by Ann Cleeves
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A Baby at
the Beach Café
Lucy Diamond
Evie loves running her beach café in Cornwall but with a baby on the way, she’s been told to put her feet up. Let someone else take over? Not likely.
Helen’s come to Cornwall to escape the stress of city living. She hopes a seaside life will be the answer to all her dreams. When she sees a job advertised at the café it sounds perfect.
But the two women clash and sparks fly . . . and then events take a dramatic turn. Can the pair of them put aside their differences in a crisis?
Available in paperback, ebook and from your local library
Pan Books
Why not start a reading group?
If you have enjoyed this book, why not share your next Quick Read with friends, colleagues, or neighbours?
The Reading Agency also runs Reading Groups for Everyone which helps you discover and share new books. Find a reading group near you, or register a group you already belong to and get free books and offers from publishers at readinggroups.org
A reading group is a great way to get the most out of a book and is easy to arrange. All you need is a group of people, a place to meet and a date and time that works for everyone.
Use the first meeting to decide which book to read first and how the group will operate. Conversation doesn’t have to stick rigidly to the book. Here are some suggested themes for discussions:
• How important was the plot?
• What messages are in the book?
• Discuss the characters – were they believable and could you relate to them?
• How important was the setting to the story?
• Are the themes timeless?
• Personal reactions – what did you like or not like about the book?
There is a free toolkit with lots of ideas to help you run a Quick Reads reading group at www.readingagency.org.uk/quickreads
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Continuing your reading journey
As well as Quick Reads, The Reading Agency runs lots of programmes to help keep you reading.
Reading Ahead invites you to pick six reads and record your reading in a diary in order to get certificate. If you’re thinking about improving your reading or would like to read more, then this is for you. Find out more at www.readingahead.org.uk
World Book Night is an annual celebration of reading and books on 23 April, which sees passionate volunteers give out books in their communities to share their love of reading. Find out more at worldbooknight.org
Reading together with a child will help them to develop a lifelong love of reading. Our Chatterbooks children’s reading groups and Summer Reading Challenge inspire children to read more and share the books they love. Find out more at readingagency.org.uk/children
Find more books for new readers at
• www.readingahead.org.uk/find-a-read
• www.newisland.ie
• www.barringtonstoke.co.uk
Praise for the Shetland novels
‘Raven Black breaks the conventional mould of British crime-writing, while retaining the traditional virtues of strong narrative and careful plotting’
Independent
‘Ann’s characterization is worthy of the best writers in the field . . . Rarely has a sense of place been so evocatively conveyed in a crime novel’
Daily Express
‘A most satisfying mystery set in an isolated and intriguing location. Jimmy Perez is a fine creation, and I hope Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series will be with us for a long time to come’
Peter Robinson
‘Raven Black shows what a fine writer Cleeves is . . . an accomplished and thoughtful book’
Sunday Telegraph
‘A carefully constructed, atmospheric and interesting mystery’
Literary Review
‘Cunning character-play and deception play their part in this satisfying tale, bringing about a denouement that turns everything in the plot neatly and bewilderingly on its head’
Scotsman
Praise for the Vera Stanhope novels
‘Nobody does unsettling undercurrents better than Ann Cleeves’
Val McDermid
‘All the elements of Agatha Christie at her best’
S. J. Bolton
‘Cleeves sets a good scene, this time in Northumberland during a heatwave, and she brings a large cast to life, shifting points of view between bereaved relatives, victims and suspects in a straightforward, satisfyingly traditional detective novel’
Literary Review
‘Ann Cleeves, winner of last year’s inaugural Duncan Lawrie Dagger, is another fine author with a strong, credible female protagonist . . . It’s a dark, interesting novel with considerable emotional force behind it’
Spectator
‘Cleeves is excellent not only on the main character but on the mixture of exasperation and respect that she provokes in others. Combined with the intricate plotting, this makes for a compulsive read’
Independent
‘Ann Cleeves is a skilful technician, keeping our interest alive and building slowly up to the denouement. Her easy use of language and clever story construction make her one of the best natural writers of detective fiction’
Sunday Express
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
Ann Cleeves is the author behind ITV’s Vera and BBC One’s Shetland. She has written over twenty-five novels, and is the creator of detectives Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez – characters loved both on screen and in print. Her books have now sold over one million copies worldwide.
Before she started writing, Ann worked as a probation officer, cook at a bird observatory and an assistant lifeguard. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. In 2006 Ann was awarded the Duncan Lawrie Dagger (CWA Gold Dagger) for Best Crime Novel, for Raven Black, the first book in her Shetland series. In 2012 she was inducted into the CWA Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame. Ann lives in North Tyneside.
www.anncleeves.com
@anncleeves
facebook.com/anncleeves
By Ann Cleeves
A Bird in the Hand • Come Death and High Water
Murder in Paradise
A Prey to Murder • A Lesson in Dying
Murder in My Backyard
A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy
Another Man’s Poison • Killjoy
The Mill on the Shore • Sea Fever
The Healers • High Island Blues
The Baby-Snatcher • The Sleeping and the Dead
Burial of Ghosts
The Vera Stanhope series
The Crow Trap • Telling Tales • Hidden Depths
Silent Voices • The Glass Room
Harbour Street • The Moth Catcher
The Shetland series
Raven Black • White Night • Red Bones
Blue Lightning • Dead Water • Thin Air
First published 2016 by Pan Books
This electronic edition published 2016 by Pan Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-5098-0612-6
Copyright © Ann Cle
eves 2016
Cover texture © Shutterstock
The right of Ann Cleeves to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Pan Macmillan does not have any control over, or any responsibility for, any author or third party websites referred to in or on this book.
You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Visit www.panmacmillan.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters so that you’re always first to hear about our new releases.
Table of Contents
Title page
Dedication page
Contents
1. The Call for Help
2. The Landlady
3. The Neighbour
4. The House
5. The Village
6. The Farm
7. The School
8. The Colleague
9. The Hotel
10. The Parents
11. The Watcher
12. The Doctor
13. The Stranger
14. The Confession
15. The Conclusion
16. The Letter
Praise for the Shetland novels
Praise for the Vera Stanhope novels
About the Author
By Ann Cleeves
Copyright page