A sudden outbreak of maliciousness strikes the town of Lochdubh in the form of a rash of poison pen letters. Things turn deadly when the local postmistress is found hanged in her room... with a vicious note beneath her dangling feet. Though his superiors call it suicide, PC Hamish Macbeth pronounces it murder. But Hamish is soon distracted by Jenny Ogilvie, a friend of his ex-fiancee, who arrives in Lochdubh to seduce him. And then he's ambushed by local reporter Elspeth Grant, who sets out to land the story - and Hamish - for herself. Caught in the middle of this volatile case, Hamish faces dangerous romances... and a blackhearted culprit wielding a mighty - and lethal - pen. Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series: The much-loved Hamish Macbeth series. beguiling blend of wry humour and sharp observations about rural life. - Good Book Guide. It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh. - New York Times Book Review. The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of o.utrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. - Anne Robinson, The Times

Can handwriting be faked to make murder look like suicide? Forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose must answer that question when powerful Hollywood publicist Lindsey Alexander is found dead in a hot tub. Police are all too willing to believe it's Lindsey's handwriting on the scrap of paper they're calling a suicide note, but not everyone is ready to accept this easy conclusion. Claudia Rose knows first-hand the publicist's ruthlessness and cruelty, so when Ivan Novak, Lindsey's business associate, begs her to prove the suicide note a fake, Claudia's instincts scream at her to run the other way. She hasn't forgotten how it felt to be humiliated by the best, nor the way Lindsey sabotaged their friend Kelly Brennan's marriage. But Ivan leans hard, and when she accepts the case, Claudia becomes trapped in a far darker scenario than she bargained for.

The Poison Pen knows all your secrets... Archie, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, and the rest of the gang are all getting ready for the next stage of their lives after high school graduation—or, at least, they're trying to. But then, one by one, they all receive a mysterious letter from someone calling themselves the Poison Pen.Somehow, the letter writer knows some of Riverdale's deepest, darkest secrets. And the Poison Pen is threatening to reveal all unless Archie and his friends do exactly what they're told—from posting embarrassing videos of themselves to blowing up someone else's marriage.The letters aren't stopping and the stakes are getting higher with each one. If they can't find the Poison Pen soon, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, Archie, Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni might not have a future left to protect.This original Riverdale novel features a story not seen on the show!

The BRAND NEW instalment in the Village Detectives Cozy Mystery Series from Fiona WalkerWe regret to announce the tragic death of Phoebe Fredericks... When crime novelist Phoebe opens the post and receives an invitation to her own funeral, she’s horrified. Not least because the date of her death is marked as tomorrow. Deciding it’s nothing more than a prank from an enemy from her past, she determines to put it to the back of her mind. But the next morning, when her completely infuriating postman (who likes to think himself her no.1 literary critic) rings her doorbell, a parcel of poisoned pen-nibs explodes in his face. Forced to confront the fact her correspondence is more RIP than RSVP, Phoebe realises someone must want her dead. Together with the newly-formed Village Detectives – Juno, Mil and Felix – Phoebe resolves to find out who is behind the poison pen letters before they strike again and her fate is signed, sealed and delivered! An totally hilarious, modern cozy crime mystery, from million-copy bestselling author Fiona Walker, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janet Evanovich and Janice Hallett. Readers are loving the Village Detective series: ‘Engrossing... Kind of reminds me of a cross between the Agatha Raisin TV series and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books, both of which I love. This is the perfect, lighthearted summer read for anyone looking for some fun escapism.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A crossover between a witty romcom and a cosy crime.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I woke up early to read it and I struggled to put it down. The best book I’ve read this year. The characters were great, I got really invested in them and the storyline was gripping. Please write more!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An outstanding cozy mystery based in the idyllic village of Inkbury, a beautiful location famous for its glittering river, unspoilt and clear... A briliant cozy that has the perfect balance of mystery and comedy, loved it!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great cosy mystery!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved this! Very clever cosy with great, diverse characters... Thoroughly engaging, and very much looking forward to the next in the series.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A delightfully cosy read, the main characters are fun and engaging. Having read the author’s back catalogue to be reunited with Juno, Phoebe and Felix is absolute fabulous! The mystery at the centre of the book foxed me until the very end and unfolded in a very natural way. I really hope there is more to come from the Village Detectives. An entertaining read!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant beginning to a new series. Reading a book written by Fiona Walker is like visiting an old friend. Lots of good memories and wanting to make more. Can’t wait for the next “Village Detectives” book. Delightful, enjoyable read.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tilling Green was a charming little village nestling in the Ledshire countryside. Not at all the sort of place you would expect to find an anonymous letter writer. And when one of the recipients, a young woman, was found drowned in the lake belonging to the Manor House, Miss Silver was persuaded to go and investigate. Valentine Grey, the pretty young heiress from the Manor House, was marrying one Gilbert Earle, but on the night of Valentine's pre-wedding party Jason Leigh, Valentine's former love, returned after months without a word. Valentine discovered Gilbert in a compromising situation with her guardian's wife. And several people received extremely nasty letters. Connie Brooks knew who had written those letters. But on the same night, she was murdered ...

The Littlehampton Libels tells the story of a poison-pen mystery that led to a miscarriage of justice in the years following the First World War. There would be four criminal trials before the real culprit was finally punished, with the case challenging the police and the prosecuting lawyers as much any capital crime. When a leading Metropolitan Police detective was tasked with solving the case, he questioned the residents of the seaside town of Littlehampton about their neighbours' vocabularies, how often they wrote letters, what their handwriting was like, whether they swore — and how they swore, for the letters at the heart of the case were often bizarre in their abuse. The archive that the investigation produced shows in extraordinary detail how ordinary people could use the English language in inventive and surprising ways at a time when universal literacy was still a novelty. Their personal lives, too, had surprises. The detective's inquiries and the courtroom dramas laid bare their secrets and the intimate details of neighbourhood and family life. Drawing on these records, The Littlehampton Libels traces the tangles of devotion and resentment, desire and manipulation, in a working-class community. We are used to emotional complexity in books about the privileged, but history is seldom able to recover the inner lives of ordinary people in this way.

Retired schoolteachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma have a brand-new mystery to solve in this witty tale – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman