A calculating killer, a laid back policeman, and a frantic phone call mark the beginning of the "Five Dead Rooks" mystery, Inspector Walter Darriteau's seventh case, and unquestionably his most difficult to date.Bilk Thomas runs a Chester city centre nightclub catering for the more mature drinker and dancer. Why not? They have the money and they have the time, and when time's pressing people occasionally make rash decisions.  It's the wee small hours of Wednesday morning, the quietest day of the week, and Bilk is keen to count the money, lock up, and get home to his big and pleasant house in suburbia.He's only been in a matter of minutes when the doorbell rings. Who the heck comes ringing doorbells at coming up 2am? Bilk goes to the door and sees a man he does not recognise.After some discussion, he lets him in. Would you let a stranger into your home at 2am? Not many people would. But Bilk Thomas did, and maybe that was a big mistake."Five Dead Rooks" is available now and will keep you interested to the very end. Order your copy here today…  .

There are not too many new cases on Inspector Walter Darriteau's desk. Perhaps it's inevitable he thinks of old cases and cold cases and sad cases and nutcases, and that always brings him back to the DC Suzy Wheater affair, and what an horrific business that was.Lisa Greystone travels to the Greek islands. It's her final stab at freedom prior to her marriage to commodity heir, Midge Ridge. She meets bar owner, Nicoliades Emperikos, and after a few drinks allows herself to be taken back to his house, and his bed, but is it rough sex, or something far worse?The Ridge family and the Ridge businesses are doing just great. Crushing rivals, stealing their best staff, bankrupting competitors, sowing the seeds of jealousy and hatred, creating enemies that will last a lifetime. Everything is going swimmingly well."The Legal & the Illicit" is a story of power, money, greed, and naked ambition, with eight strong female characters eagerly awaiting their chance to come to the fore.And behind it all is Inspector Walter Darriteau, thinking, pondering and working out what the heck is going on, and what makes this driven family tick.    This book takes you on a thrilling ride through the world of big business, commodity trading, high finance, and ugly power, where threats and violence and even murder are all on the cards - a hectic world full of desperate men… and incredibly ambitious women.Walter Darriteau makes a welcome return here in his sixth case. "The Legal & the Illicit" is available in paperback and as an Ebook. It's a chunky page-turning read running to 430 pages.*******"This is a weighty novel for those who appreciate ongoing tension, excitement, revulsion, violence, mystery across generations, being all the more intense for the wait whilst the whole picture emerges. The story is very well considered and works well, for David Carter's chirpy, fast delivery keeps the pages of this sagaturning. Another great read from an author whose writing talent allows him the freedom to cross genres very successfully to produce a very tense, thrilling and enjoyable read, even if you are like me, squeamish and readily horrified. It's a slice of life not many of us would choose I'm sure, but it's also an experience. I can but highly recommend this book."  - Margaret Henderson Smith – Author of Amber and The Turn of the Tide.

Inspector Walter Darriteau's mind insists on returning to an old case from years ago when he was a humble detective constable. That's not such a surprise. It was one of the biggest cases he was ever involved in. But his boss, Mrs West, wants him in the present, investigating a Chester secret society, work that Walter considers dull and boring. But when his team dig up past unsolved murder cases his attention is piqued. "Falling" is the tenth book in the Inspector Walter Darriteau series. They are all standalone novels. "Falling" is a chunky book too, 450 plus pages, a roller-coaster of a story that will keep you entertained for days.

Meredith Hawkes has just left the Royal Navy after serving twenty years. His father, brother and sister are expecting him back at the family's detached bungalow up on the Wirral, but Hawkes has other ideas.He wants to travel, not across the globe, but to the hundreds of small country towns spread across England, places he has never visited before. Hawkes reckons it will prove a quiet relaxing time. He feels truly free for the first time in years, and perhaps he might meet the woman of his dreams. But it doesn't turn out that way. It seems rural and coastal towns have a story all of their own, and Hawkes has a knack of stumbling across people and events most people would choose to avoid. "Don't Forget to Breathe" is the first book in a new series of British thrillers from the creator of the Inspector Walter Darriteau stories. And the only place the reader can find out more about Meredith Hawkes, and his troubles... is here.

Towards the end of a busy day, Inspector Walter Darriteau returns to his workstation. There's a neatly written pink notelet on his desk. Please ring Mrs Susan Woodhams, and a local number. He picks up the phone and pokes in the digits. After three rings, a woman answers. 'There's something preying on my mind,' she says, 'and it has been for more than twenty years.''Go on,' says Walter, imagining it was something and nothing.'Almost a quarter of a century ago, I murdered my husband.' There was a brief silence before she spoke again. She wants Walter to call at her apartment at 10am the following morning when she'll tell him all about it.But gives him a warning. 'Come alone or I won't say a thing.'He warns her of the consequences of wasting police time, but seems satisfied and curious, and agrees to call.Susan coughs up the address and abruptly rings off. Could the woman be serious? Or maybe she's lonely and wants male company. Or could she be setting him up? Either way, Walter will call by, and can't stop himself imagining how she might have done the deed. Poison in the tea? Knife in the back? Pushed him down the stairs. Run him over in the garage? Eaten him? It had happened before. There were plenty of choices, and it would be fun finding out. The case of "The Missing Man" was open, an Inspector Walter Darriteau novella  and like all the others, set in and around the ancient city of Chester in the north-west of England.     

There's evil in all of us – even you! All it needs is the correct circumstances and the evil oozes out. Inspector Walter Darriteau has been fighting evil all his working life. He may be nearing retirement but the fight goes on."Old Cold Bones" introduces the reader to characters they will never forget. Clive Lilley's an old lag whose best days are behind him. So why is he calling Walter, telling him about a forthcoming robbery, though he has no idea where or when, or who's involved. Over at the Chester city antique auctions a priceless Ming Vase has gone under the hammer, but that brings a whole load of trouble. Madeleine Martello has lived a fractious life. She's an opinionated independent woman who won't suffer fools or authority. So what's her story and where does she fit into all of this? And a young man goes missing though no one seems concerned about it, except maybe Walter. Four baffling strands that keep Walter and the team thinking and dreaming and working until they're exhausted. Will it be enough? "Old Cold Bones" will tell you.There's evil in all of us – even you. Can you keep it under control, and more to the point, do you want to? This is the eighth standalone Walter Darriteau murder thriller. It's a chunky novel too, running to more than 500 pages, an ideal summer read for your slow down holiday, or equally at home for long winter nights, or when you might be housebound – which you could be!

This Box Set features the first 4 Inspector Walter Darriteau cases:The Murder Diaries – Seven Times OverThere is a killer on the loose in the ancient city of Chester, a random killer who strikes without any clear motive.Inspector Walter Darriteau and Sergeant Karen Greenwood are on the case, determined to catch the killer before he or she strikes again.What they say about The Murder DiariesFantastic writing that gripped me from the start and kept me involved and interested all the way through. Masterful writing re the different scenarios between characters in the story. Can't wait to read another book by this author.The Sound of SirensLuke Flowers is a small-time crook and he started young. Copying software, dealing drugs, living on the margins, playing the big man, forever in trouble with the law, until he opts for a big career change.Killing people pays well, and the respect he finds coming his way is a drug in itself.He's chosen his path, oblivious to where it might lead, as the sound of sirens echoes over the city. This gritty thriller keeps the reader riveted till the last page.What they say about The Sound of SirensI cannot recommend this book enough. It is fun, exciting, humorous at times, and bloody and shocking in all the right moments. If you're salivating for a new crime-solving hero, look no further than Inspector Walter Darriteau.The Twelfth ApostleThis chunky story takes the reader deep into the world of human trafficking and modern slavery.A young woman's body is dumped near the swimming baths. Walter's there in a flash.Subplots aplenty, The Twelfth Apostle is a roller-coaster ride where the reader sits on Walter's shoulder and watches the case unfold.What they say about The Twelfth ApostleI don't usually read crime/thrillers but I do like a gripping plot and believable characters. This book has both and I was particularly impressed by the details of places from Hong Kong to Liverpool - the writer knows England's northwest inside out. Inspector Darriteau manages to be hardworking, clever and endearingly human, much better than a lot of TV detectives I've seen. It's a good long read - one to get into on dark winter nights.Kissing a KillerIn a remote spot south of the city by the twisting River Dee, an old caravan bursts into flames. Inside, a young woman perishes. Accident, suicide or murder?In another part of town middle-aged Belinda Cooper has given up on men. They are more trouble than they are worth. During a violent thunderstorm she detects a prowler in her home.Belinda is a feisty woman, a veteran of the Cheshire Hunt, and reverts to being the hunter, as the intruder becomes the hunted.Walter's on the case - a thrilling mystery that takes him to places he could never imagine.What they say about Kissing a KillerIt's a test of wits this one for those who enjoy a good detective story, spiced with occasional humour too, it was good to be able to identify with the human element, bringing the characters to life and making it a well-rounded read.David Carter has created a character in Inspector Walter Darriteau who lives long in the memory.These fast-paced books grab the reader with snappy dialogue and a sense of humour too.A nice long read at more than 1475 pages. Pick up your copy today!

In a small Hampshire town teenager Adam Goodchild witnesses his mother’s brutal murder, shot dead by security police in the back garden of their cute cottage, an event that will one day return to haunt the government itself.Adam goes on the run and discovers he isn’t alone, for there’s a whole underclass of malcontents out there with similar stories to tell.“State Sponsored Terror” charts the course of Britain in the near future. There’s a new government in power, led by a charismatic leader who can do no wrong, winning election landslides, brought to power on the back of populist policies, savvy social media, and fake news.This book is a political thriller set in Britain in the near future. A disturbing page-turning novel that will keep you interested to the very end.