Published Bestsellers

Genre:  Fiction: Crime Detective Mystery The Percival diamond disappears when twins, William and Elsie Percival, are children. Not too long afterwards, their parents die. They  unearth a trunk in the attic; the contents: the secret to the Percival diamond, and set out to find out what happened to it. Mary, their cousin, whom the siblings have not seen in many years, may be able to unlock the mystery and so a house party is organised in her honour. The party guests that arrive at Oakmere Hall are a mixed bunch. Death also pays a visit, bringing Inspector Thomas and his bumbling sidekick Constable Turner up to the estate to try to unravel the enigma. …Find out more… visit book page Reviews "A jewel of a novel, shimmering with intrigue and suspense." …publishedbestsellers.com "I couldn’t put it down, and I didn't guess the murderer either!" …Francis Gershwin, Office Manager. "Compelling mixture of chills … with threads of humour running

Read book excerpt (preview) Download Book Flyer Ebook   |  Kobo  |  Google Play  |  Apple iBook  |  Nook  |  Amazon Kindle UK  |   Amazon Kindle US The Author Having always had a love for English, Salema qualified to teach it as a foreign language and then went abroad to work in Lebanon. She taught adults at a language centre and eventually ended up helping at a school on the site of an orphanage where she met her husband. She wrote about the plight of the orphans and the article was published in the centre-spread of a Christian newspaper.    Salema has been obsessed with whodunits since she was a teenager and was challenged to write her own by her sister Jess. Not knowing where to start she took herself off to college to do a crime writing course with published crime authors Lesley Thomson and Elly Griffiths and hasn’t looked back since. She currently lives in West Sussex where she takes care of her husband, two children and two cats (not necess

Fancy a bit of political theory mixed up with your murder? a group of Danish students with daring plans for a new world order? a scam involving some missing music scores? wolf-ravens in Scandinavian folklore? Then this is the book for you! The wife of a London modernist composer, unhappy in her marriage, seeks fresh interests at Copenhagen University, she gets involved in a student movement and meets a brutal death. The investigation uncovers some dubious characters and a confusing web of possibilities, but DI Wickfield is equal to the challenge – just! … The Author - Member of an ancient but completely undistinguished York family, by chance born and brought up in the Midlands, Julius Falconer studied abroad before working as a translator back in the UK. Thinking that he could earn more as a teacher, to fund his extravagant life-style, he took a PGCE at Leeds University and duly turned to teaching. He slaved away at the chalk-face for twenty-six stirring years in both Cornwall and

" I came to this review knowing nothing of the author and had to get over the slightly ambivalent cover: was it a novel or a guide to running a successful business? The cover gave nothing away, and the back blurb was equally vague. I settled down to what was to become for me a very interesting novel. Have you ever been bored to tears and wanted to throw in a steady job that pays the bills and keeps you employed nine to five? Well Laurie, the main character in this novel, had the urge to do just that, and the thought kept niggling away at him to strike out on his own. This story rang very true to me because I have been there and met some of the truly ruthless business types that Laurie comes across in his quest to become a successful entrepreneur. Apart from being a highly entertaining novel, I would recommend this as a must read for any budding businessman. In down to earth terms the author illustrates that all success has a cost in personal relationships, family and fri

From its opening setting of the innocence of university life to the closing satisfaction of cold, hard business dealing, ‘Making It’ takes you on one man’s journey through the turbulent, unpredictable and ruthless business world of the ‘Thatcher Revolution’. Laurie Walker’s trauma of almost failing his degree, and a subsequently volatile encounter with the gay scene in Barcelona, sets the scene for his education beyond anything that academia could have taught him. This is a journey through the social and economic upheaval of the 1980s and 1990s in a cutthroat business world where sharks lurk at every corner waiting for the unwary novice. Mark Edmondson’s portrayals of Chas Wray as the tycoon bully-boy and Laurie Walker as his unwitting victim are sharp, entrancing, and financially brutal. The dual plotlines, converging inexorably, are a hark-back to the days when deregulation was the byword of the Tory government of the time. This, however, is no textbook, despite Mr Edmondso

"Imagine, for a moment, Thomas Hardy writing crime, and you have a close approximation to Julius Falconer’s descriptive talents in ‘The Waif’. Ally that to a style reminiscent of Edgar Wallace in ‘The Four Just Men’, and you have all of the necessary ingredients for a fascinating detective story. Now throw in, for good measure, ‘Bradshaw’s Guide’, and you are off on a journey filled with wonderful scenery as we traverse Europe in search of a miscreant so cunning, that DI Moat seems foiled at each and every turn. ‘The Waif’ sets Moat and his assistant, DS Stockwell, a seemingly unsolvable mystery going back three centuries, and culminating in what appears, on the face of it, to be a simple case of murder. Falconer’s depth of knowledge of the environs, not just of Yorkshire, but also of several European locales, reveals a commitment to a level of research essential for a good detective thriller. Moat’s almost ‘Poirot’ characterization, and his invitations to ‘you dear reader’

Here is another gripping page-turner from a master storyteller. The chapters simply roll by, as you follow ace sleuth, Detective Inspector Wickfield and Sergeant Hewitt, through a myriad of possible theories about a fatality: each one having to be diligently considered, before filing, and moving on to the next. The story breaks with the sudden death of the Bishop of Worcester in 1966. His body being found in his official castle study, with the doors and windows locked from the inside. It could have been a perfectly straightforward accident and to another, less efficient and inexperienced officer, it might have been, but Wickfield is immediately suspicious; something doesn’t smell right. Looking around the room he sees things that others might have missed, and like a dog with a bone he gnaws and nags away at the problem, leaving no stone unturned until he’s interviewed everyone with the slightest connection to the high churchman. In a few short days following the death, and toge

Scenic Worcestershire appears to have more than its fair share of evildoers and wicked murderers! In this gripping and extremely baffling case for Police Inspector Stan Wickfield, the author pits him against a highly cunning adversary. We have stepped back in time to early 1968, to the sudden, violent death of Fr Wilfred, parish priest of The Sacred Heart Catholic Church. It occurs, just as the church itself is undergoing a disquieting period of change. A lot of preconceived religious practice is being challenged by a wave of new thinking and the detective uncovers several suspects in his quest for the truth of this sudden death: was it murder or suicide? With Sergeant Spooner assisting him, Stan Wickfield (considered to be the best brains on the force) methodically works his way through the lives and possible motives of each of the suspects: often taking two steps backwards for every step gained and thus giving the reader a glimpse of the workings of the Catholic Church and th

This seemingly unfathomable case tests Worcestershire’s finest: Detective Inspector Stan Wickfield, and his appointed assistant: Sergeant Hewitt, to the limit. Author Julius Falconer takes a back seat and graciously allows the inspector, freedom to tell the story in his own inimitable fashion, (a bit like Conan Doyle letting Sherlock Holmes off the leash.) I must confess, I do enjoy the policeman’s own, man of the people style. With Wickfield, what you see is what you get. He is a no-nonsense, detective who knows how to call a spade a spade. However, I think Julius ought to be aware; there are occasional hints for the reader, that Wickfield could have his own literary aspirations.  In The Longdon Murders, an old couple are found dead in their daughter’s, Worcestershire-village cottage, both slumped over a table and poisoned by a contaminated bottle of wine. Their daughter is nowhere to be seen. Then shortly after, a young man’s body is discovered in a London bed-sit. He’s been

This is a fascinating Inspector Wickfield murder mystery. By this time the Police detective has much more experience under his belt. He is called upon to use his undoubted skills and thus provide the answer to another Worcestershire riddle. His co-partner in this tale is Sergeant Spooner and together they set about the enormous task of bringing the perpetrator/s to justice. This case would be tricky enough, if it wasn’t for the fact that, as their work progresses, it becomes abundantly clear, a recent murder has definite links to a very cold crime, of some twenty years earlier. It seems shocking to me, that amongst the glories of Worcestershire apples and pears, there could be some very odd fruit, lurking under the stairs! However this tale soon gets under your own skin, so to speak, and the book becomes another un-put-down-able, labour of love.

For me, one of the main attractions of the: Who done it ; is to pit my wits against the criminal investigators and attempt to anticipate who the perpetrator is, before they do. Author Julius Falconer allows Police Inspector Stan Wickfield to tell the story in his own way, warts and all, even to the point of interacting directly with the reader, right through the story. I find this very appealing, especially as the inspector is not some soulless, over-promoted wonder-boy, but a conscientious thief-taker who expresses his own self-doubts and is not frightened or ashamed to seek advice from his sergeant. As we proceed through the book, I get the impression we are all in it together, almost as if we were trying to interpret the clues to a complicated crossword puzzle. We understand the policeman’s frustrations, as he encounters each dead end and has to rethink his strategy. Some crime, novelists work on a totally different level, with convoluted sentences and padded chapters, which

Rippercide By Peter Hodgson His perverted desire is to become the world’s most infamous serial killer. He is a psychopath, emulating killers like Jack the Ripper. A popular seaside resort becomes his stalking ground. The terror intensifies as the bodies of young women are discovered mutilated. While police officials follow traditional lines of enquiry in their search for a forensically aware serial killer, Sheridan and Becky grapple with obscure clues. Piece by piece the clues begin to make sense.    As detectives eventually close in on their prime suspect, Becky follows her intuition in an attempt to solve the mystery of the killer’s identity. And the nightmare begins... .. Find out more

"If you love a good mystery, then what could be better than a 50 year old letter that leads the main character, Julie, on an adventure to find the person who was supposed to receive this love letter? The one thing that Julie discovered from the letter was that it had been written by a soldier returning home after the end of the World War II to a nurse in Cleethorpes. They had met at a rehabilitation hospital in Kent and fell head over heels in love. With her husband in tow, Julie travels to East Coast holiday resort of Cleethorpes. Here they discover much more than who should have received the letter. They discover dark secrets that hark back to the Third Reich. If their discoveries fall into the wrong hands, the very foundation of the British government could be destroyed." Neal James is the author of five books: 'A Ticket to Tewkesbury' , 'Short Stories - V1' , 'Two Little Dicky Birds' , ' Threads of Deceit ' & ' Full Marks 

"I enjoyed reading this novel so much because of the author's talent to create the perfect plot. I liked all the twists and different directions he was taking me. Definitely a page turner! I couldn't put it down. The author has the ability to write description that made me feel like I was part of the story. I could see everything the author wanted me to see, like in a movie. It's well written and the characters all perfectly described. It's definitely a book that I will read again. It was a good read and the end left me wanting more. I recommend this book to everyone! Two thumbs up!"   Neal James is the author of five books: 'A Ticket to Tewkesbury' , 'Short Stories - V1' , 'Two Little Dicky Birds' , ' Threads of Deceit ' & ' Full Marks '. Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK Ebook | Kobo |  Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook  | Txtr  

"I enjoyed reading this novel so much because of the author's talent to create the perfect plot. I liked all the twists and different directions he was taking me. Definitely a page turner! I couldn't put it down. The author has the ability to write description that made me feel like I was part of the story. I could see everything the author wanted me to see, like in a movie. It's well written and the characters all perfectly described. It's definitely a book that I will read again. It was a good read and the end left me wanting more. I recommend this book to everyone! Two thumbs up!"   Neal James is the author of five books: 'A Ticket to Tewkesbury' , 'Short Stories - V1' , 'Two Little Dicky Birds' , ' Threads of Deceit ' & ' Full Marks '. Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK Ebook | Kobo |  Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook  | Txtr  

Style is often a matter of taste. I daresay that the Falconer style, for reasons that are beyond me, is not to everyone’s taste, but at least his writing: is clear and unambiguous is grammatically, syntactically and orthographically correct in every detail has (I like to think) a certain elegance evinces an old-world charm too often lacking in today’s writing springs no surprises (no sex, profanities or violence) in short, provides good, wholesome, family entertainment!

The Review Julius Falconer uses language in a more formal way than many other modern authors. His sentences are carefully punctuated, his vocabulary is extensive (meaning there are some words I had to check in the dictionary – and one or two weren’t in my dictionary) and he uses many literary references and illusions. I like his style of writing, although in parts it does tend to be long-winded. It’s a complex book, following each of the three investigations – some of which seem highly unlikely, but then they do say that truth is stranger than fiction.Two people had been suspected of murdering James Thwaites, the verger, but the police were unable to produce any evidence and the cases against them were dropped. It appeared he had been stealing rare and valuable books from the cathedral and selling them on the black market. I was intrigued by the book-trafficking business which on the one hand was highly organised involving the use of white van drivers, and on the other seemed rema

Interview Excerpt Q. Does being an accountant influence your attention to detail or other matters in your fictions? A. It certainly imposes a discipline in terms of the structure of what I write. Each author will select the most suitable method of controlling a plot, and it has to be something with which they are comfortable. For me, as an accountant, it is the Spreadsheet. Spreadsheets are one of the mainstay tools of my profession, and are perfectly adaptable for the purposes of writing literary fiction. I can set out the structure of each novel in standard form and then bend and adapt it to match the needs of each book. Along with a plot layout in MS Word, I can then keep a tight control over characters, story lines, and logic. By this means, I can ensure that there are no loose ends… unless I make a conscious decision to leave them lying around for purposes of my own. The accountancy profession also provides me with a wealth of data for my writing. This was something that I

The Laird of Castle Ballantine By  Harry Riley ...a strange and deadly mystery It is 1964, Leonard McFadden - a brash, young cockney reporter for a national newspaper is dispatched by his editor to the Scottish Borders, to follow up on the strange case of Doctor James Parker. Along with a party of other journalists he attends a midnight vigil in a rain-sodden churchyard by the River Tweed. Returning to the graveside in the early morning sunlight and suffering from a queasy stomach – the editor's golden boy, young reporter Leonard McFadden, staggers and grasps a tombstone for support, and plunges headlong into a strange and deadly mystery that fate has diabolically thrust across his path.

A FRIEND in need is a blasted nuisance," so goes the corrupted version of the saying. What the phrase in its original form does is to turn this colloquialism around. "A friend in need is a friend indeed," is a statement that the ones who stand by you in times of trouble are those whom you can truly regard as friends. With this in mind I failed a good friend completely through self-interest when I was needed, and the real shame of the matter was that a quiet word from me in the appropriate ears would probably have stopped the whole thing before it really had the chance to get going. By that time the bullying, for that is what it had become, had spread throughout the school and I could well have stopped it from even germinating – I didn't.