Author Stuart Farquhar is to release a new short story, The Sixth Richard Stilman. The eBook will be available free and exclusively on his website from 8th July. The story is a contemporary crime mystery starring new private detective character Leo Self and his assistant Karen Aspen, who also narrates, and will be the first in an ongoing series of Leo Self mysteries, all to be released free on the author's website.
"You won't be able to get it on Amazon or anywhere else and it won't cost you a penny," said Farquhar. "It's a thank you to everyone who's supported me this far. It's too short to release in paperback but it'll be available for all eBook readers and there'll be the option of a pdf version or a free eBook previewer that you can use on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone." During launch week there will be free Kindle giveaways of the writer's previous works as well as a few other exclusives, |
which Farquhar is remaining tight-lipped about. "There'll be a few small, fun things to look out for on my website, Twitter and Facebook. And I'll be around on Twitter and Facebook throughout the week if anyone wants to talk or ask questions about the story or anything else. Watch out too for clues on the website. And yes, that is an origami penguin being menaced by its own shadow. We like to think of it as penguin noir."
Farquhar's first novel, The Ultimate Dreamer sold around the world, including America, Japan and Brazil, and is currently being translated into German. His second novel, The Light Beneath the Waves, is expected to be published later in the year. |
Australian authorities have called off the search for survivors of the air crash of March 29th.
A spokesman for the Australian government said that the Boeing 777, which went down 103 miles off the Gold Coast, must have sunk almost immediately and is now so deep under the ocean that no-one could possibly have survived.
The aircraft reported an engine fire after leaving Brisbane. The pilots attempted to turn back but then reported an explosion. Tracking systems then saw the plane plummet and no further communication was received. A search was instigated immediately and debris was soon spotted in the Pacific Ocean and confirmed to be wreckage from the missing aircraft. A few days later, an Australian military plane located the wreck's position two-and-a-half miles below the surface. |
Air crash investigators have analysed the data and concluded that the 777 crashed minutes after its final message and would have sunk straight to the bottom. No-one would have had any opportunity to escape. In all likelihood, the spokesman added, most of the passengers would already have died in the explosion, which evidence strongly suggested was in one of the fuel tanks. The debris found floating on the surface was consistent with a large section of the fuselage having broken off before the plane hit the water.
It's unlikely, the spokesman continued, that anyone was still alive after the impact but if they were, they would have drowned. In the extremely remote event of passengers or crew having escaped the aircraft, they would by now have died of exposure. As the crash site has been positively identified and thoroughly searched, experts are now convinced that there are no survivors to be found. |
Police have confirmed that the Captain of the cross-channel ferry that sank last week is to face prosecution along with three members of his crew.
Captain David Hart allegedly did not perform the proper safety checks before leaving port and the MS Channel Star sank as a direct result of his failure, according to police. Three members of Hart's crew have also been named in the action as they were responsible for carrying out the checks and reporting them to the |
Captain. They were Assistant Bosun Charles Madison, who was responsible for closing the doors; 3rd Officer Peter Flint, who should have ensured the doors were secure before setting sail; and 1st Officer Kelly Smith, who failed to give the order for closing the doors.
The ferry sank after taking on water as a result of unsecured loading bay doors. 314 people died. |
A fourth body has been discovered in Brighton, believed to be another victim of the so-called Brighton Butcher.
Police named the victim as Theresa Sharpe (21), who worked as a stripper. Her body was found near the Middle Street Symagogue. No other details have been released. |