View Reviews of books by Kate Griffin

Countdown with ...

Kate Griffin

Kate Griffin was born within the sound of Bow bells, making her a true-born Cockney. She has worked as an assistant to an antiques dealer, a journalist for local newspapers and now works for The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders, Kate's first book, won the Stylist/Faber crime writing competition. She has also written The Jade Boy and The Moon Child for children under her maiden name Cate Cain. Kate's maternal family lived in Victorian Limehouse and her grandmother told her many stories of life around the docks. Kate lives in St Albans.

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Interviewed 16 September 2017

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

Varied, fascinating, surprising, friendly, chaotic, satisfying, infuriating, exhilarating, fun, fattening.

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

A stuffed crow, a watercolour painting of a young man wearing a ruff by Cecil Beaton, a church pew, a Victorian table chandelier, a reproduction of a painting of a music hall by Walter Sickert, a map of Cornwall c.1600, a Venetian carnival mask, a poster for the Vincent Price film Theatre of Blood, a bottle of gin - half full.

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

A bowl of penne pasta, tomato and garlic sauce, and lots of grated cheddar cheese on top - or phone for a takeaway.

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

In no particular order: Aubrey Beardsley, Julia Davis, John Le Mesurier, Kate Beckinsale (she was very funny on Graham’s Norton’s show), Kenneth Williams, Sue Perkins & Mel Giedroyc, (they both count as one, yes?), EF Benson … and maybe Aidan Turner if someone dropped out.

Six things you can't live without ...

Google, cheese, coffee, red wine, gin, my husband.

Five favourite words ...

Cosy, snow, mediaeval and, when I’m writing, the end (counts as one again, please). If I can’t have that, I’ll take Christmas.

Four places you'd run away to ...

Cornwall, Venice, Santorini, Pembrokeshire

Three books you've bought recently ...

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, Aubrey Beardsley by Stephen Calloway and Bryant & May: Wild Chamber by Christopher Fowler.

Two things that make you rant ...

Injustice and Thameslink.

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

Stop worrying, you’ll be fine, really!