SHADOW CRIMES a gripping crime thriller full of twists
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/SECRET-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B00XYMC5GI/
http://www.amazon.com/SECRET-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B00XYMC5GI/
Shocking family secrets come to light when a young woman is murdered
Amy Hill, a nineteen-year-old student, is strangled and her body dumped on open ground in the city. New police partners, D.I. Jim Neal and D.S. Ava Merry are called in to investigate this brutal crime. The last person to see Amy alive was Simon, the son of a family friend, but before he can be properly questioned he disappears.
Detectives Neal and Merry are led on a trail of shocking family secrets and crimes. Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies? Stopping this tragic cycle of violence will put D.S. Merry’s life at risk in a thrilling and heart-stopping finale.
If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will be gripped by this exciting new crime fiction writer.
DEAD SECRET is the first in a new series of detective thrillers featuring D.S. Ava Merry and D.I. Jim Neal. Ava Merry is a young policewoman, recently promoted to detective sergeant. She is a fitness fanatic with a taste for dangerous relationships. Jim Neal is a single dad who juggles his devotion to his job with caring for his son.
Set in the fictional Northern city of Stromford, this detective mystery will have you gripped from start to shocking conclusion.
THE LADY VANISHED
http://www.amazon.com/LADY-VANISHED-gripping-detective-mystery-ebook/dp/B0170HJAMY/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LADY-VANISHED-gripping-detective-mystery-ebook/dp/B0170HJAMY/
How can someone vanish without a trace?
Carmen Langborne is a woman who no one seems to like very much, and now she's gone missing. But there is no body, no leads and no real suspects. And the police have stopped investigating her disappearance.
Carmen's stepdaughter Florence hires private detective Tyrone Swift to find the missing woman. If the body is found, Florence will inherit half of a very valuable house. As Swift delves deeper into the family’s affairs, he discovers dark family secrets that threaten the reputations of powerful people. Will Swift get to the truth before those with much to hide stop
CHARACTER LIST
Detective Superintendent Sophie Allen is Dorset’s acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime, appointed to run the county’s Serious and Violent Crime Unit. Recently promoted, she is now 46 years old, and lives with her family in Wareham. Sophie has a law degree and a master’s in criminal psychology but, for reasons explained in the early novels, can still be surprisingly vulnerable.
Detective Sergeant Barry Marsh is in his early thirties and is now the permanent number two in the unit. He’s quiet, methodical and dedicated, the perfect foil for Sophie’s hidden fragility. He is engaged to Gwen, a detective in the neighbouring county of Hampshire.
Detective Constable Rae (Rachel) Gregson joined the team in book 3, to replace Lydia Pillay. She is astute and hard-working. Rae is transgender with a troubled past.
Sergeant Rose Simons is a uniformed officer, now based at Dorchester in Dorset. Rose can appear to be rather cynical about her work but in reality she is a reliable, hard-working and scrupulously honest officer. She lives alone with her young son and has a wacky sense of humour.
Constable George Warrander is a young officer in his second year with Dorset police, working under Rose Simons. George appeared as a civilian in novel 1, Dark Crimes, interviewed by Sophie Allen and Barry Marsh when they were investigating the death of Donna Goodenough. During that interview he indicated his wish to join the police.
Chief Superintendent Matt Silver is in overall charge of Dorset’s detectives. He appointed Sophie to her post five years earlier when he set up the VCU.
Detective Inspector Kevin McGreedie is in charge at Bournemouth CID and is a close personal friend of Sophie. His wife, Laura, is seriously ill.
Detective Sergeant Lydia Pillay was originally in Sophie’s VCU as a rookie detective. She now works for Kevin’s CID in Bournemouth. She is talented and hard working.
Detective Constable Jimmy Melsom worked for Barry Marsh in the early novels, but is now in Bournemouth CID, working closely with Lydia.
Detective Inspector Bruce Pitman is in charge at Weymouth CID.
Detective Constable Andrea Ford works for Bruce in Weymouth CID. She has a special role in gathering intelligence about the local criminal community.
Martin Allen is Sophie’s husband. He is Deputy Head at a large secondary school in Dorchester. Martin has a minor, but very supportive, role in the novels. He and Sophie met while at university.
Jade Allen is Sophie’s younger daughter, now 18 and in her final year at school. Jade is academically bright but has an unpredictable and quirky personality.
Susan Carswell is Sophie’s mother, now 60. She became pregnant with Sophie while a teenager. Sophie’s father vanished during the pregnancy. The story is told in novel 2, Deadly Crimes. Susan is about to get married to her long-time boyfriend Bill.
Florence and James Howard are Sophie’s paternal grandparents only discovered by her and Susan in novel 2. They live in Gloucester and have become very close. Sophie is their next of kin.
Benny Goodall is Dorset’s senior pathologist, working from the County Hospital at Dorchester. He is a close friend of both Sophie and Martin, having house-shared with them while at university. He looks forward to his regular humorous exchanges with Sophie.
Danny and Kerry Fenners are young teenagers living in Weymouth. Neglected by their parents, they are often looked after by their grandfather, Charlie Bailey.
UK POLICE RANKS
The most senior rank within a county police force is Chief Constable.
Then come these ranks:
Deputy Chief Constable;
Assistant Chief Constable;
Chief Superintendent;
Superintendent;
Chief Inspector (slowly being phased out);
Inspector;
Sergeant;
Finally, at the bottom of the pile, Constable.
Glossary of English terms for US readers
ACC: assistant chief constable
Asian: someone who (or whose ancestors) originates from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh
Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids
Bladdered: drunk
Bob: money
Bod: person
Boffin: smart person, scientist
Boot: trunk, as in car trunk
Bother: as in bother, means in trouble
Charity Shop: thrift store
Caravan: camper or small motorhome
Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket
Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for
Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments
Chinwag: conversation
Ciggy: cigarette
Comprehensive School (Comp.): High school
Copper: police officer (slang)
Cotton wool: raw cotton
Childminder: someone who looks after children for money
CID: Criminal Investigation Department
Coach: a bus, often used for travel, holidays or trips
Cos: because
CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, body which decides whether cases go to criminal court
Council: local government body responsible for local services
Councillor: an elected member of a council
Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block
Diary: appointment
book
Dinner lady: lunch lady
Div: idiot (offensive)
Dodgy: not to be trusted, illegal
Dosh: money
Double glazing: insulated windows with two layers of glass
DC: detective constable
DI: detective inspector
DS: detective sergeant
ED: accident and emergency department of hospital
Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)
Estate agent: realtor (US)
Fag: cigarette
Fancy: find attractive
FE: further education college
Freshers: Students in their first term/year at university
Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold
Gas people: company selling consumers gas for heating and hot water
Gobsmacked: surprised
Get off: make out
GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community
Gran: grandmother
Guest house: a private house offering rooms to paying guests (in the days before Airbnb!)
Hard nut: tough guy
Hatchback: a car with an upwards-opening door across full width of back
Home: care home for elderly or sick people
Home Office: UK government department in charge of domestic affairs
Inne: isn’t he
Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services
Jobcentre: unemployment office
Jumper: sweater
Kosher: genuine or legal
Lad: young man
Lamped: hit
Lay-by: an area off a road where cars can pull in and stop
Lift: as in give a lift, drive someone somewhere
Loo: toilet
Lounge: living room
Lorry: a truck
Mobile phone: cell phone
Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain
Newsagents: shop selling newspapers, confectionery, cigarettes etc.
NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK
Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)
Nowt: nothing
Nutter: insane person
Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)
OCD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder
OS: Ordnance Survey, detailed map
Overalls: dungarees
Pants: underwear
PC: police constable
PM: post-mortem
Petrol: gasoline
Petrol station: gas station
Piss off: as exclamation, go away (rude). Also can mean annoy.
Planning Department: the local authority department which issues licences to build and develop property
Plod: policeman
Portakabin: a portable building used as temporary office, classroom etc.
Posh: upper class
Punter: client of prostitute / can also mean gambler
Randy: horny
Ready meal: prepared food which only needs to be reheated
Rock: a sugary candy often on sale at the seaside
Semi: semi-detached house, house with another house joined to it on one side only
Skinful: enough alcohol to make you drunk
Skip: a large container for building rubbish
Services: Shops and gas station by highway
Sixth-former: student in the final two years of high school (16-18 years old)
Sod: an annoying person
Sod it: expression meaning you’ve decided not to give a damn
Solicitor: lawyer
Squaddies: soldiers
Tea: dinner (Northern English)
Till: cash register
Tipsy: a bit drunk
Toerag: loser (insulting)
Ton: a hundred pounds
Torch: flashlight
Tosspot: wanker, an idiot
Tutor: university teacher
Tower block: tall building containing apartments (usually social housing)
Two-up two-down: house with two bedrooms upstairs, and two rooms downstairs
Uni: university/college
Uniform: a police officer wearing a uniform, usually a police constable
Van: a vehicle for carrying goods
Warrant card: police ID in the UK
Wests: Fred and Rosemary, notorious serial killers
Young offender: criminal between 14-17 years of age