The launch of a new Bedford-set cosy crime has been marked with a distinctly local gesture: free copies of the book discreetly placed at riverside locations along the River Great Ouse.
RJ (Richard) Beynon, who lives on a narrowboat called Patience and now on a houseboat moored on a lake off the river, has published Murder as a Working Hypothesis, the opening novel in what he describes as a cosy crime murder-mystery series. The story draws on his decades working as a writer and on the immediate surroundings of Bedford’s waterways.
Local places and a floating home as inspiration
Beynon’s new novel is set in Bedford at a fictional marina, Abbey Marina, which he acknowledges borrows from real marinas such as Priory Marina where he has lived afloat. For readers familiar with Bedford, the book includes recognisable haunts and landmarks along the river.
“Although it’s fiction, readers – and lovers of Bedford and our gorgeous River Great Ouse – will recognise some of their favourite local haunts and landmarks,”
The author and his wife, Trish, marked the launch by dropping off free copies of the book at a variety of riverside spots. The gesture is intended both to celebrate the book and to encourage local readers to engage with a fictional story rooted in the town’s landscape.
Writer’s background and method
Beynon has an extensive career in storytelling. He began creating tales in childhood after contracting polio at seven, and later built a professional life as a writer for page and screen. His credits include more than 1,200 scripts, leadership of writers’ rooms, and work as head writer on several South African soaps. He also founded a writing school, All About Writing, which has helped over a thousand participants.
Water and life on the move have been a long-standing source of inspiration for him. He said that water in its many moods suggests “conflict, war, peace and resolution – all the essential elements of any good story.” The new novel’s marina setting and river life are central to its tone and plot.
How the launch works in practice
To bring the book directly to the local community, Beynon and his wife have placed copies at favourite spots along the Great Ouse. The approach is a low-key, community-focused alternative to a traditional indoor launch event and is likely to catch the attention of walkers, boaters and river-side visitors who recognise the locations referenced in the text.
- Book: Murder as a Working Hypothesis
- Author: RJ (Richard) Beynon
- Local connections: Priory Marina inspiration; lives on narrowboat Patience; houseboat on a lake off the Great Ouse
- Launch action: Free copies dropped at riverside locations
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Genre | Cosy crime / murder mystery |
| Setting | Fictional Abbey Marina, Bedford (inspired by local marinas) |
| Launch method | Riverside giveaway along the River Great Ouse |
The launch highlights the continuing appeal of locally grounded fiction for Bedford readers and adds a participatory, place-based element to promotion. For residents who stroll the river or spend time at the marinas, the book offers both a familiar backdrop and a new local story to discover.
