Shocking Crimes

A brand-new British crime mystery set on the Dorset coast from bestselling author Michael Hambling.

Meet Detective Sophie Allen. She's an expert on murder and violent crime. Her brilliant mind works tirelessly to put the most vicious criminals behind bars, but conceals dark secrets from her own past.

A body in a suitcase. A woman in a coma. A cold case that's suddenly red-hot.

When a child's mummified body is discovered in a suitcase hidden in the loft of a rundown terraced house in Bournemouth, even Sophie Allen and her hardened team of detectives are shocked to their core.

The only clue to the victim's identity is a badly-spelt note: Im Jan. im only 10. plees help me.

Meanwhile, a young woman lies in a coma in the local hospital. Student Holly Evans was jabbed in the thigh with a potentially lethal drug while out clubbing with friends.

Was Holly simply in the wrong place at the wrong time - or was she deliberately targeted?

When Sophie's team uncovers a link between Holly and the body in the suitcase, the case takes a shocking twist.

Twenty years ago something very nasty happened inside 68 Crawley Terrace - and someone is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure the truth remains hidden.

Discover a captivating crime mystery which will have you gripped from start to finish.

If you like Joy Ellis, Ann Cleeves, J.D. Kirk, J.M. Dalgleish, or Pauline Rowson, you will love this thrilling crime mystery.

READERS LOVE SHOCKING CRIMES:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another cracker . . . A real fast-paced page-turner with great characters and a chilling storyline.' Phil R.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow! Bursting at the seams with atmosphere and tension . . . Unforgettable.' Diane T.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The best one I've read so far . . . A cracking read.' Mary R.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Excellent . . . Keeps the reader enthralled until the final pages.' Rita H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A twisty and complex mystery . . . Will keep you turning those pages into the night.' Bonita S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Twisty and dark . . . I couldn't stop reading it.' Anni S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A gripping, chilling plot.' Ellen W.

THE DETECTIVE

DCI Sophie Allen is Dorset's acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime. She has recently been promoted to Chief Superintendent of the Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, overseeing investigations across Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset. She is in her early fifties, and lives with her husband in Wareham. She has two grown-up daughters. Sophie has a law degree and a master's in criminal psychology. Her brilliant mind conceals some dark secrets from her past.

THE SETTING

Bournemouth is one of the largest seaside resorts on the south coast of England. Tourists flock there during the summer months. But behind the beautiful beaches, bustling cafes, and vibrant nightlife, there's a darker side. Pockets of deprivation and criminality exist alongside the gardens, galleries and reminders of the town's more genteel past.