Delilah Metcalfe, the owner of The Dales Dating Agency, is besieged by financial concerns, struggling to keep two businesses afloat and a roof over her head. She has no choice, but to accept Samson O'Brien as a new tenant for her office space. Dismissed from the police force and facing criminal prosecution, Samson has returned to his home town to set up a detective agency while he fights to clear his name. But when Samson gets his first case, investigating...

In this superb and engaging mystery from award-winning author Deborah Crombie, a powerful policeman is found brutally murdered in his kitchen just outside of London and Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are called in to solve the most troubling case either of them has ever encountered.
Few in suburban Surrey mourn the violent passing of Division Commander Alastair Gilbert, whose arrogance and cruelty were legendary...

"Death is coming to Bruncliffe; its target is Samson O'Brien. Oblivious to his impending date with darkness, Samson is busy juggling a series of cases at the Dales Detective Agency. Too busy, in fact, to take the entreaties of a certain Mrs. Lister seriously. The concerned mother is convinced her son Stuart - the local lettings agent at Taylor's Estate Agents - has gone missing, despite evidence to the contrary. But while Samson is otherwise engaged,...