Join Dan and Alan in the Pub

A snippet of a revised Devonshire Mystery plus photos and more

Hello there,

“There is no Frigate like a Book

To take us Lands away.”

—Emily Dickinson

This quote caught my attention because I’ve recently finished reading Melville’s Moby Dick. Spoiler alert: things don't end well for Ahab.

There were some wonderful parts to the book, but also a lot of exposition. The book was of its time, as anyone can see from the casual use of terms that are downright offensive, so I suspect the exposition was par for the course.

My sympathies are with the whale.

Still, I’m glad I’ve finally read the book. There are many writers who have something to tell us, and I like to learn, so I read widely and pick up what nuggets I can.

My more modern read has been Philip Kerr’s Field Grey, a story following Bernie Gunther, a German detective around the time of World War II. I’ve read a few of these, and they are gripping. There are some deft touches of noire too.

But I must press on because I have a snippet from the new version of A Study in Stone to share with you, but first, here are the photos:

Featured Photos

All taken on a recent run, so all quite close to the Teign Valley. The first is Tottiford Reservoir. When you read about Dan Corrigan going for a run, you can see the scenes he encounters and appreciate how very different they are compared to his past experiences in London.

More photos soon. Until then, happy reading.

Last Week’s piece from the In No Particular Order section

In case you haven’t read it yet, here it is:

Tripping Up, and Down, Memory's Lane

A Reading for Paying Subscribers

A Snippet of A Study in Stone, 2025

The second draft of the rewritten A Study in Stone has gone to the beta readers, and I’ve received some excellent and very valuable feedback already. I thought you might enjoy a snippet of a new chapter to give you a flavour.

Here is an excerpt from Dan and Alan’s first night in the pub, a scene which I omitted from the first version of the story. It does make this email rather long, but I tried to pick a good place to end the excerpt. I hope you like it, but please bear in mind that this isn't the final draft.

Chapter 2

Embervale

The front room in The Wild Boar was clearly the place to be, and most of the tables were taken by small groups of cheery-faced drinkers. A few customers paused their conversations to scrutinise Dan as he strolled in, but for the most part, their interest quickly waned. One elderly lady, though, was more persistent, her sharp gaze weighing him up. She sat alone near the door, a small glass of sherry in front of her, her station no doubt picked so she’d miss nothing.

“Evening,” Dan said to her. “It’s busy in here.”

“Happen it is,” the woman replied. “You’ve just arrived. The Old Shop.”

Dan raised his eyebrows. “Yes, er, that’s right.”

“You’ll be looking for Alan Hargreaves then.” Inclining her head toward the bar, she added, “He’s over there.”

Dan spotted his new temporary neighbour propping up the bar, deep in conversation with the barman. “So he is. Thank you, Mrs…”

“Treave,” the woman said, then she made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go on then. No use in hanging about.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Bye for now.”

Dan picked his way through the cluster of tables and chairs to join Alan at the bar.

“You came,” Alan said with a broad smile. “Let me get you a drink. What’ll you have? I generally recommend the Jail Ale.” He lifted his half-empty pint glass as if to add weight to his suggestion. “It’s quite strong, but it’s good stuff.

“Thanks, that’s very kind, but I can get my own.” Dan retrieved his wallet and plucked out his debit card, waving it to attract the barman’s attention.

“Ah,” Alan said quickly. “Don’t do that. He won’t like it.”

Dan was about to ask what Alan meant when the barman strode forward to face Dan across the bar.

The man was tall and heavily built, his bulk straining against the faded black fabric of his Led Zeppelin T-shirt. His dark hair fell to his shoulders, untamed, and his thick beard lent him a disreputable air, as though he might be a pirate in his spare time. He stared down at Dan from beneath lowered eyebrows, and when he spoke, his voice was a low growl.

“What’s all this flapping about, my friend? Are you wanting to attract my attention with your little bit of plastic, or are you trying to get rid of a nasty smell?”

Dan wasn’t about to be intimidated. “I’d like to buy a drink if it’s all the same to you.”

The barman bared his teeth in a humourless smile, and he shook his head slowly.

“You won’t serve me?” Dan asked. “Just because I—”

“Oh, I’ll serve you, my friend,” the barman interrupted. “But you can’t pay with a card, not tonight. The old machine’s on the blink.”

Dan’s face fell. “Oh, I don’t have any cash on me. I could go back to the house and look, but… never mind.” He put his wallet away and sent Alan an apologetic smile. “Another time, perhaps.”

“Nonsense,” Alan replied. “I’ve already offered to buy you a drink, and now I really won’t take no for an answer. What’s it to be?”

Dan hesitated. He should refuse. After all, he’d only met Alan that evening. But Dan glanced at the rows of gleaming bottles in the chiller cabinet behind the bar, and he knew he couldn’t turn down Alan’s offer.

“Okay, thank you. I’ll have a bottle of Becks, please.”

“Fair enough,” Alan said. “Can you put that on my tab, please, Kevin? And have one for yourself.”

“Right you are,” Kevin replied, ducking down to fetch the bottle and jumping back up, his speed and agility surprising for a man of his size, especially given the confines of the narrow space behind the bar.

Uncapping the bottle and plonking it on the bar, he added, “Do you want a glass with that?”

“Yes, please,” Dan replied. “But you can hold off on the little umbrella.”

Kevin frowned, as if Dan had just confirmed his worst suspicions.

“Joke,” Dan went on, attempting a jovial smile.

“Is it? Right.” Kevin grudgingly handed over a glass, and he informed Alan of the price.

Dan raised an eyebrow. “Er, have you got that right?”

Kevin’s gaze flicked briefly upward. “Of course I have, pal. It’s not London prices in here, you know. This is an honest pub.”

“Right. Okay. Good to know,” Dan said. “I must come here again.”

Kevin sniffed, as though utterly disinterested, but when he turned his attention to Alan, his expression changed completely.

“Cheers, Alan,” he said, beaming. “I’ll take a drop of whisky to drink your health if that’s all right, but I’ll have it later when things quieten down.”

“You’re welcome, Kevin.”

Kevin lumbered away to serve another customer, and Dan watched him leave.

“Don’t worry about Kevin,” Alan said in a low voice. “He’s as good as gold really. His bark is worse than his bite.” Alan took a sip of his pint before adding, “Unless he needs to throw someone out, that is. Then it’s best to keep out of his way.”

“Does that happen often?”

Alan shook his head. “Hardly ever. But listen, don’t let me give you the wrong idea. This is a nice pub.” He looked past Dan and said, “Someone’s leaving. Quick. Let’s grab that table.”

Signing Off

I’ve taken a lot of your time, so I’ll leave you to get on with your life and your reading, not necessarily in that order. Personally, I’m going to look for something a little more cheerful for the next frigate to take me lands away. There must be something lighthearted in my To Be Read pile, but suggestions are welcome in the comments:

All the best and have a great weekend.

Happy reading and take care,

Mikey