Search results for ""Allison Busby""

December 1864. As a cold winter wind scours the Worcestershire countryside, an excursion train comes through a tunnel in the Malvern Hills to be confronted by a blockage on the line ahead. Although a disastrous derailment is averted, the passengers are alarmed. Cyril Hubbleday, the man in charge of the excursion, alights to investigate further, but the angry altercation with the driver is cut short by a shot from a sniper, straight through Hubbleday's head. Christmas is coming all too soon and Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming are under pressure to solve the case quickly. However, with enemies in the shadows behind the seasonal trip, and with strong criticism from the local constabulary, the hunt for a cold-blooded killer is far from straightforward.

Read more less

When the body of herdsman Sean O'Farrell was discovered in one of the farm buildings, Detective Sergeant Den Cooper is more than happy to cast one of the local farmers, Gordon Hillcock, in the role of chief suspect. After all, it is a well-known fact that there was no love lost between Gordon and the victim. And besides Den has a little grudge of his own - Gordon is currently dating Den's ex-fiancée Lilah and was actually the reason she dumped him only a few short months before their wedding. However, Den did not plan on Lilah's determination to protect her new lover. How far will she go to make sure that Den directs his suspicions elsewhere?

Read more less

Southampton 1920. Phoebe Collins rose to the challenge of running the family fruit and vegetable stall in Kingsland Market after her father did not return from fighting at the Front. The work outside in all weathers can be hard and there are rough characters to avoid, but with her mother and younger brother Tim to support, she is determined that it continue to be a success. Thankfully there are friends like fellow stallholder Marj, and the handsome Ben, to make the long days easier to bear. But when Phoebe finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses something terrible, she will need all her strength to face the trials ahead and the fear that her loved ones may come to harm.

Read more less

After the death of her husband, Rose Trevelyan lives peacefully in Cornwall, working as an artist and photographer. But when she hears terrified screams as she paints the rugged Cornish countryside, and a local woman is reported missing, Rose finds herself suddenly caught at the centre of a police investigation. With so many people who trust her, Rose is - reluctantly, at times - privy to the secrets of many. When the things she is told in confidence appear connected to the investigation, Rose must decide how far the bonds of friendship reach.

Read more less

The unmissable cosy crime sensation for fans of Richard Osman.

Read more less

1919, Paris. As the guns fall silent, The Paris Peacemakers follows those attempting to start afresh while the fabric of Europe is stitched together for good or ill.Stella Rutherford, desperate to staunch her grief, has thrown herself into her work at the International Peace Conference, while the crucial negotiations play out. Her sister Corran is also headed to France where the wounds of war are still fresh for many, including her fiancé Rob Campbell. Rob, one of the few surviving members of a celebrated Scottish rugby team, has been profoundly marked by his time as a surgeon on the front line.What comes next for each of them?

Read more less

Juno Browne, self-proclaimed Domestic Goddess who can turn her hand to cleaning, dog walking or home help jobs, is feeling overworked and underpaid. Her elderly client, Maisie, is demanding more of her time and staff absences at the Ashburton antiques shop Juno owns are making business difficult. She is not the only one with problems, very serious problems. Among her friends, Elizabeth is being blackmailed, and Ricky''s errant nephew is on the run from criminals in London.In an attempt to get to the bottom of these disturbing developments, Juno finds herself drawn from an isolated manor house on Dartmoor to London''s glamorous but shady theatreland. Can she avoid being fatally entangled in threads of deception and murder?

Read more less

Antony Johnston demonstrates his literary versatility with The Dog Sitter Detective, a light-hearted and lively story which will offer readers some very welcome escapism. - Martin Edwards, author of Mortmain Hall

Read more less

December 1860. Headed for the morning shift at the Swindon Locomotive works is an army of men pouring out of terraced houses built by the GWR, a miniature town and planned community that aims to provide for its employees from cradle to grave. Unfortunately, boiler smith Frank Rodman is headed for the grave sooner than he'd expected, or he will be once his missing head is found. Colbeck, the Railway Detective, finds his investigation into Rodman's murder mired in contradictions. Was the victim a short-tempered brawler, or a committed Christian and chorister who aimed to better himself? On the trail of Rodman's enemy as the season starts to bite, Colbeck finds little festive cheer in the twists and turns of this peculiar case.

Read more less

1986, The Panama Hotel The old Seattle landmark has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made a startling discovery in the basement: personal belongings stored away by Japanese families sent to interment camps during World War II. Among the fascinated crowd gathering outside the hotel stands Henry Lee, and, as the owner unfurls a distinctive parasol, he is flooded by memories of his childhood. He wonders if by some miracle, in amongst the boxes of dusty treasures, lies a link to the Okabe family, and the girl he lost his heart to so many years ago.

Read more less

When an American war correspondent's murder is concealed by British authorities, Maisie Dobbs agrees to work with an agent of the US Department of Justice to help an old friend discover the truth. With German bombs raining down on London, Maisie is torn between the demands of solving this dangerous case and the need to protect her young evacuee. And what will happen when she faces losing her dearest friend and the possibility that she might be falling in love again?

Read more less

Miss Mary Lound, practical and direct, would be the first to say that she demonstrates more grace with a fishing rod in her hand than she might ever twirling around a ballroom. Thanks to a spendthrift father and a foolish brother, Mary and her mother have lost the family estate, Tapley End, and are feeling the pinch. When the new owner, Sir Rowland Kempsey, comes to take up residence, Mary decides to direct her energies into recovering her beloved home by catching a husband. For Sir Rowland, Miss Lound is a breath of fresh air in spite of her awkward attempts at flirtation. However, with false starts, even falser neighbours and the emergence of feelings that complicate Mary''s pragmatic goal, she discovers that landing the man she wants is more difficult than she''d anticipated.

Read more less

Midsummer, 1145. The steward of Evesham Abbey is found dead at the bottom of a well pit. The Abbot, whose relationship with the lord Sheriff of Worcestershire is strained at best, dislikes needing external help with the unfortunate incident. However, he grudgingly receives the trio of Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and Underserjeant Walkelin.As the sheriff''s men probe who had more reason to want Walter the Steward dead, they discover that truth is in short supply. With the tensions between the Abbey and the local castle guard reaching boiling point, another killing will force the investigation down a dangerous path.

Read more less

The Pembrokeshire village of Morlan is a beautiful place to live, but breathtaking views of the Welsh coastline aside, four of the female residents find themselves stuck in a painful rut.The arrival of pole dancing exercise classes in the village hall offers each of them a chance to bond and discover previously hidden strengths. Gwen seems to have it all but how will she cope when her marriage hits the rocks? Meg would love not to be single, but her recent operation has left her confidence shot to pieces. Recently widowed Ivy is fed up with following the rules, but at seventy-two can she really change her ways? Mum of two Summer is desperate for some time to herself outside her home.Together the group form a bond of friendship that will stand them in good stead when facing the trials and tribulations in their personal lives.

Read more less

London, 1873. Madeleine Brewster''s marriage to Dr Lucius Everley was meant to be the solution to her family''s sullied reputation. After all, Lucius is a well-respected collector of natural curiosities, his ''Small Museum'' of bones and things in jars is his pride and joy, although kept under lock and key. His sister Grace''s philanthropic work with fallen women is also highly laudable. However, Maddie is confused by and excluded from what happens in what is meant to be her new home.Maddie''s skill at drawing promises a role for her though when Lucius agrees to let her help him in making a breakthrough in evolutionary science, a discovery of the first ''fish with feet''. But the more Maddie learns about both Lucius and Grace, the more she suspects that unimaginable horrors lie behind their polished reputations.Framed for a crime that would take her to the gallows and leave the Everleys unencumbered, Maddie''s only hope is her friend Caroline Fairly. But will she be able to put the pie

Read more less

London, 1945. The capital is the backdrop for many struggling with demons unleashed by the recent World War. Maisie Dobbs is drawn into the story of a group of squatters, including a demobbed soldier, who have set up camp in the Belgravia mansion of her former in-laws Lord and Lady Julian Compton. Her attempt to help brings to light a decades-old mystery that concerns her first husband, James Compton, who was killed while flying an experimental fighter aircraft. The deeply personal inquiry leads her to a second man, who is fighting the darkness of his own conscience following a secret mission.It is an investigation that will challenge so much of what Maisie understands about her life and forces her to look at the past and the many mirrors that could have been reflecting something other than she had come to believe was truth.

Read more less

March, 1918. British newspapers carry the dreadful news that the German Spring Offensive has begun, with thousands of British lives lost. Detective Sargeant Joe Keedy is awaiting release from hospital in London and is anxious to resume the fight against crime on the Home Front. Late one night, a bank is raided by a gang and the villains escape by car with a sizeable haul. Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion is put in charge of the case, but without Keedy at his side he faces an uphill battle to solve this perplexing case.

Read more less

With the festive season fast approaching, amateur sleuth Juno Browne helps organise a Christmas Fair to raise funds for Ashburton''s local animal sanctuary. The event is a success, but whilst Santa is handing out presents in the fairy-lit grotto, a murder is being committed in a dark corner of the garden. Juno discovers the body of Bob the Blacksmith, found clutching a horseshoe decorated with a sprig of elder. Suspicion falls on Bob''s longsuffering wife, Jackie, and on Don Drummond, with whom Bob violently quarrelled in the past. From this cloud of suspicion, Juno begins to make connections between Bob''s murder and previous ''accidental'' deaths, but her course is obstructed by those who insist on links to ancient folklore. Determined to take the evidence with a generous pinch of salt, Juno navigates pagan ceremonies and astrological connections that turn up yet more bodies on a deadly path to the truth.

Read more less

Southampton, 1912. Jessie is made from tough stuff. At just 19, after the death of her father, she opted not to follow her mother back to Ireland, preferring instead to take charge of her own destiny. When Jessie marries an Irishman and takes over the running of the cafe she works in, it seems as though all the pieces are coming together. But when destiny and a pushy local businessman have other ideas, everything she has worked for is taken away, bit by bit. Will she find the strength to keep fighting for the life she wants in the face of personal loss, gang bosses and embezzlement?

Read more less

Schoolteacher Sophie Lawson has fled to the Cotswold countryside after a tragic break-up and is throwing herself into dating and organising Cranswell's annual Christmas concert. The festive fun is marred by the arrival of a handsome but surly musical director, tricky pupils and concert preparations falling into disarray. Disaster strikes, but the show must go on. Will the concert bring Christmas harmony to Cranswell and will Sophie end the year on a high note?

Read more less

Autumn clouds are drawing in over the village of Askham, at the edge of the picturesque Lake District, and mourners, including Simmy Henderson, are heading to the funeral of Humphrey Craig. Taking a quiet moment later to visit the grave and admire the flowers with her florist's eye, Simmy meets two women: Lindsay Wilson, an academic writing a thesis on Charles Dickens, and ninety-year-old matriarch Pauline Parsons. Just twenty-four hours later, Mrs Parsons is found dead on Askham Fell, and Simmy faces questioning at Penrith police station. An accusation has been made, but if Simmy is to avoid arrest for a murder she did not commit, she will have to uncover the killer herself.

Read more less

The Cambridgeshire hamlet of Jude's Ferry is a lonely, forgotten spot. Requisitioned decades earlier by the Ministry of Defence for military training, one of its few claims to fame is that in its entire thousand-year history, it never recorded a single crime. But when a Territorial Army exercise is held amongst the ruins, a skeleton is found hanging in a bricked-up cellar, a noose round the neck. It seems that the ghostly village may hide many secrets and local newspaper reporter Philip Dryden is soon on the case. Then a man, pulled unconscious from the river at nearby Ely, claims to have lost his memory, yet reacts with startled fear to the name Jude's Ferry ...

Read more less

Gwinny Tuffel is preparing for her first acting role in a decade in the West End, but she is dog-sitting on the side to keep the wolf from the door. So, when ageing rock star Crash Double needs help with his Border Collie, she jumps at the chance. After all, looking after the charming Ace on Crash's Little Venice houseboat shouldn't be an onerous task. But that's before the singer's dead body surfaces during the annual Canal Carnival festivities. While the police dismiss the death as an accident, Gwinny suspects murder most foul. With a medley of suspects and some far-fetched motives to make heads or tails of, it is up to Gwinny, with Ace's on-the-ground knowledge, to make sure the killer faces the music.

Read more less

Autumn clouds are drawing in over the village of Askham, at the edge of the picturesque Lake District, and mourners, including Simmy Henderson, are heading to the funeral of Humphrey Craig. Taking a quiet moment later to visit the grave and admire the flowers with her florist's eye, Simmy meets two women: academic Lindsay Wilson and ninety-year-old matriarch Pauline Parsons. Just twenty-four hours later, Mrs Parsons is found dead on Askham Fell, and Simmy faces questioning at Penrith police station. An accusation has been made, but if Simmy is to avoid arrest for a murder she did not commit, she will have to uncover the killer herself.

Read more less

When Mike Wakefield's business partner absconded with their printing firm's money, Mike and his wife Stephanie feared bankruptcy. Detective Inspector Sloan is at first tasked with what appears to be a cut-and-dry case of embezzlement, but that is before unsettling events - tyres slashed, bricks through windows - make it clear that someone is really gunning for him. However, Mike Wakefield was determined to finish a print job that had been in hand for a while in time for a launch party at the grand setting of Ornum House. All goes according to plan until one of Mike's employees was found dead . And he wasn't the only casualty. DI Sloan and DC Crosby have a tangled set of motives and some devious chicanery to unpick to discover a killer.

Read more less

One murder to solve and another to cover up. It'll be tricky, but the OAP residents of Sunset Hall are going to give it their best shot. Sunset Hall is a house-share for the old and unruly, led by Agnes Sharp. It's an eventful day when this group of idiosyncratic geriatrics gets a visit from the police to inform them of some shocking news: a body has been discovered next door. Everyone puts on a long face, but they are secretly relieved that the body in question is not the one they're currently hiding in the shed (sorry about that, Lillith). Now the answer to their little problem with Lillith may have fallen into their laps. All they have to do is find out who murdered their neighbour, so they can pin Lillith's death on them, thus killing two old birds with one stone. To investigate, the group (not forgetting Hettie the tortoise) will venture into the not-so-idyllic village of Duck End and tangle with sinister bakers, broken stair lifts, inept criminals and their own dark secrets.

Read more less

Nancy and Calder are moving from London to an isolated slate island, off the west coast of Scotland. Nancy is focused on their new beginning, but is increasingly unsettled by the stark island, the mysterious inhabitants and Calder's dark past, which he's kept hidden from her. Then one of Nancy's nightmares plays out in real life: she finds Calder's boat upturned in the bay, his body adrift in the icy water. He's clinically dead with no heartbeat. But miraculously the doctors manage to bring him back to life. Everyone thinks he has made a full recovery, but Nancy doesn't recognise the man who has come back from the dead. As secrets, lies and bodies begin to wash up on the island, Nancy must come to terms with the fact that despite the fresh start, sometimes the slate cannot be wiped clean.

Read more less

London, 1899. A shocking murder is discovered at the heart of the Tower of London. The dead body of a Yeoman Warder is found inside a suit of armour belonging to Henry VIII, having been run through with a sword, and when details of this outrage are reported to the Prince of Wales, he fears this may be an expression of Republican unrest striking at the very home of the Crown Jewels. In the hopes of hampering the spread of news about the crime, the Prince reluctantly calls upon the services of Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton, the museum detectives, to investigate further. As their inquiries proceed, Wilson and Fenton learn about the long and bloody history of the Tower of London, but dark deeds are not confined to the Tower's shadowy past. More bones will see the light of day and the twists and turns of a dastardly plot will unravel before the museum detectives' case is closed.

Read more less

New York, 1910. George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield have crossed the Atlantic Ocean numerous times in their capacity as ship's detectives. On those crossings they've had the pleasure, and in some cases the trouble, of sailing with very famous passengers. Dukes. Duchesses. Artists. Actors. Musicians. Royalty. But few names have quite the level of fame and fortune as their fellow traveller Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Now aboard the Celtic, Dillman and Masefield have a particular stolen book to recover and an elusive fugitive to apprehend, but will the famous writer help or hinder them? Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is making waves with a new generation of readers.

Read more less

First published as Game of Chance under A. C. Koning. 1929. Blinded war veteran Frederick Rowlands has escaped the bustle of London to establish a secure life for himself and his family in the countryside. But everything is about to change when an old friend, Chief Inspector Douglas, asks for his assistance in tracking down the killer of a beautiful dancer. That there is a link between the murder and St Dunstan's, the institute for blind ex-servicemen of which Rowlands himself is a member, is only one of the puzzling features of the case. Transported back into the whirl of London in order to unravel the mystery surrounding the dead woman, the Blind Detective is caught up in a deadly game of chance. A series of breathtaking twists and turns force him to confront his past, and to risk everything - including own life - in the process.

Read more less

As mid-winter temperatures grip the cathedral city of Ely, a man is found frozen to death in his high-rise flat. The police may think that Declan McIlroy killed himself, but journalist Philip Dryden is not convinced, and he begins digging for the truth. All too soon, there's another frozen corpse to consider - that of Declan's best friend. And suddenly a routine suicide gives way to a chilling trail of cruelty and betrayal stretching back thirty years, towards a mystery from Dryden's own childhood.

Read more less

October 1940. The Blitz bombing raids continue mercilessly, but when the body of a kitchen porter from Claridge's hotel is found, it is clear that he has not been the victim of a blast: he was strangled. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg has to find out exactly who he was, and what he was doing at Claridge's under a false identity. Armed with those facts, he might get an insight into why he was killed, and by whom. But the investigation is complicated by the fact that so many of the hotel's residents are exiled European royalty. Clandestine affairs, furtive goings-on and conspiracies against the government: Coburg must tread very lightly indeed .

Read more less

In a faraway kingdom, in a long-ago land ... . Rosie's only inheritance from her reclusive mother is a notebook full of handwritten fairy tales. But another story is lurking between the lines. Desperate for answers to questions that have tormented her for years, Rosie travels to Moscow and uncovers a devastating family history spanning the 1917 Revolution, Stalin's bloody purges and beyond. At the heart of those answers stands a young noblewoman, as pretty as a porcelain doll, whose actions reverberate across the century .

Read more less

1941, Estonia. As Stalin's brutal Red Army crushes everything in its path, Katarina Rebane is desperate to protect her grandmother's precious legacy: the weaving of gossamer-fine shawls and the intricate lace patterns holding stories passed down through generations. In Moscow, Lydia Volkova is suffocating in a prison of privilege, yearning for freedom and hoping to rediscover her beloved mother's Baltic heritage. As the battle for their homeland intensifies, these two women are caught in a fight for life, liberty and love.

Read more less

Isabelle Wareham, whilst caring for her beloved widowed father, has not seen much of the world. After his death, Isabelle finds she is no longer her own mistress but under the guardianship of her unscrupulous brother-in-law, Lord Dunsfold, who sees her as a way to improve his own fortunes. The outlook is bleak until events throw Isabelle and the impoverished former soldier Lord Idsworth together. However, Dunsfold is determined to force her into a more lucrative match and Isabelle will need to rise above her circumstances to grasp her chance of happiness.

Read more less

November 1940. As dawn begins to break, blackout regulations are rendered pointless by a car burning fiercely near the Regent's Canal in Camden Town, north London. In the burnt-out vehicle police find the charred remains of a body. The victim is Les Latham, a commercial traveller for the Baring and Sons confectionery company. He liked to be known as Lucky Les, but it seems his luck has finally run out. Detective Inspector John Jago discovers a mysterious photograph and some suspicious-looking petrol ration books among Latham's belongings. These lead him off on a murky trail of deceit, corruption and murder. It seems that the Blitz Detective will have to make his own luck to bring to light an unexpected killer.

Read more less

Hampshire, 1900. With the sudden death of her father, the life of fifteen-year-old Harriet Benson changes forever. Forced from her home to escape the advances of her leering stepbrother Norris, Harriet is sent into service to provide for the family. Arriving at the grand Dalton House, she meets the owners' crippled son Joseph, with whom friendship soon blossoms. When circumstances force Joseph to leave the family home, Harriet is happy to accompany him and break free from the controlling influence of her stepmother. But Harriet is unprepared for the event which will alter her life even further: her unexpected inheritance of Greyladies, a supposedly haunted house in the country. Could this be the safe haven she so desperately needs, and does the ghost of its previous owner really roam the halls? While Harriet and Joseph grow ever closer, the plots and actions of both their families threaten to destroy their happiness. Will their love, and the legacy of Greyladies, be able to survive?

Read more less

Worcester, January 1145. Poison strikes down bow maker Godfrey Bowyer and his wife Blanche after their evening meal. While she survives, he dies an agonising death. Few could have administered the poison, which should mean a very short investigation for the Sheriff's men, Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and Underserjeant Walkelin. But perhaps someone was pulling the strings, and that widens the net considerably. With an unpopular victim, the suspects are many and varied.

Read more less

November 1940. As dawn begins to break, blackout regulations are rendered pointless by a car burning fiercely near the Regent's Canal in Camden Town, north London. In the burnt-out vehicle police find the charred remains of a body. The victim is Les Latham, a commercial traveller for the Baring and Sons confectionery company. He liked to be known as Lucky Les, but it seems his luck has finally run out. Detective Inspector John Jago discovers a mysterious photograph and some suspicious-looking petrol ration books among Latham's belongings. These lead him off on a murky trail of deceit, corruption and murder. It seems that the Blitz Detective will have to make his own luck to bring to light an unexpected killer.

Read more less

In the Dartmoor town of Ashburton, reluctant antique shop owner and accidental amateur sleuth, Juno Browne, has cash-flow problems. So, when the mild and gentlemanly bookbinder, Frank Tinkler, rents a room above the shop, he seems like the answer to a prayer. At home, Juno accidentally disturbs intruders and shortly afterwards, one of them falls to his death from a viaduct. Was it accident, suicide or murder? When Juno recognises his accomplice as Frank's nephew, Scott, she decides to investigate .

Read more less

London, December 2019. Two young boys, Habib and Loz, are trying their luck at selling knock-off pain remedies to pensioners. But they are troubled by an encounter with a potential elderly customer and a young man with a blood-smeared face. Mumtaz Hakim wants to help if she and her partner Lee Arnold can, even though there's no way their detective agency could reasonably charge the boys. While they set about uncovering the truth behind the odd situation in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral, they find themselves drawn into a gruesome investigation involving an old man and a newborn baby.

Read more less

New York, 1908. While waiting to embark on the Caronia, the Cunard Line's famous ocean liner, private detectives George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield are startled to witness the boarding of a man and woman in shackles. They discover that these prisoners are being brought back to England by Scotland Yard to face trial for murder. Over the course of the crossing, while managing purse-snatchers, burglars and drug traffickers, Dillman and Masefield come to believe that the captured couple may not be the vicious criminals some might think. But pursuing the hunch that they are innocent becomes harder when a killer strikes on board. Dillman and Masefield will need all their wits to navigate the waters ahead. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series sets sail for a new generation of readers.

Read more less

When her elderly father dies, Miranda Fox is free at last. He's promised an inheritance that will give her independence. But her domineering half-brother controls the money and has very different ideas as to how she should live her life. A new friend helps Miranda take the first steps towards freedom, but her actions uncover painful secrets from the past which still have the power to hurt. Her sister escaped the family by leaving Australia. Can Miranda do the same? In England an old friend reappears in her life and brings further turmoil. She must make difficult choices if she's to be free. Will she have the courage to stand up for herself this time? Or will her family still control her life?

Read more less

October 1943. While working at an RAF base in Lincolnshire, Nancy Dalton has been holding a vigil for the Lancaster bomber pilots, whose missions seem endless and whose chances of survival are slim. But her watchfulness has not prevented her own pilot brother from failing to return safely. In the midst of mourning him, Nancy observes new recruits arriving to continue the war effort, among them charismatic Canadian Steve Allard. As the war drags on, the months ahead will be long and hard, with danger a constant companion. Although both Steve and Nancy never intend to complicate wartime life with romance, their attraction becomes impossible to ignore. But can lasting love be found in a time of such loss and devastation?

Read more less

During World War I, the ancient manor house of Greyladies in rural Wiltshire is requisitioned for a hospital. Its mistress, Harriet Latimer, her husband Joseph and their two sons are allowed to stay in part of the house, but when tragedy strikes Joseph's brothers, his future at Greyladies is at risk. Latimer family legend says a new mistress will be found to look after the house, yet how does this happen? In Swindon, Phoebe Sinclair is unaware of her connection to Greyladies and the Latimers. When her German employers are interned because of the war, she loses her job. Worse still, her brutish step-cousin Frank tries to force her to marry him and Phoebe has no choice but to flee to London. A chance encounter leads her to a new life as a nursing assistant in the VAD (voluntary aid detachments), and to a blossoming friendship with Captain Corin McMinty. When Phoebe is posted to the hospital at Greyladies, she feels she's come home. But Frank is still pursuing her and Corin has his own problems. With obstacles at every turn, can Phoebe find happiness and embrace the role of mistress of Greyladies?

Read more less

The ordered calm of Gloucester Abbey is shattered by the murder of one of its monks. The Abbot, ill-equipped to deal with such a heinous crime, is stunned by the Sheriff's belief that one of the monks is guilty. This is the confusion that that greets the two Domesday Comminisioners, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, as they are welcomed into the town. Eager to resolve the mystery, they begin their own investigations but find the killing is merely a sign of a sinister presence which threatens the whole community and which must be stopped.

Read more less

Arthur Skelton has gone from unassuming Yorkshire barrister to front-page sensation, having won the case of the century. But January 1929 brings another high-profile case. Mary Dutton is accused of murdering her husband, although there are few people who dispute her guilt. Between practising his autograph and pose for hordes of journalists and fans alike, Skelton agrees to defend her, despite many considering the case to be unwinnable. With a looming general election and an army of flappers set to cast their inaugural votes, both sides of the political divide are vying for their support by trying to turn the case to their advantage. Skelton faces mounting pressure to find the truth, but will that be enough to save a young woman's life?

Read more less