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So I’ve been going in and working with smaller groups of young people and getting them to write letters in character, getting them to do a bit of drama and theatre themselves and writing. Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds. Lizzie lives and works in her family’s tea shop in Westminster, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries.
I am begging you: if you don’t find the life of your key character fundamentally interesting, go and find someone else to write about!
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Women’s clothes weren’t really designed to be put on by yourself because no one was ever really on their own. But then there are no servants at all in this household despite it being a relatively prosperous household. A look at Charles Booth’s map of London is illuminating in this regard. One of the best things about this book is the friendship between Lizzie and Belle. The girls' bond is heart-warming and genuine, and the author does an excellent job of developing their characters throughout the story. Lizzie is curious, brave, and determined, while Belle is intelligent, compassionate, and resourceful. The dynamic between the two girls is realistic and relatable, and their relationship will likely inspire young readers to value the importance of true friendship.
The author has clearly attempted to emulate Murder Most Unladylike in 1770s England (you can work out the date if you correlate when some of the characters died). This is I think deliberate. The author has published a short story with Robin Stevens, and the books are being marketed with this tagline, and we have the same case book summaries. Maybe it would have worked if any attempt had been made to think 18th century, but this is so shallow an attempt to create the period (compare to Hester Burton who wrote a lot of 18th century books for children, including anti slavery ones) that it felt entirely like cosplay. With my family I’m re-watching the BBC adaptation of War and Peace we alternate with re-watching Stath Lets Flats, which I absolutely love. Whilst home alone, I watched Get Out this week. I saw it at the cinema when it came out, but had to watch through my fingers at the time. It skewers brilliantly the uncanniness of unspoken racism. Joanna Williams aka Joanna Brown is a writer and educator, and was the runner up but ‘highly recommended’ for the Life Writing Prize 2020 with Birds can be heard singing through open windows, a piece on maternal bonding and loss. Joanna also facilitates creative writing workshops. Last year she was involved in the development of the literary education programme Africa Writes: Young Voices, linking poets with London school students to explore writing from Africa and the diaspora. Drama and Danger (The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries)" by J.T. Williams is an excellent middle-grade mystery book that is sure to captivate young readers with its intriguing plot, lovable characters, and fascinating historical setting.
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On 11 April 1777, Ignatius Sancho while performing in Shakespeare’s play Othello got injured by the fall of a Chandelier. This seems like an accident at first, but both Lizzie and another girl at the theater Dido Belle saw a mysterious man on the balcony. This leads them to the idea that this is not an accidental fall after all but a huge conspiracy is behind this incident. I received a review copy of the audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions. Overall, this was a wonderful adventure, in a world that feels very real. I highly recommend it, to children and adults alike. I’m so looking forward to the new Lizzie & Belle mystery (Portraits and Poisoning)!
Williams explains: “It’s amazing, I can’t even believe how much has happened since we last spoke. At that point. I was highly commended for the Spread The Word Life Writing Prize and that piece of writing that I sent in was really the first piece of writing that I had shared publicly and I had just gone into this position of leaving my job, hunkering down and writing, writing, writing, everyday, all day.The story follows a 12 years old girl, Elizabeth Sancho, who spends most of her time helping out with the family business. Lizzie’s father Ignatius Sancho, is an actor at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. They team up, making notes and following suspects – until they’re plunged into terrible danger themselves. Can Lizzie and Belle navigate their new friendship, and stop the would-be murderer?
I was was ok with the historical aspect. I feel like the author chose to soften the history to make it accessible for middle grade. A lot. The one thing that annoyed me was the way their approach to mystery solving is from the 20th/21st century. I don’t view things in terms of Plans A or B, more just alternative routes towards the desired endpoint. I’ve always been pretty nimble and flexible when it comes to my work. Over the course of my life I’ve been happy to re-train, start again, try something different. I trained as a teacher in my late 30s for example. But writing was always what I wanted to do. And now I’m doing it, I’ll continue to do it, no matter what. Like most writers, I supplement by income by running workshops, teaching etc. But I enjoy doing those things – for me, they are a fundamental part of the job of writing. Educating through books is the sweet spot Williams has been working hard for over the past few years and her fervour to be the best she can be is underpinned by the fact she is currently studying for a PHD. Pleased with the way the book has been received, she highlighted the other areas of value that come from her journey so far. The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger has been shortlisted for the Waterstones 2023 Children’s Book Prize!
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In conclusion, #TheLizzieandBelleMysteriesDramaandDanger by J.T. Williams is a highly entertaining and informative middle-grade mystery book that is perfect for young readers who enjoy historical fiction and detective stories. The book's engaging plot, lovable characters, and fascinating historical setting make it an excellent choice for parents and educators who are looking for inspiring and educational literature for children. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery story with a historical twist. I give it a solid 4/5 star rating. A Spelling Seed is available for The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger. Spelling Seed Overview: Overview: Liz Bankes, editorial directorand Aleena Hasan, editorial assistant, acquired world rights in all languages from Jasmine Richards at Storymix. The first title will bepublished on 4th August 2022, with a second book to follow in summer 2023. No child of 12 can afford an already embroidered handkerchief. It’s much more likely anyway that she’d have bought a hanky and embroidered it herself, because that’s what women did. Most better off women learned to sew at the same time as they learned their letters and were highly skilled) In Lizzie Sancho, I created a historical character with a contemporary voice. She refuses eighteenth-century etiquette: doesn’t wear dresses, won’t curtsey. She’s street-smart. Through Lizzie’s coolly observant narration of Drama and Danger, readers can experience the world of the eighteenth century with a witty slant.
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