Books by Frances Brody

The brand new novel featuring Private Investigator Kate Shackleton!1930, Yorkshire. Intrigued by a mysterious letter from a stranger offering important information, Private Investigator Kate Shackleton arrives in the mill village of Saltaire. At nearby Milner Field mansion, overshadowed by its reputation for misfortune and untimely deaths, she expects to meet the letter writer, Ronnie Creswell.Kate soon hears the shocking news that Ronnie has been killed. At first his death appears to be a tragic accident at the mill, but soon it becomes clear that Ronnie's demise was no mishap. Kate is enlisted to help investigate the murder.Kate moves into the tower rooms at Milner Field, as she tries to uncover resentments, industrial espionage, and old secrets in the close-knit village. Although she doesn't believe in curses, she wonders what sinister truth lies behind this latest in the litany of deaths connected to the infamous Milner Field.Then just when things couldn't get any worse, a young girl in the village goes missing, and Kate must use all her strength and skill to unravel the mystery around the mansion once and for all . . .Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering the Kate Shackleton mysteries for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie, Ann Granger and Jacqueline Winspear.'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily Mail'Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger'Delightful' People's Friend

'Has a charm, and mystery, all of its own' THE TIMES'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' DAILY MAILThe first historical mystery in a new classic crime series from bestselling author Frances Brody. This is the perfect locked room page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie and Jacqueline Winspear.___________1969. A job in the Prison Service is not for everyone. The training is hard, the cells are bleak and a thick skin is needed. But for Nell Lewis, helping prisoners is something she cares about deeply, and when she's promoted into a new post as governor of HMP Brackerley in Yorkshire, she's tasked with transforming the renowned run-down facility into a modern, open prison for women.Just as Nell is settling into her new role, events take a dark turn when a man's body is discovered in the prison grounds. The mystery deepens still when one of their female inmates goes missing, ensuing a search across the country.Can Nell resolve the sinister happenings at HMP Brackerley, before anyone else is put in danger?___________What readers are saying about Frances Brody:'Witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves'A splendid heroine' Ann Granger'An engagingly forthright and indefatigable investigator' Irish Times'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail'The series is right up there with Miss Marple' Sunday Sport'Delightful' People's Friend'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences' Literary Review'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews'In Yorkshire we are proud to have such a first-rate crime novelist in our county' Yorkshire Gazette & Herald

The twelfth murder mystery in the enthralling Kate Shackleton series set in 1930s Yorkshire. When a dead body is discovered during a garden party at a Yorkshire brewery, indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton has a complex murder on her hands to solve . . .

The eleventh delightful and atmospheric instalment in the Kate Shackleton murder mystery series set in 1920s Yorkshire.

Kate Shackleton's tenth adventure, in which she investigates a crime in Bronte country. 'The series is right up there with Miss Marple' Sunday Sport

The ninth novel in the Kate Shackleton mystery series. Imagine Miss Marple in her youth!

Previously published as Sisters of Fortune.Sophie and Rosa Moran are born into a working-class family struggling to rise above poverty. Their father is a lowly employee at Thackreys' Bank, a powerful family-run concern. Sophie and her sister first come into contact with the Thackrey family - especially young Lydia - as children through their father's job. In spite of the social differences between them, they form an enduring friendship.Years later, their paths cross again when Barney Moran is sacked from the bank, and the girls beg Mr Thackrey for help. Swept up in a dramatic chain of events, the lives of the two families are changed forever . . .

'Frances Brody has the knack of spinning a tale that has the charm of the period' Daily MailNothing ever happens in August, and tenacious sleuth Kate Shackleton deserves a break. Heading off for a long-overdue holiday to Whitby, she visits her school friend Alma who works as a fortune teller there. Kate had been looking forward to a relaxing seaside sojourn, but upon arrival discovers that Alma's daughter Felicity has disappeared, leaving her mother a note and the pawn ticket for their only asset: a watch-guard. What makes this more intriguing is the jeweller who advanced Felicity the thirty shillings is Jack Phillips, Alma's current gentleman friend. Kate can't help but become involved, and goes to the jeweller's shop to get some answers. When she makes a horrifying discovery in the back room, it soon becomes clear that her services are needed. Met by a wall of silence by town officials, keen to maintain Whitby's idyllic fa ade, it's up to Kate - ably assisted by Jim Sykes and Mrs Sugden - to discover the truth behind Felicity's disappearance. And they say nothing happens in August . . .

In working-class Leeds in the 1920s, Jess is starting on her journey through life. Growing up in the aftermath of the Great War, she is torn between her downtrodden father and her cantankerous, ambitious mother. After a disastrous spell as housekeeper to the local priest, she works happily in the office of her uncle's shoe factory and falls in love with her childhood sweetheart, Wilf.But Wilf is determined to be a successful artist, and Jess can't bring herself to stand in the way of his dreams. She also faces a bigger fight: she is consumed by the desire to save her godchild Leila from an orphanage - a battle that eventually threatens to break her heart.

A lady with a secret Kate Shackleton's sterling reputation for courageous sleuthing attracts the attention of the venerable Lady Coulton. Hidden in her past is a daughter, born out of wedlock and given up to a different family. Now, Lady Coulton is determined to find her and puts Kate on the case. A mysterious killing in the library's basementBut as Kate delves deeper into Lady Coulton's past, she soon finds herself thrust into a scandal much closer to home. When the body of the respected Horatio Potter is found in the Leeds Library basement, the quiet literary community is suddenly turned upside down with suspicions, accusations and - much to Kate's surprise - the appearance of a particularly intelligent Capuchin monkey!The most puzzling case in Kate's sleuthing history yetConvinced an innocent man has been blamed, Kate sets out to discover the truth. Who would want Dr Potter dead? Does Lady Coulton's missing daughter hold a vital clue? As the stories start to emerge in the seemingly quiet Leeds Library, Kate is learning fast that in this case, she can't judge a book by its cover . . .

A murder most foul When the landlord of a Yorkshire tavern is killed in plain sight, Freda Simonson, the only witness to the crime, becomes plagued with guilt, believing the wrong man has been convicted. Following her death, it seems that the truth will never be uncovered in the peaceful village of Langcliffe . . . A village of secretsBut it just so happens that Freda's nephew is courting the renowned amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton, who decides to holiday in Langcliffe with her indomitable teenage niece, Harriet. When Harriet strikes up a friendship with a local girl whose young brother is missing, the search leads Kate to uncover another suspicious death, not to mention an illicit affair. The case of a lifetime As the present mysteries merge with the past's mistakes, Kate is thrust into the secrets that Freda left behind and realises that this courageous woman has entrusted her with solving a murder from beyond the grave. It soon becomes clear to her that nothing in Langcliffe is quite as it appears, and with a murderer on the loose and an ever-growing roster of suspects, this isn't the holiday Kate was expecting . . .

When amateur sleuth detective Kate Shackleton receives a dawn telephone call from her cousin James, his news soon snaps Kate into wakefulness. The India Office seek her on-the-spot help in finding a Maharajah, last seen on the Bolton Abbey estate. He has with him a hugely valuable diamond.Investigative successes and good family connections put Kate in the highly trusted category. Perceived as 'establishment', Kate feels an outsider in her sympathies. One thing she is sure of: her own skills and insights. Qualities that she is sure will help her unravel the latest disappearance on that fateful summer's day . . .

Take one quiet Yorkshire Village, add a measure of mystery, a sprinkling of scandal and Kate Shackleton - amateur sleuth extraordinaire!Bridgestead is a quiet village: a babbling brook, rolling hills and a working mill at its heart. Pretty and remote, nothing exceptional happens, except for the day when Joshua Braithwaite, goes missing in dramatic circumstances, never to be heard of again.Now Joshua's daughter is getting married and wants one last attempt at finding her father. Has he run off with his mistress, or was he murdered for his mounting coffers? Kate Shackleton has always loved solving puzzles. So who better to get to the bottom of Joshua's mysterious disappearance? But as Kate taps into the lives of the Bridgestead dwellers, she opens cracks that some would kill to keep closed . . .

'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily MailA pawn-shop robberyIt's no rest for the wicked as Kate Shackleton picks up her second professional sleuthing case. But exposing the culprit of a pawn-shop robbery turns sinister when her investigation takes her to Harrogate - and murder is only one step behind.A fatal stabbingA night at the theatre should have been just what the doctor ordered, until Kate stumbles across a body in the doorway. The knife sticking out of its chest definitely suggests a killer in the theatre's midst. A ransom demandKate likes nothing better than solving mysteries. So when a ransom note demands 1,000 for the safe return of the play's leading lady, the refined streets of Harrogate play host to Kate's skills in piecing together clues - and luring criminals out of their lairs . . .***A Medal For Murder is the second Kate Shackleton novel, revamped with a brand-new look. More reissues in the series coming soon.***What readers are saying:'I enjoyed book two as much as book one and now reading book three. That says it all' *****'Highly enjoyable and ideal for cosy mystery readers' *****'Best book in the Kate Shackleton series so far' ***** 'An excellent story well paced that keeps the reader turning pages. One of those unable-to-put down books. Highly recommended' *****'I could lose myself in the whole set if time allowed' *****Praise for the Kate Shackleton Series:'The series is right up there with Miss Marple' Sunday Sport'Delightful' People's Friend'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences. As self-reliant women in a society that still regards them a second-class citizens, they make excellent heroines' Literary Review'Frances Brody skilfully holds our attention, making us want to read on and then look forward to the next Kate Shackleton mystery' Gazette & Herald'The author keeps us highly entertained with an interesting and exciting plot, impeccably researched, and a style of writing that has the reader turning the pages eagerly to discover the truth of the mystery. Francis Brody is fast becoming "e;the queen of light crime fiction"e;' Gazette & Herald'This is whimsical, colourful stuff and readers will warm to the entrepreneurial yet fragile Kate' Take a Break'Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights' Gazette & Herald'Delightful . . . the series is right up there with Miss Marple and the like. On top of that, the covers are fantastic, too' Weekend Sport