Katherine Black
Big Title
Christmas in Blackheath has never been bloodier…
May Morrigan was hoping for mulled wine and minimal drama this festive season. But when your eccentric mother asks you to hide a bloody knife, your estranged twin sister moves in, and your housemate is staging a chaotic pantomime starring a washed-up TV actor with a stalker… a quiet Christmas is off the cards.
When a string of mysterious stabbings shatters the peace on the heath, May finds herself sleuthing through a flurry of secrets involving long-lost babies, pantomime politics, and more than one case of mistaken identity. With her divorce finale looming, her love life in tatters, and her sister revealing a life-altering secret of her own, May must untangle a knot of lies stretching back decades.
As snow falls and secrets unravel, the Morrigan women must reckon with the past—before another body drops.
Murder, mayhem and mistletoe... This deliciously twisty, darkly comic mystery is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and The Thursday Murder Club.
Menacing texts lead to murder in an English village, in this unmissable, witty mystery by the Dagger Award–nominated author of A Most Unusual Demise.
May Morrigan is in her bookshop one morning when she—and everyone else in the shop—receives an anonymous text. It contains a reference to a Shakespeare quotation—and seems to be aimed at the vicar and his partner, Juan. The next morning, one of them is dead.
Meanwhile, May’s elderly mother, Minty, is staying with her, her old friend Fletcher, and her two dogs. To her dismay, Minty is quite preoccupied with death herself lately. She also keeps reminiscing about her past in ways that make May wonder what secrets she’s hiding.
As disturbing texts continue to arrive, the Blackheath residents are threatened with further revelations and titillations. Then Fletcher becomes the focus of the tormenting texter . . . and barely escapes an attempt on his life. It’s time for May to send a strong message—and block this killer permanently . . .
Listen to the A Most Malicious Messenger playlist:
Longlisted for the CWA's New Blood Dagger 2024
A well-read old dear has an unhealthy interest in murder in this sharp, witty and refreshingly original cozy crime novel.
Retired librarian and bookshop owner May Morrigan lives in the affluent village of Blackheath with Fletcher, her best friend since they met decades ago, and May’s two dogs. What could be more normal? But May is not your average little old lady . . .
After an unpleasant church volunteer and an annoying local butcher meet their untimely ends, Fletcher and May team up to do some sleuthing. Soon, the elderly pair start working with a young journalist to investigate the case of a missing girl and its possible link to previous unsolved crimes. May finds this new project quite intriguing. She’s never met a murderer before—and now she just may get the chance, if they play their cards right . . .
What everyone is saying about A Most Unusual Demise:
"A laugh-out-loud crime novel!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Fun quirky read - loved it." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"A great read where all is not as it seems." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"A mystery that will keep you guessing till the end." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Listen to the A Most Unusual Demise playlist:
The latest volume of creative writing from the crime fiction strand of UEA's world-renowned Creative Writing MA, from the 2020/21 student cohort.
