Admiral Shackleford Mysteries

Book One: A Murderous Valentine Admiral Charles Shackleford's retirement isn't going quite according to plan. Having been instrumental in improving the lives of so many (his words – others might be inclined to call it something slightly different), he's struggling to reignite the spark in his own love life with the feisty Mabel. Short on ideas, he decides to gatecrash his much put upon best friend Jimmy Noon's Valentine idea and ends up in the middle of a murder mystery weekend where real murder is on someone else's script. As the weather closes in, the guests are stranded in a hotel harbouring an unknown killer. With no possibility of the police arriving any time soon, the Admiral and Jimmy have no option but to join forces in an attempt to uncover the Murderous Valentine. The unstoppable duo may be not quite be Holmes and Watson, but can they catch a murderer...? Book Two: A Murderous Marriage When an old naval friend, Barney Bennett, dies in an unexpected car accident, the Admiral can't help but wonder at the likelihood of the brakes failing in a top of the range sports car – especially when he discovers that Barney's much younger widow has already buried two previous husbands in mysterious circumstances. With no evidence to suggest otherwise, the police record a verdict of accidental death, but the Admiral remains unconvinced that Barney wasn't given a bit of a helping hand exiting this mortal coil. Enlisting the help of his former Master At Arms, Jimmy, to investigate, the duo soon discover that Barney's demise may well be the tip of the iceberg as they follow a trail of deceit and betrayal leading back seven years. Is Birdie Bennett simply very unfortunate, or is she a Black Widow, living under their very noses? Book Three: A Murderous Season Admiral Charles Shackleford and his much put upon best friend and former Master At Arms Jimmy Noon have achieved local celebrity status since becoming Dartmouth's answer to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, although it could arguably be said that they couldn't have achieved such heady heights without the able assistance of their other halves, Mabel and Emily. And of course, Pickles, the springer spaniel... When Mabel wins a competition for four to stay in a lighthouse on the north Devon coast a week before Christmas, the Admiral is less than enthusiastic. However, as long as Pickles is allowed to come too, he bows to the inevitable and reluctantly agrees to make up a foursome with Jimmy and Emily. With the weather cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey and the steep stairs threatening to give at least one of them a coronary, the Admiral doesn't anticipate they'll be staying more than one night anyway. Until he discovers that a young girl jumped to her death from the very same lighthouse only a couple of weeks earlier. A young girl whose mother has been missing for five years... The Admiral promptly decides that fate has sent them to uncover the truth. But this time they're against the clock, and five days isn't nearly enough time to get to the bottom of the mystery. Operation Lighthouse may well be the first case they can't crack...