Alys Cummings: ‘I think crosswords and murder mysteries have a lot in common . . . it felt very natural to combine the two’
BY Maya Fernandes
8th Oct 2026
In this interview Alys Cummings, author of Murder Most Cryptic, discusses how to weave puzzles and clues into crime fiction.
‘Character is key. If a reader wants to follow a character, to find out what they are trying to discover, or hide, then the clues become a seamless and satisfying part of the story.'
We caught up with former Writing Crime & Thrillers – Advanced student Alys to find out about the inspiration behind her debut, her cosy crime recommendations and writing process.
Crosswords are such an important part of Murder Most Cryptic. Where did the idea of bringing cryptic crosswords and murder together come from, and how did you go about developing the puzzles so that they worked as part of the story?
I started writing a novel following surgery after an accident, which left me with my leg in plaster and unable to walk for two months. As I was feeling pretty glum about being trapped indoors, I wanted to write something both enjoyable and intriguing enough to keep me occupied. Crime novels and puzzles are my idea of fun and so when I decided to write my own murder mystery the first thing that came into my head was a crossword clue . . . to which the answer is murder. I think crosswords and murder mysteries have a lot in common – they’re both things to solve with a sort of contract to that effect between the writer and reader, or setter and solver. It felt very natural to combine the two. Plus whenever I got stuck writing a bit of the book, I could just write a crossword instead and still convince myself that I was making progress . . . Setting the crosswords as part of the story was an extra challenge as they had to fit round particular clues or messages, but it was a lot of fun . . . it was a puzzle for me to solve!
Your protagonist Nina is surrounded by a wonderfully eclectic group of characters in her recovery group. How did you go about developing that ensemble, and what did you enjoy most about bringing them together on the page?
When I first started writing, I knew that I wanted to write a whole range of characters so my starting point was a situation where people of various ages and from different backgrounds would be brought together, perhaps without nothing else in common apart from attending that group. It was important to me that each character had a history that could be woven into the story and the setting also gave me the opportunity to do that, as everyone has their own reasons for reaching a point where they decided to start attending the group. There’s also jeopardy there, with some characters finding their sobriety easier than others.
I found it natural to write in different voices, and this is a multi POV novel, but one of the things I enjoyed most about writing my ensemble was the group scenes where they all interact with each other. I love writing dialogue and the way that shows their different personalities. In the first edit I did with my editor, she encouraged me to build on these scenes, which was a real pleasure to do.
Are there any cosy crime novels or authors that you've particularly enjoyed recently?
I’ve just read the first of Sally Smith’s books, A Case of Mice and Murder, which I loved – it’s beautifully constructed with a wholly immersive setting in the early Edwardian Inns of Court. I absolutely devoured the new Janice Hallett, The Silent Appeal, a return to the Fairway Players of her debut book – it’s just wonderful. And I’m currently very much enjoying Nicola Whyte’s 10 Marchfield Square, she’s a delightful writer and creates a wonderful cast of characters.
For emerging crime writers, one of the hardest things to get right is knowing how much to reveal and when. What advice would you give writers about planting clues and building tension in a satisfying way?
Character is key. If a reader wants to follow a character, to find out what they are trying to discover, or hide, then the clues become a seamless and satisfying part of the story.
You studied with us on our Writing Crime & Thrillers – Advanced course. How did your time with us shape your approach to writing?
That course was the first time I’d done any sort of learning around novel writing and, even more importantly, the first time I actually told anyone I was writing a novel. I found sharing work with other writers made a big difference to me. It’s such a step forward to put your work out there and incredibly useful to hear feedback as well as read and engage with other people’s writing. Sarah Hilary, the course tutor, was excellent at encouraging us to consider different aspects of crime fiction, as a long time crime reader this helped marshal my thoughts about the sort of book I was writing. And Sarah provided a brilliant reading list that introduced me to many new writers.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met on the course?
A few students on that course are now published! Fellow crime writer MK Oliver released his rip-roaring debut, A Sociopath’s Guide To A Successful Marriage earlier this year, and it was great to catch up with him at the crime writing festival in Harrogate this summer. Reading the opening pages of each other’s novels, it was gratifying to recognise those pages we’d shared on the course back in 2023.
And finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I’m really looking forward to meeting readers and other writers at some events and festivals where I’ll be chatting all things cryptic – including Ilkley Literature Festival, Stockport Noir and the Cheshire Crime Writers Festival.
I’m also about to send my first draft of book two to my editor – it follows on from Murder Most Cryptic and I very much enjoyed being back in the company of some of the same characters. Crosswords feature again, as well as a new type of puzzle, and this time we’re in the Lake District, at a retreat overlooking the deep, dark waters of Ullswater as Halloween approaches . . .
Get your hands on a copy of Murder Most Cryptic, out now with Michael Joseph (Penguin).
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