Death at the seaside

'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 AN IDYLLIC SEASIDE TOWNNothing 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.

A MISSING GIRLKate 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. A COMPLEX MYSTERY TO SOLVEKate 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 façade, it's up to Kate to discover the truth behind Felicity's disappearance. Praise for Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton series:'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