AN UNPUTDOWNABLE BRITISH CRIME MYSTERY SET IN THE VILLAGES OF SOUTH WEST ENGLAND. PRAISE FOR ANTHEA ‘Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self, withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall.’ Sunday Times ’A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story.’ Birmingham Post ‘Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings.’ Yorkshire Post DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE MURDER MYSTERY SERIES BY ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST EMINENT CRIME WRITERS. Newlyweds Jessica and Matthew haven’t heard the stories about the previous occupant of the cottage they’re staying in. But Jessica can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her. Elsewhere in the sleepy village of Westridge, Detective David Webb is called out to a retirement home. The matron has been violently assaulted. She never saw her attacker, but reveals that they forced her to recite nursery rhymes. The incident makes the local papers and other victims soon come forward – each account mentioning nursery rhymes. Things take a sinister turn when a woman’s body is recovered from a neighbouring village. The body belongs to Freda Miller – the previous tenant of the newlyweds’ cottage. Perfect for fans of Peter James, Joy Ellis, Ann Cleeves, Roger Silverwood, Roy Lewis, Agatha Christie, or Faith Martin. READERS LOVE PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Truly brilliant read, did not know till the very end who the culprit was.’ Lizzy P ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Well written and has a good twist.’ Neal U ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Great book, loved every page.’ Gerald L THE DETECTIVE Detective Chief Inspector David Webb is in his mid-forties with plentiful brown hair, a hard mouth, and bleak grey eyes. He possesses a tenacious and observant nature, with a knack for delving into intricate details. Webb's determination shines through as he navigates his investigations, evaluating suspects and analysing clues with a touch of scepticism. He combines his pragmatic and focused approach to work with an artistic appreciation of beauty. THE SETTING The fictional county of Broadshire, in the south-west corner of England, exudes charm and picturesque allure. It’s populated by a smattering of idyllic, historic villages – their proximity to the Cotswolds apparent in the honey-coloured stone cottages and the increasingly hilly surrounding countryside.