Welcome to Hartwell, a village full of cobbled streets, ancient curses and hidden secrets. As the village prepares for Christmas, friends Lucy, Rachel, Meera, and Jo try to put the shocking events of the summer behind them. Though some secrets, it seems, refuse to remain silent. Lady Lucy Hanley's confidence has been boosted by making a success of her inherited estate and falling in love again, though ghosts from her past still threaten her. Rachel Foxton is finally happy and active in village life again, but is worried the person closest to her might destroy all her hard work and progress. Dr. Meera Kumar's dream wedding is approaching, yet not everyone in her extended family is happy for her or wishing her well. And a trip to London and some unexpected news turns former detective Jo Ormond's world upside down, forcing her to rethink her plans for the future. As the year draws to a close, can the four women finally unravel the last of...

Fans of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies won't be able to put down this thrilling dive into the captivating women and shocking secrets in the small English town of Hartwell. Welcome to Hartwell, an English village full of cobbled streets, ancient curses, and buried secrets. Reeling from the last few years of uncertainty, the villagers of Hartwell are adjusting to their new normal. When two new women separately move to town, they attract local attention and quickly realise Hartwell isn't as sleepy as it appears. Lady Lucy Hanley is beautiful, friendly, and struggling to preserve crumbling Hartwell Hall for her son as rumours circulate about her husband's disappearance. Rachel Foxton feels trapped. She's lived in Hartwell all her life and is exhausted from teaching during the pandemic, grieving her father, worrying about her mother, and battling heartache. Dr. Meera Kumar has always been the good girl, but as her sham marriage unravels, she...

The shadows of the past are never far away... Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is doing his best to ignore the madness of York's annual Viking Festival when duty calls. The body of a wealthy businessman, who was playing the role of the Viking king, is found slain by his own ancient sword. The murder scene looks staged, but before Shadow can compile a list of people to question a second body is found. Shadow doesn't have to look far for suspects—the victims were by no means model citizens. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure, who shuns company, but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is ably assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Together, the two men navigate a web of corruption and family drama to solve the murders before the killer can strike again.

Ancient history or a motive for murder? Chief Inspector Shadow is investigating an act of vandalism in the ruins of St Mary's Abbey and several random break-ins around York when he's called out to a moorland village. A wealthy but eccentric businessman, obsessed with Saxon history, has been found dead. Adding to the confusion, the victim's study's been ransacked and there's a second burglary in the village and vandalism in the churchyard. Are all the cases related? Initially, the death seems centered around an ancient Saxon treasure trove and missing parchment map. But there are many reasons for murder. This list of suspects grows frustratingly long, baffling Shadow. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Now Inspector Shadow and Jimmy must...

There's no such thing as a coincidence in York... As Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year approach, the ancient city of York is busier than ever and so is Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow. First he has the theft of valuable Roman artifacts from a museum, then a Chinese tourist is reported missing. During his investigations, he encounters jewellers, chocolatiers, museum curators and Roman soldiers—all pieces to a puzzle he must solve. After discovering a series of coincidences, he begins to suspect there may be a link between the two cases. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who notices the smallest details about other people, but endeavours to avoid their company. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. Although he would prefer to work alone, he is ably assisted by his eager partner Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Shadow suspects he knows who the culprit is, but he needs proof. And then...

If the past comes knocking, will you dare to answer? When Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is called to Kirkdale Castle to investigate the death of a handsome racehorse trainer during a shooting party, he's immersed in painful childhood memories. His father had been shot in the line of duty at Kirkdale, but his killer was never apprehended. Shadow suspects the two deaths may be linked and is determined to discover the truth, but dealing with the aristocracy is more complicated than he bargained for and the inhabitants of Kirkdale Castle are as unhelpful as ever. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who notices the smallest detail about other people, but endeavours to avoid their company. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. Though he would prefer to work alone, he is assisted by his eager partner Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Can the men work together through the web of deceit and corruption to...

Inspired by the remarkable life of Dorothy Peto, the Metropolitan Police's first female superintendent. Even in war, your enemies can linger too close to home... While war and revolution continue to ravage Europe, Dorothy Peto embraces her new role at Scotland Yard as she and several detectives investigate a series of jewel thefts. Then Dorothy is tasked with assisting the inscrutable Inspector Derwent and the charming Colonel Lamarchant to find a missing French aristocrat. Their enquiries take them to a country house in Yorkshire, that's been converted to a hospital for wounded soldiers and was the last place the Frenchman visited. However, the more questions they ask, the more questions they have. When the body of a man suspected of being the marquis is discovered, the investigative team returns to London, but the dead man is a stranger. Dorothy speculates that the death, the jewel thefts and the missing Frenchman may be connected. She finds herself...

This winter, the York pantomime opens as a farce but closes as a murder scene... Chief Inspector John Shadow returns from a rare holiday to Italy but before he can unpack, he's investigating the theft of an antique sabre. Everyone involved assumes it's a prank, however later that evening, a reluctant Shadow attends the local pantomime—his least favorite form of entertainment—with his star struck sergeant. They watch stunned as Prince Charming dies on stage. Shadow suspects poison and launches an investigation. When he discovers the missing sabre backstage, Shadow realises the theft was no joke and the entire cast and crew are murder suspects. Then another body is found.... John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Together,...

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you... This Halloween, the notorious rivalry between York's iconic ghost walk tour guides spirals out of control when the body of one guide dressed as the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin is found hanging from a tree. A few days later, his partner, who plays Guy Fawkes, is killed by an explosion of gunpowder at their office. Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who notices the smallest details about other people, but endeavours to avoid their company. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. Although he would prefer to work alone, he is assisted by his eager and easygoing partner Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Despite a sprained ankle, a stray cat and an impromptu trip to Oxford, the two men investigate the shocking murders that have York on edge. Are the murders the work of a madman or a business feud? And then the killer strikes again.

Welcome to Hartwell, an English village full of cobbled streets, ancient curses, and buried secrets. Although the village may have laid Lord Hanley to rest, his death creates almost as many problems as did his life. While Lady Lucy Hanley hides in her manor home recovering from her miserable marriage and dodging a stalker, she's determined to focus on raising her young son and finding ways to make the manor financially viable. Rachel Foxton, who's long imagined a life away from Hartwell, has her dreams of escape thwarted by a family drama. Dr. Meera Kumar's budding relationship with the village vet bathes her in a golden glow...until her ex arrives delivering troubling news that threatens everything she's built. Jo Ormond is convinced she knows what she wants—her detective job back in London—but as she investigates several local crimes that seem linked, including Lord Hanley's murder, Jo begins to contemplate putting down roots in...

Inspired by the remarkable life of Dorothy Peto, the Metropolitan Police's first female superintendent. During war, death isn't only found on the battlefield... It's 1915 and war continues to rage across Europe, but at home in England, the members of the Women Police Volunteers are more accepted and their numbers continue to grow. However, founding member, Dorothy Peto is frustrated at being consigned to office duties and training recruits. Then, early one morning, her friend Margaret finds a dead body in the garden next door. When they discover the wealthy victim's will is missing, the list of possible suspects grows. Once again, Dorothy finds herself working alongside the inscrutable Inspector Derwent. Determined to prove herself a worthy investigator even as she battles personal loss and feuding friends, Dorothy gains the trust of witnesses, and pits her wits against a killer who may not stop if threatened.

The Chianti Case: The Vineyard Mysteries

Old sins cast long shadows... When the bodies of a young, homeless girl and a girl who disappeared thirty years ago are found on the same day, residents in the historic city of York are aghast. It seems unlikely the two cases are related, and yet some of the same players knew both victims. As Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow and his eager new partner, Sergeant Jimmy Chang, dive into their investigation, they uncover a complicated web of pop stars, pub owners, shopkeepers and old school friends who each have something to hide. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company, but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone and is perpetually trying to dodge his partner, who's full of energy, modern ideas and theories. But as the two men gradually learn to work together to solve the case, it's clear that the past is never as far...

Even the season of goodwill can't stop a murder... Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is reluctantly attending York Minster's Advent Ceremony when the new Dean is taken ill after drinking wine. Was her allergic reaction a simple case of human error or could she have been poisoned? Shadow becomes suspicious when he learns someone else has died under similar circumstances. He begins to quietly investigate, but when the body of a young woman is recovered from the river, he knows he must act quickly. And this time, Shadow requires the help of someone from his past. John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company, but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Together, the two men must work through a maze of cheating husbands, corrupt clergy and criminal gangs to solve the murders...