Astrid Swift Series

Ever so wholesome. Ever so deadly... When art restorer Astrid Swift moved from London to the Dorset village of Hanbury, she thought she was heading for a quiet life. Far from it. A local man has just been murdered in the English Trust stately home where Astrid works, and the sleepy community is shaken to its core. Soon Astrid has discovered the shocking truth about her employer: rather than being the genteel organisation it seems on the surface, the Trust is a hotbed of politics and intrigue. As Astrid's new friend Kath from the village says: 'It's like the mafia, but with scones.' As the suspicious deaths mount up, Astrid must use every gadget in her restorer's toolkit to solve the mystery, salvage her reputation – and maybe even save her life. Thrilling, funny and unputdownable, The Trust is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Clare Chase. Praise for The Trust: 'Feelgood fun.' The Times 'I romped through The Trust... A cosy debut set in a house brimming with secrets... An enchanting murder mystery.' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal 'Macabre murders, quirky characters and delightful settings combine in a way that would make Midsomer proud.' Crime Fiction Lover 'A feisty heroine, an ingenious plot and a cast of quirky characters that soon feel like your best friends, make The Trust a cozy crime to savour.' Merryn Allingham, author of The Bookshop Murder 'Intelligent and gently humorous, with a suitably eccentric cast of characters.' M S Morris, author of the Bridget Hart books

Amateur sleuth Astrid Swift investigates a maritime mystery in this cosy crime adventure set on the Isle of Wight. The sailors are ashore, and murder is afoot. It's summer in the Isle of Wight, and the islanders have little more to do than munch crab sandwiches, sip pints of Wight Squirrel, and complain about the hordes of tourists arriving for the world-famous Cowes Week regatta. But when the local busybody drowns in the harbour, what was set to be a relaxing sailing festival starts to turn deadly. This is a case that only art restorer Astrid Swift and her new art-club friends can solve. Soon she is embroiled in an investigation involving a grand seafront mansion, a dead billionaire's nautical paintings, and a sailing prodigy who mysteriously went missing at sea three years ago. The Isle of Wight has a reputation for being England's most welcoming island, but even a friendly community can hide a killer... Praise for the Astrid Swift mysteries: 'Feelgood fun.' The Times 'I romped through The Trust... A cosy debut set in a house brimming with secrets... An enchanting murder mystery.' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal 'Macabre murders, quirky characters and delightful settings combine in a way that would make Midsomer proud.' Crime Fiction Lover 'A feisty heroine, an ingenious plot and a cast of quirky characters that soon feel like your best friends, make The Trust a cozy crime to savour.' Merryn Allingham, author of The Bookshop Murder 'Intelligent and gently humorous, with a suitably eccentric cast of characters.' M S Morris, author of the Bridget Hart books

Amateur sleuth Astrid Swift swaps the sporting summer in England for a British expat enclave in Spain, where everyone has a mysterious reason for leaving the UK. Amidst the sun and sangria, something sinister is lurking on the Spanish coast... It's the end of the summer season in the harbour town of Estepona. The holidaymakers are heading home, leaving the British expats to reclaim their little corner of paradise. Art restorer Astrid Swift has sailed into town to reunite with her estranged father, but has instead been tasked with catching an internet troll who's been threatening his wife. Soon Astrid is entwined in the lives of all the expats, from the boozy local heckler to the socially awkward beachcomber. And then she discovers a body in the bunker of the golf course... Can Astrid uncover the 'Costa del Troll' behind the poison-pen campaign before they reveal everyone's secret past? Or will they tear this cosy community – including Astrid and her father – even further apart? The Astrid Swift cosy mysteries are perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and SJ Bennett. 'Quirky ex-pats, a feisty heroine, and suspense under the Spanish sun... The perfect holiday mystery.' FIONA LEITCH 'The characters are charming, the setting is irresistible and the jokes are funny - just as we've come to expect from M.H. Eccleston. ' TOM MEAD 'Crime and grime aplenty for Astrid to investigate, to say nothing of the weird and wonderful people that she encounters while doing so.' Crime Fiction Lover Praise for the Astrid Swift mysteries: 'Feelgood fun.' The Times 'An enchanting murder mystery.' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal 'Macabre murders, quirky characters and delightful settings combine in a way that would make Midsomer proud.' Crime Fiction Lover 'A feisty heroine, an ingenious plot and a cast of quirky characters... A cozy crime to savour.' Merryn Allingham, author of The Bookshop Murder 'Intelligent and gently humorous, with a suitably eccentric cast of characters.' M.S. Morris, author of the Bridget Hart books