Death on the Downs [Paperback]

'Simon Brett has got into his stride with his second book in the Fethering Mysteries series... His light touch produces an enjoyable mystery' Sunday Telegraph

Fethering's own amateur lady detectives must investigate a shocking murder in the shadow of the South Downs

It wasn't the rain that upset Carole Seddon during her walk on the West Sussex Downs. It wasn't the dilapidated barn in which she was forced to seek shelter. No, what upset her most was the human skeleton she discovered there.... So begins the second investigation for strait-laced Carole and her more laid-back neighbour Jude. This time their enquiries take them away from Fethering to the small download hamlet of Weldsham, where gossips quickly identify the corpse as Tamsin Lutteridge, a young woman who disappeared from the village months before.... 'Simon Brett has got into his stride with his second book in the Fethering Mysteries series... His light touch produces an enjoyable mystery.' Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph 'Welcome return for Brett's lady sleuths.... As crime gets a harder edge, it's refreshing to have an amiable light-hearted tale, which makes the most of wit and atmosphere. A gentle stroll down mystery lane.' Yorkshire Post 'One of the exceptional detective-story writers around.' Daily Telegraph

The second novel in the Fethering Mysteries series, following The Body on the Beach (Pan paperback).

It wasn't the rain that upset during Carole Seddon during her walk on the West Sussex Downs. It wasn't the dilapidated barn in which she was forced to seek shelter. No, what upset her was the human skeleton she discovered there, neatly packed into two blue fertiliser bags . . .

So begins the second investigation for strait-laced Carole and her more laid-back neighbour Jude. This time their enquires take them away from their seaside village of Fethering to the small downland hamlet of Weldisham.

There gossips quickly identify the corpse as Tamsin Lutteridge, a young woman who disappeared from the village months before. Detective Sergeant Baylis will confirm nothing. So why is Tamsin's mother, a friend of Jude's, so certain her daughter is still alive? Why is village elder statesman Graham Forbes suddenly taking an interest in Carole? And why is the decidedly unstable Brian Helling so keen to announce that there is a serial killer on the loose . . . ?

As Jude sets out to find Tamsin - either dead or alive - Carole digs deeper into Weldisham's history and the bitter relationships simmering beneath the village's gentle facade.

'One of the exceptional detective-story writers around.' Daily Telegraph

'Simon Brett writes stunning detective stories . . . I would recommend them to anyone.' Jilly Cooper

'Simon Brett is a man of many talents . . . totally engrossing and unusually funny.' London Life Magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Simon Brett worked as a radio and TV producer taking up writing full time. As well as the Charles Paris and Mrs Pargeter detective series, he is also the author of the TV series 'After Henry', the radio series 'No Commitments' and 'Smelling of Roses', and the best-selling 'How to be a Little Sod'. His novel 'A Shock to the System' was filmed starring Michael Caine.