I’m doing the final edits of A Killing in the Cotswolds, the third Emily Swift Travel Mystery. It brings back vivid memories of the spring my husband and I went to England to gather inspiration for the novel. Remembering our trip is especially fun now when we’re all staying safe at home.
Like Emily Swift, we began our trip in London at the gorgeous Grande Royale Hotel.
It is like a palace with its carved wood paneling, marble fireplace, high ceilings, and Venetian glass chandeliers. The staff members are young and helpful. Our room was small but had high ceilings and a comfy bed with a snowy white coverlet. A lamp on each side of the king sized bed allowed me to read late at night without disturbing Jon, a definite plus. I thought this would be a lovely place for Emily to begin a trip that would eventually entangle her in a murder investigation.
As soon as we stowed our luggage, Jon and I went for a walk in Hyde Park, which was right at the end of our street, Inverness Terrace. The grass was green, and daffodils, crocus, tiny cyclamen, primroses and other little flowers were blooming. Such a delightful change from Minnesota where it had been snowing hard. Although the English sky was cloudy and the air chilly, signs of spring were everywhere. A cold spring beats no spring at all.
We walked past the statue of Queen Victoria, through a sunken garden and into the Kensington Palace Tea Room where I enjoyed a scone with jam and clotted cream and browsed among the many pretty trinkets, tea pots and cups, jewelry, teas and candies and cookies. It was the first of many delightful tea times in England.
