Unsung Heroes of Crime Fiction by Lynne Patrick

 An occasional series which looks at the work of authors whose books qualify as bestsellers, but who still aren’t quite as famous as they deserve to be.

Caroline England

A Yorkshirewoman by birth, Lancastrian by adoption. After university in Manchester, Caroline England trained as a solicitor, and after a brief early encounter with the criminal fraternity, moved into divorce and professional indemnity. Her work only served to

deepen her fascination with the human condition: the differences and similarities between people, their failings and frailties, the masks they wear to cover their hidden depths and secrets. Later, voluntary mediation work gave her an insight into the nature of storytelling: how there is always more than one point of view, and multiple versions of the truth. 

deepen her fascination with the human condition: the differences and similarities between people, their failings and frailties, the masks they wear to cover their hidden depths and secrets. Later, voluntary mediation work gave her an insight into the nature of storytelling: how there is always more than one point of view, and multiple versions of the truth. 

The leap from writing divorce petitions and court reports to making up stories for her three daughters was a short one, and the jump into fiction for adults even shorter. Early in her writing career she put her legal background to good use in a two-book mini-series with a village setting, featuring a feisty feminist solicitor, written under the pen-name Caro Land. 

Her debut psychological thriller Beneath the Skin was a tense mystery based around the secrets and lies she finds so intriguing, and she has gone on to write seven more highly acclaimed standalones under her own name. They are all a perfect fit for the domestic noir sub-genre, set in the home, family and friendship ties at their heart with all the consequent frictions, conflicts and convolutions. 

As C E Rose, she writes darker thrillers with an element of the gothic, in which the location acts almost as another character in the story and adds a sinister layer to the atmosphere. Who knows what goes on behind the closed doors of a crumbling stately home, a spooky farmhouse, a mysterious cottage? 

Spirited solicitor, domestic noir or gothic thriller, her books have acquired a considerable following. She writes about characters who are fallible and all the more human for it; their relationships have unexpected twists, and their secrets are well hidden until the layers are peeled away. They are complex, often tense and menacing, the kinds of books that keep you up all night because the itch to know what happens won't go away. 

With all these best-seller ingredients in place, you'd imagine that Caroline England had earned a place at the top of the crime-writing tree. So why hasn't she? It's a mystery. 

                  Books by Caroline England

                            The Wife's Secret (2017)
                             aka Beneath the Skin
                       My Husband's Lies (2018)
                       Betray Her (2019)
                       Truth Games (2020)
                       The Sinner (2022)
                       The Stranger Beside Me (2023)
                       The Return Of Frankie Whittle (2025)
                       Behind Her Smile (2025)

                Books Written as C E Rose 

                The House of Hidden Secrets (2021)
                      The House on the Water's Edge (2021)
                      The Shadows of Rutherford House (2022)
                      The Attic at Wilton Place (2023)

                By Caro Land

                 Convictions
                 Confessions. 

Home - CAROLINE ENGLAND  

‘A Country Manor Murder’ by Alice Castle

Published by Bookouture,
13 February 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-80550458-0 (PB)

Sarah Vane has barely waved off her two daughters and two tiny granddaughters, when Daphne Roux, Sarah’s oldest friend and next-door neighbour rushes in with the news that she has signed them both up for the Vanstone Fair bake-off, and that they should make some scones and win first prize. Sarah is sceptical of this, but says OK, when is the contest? This afternoon says Daphne crunching a biscuit. 

Three hours later they are on their way to Vanstone complete with scones. Driving through the picturesque village they head for Coates House, which is a Jacobean manor complete with sweeping lawns, owned by Madeleine Brett-Coates. As they join a slow-moving queue of cars seeking a parking space.  Sarah asks what time does the competition start? 4pm says Daphne, we need to get our scones on the judging table quickly as it’s now. Oh! 4pm. And she off sprinting across the car park. Sarah makes her way to the big white tent, to display their scones. It’s gloomy and dark inside the tent. Then she sees two feet sticking out from beneath a pile of coloured flags. 

The arrival of Police Constables Dumbarton and Deeside, known as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, followed by Daphne’s daughter Mariella, who has just transferred to the Canterbury police force, sets the ball rolling, announcing that the dead body is that of as the Madeleine Brett-Coates. 

The three children of the late Mrs Brett-Coates’s, (Mumsy! to her children), Bernard, Helena and Jonathan appear heartbroken over the death of their mother, but Sarah soon learns that matriarch ruled her children with a rod of iron. Keeping them all living at the house. They all clearly disliked each other.  Without doubt even more when the terms of her will are read out. Oops! 

The discovery of a second dead body muddies the water and poses even more questions. 

Like all good murder mysteries, it is soon revealed that everyone at the manor, even the staff, have secrets. Can Sarah aided by Hamish her black Scottie dog, and Mariella track down the killer before, yet another victim is claimed?

It kept me guessing to the end.  Heartily recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett 

Alice Castle had a long career as a feature writer on national newspapers including the Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph, before turning to crime. Alice has also written a nine-book crime series set in south east London.  Her recent series features Sarah Vane. There are six books in this series. Alice grew up in south London and, after a stint in Brussels (where her first novel, Hot Chocolate, is set) she is back in the UK, dreaming up adventures for her heroine’s. She writes psychological thrillers for HQDigital as A.M. Castle. Alice is married with two children, two stepchildren. Follow Alice on Twitter as @DDsDiary or visit her website at

http://www.alicecastleauthor.com  

'Beware' by Roger Corke

 “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts,” said Virgil’s Aeneid about the Trojan Horse. Trust Artificial Intelligence to come up with its very own version.  

A year ago, my first crime thriller was published. Deadly Protocol is about the murder of a man researching the Holy Grail of medicine – a cure for cancer: who killed him and why? And it features a feisty American female protagonist, Dr Ronnie Ackerman who has to solve the mystery to save her career – and her life. All that information is easily available online. You’ll soon see the relevance of that.  

Deadly Protocol has had far more plaudits from my fellow crime writers than I ever dared to hope for – but nothing like as glowing as the praise, I’ve suddenly started receiving in my inbox from a whole string of people supposedly running book clubs.  

 “Your book is on our radar,” said one. “The authenticity of the world you create is unmistakeable,” wrote another. 

Well, I’m not going to argue with that…if only they really meant it. But I’m not sure they do. In fact, I’m not sure some of them exist at all. So far, none of the book clubs I have checked out have a website. A few feature on
Instagram but by no means all of them. Curiouser and curiouser. 

Out of interest, I picked one these emails to follow up. Claire W Johnson introduces herself as the organiser of the Feminist Book Club and at other times describes herself as representing the Feminist Readers Guild. 

“As we welcome the New Year, our community is curating a New Author Introduction & Feature to highlight selected authors and books our readers are genuinely excited about as part of our fresh reading line-up for the year ahead,” she says. 

“I’m delighted to share that your book has resonated strongly with our readers and is currently ranked among the top titles based on member interest and engagement. As part of this New Year feature, we’ll be spotlighting a select group of authors whose works truly stood out to our community. 

“Your book would be introduced through a New Year Newspaper-Style Spotlight, a thoughtfully designed, editorial-style feature that presents your work in a format that feels timeless, credible, and engaging.” 

Spotting a sales pitch coming, I write back: “I would be delighted to take part, as long as it doesn't cost me any money! I have several approaches similar to yours each week and, after several back-and-forth emails, it usually seems that the writer wants money out of me. If you do, then I don't want to waste your time in pursuing me. But if not, I would love to take part.” 

“Thank you for explaining your concern so clearly,” replies Claire.  “I genuinely appreciate your openness, and I completely understand why you’d want clarity upfront. 

“To be fully transparent: the feature itself is free. There is no fee simply to be included or introduced to our readers, and there is absolutely no obligation to purchase anything in order to participate in the New Author Introduction. 

“Some authors choose to opt into optional professional services, such as editorial polishing, layout refinement, or print-ready design support for the newspaper-style spotlight. Those services do involve a fee, as they cover
professional editing and production work, but they are entirely optional, clearly explained in advance, and never a requirement for being featured.”

This is the first time Claire has talked about a fee of any kind. Once again, I make it clear that I’d like to take part, but I don’t want to pay her anything.  

She sends me a Q&A sheet, asking for further details about me, the book and how I came to write it. 

“The background you’ve provided is excellent and gives us exactly the depth we need to present Deadly Protocol and Ronnie’s story accurately and thoughtfully,” she responds. “As we’re now moving into final production for the upcoming feature slot, the next step is to confirm your participation in the Author Spotlight. Once confirmed, I’ll send over the payment details and the exact publication timeline so we can lock everything in and begin editing.”

“Payment details?” I reply.

“Thank you for confirming!” gushes Claire. “The Author Spotlight fee is $200. Could you let me know whether you’d like to pay via PayPal or receive an invoice? Looking forward to featuring Deadly Protocol and Ronnie to our readers!”

 “I think I made it clear - please look back at my previous emails - that I don’t pay for marketing, and you agreed that I didn’t have to,” I reply.

“I want to be completely clear so there’s no confusion,” says Claire. “While we do occasionally offer complimentary editorial mentions, inclusion in our scheduled feature line-up for the Feminist Book Club does require the Author Spotlight, which includes editing, formatting, and coordinated presentation to our readers. That element carries a small fee and is part of how we deliver a consistent experience for all featured authors.” 

It felt a bit like pulling teeth by this point, but I wasn’t going to give up.

“What can you do for me without me paying anything?” I ask. “Your emails certainly indicated that either I could pay for one service or get another that is free.”

 After a couple more emails went back and forth, Claire wrote with good news.

“I’m happy to let you know that Deadly Protocol will be featured with our Feminist Book Club members tomorrow,” she said. “This is a pre-prepared editorial feature there’s no live session or Zoom required. Once it’s shared, our readers will also be encouraged to drop reviews and share their feedback on your book. I’ll follow up afterward so you can see how it appears.” 

I’m still waiting to hear from Claire – despite a couple of emails from me prompting a reply. And I don’t expect to hear from her, because I ran all of her billets-doux through an AI checker. It said that 100 per cent of them were written… by Artificial Intelligence. 

Roger Corke is a TV journalist who has travelled the world producing and directing documentaries for flagship current affairs series like the BBC's Panorama, Channel 4's Dispatches and ITV's World in Action and Tonight. That experience was invaluable in writing his first crime thriller and it was a chance conversation with a scientist whilst on a filming trip in America that led him to devise the plot for Deadly Protocol. 

HOME | rogercorkeauthor.com 

‘The Mystery of the Gold Rings’ by Judith Cutler

Published by Joffe Books,
5 January 2026
ISBN: 978-1-80573443-7 (PB)
Originally published as
Ring of Guilt, March 2013. 

Lina Townend is the partner in an antiques business, alongside her unofficially adopted grandfather, Griff Tripp. Lina is returning from an auction with a van full of items she has just bought at an auction when she sees a body lying in an isolated field. Lina is more capable of defending herself than most young women, but she is also aware of the dangers of leaving her van to check out the body, which could result in the theft of her valuable, and at this point, uninsured cargo. Unfortunately, she cannot get a phone signal, and there is nobody around to help her, so Lina takes a long-distance photograph of the body, and goes to find a signal to phone the police. When the police arrive, the body has disappeared. Although they would like to dismiss Lina’s story, the photo prevents them from doing this, and they say that they will investigate and be in touch. 

Before Lina came to live with Griff, she had endured a disrupted childhood, living in numerous foster homes, but now she is settled with Griff, who has educated her and encouraged her belief in her self-worth. He has also helped her do informal apprenticeships with antique dealers and restorers, so that she has become highly skilled and respected in her career. Lina also has a gift that cannot be learned, she is a ‘divvy’, a diviner who can instinctively sense precious objects. One of the least impressive things she bought at the auction is a box full of battered and broken household articles, but in it she discovers a gold ring of great antiquity. Soon afterwards, by chance, Lina buys a similar ring from a dealer in dress jewellery at an antiques fair. She and Griff take the rings to London, to show them to an expert at the British Museum, Sir Douglas Nelson, who is an old friend of Griff. Lina thinks that Douggie, as Griff calls him, is very distant in his manner, but she assumes this is because he disapproves of Griff taking her into partnership, an attitude she has encountered before. 

However, a few days later, Detective Sergeant Will Kinnersley, Kent Police’s Heritage Officer, turns up to question Lina, not about ‘her body’ as she first assumes, but to interrogate her about the rings. To Lina’s fury, Douglas Nelson has reported her to the police for illegally acquiring the rings, possibly by digging in an archaeological site. Fortunately, she and Griff always keep immaculate records and receipts, and they are able to prove Lina’s innocence. 

It is evident that Will Kinnersley admires Lina, but she is less keen, as the last attractive police officer she considered starting a relationship with, returned to a former relationship when his previous partner told him she was pregnant with his child. However, Lina has another admirer in high-end antiques dealer, Harvey Waverley, who seems to admire both her personal charms, and her skill as a restorer and her knowledge of antiques. 

The queries around the gold rings could be the sort of misfortune that can happen to even the most reputable dealers in antiques, but strange things continue to happen, which could endanger the professional reputation of Tripp and Townend. It seems that Lina has a powerful enemy who will go to great lengths to discredit her and may even go further and attempt physical harm. Lina and Griff are determined to discover the truth, but they have no idea of the identity of this ruthless adversary, or how the attacks could be connected to the body that Lina had seen. 

The Mystery of the Gold Rings is the third book in the series featuring Lina Townend. It is an interesting addition to a lively series, based in the fascinating world of antiques. Lina is a delightful and engaging protagonist, working tirelessly to improve her memory, knowledge and vocabulary, and she is surrounded by many regular characters that are likeable and eccentric. This is an enjoyable cosy crime novel, which I recommend.
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Reviewer:  Carol Westron 

Judith Cutler was born in the Black Country, just outside Birmingham, later moving to the Birmingham suburb of Harborne. Judith started writing while she was at the then Oldbury Grammar School, winning the Critical Quarterly Short Story prize with the second story she wrote. She subsequently read English at university. It was an attack of chickenpox caught from her son that kick-started her writing career. One way of dealing with the itch was to hold a pencil in one hand, a block of paper in the other - and so she wrote her first novel. This eventually appeared in a much-revised version as Coming Alive, published by Severn House. Judith has seven series. The first two featured amateur sleuth Sophie Rivers (10 books) and Detective Sergeant Kate Power (6 Books). Then came Josie Wells, a middle-aged woman with a quick tongue, and a love of good food, there are two books, The Food Detective and The Chinese Takeout. The Lina Townsend books are set in the world of antiques and there are seven books in this series. There are three books featuring Tobias Campion set in the Regency period, and her series featuring Chief Superintendent Fran Harman (6 books), and Jodie Welsh, Rector’s wife and amateur sleuth. Her more recently a series feature a head teacher Jane Cowan (3 books). Judith has also written three standalone’s Staging Death, Scar Tissue, and Death In Elysium. Her new series is set in Victorian times featuring Matthew Rowsley. Death’s Long Shadow is the third book in this series.  

http://www.judithcutler.com   

Carol Westron is a Golden Age expert who has written many articles on the subject and given papers at several conferences. She is the author of several series: contemporary detective stories and police procedurals, comedy crime and Victorian Murder Mysteries. Her most recent publications are Paddling in the Dead Sea and Delivering Lazarus, books 2 and 3 of the Galmouth Mysteries, the series which began with 
The Fragility of Poppies. 

www.carolwestron.com 

‘The Blood We Share’ by Morgan Greene

Published by Canelo Crime,
17 July 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-80436-975-3 (PB)

Dark deeds can lie concealed under the most peaceful and benign façades. Jacob Taylor has lived in Devil's Lake all his life, and despite the small town's sinister name, he's never had cause for concern. Until one life-changing night. He's driving home, very carefully, in an alcoholic haze when a young woman, barefoot and covered in blood, stumbles into his path. She begs for help, and he takes her home with him.  

Next thing he knows, the woman has disappeared and he's in a police cell accused of murder and kidnapping, and two burly officers are trying to kill him. It's all downhill from there, and not only for Jacob. 

On the outskirts of town is a large house shrouded in mystery. Most people avoid it, and all the locals know about it is that top-quality soft fruit is grown in the extensive grounds and sold in the shops and markets. But the young woman has painted a very different picture, and after Jacob escapes from his captors they meet again, and she fills in even more horrifying detail. With the help of his capable sister and a police officer who still has scruples, he sets out to investigate. 

There are four main players: Jacob himself, the young woman, Jacob's sister Steph, and Todd Ellis, the policeman with a conscience. They come across as ordinary people who want to get on with their lives but find themselves entangled in a difficult situation. In the background various others include corrupt policemen and gullible – or trapped – women, but they are less distinctive and more stereotypical. 

The scenario which emerges is fraught with danger and convoluted to the point of labyrinthine, and it's matched by a narrative structure which is almost as complex, jumping from one viewpoint character to another and in more than one timeframe. None of that detracts from the horror of what Jacob discovers. The entire story is not one for the faint-hearted or weak-stomached: a mounting body count and explosive denouement are only part of it. This is crime fiction of the down and dirty variety.
-------
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick 

Morgan Greene is the pen name of British author Daniel Morgan. He studied Creative Writing and English Literature at Swansea University with a focus on narrative structure and theory. Author of the bestselling Detective Jamie Johansson series, Daniel currently lives in South Wales with his partner. Has strong ties to Scandinavia. 

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives in Oxfordshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.

‘The American Suspect’ by Jim Kelly

Published by Allison and Busby,
19 March 2026.
ISBN 978-0-7490-3264-7 (HB)

The American Suspect is the fifth novel in this author’s Nighthawk series. It is set in and around Cambridge during 1942. American GIs are stationed in the area building airfields from which to launch bombing raids on Nazi Germany. A buried body, identified only by his dog tag, is found in an unmarked and curious spot as a runway is being extended at one of these airfields. Detective Inspector Eden Brooke is called from Cambridge to investigate. No recent burial, it transpires that it took place during the Great War (Brooke is a veteran of that conflict and has disturbing flashbacks to his participation). It appears that this is a case of murder, although there are complications. Albert Ball-Proctor was a pilot who went missing in action, presumed dead, in 1918. How, then, did his body end up in an unmarked grave on an airfield? 

We are soon introduced to a number of other important characters. Amongst them are Molly Curtin, a young and attractive member of the WAAF, and her bedridden mother Ede. Major Gerry Brogan is a detective in the US military police. Two further murders are committed, and Eden becomes convinced that the three deaths are linked. A black US serviceman is arrested and charged with murder. Brooke has reasons for doubting his guilt and has to work quickly as capital punishment is, of course, on the statute book.                                        

There are a number of other strands to the novel. Cats, particularly black ones, are regularly being abducted in Cambridge for their fur. Expensive wine is going missing from college cellars, and cigars are also targeted. All plot lines are drawn together as the novel reaches its conclusion. 

The novel is marked by a series of contrasts which are central to the story. There is, for example, tension between the local police and the US officials. Although Brooke gets on well in the main with Brogan, on one occasion he finds it necessary to deliver a lecture: ‘The law, Major – that is, the United States of America (Visiting Forces) Act – stipulates, as I’m sure you know, that US servicemen operate under US law in the United Kingdom, supervised by the US military police. It does not say that any UK citizen falls under your authority.’ There is also tension between the coloured (a term used in the novel) and white US soldiers; the two groups are usually kept apart by being given different evenings off. In the same lecture, Brooke says ‘Most people find coloured troops friendly and good-mannered, less boastful perhaps than their counterparts in white units. We don’t like ‘swank’, Major. The coloured troops don’t act like they own the place. That can’t always be said of their white counterparts, can it?’ Molly Curtin’s relationship with a coloured US soldier is complicated by these racial stresses. 

Kelly writes with an assured grasp of the period. The background of wartime eastern England is a constant, whether it be the deprivations of some or the machinations of others. The fears of families with sons on active service, including Brooke’s, are ever-present. This is an intelligent and, despite some of its subject matter, a civilized novel whose plot retains the reader’s interest. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it enthusiastically.

------
Reviewer David Whittle

Jim Kelly was born in 1957 and is the son of a Scotland Yard detective. He went to university in Sheffield, later training as a journalist and worked on the Bedfordshire Times, Yorkshire Evening Press and the Financial Times. His first book, The Water Clock, was shortlisted for the John Creasey Award and he has since won a CWA Dagger in the Library and the New Angle Prize for Literature. He lives in Ely, Cambridgeshire. 

www.jim-kelly.co.uk

David Whittle is firstly a musician (he is an organist and was Director of Music at Leicester Grammar School for over 30 years) but has always enjoyed crime fiction. This led him to write a biography of the composer Bruce Montgomery who is better known to lovers of crime fiction as Edmund Crispin, about whom he gives talks now and then. 

‘The Case of the Petrified Potter’ by Cathy Ace

Published by Four Tails Publishing,
16 March 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-99055064-5

Renowned The four women of the WISE Investigation Agency have been reduced to two active agents: Mavis is on sick leave, having injured her hand; and Christine has just had a baby, and is on maternity leave. This means that Carol and Annie have to work together to tackle the agency’s latest case. This proves to be one of the most difficult and emotionally draining cases that any of the women have ever had to undertake, but fortunately Carol and Annie trust each other implicitly, and make an excellent team. 

Their client is retired head teacher, Iris Lewis, who is a good friend of all the WISE women. Now Iris wishes to employ them on a professional basis, to solve a cold case involving a crime that was committed in 1984. Iris has always been an active member of the Anwen Social Committee, but now she plans to step down, and, to honour her years of service, the Duchess of Chellingworth has invited her to select the person who will officially rename the old school when it reopens as an artisans’ hub. Iris has found the perfect person to open the hub, but she needs the services of the WISE women to persuade this magnificent artist to participate. Penelope Llewellyn, now Penelope Pennington, had been a pupil at Iris’ school, and had later become a world-renowned potter under the pseudonym ‘Anwen’, although very few people know the potter’s true identity. Iris has managed to track down Penny, and she has agreed to abandon her anonymity, but only if Iris can help her to find some peace before she dies, by discovering the truth about the death of Penny’s young sister, Linda. The time available to solve this tragedy is short, not just because of the imminent opening of the artisans’ hub, but because Penny is dying from liver cancer. 

The death of twelve-year-old Linda Llewellyn took place at the village of Pontyrhydyfen, the birthplace of Richard Burton. In August 1984 the village was packed with mourning fans, who wished to attend Burton’s memorial service. Linda had been foisted on her seventeen-year-old sister, Penny, and two of her friends, who were attending the memorial with two of their boyfriends. Linda had been whining, and Penny had bought her an ice cream and left her, planning to pick her up again later. However, when the teenagers looked for Linda, they could not find her. There was a delay in contacting the police, but when they found Linda, three days later, she was dead, having apparently fallen from the local aqueduct. The coroner brought in an open verdict, which meant there was insufficient evidence to show whether Linda died by accident, suicide or murder. 

Carol and Annie are deeply moved when they meet Penny, and she explains that, over the years, many people have accused her of murdering Linda, including her own irrational mother. Penny is desperate for the truth to be discovered before she dies, so that her children know what really happened, rather than having to live with the false accusations that have been levelled against her. 

In the meantime, Christine feels rather bored. She adores her baby daughter, but as her partner, Alexander, is doing over half the childcare, she has not got enough to engage her. Fortunately, Alexander discovers a historical mystery for Christine to research, when he discovers an interesting and potentially valuable artefact at Chellingworth Hall, the property of Henry Twyst, the eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth. Alexander is devoted to Christine and is pleased that she is interested in her research. He is glad to immerse himself in the care of their baby daughter, which helps to distract him from his fear that a business contretemps in London may have placed his life in danger. On a lighter note, Annie’s busybody neighbour, Marjorie, amazes Annie when she asks her to undertake a very unusual investigation into an online crush. Annie and Carol are so busy that this has to be put on the backburner while they concentrate on Linda’s death, which means that Annie has to keep avoiding Marjorie, who expects immediate service even when the investigators are doing her a favour. 

Annie and Carol manage to track down Penny’s two old friends and the surviving boyfriend, but nobody can offer any insights into Linda’s death. It is only when they get permission to widen the investigation and confide in a few trusted people, including some who were in Pontyrhydyfen on the day of the memorial, that the tragic truth is revealed. 

The Case of the Petrified Potter is the thirteenth book in the series featuring the WISE women. It is a fascinating addition to a delightful series, with a strong, emotionally powerful storyline. The characters are warm and likeable, and the protagonists and their community grow and develop with each book in the series. It is especially pleasant to see Annie and Carol taking such masterly control of an investigation and working so well together. This is a thoroughly enjoyable page-turner, which I thoroughly recommend.
-------
Reviewer: Carol Westron 

Cathy Ace was born and raised in Swansea, South Wales. With a successful career in marketing having given her the chance to write training courses and textbooks, Cathy has now finally turned her attention to her real passion: crime fiction. Her short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies. Two of her works, Dear George and Domestic Violence, have also been produced by Jarvis & Ayres Productions as ‘Afternoon Reading’ broadcasts for BBC Radio 4. Cathy now writes two series of traditional mysteries: The Cait Morgan Mysteries (TouchWood Editions) and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries (Severn House Publishers)

http://cathyace.com

Carol Westron is a Golden Age expert who has written many articles on the subject and given papers at several conferences. She is the author of several series: contemporary detective stories and police procedurals, comedy crime and Victorian Murder Mysteries. Her most recent publications are Paddling in the Dead Sea and Delivering Lazarus, books 2 and 3 of the Galmouth Mysteries, the series which began with The Fragility of Poppies. 

www.carolwestron.com 

‘The Terror of Tannery Lane’ by M.R.C. Kasasian

Published by Canelo,
19 March 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-80436906-7 (PB)

The Terror of Tannery Lane is the third novel in this author’s series featuring the diminutive Lady Violet Thorn, daughter of Lord Thetbury and author of penny dreadfuls set in Victorian Suffolk. I read, reviewed and enjoyed its predecessor The Montford Maniac. I have not yet read The Horror of Haglin House, the first of the series. 

At the very start a man is assumed to have drowned in floods caused by torrential rain, despite the best attempts of Lady Violet to save him. What this has to do with later events only becomes clear well through the story. Shenanigans during the visit to the town of the Prince of Wales, celebrating Queen Victoria’s jubilee a mere 17 months late, lead Lady Violet to visit a nursing home where she overhears a disagreement between a patient and her visitors. She befriends Cherry Bight, the young lady patient, who claims that her parents are missing (she presumes they have been murdered) and their home, Maccabee House, sold under duress to her visitors, the Brutons. Matters quickly descend into relative chaos. A mannequin with a knife sticking out of it appears in Lady Violet’s house, body parts are discovered and the Brutons disappear. The search for Cherry Bight’s parents goes on. 

As in its predecessor, Lady Violet is aided in her investigations by some eccentric characters. Her two retainers, the faithful manservant Gerrund and the outspoken maid Agnust, remain idiosyncratic. The hansom driver Faithless and his horse Old Queeny continue to potter about. Inspector Alfred Stanbury of the local police is by comparison relatively normal. We learnt in The Montford Maniac that Lady Violet had been jilted by her fiancé, but she now appears to be going sweet on Anthony Appleton, a dapper thespian who appears to specialise in joining rather hopeless touring companies (‘I cannot recall a production in which the prompt has been so frequently employed,’ he quoted ruefully from the Crimplesham Clarion. ‘Mr Anthony Appleton appeared to be the sole member of the company who had taken the trouble to learn his lines.’) Some of the dialogue is in what one assumes to be a Suffolk dialect, and one or two of the locals are given to strange expressions and/or mangling well-known sayings (‘One nod is as good as another to a deaf goat’ Agnust announces at one point). 

Again, as in its predecessor, leading characters from Lady Violet’s own novels continually pop up in her head to give advice and comment on her actions or those of others involved in the story. Prominent are Ruby Gibson, her lady adventuress, and Inspector Havelock Hefty of Scotland Yard. ‘For too long I had sought solace in the company of my characters but even they brought me no comfort now,’ Lady Violet says at one point. She continues to enjoy absinthe and the elaborate ritual it requires. 

Voodoo, sewage, drowning, tanning hides, misidentifications and a lunatic asylum are some of the subjects covered, and considerable violence and savagery occur (particularly towards the end) in a novel whose general flavour is nonetheless light-hearted and comic. For once I had my suspicions about one character early on (I’m not usually a forensic reader) and was proved right, not that I foresaw the closing circumstances at all. The novel joins The Montford Maniac in being a very entertaining and well-plotted novel which can be recommended with enthusiasm to those who like a bit (in truth, quite a lot) of fun.
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Reviewer: David Whittle 

M. R. C. Kasasian  was raised in Lancashire, and has had careers as varied as factory hand, wine waiter, veterinary assistant, fairground worker and  dentist. He lives with his wife in Suffolk in the winter and in a fishing village in the south of Malta during the summer. He is now a full time author. 

David Whittle is firstly a musician (he is an organist and was Director of Music at Leicester Grammar School for over 30 years) but has always enjoyed crime fiction. This led him to write a biography of the composer Bruce Montgomery who is better known to lovers of crime fiction as Edmund Crispin, about whom he gives talks now and then. He is currently then.