Detective Ngaire Blakes

Paul Worthington just confessed to a murder that never happened. Magdalene Lynton died forty years ago: a vivacious teenager who fell victim to a grotesque, accidental drowning. The coroner's office issued a verdict of death by misadventure and filed her case. The farming commune she'd lived within, splintered apart. Her body was left behind in a small, private cemetery encircled by acres of fallow ground. Until Paul Worthington confessed to her murder. Magdalene's case lands with Ngaire Blakes, a Maori detective recovering from a brutal stabbing. After fighting for the resources to investigate, Ngaire discovers that Paul's confession doesn't fit with the facts of Magdalene's death. The trouble is, neither does the original verdict. Together with her partner, Deb, Ngaire digs deeper into the case to uncover inconsistencies, lies, and mortal danger. The Three Deaths of Magdalene Lynton is the first book in a new series of mystery novels set in the deep shadows of New Zealand. If you savor tightly raveled mysteries, strong female leads, and psychologically unsettled minds, then you'll enjoy Katherine Hayton's opening story in a compelling trilogy.

A killer won't stop until Ngaire Blakes is dead. Ngaire Blakes is trying to put her life back together. The ex-cop resigned from the police after a vicious assault left her battling PTSD. Dragged into a murder investigation, she's shocked to discover that all the evidence points to her. When the body count climbs, Ngaire flees to the cold comfort of her estranged father's hometown. In danger and not knowing who to trust, she severs contact with her closest allies and must learn to rely on herself if she's going to catch the killer before it's too late. The Second Stage of Grief is the second book in a series of mystery novels set in the dark shadows of New Zealand. If you enjoy gritty mysteries, strong women who rise to the challenge, and thrilling psychological suspense, then you'll love Katherine Hayton's second installment in the Ngaire Blakes trilogy.

Sometimes a secret is all you have left. Detective Ngaire Blakes is back on the case when a skeletonized murder victim is discovered-a crime that took place during the Springbok Tours of 1981. A period that pitted father against son, town against city, and police against protestors. When the victim is identified as Sam Andie, a young African American man, Ngaire must investigate whether racial motives were behind the death. Meanwhile the forensic pathologist asserts that a police baton could easily have been the murder weapon. Or could Sam's death be connected to his girlfriend-a young woman convicted of a savage double homicide in the same week he disappeared? With files missing, memories hazy, and a strident false confession muddying the waters, Ngaire must sift through the detritus if she hopes to find the truth hiding deep beneath the lies. The Only Secret Left to Keep is the third mystery in a series set in the darkest shadows of New Zealand. If you enjoy puzzling mysteries, strong female leads, and the thrill of psychological suspense, then you'll enjoy the latest story in the Ngaire Blakes trilogy.