The Cipher Garden: The evocative and compelling cold case mystery (Lake District Cold-Case Mysteries)

Edwards, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 074908135X ISBN 13: 9780749081355

Publisher: Allison & Busby, 2006

In the peaceful village of Old Sawrey, set in the idyllic Lake District, a murderer strikes. Warren Howe, a husband and father of two, is brutally slaughtered with his own scythe by a mysterious hooded figure. The police manage to identify several suspects, but due to the lack of evidence they fail to make an arrest. Years later an anonymous tip-off sparks the interest of DCI Hannah Scarlett, who heads the local Cold Case Review Team. Scarlett's investigations lead her to suspect Howe's widow, Tina. Meanwhile, someone is sending vicious poison pen letters to Tina and her two children. With the help of a historian, and his information on the goings on in his unusual garden, Inspector Scarlett delves deeper and deeper in her quest for the truth, discovering old sins that are casting long shadows. The clues are eventually pieced together, leading to a shocking revelation that will change Hannah's life forever.

Review:

'A beautifully crafted book. And for lovers of the classic whodunit, there's a delicious twist in the tail' Ann Cleeves

From the Author:

Many readers of 'The Coffin Trail' were fascinated by the relationship between Hannah and Daniel, and 'The Cipher Garden' takes that relationship a step further. This is a more complex novel in structural terms. As well as seeing events from the perspectives of Daniel and Hannah, the reader is taken into the heart of the family of the late Warren Howe, by seeing the case from the point of view of his daughter Kirsty. This gives the story an extra layer as well as providing the opportunity for what I hope readers will find a stunning twist. 'The Cipher Garden' is a book I'm really proud of and the reaction from readers and reviewers has been enormously gratifying.