Deryn Lake
The Story Behind the Rawlings and Fielding Mysteries
In 1983, Dinah Lampitt was approached by Canada Dry, the drinks manufacturers to research the origins of H.D. Rawlings and Co, makers of tonic and soda waters, now bought up by Canada Dry and part of their empire. Canada Dry were expecting a challenge from Schweppes founded in 1783, that they - Schweppes - were an older company than Rawlings, who claimed to have been in business since the mid eighteenth century. Dinah was given two weeks to solve the case and the only clue she had available was some Victorian correspondence from H.D. Rawlings, giving the address 2, Nassau Street, Soho, and claiming to have been at those premises for over a hundred years.
Armed with this scant piece of information , Dinah set forth and eventually tracked down a John Rawlings, Apothecary, by going through the records of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, held in the Guildhall. Wondering whether this could be her man, for Jacob Schweppe who discovered the secret of carbonating water in Switzerland in 1783 was also an apothecary, Dinah needed a conclusive piece of evidence to link John Rawlings to the Victorian firm of H.D. Rawlings. On the very last day of her deadline for completing the research, she found it. John Rawlings had given his address when he asked to be made Free of the Society in August, 1754. It was 2, Nassau Street, Soho: the connection was made, Rawlings and Co. had been founded before Schweppes.
Dinah put her file on John away as her historical novels and serials for Woman's Realm continued to sell well and make money for her. Then cane the day when costume drama ceased - according to the publishers at least! - to be popular. Very alarmed at this growing trend, Dinah Lampitt changed her name to Deryn Lake and wrote her first history mystery novel, DEATH IN THE DARK WALK, her hero none other than the engimatical Mr. Rawlings himself. Very well received by the critics and given a stunning review by the celebrated Lindsey Davis, Deryn Lake intends to concentrate on this series for the time being, though she looks forward to the day when Dinah Lampitt can return to her word processor once more.
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