn and the Gala Open Day at the windmill will be ruined.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Beyond Belief (Emily Castles Mysteries) Jan 28, 2014

by Helen Smith

( 117 )

$3.99

When famous psychic Perspicacious Peg predicts that someone will drown at the Belief and Beyond conference in the seaside town of Torquay, twenty-six-year-old amateur sleuth Emily Castles is recruited to investigate.

The potential victim of this “future crime” is celebrated magician Edmund Zenon. He provokes outrage and excitement by offering £50,000 to anyone who can prove the existence of the paranormal, then announces he will stage a daring walking-on-water stunt the same weekend.

Potential suspects include local fortune-teller Madame Nova; kindly Bobby Blue Suit and his three psychic dachshunds; grieving parents Sarah and Tim Taylor; and religious cult members Hilary, Trina, and the Colonel.

Edmund Zenon doesn’t believe he’s in danger. If he’s right, Emily will enjoy a weekend of séances and positivity circles, puzzling over nothing more troubling than the fish supper menu at the Poisson d’Avril restaurant.

But if he’s wrong, Emily will have to use good old-fashioned detective skills to solve the case. Fortunately Emily's best friend, eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel, is on hand to assist.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Being Light: Adventures of a London Detective Agency Dec 14, 2013

by Helen Smith

( 48 )

$3.99

Quirky and funny, Helen Smith’s humorous literary novel follows the adventures of private detective Alison Temple and her boss Mrs. Fitzgerald at an all-female detective agency in London.

When Roy Travers doesn’t come home, his wife hires a private detective to find him. But Being Light is no ordinary detective story. The sharp observations on the lives of modern women will have you laughing out loud as you follow the surreal adventures of the ensemble cast. Meet Taron, with her one-woman plan to improve the world. Meet Mrs. Fitzgerald, the boss of the all-female Fitzgerald’s Bureau of Investigation in Brixton, as she struggles to overcome fanciful thoughts on the 159 bus. Meet Alison, juggling the demands of looking after a young child with her duties as a detective. Take in circus performers, animal rights activists, philosophers, dreamers and a new kind of dating agency in this joyfully funny book. And find out what happened to Roy.

Its airy quirkiness is a delight. The Times

Awards and accolades for Being Light
Chosen as a Best Book of the Year in The Independent Newspaper (UK)
Chosen as a Best Book of the Year by New Podler Review of Books
Nominated for a Readers' Choice Award by Books and Pals

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

The Miracle Inspector: A Dystopian Novel Dec 11, 2013

by Helen Smith

( 107 )

$4.99

Award-winning dystopian fiction from bestselling British author Helen Smith. The Miracle Inspector is set in London in the near future. England has been partitioned, schools have been closed down, and women need permission to leave their homes.

At only twenty-four years old, Lucas has a very important job at the Ministry. Most of the older men have been carted off to prison, so the young men run London. While Lucas investigates reported miracles, his young wife Angela dreams of escaping to a place where schools and theatres are still open, and women are free to work outside the home.

A bundle of secret letters from a poet involved in the revolution that ruined England, a visit to a desperate woman, a misguided challenge to the Head of Security at the Ministry… A series of minor catastrophes of their own making mean Lucas and Angela have no choice but to try to flee the chaos of London, with disastrous results.

Warning: The Miracle Inspector will break your heart. You will catch yourself thinking about the characters long after you have finished reading the last page.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Invitation to Die (Emily Castles Mysteries) Mar 19, 2013

by Helen Smith

( 179 )

$3.99

Twenty-six-year-old Emily Castles is out of work… again. So when famous romance author Morgana Blakely offers her a job helping out at a conference in London, Emily accepts. Just as eagerly, American blogger Winnie Kraster accepts an invitation from Morgana to attend as a guest, not realizing she has, in effect, accepted an invitation to die.

As a cast of oddball characters assembles at the conference hotel, grievances, differences, and secrets begin to emerge. When Winnie goes missing, and then is found murdered nearby, Emily begins to suspect that someone involved with the conference is responsible. Could it be one of the organizers, one of the authors, a member of the hotel staff, or even the supplier of the chocolates for the conference gift bags? Emily teams up with guest speaker and eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to find out.

Offbeat and engaging, this entertaining comic mystery is the first full-length novel featuring amateur British sleuth Emily Castles.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

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