Susan's Books
A mystery set in Blackpool, 1936.
Lights, camera, action!
A new movie being filmed in Blackpool is a real scoop for trainee reporter Gracie Fairshaw.
When she's invited to interview the star, Sally Sunshine, Gracie uncovers a plot as exciting as the one being filmed. Someone has stolen a vital film reel - and then a vicious attack is attempted on Sally!
In a world of body-doubles, stunts, costumes and makeup, not everything is what it seems.
Gracie must go behind the scenes and work out, which of the cast and crew can't be trusted before the shoot comes to a thrilling climax at the town's cinema.
C#
Gracie Fairshaw and the Trouble at the Tower (GF#2)
A seaside mystery set in Blackpool, Christmas, 1935.
The stage is set for a thrilling mystery!
Gracie Fairshaw is delighted to get a sneak preview of the Children's Ballet Christmas spectacular. But when the curtain rises, things go horribly wrong for the young dancers.
Accidents, pranks and a poison pen letter make Gracie wonder if someone is trying to spoil the show.
Can Gracie and her friends stop the saboteur before their final act?
LONGLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'S YOUNG QUILLS AWARD 2022.
"I absolutely devoured Gracie Fairshaw and the Trouble at the Tower, such a compelling read I couldn't put it down. A thrilling Christmas mystery featuring a brilliant cast of characters & a fabulous Northern setting. Wonderfully atmospheric, it captures 1930s Blackpool brilliantly. Susan stimulates all of the readers senses, transporting us to a different place and time magnificently. Just the right amount of intrigue & peril to keep readers turning the pages with a truly spectacular and dramatic ending. Loved it!" Jo Clarke @bookloverJo
"What an atmospheric read! The thing I love most about Susan Brownrigg's historical fiction is the rich, layered world-building that can only be the result of meticulous research. I fell in love all over again with the Blackpool of yesteryear, and I loved learning about the Tower in the 1930s while engrossed in a compelling mystery. The book returns to Gracie Fairshaw of the Majestic, a guesthouse in the seaside town. However, in this novel, the backdrop for the action is Blackpool Tower's popular children's ballet, with a side serving of a contemporary toyshop and the newspaper offices of the Blackpool Gazette, all utterly compelling settings for me. Just as an aside, Brownrigg writes food really well - I felt I was there, the sea tang mingling with the waft of fish and chips and mince pies, with the distant rattling of the heritage trams. Fantastic, and highly recommended for its twists and turns!" Barbara Henderson @scattyscribbler.
"Brownrigg, who set her first book in the series, Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest, against the backdrop of the 1935 Blackpool illuminations, fills her stories with such rich authentic detail and beautifully drawn characters that you can almost taste the fish and chips, smell the sea salt in the air and hear the trams rolling down the promenade.
Gracie is an inspirational lead player…. a girl with a mild disability, the heart of a lion and big ambitions who is fearless in her pursuit of truth and justice. Add on Brownrigg’s nostalgic and exhilarating evocation of the North West’s most famous resort in its heyday and you have one of the best children’s mystery series currently on the shelves. What do visitors to your website need to know about you and your business?" Pam Norfolk. Lancashire Evening Post.
"Wow what a book! ... This book is action packed from start to finish with twists and turn throughout and I cannot recommend it enough – please read it! Perfect for any young mystery lover including fans of Robin Stevens, Katherine Woodfine and Sophie Cleverley." Emma Suffield, Little Blog of Library Treasures.
Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest (GF#1)
A mystery adventure set in Blackpool, 1935.
Strange things are afoot at The Majestic... Check yourself in for a mystery beside the seaside.
Gracie Fairshaw and her family have moved into The Majestic, a Blackpool boarding house, when her Ma mysteriously vanishes.
Gracie teams up with her younger brother George, siblings Violet and Tom, and maid Phyllis. They must work out why one of the guests - a conman conjurer - has made Ma disappear.
Can they get her safely home as the clock ticks down to the 1935 Illuminations Switch-On?
Recommended by Books for Topics, LimBo Foundation and Koalaa: Comfortable prostheses as a inclusive and diverse read featuring a character with a disability.
Useful links:
Reach UK - advice for families of children with upper limb differences like Gracie Fairshaw.
Disability is Ability - Manchester-based project run by Harry Williams to spread awareness and appreciation for the limb difference community.
LimBo Foundation - UK charity supporting children with limb difference and their families
YRE
Kintana and the Captain's Curse
A treasure hunt adventure set in Madagascar during the 'Golden Age' of Piracy.
Kintana has grown up listening to stories of life at sea from her pa, an ex-pirate turned pet shop owner. So when a tall ship - The Nine Sails - berths at Pirate Island she eagerly joins the motley crew as a cabin boy - even though her main duty will be to look after the pirate's pets. But someone on board is determined to disrupt the voyage, could the dreaded captain's curse be to blame? Or it it the lure of buried treasure that will draw the ship back to her island home? One thing is for sure, Kintana is about to discover that sometimes adventure is found closer to home.
"Ahoy there, me hearties! Watch out for this swashbuckling adventure by Susan Brownrigg! It had me talking like a pirate all day! Curses & charms, cutlasses & treasure chests! Such fun! Perfect for 8+" Eve McDonnell, author of Elsetime.
"I really enjoyed my voyage through the pages of Kintana and the Captain's Curse. Smelly pirates, dastardly plots, a generous pinch of magic and an entire menagerie of exotic animals made for the perfect sailing/reading companions! A fine treasure of a book!" Jenny Moore, author of Audrey Orr and the Robot Rage & The Misadventures of Nicholas Nabb.
"This book is doubloons of joy with sprinklings of gold dust throughout. I LOVED it! Thank you so much Susan Brownrigg for taking me on such a thrilling trip to Madagascar with a cast of beautiful creatures and unforgettable characters. WOW!" Zillah Bethell, author of The Shark Caller.
"Who doesn't love a pirate story? This book brings the genre bang-up-to-date with a fabulous conservation angle and lots of unconventional animal characters. The titular Kintana longs for the life of a pirate and sails away on the Nine Sails. But soon talk of ghosts and treasure leads Kintana to question: Could the Captain's Curse be real? I enjoyed the playful character names especially, but also found myself googling Malagasy wildlife throughout - not because I needed it to understand the story but because I wanted to see the creatures Brownrigg describes for myself. An excellent, playful take on the pirate stereotype which straddles historical fiction and fantasy with ease." Barbara Henderson, author of The Chessmen Thief & Fir for Luck.
"Kintana and the Captain's Curse is perfect for Treasure Island fans: built on exotic animals, stunning coastlines and historical events, making it the perfect adventure story for 8-12year olds." Kelly Buxton, Reviewer, A Page Turner.
Kintana and the Captain's Curse is published by Uclan Publishing.
Jenny Czerwonka