January saw The Girl Below Stairs, the latest novel from local author, Janet Tanner (otherwise known as Jennie Felton), released inpaperback, no doubt eagerly awaited by those who follow her work. The well-known author has been writing professionally since 1967, finding her love of writing at school and publishing now close to an incredible forty novels.

Janet’s latest work is part of The Families of Fairley Terrace Saga, following on from All the Dark Secrets and The Miner’s Daughter. This time, we go a little Downton Abbey as she takes us to the grand Fairley Hall, following the character of Edie Cooper, lady’s maid to Christina, the adopted daughter of Lady Elizabeth, whilst also cleverly keeping us firmly rooted at the Miner’s cottages in Fairley Terrace.

As we travel back and forth to the families that live there and the stories intertwined with the main narrative, we learn the secrets of the wealthy family and the grand building’s inhabitants ‘below stairs’ as the story unfolds – and the twists and turns that this entails. Will the mystery of who Christina really is be revealed? Will Edie be able to protect Christina? And is the future of Fairley Hall in safe hands?

All the while, in parallel, is Edie’s own story, broken-hearted when her first love, Charlie, leaves for London seeking his fortune. Will their paths ever meet again? Packed full of drama, this book will leave you guessing until the end!

In true Tanner style, interweaved in this novel are much larger issues – following the suffragette movement, and exploring Catholocism. Speaking to The Journal recently, Janet told us that including such subjects inevitably means many hours of research. She said: “I find it fascinating to explore different aspects of life, different situations – and it keeps me fresh. I will carry out research through the internet or by talking to people with specialist knowledge.

“Each book takes me about a year from beginning to end, from writing to dealing with copy edits.

“It has been fulfilling following the stories of a set case of characters in Fairley Terrace, but it is also demanding keeping track of everyone – their ages, what they were doing at any given time, and so on. My Editor’s assistant has compiled a complete calendar of events that make up the books – which has been a great help!

“I like an ending to be satisfying, but not overly neat – life is not like that. I am given pretty free rein and usually try to write what I would like to read.

“The next in the series, The Widow’s Promise, is now put to bed, and I am starting on the fifth, which has to be delivered by October this year.”

Having been released as a hardback last August, The Girl Below Stairs is now available in paperback from this month, anticipated in the local Tesco store, Sainsbury’s, Asda, WH Smith’s High Street and online via Amazon.