The ninth novel in the DI Geraldine Steel series
A hand gripped her upper arm so suddenly it made her yelp. Biting her lower lip, she spun round, lashing out in terror. As she yanked her arm out of his grasp, her elbow hit the side of his chest. Struggling to cling on to her, he lost his footing. She staggered back and reached out, leaning one hand on the cold wall of the tunnel. Before she had recovered her balance he fell, arms flailing, eyes glaring wildly as he disappeared over the edge of the platform onto the rails below. . .Two murder victims and a suspect whose alibi appears open to doubt... Geraldine Steel is plunged into a double murder investigation which threatens not only her career, but her life.When her previously unknown twin Helena turns up, her problems threaten to make Geraldine's life turn toxic in more ways than one.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Deadly Alibi by Leigh Russell, the ninth novel in the DI Geraldine Steel series and published by No Exit Press in paperback on 25 May 2017.
I'm really pleased to welcome the author here to Random Things today, she's talking about the books that are important to her, and have inspired her, in My Life In Books
My Life In Books ~ Leigh Russell
As far back as I can remember, my life has
revolved around books. As a shy child, I was always lost in fictional worlds,
and after spending four years studying literature at university I went on to
teach literature for decades. Then, in my fifties, for no particular reason, I
began writing fiction. So to select half a dozen books that have influenced my
life is a tough call. There are so many to choose from!
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C S Lewis is one of the
Narnia books by C.S. Lewis. I loved the whole series which whisks the reader
away into a land of talking animals. Of course C.S. Lewis is really writing
about the magical worlds created by our imagination as we read. 
This leads on to my next book. Is it cheating to
choose the complete works of Shakespeare in this list? In his prologue to Henry
V Shakespeare wonders how a few actors on a small stage can represent the
'vasty fields of France', (the vast battlefields where Henry fought), ships
sailing across the ocean, and armies on horseback engaged in battle. So he
invites his audience to 'suppose' - in other words, to imagine. 'Think when we
talk of horses that you see them,' he says, summing up how fiction works its
magic.
To Kill a Mockingbird made a lasting impression
on me, as the first book I read that dealt with adult themes. It was only later
that I appreciated the skilful layering of the narrative, with the reader
understanding more than the child who is telling us the story. It remains one
of my favourite books. 
Wuthering Heights was a huge influence on me
when I was young. Rereading the book now, I am surprised by the romantic appeal
of Heathcliff who is, in fact, a sadist who torments and kills his dog and
beats his wife. But to my young imagination his wild passion seemed heroic and
wonderful. I still love the power of this novel, even though my viewpoint has
shifted.
As a crime writer, Conan Doyle is one of my
icons. Apart from the complex appeal of Sherlock Holmes, the plots in Conan
Doyle's stories are ingenious and yet plausible at the same time. 
Skipping through my reading history, and coming
right up to date, my final book is an evocation of life in America seen through
the eyes of a teenager growing up in a culture from which he feels alienated.
Dodgers by Bill Beverly is a real tour de force, a crime novel that is also a
road trip and coming of age narrative, and an exploration of the complexities
of modern day American society.
Leigh Russell - May 2017
Leigh Russell has sold over a million crime fiction novels, and writes full time. Published in Englishand in translation throughout Europe, her Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson titles have appeared on many bestseller lists, and reached #1 on kindle. Leigh's work has been nominated for several major awards, including the CWA New Blood Dagger and CWA Dagger in the Library, and her Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson series are in development for television with major television production company Avalon Television.
Leigh writes the Lucy Hall mystery series published by Thomas and Mercer.
Find out more about Leigh at http://www.leighrussell.co.uk where news, reviews and interviews are posted, with a schedule of Leigh's appearances.
Twitter https://twitter.com/LeighRussell
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