A seemingly idyllic English holiday park turns into the scene of a grisly murder and a perplexing case for Lambert & Hook Twin Lakes is a tranquil place. It is a complex of holiday homes in a particularly beautiful part of England. 'Rest Assured', says the sign at its entrance. And the people fortunate to occupy the luxury homes on the site are indeed able to relax in a beautiful setting. Then a series of mysterious threatening notes are delivered to one of the lakeside homes. DS Bert Hook conducts an informal investigation and the notes cease to appear. All is peaceful once more as spring moves into summer and the site is seen at its best. But suddenly a brutal death shatters the peace of this quiet place. As Lambert and Hook and the murder team investigate the crime, it emerges that the victim was by no means as innocent as most people thought him. And it seems that many of the residents lead far from ordinary lives and have secrets they will do anything to keep concealed . . .

Lyndon Hall is a house full of character, as the estate agent's literature claims. But its many interesting features should surely not include a corpse in the elegant drawing-room? Is this death the suicide it appears to be? The investigation centres upon a tight-knit village community. Both the glamorous French widow of the deceased and the man who lives rough on the moor after a mental breakdown seem to know more about this death than is at first apparent. Moreover, it gradually emerges that the staff of the estate agency he owned all had their different reasons for disliking the dead man. Superintendent John Lambert and Sergeant Bert Hook bring to the unravelling of the mystery their customary combination of insight, humanity and humour.

A young prostitute is murdered, and Inspector Peach finds himself with a complex, unpleasant case on his hands. He begins to interview local prostitutes and their customers, including a divorced policeman and a Catholic priest at odds with his beliefs. But did one of them kill the girl or was one of the town's more sinister thugs responsible?

A new investigation for DCI Peach that leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouths When a novice young prostitute is killed in the town of Brunton after only her first night, Inspector Peach sets out to solve the crime by interviewing some of the other local prostitutes and their customers. Discovering that these include a divorced policeman from a nearby station, and a Catholic priest at odds with his beliefs, Peach realises he must tread carefully this time. But however hard he tries, Peach cannot believe that one of these lonely men was capable of murder. Unfortunately, he must delve into the town's most sinister underbelly before he can find out who really is to blame.From BooklistGregson's Chief Inspector Percy Peach books have the rare ability to depict gruesome murders while still giving the reader a good chuckle. His latest is no exception. Peach has been away from the CID for a year, during which solve rates have decreased and the department has faltered under the mismanagement of Peach's boss and nemesis, Superintendent Tommy "Bloody" Tucker. Peach is assigned to the high-profile case of prostitute Sarah Dunne, who's been brutally strangled. Tucker, one of those awful bosses who loves taking all the credit when his subordinates perform well, warns Peach that he'd better solve the case in double-quick time. Peach, whose great delight in life is to insult the pompous Tucker without Tucker quite catching on, continues his campaign to undercut his loathsome boss. But Peach is also a gifted detective who's dedicated to his job, and he's determined to find Sarah Dunne's killer, even with Tucker's bungling attempts to control the case. A compelling, funny, highly entertaining police procedural that makes a fine addition to any mystery collection. Emily MeltonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedAbout the AuthorGregson is a Lancastrian by birth, and taught for 27 years in schools, colleges and universities.

A seemingly idyllic English holiday park turns into the scene of a grisly murder and a perplexing case for Lambert & HookTwin Lakes is a tranquil place. It is a complex of holiday homes in a particularly beautiful part of England. 'Rest Assured', says the sign at its entrance. And the people fortunate to occupy the luxury homes on the site are indeed able to relax in a beautiful setting.Then a series of mysterious threatening notes are delivered to one of the lakeside homes. DS Bert Hook conducts an informal investigation and the notes cease to appear. All is peaceful once more as spring moves into summer and the site is seen at its best. But suddenly a brutal death shatters the peace of this quiet place. As Lambert and Hook and the murder team investigate the crime, it emerges that the victim was by no means as innocent as most people thought him. And it seems that many of the residents lead far from ordinary lives and have secrets they will do anything to...

Lambert & Hook discover that interrogating professional actors is an impossible business in the latest intriguing mystery. Sam Jackson is not a man who suffers fools – or anyone else – gladly. A successful British television producer who fancies himself as a Hollywood mogul, he makes enemies easily, and delights in the fact. It is no great surprise that such a man should meet a violent death. Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook deduce that the person who killed him is almost certainly to be found among the company of actors who are shooting a series of detective mysteries in rural Herefordshire. But these are people who make a living by acting out other people's fictions, people more at home with make-believe than real life – and the two detectives find interrogating them a difficult business. How can Lambert and Hook fight their way to the truth when faced with a cast of practised deceivers?

A Lambert and Hook mystery DS Bert Hook is cajoled into auditioning for a local Shakespearean play. Desperate to get out of it, he expects his boss, John Lambert, to forbid him from performing. No such luck. Hook meets a rather surprising and sinister cast of characters. And when the director is found murdered, Hook needs to find the truth and fast. Who is innocent, who is just playing a part and who is really rotten to the core?

On the bitterly cold morning of January 6, a frozen body is found in the Lancashire town of Brunton. It seems 19-year-old Hannah Woodgate is the latest victim of the serial killer the media have dubbed “the Lancashire Leopard”. Detective Inspector Percy Peach is determined to find the Leopard before he kills again. But with no motive, no fingerprints and no clues, that is proving to be a very hard task indeed. How does the Leopard choose his victims? And, with a 60-strong task-force going through a painstaking process of eliminating suspects trying to track him down, how is he keeping one step ahead of the police at every turn? When the next woman’s body is found, the police are as baffled as ever. Whom should they suspect? Handsome loner Clyde Northcott, who was found with drugs after a bust-up at a party? Neo-Nazi thug Paul Dutton, who has shown he can certainly be violent? What about Terry Plant, recently released from prison, and on the hunt for his ex-wife? Or Michael Devaney, who certainly has reason to hold a grudge against women? With no shortage of suspects, or victims, DI Peach faces fatal pressure to find the ‘Lancashire Leopard’ before he makes his next kill. ‘The Lancashire Leopard’ is a chilling, expertly-plotted mystery story. It is perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. Praise for J M Gregson: ‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express ‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News ‘. . . Peach is as distinctive as Inspector Morse but less brooding’ - Booklist J M Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare. His other crime novels include ‘Stranglehold’, ‘Girl Gone Missing’ and ‘Body Politic’. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books. **From Publishers Weekly Lives hang in the balance as series hero Detective Inspector Percy Peach tracks a serial killer in J.M. Gregson's (A Turbulent Priest) The Lancashire Leopard. The killer's tendencies suggest law-enforcement know-how, and the fact that he targets young women of a certain type makes Peach fear for his companion and colleague, Detective Sergeant Lucy Blake. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. About the Author Gregson is a Lancastrian by birth, and taught for 27 years in schools, colleges and universities.