Welcome to my official website

I am Simon Brett, the writer responsible for the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter, Fethering and Blotto & Twinks series of crime novels. I was very honoured to be awarded an OBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours ‘for services to literature’. Round the same time I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, thus providing me with some more letters to put after my name. Then back in 2014 I was presented with The CWA Diamond Dagger, one of the highest accolades in the crime writing world. My writing also includes comedy in radio and television series such as No Commitments and After Henry. I am very fortunate to make a living (most of the time) from something I would do anyway. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write. I still do, and I want to do it better.

I am, incidentally, not to be confused with Simon Brett, the wood engraver. I occasionally meet people who say how fortunate I am to be able not only to write but also to create such skilful and beautiful wood engravings. Sadly, I have no aptitude at all for the visual arts. Should you wish to find the other, artistic Simon Brett, his website is:
www.simonbrett-woodengraver.co.uk.

But here on mine, by clicking on the relevant links, you will be able to find out more about me and my writing.

Major Bricket and the Circus Corpse

Meet Major Bricket, an infrequent resident of Highfield House in Stunston Peveril, Suffolk. In the past the Major's work assignments, frequently in foreign countries, have prevented him from spending much time there and as a result, there is an air of mystery around him while everyone in the village speculates on the nature of his occupation.

But now the Major has retired and has come home for good in his open-topped little red sports car... and what a homecoming it is, for lying spreadeagled on his lawn in the summer sunshine is the corpse of a clown.

The circus is in Stunston Peveril for the annual village fair, yet none of their quota of clowns is missing - or at least, nobody is saying. Could the body be that of an unfortunate early guest at the village's highlight of the social calendar, the Fincham Abbey Costume Ball? Fortunately Major Bricket's past clandestine career means that he is now very well placed to solve the mystery of the dead clown on his camomile lawn...