How National Trust and English Heritage Places Inspire My Stories
Why visits to castles, abbeys, historic houses and forgotten corners of Britain often become the first spark behind a C.J. Weddell mystery.
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Blog
Behind-the-scenes stories, writing updates, and the real places that inspire the fiction.
The Four Blood Transfusions in Dracula—and Why They Matter
Who gave Lucy Westenra blood in Dracula, why four untyped transfusions were medically dangerous, and how they shape the novel’s deepest mystery.
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Why Knitting Circles Make Perfect Settings for Murder Mysteries
A close-knit group, familiar routines and secrets hidden in plain sight: why the humble knitting circle is an ideal setting for a British cosy mystery.
Read MoreWhat Happened to Lucy Westenra After Dracula?
What happened to Lucy Westenra after Dracula—and how The Fifth Blood turns her four transfusions into a modern Whitby medical Gothic mystery.
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Before Harker Entered the Castle: The Untold Story of Dracula’s Brides
Before Jonathan Harker entered Castle Dracula, three women were already waiting. The House of Four Graves gives Ilona, Katalin and Susanna the histories the original novel never revealed.
Read More7 True Stories Hidden in Britain’s Ancient Priories and Abbeys
Seven documented stories from Britain’s medieval priories and abbeys—from Viking raids and royal burials to solitary monks, rediscovered relics and a genuine monastic holiday retreat.
Read MoreThe Real History Behind Tynemouth Priory
Kings, monks, coastal attacks and hidden passageways: the real history that inspired Evelyn and Elliot’s first Crowe Chronicles mystery.
Read MoreCreating Professor Malachai Crowe
Is Crowe protecting history or stealing it? The idea behind the mysterious figure connecting every Evelyn & Elliot adventure.
Read MoreThe Mystery of Holy Island
A tidal road, centuries of belief and a landscape cut off by the sea: why Holy Island became the setting for the second Crowe Chronicles adventure.
Read MoreWhy Snowbound Psychological Thrillers Are Taking Over Right Now
Snow turns ordinary situations into survival stories. Here's why snowbound psychological thrillers are dominating reader trends right now.
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Welcome to C.J. Weddell Books
A new chapter begins. Welcome to the official home of C.J. Weddell — where dark thrillers and children's mysteries collide.
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Why I Write Thrillers at Night
There's something about the silence of 2am that makes the darkest stories feel the most real.
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