Silent Crimes
Page 25
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
Dorset Police Violent Crime Unit (VCU): Detective Superintendent Sophie Allen Detective Inspector Barry Marsh
Detective Constable Rae Gregson
Bournemouth CID:
Detective Inspector Kevin McGreedie Detective Sergeant Lydia Pillay
Detective Constable Jimmy Melsom
Dorset Police Uniformed Officers: Sergeant Rose Simons
Constable George Warrander
Constable Gerry Baldwin (dog handler) and Floyd
Avon and Somerset CID:
Detective Inspector Polly Nelson
Past members of the Heathfield Farm Commune in the Quantock Hills, Somerset: Katie Templar
Paul Prentice
Timothy Brotherton
Andrew Atkins
Trent Baker
Catherine Templeton
Linda Brooker
Other witnesses and incidental characters: Craig Millins (DC Rae Gregson’s boyfriend) Russel Poulter (would-be boyfriend of Catherine Templeton) Judy Price (partner of Timothy Brotherton) Babs Atkins (Andrew’s mother)
Sandra Bulmore (Katie Templar’s best friend from her university days) June Brown (Katie’s aunt)
Roger Brown (Katie’s cousin)
Sir Roger and Lady Marion Prentice-Jones (Paul’s parents) Martin Allen (Sophie Allen’s husband) Jade Allen (Sophie and Martin’s eighteen-year-old daughter) Pauline Stopley (a member of a Dorset walking group who also appears in novels 4 and 6 of this series)
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