The lawyer turned author on why she loves her adopted county and why The Edge is a perfect setting for a dramatic encounter
Where do you live and why?
In leafy Didsbury. I came over the border from Sheffield to study law at the University of Manchester and stayed.
If you could live anywhere else in Cheshire where would it be?
That’s a tricky one as there are so many picturesque villages in Cheshire. However, my first CE Rose gothic-tinged thriller, The House of Hidden Secrets, is set in Ramsay Hall, a fictional manor house in Goostrey. So, like my protagonist Serena, I think I’ll move in with the mysterious Ramsay men and discover their dark pasts and deeply hidden secrets.
Where do you head for a health kick?
I’m very fortunate to have Fletcher Moss Park, Stenner Woods and the River Mersey on my doorstep, so I don my trainers every day for a walk and a couple of times a week for a run. If I want to go further afield, I hop on my bike and head towards Styal for some of Cheshire’s breathtaking scenery. That hill towards Wilmslow is a challenge, though.
And to indulge?
I launched my first two Caroline England domestic suspense thrillers, Beneath The Skin, and My Husband's Lies (which, wonderfully, became a Kindle bestseller), at Waterstones in Wilmslow. Afterwards we nipped around the corner to enjoy a fabulous meal at Cibo restaurant. I’m such a fan of the ambiance and delicious food, my characters in Truth Games go for an evening there.
Where are your favourite places to shop?
I used to love hitting the shops before I caught the writing bug, but I rarely emerge from my study these days (or so my children say). But I am a sucker for the Angela Beer sale.
Where do you go to relax?
Hmm, other than meeting up with friends or going on holiday, ‘relax’ isn’t a word I recognise.
What is your favourite building in Cheshire?
Can I choose Chester town centre, where one can walk in the steps Roman legionnaires, Viking raiders and Norman invaders? My characters can be found frequenting the shops, the races and law courts there too.
What do you consider the finest view in the country?
Not a lot beats the stunning scenery at Alderley Edge. The sheer drop at the Edge is a perfect setting for a domestic revenge scene, don’t you think?
What makes you happy?
Hanging out with my hubby and three daughters.
What do you miss most about Cheshire when you are away?
Poppy, Lewie and Maisie, our three cats.
Describe your Cheshire life in three words
Elizabeth, Charlotte and Emily.
Caroline England writes psychological thrillers under her own name and as CE Rose.
She has also written Convictions and Confessions, a legal drama series under the pen name Caro Land.
Her latest book, Cheshire-based The House of Hidden Secrets, is out in paperback.
carolineenglandauthor.co.uk
