Welcome to www.tessabarrie.com
Yorkshire-born, one-quarter Greek, Tessa Barrie lives in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK, although she tries to escape to her happy place in Portugal as often as she can. She realises that, having started to write novels later in life, she can’t afford to sit around procrastinating and needs to get on with it. Tessa hopes her character-driven bittersweet novels, sprinkled with humour, tug at readers’ hearts and make them smile.
She recalls her early life as more Little House on the Prairie than The Waltons because it was fraught with drama. However, intermingled with the emotional disruption, she remembers humour squeezing its way through the frayed feelings. Incorporating bittersweet humour in her writing is very important to Tessa, who believes a subtle sprinkling of humour is essential... however dark a story gets.
Tessa left secondary school at sixteen, branded the class clown, saying she 'wanted to write.' At seventeen, she took a brief journalism course in London before freelancing for provincial newspapers and magazines.
There was a problem, though. Her column in the local paper was quite risqué, and she didn’t want her mother to know who was writing it. So, with the help of her best friend, they brainstormed the pen name ‘Tessa Barrie’ because she had a dog called Tessa, and she had always been a closet Barry Manilow fan. The name stuck, despite bastardising his name a bit.
Tessa's early writing influence was Sue Limb, whose Dulcie Domum's Bad Housekeeping sewed the seed in Tessa's brain that she might like to write novels with a sprinkling of humour. Then along came Helen Fielding, who introduced the world to the gorgeous Bridget Jones, which made up Tessa's mind to write bittersweet stories about relatable MCs navigating their way through life.
Realising that if she wanted to live somewhere more salubrious than a leaky writer's garret, she had to knuckle down and get a 'proper job,' and worked in Jersey's finance sector for many years, but never stopped writing.
In 2017, Tessa met the late Barbara Large, the founder and, for 34 years, Director of the Winchester Writers' Conference, who, together with the author and public speaker Adrienne Dines, gave Tessa the confidence to forge ahead with her first novel. After featuring on the odd longlist and a few false starts, Just Say It, a bittersweet family saga, was published in 2021.
More recently, Tessa has drawn inspiration from participating in Beth Kempton's writing sanctuaries and the BBC Maestro online classes. She believes that starting to write novels later in life has made her more determined, and her third novel, a psychological drama, The Rebuilding of Freya Michaels, which by her own admission is "a bit of a diversion,' will be published in 2026.
Follow Sally Barrie’s Blog - a recent rechristening by Zoe Quinlan.
Recent articles:
Interview with Literary Titan 31/07/2025
Interview with Tom Ogg of the Jersey Evening Post 27/07/25
Interview with The Readers House, 2024
FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TessaBarrieAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TessaBarrie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessa_barrie/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tessa-Barrie/e/B096RQ62YG
Cassie the Blog Dog is Tessa's constant companion and right-hand paw.
She started blogging as a young pup - her in-depth interview with celebrity chef Sir Bentley Bulldog when she was a rookie reporter was published in Dogue magazine when she was still using puppy pads.
Cassie became Tessa’s chief editorial advisor during Lockdown, a time when tracking down her blog dog stories was restricted. A role she says sends her barking mad, but she is always by Tessa’s side when she writes.
“She benefits from my strong technical writing skills and the ability I have to connect with readers on an emotional and intellectual level. What more can I say?"
When Cassie’s busy daily schedule allows, she writes the occasional blog on Facebook.
Click on photos to by books
The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook received the
Literary Titan silver award on 1/8/25
"Overall, an enjoyable, light read with a few raucous moments and a satisfying ending."
The remote village of Didsbrook is thrown into turmoil after its best-known resident, the former actress turned best-selling novelist Jocelyn Robertshaw, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Villagers are appalled to learn that the charismatic Jocelyn died from Hemlock poisoning. Police claim she shot and ate a quail that had ingested hemlock. A theory disputed by all who knew her well. The animal-loving Jocelyn would never kill anything, but due to the lack of forensic evidence, police rule death by misadventure.
Jocelyn’s young protégée, Lucy Fothergill, determined to discover the truth about what happened to her mentor, discovers a hidden stash of Jocelyn’s notebooks, revealing jaw-dropping secrets from Jocelyn’s past. The impression Jocelyn gave the world that she lived a near-perfect life was an Academy Award-winning performance.
Believing the events from Jocelyn’s past may have led to her death forty-eight years later, Lucy begins to piece together the clues that lead to the truth.
The sleepy village of Didsbrook is about to wake up!
Link to an interview with and review by
The humour shines through in this bittersweet family drama!
Just Say It is the debut novel by Tessa Barrie and was released in June 2021. It received the Readers’ Favourite award on 10/24/2021
'A bittersweet family drama about what it means to love unconditionally and grow
from the past.' Lauren Jones of Turning Another Page
Turning forty, Lisa Grant is broke, alone and living in rural Gloucestershire, hurtling towards an inevitable midlife crisis.
Romantically, she pushes people away. She cannot say, "I love you." Jack, the only love of her life, put the Atlantic Ocean between them after they fell out the last time and now lives in New York.
Fearing for her sanity, she addresses the problem she has carried with her for the past forty years - her narcissistic mother, Elizabeth.
When Lisa was six years old, her father disappeared, and her mother kept the truth about why he left the family home hidden. When starting her journalistic career, Lisa reconnects with her father and discovers grim truths about her controlling mother.
After four decades of sparring with her impossible mother, Lisa cultivates a more rational and sympathetic approach to discovering why her mother lacks empathy. Believing childhood trauma may be responsible, Lisa harnesses her journalistic skills to investigate her mother's past and is shocked by what she finds.
Nostalgic look back through the life and career of a pioneer
Brian Trubshaw was the chief test pilot for BAC before he became the chief test pilot for the British prototype Concorde 002 during its development phase, and I was proud to say he was my stepfather.
He was regarded as one of Britain's most famous names in aviation. As a test pilot for Vickers-Armstrongs, he test-flew the Viscount, the Valiant, the VC10 and Super VC10.
I believed it was important for Brian to record his lifetime achievements in aviation, and I take all credit for persuading him to do it. It wasn’t an easy task because, despite his exceptional career, he was a very modest man.
Once he agreed to do it, the least I could do was offer to help him put it together, which I took tremendous pride in doing, and I miss him every day.
In Brian Trubshaw - Test Pilot, Brian describes his early days as an RAF bomber pilot in World War II, followed by service with Transport Command and the prestigious King's Flight. Brian’s career took off after he left the RAF in 1950 to join the Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) staff at Weybridge as a test pilot.
During the following years, Brian was closely involved with the flight test programmes for the Vickers Valiant nuclear bomber and the BAC 1-11 and VC10 airliners.
In 1965 he became Chief Test Pilot for BAe and later piloted Concorde 002 on her maiden flight on 9th April 1969.
Brian's descriptions are interwoven with insights into the manoeuvrings of politicians, industrialists and trade unions, ultimately leading to the decline of the British aircraft industry in the 1970s.
REVIEWS FOR THE SECRET LIVES OF THE DOYENNE OF DIDSBROOK
Click on the link below to access the first 38 pages of The
Reviews for Just Say It
BOOK CLUB KIT - DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
CALLING ALL BOOK CLUB AND READING GROUPS
I would love to talk to your club or group, either online or face-to-face, to introduce you to my novels, which are both bittersweet, character-driven narratives with humour at their heart.
20% off paperbacks and free eBooks for book clubs and reading groups,
THE SECRET LIVES OF THE DOYENNE OF DIDSBROOK
If you are ready to dive into a novel that will make you laugh and cry, then let me introduce you to my latest book, the quirky murder mystery, The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook. A story some reviews believe borders on the realms of women's fiction. If you enjoy a narrative that tickles the mind while tugging at the heartstrings, this might just be the next read for your club.
A bittersweet murder mystery set in a picture-perfect English village, where the sudden death of Jocelyn Robertshaw—a former actress and best-selling novelist—turns quiet Didsbrook upside down.
- A small village.
- A famous actress turned best-selling author.
- A puzzling death.
- And a young woman who won’t stop until she uncovers the truth.
"If you’re someone who enjoys character-driven mysteries with a side of small-town eccentricity and a splash of theatrical charm, this is your kind of read. Fans of Richard Osman, Agatha Christie, or even Joanna Cannon would feel right at home. It’s funny, thoughtful, and heartfelt. And despite the crime at its center, it somehow manages to feel like a warm hug. I’d happily recommend it to anyone who likes their mysteries with brains, heart, and a little sparkle." Literary Titan.
The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook evolved from a short story about a writer's group in a small village. I grew up in a hamlet on the Wiltshire/Gloucestershire border, and I will never forget some of our loveable quirky neighbours. When you live in a small community, it inevitably becomes the centre of your universe.
The most enjoyable part of writing for me is creating characters. I love my characters, and, just as I loved the characters in the short story, I decided to turn it into a novel. Finishing writing The Doyenne was emotionally difficult because I didn't want to leave these characters behind! I felt like I wanted to give them all a virtual hug to thank them for bringing the story to life.
I originally wrote the first draft as a straight-up murder mystery farce, but as the story progressed and the Doyenne's life became more complex, it was clear that the slapstick scenes had to go. It still has its comedic moments, though. No bittersweet storyline is complete without it.
JUST SAY IT
Just Say It is a bittersweet family drama which follows the life of Lisa Grant, a woman approaching forty who is wrestling with loneliness, lost love, and the shadows of her past.
Humour amid hardship
KEY THEMES
- Family secrets and trauma: Lisa’s journey uncovers how childhood experiences and family mysteries shape adult life.
- Mother-daughter dynamics: The novel explores the emotional impact of growing up with a narcissistic parent.
- Self-discovery and healing: Lisa’s investigation leads her not only to shocking truths but also toward empathy, understanding, and personal growth.
- Humor amid hardship: Despite its serious subjects, the story is laced with wit and warmth, making Lisa’s journey relatable and hopeful
"The characters are believable, the situations are modern and realistic, the plot has heartbreaking and moving twists. The writing is clear and excellent, descriptive and evocative, and overall enjoyable."
A midlife crisis
- A toxic mother-daughter relationship
- A journey of self-discovery
- A daughter's resolve to end the conflict
"The characters are believable, the situations are modern and realistic, the plot has heartbreaking and moving twists. The writing is clear and excellent, descriptive and evocative, and overall enjoyable."
Turning forty, Lisa Grant is broke, alone and living in rural Gloucestershire, hurtling towards an inevitable midlife crisis.
Lisa blames her mother, Elizabeth, for many things. Growing up, she saw little of her socialite mother but adored her father. When she was six years old, her father disappeared, and her mother kept the truth about why he left the family home hidden. When starting her journalistic career, Lisa reconnects with her father and discovers grim truths about her controlling mother.
After four decades of sparring with her impossible mother, Lisa cultivates a more rational and sympathetic approach to discovering why her mother lacks empathy. Believing childhood trauma may be responsible, Lisa harnesses her journalistic skills to investigate her mother's past and is shocked by what she finds.
CHARACTERS
My novels are very much character-driven, so I would love to know what you thought about them. Did they influence how much you enjoyed the book?
Which character’s actions or decisions had the biggest impact on the plot, and how did it change the story?
Did you like or dislike the characters, and why? Did it influence how much you enjoyed the book?
Which character would be your ideal dinner guest?
What might have happened to the characters after the book ended?