About Peter Hyson

Best Selling Author

My Story

I started life about as far away from the Cotswolds idyll as possible: in the working-class area of Nottingham that shares my surname.

I left Nottingham to take up teaching posts and spent fifteen wonderful years in Lincoln and Chelmsford. Over the next couple of decades, I meandered through North London, back to Billericay in Essex and out to a village in the North Wilts countryside that provided much of the inspiration for Much Slaughter.

Domestic upheaval led me to a small village near Stratford on Avon, before love drew me down to London (3 different locations) and then, for my 22nd home, out into the fabulous Cotswolds. During my travels I gained four wonderful children – now thriving as wonderful adults – and a reputation for not staying long in any one place: curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s kept me alive and kicking, as has stints as a teacher, professional swimming coach, working for the Church of England, freelancing for local radio, and coaching some very inspiring business leaders and an awful lot of amateur dramatics – not all of it on the stage!

Now a typical day will see me writing, leading retreats, helping in our local church or maybe cycling or walking in the stunning Cotswolds countryside. Or simply spotting great place names to become another great character… And lots of shared laughter.

 

My Love Story with Writing:

It’s very hard to live in The Cotswolds and not be inspired by the countryside and the villages! Whether it’s Cider with Rosie or the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams… it’s such a COZY place to be.

 

Cotswolds Capers is a series of cozy murder-mysteries set in the Cotswold village of Much Slaughter. And given that I love laughter and you can’t get too much of a good thing, they were always going to be more Agatha Raisin than Agatha Christie. Chefs, coppers, local dignitaries… all come to a sticky end as Catherine de Barnes (Catney or Cat to her friends) and her neighbour Wickham Skeith sleuth, snoop and snuffle out the villains.     

 

So how did a working-class lad from a tough area of Nottingham end up immersed as an author in the beautiful West Country of England?

 

Skegness beach. In almost every photo until my teens I’m wearing a tie. Must mean something!

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I will defend the importance of bedtime stories to my last gasp

JK Rowling