166 ratings | 28 reviews | avg rating:4.07

Celina’s Year In Books

Celina’s 2024 Year in Books

Take a look at Celina’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Celina’s 2024 Year in Books

Celina Grace’s Followers (454)

Celina’s Bookshelves

to-read (12)
currently-reading (40)
read (174)

Celina’s Friends (260)

Kevin Lazarus

89 books | 182 friends

Mae Clair

1,227 books | 1,856 friends

9,152 books | 1,697 friends

Rachel Carter

4,564 books | 98 friends

Naomi

2,176 books | 166 friends

Marlin Williams

25 books | 1,196 friends

Andrew Lawston

186 books | 333 friends

Uli Vogel

1,628 books | 269 friends

More friends…

Celina Grace

Goodreads Author

Website

http://www.celinagrace.com

Twitter

celina__grace

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Literature & Fiction

Influences

Ruth Rendell, Barbara Vine, Lesley Glaister, Erin Kelly ...more

Member Since

March 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/celinagrace

edit data

I’ve been trying to get published as a writer since…. um… er…um…see, it was that long ago I can’t remember. A long time. I make it fifteen years and counting….

I’ve also been writing for as long as I can really remember. I wrote my first story, The Blue Ruby, when I was about seven (if I can find that deathless prose scribbled in an exercise book somewhere, I might upload it here for a bit of light relief). Throughout college and university, I experimented with screenplays and scripts (I was studying Film and English at the time at the University of East Anglia), as well as other more short stories. In my twenties, I started my first novel, finished it, then my second, then my third. In my thirties, I was slightly side-tracked by the birth I’ve been trying to get published as a writer since…. um… er…um…see, it was that long ago I can’t remember. A long time. I make it fifteen years and counting….

I’ve also been writing for as long as I can really remember. I wrote my first story, The Blue Ruby, when I was about seven (if I can find that deathless prose scribbled in an exercise book somewhere, I might upload it here for a bit of light relief). Throughout college and university, I experimented with screenplays and scripts (I was studying Film and English at the time at the University of East Anglia), as well as other more short stories. In my twenties, I started my first novel, finished it, then my second, then my third. In my thirties, I was slightly side-tracked by the birth of my son but, leaving aside that trifling distraction, managed to write my fourth..

I didn’t bother trying to get the first novel published as I saw it as more of a practise run at this business of being an author. With the second, I entered the 2004 Lit Idol competition and got to third place. That was my ticket to publication, I thought, surely? Hah! Just the first in a long line of disappointments, of which every writer must be familiar… hopes built up to then be smacked down again. I had an agent approach me after the competition and on their encouragement, I finished, edited and polished the manuscript, sent it off to them with happy hopes – to be told months later that they didn’t think it was quite right for them..

Gutted, but enthusiasm relatively undimmed, I started on a new novel, inspired in part by the dramatic events of 2005 – the London bombings. I also wrote a short story at the same time on the same subject – it was on my mind a lot that summer (unsurprisingly. Freedom Fighter is the story – available on Amazon as part of The Mourning After short story collection). This novel The House on Fever Street (written under my maiden name Celina Alcock) was shortlisted for the 2006 Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. Aha, I thought, a fairly prestigious and industry recognised award. This will get me published. Did it? Did it buggery!.

The House on Fever Street was also longlisted in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award of that year, which garnered me some nice reviews and a much needed ego boost but didn’t advance my career as a published author much further..

So what next for our doughty heroine? She ups and writes her fourth novel, gains an agent and thinks now, now I have finally made it as a published author! And she waits. And waits. And waits some more. And then waits a bit more. And a bit more. Finally, for variety, she waits a bit more..

So, after two years of waiting, reading about self-publishing on Amazon and other platforms, I believe a phrase that ends in ‘…for a game of soldiers’ passed my lips and I decide to publish myself. So I did. And here I am on Amazon, making sales. No publisher. No agent. Just me..

And that makes me VERY happy.
...more

75 posts
Celina Grace's Blog

Undertow (A Kate Redman Mystery: Book 16) is here!

Undertow: A Kate Redman Mystery: Book 16 Undertow: A Kate Redman Mystery: Book 16 Undertow: A Kate Redman Mystery: Book 16It’s been months and months of hard writing (this one I found particularly tricky after a stressful year) but Undertow, the 16th in the Kate Redman Mysteries series is finally available for download (paperbacks will be published in August).

You can download Undertow from my websit Read more of this blog post »

1 like · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 16, 2024 05:04 • Tags: kate-redman-mysteries

View all 75 posts »

Combine Editions
Celina Grace’s books

Average rating: 3.93 · 39,859 ratings · 3,309 reviews · 62 distinct works • Similar authors

	Hushabye (Kate Redman Mysteries, #1) 3.71 avg rating — 9,210 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder at Merisham Lodge (Miss Hart and Miss Hunter Investigate, #1) 3.88 avg rating — 3,612 ratings — published 2016 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Requiem (Kate Redman Mysteries, #2) 3.94 avg rating — 3,276 ratings — published 2013 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Imago (Kate Redman Mysteries, #3) 3.92 avg rating — 2,816 ratings — published 2013 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sanctuary (Kate Redman Mysteries, #8) 4.10 avg rating — 1,995 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Chimera (Kate Redman Mysteries, #5) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,956 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lost Girls 3.74 avg rating — 1,879 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Echo (Kate Redman Mysteries, #6) 4.21 avg rating — 1,652 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pulse (Kate Redman Mysteries, #10) 4.12 avg rating — 1,565 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Siren (Kate Redman Mysteries, #9) 4.20 avg rating — 1,373 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Celina Grace…

Series by Celina Grace

Kate Redman Mysteries (17 books)
by

Celina Grace (Goodreads Author)

3.96 avg rating — 30,688 ratings

Miss Hart and Miss Hunter Investigate (6 books)
by

Celina Grace (Goodreads Author)

3.86 avg rating — 6,105 ratings

The Asharton Manor Mysteries (4 books)
by

Celina Grace (Goodreads Author)

3.58 avg rating — 1,786 ratings

Celina is Currently Reading

Celina Grace is currently reading

The Woman in Black

by Susan Hill

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Oct 06, 2025 02:59PM

Celina Grace is currently reading

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple

by Anne Hart (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 25, 2025 03:04PM

Celina Grace is currently reading

Final Demand

by Deborah Moggach (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 24, 2025 04:30PM

rss
Celina’s Recent Updates

Celina Grace is currently reading The Woman in Black by Susan Hill	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 06, 2025 02:59PM · 2 likes · like
Celina Grace rated a book it was amazing Nemesis (Miss Marple #11) by Agatha Christie	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 04, 2025 03:51PM · 3 likes · like
Celina Grace is currently reading Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple by Anne Hart (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 25, 2025 03:04PM · like
Celina Grace is currently reading Final Demand by Deborah Moggach (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 24, 2025 04:30PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Final Demand by Deborah Moggach. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Final Demand by Deborah Moggach <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Celina Grace is currently reading Blasted Things: A fresh and compelling novel about love, life and the damage of war by Lesley Glaister (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 06, 2025 03:12PM · like
Celina Grace is currently reading Feed Your Family for Under a Fiver: Over 80 budget-friendly, super simple recipes for the whole family from TikTok star Meals by Mitch by Mitch Lane	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 06, 2025 02:53PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Feed Your Family for Under a Fiver by Mitch Lane. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Feed Your Family for Under a Fiver by Mitch Lane <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Celina Grace finished reading Sheer Blue Bliss by Lesley Glaister (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 03, 2025 08:27AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sheer Blue Bliss by Lesley Glaister. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sheer Blue Bliss by Lesley Glaister <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Celina Grace is currently reading As Far As You Can Go by Lesley Glaister (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 14, 2025 10:31AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of As Far As You Can Go by Lesley Glaister. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — As Far As You Can Go by Lesley Glaister <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Celina Grace is currently reading Death in the Clouds (Hercule Poirot, #12) by Agatha Christie	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 13, 2025 03:28PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Celina Grace rated a book really liked it The Little House by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 30, 2025 02:53PM · like

More of Celina's books…

Quotes by Celina Grace (?)

“For three weeks it had rained every day. For those past three weeks, daybreak was a gloomy affair. The skies gradually moved from a thick blanket of dingy white clouds to the deepest shade of grey, peaking here and there in ominous black thunderheads”
― Celina Grace, Echo

1 likes

“despite the close dancing and the wonderful goodnight kiss that Inspector Marks had given me at the end of the evening, shenanigans hadn’t actually been had …”
― Celina Grace, A Secret in Soho: An unputdownable Golden Age cozy mystery

0 likes

“they were both experiencing the euphoria I’d seen before in actors who’d just come off the stage. A sort of mixture of relief, giddiness, and perhaps a tinge of melancholy that it was all over.”
― Celina Grace, Death at the Theatre : A Miss Hart and Miss Hunter Golden Age mystery

0 likes

See all Celina Grace's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
One Million Pages...: Sharon's 2013 Challenges	8	81	Jan 02, 2013 07:47AM

Celina’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-4) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 4: by Celina

Mar 24, 2021 07:46AM

Hi Isobel :)
I am literally writing the final chapters of Performance this week. All being well, it should be on pre-order in a couple of weeks and released next month.
best wishes
Celina

Isobel wrote: "Hi Celina
Thank You for accepting My Friend Request.
I have read All of Your Books and would like to know when "Performance" Book 13 will be released?
Thank You

Isobel Brown"

reply | flag

message 3: by Isobel

Mar 23, 2021 08:27AM

Hi Celina
Thank You for accepting My Friend Request.
I have read All of Your Books and would like to know when "Performance" Book 13 will be released?
Thank You

Isobel Brown

reply | flag

message 2: by Celina

Jan 08, 2014 02:32PM

Happy New Year to you too! Hope you enjoy Hushabye :)

reply | flag

message 1: by Dale

Jan 06, 2014 02:40PM