Festive Fun with... Jackie Baldwin

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Jackie Baldwin back to the blog for another festive feature. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi there, I’m a Scottish crime writer who lives in a rural town in East Lothian. 

What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?
Seeing my family on Christmas morning followed by a long walk through the woods and along the beach.

Do you have any favourite family Christmas traditions?
These have changed over the years as my kids are now grown but when they were younger they had a stocking each which they used to open together on the couch before we got up. Then we’d all have breakfast and hand round the presents including those for the pets who would be hyper by then. We’d walk the dogs, have lunch and then play a Board game, usually Cluedo or Monopoly before settling down to watch a film. I now have a two year old grandson living locally so looking forward to seeing the shape of Christmas Days to come. 

Festive Fun: My Fantasy Christmas Dinner Party by Jackie Baldwin

I've been really enjoying reading all the Fantasy Christmas Dinner Party posts this week and tonight I have something a little different for you from Jackie Baldwin, author of the DI Frank Farrell series. 

As I am a crime writer and a huge Cluedo fan, I decided it would have to be a Christmas murder mystery dinner. I invite five of my favourite authors who all have to come in character as one of their own fictional detectives. The Guest list is as follows:

Jackie McLean (DI Donna Davenport)
Mike Craven (DI Avison Fluke)
Graham Smith (DI Harry Evans)
Aline Templeton (DI Marjorie Fleming)
Caro Ramsay (DI Costello) 
Me. (DS Mhairi McLeod)

The house which I rented for the occasion, (no expense spared!), is a gothic mansion designed like an escape room. As soon as the guests arrive all the exits lock at the touch of a button. The authors have been told that whichever detective solves the crime will have their first novel made into a film and be given their very own reality TV show of the process. As they sit down to the first course of tomato soup with blood red orange, a peal of thunder rings overhead. A demonic cackle rings out. Wait! That was me. I told you parties make me nervous.