About Ty Newydd Mysteries
Tŷ Newydd Mysteries is an LGBTQ+ character-driven locked-room mystery series set in Penmaenmawr, and the wider North Wales area.
I first devised the premise several years ago, wanting to write a story centring on a queer character with OCD, solving a seemingly impossible mystery in a supposedly haunted house. From the beginning, I wanted David’s personal life to be as central to the storyline as the mystery itself, placing the reader alongside him as he faces evolving relationships, danger and the challenges of his mental health.
The Origins
The original inspiration came to me when I was hiking in the disused Penmaenmawr quarry near where I live in North Wales. Standing there in the remote surroundings, with the dramatic landscape and the remnants of old mining structures, I found myself imagining a large mansion somewhere high on the mountain — the sort of place that people might whisper about and claim was haunted. Being Welsh, it was important to me that the novel had a clear Welsh identity whilst still being accessible to readers who aren’t from here, portraying my local area in a way that gives them a sense of what it feels like to live in this part of the world. From there, the idea of Tŷ Newydd gradually grew.
Having a passion for locked-room mysteries and the paranormal, I sought to write a locked-room mystery that wasn’t paranormal but felt like it was, and that was strongly centred on the inner life of the main character. I always intended David to be a gay protagonist struggling with his feelings for his best friend, whom he eventually ends up with. The story follows David, and the mystery unfolds through his perspective — his relationships, doubts, instincts, and the way he tries to make sense of the strange events happening around him. It was also important to me to highlight obsessive–compulsive disorder and offer some insight into the mind of someone living with the condition, drawing on my own experiences.
The Core Themes
Connection and Loyalty
One of the core themes is connection and loyalty. This is demonstrated through David’s relationships with the people closest to him, particularly his long friendship with Siôn. Their friendship gradually evolves into something deeper as they explore their feelings for one another, and that emotional journey forms an important thread throughout the story. David’s feelings and relationships continue to develop as the series progresses, including new connections that complicate his emotional world.
Another aspect of this theme can be seen in Sam’s loyalty to Gwyn. Since starting work with him, Sam has largely compartmentalised Gwyn’s more questionable behaviour in order to remain loyal to his employer, even whilst maintaining his friendship with David and Siôn. As the story progresses, he begins to realise that those loyalties may come into conflict and that he may eventually have to make a difficult choice.
Belief and Scepticism
My other main theme is belief and scepticism. David and Siôn approach events from a largely sceptical perspective, whilst Gwyn insists that the mystery has a paranormal explanation. Throughout the novel, there is a tension between these opposing viewpoints that intensifies as the story progresses. The reader never conclusively discovers the extent of Gwyn’s beliefs, which was intentional. From David and Siôn’s perspective, it is little more than a moneymaking gimmick, whereas Hannah is inclined to believe that a part of Gwyn may be genuinely spiritual. Although she is a Wiccan, she is contrasted with Gwyn in that she would never deceive anyone.
Ultimately, I hope readers come away not only with the puzzle of the mystery itself, but also with the sense that they have spent time inside David’s world, walked beside him through the story, and gained some insight into what it can be like to live with OCD in everyday life. And hopefully they feel curious enough to follow David’s life as the series continues.
Publication Details
Book one, The Disappearing Trick, was released 31st August 2025 and can be purchased from Amazon, as well as a selection of bookshops.
Book two is finished, and in first draft stage.
I am published under Rowanvale Books.
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