Last Train to Lime Street

AcknowledgementsI always owe a debt of gratitude to one particular lady when I write any of the Mersey mysteries and Last Train to Lime Street is no different to those that have gone before it. So, my thanks go to my friend, my researcher and proof reader, Debbie Poole, who has spent many hours driving around Liverpool and its suburbs in search of and checking locations for the book. She was joined on this venture by her friend Dorothy (Dot) Blackman, who became her erstwhile assistant researcher and joined her on her ongoing investigative 'Car Trek' around the city. The names kind of go well together don't they, Poole and Blackman. I can picture these two intrepid ladies motoring around the city like a pair of latter-day Jane Marple's, sticking their noses into all sorts of unlikely places as they searched for relevant places for 'body dumps' and other necessary scenarios for the books. My undying gratitude goes to them both. As always, I owe thanks to Miika Hannila at Next Chapter Publishing, not just for his ongoing belief in, and support for the Mersey Mystery series, but for helping to advance the series' exposure by having negotiated a contract to have the books made into audio books, having been approached by one of the UK's largest producers of the media. It's yet another exciting step forward in the development of the series. I have to add my thanks to all my readers, who this year have helped book three in the series, A Mersey Maiden, to win the prestigious 'Best Book We've Read All Year Award' from Readfree.ly. I was delighted to have won the award and very grateful to receive the beautiful glass trophy that came with it. Of course, I always save my dear wife Juliet to last when writing my acknowledgements. She puts up with innumerable hours of me being 'incommunicado' as I sit engrossed by my story and characters who do tend to almost take over my life as the books progress. Her support is unwavering and she is always my first and fiercest critic, correcting me if she thinks I'm going 'off-track' with any of my stories. I couldn't do it without her. To the people of Liverpool. As I was about to start working on Last Train to Lime Street, my researcher/proof reader, Debbie Poole came across a poem which kind of sums up how many people whose origins may lie on that great city that stands proudly on the River Mersey feel about the place. Although the original poet is as far we can ascertain, unknown or anonymous, I have recreated it here, and willingly give credit to the poet. Liverpool Of all the cities in the world, London, Paris, Rome, You won't find any finer, Than the one that I call home, She is a part of who I am, My flesh, my blood, my bone, When you are born a scouser, You'll never walk alone Looking out across the Mersey Her three graces steal the show You won't find any finer No matter where you go She's changed a bit since I was young Time does that to a place But she never lost her magic I'm still held in her embrace She has a style all of her own Its seen on every street You can hear her in the voices Of the people that you meet And wherever your life takes you All the world around She's there on every jukebox With her distinctive Mersey sound The Beatles and The Searchers And of course. the Merseybeats Gerry and the Pacemakers A sound straight from her streets The Iron Door on Temple Street I remember way back when And of course The Cavern Club It was swinging there back then We'd go dancing in The Grafton The Rialto and Coconut Grove At supper time a pan of scouse Would be waiting on the stove Looking smart in brand new kecks With grease to style your hair You'd stand under Dicky Lewis And hope she'd meet you there A day out over the water Was as far as we would stray We'd watch the Punch and Judy show New Brighton for the day Windswept on the Mersey As the quay and I did part But I knew I'd be returning So I left behind my heart With two very fine Cathedrals Her skyline has been blessed She also has two football teams Much better than all the rest Everybody loves the footy Whether red or Blue Both our teams are dynamite We fetched home a cup or two Laughter was born in this city Our humour is unique With Sir Ken Dodd and Mickey Finn Even bleak times weren't that bleak This place has launched a thousand ships And she's built a fair few too Her Liver birds watched over Every vessel passing through Everybody loves a bevvy In this place that I call home We love to let our hair down And we don't do it alone Whether after work or Friday night Or of course, after the game We'll raise a glass together We all love that just the same From the Albert Dock to Scottie Road From The Echo to the Philly I love every single inch of her I don't care if that sounds silly The old and new, the been and gone Where else would I want to be? From now until my dying day It's Liverpool for me. Anon