The most complicated murder mystery I’ve ever written is now in print, a very long short story called “Murder at Barrowbrocks” in Space Buggy Press’ new release Strange & Cozy.

I mention this because the unusual anthology premise – crimes in comfy and domestic settings (think Murder She Wrote) – allowed me to really let go on a play-fair sealed house mystery where everyone has a dirty secret to hide.

Ten years ago, the “Mystery Solvers” were nosy undergraduates who butted in to solve crimes. Then real life caught up with them: romantic failures, political ambition, career successes and failures, substance abuse problems, and all the rigours of the post-university world. The eight once-firm friends have not all met together for a decade until they are summoned by their college mentor, Professor Fairfax, who has something important to show them.

Snowbound at the Professor’s rural manor of Barrowbrocks the unthinkable happens: Fairfax is found murdered - and one of the Mystery Solvers is the murderer. While the bleak Yorkshire winter prevents even telephone calls for aid, Fairfax’s students must discover what happened in the twenty-four hours since their arrival. Who ransacked the library, and for what? Where did model Amanda get her bruises? Who changed the combination to the house safe? What became of the lab monkey? How did the Professor’s body come to be lying in virgin snow on the opposite side of the house to his broken study window?

And, of course, there’s the question, “What is the proper end for a murder mystery?”



"Strange and Cozy"
ISBN-10: 1515296946
ISBN-13: 978-1515296942
Published by Space Buggy Press
Release date: August 2015
Retail Price: from $14.21 at Amazon
Kindle Edition available

IW