Alumna to Return to St Mary’s to Launch Crime Novel

A former student at St Mary’s University, Twickenham is hosting a book signing of her first novel on campus next month.

Alumna Lara Dearman (pictured right), who was in the first group to study on the Creative Writing: First Novel MA, is back at St Mary’s on Tuesday 5th December to launch her book The Devil’s Claw.

Lara, who graduated in 2016, has signed a two-book deal with publisher Trapeze and The Devil’s Claw will be the first in a new series of crime novels set in the Channel Islands.

The book follows main character Jennifer Dorey who, after a traumatic incident in London, takes up a job as a local reporter in Guernsey, her childhood home. She works with Detective Chief Inspector Michael Gilbert on a series of similar deaths but this puts her at risk from the murderer.

Lara now lives in New York with her husband and three children but is coming back to St Mary’s to launch the book she started writing as part of her postgraduate studies.

Jonathan Gibbs, Programme Director for Creative and Professional Writing at St Mary’s, said, “I am delighted Lara has been given a book deal and very proud that she has decided to launch her first published piece here at St Mary’s. She was a very talented and hard-working student and I look forward to welcoming her back for what is sure to be great night.”

The signing, Q&A and book reading take place at 7pm in the Waldegrave Drawing Room and is free to attend while Lara will be available for interviews after the event.