Gavin / G. B. Ralph
banner
gbralph.com
Gavin / G. B. Ralph
@gbralph.com
📚 Author 🕵️‍♂️ Cosy mysteries 👬 Romcoms
👨‍🏫 Gay librarian approved 🏳️‍🌈 (he/him)
📍 Aotearoa NZ 🇳🇿 Join my mailing list ⤵️
🔗 gbralph.com/links
Pinned
Hi, my name is Gavin 👋 I'm an author of cosy mysteries and romantic comedies, publishing under my initials, G. B. Ralph.

My writing features:
😅 chaotic yet lovable characters getting themselves into all sorts of trouble,
🕵️‍♂️ an astonishing amount of crime, and
😘 handsome men falling for each other.
After a few weeks of painting the house, Christmas, NYE, etc, today's writing involved:
😎 exposition disguised as rambling,
🏔️ a geological marvel, and
👵 a dozen Mabels.

🚧 WIP: Killer on the Kelvin Explorer
📈 Book status: First draft (21%)

#CozyMystery #Mystery #WritingCommunity
🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
Killer on the Kelvin Explorer
Addison Harper and Sergeant Jake Murphy are off to a shaky start with their new living situation. So, when Addison has the chance to get out of town and clear his head, he’s quick to climb aboard. …
gbralph.com
January 7, 2026 at 6:29 AM
WIP: Killer on the Kelvin Explorer 🚂💀
Pre-order: gbralph.com/killer-on-th...

#WIPsnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
January 6, 2026 at 9:41 PM
‘Mrs Coleman is over there,’ Sophia said, pointing her out for Addison’s benefit. The woman wielded a clipboard, an arm full of small orange hi-viz vests, and a look of mild frazzlement.

WIP: Killer on the Kelvin Explorer

#WIPsnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
January 5, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Rainy afternoon activities:
✅ Read book
✅ Update website header for NYE
✅ Overhaul links page: gbralph.com/links/
December 31, 2025 at 3:45 AM
A few days at the beach with partner, parents, siblings, and niblings 🏖️🎄 [1/3]
December 29, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I skip town for a few days and they're wiped out, again! Recently I've been restocking my local bookshop every other week 🤯😍

A huge thanks to the wonderful Bruce McKenzie Booksellers, local readers, and book gifters for moving so many copies of The Milverton Mysteries!

#BookSky 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 29, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Mum is very on theme this Christmas with this book of train-related cosy mystery crime puzzles 🚂💀 That's me sorted for this afternoon!

🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 25, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Addison on top in April, 2½ years after stumbling over his first 💀 in Milverton, is my final writing highlight of the year 🏆🎉

Thank you so much to all the wonderful readers for sharing my cosy, quirky, queer, Kiwi mysteries. It means everything!

Now let's see what we can get up to in 2026 💪
December 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Sure, the low camera angle with a backdrop of the underside of the platform edge, the tracks, and the occasional spindly weed growing through the stone ballast no doubt lent the shots an industrial, concrete jungle aesthetic. But the stupidity was breath-taking.

#WIPsnips #WriteSky 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Death in Douglas Glade starts off with a charming picnic date filled with delicious treats! What would you bring along?

I think I'd go for mini quiches, club sandwiches, chocolate brownie, strawberries, and a flask of coffee!

#BookSky #Mystery 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 22, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Addison, Jake, Mabel, and Keith have never looked so adorable!

I’ve always had a strong impression of their appearance in my head while writing The Milverton Mysteries and I periodically describe them on page but this year was the first time we’ve had a visual representation.

🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 22, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Reposted by Gavin / G. B. Ralph
“The last-minute christmas rush at the bookshop.” - my latest cartoon for @theguardian.com books
December 21, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Gavin / G. B. Ralph
Just had the privilege of chatting to the winners of the Mysterious Murders short story contest (of which I was honoured to be one of the judges!) and you can learn more about them and read their gripping and twisty stories here... www.mysteriousmurders.com
Mysterious Murders
Angela C Nurse Crime Fiction Author, Creative Writing Coach, Co-founder & Judge of the Mysterious Murders Competition
www.mysteriousmurders.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
5 a.m. was an early wake-up for me to join the Mysterious Murders short story competition winners call this morning, but totally worth it to celebrate with my fellow judges and the first, second, and third-place winners!

#Mystery #ShortStories #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 21, 2025 at 8:44 AM
‘I can hardly look down on my despicable ex-husband from the high road if I go and do the very same.’

WIP: Killer on the Kelvin Explorer

#WIPsnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 20, 2025 at 2:23 AM
I'm a regular at the library, so when the librarians asked if I'd be willing to feature in a video, of course I had to say yes!

To quote my video self, "just being in the library is inspiring, being surrounded by books and knowing that every one of those spines on the shelves is another story."
December 20, 2025 at 1:56 AM
I accuse Harriet Ferguson (the mayor) in Lynne's Cafe with a cheese platter 🧀 That's my answer today anyway!

We played this Cluedo-style Milverton Mystery game in the Cozy Mystery Lovers Facebook Group during my author takeover earlier in the year and I had too much fun not to share it here too.
December 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Always max hilarity when these two get together so I'm sure it'll be a riot 🎅 Catch it live in just 30 minutes!

#BookSky #WriteSky #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
TONIGHT! Join me and @caimhmc.bsky.social in santa hats, LIVE, on THURSDAY 18TH DECEMBER, 8pm GMT for what promises to be a lively edition of the Creative Differences podcast!

Join us on Facebook: fb.me/e/fczoRWtuC

Or on Youtube: www.youtube.com/live/6iUtTZo...
December 18, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Konnichiwa to my first translated work!

Originally published in English in The Law of Consequences anthology, ‘The Sand Witch’s Sandwich’ was picked up and translated into Japanese by Tokyo-based translator Nona Umezawa. [1/4]

#BookSky #WriteSky #WritingCommunity 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 18, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Addison’s back for opening night at the theatre and he has front-row seats with Sergeant Jake Murphy!

Philip Battley’s back too, lending his superb voice acting talents to narrating Fright on Stage Right, the latest Milverton Mystery audiobook – to be published by Tantor Audio on 16 June 2026!
December 16, 2025 at 11:37 PM
I was invited to help judge two writing competitions this year: Mysterious Murders and Te Kura o Karere Amazing Authors Awards!

It was such a treat reading so many excellent entries from such talented writers in both writing competitions. I had the best time!
December 16, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Mini Milverton bauble update time 📚🎄 They're 1/10th the size and 10x the cuteness!

I bet my friend hadn't anticipated my requests to supplement the bauble with each new book release but I am very grateful for the pint-sized additions!

#BookSky #Christmas 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 15, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Introducing MC Ralph 🎤 Your book launch host and author panel chair!

As we know from highlight №2, I love to chat. But what’s better (i.e. less stressful) than being faced with a curly question and frantically attempting to articulate an intelligent and interesting answer on the spot? [1/4]
December 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Addison mentally catalogued the contents of his backpack, feeling pleased he had control of the situation as they crossed the town limits. ‘Haere mai, welcome to Milverton. Your gateway to the Manawatū Gorge.’ A minute later they pulled up at Milverton Station.

#WIPsnips #WriteSky 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎🌈✒️
December 13, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Gavin / G. B. Ralph
Hey, it's Cozy Up with Fantasy!

TODAY ONLY (December 12, 2025), you can get more than 70 (!) cozy fantasy books, from all different authors, for only 99 cents.

It includes my yarn shop/witchy sapphic romance Spellcasting On.

You can find all the books at:
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com
Home - Cozy Up With Fantasy
Welcome to Cozy Up With Fantasy! Here's a cozy holiday season gift for you. 🎁 TODAY ONLY (December 12, 2025), you can get more than 70 (!) cozy fantasy books, from all different authors, for only 99 c...
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:13 AM