ADVERTISING FEATURE: Heysham author releases two cosy crime novels with local twist

New author Louise Stansfield has been inspired by her beautiful home of Morecambe Bay as she follows her dream of releasing her first two crime novels.

Louise, from Heysham, has brought out the first two in a series of Inspector Freeman mysteries - entitled 'A Slice of Mercy' and 'The Witness Beneath'.

Louise describes her books as "the kind you'd take home to sit down and have a nice, gentle cosy read".

Her readers agree, with one 5-star review on Amazon calling 'A Slice of Mercy' "a totally gripping story from start to finish".

Originally from Keighley, Yorkshire, Louise moved to Morecambe in 1985 and says "it's such an inspiring area to live in".

Local readers may recognise some of the places within the books, which have been set amid the backdrop of the bay.

LISTEN to our interview with Louise Stansfield

Writing has always been Louise's quiet ambition and she has numerous influences.

"I have always loved crime real and fiction and I have many, many books," she said.

"My all time favourite author is Ruth Rendell, closely followed by Patricia Cornwell and Andrew Vachss.

"I have also always loved a good fantasy book, I do like the occasional girlie romance and I also like historical romance."

Both of Louise's first two releases tell the story of Inspector Harmony Freeman, who has left the big city behind for what she expects will be a quieter life by the seaside, only to get more than she bargained for.

The first book, 'A Slice of Mercy', centres around The Velvet Crumb café - a sanctuary of warmth, tea, and toasted teacakes.

But beneath the cinnamon-scented air lies a secret.

Miriam keeps a journal, not of recipes, but of names, regulars whose visits end with more than just a cuppa.

Arriving from London, Inspector Freeman inherits a file on the deaths of elderly people, and investigates...

Louise's second release, 'The Witness Beneath', is about the fictional discovery of a human hand on the edge of Heysham Nature Reserve.

Retired detective George Mallory finds himself back in the world he thought he’d left behind. Inspector Freeman is also drawn in, and the closer she gets to the truth, the more she suspects that George knows something he never put in his reports.

Louise is thrilled with the release of her first two books and is looking forward to delving more into the life and work of Inspector Freeman in future.

"Writing has given me a new kind of freedom and I am excited to keep building stories that reflect the small and quiet complexities of life, community and the choices we make," she said.

Away from writing, she is a lifelong artist and paints in watercolours, Gouache and acrylics. She also enjoys pottery and crafting.

She also said she "loves people watching and I often incorporate ideas into my books".

'A Slice of Mercy' is available on Amazon HERE.

'The Witness Beneath' is available on Amazon HERE.