Bücher veröffentlicht von Caron Allan

A Wreath of Lilies: Miss Gascoigne mysteries book 2 - a traditional romantic cosy mystery set in the swinging 60s The Miss Gascoigne mysteries are a series of traditional amateur detective mysteries set in Britain in the 'Swinging 60s' and featuring Diana 'Dee' Gascoigne as an amateur detective who stumbles over dead bodies almost as often as your average dog-walker. Between jobs and with a penchant for solving a mystery, she is aided and abetted by her brother Rob, a trainee barrister, who helps her to pit her wits against the 'official' team of investigators, which sometimes includes her 'kind-of cousin', Inspector Bill Hardy, and his sidekick, Sergeant Nahum 'Nat' Porter. On her first 'official' investigator case working for Montague Montague of London, legal services, Dee Gascoigne is off to the village of Hartwell Priory in Essex, where locals are up in arms over the proposal to dig up their deceased ancestors buried in the local cemetery, in order to make way for three hundred new houses.As if things aren't tense enough, a group of beatnik-like long-haired, bead wearing ghost hunters arrive and hold a séance. A message from beyond the grave seems to indicate that a grave has been forgotten. Is this just a prank, or does someone know of a secret burial? Who is the unclaimed one who has not been mourned? Short extract: A saffron-clad man with hair reaching almost to his waist began to speak, and his cohorts stepped back and bent to sit on the ground, cross-legged and silent. 'Again the unclaimed one calls out to you, heart to heart, spirit to spirit, and begs to be brought home, to be mourned and released, no longer to be cast adrift between this world and the next. They cry out to you for your pity. Do not turn away from their plea. We who seek implore you...' But he got no further. A couple of the men at the head of the rabble of villagers rushed forward to break through the circle of seated chanters, grabbing a couple of them by their arms or legs and dragging them away from the group. Someone kicked the fire brazier over, and predictably instead of going out, the flames caught at the tall grasses and set them alight. People began to yell, the flames spread, someone threw a punch and within seconds there was a brawl. The flowing white robe of a young woman caught alight. Galvanised into action, Dee rushed forward to throw the girl onto the ground, tearing off her own jacket to quickly smother the flames. Mercifully, the girl was unharmed, Dee thought. She shuddered to think what might have happened had her jacket not been to hand. ***

Reviewers said: "Five stars! Delightfully entertaining, rich characters, suspenseful, charming all in one; anxiously awaiting the next one!" "a fascinating tale set in England in the 1930s. This 'cosy crime' novel, with its measure of burgeoning romance, is a good read; something to entertain and satisfy in front of a burning log fire in the dark days of winter. The settings and period detail are excellent...The denouement is swift, tense and satisfying..." "Dottie Manderson is a gorgeous character...A great read and I'm looking forward to catching up with more of Dottie." Rose Petals and White Lace: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 7 Dottie Manderson's relationship with Inspector William Hardy has recently taken on a whole new dimension, and that means getting to know his family. Whilst William is away clearing up the paperwork and red-tape following his recent case against the Assistant Chief Constable of Derbyshire, Dottie attempts to help William's younger sister and her fiancé put a stop to the malicious occurrences that threaten both their livelihood and their relationship. Meanwhile, Inspector Hardy has two problems to tackle: Firstly, the unexpected, rather hostile official enquiry into the recent events in Ripley and, secondly - though from William's point of view, far more importantly, will he ever find the perfect romantic moment to take the next big step in his love life? Introducing a new 1930s female sleuth in a romantic, suspenseful read in the traditional amateur detective sleuth genre set in Britain between the two World Wars. Extract from Rose Petals and White Lace: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 7 Now Dottie could see the dark form of the body on the floor. She saw the heel of a woman's old-fashioned button-up boots. Then the hem of a coat made from some old black cloth. To Dottie's left lay an object that she now realised was a black hat, not very clean, and with some elaborate-looking pattern upon one side of the brim. 'Dottie, sorry but I've got to go outside, I'm going to be sick!' And Ellie was gone. Dottie was still nodding absently as she heard the poor girl retching in the front garden. But all Dottie's thoughts were concentrated on that pattern on the brim of the hat. Surely it was a trick of the light, but the pattern seemed to be...crawling...moving... It was as if the little dots and dashes on the black felt of the hat were alive somehow, coming together then moving apart again. Suddenly her mind made sense of what she was looking at-and now she saw them everywhere, in their hundreds-on her own sleeve, on the floor, on her shoes, on the walls, the door, the door frame, creeping, creeping along the woman's coat, walking across her face, her eyes unblinking beneath the tiny feet and sticky pads. Maggots. Caterpillars. Beetles. Flies. Worms. Earwigs. Hurrying. Scurrying. Buzzing. Creeping. Scuttling and scratching. Tiny bodies scrambling over one another and everything in their path. Thousands upon thousands of them. Everywhere. Already Dottie was falling back a step away from the sight, one hand pressed to her mouth, the other flicking the little bodies off her coat. And all the while she was doing so, unable to look away from the body on the floor, she spotted the heavy gold ring on the woman's right hand. She had seen that ring before; she knew who wore it.

Szkocka mg¿a: Tajemnica Dottie Manderson tom trzeci: nowela Po pogrzebie swojej przyjació¿ki i mentorki, Pani Carmichael, Dottie Manderson otrzymuje misj¿ odnalezienia zaginionego syna zmar¿ej kobiety i poinformowania go o ¿mierci matki, której nigdy nie poznä. Tymczasem bliski przyjaciel Dottie, inspektor William Hardy, równie¿ staje przed trudnym zadaniem, które zmusi go do konfrontacji z przesz¿o¿ci¿. Czy inspektor w ko¿cu znajdzie czas na gor¿ce uczucie w swoim pe¿nym zawirowä i nat¿oku obowi¿zków zawodowych ¿yciu? Fragment ksi¿¿ki Szkocka mg¿a: Tajemnica Dottie Manderson tom trzeci: nowela Anna McHugh spogl¿däa przez kraty celi wi¿ziennej na le¿¿ce ciäo. Kiedy postä ta nie dostrzeg¿a jeszcze jej obecno¿ci, Anna wymierzy¿a pomi¿dzy kraty kopniaka i uderzy¿a stop¿ zwisaj¿c¿ z ko¿ca w¿skiej pryczy.- Dalej, idioto! Nie mam cäego dnia, ¿eby na ciebie czekä, wi¿c wstawaj.Postä na pryczy w powolny sposób rozci¿gn¿¿a si¿ i ziewn¿¿a, jakby w¿änie obudzi¿a si¿ z g¿¿bokiego, od¿wie¿aj¿cego snu. Wstä na nogi i pokazä jej swój, jak mu si¿ wydawäo, zawadiacki u¿miech, ale ona spiorunowäa go wzrokiem i obróci¿a si¿ na pi¿cie.- Je¿li nie b¿dzie ci¿ na ulicy za minut¿, b¿dziesz musiä wracä piechot¿ - Wróci¿a do poczekalni w przedniej cz¿¿ci komendy policji i rzuci¿a do oficera za biurkiem: - Jest ju¿ gotowy do wyj¿cia.Oficer pos¿ä jej skrzywiony u¿miech i obróci¿ si¿, by wyci¿gn¿¿ klucze z szafki stoj¿cej za nim.- Od trzech dni na wolno¿ci, hmm? Wiem, ¿e mówi¿ä, ¿e by¿ z tob¿ w domu przez cä¿ noc, ale przecie¿ wszyscy wiemy, ¿e to on zäatwi¿ tego jelenia w Barr Hall. A w¿äciciel ziemski jest dobrym przyjacielem oskar¿yciela miejskiego. Wi¿c mo¿e postaraj si¿ i przytrzymaj swojego ch¿opa w domu przez noc, moja kochana, je¿li nie chcesz, ¿eby wróci¿ z powrotem do wi¿zienia. Nast¿pnym razem mo¿e to by¿ na troch¿ d¿u¿ej.Obserwowäa, jak posterunkowy Forbes otwierä drzwi do celi.- On nie jest moim ch¿opem - powiedziäa cicho.Jej m¿¿czyzna by¿ w domu, za barem swojego szynku, i na pewno gotowy z paskiem w r¿ku po tym, jak si¿ dowiedziä, ¿e däa Williamowi Hardy'emu alibi na zesz¿¿ noc. By¿o jej ci¿¿ko na sercu. Bäa si¿ wróci¿ do domu. Ale co innego mog¿a zrobi¿? Nie mog¿a pozwoli¿, by Will wróci¿ do wi¿zienia za przest¿pstwo, którego nie pope¿ni¿. Wysz¿a na s¿o¿ce i wsiad¿a do mäego auta, które wypo¿yczy¿a z pubu.Wydawäo si¿, ¿e wszystko, co robi¿a dla Willa, przynosi¿o jej same k¿opoty. Jak on móg¿ tak po prostu wydä jej nazwisko, nawet je¿li próbowä wyj¿¿ z tarapatów? Teraz z pewno¿ci¿ ju¿ znä cen¿, jak¿ by za to zap¿aci¿a. Pod¿wiadomo¿¿ szeptäa do niej, ¿e jej matka na pewno by powiedziäa, ¿e prawdziwy d¿entelmen nigdy nie zawiód¿by zaufania damy. Jednak William Hardy nie by¿ d¿entelmenem, a ona w¿tpi¿a, ¿e on nazwäby j¿ dam¿. Dlaczego mu na to pozwoli¿a? Gdyby tylko mog¿a usun¿¿ go ze swojego ¿ycia - i ze swojego serca - jej m¿¿ prawdopodobnie nie widziäby w niej tylu wad. A to by oznaczäo znacznie mniej siniaków.Usiad¿a za kó¿kiem i czekäa. I dalej czekäa. Powiedziäa sobie, ¿e da mu jeszcze minut¿, co potem przerodzi¿o si¿ w dwie kolejne, a potem w nast¿pne pi¿¿. W ko¿cu, po prawie pi¿tnastu minutach m¿¿czyzna si¿ pojawi¿, id¿c pysznym krokiem, dumny niczym Punch[1] ze swoich wyczynów. Na ulicy kto¿ wydä okrzyk rado¿ci, a Will podniós¿ pi¿¿¿ w ge¿cie triumfu. Anna westchn¿¿a. Jakim cudem

Recenzencinapisali:"Pi¿¿gwiazdek! Zachwycaj¿cozabawne, bogatepostacie, pe¿nenapi¿cia fabüa, wszystkoczaruj¿ce. Z niecierpliwöci¿oczekuj¿ nanast¿pn¿ ksi¿¿k¿!""Fascynuj¿cahistoriarozgrywaj¿casi¿ w Anglii w latach 30-tych. Ta przytulnakryminalna powie¿¿, z t¿em rozkwitaj¿cegoromansu, to naprawd¿ dobra ksi¿¿ka; cö, co idealnie pasuje do p¿on¿cego kominka i mrocznych, zimowych wieczorów. Tempo opowie¿ci jest wartkie, a cäö¿ trzyma w napi¿ciu. Bardzo satysfakcjonuj¿ca lektura...""Otrzymäem ksi¿¿k¿ wpi¿teki wprost nie mog¿am si¿ od niej oderwä-zaplanowana praca domowa musiäa poczekä. By¿am tak oczarowana, ¿e sköczy¿am czytä w sobot¿wieczorem.""Nie spodziewäam si¿, ¿e ta prosta nowelka ta bardzo wci¿gnie mnie w swoje fascynuj¿ce klimaty. Po raz kolejny autorka nie zawiod¿a mojego zaufania. Genialne arcydzie¿o!""Dottie Manderson to cudownapostä... ¿wietnalektura! Niemog¿si¿doczekä, ¿eby przeczytä o dalszych losach mojej ulubionej ksi¿¿kowej bohaterki."Czy naprawd¿ warto zabi¿ z powodu mäego kawäka wyblak¿ego materiäu? Czy zdarzenia z przesz¿öci odchodz¿, kiedykolwiek, w zapomnienie? Przyjaciel prosi Dottie Manderson, aby dowiedziäa si¿ wi¿cej na temat tajemniczego skrawka materiäu, znalezionego w kieszeni zmar¿ego m¿¿czyzny. Kiedy tylko zaczyna zadawä pytania, rusza lawina zdarze¿. Wkrótce, umiera pierwsza osoba i Dottie zastanawia si¿, czy b¿dzie nast¿pna. Czy ten niewielki fragment sukna möe naprawd¿ doprowadzi¿ j¿ do skrywanej tajemnicy czasów religijnej nienawi¿ci i morderstw?Dö¿cz do Dottie, która próbuje odkry¿ prawd¿, dotycz¿c¿ odleg¿ej przesz¿öci, jednocze¿nie odkrywaj¿c liczne sekrety jej najbli¿szych przyjació¿ i rodziny. Czy inspektor Hardy zd¿¿y wsadzi¿ morderc¿ za kratki, zanim b¿dzie za pó¿no? Odk¿adaj¿c na bok swoj¿ osobist¿ tragedi¿, Hardy musi dö¿czy¿ do ugrzecznionego, londy¿skiego spöecze¿stwa lat 30., aby znale¿¿ zabójc¿.Przedstawiamy now¿ kobiec¿ lektur¿ o tajemniczej i mrocznej fabule, osadzon¿ w latach 30-tych, rozgrywaj¿c¿ si¿ w tradycyjnym, brytyjskim spöecze¿stwie w Wielkiej Brytanii w okresie mi¿dzywojennym, autorstwa Caron Allan, twórczyni Criss Cross, Cross Check i Check Mate, morderczej wspó¿czesnej trylogii.Fragment "Szata Boga: tajemnica Dottie Manderson: tom drugi":Hardy wszed¿ do bawialni. Przez okno wygl¿dä major, a jego chude ramiona uginäy si¿ pod ci¿¿arem rozpaczy. Wydawäo si¿, ¿e nie ma co mówi¿. Sama obecnö¿ Hardy'ego t¿umaczy¿a wszystko. Hardy stä w drzwiach i zastanawiä si¿ nad kolejnym krokiem.- Jak?Hardy chrz¿kn¿¿ i powiedziä delikatnie:- Obawiam si¿, ¿e najwyräniej zostäa uderzona w g¿ow¿.Medhurst skin¿¿ g¿ow¿.- Te mäe kapelusze, które dziewcz¿ta dzisiaj nosz¿... Zupe¿ny brak zabezpieczenia.- Racja - odpowiedziä Hardy, przypominaj¿c sobie z opó¿nieniem o ¿ci¿gni¿ciu swojego kapelusza. Zaj¿¿ miejsce. Plansza do szachów znów zostäa rozstawiona, rozgrywka by¿a w toku. Niew¿tpliwie, major zacz¿¿ now¿ gr¿ po tym, jak Hardy opüci¿ jego dom zesz¿ej nocy.- Kiedy mog¿ j¿ zobaczy¿? - Hardy by¿ zaskoczony, kiedy major Medhurst nagle odezwä si¿ zaraz obok niego. ¿zy sp¿ywäy niekontrolowanie po jego twarzy. Wykr¿cä swoje d¿onie, jego niespokojne palce dr¿äy.- Nie dzi¿ - powiedziä Hardy. ¿agodnie pokr¿ci¿ g¿ow¿.Wyszukiwanieterminów: Rhys Bowen, Lee Strauss, Georgette Heyer, Agatha Christie, Patricia Wentwor

Reviewers said: "Five stars! Delightfully entertaining, rich characters, suspenseful, charming all in one; anxiously awaiting the next one!" "a fascinating tale set in England in the 1930s. This 'cosy crime' novel... is a good read; something to entertain and satisfy... The settings and period detail are excellent…The denouement is swift, tense and satisfying…" "Dottie Manderson is a gorgeous character…A great read and I'm looking forward to catching up with more of Dottie." When Dottie gives new beau Gervase Parfitt his marching orders because of his recent appalling behaviour, she doesn't realise that very soon, she will be pleading with him to take her back, just so she can help old flame Inspector William Hardy with an investigation.Gervase may be pompous and annoying, but surely he's not actually BAD, is he? Dottie can hardly believe what she's been told. But meeting some of the people he has wronged, she becomes determined to succeed in making sure that justice is served. Extract from The Spy Within: Mrs Sedgworth knew she had called the right person. She looked over her shoulder to make sure she was alone, and dropping her voice, she said, 'Please help me, Mr Parfitt. I've had an accident with my car. I-I've hit someone. I rather think he may be dead.'Parfitt was with her in less than fifteen minutes. His calm manner and gentle understanding soothed her. Guiltily, she realised that in the past she had rather snubbed him, but in a crisis, he was clearly admirable. She made a mental note, when this awful evening was over, to make sure to invite him to her next dinner party.'Oh, Mr Parfitt! He came out of nowhere, I just didn't know what to do, or where to turn.'He smiled gravely at her. 'There, there, Mrs Sedgworth,' he said, scenting the alcohol on her. 'Don't distress yourself. Unfortunately these things do happen from time to time, nobody's fault, a dark lane, late at night. Only to be expected.''And is he really…?''Just leave it to me, Mrs Sedgworth. Try not to think about it.''Oh it's just terrible! What on earth will I tell my husband? What about the police?' That sudden thought alarmed her. She clutched at Gervase's jacket. 'I can't go to prison! I just can't!' Her voice was rising in panic.He fought down the urge to slap her, and said with another of his grave smiles, 'My dear Mrs Sedgworth, just you leave it all to me. I am the police, after all. And I know you didn't mean it to happen. Just leave everything to me, and I promise, no one will ever hear a word of it from me. There's nothing to worry about.''Oh Mr Parfitt, you're so kind,' she said, and began to cry.Repressing a shudder, he handed her a handkerchief. 'There, there, my dear. I'll take you home presently. But first I need to speak with the farmer, to use his phone.''Oh he's not at home,' Mrs Sedgworth said. 'Just his wife and son.''I believe I saw him go in the back door a moment ago. Never you mind about that, anyway, come and sit in my car and keep warm, and I'll be back in moment.''Oh Mr Parfitt!' she said again. She felt so grateful. He was the perfect person to help her out of this awful mess. He was after all, the assistant chief constable.

Reviewers said: "Five stars! Delightfully entertaining, rich characters, suspenseful, charming all in one; anxiously awaiting the next one!" "a fascinating tale set in England in the 1930s. This 'cosy crime' novel, with its measure of burgeoning romance, is a good read; something to entertain and satisfy in front of a burning log fire in the dark days of winter. The settings and period detail are excellent…The denouement is swift, tense and satisfying…" "I received this on a Friday and could not put it down - goodbye housework - not for too long though as I was so enthralled I finished it Saturday evening." "Dottie Manderson is a gorgeous character…A great read and I'm looking forward to catching up with more of Dottie." The Last Perfect Summer of Richard Dawlish: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 4 A few days rest is just what Dottie needs. It's not long before she makes the acquaintance of Penny Parfitt, and her attractive brother-in-law Gervase and accepts their invitation to spend a few days in the country. Quickly Dottie realises that secrets and intrigues lurk beneath the pleasant surface of their lives. A suicide years earlier casts a shadow. Was it really suicide? Dottie begins to think something sinister has taken place.But after all this time, can she find out what really happened? Introducing a new 1930s female sleuth in a traditional, cozy mystery series set in Britain between the two World Wars, from Caron Allan, the writer of Criss Cross, Cross Check, and Check Mate, a murderous contemporary trilogy.Extract from The Last Perfect Summer of Richard Dawlish: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 4: The war, Richard Dawlish, reflected might never have happened.The group of young people were sprawled on the steps, chatting and drinking beer.'Hello Dickie-boy!' Arthur Parfitt called and cackled at his own hilariousness. He was clearly completely drunk. 'Don't call him that, you know he doesn't like it, Artie.' Miranda snapped.'Oh Miranda, I'm cut to the core by your marvellous jibe! Though actually I refer to be called Artie. It's better than Arthur. Anyway, Dickie knows it's just a bit of fun, don't you Dickie-Dick-Dickie?'Richard ignored him. He accepted a bottle from one of the other girls. Beyond her, Algy and Deirdre were kissing with complete abandon. Richard hoped things wouldn't get out of hand. Miranda's little sister Penny was there, a kid who looked as out of place as Richard. She was too young to be drinking. He'd give it half an hour, walk Penny back then make his escape.He drank the beer, and another. Miranda took his hand and drew him into the copse amid catcalls and jeers.They were gone for twenty minutes, returning sullen and silent. Richard asked Penny if she wanted to go back. They set off.Next morning, the Maynards' staff surveyed the scene of the party. The house was a mess, the lawn was hardly less so.George Blake went to the pavilion to clear up after the youngsters. He was pleased, it meant he could have a cigarette. It was a perfect morning. As he neared the pavilion, something caught his eye. The body of Richard Dawlish, hanging from a branch of the copper beech tree. Buy The Last Perfect Summer of Richard Dawlish: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 4 for a romantic, suspenseful read in the traditional amateur detective sleuth genre.

Scotch Mist Reviewers said: "Five stars! Delightfully entertaining, rich characters, suspenseful, charming all in one; anxiously awaiting the next one!" "a fascinating tale set in England in the 1930s. This 'cosy crime' novel, with its measure of burgeoning romance, is a good read; something to entertain and satisfy in front of a burning log fire in the dark days of winter. The settings and period detail are excellent…The denouement is swift, tense and satisfying…" "I received this on a Friday and could not put it down - goodbye housework - not for too long though as I was so enthralled I finished it Saturday evening." "I was worried to read this as I didn't think it would be as good as the Criss Cross series… but I needn't have fussed as it was again simply brilliant." "Dottie Manderson is a gorgeous character…A great read and I'm looking forward to catching up with more of Dottie." Scotch Mist: a Dottie Manderson mystery novella After the funeral of her friend and mentor Mrs Carmichael, Dottie Manderson is sent on a mission to find the dead woman's missing son and to inform him of the death of a mother he never knew. Unbeknown to her, Dottie's close friend Inspector William Hardy has also been sent on a mission, one that will force him to confront his past. His conversation with the late Mrs Carmichael has opened up questions about his father he would prefer not to ask. A sentimental lawyer has plans to bring Dottie and William together, acting on Mrs Carmichael's bequest. But after a personal tragedy and some hectic months in his new role, is Inspector Hardy ready for romance? Perhaps if no one got murdered, he could think about other things?Introducing a new 1930s female sleuth in a traditional, cozy mystery series set in Britain between the two World Wars, from Caron Allan, the writer of Criss Cross, Cross Check, and Check Mate, a murderous contemporary series. Buy Scotch Mist: a Dottie Manderson mystery novella for a romantic, suspenseful read in the traditional amateur detective sleuth genre. Extract from Scotch Mist: a Dottie Manderson mystery novella: It was just after half past ten when he finally reached his room. He had a bath in lukewarm water and got changed, thinking to go downstairs to find the landlord and see whether he had heard any gossip about Mr Denholme's problems. But suddenly weary, he lay down on his bed, fully clothed, and at once fell asleep.He was not allowed to sleep for long, however. Almost immediately, or so it seemed to him, someone began to pound on his door, calling out in a thunderous voice fit to wake the dead, 'Hardy? Are you there? William Hardy!'From across the corridor came an answering yap from another guest room.Drunk with weariness, Hardy stumbled to the door, only managing to call out a quick, 'Yes, yes, I'm coming, I'm coming,' as he fumbled with the lock and the handle. The door opened almost of its own volition, and as Hardy looked up, bewildered, he had only time to note a large man filling the doorway before the man's fist connected with Hardy's cheek and everything went black. Buy Scotch Mist: a Dottie Manderson mystery novella for a romantic, suspenseful read in the traditional amateur detective sleuth genre.

A murderous confessional full of twists and turns. Friendship Can Be Murder! Reviewers said: "…the heroine is completely without morals…You really should not like her, but you find yourself wishing her every success in her increasingly bizarre schemes and personal entanglements" "Outstandingly witty, daft, exciting and so enjoyable!! This is the best book I have read in a long time. Exquisite!!" "…enables the reader to enter into the twisted world of the main character … reading her journal … you take voyeuristic pleasure in her inner thoughts, plans & audacious exploits" Spoilt society girl Cressida Barker-Powell wants to murder her interfering mother-in-law. In her diary she carefully plans the perfect murder but when she arrives at the scene, she finds the old woman already dead. Soon it becomes clear that her Hitchcock-Movie-loving best pal, Monica, has carried out the deed for her! Taking the murder-switch idea from their favourite Hitchcock movie, Cressida decides the only real way to show her gratitude is by killing off Monica's philandering husband and his bimbo girlfriend. Monica should appreciate the idea of swapping murders. That's what she wants, right?Wrong!Cressida quickly discovers this was not what her friend had in mind, and a devastated Monica is now hell-bent on revenge. Which means their friendship is definitely over. Isn't it?Buy Criss Cross: Book 1 of Friendship Can Be Murder by Caron Allan now for a dark, humorous tale of murder, revenge and choosing the right outfit for a dastardly deed.Extract from Criss Cross: Book 1 of Friendship Can Be Murder:I was actually going quite fast by the time I hit him. He, with the usual arrogance of the pedestrian these days, had assumed I would simply stop when I got to him, and he just stepped into the road and began to cross without actually bothering to check if it was safe. As I reached him, he was still ambling across the road and clearly wasn't about to hurry himself. I think he may have even seen me, as he glanced around at the very last nanosecond with suddenly frightened awareness, and there was something-some little look on his face-no, not even on his face, it was just the strangest suggestion of a shade in his eyes, the little lines between his brows contracting. It was a look that said, 'I always knew she hated me,' followed by a sudden realisation of what was about to happen and a strong impression that he suddenly thought, 'Oh crap!'But then he bumped up in the air and over the top of the car. I was doing quite a speed and of course, it's downhill and on a slight bend at that point-not at all a good place to cross really-and I saw him in my mirror, almost in slow-motion, as his head whacked down on the boot and then he hit the tarmac behind me with a strange flomping sound I could hear even though the window was up and Michael Bublé was blaring out of the speakers.Buy Criss Cross by Caron Allan now for a dark, humorous tale of murder, revenge and choosing the right outfit for a dastardly deed.

Reviewers said: "A cracking good read that addresses THE big question." "This is not like anything you've ever read before! It is fascinating, fast moving and keeps you guessing from the first page to the last." What really happens when we die? Jane Cooper is about to find out. There she is, lying in hospital having suffered a terrible accident months before when her nearest and dearest decide to pull the plug. One minute she's lying there enjoying her music and thinking about life, and the next she's floating through the air with no sign of her body. Still, at least she isn't alone. There's John, and Sasha and Freddie, all of whom share the same body-less state and died prematurely. Each of them is trying to hold onto their tenuous link with the living world, and this stops them entering the true afterlife. The mysterious Presence tells them they need to explore the true circumstances of their deaths if they are ever to move on. And that means coming back to life via a bit of body borrowing. Blending cosy mystery with a generous dose of romance and historical fiction as the book takes us on a journey through the 1920s, 1950s and finally the present day. Along the way, there will be discovery, understanding, forgiveness and a healthy bit of karma. Easy Living is a whirlwind ride that explores life's biggest question, and provides a thought-provoking beautiful answer.Please note: contains sexual references and strong language.From Caron Allan, the author of Criss Cross, Cross Check, and Check Mate, and the 1930s cosy mystery series, the Dottie Manderson mysteries and the new series, the Miss Gascoigne mysteries set in the swining 60s. Buy Easy Living for an intriguing and romantic mystery about life after death. Extract from Easy Living: All the world seemed to have fallen on its side. There was so much noise I couldn't understand what was going on, and yet it seemed too quiet for me to hear what was being said. So chaotic. Yet this was all in some sense familiar. The distraught driver of the charabanc was saying:'She just stepped out in front of me, there wasn't no time…'And someone, the one I knew was Freddie, was shushing him gently and telling him he wasn't to blame, it was just an accident. Everything around me was darkening. And there was Alice's hat lying in the middle of the road, getting dirty.A voice was speaking to me softly, persistently. I forced myself to look up to see John kneeling over me. His voice was warm and clear and the same as ever. His fingers stroked my cheek and temple with infinite gentleness. I saw for the first time that his eyes were dark and full of anxiety. He bent his head to look down at my hands as he reached for them to comfort me. He was deathly pale but he spoke calmly.'An ambulance is on its way, Jane, but I don't think you're going to come out of this. It doesn't look good.' He paused, and swallowed.'It's always a car…' I told him, trying to laugh, but my voice croaking. Buy Easy Living for an intriguing and romantic mystery about life after death.

A murderous confessional full of twists and turns. Friendship Can Be Murder! Reviewers said: "…the heroine is completely without morals…You really should not like her, but you find yourself wishing her every success in her increasingly bizarre schemes and personal entanglements" "…enables the reader to enter into the twisted world of the main character … reading her journal … you take voyeuristic pleasure in her inner thoughts, plans & audacious exploits" At the end of book 2, Cressida Barker-Powell-Hopkins was fighting for her life in hospital after being mowed down by her former best friend, now arch-nemesis Monica in a hit and run murder attempt. When Cressida finally wakes, she vows vengeance in this, the third book of Friendship Can Be Murder.But she's still recovering from her injuries, she's got a limp, is feeling depressed, and her murdering skills are a bit rusty. To make things worse, her arch-enemy seems to have moved house. What on earth can Cressida do now? Fortunately she knows people who know people.As her loved ones rally round, Cressida gets her mojo back and gets back on the trail of her former best friend, and as ever, confides her plans and schemes to her journal.Will she ever get back to reading Vogue with Billie? Why are dead flowers coming to the house? Buy Check Mate: Book 3 of Friendship Can Be Murder now for a dark, humorous tale of murder, revenge and choosing the right outfit for a dastardly deed. Extract from Check Mate: Book 3 Friendship Can Be Murder I paused for a moment to allow my eyes to adjust to this deeper darkness, and once I found the bath, sank down on the side of it to allow my jelly legs a few moments of recovery before leaving this sanctuary to complete my mission. I saw now that the door was open, and beyond the bathroom, the hall was dense deepest black. No sound came to my ears.In the doorway I paused again, to get my bearings and to allow my thumping heart to calm. I eased the bathroom door almost shut, and with a quick flash of my torch, checked around the room. I determined that I could easily doctor the mouthwash, both the open one and the new bottle I found in the cabinet. I tipped away about a quarter of the contents of the open one down the sink and added the same amount of the ethylene glycol-rich anti-freeze I had brought with me in fizzy pop bottle.I filled the syringe, and pushed the needle into the plastic near the lid of the new bottle to make a hole. I squeezed out some mouthwash and topped the level up again from the syringe.I felt pretty pleased with myself. I'd made almost no noise and caused no disturbance. My confidence rocketed. Time to find that kitchen.It's not easy finding your way around someone else's house in the middle of the night. It takes forever to go anywhere as you have your hands stretched out in front of you, and you have to feel each step of the way. The last thing I wanted was to bump into a shelf of ornaments or fall down the stairs.By the time I had finally reached the kitchen, I was mentally and physically exhausted. There were a number of useful items in the fridge that I knew I would be able to 'enhance'. For example, the plastic container of leftover peach slices in syrup. I added a little splosh to that...*

"Eine faszinierende Geschichte, die in den 1930er Jahren in England spielt. Dieser 'Cozy Crime'-Roman mit einiger aufkeimender Romantik ist eine tolle Lektüre; etwas zur Unterhaltung an dunklen Wintertagen vor dem Kamin zur Unterhaltung und Zufriedenheit beiträgt .. Die Schauplätze und die historischen Details sind ausgezeichnet ... Die Auflösung ist schnell, spannend und befriedigend ..." "Ich erhielt das Buch an einem Freitag und konnte es nicht für längere Zeit weglegen - ade Hausarbeit -, da ich so begeistert war, ich beendete es schon am Samstagabend. " "Dottie Manderson ist eine großartige Figur ... Eine großartige Lektüre und ich freue mich darauf, mehr über Dottie zu erfahren." Das Gewand Gottes: Ein Dottie-Manderson-Fall: Buch 2 Kann ein winziges Stück verblasster Stoff wirklich einen Mord wert sein? Ist die Vergangenheit jemals wirklich vergessen? Ein Freund bittet Dottie Manderson, mehr über einen Stofffetzen in der Tasche eines Toten herauszufinden. Aber sobald sie anfängt, Fragen zu stellen, geschehen unheimliche Dinge. Es dauert nicht lange, bis jemand stirbt, und Dottie fragt sich, ob sie die Nächste sein könnte. Ist der unbedeutende Stofffetzen wirklich ein Hinweis auf eine blutige Zeit des religiösen Hasses und Mordes? Begleiten Sie Dottie bei ihren Nachforschungen zur Aufdeckung der Wahrheit einer weit zurückliegenden Vergangenheit, während sie gleichzeitig Geheimnisse aufdeckt, die ihre eigenen engsten Freunde und ihre Familie betreffen. Kann Inspector Hardy den Mörder hinter Gitter bringen, bevor es zu spät ist? Abgesehen von seiner eigenen persönlichen Tragödie muss Hardy hinter die höfliche Fassade der Londoner Gesellschaft der 1930er Jahre gelangen, um einen Mörder zu finden. In einer traditionellen, gemütlichen Krimiserie, die in Großbritannien zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen spielt, stellt Caron Allan, die Autorin von Criss Cross, Cross Check und Check Mate, einer mörderischen zeitgenössischen Trilogie, eine neue weibliche Hobbydektivin der 1930er Jahre vor. Auszug aus: Das Gewand Gottes:Ein Dottie-Manderson-Fall: Buch 2 Hardy ging in das Wohnzimmer und sah den Major dort am Fenster stehen und hinausschauen, seine dünnen Schultern zitterten unter der Last seiner Trauer. Es gab nichts, was er hätte sagen können. Hardys bloße Anwesenheit bestätigte ihm alles. Hardy stand in der Tür und fragte sich, was er als nächstes tun sollte."Wie?"Hardy räusperte sich und sagte leise: "Ich fürchte, sie wurde anscheinend durch einen Schlag auf den Kopf getötet."Medhurst nickte. Nach einer Pause sagte er: "Diese kleinen Hüte, die die Mädchen heutzutage alle tragen, bieten keinen Schutz.""Nein", antwortete Hardy und erinnerte sich verspätet daran, seinen eigenen Hut abzunehmen. Er nahm Platz. Das Schachbrett war wieder aufgestellt worden, eine Partie war bereits im Gange. Zweifellos war eine neue Partie begonnen worden, nachdem er sich am Vorabend verabschiedet hatte."Wann kann ich sie sehen?" Hardy war erschrocken, als Major Medhurst plötzlich direkt neben ihm sprach. Die Tränen liefen dem Mann unkontrolliert über das Gesicht. Er rang die Hände, seine Finger waren unruhig und zitterten."Heute nicht", sagte Hardy.