I'm thrilled to have a story in the new charity anthology What the World Needs Now: Mysteries Inspired by the Music of Burt Bacharach, edited by Martin Edwards and raising funds for autism charities in the US and the UK.
As the jacket copy says, "Burt Bacharach is popular music’s closest equivalent to Agatha Christie, a hugely successful and innovative composer whose work is loved by millions across the world and continues to influence countless songwriters to this day." When Martin invited me to contribute, I spent several days revisiting Bacharach's music—a joy!—only to come back and choose the song that had been my first impulse from the start: "The Look of Love."
Dusty Springfield first sang "The Look of Love" for the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale but many other artists have covered it since in many different styles (and there was even an instrumental version the year before Springfield's). That film and the many different takes on it inspired my story as much as the lyrics and music themselves.
Rupert Holmes wrote the introduction for the anthology, and the full list of stories and contributors includes:
Magic Moments – Peter Lovesey
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – Joseph Goodrich
Mexican Divorce – Verena Rose
Make it Easy on Yourself – Christina Koning
Close to You – Caroline England
Anyone Who Had a Heart – Alison Joseph
Walk on By – Tim Sullivan
(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me – Christine Poulson
Me Japanese Boy – Josh Pachter
You’ll Never Get to Heaven - Abir Mukherjee
What the World Needs Now – Charles Todd
What’s New Pussycat? – William B. McCormick
Alfie – Paul Charles
The Look of Love – Art Taylor
One Less Bell to Answer – Melodie Johnson Howe
I Say a Little Prayer – Shawn Reilly Simmons
Do You Know the Way to San Jose? – Rhian Waller
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again – Chris Curran
Christmas Day – Ragnar Jonasson
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head – Kate Ellis
All Kinds of People – Barb Goffman
Who Gets the Guy? – Martin Edwards
Long Ago Tomorrow – Simon Guerrier
What’s Her Name Today? – Mark Billingham
Always Taking Aim – Sarah Hilary