The beautiful Cotswold landscape is host to a vicious and increasingly desperate murderer. Lucas Burton has never been keen on the countryside, finding it muddy, uncomfortable, and full of unpleasant surprises. His instinct, on stumbling across the body of a young girl in a barn on an unworked farm, is to flee. But he can't flee murder.


Inspector Jess Campbell investigates, and she has a new boss in Superintendent Ian Carter, monitoring her progress. Between them they must find the killer before he strikes again. But is anything quite what it seems to be?

Old Monty Bickerstaffe lives alone in the dilapidated family home, using only one sitting room and the kitchen. The family wealth, founded on the money made from Bickerstaffe's Boiled Fruitcake, a Victorian delicacy, has long been spent. What is left Monty is spending on his supply of whisky. Other people worry about him, but Monty is quite happy. Until, that is, he comes home to find a dead man sprawled on his sofa.  The police seem to think he ought to know who the man is, but Monty hasn't a clue.  Fortunately, Jess Campbell and Ian Carter are on hand to sort things out. But that will mean delving into the history of the Bickerstaffes and that holds plenty of secrets that have been well-hidden until now. Other people, too, have secrets they wish to keep from police enquiries.

My latest book, published in June, is BRICKS AND MORTALITY and features Jess Campbell and Ian Carter, making it number three in this series. An old house, long left empty, burns to the ground one night and a body is discovered in the ashes.


The owner, Gervase Crown, must return from abroad but he is not made welcome. Memories are long in the countryside and his return sparks recall of an old tragedy. But Gervase's own memories of his family home are not happy ones. Unhappy enough to make him want to destroy it? So, is he the arsonist or was he, perhaps, the intended to be the victim? 


If he was meant to be the victim, will the killer try again? If not, who is the dead man in the burnt out ruins?



Carl Finch needs to find some money and quickly. As he usually does, he appeals to his step-sister, Harriet.  He believes he  was cheated out of of his rightful inheritance from the will of Harriet's father, and his step-father, John Hemmings. So, it's only right and fair that Harriet should help him - yet again. But this time Harriet refuses. 




The writers' group that meets regularly in Weston St Ambrose is delighted to have a well known fantasy novelist, Neil Stewart, move into the area. But when the body of a local girl is washed up on the bank of the river that runs beside the garden of the Stewarts'  new home,  things turn unpleasant - and dangerous.