A former Shropshire journalist has swapped fact for fiction with the publication of her first novel.
Alys Cummings began her career on the Shrewsbury Chronicle, before moving to the Shropshire Star first at its Ketley office, then in Shrewsbury where she became deputy chief reporter.
Now her debut book, Murder.Most.Cryptic has been published by Penguin Michael Joseph, which Alys describes as ‘a dream come true’.
The murder mystery is set in an alcohol recovery group, where a stranger walks in, collapses and dies. In his pocket is a cryptic crossword clue, to which the answer is
‘Murder’. The recovery group members, including journalist Nina, retired headteacher. Sandra and ex-police officer Eric, set out to discover who killed him and why.
Alys said she first started writing the book following an accident at the end of 2021, which left her needing surgery.
“My leg was in a plaster cast for two months, and I couldn’t walk, couldn’t get out and about to do all the things I would usually do. I was going round the twist so decided to entertain myself by starting to write,” she said.
Alys grew up in the Midlands and did her journalism training with the Midland News Association in Wolverhampton. After leaving the Star she headed to London, working for a news agency based at the Old Bailey criminal court, before joining the BBC. She spent 15 years on BBC Panorama, where she produced and directed documentaries on subjects including conspiracy theorists and domestic abuse.
Alys is now a freelance writer and journalist, living on the north east coast.
A life-long fan of crime fiction, Alys had taken up cryptic crosswords during lockdowns the previous year, so said she felt inspired to combine the two.
“It was the first idea that came to me – a dead body and a clue, to which the answer was “murder”. I think crosswords and murder mysteries have a lot in common – they’re both things to solve.
“Plus, whenever I got stuck writing a bit of the book, I could just write a crossword instead and still convince myself that I was making progress,” Alys said.
Her pitch for the novel won a prestigious pitching competition at the Bloody Scotland Crime Festival at the end of 2024, which motivated Alys to finish her draft.
After signing with an agent at London literary agency AM Heath, she was offered a two-book publishing deal in summer last year.
Now Alys is working on that second book, which will be a follow-up to Murder.Most.Cryptic, featuring some of the same characters.
“I’m really enjoying writing it,” she said. “It’s brilliant to be back in the company of these characters and I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to do something I love.”
Murder Most Cryptic was published in hardback, e-book and audiobook in the UK on October 8th. Alys has also landed a publishing deal in America, and Murder.Most.Cryptic will be out in the US in February next year.
To order a copy of Alys’ book visit https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/478520/murder-most-cryptic-by-cummings-alys/9780241810972.
