Our Email Newsletter from November 2025

Bethan's monthly email newsletter

Ho ho ho!

It's the beginning of December which means for me (Bethan) everything will be Christmas-themed!

Want to win a Christmas present from us? Make sure to read to the end of this email!

Welcome to your monthly round up of Seeing Red news, insights, competitions and information.

 Wow what a November it has been for us!

 

Mark celebrated his birthday, I followed his footsteps into the world of television, we released four episodes on the main show, two episodes of Crime Wave and a bonus episode for Patreons. We had a lot of fun on our social media channels with our listeners, and I've enjoyed buying and wrapping gifts for us to do lots of giveaways. We also did a listener small business showcase- we love seeing what our listeners sell. I got a few Christmas pressies ordered, thank you! :)

I was very lucky this month to be approached by the team who Mark worked with for ITVs show Britain's Countryside Killers to take part in an episode too! Mark did such a good job that they wanted me to come on board too, so thank you Mark for setting us up so well. I really enjoyed my time doing this, although I did spend most of the day leading up to it randomly turning to my husband and saying "Blargh! I'm nervous!" haha. The crew were amazing, putting me at ease and making everything feel normal and natural even though I was very much out of my comfort zone in front of the camera. I took some time to put on a bit of makeup and blow dry my hair so it was nice to feel like ME rather than "Scruffy mum Bethan" too! We will keep you posted as soon as we hear about the release date of the show!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!

A number of our lovely listeners in the Facebook group sent Mark some gifts for his birthday, they had asked for him to make a little wishlist so I got him to do this and then shared it on the page, and he felt absolutely spoilt rotten when a number of parcels arrived at his door. It was so kind of you all, thank you from him again!

He's made a donation to The Samaritans as a thank you for everyone's kindness.

We were very grateful to one of our listeners for taking some time to chat with us this month about his career in the prison system. The Q&A has been released for Patreon supporters as their November Bonus Ep. We plan to release the interview on our main feed a while after Patreons as it feels important to share. It was a fascinating insight into the "forgotten emergency service" as some people call it; myself and Mark have both admitted we often focus on police, ambulance workers, and firefighters when thinking of people who work to keep us safe, but often forget to mention those who are quite literally standing guard between us and the criminals who are locked up because they're such a danger to society. We have both really tried to shift our way of thinking recently around this, especially since our Lenny Scott episode and talk of prison officers and the probation service too.

I've watched a brilliant dramatisation this month called The Widower. It was on ITV and stars Reece Shearsmith (one of my favourite actors) and Sheridan Smith, John Hannah and many others. The show tells the story of how seemingly mild-mannered nurse Malcolm Webster was caught by police... He looked, from the outside, to be a kind and loving widower having lost his wife but of course all is not as it seems. I won't give too much away as if you don't know the case you will find the twists and turns in this very shocking. I am thinking about sharing the case on the show sometime soon too.

Over in the Facebook group I have set up a Secret Santa... There are 30 of us who wanted to take part and I've really enjoyed setting it up and arranging it all. I've also LOVED planning and wrapping my gift for my secret person... I can't wait to hear what they thought. Do you take part in any secret santa gift exchanges? Personally I much prefer the ones where you actually like the person and attempt to get them something meaningful, I've never been a huge fan of a jokey one... How about you? It was quite a lot of effort to prep and get started, but it seems to be going well so far. Gifts will begin landing soon! If it all goes according to plan, I'm sure we will do this again next year.

November's Book Recommendations

I haven't read much this month that is "on brand" for Seeing Red I'm afraid guys! There's been a lot of cheesy romance set in small towns as the snow rolls in! So apologies that this isn't the usual recommendation section, however I'll be sure to get back to the usual dark and twisted stories soon.

This month I'm going to share a few books with you. There is my absolute favourite Christmas book that I enjoy re-reading, and the newest offering from that author that was a joy too- Milly Johnson's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and her new novel Let the Bells Ring Out. Another favourite author of mine is Sarah Morgan and I'm enjoying her newest festive novel All Together For Christmas.

I've got a couple of murdery novellas to share with you: Murder Under the Mistletoe by Rev Richard Coles which was a right old festive romp with a grand finale... And The Christmas Magpie by an author I love, Mark Edwards, which had plenty of twists and turns, and featured a character from previous books which I loved (but it is totally okay to read as a standalone). I find novellas incredibly satisfying to read in one go, especially with rain hitting my window and a glass of wine in hand!

Bella and I will be taking part in The St John Ambulance challenge The Twelve Books of Christmas - raising awareness and money for this amazing charity and enjoying some festive themed books together. I love having a book worm mini-me, although I did catch her reading by torch light an hour after her bed time recently! I couldn't be cross as that was 100% me as a child too.

Giveaway Time!

We have a Christmas present to send out to one of you guys, our lovely email subscribers! We have put together what I like to call a Winter Warmer bundle; I'm sat here writing this with the rain pouring down outside and we had stew & mash for tea, so I'm really in a cosy mood. We have put together a parcel containing a bar of one of my favourite chocolate, red fluffy socks, a murdery novel and my absolute must-have in winter, a narwhal balm stick, plus a coaster to put your drink of choice on. All wrapped up for us to send you to put under your tree. To be in with a chance of receiving this gift, please reply to this email with your favourite cheesy Christmas joke by the 10th of December 2025. All entries will be put in a hat and I'll email back the winner on the 10th to ask for their postal address. Go on, make us chuckle! (P.S. there will be chances to bag a gift over on Facebook and on Instagram too!)

 There are different books and different chocolate bars in each parcel, so you won't know for sure which gift you received until you open it. I'm really happy with the wrapping & ribbons I've chosen this year, I think red & white is my favourite Christmas wrapping combo!

Thank you for reading,

Love Bethan