Staying in with A J Aberford

If you’re a regular visitor to Linda’s Book Bag, you’ll have noticed fewer blog tours and staying in posts of late. I’m finding there’s just too much happening in my life at the moment to deal with them. That said, I couldn’t resist inviting A J Aberford onto the blog today to tell me all about his latest release in the Detective George Zammit series as I think it sounds great.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with A J Aberford

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag AJ. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Well, thanks for inviting me in!!

My pleasure. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’m bringing the sixth book in the Detective George Zammit series, called The Car Horn Revolution, which can also be read as a stand-alone, despite being the last in the series. It features a Maltese policeman, who finds himself in perilous situations, not of his own making, across the Southern Mediterranean. The locations of the stories range from the deserts of Libya and the shores of the Bosphorus, to the palazzos of Milan and the Greek islands. However, in this book, the action is centred firmly on the beautiful island of Malta.

Oo. I love a book where I can travel vicariously. What can we expect from an evening in with The Car Horn Revolution?

George is no ordinary sleuth; in fact, he couldn’t be more different. He finds himself surrounded by corrupt politicians, a fearsome organised crime family and manipulative superiors. Despite this, he always manages to find a way through the complexities of island life and the turmoil of the many countries that border the Med. The geopolitics of the area is a rich source of plot lines. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, Syria, Greece and Turkey all feature in the series, along with the ever-present threat of the eruption of Sicily’s Mount Etna. No crime story set in Southern Europe would be complete without the presence of the Cosa Nostra, Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta. Take your pick, all make an appearance! But while it might all sound heavy, there’s also a rich vein of humour running through the stories.

It sounds as if George has quite a bit to deal with. How does he cope?

In a country where corruption plays a big part in everyday life, George is faced with moral dilemmas on a daily basis. He rubs along with politicians, criminal gang leaders and power brokers; he has to – on small island you can’t arrest everybody! In The Car Horn Revolution, his resolve is tested to the limit when the country he loves falls under the influence of seriously powerful, foreign forces (to say more would be to risk a spoiler!) and he’s expected to become complicit in a regime he cannot accept.

That sounds intriguing. Tell me more about George.

George is not your typical hero. He is not courageous, and his waist line shows he cannot resist a fresh pastizzi when the smell of freshly baked filo pastry drifts across his path. He avoids trouble when he can, although trouble always has a knack of finding him. At home, he is at the mercy of his fearsome wife, Marianna, and their daughter Gina.

He sounds a bit outnumbered!

If George has an ally, it is their son, Denzel, a competent and upright police sergeant with whom George shares his later adventures. Their relationship, and the subject of family, is a theme of the series. Denzel features prominently in The Car Horn Revolution, as do the rest of George’s characterful family. Below is the scene from The Car Horn Revolution, when you meet the family for the first time. Denzel has just broken up a mass fight, involving Russian sailors, in the Paceville entertainment district, one of whom has been declared dead, and he doesn’t like how the newspaper has reported it:

The Zammits lived in Birkirkara, one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Malta. The majority of the three-storey blocks were split into apartments, and the family considered itself lucky to have a ground-floor property with sole access to a small central courtyard, where George’s wife Marianna could dry washing and tend her pots of herbs, and he could grab the occasional after-lunch nap. In Malta, families tended to stick together and, more often than not, remained living in the same tight-knit neighbourhoods. So, although there was mutual support within the area and lifelong friendships were forged, everybody also knew everybody else’s business, their secrets and their comings and goings. And nobody paid more attention to these, or was better informed about local goings on, than Marianna Zammit.

Unbeknownst to her, the drama that was to unfold over the coming weeks and months, and that would be talked about in the neighbourhood for years to come, was taking shape in her very own kitchen.

Denzel Zammit was steaming with anger. He threw the Malta Telegraph across the kitchen, shouting: “It’s lies! Damn’ lies!”

Rummaging on the floor, he picked up a sheet of newsprint and scoured the article for the quote.

“It says, ‘The sailor’s shipmates arrived on the scene later, to try and lend assistance…’ They were almost on the point of raping two bar girls when I got there! And that manager guy, Vassallo… I’m going round there again tonight and I’ll find some underage drinkers, you’ll see! And then I’ll have his licence!”

Marianna was alarmed by the outburst.

“Sit down, bravu! I’m sure you did your best, but that Paceville… well, it’s a Godless place. You should get danger money for even going there. Anyway, I don’t want talk about such nasty things in my house!”

But Denzel was not to be placated. He smoothed the paper over the table, covering the bottom of the page with tomato and caper sauce from his pasta, as he angrily read aloud.

“‘The Pulizija took so long to tidy up the scene that large crowds gathered at the top and bottom of the stairs…’ It was a crime-scene, for God’s sake! Someone had been murdered, but Lord forbid it should be allowed to get in the way of a night out.’

George stirred from his seat and went to stand behind his son. He put his arms gently on the young man’s shoulders. Denzel was tall for a Maltese man, at just under two metres, and exceptionally tall for a Zammit, none of whom had ever before broken through the 1.75-metre barrier. Where his father was short and squat, Denzel carried his height well and his figure was athletic, in contrast to his father’s increasing portliness.

“Listen, Denzel, where did that witness statement come from?”

He glanced back to the top of the page.

“A spokesperson from Armed Forces of Malta?”

“Exactly. I think AFM have become far too cosy with our Russian friends, ever since they gave us those three patrol vessels. They were worth tens of millions and there’s talk of more to come. Tomorrow, we’ll have a chat with our own PR people and tell them about the forty-eight sailors who’ve been banned from future visits to Malta and who were handed over to the Russian Navy to be disciplined. Plus, the two who were charged with sexual assault and ended up in Corradino. That should put a different spin on the story. Leave it to me.”

George winked at him. Denzel was still not appeased.

“It’s still not right, is it? How can AFM just do that? Christ, they’re such liars! It’s getting more like Moscow every day here!”

“Listen, calm down. We need a little chat after dinner. You won’t mind if we don’t do the dishes tonight, will you, Marianna? Denzel and I need to talk shop for half an hour.”

He caught his wife’s eye and winked at her. She huffed and said:

“Doesn’t bother me, as long as it stops all this shouting and blaspheming. Father Peter wouldn’t be pleased to hear you using the Lord’s name like that. You bear that in mind at your next Confession, young man!”

“Oh, Ma, really! Confession? I haven’t been since I told Father Peter about me and Bella Brincat, and that was over fifteen years ago, so I’m hardly going to start now.”

His mother turned her back on Denzel and started clearing dishes.

“Uwejja,! C’mon! Did you hear that, George? You’d better have a word with him about being a good Catholic. I don’t want any more shame brought on this family.” There was a pause while Marianna clattered some pots and pans. The men looked at each other and Denzel mouthed to his father: ‘What shame?’

And of course I want to know the answer to Denzel’s question now! So, how has the book been received so far AJ, as it’s a pretty new release?

As well as action, crime fighting and deeds of ‘daring do’, the book also has a light touch, with, I hope, plenty of comedy to add relief to some of the tenser plot lines. Beneath are some of the comments people have been kind enough to leave:

“AJ Aberford is at it again with his inimitable, fast paced storytelling.  So buckle up and enjoy te ride with Inspector George Zammit, as he faces impossible odds.  A must read!”

Peter Portelli, bestselling Maltese author of The Order

 “Binged for a whole weekend on this – I just couldn’t put it down.  Absolutely riveting!  It’s that good!”

Rita Camilleri, Maltese actress

 “The Maltese equivalent of Frost…such a lovely character…LOVED IT!”

Carole Gourley

 “A genuine masterclass in how to craft a page turner!”

Clare Kernan

“At times, this is almost too close to contemporary themes.”

Amazon Customer

You must be delighted with those responses. They make me even more keen to read The Car Horn Revolution.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought a hamper of Maltese specialities to enjoy as we sit and discuss the book!

On most street corners in Malta, you’ll find one of the many pastizzerija. They sell pastizzi, which are diamond shaped, filo pastry snacks, filled with ricotta cheese or mashed peas-  like something Greggs would sell!! I agree with George, one is never enough. And I’ve managed to keep them warm!

I’ve also brought a selection of Maltese cheeses, called Gbejna. The cheese is made with sheep’s milk and can be soft and mild, or cured in salt to firm it up and make it tangy.  My favourite is, tal-bzar, which is the cheese covered in black pepper that adds a spicy kick.

As a special treat, I’ve I brought a dip, called bigella, made from broad beans, mixed with garlic, capers and chilli flakes. This is sold from the back of colourful vans that tour the island, playing music, as the vendors cry out ‘Bigella!’ when they stop. A bit like an ice cream van in the UK. It is served on small salty crackers.

If you’re going to bring such delicious food AJ, you can come again. 

We definitely need a bottle of Maltese wine to wash it down. Maltese wine, both red and white, is excellent, although because the vineyards are very small, all the work is done by hand, so good wine can be expensive. As this is a special evening I have brought a bottle of red, made from a Maltese grape variety called Ġellewża. This is an indigenous grape that comes from a vineyard on the south of the island, well-suited to Malta’s hot and dry climate, and makes for a rich, fruity red. I hope you’re a red wine drinker!!

Er… actually no, I’m not. I had a weird virus that made me pass out and hallucinate and since then I’ve been unable to drink wine as it makes me really ill!

If not, there is a bottle of Kinnie. It’s a bright orange pop, made from bitter Maltese oranges and herbs.

That sounds perfect! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The Car Horn Revolution AJ.

Thanks Linda. It’s been great to have a night in and drop my book into Linda’s Book Bag!

I think it best if you pour the drinks and serve up those pastizzi before they get cold and I’ll give readers a few more details about The Car Horn Revolution.

The Car Horn Revolution

As Malta’s reputation as a hotbed of political corruption continues unabated, George Zammit finds himself temporarily promoted to Assistant Commissioner in the Maltese Pulizija. But life at the top is proving even more perilous and unpredictable than it was when he was a humble inspector, especially the political side to his new job.

Malta is drawing the attention of outside forces, attracted by the island’s strategic position in the Mediterranean. A foreign power wants greater influence in the region and will stop at nothing to achieve it, threatening Malta’s very independence.

When George’s son, Denzel, takes drastic action to protect a young woman who is being assaulted by foreign mercenaries, George is put in an impossible position. Can he show support for Malta’s new strategic ‘allies’, while protecting the people he cares about? Can he be seen to do his job, while preventing an invasion by stealth of the island he loves?

George is forced to draw on all his courage and diplomacy, relying on friends and adversaries old and new, to navigate his way through – The Car Horn Revolution – the sixth thrilling adventure in the bestselling Inspector George Zammit crime series.

The Car Horn Revolution, was published by Hobeck Books in October and is available for purchase here.

And readers have plenty of time to catch up with the series as, after six Inspector George Zammit books, AJ feels it only fair to give the Zammit family a bit of a rest – for now!

About AJ Aberford

AJ Aberford lives with his wife Janet, primarily in Malta, but for the last ten years, they’ve kept their old family home in West Yorkshire, fleeing the heat in Malta, for the rain in Bradford and vice versa! Following the death of their elderly parents, and the fact that their two sons are settled, AJ and his wife are now taking stock of the next part of their lives. AJ started writing initially as a hobby, but now it has taken an increasing importance in both their lives.

AJ does the writing, Janet does a lot of the initial reviews, edits and proofing, along with the invaluable work of AJ’s professional editor, Lynn Curtis. The books are ‘best sellers’ in the main book shops in Malta, but in the UK selling books is difficult, even when you have a publisher behind you. Janet’s also the engine room behind AJ Aberford socials and they are currently trying to understand the algorithms behind Facebook and Amazon Ads. There’s work to do there!

AJ is trying to make the transition from writing for his own pleasure – and hoping someone will like it – to understanding what people want and meeting that demand. His next books will be in a different genre and probably under a different name – but don’t worry, he’ll be letting people know about it in due course!

For further information visit AJ’s website, follow him on Twitter/X @AJAberford and find him on Instagram and Facebook.