British Women Sleuths

The Glass Room is the fifth book in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series - which is now a major TV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn as Vera.

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet. The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood - who is connected to all three victims - is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband. Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

Everything is not as it seems during those balmy summer days at one of Oxford’s most prestigious colleges. Lorcan Greene, wealthy gallery owner and expert forgery-spotter, is hired by Detective Braine of the Art Fraud Squad to investigate a tip-off in Oxford. But Lorcan gets more than he bargains for, falling in love with talented art student Frederica Delacroix. But what’s she hiding and could she even be involved in forgery herself?

The theft of a priceless emerald neckless leads to murder and Blythe, the Dowager Duchess of Ashby along with Bow Street Runner Owen Kennedy must rely on a lie to find the killer before they become the next victims.

They were meant to be safe on Fleet Ward: psychiatric patients monitored, treated, cared for. But now one of their number is found murdered, and the accusations begin to fly. Was it one of his fellow patients? A member of staff? Or did someone come in from the outside? DC Alice Armitage is methodical, tireless, and she's quickly on the trail of the killer. The only problem is, Alice is a patient too.

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 ...

When DCI Anna Tate is called to the gruesome discovery of a dead woman found on Barnes Common, she is plunged into a high‐profile investigation involving a prominent MP. London is baying for blood - but is there more to Holly’s death than at first meets the eye? Meanwhile, the hunt is on for Anna’s missing daughter Chloe, who vanished 10 years ago when her ex‐husband kidnapped her. The case has been cold for what feels like forever - but a phone call brings a brand-new lead....

A series of disappearances are linked by one vital clue, and when a grave is uncovered in the woods, the sins of the past return with deadly consequences. A local community is devastated when dark secrets are revealed, and no one knows who to trust. Harriet Quinn will need all of her expertise to find a killer who hides in plain sight.

Susan Grey’s fiftieth birthday party promised to be a talked-about event—an over-the-top extravagant gathering of a hundred guests at her sprawling Georgian home. But it would be talked about for all the wrong reasons… From an escalated argument to the disappearance of an expensive piece of jewelry, the party was quickly spiraling out of control. But the worst was yet to come—Susan suffered a horrific fall down the grand staircase. Was it an accident, or was she pushed? For DI Grace Roth, relegated to desk duty, this could be a high-profile case and a chance to redeem herself.

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 ...

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.

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.

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 ...

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.

If you see him it’s already too late.... Some secrets can’t be hidden. The Fullers are the picture-perfect family, a wealthy couple with a grand home in the middle of remote woodland. But even they have something to hide - and it will prove fatal. Some crimes can’t be forgotten. Psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn and DI Marilyn Simmons arrive at the Fullers' home to find a suburban nightmare. A crime scene more disturbing than anything they have ever encountered. Some killers can’t be stopped.

DSI Billie Wilde’s romantic relationship is intense—but it’s nothing compared to the pressure of her latest case, especially since the new chief of police is gunning for her squad. If they don’t get a handle on a series of deaths—which seem to have a connection to Alice in Wonderland—they could wind up being demoted. And the identity of one of the victims has made things devastatingly personal for Billie.

A man is found dead in the judge's chair inside the Great Hall of Oakham Castle, beaten to death with a ceremonial horseshoe. As Rutland Police investigate, they discover the victim was a charitable, public-spirited man who only ever wanted to help others. So who wanted to kill him so brutally? And why? DI Caroline Hills and DS Dexter Antoine are left disoriented and dejected. But the discovery of a shadowy and mysterious figure leads them onto a trail of deep corruption—one that will take them far from Rutland. And it seems their victim wasn't quite the man he made himself out to be.

It was just an ordinary Wednesday lunchtime when Detective Martha Munro's life changed forever. Her sergeant is speaking, but she barely hears what he's telling her. Your mother has been shot dead. Your four-year-old daughter has been taken. There are no leads. Who would want to hurt her family? Martha realizes it's time to ask herself some hard questions about her late father. He led the anti-corruption squad at Scotland Yard. It's rumored he kept a list of everyone who worked for him, from coppers to criminals. And just being on the list was a sure-fire way to lower your life expectancy.

When human remains are discovered under Bradford’s derelict Odeon car park, DS Nikita Parekh and her team are immediately called to the scene. Distracted by keeping her young nephew out of trouble, Nikki is relieved when the investigation is transferred to the Cold Case Unit, and she can finally focus on her family. But after the identity of the victim is revealed, she’s soon drawn back into the case. The dead man is a direct link to her painful past. As the body count begins to rise, Nikki must do everything she can to stop the killer in their tracks before anyone else gets hurt.

When her daughter’s life is at stake, there’s no one quite like our R.E.D. heroine! Following an unexpected lead Celia may have been sold by traffickers to someone in Africa three years ago, Daisy, Aidan and Sarah head for Uganda. They’ve only been in the country a few minutes when a mysterious dying man thrusts a note into Daisy’s hand. As he gasps his last breath, he begs her not to involve the police. Now there isn’t just one, but two mysteries to be solved. The extra mystery deepens as three different people confess to a murder that took place many years ago. But there’s a ...