J D Missen

As the low winter sun begins to rise over the river Deben, a body is found, caught up amongst the reeds in the river that runs through the small Suffolk town of Deben Quay. Detective Inspector Morgan could never have imagined the secrets that are about unfold, as he finds himself caught up in a web of lies and deceit that reaches far beyond his life as a detective.

1940, Shingle Street - bodies burning on the beach, dark waters lit up by fire, charred remains nestled in the sand dunes. the story of a failed German invasion has been the subject of much debate since the second world war and continues to intrigue those who seek to reveal the truth. When Detective Inspector James Morgan is sent to the Suffolk coast for a training course, he is unaware that the residents of the tiny hamlet of Bawdsey are still haunted by the past. Until that is, the search for a missing person leads to an unexpected discovery on the very beach made infamous by the Shingle Street rumour, which began one saturday night in late August, 1940. Will the secret that has stayed hidden deep within the walls of Bawdsey Hall be revealed or will the truth behind the legend of the Bawdsey Boys continue to remain a mystery?

A tense feeling of unrest has infiltrated the Hartsmere estate, along with the gangs who are now fighting for control over both the residents and the local drug trade. Can Detective Inspector Morgan unpick the tangled tales that have been weaved or will the residents of Deben Quay's most troubled housing estate, continue to be caught up in the struggle for power, along with the chaos that it brings to all of their lives.

Three young girls disappear from a small Suffolk town in 1980; the place where Beth lives with Alex, who was once her protector, but is now her tormentor. Alex disappears leaving Beth feeling alone and isolated from a world she has come to fear. Somewhere from deep inside though, Beth begins to find the strength to piece her life back together again. She has to, for she suspects that Alex is involved with the disappearances of the girls and she knows that she is the one who needs to stop the nightmare that is unfolding. Beth begins to search for clues and finds the situation is far more complex then she could ever imagine as she goes on a journey of self-discovery through a long-forgotten childhood she had hoped never to remember.