A Collection of Midlife Recorder stories and novellas
It will be published on December 26th, 2025.
Eight tales of magic, mayhem, and midlife empowerment from the world of the Recorder.
From ancient graveyards to modern royal birthdays, Gretna Green has never been busier. In this sparkling collection, Niki puts the “tea” in team when the royals and the Gateway crew spill every last drop of magical mayhem, heartfelt humour, and Recorder-style justice.
Welcome back to Gretna Green, where the tea is hot—even when it’s coffee—the dragons are hotter, and the cosy fantasy chaos never ends.
Join Niki McKnight and her irrepressible team at the Recorder’s Office as they uncover secrets, meet a dragonet, and commit the occasional righteous murder—with plenty of laughter, loyalty, and a splash of uisge beatha for courage.
Buy or Borrow at Amazon
Available in Paperback or ebook. The ebook is part of the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you’re a subscriber, you can read it for free. If you’re not, it’s very reasonably priced.
This link will take you to the book page on your local Amazon store. UK, USA, Canada, Australia etc.
80% new content
Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green is a collection of eight pieces. Two short stories, four brand new novellas and two previously available novellas. Several of the new novellas are so long that a different kind of author might call them short books.
The two short stories are from many years ago. They were pretty much the first things I ever wrote in the Gateway worlds and cover Mabon and Dola’s first meetings from 621—1200AD .
The second is about the founding of the Pictish realm. One of them made my editor cry happy tears, and she’s as snarky as Caitlin (and also a redhead) so that was interesting.
So, what are the stories about?
This collection of ‘short’ stories and novellas has ended up as the third longest book in the series. So not that short then—oops.
They fit between the existing books and then several continue from the end of Market Forces in Gretna Green and take us to a few weeks before the beginning of Half an Orange.
Full details of Reading Order HERE.
It begins with House Party …
Niki’s plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers Dola’s 1400th birthday is just around the corner in House Party in Gretna Green.
Then we find out how our favourite Celtic king created the sentient house we all know and love in a new story, Memories.
Then we have another novella which was available as a bonus for newsletter subscribers and many readers requested a paperback version of it. Join Niki on a road trip south in Gretna Green Goes to Manchester. This fits between Code Yellow in Gretna Green and Market Forces in Gretna Green.
Following on from the end of Market Forces we join Mabon and Niki’s investigations in Secrets of the Dead, where clues from the magical graveyard lead to even more confusion, drag old mysteries back into the light, and raise new questions—along with a few answers.
In St George’s Day, Niki finally opens that infamous blue letter from the kitchen drawer before joining forces with Rhiannon to unravel ancient prophecies.
Discover the birth of the Pictish realm in Somewhere Only Sheep Know.
Celebrate Caitlin’s unforgettable twenty-fifth birthday in The Blade Queen, where tradition meets a surprise party—and unexpected husbands.
And finally, enjoy The Valkyries Are Flying—a novella so long many authors would call it a short book. A riotous tale of justice, joy, and long-overdue retribution. When the realms discover that sometimes murder really is a fun team sport.
Pour yourself a cuppa—or a wee dram—and escape once more to a happy place.
What readers are saying
This series so far is absolutely fantastic, well written with strong female and male characters … love it.
I just recently found this series. It’s fabulous! The character development, world building, and humor are superb. I’m hooked.
Amazon Reviewers
Praise for the Midlife Recorder Series
“You know you have found a great author when you really care what happens to their characters, human or otherwise.“
“Gripped from the first page and couldn’t put it down … gutted when I reached the end“
“A page turner. Cannot wait for the next instalment.“
“Fast read with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I’m breathlessly awaiting the next book.“
“This is the kind of story that makes you want to take off work early so you can keep reading it.“
“It’s so refreshing having mature characters, racial/ethnic diversity, LGBT acceptance, great writing, and fresh ideas all together. Technology mixed with magic is such an interesting concept.”
“This was the strangest book, not what I expected at all. It was heart-warming, unpredictable and the characters already feel like friends.”
“I was so sad to finish it and then delighted when I realised there were more in the series.”
“The thing I found hardest to believe? That it was the author’s first book! Why, oh why didn’t she start writing forty years ago?? “
This link will take you to the book page on your local Amazon store. UK, USA, Canada, Australia, etc. You can pre-order it there.