It’s a real treat to kickstart 2025 off by interviewing P.G Bell about his fabulous new middle grade story THE BEANSTALK MURDER!
Before we settle down in The Reading Realm and talk about your new book, what’s your drink and snack of choice?
Strong black coffee and a chocolate Hobnob, please. They can’t be beaten!
How would you say The Beanstalk Murder is similar to The Train to Impossible Places series? How is it different?
Ooh, tough one! The big similarity is the world-hopping. In The Beanstalk Murder, Anwen finds herself catapulted from her daily life into a whole new dimension, just as Suzy did in The Train to Impossible Places. The big difference is, Anwen isn’t there voluntarily, and doesn’t have a way back. Plus, she’s stuck there with her absolute worst enemy, Cerys Powell.
The book is great fun! From all the red herrings and mystery, the larger than life characters, and the whole idea of being a human solving a murder in the land of giants! Was there a scene that was particularly enjoyable to write?
Thanks very much! I loved writing any scene that pitted Anwen and Cerys against each other – it was so much fun making them squabble and attempt to undermine each other. But then, of course, they usually realise that they each have a good point to make. Forcing them to confront their differences really brought the story to life for me, especially in the scene in which Anwen tries to amplify her voice with magic, so the giants can hear her. Cerys already knows the spell and lets Anwen plough ahead, knowing that she’s going to get it wrong and embarrass herself. Anwen’s determined to prove herself though, and finds some creative workarounds.
The story, like all good murder mysteries, is also intricately plotted. What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
All of it! I’d never written a murder mystery before, and every time I changed one detail, it had a knock-on effect that meant I had to change half a dozen other things. And then *those* had knock-on effects, etc. It took me a long time to get everything in place, but I’m overwhelmingly proud of the result.
I wondered if there were plans for a sequel? Are there more fairy tale themed murders for Anwen and Cerys to solve?
People have been asking me this question a lot lately, which I’m taking as a good sign. There are no plans for a sequel at the moment, but I do have another fairy tale whodunnit on the way – The Big Bad Wolf Murder is due in 2025! Ruby Calvino, a rising athletic star, is framed for the murder of the big bad wolf, and has to go on the run to clear her name. It’s a noir/gumshoe style thriller in the style of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I’ve had a huge amount of fun writing it!
Finally, can you describe The Beanstalk Murder in three words?
Supersized magical mystery.