A CAPTIVATING HISTORICAL MURDER MYSTERY SET IN VICTORIAN ENGLANDThis is a revised and updated edition of THE MALVERN MURDERS.Before Jack the Ripper terrorized London, Police Inspector Samuel Ravenscroft patrolled the grimy streets of Whitechapel – but he’s no Inspector Abberline.Malvern, 1887. Clever and hard-working, Ravenscroft nonetheless has the worst record in the force. He lets a murderer … record in the force. He lets a murderer escape during a chase and is banished to the spa town of Malvern for a water treatment to cure his asthma.
MURDER FOLLOWS THE INSPECTOR
Ravenscroft accepts a dinner invitation from a new acquaintance, Jabez Pitzer. Before the dinner gong can sound, the maid finds Pitzer slumped over his desk – dead. Ravenscroft sees two glasses on a small side table. One has a powdery residue at the bottom and the faint smell of bitter almonds.
A BODY IN THE LIBRARY
Ravenscroft immediately recognizes the signs – Pitzer has been poisoned. But the local authorities are reluctant to believe there is a murderer in Malvern.
He may be recovering his strength, but Ravenscroft has all his wits intact. He finds himself pulled into the investigation. Hungry to prove himself, Ravenscroft is determined to solve the case. But the bodies mount up. Someone is killing local luminaries.
WHO WILL BE NEXT?
A mysterious woman in black was witnessed speaking to each of the victims. Who is she and why does death seem to follow her? And does a local cartel of businessmen have anything to do with it?
RAVENSCROFT IS OUT OF THE SMOKE BUT MALVERN HAS ITS OWN DEADLY FIRES
THE MALVERN MURDERS is packed with delicious dialogue, sly humour and Victorian atmosphere. Perfect for fans of M.R.C. Kasasian, E.S. Thomson, Oscar De Muriel and Karen Charlton.
MEET THE DETECTIVE
Inspector Samuel Ravenscroft, unmarried and over forty, is a detective in the Whitechapel branch of the Metropolitan Police. Painfully asthmatic, he is often overlooked by his superiors in favour of his pushier colleagues. But Ravenscroft is keen to prove himself and strives to overcome his physical limitations. His tools are forthright questioning, close examination of the evidence and personal intuition. He often finds that the solution to many crimes is buried deep in the past.
With his trusty Bradshaw, Ravenscroft and his colleague Constable Tom Crabb, travel around the Three Counties, overlooked by the Malvern Hills, bringing criminals to justice.
KERRY TOMBS was born near Birmingham, but grew up in various locations in north Worcestershire. After a career teaching in both England and Australia, he moved to Malvern in 1982, where he became a local genealogist, lecturer and bookseller.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT KERRY TOMBS
“I found this story very absorbing and hard to put down.” Berys
“Kerry Tombs knows how to keep your interest until the very end.” Delin
“Another great book in the series. The author kept you guessing the entire time.” Jerry
INSPECTOR RAVENSCROFT DETECTIVE MYSTERIES SERIES
Book 1: The Malvern Murders
Book 2: The Worcester Whisperers
Book 3: The Ledbury Lamplighters
Book 4: The Tewkesbury Tomb
Book 5: The Droitwich Deceivers
Book 6: The Pershore Poisoners
Book 7: The Upton Undertakers
Book 8: The Herefordshire Hangman
Book 9: The Bromsgrove Bookseller
Coming soon
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I liked this book so much that I bought four more of this series.
A lot of fun and witty. Wonderful recreation of 19 century language, spotty on some procedures (such as suddenly joining a police force), a little predictable (I won’t spoil it), but the culprit was a little surprise.
Enjoyed reading the book!
I couldn’t put this down
Ravenscroft, a police detective in Victorian England, suffers burnout. His attempt to vacation is thwarted when he stumbles into a murder scene and is asked to assist in the investigation. Feel his reluctance, and join in his strong desire to find the killer. Well-crafted study of a unique motivation.
It was kinda all over the place but still a good read.
Couldn’t put it down, then an unexpected ending
I love British police procedurals and this one was excellent.
absolutely brilliant!! a truly fabulous historical mystery. if you love victor thompson, caleb carr and charles finch you will positively find this spectacular. and i do not mention these other authors lightly btw. they are the cream of the crop in their genre…