Jenn McKinlay | Little London Details

When researching the plot for AT THE DROP OF A HAT, I felt the need to go to London, a hardship I know. While it is certainly possible to write a book about a foreign setting when you’ve never been there – thank you, Google Earth – it is infinitely better to go there in person.

It is the little things that make a story come to life, at least for me. Buying a baguette and a hot chocolate in Hyde Park on a chilly morning, riding on the top of a double deck bus in the front row on a rainy day, renting a Barclay bicycle from one of the many stands in the city, all of these things were small life moments I enjoyed whilst (love that word) I visited London that added texture and flavor to the setting I was writing.

There is no substitute for hearing the recorded voice tell you to “Mind the Gap” when you step on the Underground, or being handed a wooden spoon with a number on it at the pub so they can bring you your order of beef stew in a Yorkshire pudding bowl to be washed down with a Fuller’s Ale. Bliss.

Probably, my favorite research was visiting Portobello Road. Mim’s Whims, the hat shop that Viv and Scarlett own, is set on the famous street in Notting Hill and I spent hours wandering its shops, noshing my way through the Saturday market, admiring the neighborhood and soaking up the atmosphere like a sunflower turning its face to the sun.

When I sat down to write, I didn’t know what moments from my trip would insert themselves into my book. I just let it happen. As of now, I’m still waiting for the episode when a lovely elderly British woman collided with my son in a crosswalk and cried out, “Oh, my little sausage!” to plop itself into a future book. I have no doubt it will, especially since my son has forbidden me from calling him “my little sausage” anymore.

So, if you’re looking for a taste of London here’s a glimpse of the plot of AT THE DROP OF A HAT so you can decide for yourself whether you want to join Viv and Scarlett for their latest mystery. Ariana Jackson arrives at Mim’s Whims bearing an old hat box. Inside is a wide-brimmed bridal hat that was definitely made by Mim, Scarlett and Vivian’s grandmother, over thirty years ago. Ariana is about to be married and she wants Viv to restore the hat and veil to its original glory so that she can wear it at her own wedding.

Viv is delighted to take on the job, it means so much to her to refurbish one of Mim’s original designs. Unfortunately, contacting Ariana with the estimated cost becomes difficult as she never answers her phone. Finally, Scarlett goes to visit the young woman at her place of work. When she arrives at the barrister’s office in Kensington, she finds Ariana in the alley, standing over the body of her dead boss who looks to have fallen to his death. The police think the man was pushed. Scarlett refuses to believe Ariana is the murderer. It is now up Scarlett and Viv to find the real killer before Ariana’s future is boxed up for good.

Happy Reading!

About AT THE DROP OF A HAT

Murder can be so old hat...

Cousins Scarlett Parker and Vivian Tremont’s fashionable London hat shop, Mim’s Whims, is visited by a new customer bearing an old hat box. Ariana Jackson is getting married and wants to restore her mother’s bridal hat and veil for the occasion. The elegant item was made by Scarlett and Vivian’s grandmother over thirty years ago, so Viv is delighted to take the job.

When Scarlett goes to Ariana's office to consult about the restoration cost, she finds her outside, standing over her boss’s dead body. Though Ariana claims to know nothing about his demise, the investigation unveils a motive for murder. Now, with the bride-to-be in custody and the wedding on hold, Scarlett and Viv must find the real killer before Ariana's future is boxed up for good.