Frances Brody

The second mystery in the Brackerley Prison series from Frances Brody, the bestselling author of the Kate Shackleton novels. This is a classic crime mystery set in a women's prison in 1960s Yorkshire - the perfect page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie and Jacqueline Winspear.

The thirteenth mystery in the delightful Kate Shackleton murder mystery series set in 1930s Yorkshire.

Frances Brody's twelfth Kate Shackleton mystery will positively intoxicate fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Nicola Upson. A competition for the crown proves deadly when confidences are betrayed and secrets are spilled. North Yorkshire, 1930. It's the season for warm and spirited countryside celebrations. Ever since the war, pubs have been in the doldrums, and in an attempt to promote and breathe new life back into the business, brewers select a charismatic employee as local queen--to be the face of their industry. And this year's queen, wages clerk Ruth Parnaby, has invited the ever intrepid Kate Shackleton and her niece Harriet to accompany her on public engagements at a garden party thrown in her honor. But when Ruth leads children to the stables for pony rides, the drayman is missing, later found in the last place imaginable--the fermentation room, deceased. What looked to be a simple case of asphyxiation in the dangerous fermentation room is quickly clarified by the pathologist as murder--the drayman was already dead before he was taken into the room. Someone was looking to cover it up. The horse dealer who sold the pony to the drayman comes under suspicion, but more and more Ruth's nasty father, Slater Parnaby's strong motive to dissuade his daughter from any festivities lingers in Kate's mind, despite his having an alibi. The case is muddy, at best, and it's going to take Kate at her keenest to decipher the truth.

'Has a charm, and mystery, all of its own' THE TIMES'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' DAILY MAILThe first historical mystery in a new classic crime series from bestselling author Frances Brody. This is the perfect locked room page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie and Jacqueline Winspear.___________1969. A job in the Prison Service is not for everyone. The training is hard, the cells are bleak and a thick skin is needed. But for Nell Lewis, helping prisoners is something she cares about deeply, and when she's promoted into a new post as governor of HMP Brackerley in Yorkshire, she's tasked with transforming the renowned run-down facility into a modern, open prison for women.Just as Nell is settling into her new role, events take a dark turn when a man's body is discovered in the prison grounds. The mystery deepens still when one of their female inmates goes missing, ensuing a search across the country.Can Nell resolve the sinister happenings at HMP Brackerley, before anyone else is put in danger?___________What readers are saying about Frances Brody:'Witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves'A splendid heroine' Ann Granger'An engagingly forthright and indefatigable investigator' Irish Times'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail'The series is right up there with Miss Marple' Sunday Sport'Delightful' People's Friend'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences' Literary Review'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews'In Yorkshire we are proud to have such a first-rate crime novelist in our county' Yorkshire Gazette & Herald

Frances Brody's eleventh Kate Shackleton mystery is sure to delight readers of Rhys Bowen and Jacqueline Winspear. Two murders. A one-way ticket to trouble. And it's up to Kate to derail the killer. London, 1929. In the darkness before dawn, a railway porter, unloading a special train from Yorkshire, discovers a man's body, shot and placed in a sack. There are no means of identification to be found and as Scotland Yard hits a dead end, they call on the inimitable Kate Shackleton, a local sleuth, confident her local knowledge and investigative skills will produce results. But it's no easy task. Suspicion of political intrigue and fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields, impose secrecy on her already difficult task. The murder of a shopkeeper, around the same time, seems too much of a coincidence. The convicted felon was found with blood on his hands, but it's too tidy and Kate becomes convinced the police have the wrong man. By then it's too late. Kate finds herself in a den of vipers. The real killer is still at large, and having tinkered with Kate's car, nearly causes her to crash. Not only that, but Scotland Yard has turned their back on her. As Kate edges toward the shocking truth, she's going to need all the strength and resourcefulness she can muster to uncover this sinister web of deceit.

'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily Mail'Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves A call for helpIt's the spring of 1930 and Private Investigator Kate Shackleton responds to a call for help from the owner of Barleycorn Brewery in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The brewery's books don't add up, but when the one employee who may know what's really going on meets with a fatal accident, Kate's investigation intensifies.A second bodyOn the day of the brewery garden party, amidst celebrations for the newly crowned Yorkshire Brewery Queen, Kate opens the wrong door and finds herself staring at another body - and in danger of asphyxiation. A secret to die forIt's clear there are secrets somebody would kill to keep buried. And with the Brewery Queen's growing reputation bringing Barleycorn further into the spotlight, Kate's wit, skill and passion for the truth are tested to the limits. Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering the Kate Shackleton mysteries for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie, Ann Granger and Jacqueline Winspear.What readers are saying about the Kate Shackleton mysteries:'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger'Delightful' People's Friend'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences' Literary Review

The eleventh delightful and atmospheric instalment in the Kate Shackleton murder mystery series set in 1920s Yorkshire.

'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily MailTaking the perfect photograph can be murder . . . Yorkshire, 1928. Indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton is taking a well-deserved break from her detective work and indulging in her other passion: photography. When her local Photographic Society proposes an outing, Kate jumps at the chance to visit Haworth and Stanbury, in the heart of Brontë country, the setting for Wuthering Heights.But when an obnoxious member of their party is murdered, the group is thrown into disarray. Is the murderer amongst them, or did the loud-mouthed Tobias have more enemies than they might have imagined?Armed with her wit and wiles, and of course her trusty camera, it's up to Kate to crack the case, and get that perfect shot too . . .Praise for Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton series:'The series is right up there with Miss Marple' Sunday Sport'Delightful' People's Friend 'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences. As self-reliant women in a society that still regards them a second-class citizens, they make excellent heroines' Literary Review'Frances Brody skilfully holds our attention, making us want to read on and then look forward to the next Kate Shackleton mystery' Gazette & Herald'Kate Shackleton is a delightful leading character. The flavour of post First World War England is beautifully portrayed. An enjoyable and gripping mystery story' CrimeSquad.com'The author keeps us highly entertained with an interesting and exciting plot, impeccably researched, and a style of writing that has the reader turning the pages eagerly to discover the truth of the mystery. Francis Brody is fast becoming "the queen of light crime fiction"' Gazette & Herald'This is whimsical, colourful stuff and readers will warm to the entrepreneurial yet fragile Kate' Take a Break'Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights' Gazette & Herald'Delightful . . . the series is right up there with Miss Marple and the like. On top of that, the covers are fantastic, too' Weekend Sport

France Brody captures the atmosphere and language of 1920s England while delivering a captivating plot in the ninth book of this traditional cozy mystery series featuring private investigator Kate Shackleton. Yorkshire, 1927. Eclipse fever grips the nation, and when beloved theatre star Selina Fellini approaches trusted sleuth Kate Shackleton to accompany her to a viewing party on the grounds of Giggleswick School Chapel, Kate suspects an ulterior motive. During the eclipse, Selina's friend and co-star Billy Moffatt disappears and is later found dead in the chapel grounds. Kate can't help but dig deeper and soon learns that two other members of the theatre troupe died in similarly mysterious circumstances in the past year. With the help of Jim Sykes and Mrs Sugden, Kate sets about investigating the deaths -and whether there is a murderer in the company. When Selina's elusive husband Jarrod- who was injured in the war and is subject to violent mood swings--comes back on the scene, Kate begins to imagine something far deadlier at play, and wonders just who will be next to pay the ultimate price for fame.

An intricate plot set in the 1920s English countryside and Frances Brody's "refreshingly complex heroine" (Kirkus) Kate Shackleton make A Death in the Dales an absorbing 7th installment in this traditional British cozy mystery. A murder most foul When the landlord of a Yorkshire tavern is killed in plain sight, Freda Simonson, the only witness to the crime, becomes plagued with guilt, believing the wrong man has been convicted. Following her death, it seems that the truth will never be uncovered in the peaceful village of Langcliffe... A village of secrets But it just so happens that Freda's nephew is courting the renowned amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton, who decides to holiday in Langcliffe with her indomitable teenage niece, Harriet. When Harriet strikes up a friendship with a local girl whose young brother is missing, the search leads Kate to uncover another suspicious death, not to mention an illicit affair. The case of a lifetime As the present mysteries merge with the past's mistakes, Kate is thrust into the secrets that Freda left behind and realizes that this courageous woman has entrusted her with solving a murder from beyond the grave. It soon becomes clear to her that nothing in Langcliffe is quite as it appears, and with a murderer on the loose and an ever-growing roster of suspects, this isn't the holiday Kate was expecting... Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton returns in A Death in the Dales with another mystery that's sure to "hold the reader attention and make them continue reading into the small hours of the night" (York Press, UK).

The ninth novel in the Kate Shackleton mystery series. Imagine Miss Marple in her youth!

An intricate plot set in the 1920s English countryside and Frances Brody's "refreshingly complex heroine" (Kirkus) Kate Shackleton make Death of an Avid Reader an absorbing 6th installment in this mystery series. The Search for a Daughter Lady Coulton gave up the baby that would have ruined her marriage, born when Lord Coulton was abroad. Now that her husband is dying, she asks Kate to find Sophia. A Haunted Library It is forty years since the ghost of a dead librarian haunted the old library, yet the stories have begun again. Kate does not believe in ghosts but obligingly takes part in a ceremony to expel the restless spirit. Shockingly, there is a body in the basement, strangled, and covered in dusty volumes from a fallen bookcase. It is Dr. Potter, a mathematician. A Killer on the LooseDr. Potter's body is taken away. The police find a sick man sheltering in the basement. He is an Italian, Umberto, an organ grinder and owner of a lively Capuchin monkey. Umberto becomes the prime suspect and will be charged with murder. Kate goes with Umberto to the infirmary. But he is too weak to be a suspect. And now Kate must set out to find the real culprit...

A Maharajah on the MoorsWhen the India Office seeks help in finding Maharajah Narayan, they call upon the expertise of renowned amateur detective Kate Shackleton to investigate. A Priceless JewelBut soon a missing persons case turns into murder. Shot through the heart, Narayan's body has obviously not been in the woods overnight. Who brought it here, and from where? And what happened to the hugely valuable diamond that was in the Maharajah's possession? An Inexplicable Murder . . . Kate soon discovers that vengeance takes many forms. Was the Maharajah's sacrilegious act of shooting a white doe to blame? Or are growing rumors of a political motive too powerful for Kate to discount? Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton returns in Murder on a Summer's Day with another mystery that's sure to "hold the reader attention and make them continue reading into the small hours of the night" (York Press, UK).

The eighth fantastically quirky crime novel featuring amateur sleuth extraordinaire Kate Shackleton!

An engrossing saga of two families set in 1930s Yorkshire, from the bestselling author of the Kate Shackleton mysteries

A story of courage, loyalty and enduring love set in 1920s Leeds, from the bestselling author of the Kate Shackleton mysteries