Linda Regan, Actor and Crime Writer

The speaker for the November meeting was Linda Regan (Murphy), probably best known for her role in the TV Comedy series Hi de Hi but who subsequently developed a highly successful career as a Crime writer.

She commenced by telling us that, overcoming dyslexia, she had appeared in hundreds of shows from Panto to Shakespeare. The RSC, Films, TV including the aforementioned Hi De Hi all featured in her CV. We were then entertained by several amusing anecdotes about her experience in TV adverts before we were taken back to her youth when her mother wanted her to be a nun. However her father was a theatre agent and his influence prevailed.

With that background she soon got into the entertainment business and we heard highly complimentary tales involving Diana Dors and Barbara Windsor. However, as a side line she entered a Crime Writing competition which, to her surprise, she won .and this embarked her on her crime writing career with her second book becoming one of the best crime sellers of the year. She then gave some insight into how she researched her books before concluding by answering questions from members.

 

This was the last meeting of the year and, accordingly, members were treated to mulled wine mince pies afterwards as a pre Christmas treat to bring the monthly meetings for 2023 to an end,