Christopher's illusion of having his life under control is shattered when the mysterious Amaryllis appears in his small town in Fife, bringing new ideas, confusion and ultimately chaos in her wake.

After solving a double murder and saving her home town from a financial catastrophe, Imogen Fox, the personal assistant of John Oakby, the Mayor of a tiny town of Fleckney Woulds, was hoping to enjoy peace and her new romantic status, but two bodies are discovered in the debris of the town dam. To make matters worse, Imogen's sudden artistic success is threatening her fresh and fragile happiness. ~ Fox & Oakby Murder Mysteries ~ Book II ~ Cosy Mystery, Romance & Humour ~ COMPLETE {Sequel to "Fox & Oakby Book I: Official Town Business." COMPLETE. The story continues in "Fox & Oakby Book III: The Toast of the Town"}

While investigating the chilling deaths of three teenage girls in the remote town of Briarwood, Detective Evan O'Riley is drawn into the unsolved mysteries of a notorious 1960s serial killer. Three sixteen-year-old girls have plunged from the roof of their school. The question lingers: did they jump, or were they pushed? Tasked with uncovering the truth, Evan O'Riley-seasoned by years of crime-solving in Riverton-arrives in Briarwood, determined to discover whether he's facing triple homicide or a heartbreaking suicide. As he delves into the case, Evan uncovers unsettling whispers about the town's infamous SAD Killer, whose string of brutal murders left Briarwood haunted-and whose identity was never discovered. Fifty years later, the ghosts of the past resurface as Evan combs through long-buried evidence, tracks down survivors, and seeks out old investigators tied to the original crimes. Driven to find answers for both the present and the past, Evan is relentless in his pursuit of justice. But as old secrets come to light and the investigation intensifies, Evan realizes the SAD Killer's legacy isn't as distant as he believed-the danger may be closer than anyone imagines.

WATTYS WINNER 2020 Two interconnected murders, 64 years apart. One woman's search for truth and identity. Readers' comments: 'a masterpiece', 'impeccably written', 'amazing', 'superbly crafted page-turner', 'hauntingly beautiful', 'tremendous plot and character development', 'one of a kind', 'fantastic story telling', 'loved this book', 'a wonderful read", 'absolutely beautiful', 'brought tears to my eyes' and many more Wattys judging panel: 'This is VERY good. We were HOOKED from the beginning, and the writing and plot hold up throughout. This is a very unique, polished, well-written and well-researched piece.' Plot Set partly in rural England, partly on the sun-kissed coast of southerm Italy, The Painted Altar is a murder mystery mixed with romantic and historical elements (World War Two). Given away at two days old, Mary Rice has spent her life in the shadows. When discovering the suspicious circumstances surrounding her biological mother's death, she embarks on a journey which will shine a light not only on the truth but also on her own identity. Brief extract Suddenly, the door had inched open, half a wrinkled face visible behind the tautened chain. "Hello. Who is it?" The words I was going to say had of course been well-rehearsed, repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra, but now that the moment had arrived I found myself struggling to remember them. "Mrs Harvey... I think that you might... well, that you might be..." The door closed, then slowly opened once more, the chain this time unlatched. And there she was before me - half a metre away, within arm's reach. Thin lips gradually crooking upwards at each corner like the slow beatific kindling of a summer's dawn. "Oh yes love, I know who you are." Length: 70,000 words About the author: Originally from England but for the last 16 years I've been living in Italy. I hope therefore that the Italian aspects of the novel will have a certain gloss of authenticity.

Sometimes the truth is just too terrible to ever be guessed... Readers' comments: 'Excellent story', 'gripping page-turner', 'marvellous read', 'great writing', 'simply remarkable', 'a fabulously emotional ride', 'wow', 'what a great book!', 'had me engaged right to the end' Wattys award-winning author (The Painted Altar, literary fiction 2020) When two British brothers are reported missing whilst on holiday in southern Italy, the local carabinieri turn to retired detective Jim Jacks for help. Still pained by a recent divorce, he has started a new life for himself as a small-scale wine producer. Along with commander Nuzzo, he will slowly unravel a mystery which is even darker than it had first seemed... Genre: murder mystery Length: 75,000 words (300 novel pages) Target audience: adult, fans of crime fiction, anyone who likes mysteries full of twists and which are populated by three-dimensional characters Extract: I stayed there at the holiday bungalow with Sarah and Olivia for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Would return again the following morning. An analyst would no doubt conclude that my actions weren't entirely selfless; that as a lonely old divorcee I found a nostalgic comfort in female company. And yes, this might have been part of it. But there was a very practical reason too for my more or less continued presence in the house. I just didn't want to leave them to themselves I suppose, was afraid of what might happen. Yes, the thing I remember most about that forty-eight hour period is the silence. There was something brooding to it. Something ominous, almost delicate, like if it cracked you feared it would explode. An edgy, precarious silence stretching on and on, minute after minute, hour after hour... About the author: I'm a 47-year-old English teacher who has lived in Italy for the last 15 years. I have two other novels on the site, The Painted Altar and Kill Who You Want