''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

1929, London.

In the darkness before dawn, a London railway porter discovers a man''s body as he unloads a special goods train from Yorkshire, all means of identification stripped away. Hitting a dead end, Scotland Yard call on indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton, hoping her local Yorkshire knowledge and undoubted skills at winkling out information will produce the results they need.

1929, Yorkshire.

Fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields mean that Kate must conduct her investigation with the utmost secrecy. But when she discovers that another murder occurred around the same time as the mysterious body on the train, she is convinced there must be a connection. Using her sharp instincts and persuasive charm, she begins to uncover a web of intrigue that edges her closer to the truth. But with attempts being made on her life, Kate needs all the strength and resourcefulness she can muster, before she becomes the next victim . . .

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.

What readers are saying about the Kate Shackleton mysteries:

''Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine'' Ann Granger

''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 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