The start of a brand new series from the global bestselling author of the DI Hillary Greene series.
Oxford, 1960. There’s a murderer on the loose and two unlikely heroes are poised to solve the case.Meet Probationary WPC Trudy Loveday – smart, enthusiastic and always underestimated.In the hope of getting her out of the way, Trudy’s senior officer assigns her to help coroner Clement Ryder as he … officer assigns her to help coroner Clement Ryder as he re-opens the case of a young woman’s death. She can’t believe her luck – she is actually going to be working on a real murder case.
Meanwhile, the rest of the police force are busy investigating a series of threats and murders in the local community, and Clement can’t help but feel it’s all linked.
As Trudy and Clement form an unlikely partnership, are they going to be the ones to solve these crimes before the murderer strikes again?
A gripping, twisty crime novel that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton.
Readers love Faith Martin:
‘A must read for all crime fiction fans’
‘Have become an addict of Faith Martin – love her novels.’
’Cracking good read’
‘Plenty of action and drama to keep the reader gripped through to the end’
‘I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime fiction’
’Compelling murder mystery’
’Fabulous police procedural’
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The story, set in 1960, starts slowly with a murder connected to a past death. Ryder, a trainee coroner, sat in at the original inquest, convinced witnesses were lying. Now, as a coroner, he wants to investigate the original death to uncover the truth, but he needs a police officer to assist him. WPC Loveday, a fresh but ambitious officer, is assigned to help him.
As soon as they start working together, the story moves up a gear and develops into an intriguing double investigation. Both characters grew on me as they uncovered a somewhat gothic plot that didn’t pan out as I expected, which is always a bonus.
It’s always enjoyable to return to the days before DNA, forensics and computers dominated investigations. Detectives had to use their wits, experience and intelligence to deduce and solve crimes.
The novel is a worthy start to a new series that offers something different from the usual police procedural novels that seem to follow the same old well-worn tracks.
Faith Martin is one of my authors. I’ve read a bunch of them and will keep on.
Not one of my best reads, but okay
A good read.
I liked this book quite a bit. It was entertaining and the resolution had some surprises. I especially liked the relationship that develops between the young policewoman (Loveday) and the coroner (Ryder) and I’ll certainly read more in this series.
I liked WPC Loveday. Good character. Kept me interested.
I liked the main character. I hope she will get more opportunities and eventually become a detective!
I really enjoyed Martin’s DI Greene books. This series protagonists are very different from Greene but I enjoyed the characters and as usual a wonderful mystery.
Love the two main characters and want to read more of their luves. Intricate and interesting story.
Great story and great characters. I enjoyed this all the way through and could not guess the conclusion.
Always enjoy Faith Martin books. But especially Hillary series
This author cannot write a bad book. I will read anything written by her!
Interesting mystery. The real drama is with the coroner, formerly a brilliant surgeon, but now holding on to a livelihood as coroner knowing that he has Parkinson’s Disease and it is progressing. That in itself is a cliffhanger.
All this author’s books are a great read. Interesting characters.
Loved it
A beautifully crafted crime mystery I could not put down.
Hang onto your socks! This is the first in a new series by Faith Martin, the author of the DI Hillary Greene series. The time is 1960 … no cellphones, no DNA, no CSI.
WPC Trudy Loveday is on probation. She’s young and smart and the only woman in her team. She’s mostly relegated to the files and making coffee. Her boss has ‘let’ her out to patrol the streets on occasion and she’s done well. She’s arrested a couple of pickpockets and a flasher. But her supervisor doesn’t seem to know what to do with her.
Clement Ryder is a coroner. He started out as a medical physician. When he was diagnosed with Parkinsons’, he stopped practicing and took up the law. Now he holds court over possible murder cases and he consults with the police quite often. He has a sharp mind and a natural determination to find the truth.
Ryder demands that he be given an officer who can question suspects, make arrests, etc…. since he doesn’t have that authority.
In the hope of getting her out of the way, Trudy’s senior officer assigns her to help coroner Clement Ryder as he re-opens the case of a young woman’s death. She can’t believe her luck – she is actually going to be working on a real murder case.
The author has never disappointed me in her other series … and this one is also not disappointing. This is a gripping, twisty crime novel with complex characters, suspects that are not what they seem to be, and an interesting plot.
Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this British Crime Fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.