British Women Sleuths

It's 1996. Detective Sergeant Tom Thorne is a haunted man. Haunted by the moment he ignored his instinct about a suspect, by the horrific crime that followed and by the memories that come day and night, in sunshine and shadow. So when seven-year-old Kieron Coyne goes missing while playing in the woods with his best friend, Thorne vows he will not make the same mistake again. Cannot. The solitary witness. The strange neighbour. The friendly teacher. All are in Thorne's sights. This case will be the making of him...or the breaking.

When the pirate treasure is valuable enough for murder, it’s up to our R.E.D. heroine and her family to grab their swords and discover who wants it most! An old business associate of Aidan’s invites him, Daisy and Celia on the inaugural two day pirate-dress cruise of a replica of the ‘Black Pearl’ he’s built, Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Daisy, of course, is a little curious (or suspicious) of the Russian billionaire’s motives for inviting them, and it’s only a few hours after they’ve set off from Great Yarmouth when they discover ...

Three missing women running out of time. They were abducted years ago. Notorious serial killer Bill Raven admitted to killing them and was sentenced to life. The case was closed - at least DC Maggie Jamieson thought it was. But now one of them has been found, dismembered and dumped in a bin bag in town. Forensics reveal that she died just two days ago, when Raven was behind bars, so Maggie has a second killer to find. Because even if the other missing women are still alive, one thing’s for certain: they don’t have long left to live.

Another tongue - in - cheek romp for our intrepid decrepit heroes which would not be out of place in Whitehall. Lady Amanda Golightly and her housemate Hugo Cholmondeley - Crichton - Crump return from their visit to Scotland to find a letter informing them that Hugo's sister will be arriving the following day for a month's visit, which sours Lady A's mood as Tabitha constantly bullied her at school.Her manservant's announcement that he is now betrothed to Enid Tweedie, sort of friend and general gopher for his employer, has already unsettled her. If that wasn't enough to cope with, it ...

If you've got your breath back from the last crazy adventure, tighten your seat belts and hold on!! The batty old biddies are at it again... In this third Belchester 'cocktail' mystery. Lady Amanda Golightly receives an invitation to spend Burns' Night in Castle Rumdrummond in Scotland. Although she is dismissive of the idea, her old chum Hugo is thrilled at the thought and, beguiled by the idea of wearing tartan, he uses his own brand of childish pleading to win her agreement to the trip. Along with Beauchamp, her long-suffering manservant, and her friend, Enid Tweedie, acting as personal ...

'This book kept me up all night!! I just couldn't sleep until I finished the book. Realistic characters who are slightly flawed, just like the rest of us!' Amazon reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'This author has a wonderful way of grabbing you early in the book and compelling you to keep reading!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'A very well written, interesting and emotive story. The characters are well thought out, flawed, interesting and could be your neighbours. A riveting read by a talented author.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It's every parent's worst nightmare… When my ...

How do you find the missing when there’s no trail to follow? DC Lucy Clayburn is having a tough time of it. Not only is her estranged father one of the North West’s toughest gangsters, but she is in the midst of one of the biggest police operations of her life.

There's been a brutal murder in the Surrey countryside and it's DC Kate O'Connell's first case. Will it also be her last? Kate was driven to become a detective following the tragic murder of her aunt when she was a teenager. Memories of that unsolved case, and how she handled it, hang over her to this day. But Kate is keen to prove herself to her superiors and fights to break through the lies that surround this new victim’s life. Meanwhile, the chilling nature of the murder dredges up those disturbing memories, and Kate begins to wonder if there's a link between the two cases.

At twenty-five years old Anna, Lady Quartermain, becomes a grieving but wealthy widow. In an attempt to restart her life she sets up the Wellington Bureau, an investigation agency, without any serious expectation of it being a success. A series of cases follow in which Anna unravels a number of mysteries, including those surrounding the fabulous Quartermain Stone – a diamond brought into the family by Henry Quartermain at the beginning of the thirteenth century, and which has a long and eventful history. Anna also has to come to terms with the secrets and deceptions of the taciturn ...

Welcome back to Holmestead, England, where a centuries-old murder mystery, stolen art, and a furniture-rearranging ghost disrupt this picture postcard village. Maggie and Martin return from their honeymoon relaxed and happy and walk into chaos. Maggie's ghost has taken up permanent residence in her house and is creating havoc. When Maggie finds another journal, hidden in a secret compartment, she finally has the chance to solve her ancestor's murder. With Martin and Spencer's help, she puts together the clues, each one moving her closer to the truth.

3,000 years ago Iron Age people carved a white horse on the Downs near Uffington Castle, and now someone has dumped a body there. Laid out like a ceremonial killing, Detective Inspector Leo George isn't convinced that the murder is what it appears. He suspects the young female victim may have been a member of the Children of the White Horse, a secretive valley commune, but none of the cult members are talking. That is until he discovers his friend Jess Bridges is undercover in the commune, attempting to persuade a wayward young woman to leave the cult.

Jakey escaped with his life and moved to an Essex seaside town. His rescue was a miracle but his parents know that the Collector is still out there, watching, waiting . . . Clara, the girl he left behind, dreams of being found. Her mother is falling apart but she will not give up hope. The Collector has found an apprentice to take over his family’s legacy. But he can’t forget the one that got away and the detective who destroyed his dreams. DS Etta Fitzroy must hunt him down before his obsession destroys them all.

Lady Merryweather has had a shocking year. Apprehended for the murder of her husband the year before, and only recently released, she hopes a trip away from London will allow her to grieve. The isolated, but much loved, Cragside Estate in North Northumberland, home of her friends, Lord and Lady Bradbury, holds special memories for her. But, no sooner has she arrived than the body of one of the guests is found on the estate, and suspicion immediately turns on her. Perhaps, there are no friendships to be found here, after all.

When 18-year-old Ben Renshaw is found dead in city woodland, DCI Robin Lyons is plunged into one of Birmingham's most controversial cases. Months earlier, Ben and his best friend gave testimony that sent a former classmate, Alistair Heywood, to prison for a vicious sexual assault. Before the trial, the boys and their families endured months of brutal witness intimidation, for which the Heywoods, a privileged and influential local family, faced no legal repercussions. Instead, they vowed revenge.

A brutally murdered husband. An abused wife who wanted him gone for good...Did the wealthy widow arrange his death - and can a disgraced detective discover the truth? "Your husband is dead". Lorraine Rowe receives the news from an anonymous killer threatening her too - unless she pays an inflated fee for her estranged partner’s murder. Overwhelmed by fear and indecision, Lorraine struggles to survive as her carefully constructed life of lies begins to unravel.

The sight is a particularly horrible shock for George Palmer-Jones, ornithologist and amateur detective, as he was an old friend of the victim Eleanor Masefield. George and his wife, Molly, are staying at Eleanor’s family run hotel, and whilst George believed Eleanor was a beautiful and charming widow, Molly has other ideas. Is Molly a little jealous? Or was Eleanor more a black widow–a ruthless manipulator of all those caught in her far-reaching web? Can Molly prove it in time to prevent another death?

When a young boy falls from a balcony in a block of flats, DS Grace Allendale witnesses the shocking aftermath of the tragic event. But strangely, no one will admit to seeing anything - and the parents will only tell the police that it was an accident. Determined to sort the truth from the lies, Grace is thrown into a case that takes her to the darkest corners of the criminal world - and strikes closer to home than she could have ever imagined.

In the peaceful Cotswolds village of Maybridge, you wouldn't expect to find a dead body in the rose garden. And certainly not two. Abby is horrified to discover the bones of a baby buried under a rose bush. It's in the garden of her soon-to-be ex-husband Howard's family home. She immediately calls the police. But she can't get hold of Howard. He's off on a jolly with the woman he's got pregnant. And then, just two days later, Abby finds Howard himself.

After retiring to her dream cottage on the rugged English shoreline, Annie opens her newly refurbished art studio for her weekend retreat and is excited to meet her first guests. What her guests aren't expecting is to be thrown into the midst of a murder enquiry, especially when one of her visiting artists is the victim and another is keeping secrets. Will Annie use her skills of perception to her advantage and stop the killer in their tracks?

Queen Elisabeth II. hat eine heimliche Passion: Sie löst für ihr Leben gern Kriminalfälle! Unerkannt, versteht sich... Als nach einer Feier auf Schloss Windsor der junge russische Pianist tot in seinem Zimmer liegt, wittert de MI5 sofort ein Komplott Putins. Die Queen ist not amused über so viel Übereifer. Wird es gelingen, dem wahren Mörder auf die Spur zu kommen, Bevor es zu diplomatischen Verwicklungen kommt? Very british und schwungvoll spannend: Mit Das Windsor-Komplott legt S J Bennett den ersten Band ihrer höchst originellen Krimireihe vor - ein königliches Vergnügen!