Relax and Read Book Club: The Frozen People: A Mystery by Elly Griffiths

Spabreaks.com’s Relax and Read Book Club gives you the chance to discover new books, learn about the authors, share your opinions and really escape into an inspiring world of literature.

This month we're reading The Frozen People: A Mystery by Elly Griffiths. A Sunday Times best-seller, the story follows Ali Dawson and her cold case team, as they investigate crimes so old, they're frozen. The story takes them back to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, the eccentric great-grandfather of MP Isaac Templeton, rumoured to have been part of a sinister group called The Collectors; to become a member, you had to kill a woman. Here, Elly Griffiths tells us more.

"Wow. I thought I had my book of the year nailed on - not anymore. Time traveling killers and detectives have been done before, but Griffiths' take on it is fresh, compelling and original, full of jaw-dropping imagination, rounded step off the page characters, and enough loose ends to leave me itching for book 2. I'm a long time Elly Griffiths fan, but I reckon this is her best book yet!" - Amazon review

What inspired you to write The Frozen People, and how did you approach blending time travel with a gripping murder mystery?

I’ve always wanted to write a time-travel book. As a child I loved books like Tom’s Midnight Garden, A Traveller in Time and A Wrinkle in Time. For years, I tried to think of a way of writing an adult version. Then three words came to me: time-travelling detective. I had a vision of Alison Dawson, fifty years old, thrice married, working through East London to her job in a nondescript office block. I knew that she worked for a police cold case unit, known as The Frozen People because their cases were so cold they were frozen. I knew that they solved these cases by going back in time. That was all I had, but it was enough.

Who is your favourite character in the book and why? 

Ali has to be my favourite character. I knew that, if readers were to follow me on this fanciful adventure, they would have to believe in the characters. I hope Ali is a relatable character, a very modern woman who suddenly finds herself in Victorian London. But I also have a soft spot for Ali’s cat, Terry.

How did you go about researching the Victorian era, and what was the most surprising or fascinating detail you uncovered?

I read lots of books about the nineteenth century. I particularly enjoyed finding out about the clothes and will aways remember the fact that, in 1850, women wore as many as five layers of petticoats, one of which was stiffened with horse hair, known as ‘crin au lin’, This is where, a few years later, we get the word ‘crinoline’.

Could you share insights into your writing process and how you balance creating such intricate plots with rich historical detail? Do you plan every plot twist or let the story unfold?

I used to plan my books carefully, chapter by chapter, but now I just start and see where the story takes me. I quite often start a mystery not knowing who was murdered or who did it! There’s more rewriting involved with this method but it’s a lot more exciting. I try to write a thousand words a day.

Who are some of your favourite authors or books, and how have they influenced your journey into writing?

My favourite author is Wilkie Collins and you can definitely see his influence on my writing. I love the way he tells a story from different perspectives, as in The Woman in White, or makes the landscape into another character, like the Shivering Sands in The Moonstone. He was also great on balancing tension and humour.

When you're not writing or editing, how do you like to relax and wind down? 

I live by the sea and try to swim most days, in the sea or an open air pool. I’ve recently discovered open air saunas too. I also love walking and horse-riding. In the evenings I like to read or do crosswords.

If Ali were visiting a spa today, what treatment would she choose to recharge after being in Victorian London?

I think Ali would definitely need a spa break after spending time in Victorian London. There was no indoor plumbing, she had to wash standing up and there was nothing she could do with her hair except put it in a bun and hope for the best. To be honest, I felt like I needed a shower after writing about it! I think Ali would like a back, neck and shoulder massage, followed by sauna and steam room.

What is your top tip for maintaining creativity and focus during the intense process of writing and promoting a book?

I do find swimming helps. If I’m stuck on a plot point, a quick dip usually solves things. Maybe it’s the water but somebody told me that you feel more creative with your feet off the ground…

Finally, what do you hope readers take away from reading The Frozen People First and foremost I hope it’s a good read with memorable characters. But I hope that readers will also feel that they’ve been on an adventure and that the past really isn’t that different from the present.

If you could time travel, would it be to the past or fast forward to the future?

I think the future would be too scary. I’d like to go back to Roman times and live in a villa on the Amalfi coast with central heating and lots of fountains. The food would be good too…