British Women Sleuths

Can she save her daughter from a dastardly demon? Oh, and solve a murder in her spare time? Newly divorced and forty, Milly’s life takes a magical turn for the better. She has a fabulous London pad, a hunky boyfriend and a hip new cafe on King’s Road, Chelsea. She even counts royalty among her customers. What could go wrong? Everything. Someone murders her landlord, and Milly turns amateur sleuth to avert a miscarriage of justice. Then, customers disappear into a time tunnel, lured by a vengeful, greedy demon. When he threatens Milly’s daughter’s life, the gloves are off. And her ...

A wedding on picturesque Martha's Vineyard promises to be the affair of the season when Penny Arbuthnot asks her cousin, feisty 92-year-old poet Victoria Trumbull, if she can use her property for the reception. Victoria agrees - but she has no idea what's in store for the hapless couple. For one, Penny is seriously in debt and desperate to marry money. She thinks she's on the road to riches when she hooks Rocco Bufano, whose father is a multi-billionaire. But unbeknownst to Penny, Rocco's been disowned by dad.

When homeless man Bobby Stover insists his friend’s suicide was really murder, DI Sheridan Holler is sceptical—until she uncovers a series of deaths, all of them in Liverpool, all ruled as suicides, that suddenly look like anything but. The killings span years, each one chillingly staged, the truth buried beneath an illusion of despair. This murderer is following a mysterious pattern—and there seems to be no end in sight.

Penrose & Pyke venture to the edge of madness when they reunite to investigate two tragic deaths and an old mystery. The last words of a frightened woman may be a vital clue to the disappearance of an old friend, if they aren’t the ravings of delusional lunatic. Detective Constable Charlie Pyke is desperate to find out. But is he desperate enough to risk the life of his sleuthing partner, medical student Grace Penrose? More to the point, can he stop her? The answers lie behind the locked doors of an asylum for wealthy young women of delicate sensibilities, where high walls and dark ...

(This book was previously published with the subtitle 'The Strange Case of the Exploding Dolly-trolley') When tragedy comes to Daisy's doorstep, it's way too close for comfort. Those responsible have to be brought to justice... and quickly, before they strike again. It’s been two weeks since Daisy brought Finn’s aristocratic world crashing down, and village life reverted to as normal as it ever gets where she is concerned. But then one morning it all changes, in a very disturbing way. To begin with, Daisy believes someone from her past is to blame. Before she retired, she had a job very...

Amber’s about to face her biggest challenge yet! When movie star Reed Colcannon is murdered in the waiting room of the steam railway he owns, Amber is sent to try and track down who shot him. The railway, surrounded by spooky moorland and lit with vintage gas lamps, is cloaked in secrets, lies and mysteries galore and promises to challenge Amber in more ways than one! But the first mystery Amber has to get to the bottom of is who she will be working with on the investigation... As Amber tries her hardest to crack the case she soon realizes this could actually be the end of the line for ...

A cosy mystery perfect for fans of Sally Smith, Steve Higgs, LJ Ross, Robert Thorogood, and Richard Osman. Karen McLaren is enjoying her retirement at the Club Britannia complex on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Having established herself as a pillar of the community in the village of Castillo, she’s opened up a second-hand bookshop. As well as building her business, she has big plans for her life in the sun… …finding herself making inquiries about a strange accident isn’t one of them. Just because the death in question looks like a random occurrence doesn’t mean Karen believes it is. ...

New truths to uncover and a killer to catch. With a family crisis looming, Detective Inspector Fiona Williams is hoping to take a break when she is called to a suspicious death in an isolated barn conversion, home to a quiet middle-aged couple. Duncan returned home from the pub to discover his wife dead at the foot of their cellar steps. There are no signs of a forced entry or robbery, but the evidence says Pat’s death was no accident. His reaction is strange, but he has a solid alibi for the time of death. Fiona will have to dig deep into the victim’s past to uncover the shocking truth...

When a fire consumes a remote girls’ boarding school in Sussex, the death of a single unnamed student is quietly dismissed as tragic misfortune. But when Evelyn Everly is handed the official report, one detail refuses to let her go: a surviving shoe, stitched with a name that matches her own. Drawn into the school’s shadowed history, Evelyn discovers a pattern of disappearances, a hidden trust fund, and a web of silence that leads disturbingly close to her own ruined family. As she pursues the truth, old enemies resurface—and someone clearly wants her investigation buried. With help ...

After successfully catching a killer, Lily Larkin has gained herself a reputation on the quaint Cornish island of St Mary’s. But her plans to open an ice cream shop mean she doesn’t have time for solving mysteries. At least until a teenager turns up on her doorstep claiming he’s in danger and begging for her help. When the boy disappears, he’s already given Lily a list of likely suspects. While the police are convinced it’s all a childish prank, Lily isn’t so sure. Soon, she’s on a mission to find the missing boy and discover the truth behind his disappearance.

"Sleep Peacefully is a fantastic novel full of suspense and mystery, with many twists and turns that are sure to keep you guessing. I look forward to reading more from this talented author." - Fresh Fiction She thought her sister's death was nothing more than a tragic accident... She was wrong When Nat’s sister, Jess, dies in a terrible accident she is left devastated by the sudden loss of her younger sister. On the day of Jess’s funeral, Nat starts to experience a strange recurring dream. The dream shows realistic visions seen through Jess's eyes on the night she passed away. Now, ...

Amber heads to a remote castle in the snowy depths of the Scottish Highlands on a desperate mission to try and save her job and secure the future of the Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency. Someone powerful is out to destroy the agency but who is behind the plot and why are they targeting the CCIA? Battling blizzards, numerous untruths and one complication after another, Amber certainly has her work cut out! And then, to add even further to her problems, as the temperature plummets, the snow blankets the landscape, and the fierce winds rip through the Highlands, somebody is murdered... ...

When I agreed to stand by my best friend, Basia, on her big day, I had no idea what I was in for. Bouquets and unflattering evening wear I can handle. But between disgruntled dates, a beach venue, and suspicious packages, what else can go wrong? Oh, right - my parents don't know I've moved in with Slash. Oops? Thankfully, I've got everything semi under control, at least as far as Basia and Xavier know. They can leave for their honeymoon happy, knowing Elvis, Slash, and I will keep things safe at home.

A cosy mystery perfect for fans of Sally Smith, Steve Higgs, LJ Ross, Robert Thorogood, and Richard Osman. Spring has sprung on Spain’s Costa del Sol, and Karen McLaren is in high spirits. The Easter Parade is in full swing, and the residents of Club Britannia are in a celebratory mood. Karen has planned an extended weekend of delicious food, good company, and a little well-earned rest… …then Bishop Ramos is gunned down in broad daylight. When Darren Carson - a young, mild-mannered priest - admits to the crime, the village is stunned. Comisario Hernandez is satisfied, but Karen ...

‘When you hide the truth from yourself, you keep the Devil’s secret...’ Sarah Kingsmoor has built a successful career as a family doctor in an idyllic market town. She lives in the cottage of her dreams, enjoys rewarding friendships, and leads the life she’s always wanted for herself. She’s convinced of this. One spring evening, Sarah stumbles upon a brutal mugging. Her intervention saves the victim’s life. And a series of events is set in motion which will jar Sarah loose from her comfortable existence, and change her forever. As she finds herself drawn increasingly closer to ...

Sir Tode has finally died at the age of 93. Lady Tode wants to leave the country to spend her remaining years in Capri. Unfortunately, her three tiresome children are either unwilling, or unable (too mad, too lefty or too happy in Australia), to take on management of their large and important home, so the mantle passes to a distant relative and his glamorous wife. Not long after the new owners take over, Lady Tode is found dead in the mausoleum. Accident? Or is there more going on behind the scenes of Tode Hall than an outsider would ever guess?

The table is set for family dinner; roast chicken, wine for them and juice for their darling boy, a vase of fresh daisies from the garden for decoration. But the food is cold, and the flowers are wilting. You might think they were sleeping in the next room, if it wasn’t for the blood dripping crimson onto the carpet.

The new novel from Sunday Times No.1 best-seller, Martina Cole, sees the return of her iconic heroine DCI Kate Burrows. If you liked The Ladykiller you'll love Damaged. The 'undisputed queen of crime writing' ( Guardian) and the biggest selling female crime writer in the UK, Martina's unique, powerful storytelling includes Dangerous Lady, The Take, Betrayal and many more.

Silent Voices is the fourth book in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series - which is now a major TV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn as Vera. When DI Vera Stanhope finds the body of a woman in the sauna room of her local gym, she wonders briefly if, for once in her life, she's uncovered a simple death from natural causes. But a closer inspection reveals ligature marks around the victim's throat - death is never that simple...

Mystery, ghosts and gowns. In the charming Regency seaside town of Sidmouth, Devon, Trinity Bishop is thrilled to open her Jane Austen-themed tearoom on the picturesque seafront. However, the grand opening takes a dark turn when a guest is found murdered shortly after the festivities begin. After the chaos, a mysterious package arrives at Trinity’s door containing a ring that uncannily resembles one owned by Jane Austen herself. When Trinity slips it on, five ghosts materialize, bearing a striking resemblance to characters from Austen’s *Pride and Prejudice*. With her spectral ...