Murder Takes Root


Book Description

'A series I can get behind on so many levels! ... This book is enchanting with a capital EEEEEE! Steph is so relatable and utterly adorable' Reader review, 5 stars Steph Williams is excited to get her hands stuck into her latest gardening project. This time, she's been commissioned by Lady Clara of Ashford Manor to restore the stately gardens to their former glory. But the estate is suddenly thrown into chaos when a dead body is discovered in one of the rooms. The police rule it as suicide, though Steph's convinced they're barking up the wrong tree. For she knows the deceased better than they do and it could only be one thing: murder. And if the police won't listen to her, then Steph will have to investigate the case herself. As Steph tries to get to the root of the matter, she soon discovers that the manor staff hold secrets of their own, and now she's not sure who she can trust. But one thing is for sure, she's not going to let the murderer lead her up the garden path... Gardener turned amateur sleuth Steph and her adorable dog are on the search for a killer in this highly gripping and unputdownable cosy crime novel. Fans of Richard Coles, Fiona Leitch and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will be hooked from beginning to end. What readers are saying about The Gardener Mysteries series: 'Deliciously cozy ... I basked in the beautifully-written words and allowed myself to be utterly transported' Reader review, 5 stars 'Another page turner from Rosie Sandler, beautifully written and gripping to boot!' Reader review, 5 stars 'Thoroughly enjoyable read, loved Mouse the dog the most!!! Engaging writing, mystery that keeps you guessing and a lovely diverse cast of characters' Reader review, 5 stars 'The story is so well written, I felt like I was in the middle of the action ... I read the book on a single weekend' Reader review, 5 stars 'I could not put it down. Absolutely incredible reading and such a talented writer' Reader review, 5 stars 'Vividly clear world building, unusual twists and creative red herrings. I loved it!' Reader review, 5 stars 'The bond between Steph and her dog ... is absolutely adorable. The mystery itself is a unique one' Reader review, 5 stars




The Square Root of Murder


Book Description

Dr. Sophie Knowles teaches math at Henley College in Massachusetts, but when a colleague turns up dead, it's up to her to find the killer before someone else gets subtracted.




Seeds of Murder


Book Description

Perfect for fans of Richard Coles, Fiona Leitch and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, introducing a brand-new cosy crime series set in the gardening world featuring an unlikely amateur sleuth and her loveable dog. Steph Williams has arrived at the wealthy, gated community of Beaulieu Heights ready to start her new position as head gardener. Surrounded by mansions and acres of land, it's worlds apart from the life she knows, but she's determined to give it her best shot. If she happens to accidentally overhear private conversations while trimming the bushes, or is refused access to a locked shed, she knows not to question it - after all, gardeners should be seen and not heard. Until notes start turning up, threatening to reveal the deepest secrets of the residents. Suddenly Steph finds herself the prime suspect, and now she must leave the shelter of the gardens behind to clear her name and save her job. The seeds of suspicion have been planted, but the case is turning out to be no bed of roses. And when the investigation puts her life at risk, Steph is up against the clock to weed out the real culprit before it's too late... Readers are GRIPPED by Seeds of Murder: 'I loved the way this book combined the genre of cozy mystery with horticultural knowledge . . . An excellent book to snuggle up with' Reader review, 5 stars 'In need of comfort-reading, [this book] hits the spot. Cleverly plotted, well-written and hugely enjoyable' Reader review, 5 stars 'Lots of twists and turns make this a fun mystery to read. Love the setting, characters and story plot' Reader review, 5 stars 'I could not put it down. Absolutely incredible reading' Reader review, 5 stars




Bitter Roots


Book Description

Bitter Roots: A Bitter Root Mystery




The Murder Gang


Book Description

They were an elite group of renegade Fleet Street crime reporters covering the most notorious British crime between the mid-1930s and the mid-1960s. It was an era in which murder dominated the front and inside pages of the newspapers – the 'golden age' of tabloid crime. Members of the Murder Gang knew one another well. They drank together in the same Fleet Street pubs, but they were also ruthlessly competitive in pursuit of the latest scoop. It was said that when the Daily Express covered a big murder story they would send four cars: one containing their reporters, the other three to block the road at crime scenes to stop other rivals getting through. As a matter of course, Murder Gang members listened in to police radios, held clandestine meetings with killers on the run, made huge payments to murderers and their families – and jammed potatoes into their rivals' exhaust pipes so their cars wouldn't start. These were just the tools of the trade; it was a far cry from modern reporting. Here, Neil Root delves into their world, examining some of the biggest crime stories of the era and the men who wrote them. In turns fascinating, shocking and comical, this tale of true crime, media and social history will have you turning the pages as if they were those newspapers of old.




My Brother Moochie


Book Description

A rare first-person account that combines a journalist’s skilled reporting with the raw emotion of a younger brother’s heartfelt testimony of what his family endured after his eldest brother killed a man and was sentenced to life in prison. At the age of nine, Issac J. Bailey saw his hero, his eldest brother, taken away in handcuffs, not to return from prison for thirty-two years. Bailey tells the story of their relationship and of his experience living in a family suffering from guilt and shame. Drawing on sociological research as well as his expertise as a journalist, he seeks to answer the crucial question of why Moochie and many other young black men—including half of the ten boys in his own family—end up in the criminal justice system. What role do poverty, race, and faith play? What effect does living in the South, in the Bible Belt, have? And why is their experience understood as an acceptable trope for black men, while white people who commit crimes are never seen in this generalized way? My Brother Moochie provides a wide-ranging yet intensely intimate view of crime and incarceration in the United States, and the devastating effects on the incarcerated, their loved ones, their victims, and society as a whole. It also offers hope for families caught in the incarceration trap: though the Bailey family’s lows have included prison and bearing the responsibility for multiple deaths, their highs have included Harvard University, the White House, and a renewed sense of pride and understanding that presents a path forward.




Wildflower


Book Description

A compelling story of African adventure, romance and intrigue, perfect for readers of bestselling true crime such as WHITE MISCHIEF and MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL. WILDFLOWER is the gripping life story of the naturalist, filmmaker and lifelong conservationist Joan Root. From her passion for animals and her hard-fought crusade to save Kenya's beautiful Lake Naivasha, to her storybook love affair, Root's life was one of a remarkable modern-day heroine. After 20 years of spectacular, unparalleled wildlife filmmaking together, Joan and Alan Root divorced and a fascinating woman found her own voice. Renowned journalist Mark Seal has written a breathtaking portrait of a strong woman discovering herself and fighting for her beliefs before her mysterious and brutal murder in Kenya. With a cast as wild, wondrous and unpredictable as Africa itself, WILDFLOWER is a real-life adventure tale set in the world's disappearing wilderness. Rife with personal revelation, intrigue, corruption and murder, readers will remember Joan Root's extraordinary journey long after they turn the last page of this compelling book.







Murder Fantastical


Book Description

An Inspector Tibbetts mystery “which only serves to prove how ingeniously well Patricia Moyes is keeping up her variations on the classical whodunit” (The Sun). Think the Country-House Murder is a relic of the 1930s? Think again, and say hello to the Manciples, exactly the kind of eccentric family you’d like to see lording it over your little English village. Sadly, the Manciples’ day as lords of the manor may be winding down: A certain Mr. Mason—a local bookie who appears to have made some very good bets—wants to buy the Manciple estate, and he won’t take no for an answer, despite their lack of interest in selling. So it’s a matter of some suspicion when Mason is found in the Manciples’ driveway with a bullet in his head. Like all the best small-town coppers everywhere, the village bobby is befuddled, calls on Scotland Yard, and is (mostly) gratified to be gifted with Inspector Henry Tibbett. Henry, though, is a little less than delighted to find himself saddled with a case that opens with an old man solemnly intoning “bang-bang,” goes on to the mysteries of the Bishop of Bugolaland, and finishes with an inquiry into just what the family was up to in Africa, lo these many years ago. Praise for Patricia Moyes “The author who put the ‘who’ back in whodunit.” —Chicago Daily News “A new queen of crime . . . her name can be mentioned in the same breath as Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh.” —Daily Herald “Intricate plots, ingenious murders, and skillfully drawn, often hilarious, characters distinguish Patricia Moyes’ writing.” —Mystery Scene




A Drowning Tide


Book Description

Merry lives a simple life. For work, she writes cryptic crossword puzzles. For pleasure, she swims in the icy cold sea. And in between she keeps a careful eye on her neighbour, Lucas Manning, the son of her late best friend Julia. One day Lucas's wife reports him missing. Merry has known Lucas his whole life; he would never walk out like this. Bad things have always hovered around the Manning family. Lucas's abusive criminal father disappeared decades ago, and his brother Sean is in jail. But Lucas is different. A good man. He was the one who turned Sean in to the police, after all. Although Sean has spent every day since professing his innocence. As she begins to dig into Lucas's life, Merry forms an uneasy alliance with a private investigator doing the same. Gareth was hired by Lucas's employers, who are also desperate to locate him - and the sensitive work project he has absconded with. Merry might be a cryptic crossword mastermind, but reading people is hard. Was she wrong about Lucas? Did the wrong brother go down all those years ago? This is no straightforward disappearing act: something much more sinister is at play. But as she get closer to the truth, Merry must confront her own dark past with the Manning family, which she has fought so long to keep buried. Who can she trust with her secrets?