THE ROYAL HOTEL MURDERS

Detective Inspector Andy Horton has a lot on his plate.
A celebrity receives threatening phone calls.
A nursing home resident assaulted.
A man found in a pit with several of his fingers severed.

Perry Jackson and his team are filming a new TV series about wrecks in the Solent and staying at the large and luxurious Royal Hotel on Portsmouth's seafront.

Shortly after they've checked in, Jackson receives a series of threatening phone calls telling him to watch his back and you've been warned. Horton thinks it's a publicity stunt to promote the new TV show.

Meanwhile at the Rest Haven Nursing Home, Mrs Kingsway says she's been assaulted by an intruder, but there's no sign of a break-in. The staff thinks she's lost her marbles, but her son wants action from the police.

And now a man in diving gear is found dead in Oldham's Wharf. Several of his fingers are missing.

The pressure is on. Detective Horton's deep in a web of intrigue, deception and corruption that stretches back into the past. Can he find his way back and stop a killer?

This absolutely gripping detective mystery is perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Joy Ellis, Rachel McClean, Helen H. Durrant, Angela Marsons, Elly Griffiths, Karin Slaughter, Matt Brolly and Simon McCleave.

Born and raised in the coastal city of Portsmouth in the UK, Pauline Rowson draws her inspiration for her crime novels from the area. When she isn't writing (which isn't often), she can be found walking the coastal paths on the Isle of Wight and around Langstone and Chichester Harbour looking for a good place to put a body!