When a fellow author is murdered during a literary festival, crime writer Francis Meadowes determines to discover who killed him. At the start of one of the English summer’s highlights, the annual literary festival in the pretty little country town of Mold-on-Wold, famous critic Bryce Peabody is found dead in his bed at the White Hart Hotel. At first it seems as if fifty-something Bryce might have succumbed to a heart attack, but the forensics team soon uncover evidence of something more sinister. Bryce had made many enemies in the past, with his scandalous private life and scathing reviews. Could it be that one of the many writers he insulted in print has taken a bitter revenge? Or perhaps there’s a more personal reason? Unable to help himself, crime writer Francis Meadowes, who is also staying at the White Hart, is drawn into a role he knows only from his own fiction, that of amateur detective.

Crime writer-sleuth Francis Meadowes finds himself embroiled in murder when he takes a job aboard a luxury cruise liner. Francis Meadowes has landed himself an enviable job lecturing on the history of crime writing aboard the Golden Adventurer as it cruises down the West African coast. His fellow passengers, including opinionated retired surgeon Klaus, mischievous elderly widow Eve, flamboyant designer Sebastian, beautiful American aid worker Sadie and her tedious but extremely wealthy aunt, are an eclectic group. But is any one of them capable of murder? When one of the guests is found dead in bed and a second disappears overboard, Francis finds himself drawn into a baffling murder investigation where nothing is as it first appears …

Crime writer-sleuth Francis Meadowes discovers something dark hiding under the beautiful Umbrian sun when one of his writing group is found dead in Italy. Francis Meadowes is soaking up the late summer sun in Italy, running a creative writing course at the beautiful Villa Giulia, deep in the remote Umbrian countryside. Recruited by the villa's owners, Stephanie and Gerry, Francis' students include snooty, irritating Poppy and her ex-ambassador husband Duncan, eccentric Northern Irishman Liam, quirky, self-styled 'Hampstead Jewess' Zoe, bossy Scottish Diana, kooky young American Sasha, mysterious 'spy' Tony and restless civil servant Roz. But what should be a magical week under the Italian sun turns into something far more sinister when one of the group is found dead, and the local police quickly turn to Francis for help. Uncovering betrayal, lies, secrets and old scores to be settled, Francis soon realizes something very dark is lurking beneath the genteel and civilized veneer . . .

Sex, drugs and… suspicious deaths… Crime writer Francis Meadowes has just been offered his first paid detective gig—which means going on the road with gender-fluid rock star JonniK, tagging along as the musician’s entourage travels from Berlin to Brussels and beyond. Jonni’s \[MOU1\] manager is already worried by a guitar tech’s fatal overdose on a tour bus, but then the star himself is attacked on stage … Another shock comes as Jonni’s lead guitarist is electrocuted by his own instrument in the middle of a gig. When another band member becomes a victim, Francis realises he is in a dangerous race against time to find out exactly what is going on...