The second novel in the Fethering Mystery series! Exploring the South Downs of the well-to-do town of Weldisham, Carole Seddon is caught in a sudden rainstorm. She finds refuge in an old barn—but relief turns to revulsion when she discovers the bones of a human skeleton packed inside two bags. Some townspeople believe the remains are those of a missing girl named Tamsin Lutteridge, who disappeared after becoming involved with several practitioners of alternative medicine—including Carole’s friend Jude. On her own investigation, Jude discovers that Tamsin is very much alive and keeping close company with a very charismatic New Age healer. Now Jude and Carole have two mysteries to unravel. Why is Tamsin deliberately hiding from her father? And if the skeleton wasn’t hers…whose was it?
Lord Charles Sheridan has launched an investigation into a jockey's recent (and mysterious) death-while his wife, Kate, puzzles over the long-ago theft of an actress's jewels. But soon the Sheridans can't help wondering if the two strange events are, somehow, connected.
Sick from Freedom provides the first study of the health conditions of emancipated slaves and reveals the epidemics, illnesses, and poverty that former slaves suffered from when slavery ended and freedom began.
In the seaside hamlet of Fethering, Carole Seddon maintains a quiet and sensible life. She doesn’t have the time or the tolerance to deal with her new bohemian neighbor, Jude, whose outgoing personality contrasts with that of the prim and proper Carole. But her new neighbor doesn’t seem so bad when Carole discovers another addition to the neighborhood—a dead body on the beach bearing two wounds on its neck. Then unable to find the body, the police dismiss Carole’s story. But when a stranger warns her to keep quiet or else, Carole does the unthinkable and confides in Jude—who suggests that if the police cannot be bothered to catch a killer, then they should do it themselves.
'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl' Daily Mail Murder on the Downs is the seventh book in Julie Wassmer's popular crime series - now a major Acorn TV drama, Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman as private detective and restaurateur, Pearl Nolan. A controversial new property development is planned in Whitstable which will encroach upon the green open space of the downs, to the dismay of Whitstable residents who view this as the thin end of the wedge with regard to local wildlife conservation. A campaign springs into life, spearheaded by a friend of Pearl's family, Martha Laker. A committed environmentalist, Martha is no stranger to controversy herself. She has also managed to divide opinion across town, with the locals viewing her as their fearless champion while establishment figures seeing only an interfering agitator. Tensions escalate between the developers and Whitstable residents, straining Pearl's close relationship with London-born police officer, DCI Mike McGuire, who harbours concerns that the local campaign will spiral out of control. Pearl's loyalties are torn, but the protest duly goes ahead - and newspaper headlines claim a moral victory for the residents in this David and Goliath battle. But the victory is short lived when Pearl discovers a dead body on the downs... Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl Mysteries... 'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl . . . True to the tradition of classic crime, [Julie Wassmer] weaves a strong story into a setting that has more to offer than murder and mayhem' Daily Mail 'As light as a Mary Berry Victoria sponge, this Middle-England romp is packed with vivid characters' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent 'All of the thrills without any of the gore' The Sun 'This is a quality title...a very entertaining read' The Puzzle Doctor 'My new favourite author in the genre' George Galloway 'A wonderful way to explore Whitstable . . . if you love cosy mysteries, then get acquainted with Pearl (and her mum and her cats!) and enjoy a trip to Whitstable through the eyes of this very convincing author' Trip Fiction 'Proves she's mistress of her craft' John McGhie, author of White Highlands 'Thoroughly enjoyable with a host of wonderful characters - I adore Dolly! - and evocative descriptions of Whitstable. Perfect for foodies too. Pearl is great and the ongoing will they/won't they love story with McGuire is compelling. Comforting, cosy and entertaining with excellent Agatha Christie-style reveals. I love these books!' Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Mum in the Middle 'If you enjoy cosy crime fiction and you still haven't picked this series, then you are missing out' Alba in Bookland 'Julie Wassmer really knows how to tell a story' Victoria Best, Shiny New Books 'Good, solid whodunits, without gruesome details or gratuitous violence, Murder on Sea may be just your cup of tea' Bec Stafford 'Come to Whitstable without actually coming to Whitstable. A good read!' Anthony Jemmett Praise for the TV series 'Scandi noir meets the English seaside in Whitstable Pearl, a murder mystery series based on Julie Wassmer's novels...' Drama Quarterly '...explores all the murder and debauchery in the seemingly perfect English seaside town of Whitstable...' Washington Post '...you never know what might turn up, either on the menu or alongside an oyster boat.' Wall Street Journal
While she has never felt the need to change her figure, Mrs Pargeter is happy enough to accompany her friend Kim to a health farm. Until, in the night, she sees a body being wheeled out. What Mrs Pargeter doesn’t realise is that this suspicious death will set her on a trail of detection which will bring her into direct conflict with her late husband’s business associates.
'Most people spend their whole lives asleep and then wake up a few days before they're about to die.' – Olivia Bareham, Sacred Crossings Death has a 100 per cent success rate. We can't escape its inevitability nor can we deny its existence. So, when someone close to us dies or we are confronted by our own mortality, why are we utterly unprepared? In Do Death, social activist Amanda Blainey seeks to transform our lives through our relationship with death. By inviting us to accept death as a natural part of life, she encourages us to think about what really matters – and live more consciously. With uplifting wisdom from leaders and visionaries, Do Death will: • Help us rediscover the power of human connection • Inspire us to think and talk about death more openly • Offer sage advice on how to navigate grief, and talk to children • Empower us to be better prepared, both practically and emotionally Death can be our greatest teacher. This book is a manual for living, at any stage in life.
'A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans' P. D. JAMES 'Simon Brett writes stunning detective stories' JILLY COOPER 'King of the witty village mystery' Telegraph Bracketts, an Elizabethan house near the town of Fethering, is about to be turned into a museum, but the transition is proving nightmarish. Carole regrets her decision to be on the museum’s Board when she witnesses bitter antagonism and rivalry amongst the other members. The tensions climax when a human skeleton is found in the kitchen garden and then another body is discovered, not yet cold. These murders in the museum quickly turn into a case that tests the sleuthing powers of Carole, and her neighbour Jude, as never before . . .
Welcome to Fethering! Carole has a bad hair day when a haircut leads to murder in this quirky, cozy, British village mystery. The last thing Carole expects when she goes to Connie's Clip Joint for a trim is to find the body of Kyra, Connie's assistant, in the back room. Kyra's boyfriend, Nathan, has vanished, but his family, an eccentric, controlling bunch, don't seem overly concerned. Instead, they are bizarrely obsessed with a family board game which seems to provide a host of clues as to Nathan's whereabouts. Carole and her neighbour Jude are determined to unravel the clues, but can they discover the truth before either someone is falsely accused or the killer makes a second move? And how many haircuts can a pair of middle-aged sleuths have before people start to become suspicious?
When the body of a prospective client is discovered in her burned-out home, declutterer Ellen Curtis is drawn into a baffling investigation where nothing is as it first appears. “My mother’s going to kill herself . . . That is, if I don’t kill her first.” When Alexandra Richards approaches professional declutterer Ellen Curtis to ask her to help sort out her mother’s chaotic flat, Ellen gets the impression Alexandra doesn’t like her mother very much. But when Ingrid Richards’ body is discovered in her burned-out home, Alexandra’s exasperated words don’t seem such a joke. Due to the hazardous state of the victim’s over-cluttered residence, the police are inclined to dismiss her death as an unfortunate accident. Ellen’s not so sure. Could Alexandra’s resentment towards her mother have escalated into outright violence? The more she discovers about the dead woman’s remarkable past, the more convinced Ellen becomes that there’s something decidedly suspicious about her death. At least she can console herself that clearing out widower Edward Finch’s bungalow will be a straightforward job in comparison. But in this assumption, Ellen couldn’t be more wrong . . .
