Jonathan Whitelaw

Jonathan Whitelaw is an author, award winning journalist and broadcaster. Jonathan's most recent book, The Bingo Hall Detectives was published in April 2022 by Harper North and is also available from our catalogue.

Who were your heroes as you were growing up?

I always had a soft spot for Robert Louis Stephenson. I remember being told his life story in primary school and thinking that it was absolutely incredible how he turned adversity into something positive. He had a fairly troubled life full stop but is still regarded as one of our greatest ever writers.

In terms of actual, proper hero worship though, it's got to be Harrison Ford. If I wasn't watching Indiana Jones movies every weekend, it was Star Wars. I've still got a bit of a man-crush on him. Oh, and anyone who's played James Bond. Phwoooar.

What first sparked your interest in writing?

I distinctly remember my parents saying that I wasn't allowed to take my action figures and Lego on holiday with me. So what I used to do was write stories and scenarios while I was away and then act them out when I returned home. It was a fair compromise I guess - although I reckon the actual playing was better than my writing! That was when I really got the taste for creating fiction and all the weird, wonderful and downright horrible things you can do as a writer to your characters.

Suffolk readers will be familiar with your book The Bingo Hall Detectives which we chose as a Suffolk Loves title. Was writing the book an enjoyable experience?

Honestly, I can say that BHD was the best writing experience of my life. The characters of Jason and Amita pretty much came fully formed the first time I sat down to write out the ideas in my head. And I've had such wonderful support and faith from my team at HarperNorth. It's by far the best thing I've ever written and I'm immensely proud of it. The only problem, and it's a nice problem to have I guess, is that the next in the series has been the HARDEST to write - how do you follow up the best thing you've ever written? You just have to do it all over again, only bigger and better. Thankfully, Jason and Amita and the whole cast of characters are such a joy to write for, it makes it a lovely pressure to have.

One of the features of The Bingo Hall Detectives is the humour between Jason and Amita. Was that something you intended to put in from the start or did it develop as you wrote?

Absolutely. And I'm glad that the humour comes across. It's a cosy crime novel, and I'm of the opinion that humour plays a much larger role in that kind of mystery than, say, a police procedural. With cosy crime, you never see the knife go in, but there's still a murder to be solved. While the subgenre never touches on the graphic or overly violent, you can still feature a really good, greusome crime. It's how it's delivered, through character and setting. For me, the relationship between the two of them was key to everything in the book, it's all built around those two. Son and mothers-in-law are a strange breed - they're thrown together through fate and circumstance and they have to get on. But they can be very different people - as with Jason and Amita.

I think having that conflict, that inter-generational difference of opinion and approach, was breeding ground for a lot of the humour. But also the endearing and love they have for each other too. Hopefully that comes across.

Is there anything you can share with us about your latest project?

My lips are sealed in terms of title and cover etc of the next Bingo Hall Detective novels. I CAN reveal that it's out on April 27th, 2023, which is incredibly exciting. We've got the north American launch of BHD in January which I'm absolutely thrilled at too. Jason, Amita and a good few of the bingo club are back for this one, along with some new additions - good and bad. It's been great fun getting back to Penrith and spending time with these creations. And I'm excited to see what everyone thinks of the new caper.

Why do you think 'cosy' crime is enjoying such success at the moment?

All praise Saint Richard of Osman! It's a really good question. Cosy crime has never really gone away. Publishing is a trends based industry and certain genres will dip and peak depending on what people want to read. The world has been through so much in the last couple of years and we've all felt it in one way or the other. The magic of cosy crime is its heart. It's comforting and welcoming, with barrels of humour and hopefully a juicy whodunnit at its core.

It's escapism of the highest degree and being able to offer readers that chance to set real life aside, even for a few hours, is a very special privilege that I never take for granted. It's a real treat to be able to write in this genre while so many others are doing such fantastic work. And again, hopefully it gives readers a little lift or boost when they need it the most.

What is on your 'to read' pile at the moment?

Oh blimey - the endless pile. I swear, the Tower of Babel wasn't nearly so big. I have the wonderful benefit of getting to review a lot of work as a journalist, so I've always got proofs and advance copies coming through my letter box. Add on top of that there are some other authors out there who, goodness knows why, would like me to give them a blurb for their covers etc. So I've always got something to read - and usually of any genre and style I could hope for. Recently, I've thoroughly enjoyed Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare. And I've been devouring The Launch Party by Lauren Forry - a murder on the Moon - what's not to love about that!!

One book, piece of music or art that everyone should experience?

This is the toughest question yet! Only one of each? You're mean. Okay. If you've never read Hairy McLary from Donaldson's Dairy then you're severely missing out. My good friend and wonderful author Marion Todd bought it for my son when he was born and it's quite simply perfection. So it's got a very special place in mine and my family's heart.

Music, I ask a lot of music related questions on social media and people are very generous with their time in replying. One band I've just discovered through this is Powderfinger's Vulture Street album - Pockets being an absolutely monumental piece of work.

And as for art, that's easy, Michaelangelo's The Last Judgement in the Sistene Chapel. A stunning piece of human endeavour that actually moved me to tears when I saw it in real life for the first time. Regardless of your views and beliefs, the whole work is an incredible monument to humanity's indefatigability.

If you had not become a writer, what career path would you like to have taken?

I would love to have been a doctor. My wife is a medic and the work she does on a daily basis is both indescribably important and awe inspiring at the same time. She's my hero and I tell her that all of the time. I wish I had the ability, the patience, the generosity and the sheer bloody will to be able to do what she does. Funnily enough, I joked with a taxi driver in London recently about how I was a journalist before becoming a writer. And he said: "So you've never had a proper job then?". I completely agreed!!

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

I was a record-breaking, highest ever scoring Advanced English student at my school. I'm not sure if the record still stands as I left school about a million years ago. But when I left, I held that distinction. From what I remember it was something like 97% I got for the whole exam - interpretation, three essays on Shakespeare etc. I even got to go to the prize giving ceremony at the end of the year!