The Body on the Train: A Kate Shackleton Mystery

Frances Brody

$26.99

Publication Date: November 12th, 2019

Publisher:

Crooked Lane Books

ISBN:

9781643851600

Pages:

336

Description

Frances Brody's eleventh Kate Shackleton mystery is sure to delight readers of Rhys Bowen and Jacqueline Winspear.

Two murders. A one-way ticket to trouble.

And it's up to Kate to derail the killer.

London, 1929. In the darkness before dawn, a railway porter, unloading a special train from Yorkshire, discovers a man's body, shot and placed in a sack. There are no means of identification to be found and as Scotland Yard hits a dead end, they call on the inimitable Kate Shackleton, a local sleuth, confident her local knowledge and investigative skills will produce results. But it's no easy task.

Suspicion of political intrigue and fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields, impose secrecy on her already difficult task. The murder of a shopkeeper, around the same time, seems too much of a coincidence. The convicted felon was found with blood on his hands, but it's too tidy and Kate becomes convinced the police have the wrong man.

By then it's too late. Kate finds herself in a den of vipers. The real killer is still at large, and having tinkered with Kate's car, nearly causes her to crash. Not only that, but Scotland Yard has turned their back on her. As Kate edges toward the shocking truth, she's going to need all the strength and resourcefulness she can muster to uncover this sinister web of deceit.

About the Author

Frances Brody lives in Leeds where she was born and grew up. After leaving school at 16, she worked and traveled, including a spell in New York. She then won a place at Ruskin College, Oxford, and afterwards studied at York University. Before creating the Kate Shackleton mysteries, Frances wrote historical sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin award for most regionally evocative debut saga of the millennium. When not writing or reading, Frances likes to test her less than brilliant map reading skills by walking in the Yorkshire Dales.

Praise for The Body on the Train: A Kate Shackleton Mystery

Praise for The Body on the Train:
“A picture-perfect portrayal of England caught in the burgeoning class struggle between the wars.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Another fine entry in a consistently satisfying historical mystery series that combines a strong lead with crisp plotting and appealing period ambience.”
—Booklist

“Intricate…This well-told tale is enriched with vignettes of daily life [in] England…Readers must be on their toes to catch the subtle hints Brody skillfully drops.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Frances Brody lets Kate wander at will, and it’s a pleasure to follow her…People and places are described so vividly you can almost see them…When everyone’s motives are suspect, it’s impossible to know who to trust, and [The Body on the Train] makes great use of that fact in a truly chilling climax.”
—BookPage

“The threads are all pulled neatly together by the end.”
—Historical Novel Society

“Another deftly written and simply riveting read from the pen of a master of the genre.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Turning the pages to spend time with Kate is more than a good read. It’s a chance to visit friends.”
—Kings River Life

"Author Frances Brody’s clever and realistic storytelling gives the reader a picturesque look into the dark underground of England in the 1920s."
—Manhattan Book Review

Praise for A Snapshot of Murder:
“Absolutely captivating! You'll adore the wonderfully atmospheric dialogue and put Brody on your bookshelves with Bowen and Winspear.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, national bestselling author of Trust Me

“A strong historical-mystery series; perfect for fans of post-WWI detectives, including Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford.”
—Booklist

“Well-crafted…The simmering tension gradually heats up to a rolling boil. Brody dresses this elegant mystery in literary history while accenting the cultural mores of the tumultuous 1920s. She also convincingly renders the secrets and vices of her well-rounded characters. An intelligent and complex woman, Kate is someone readers will want to see a lot more of.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive.”
—Ann Cleeves, award-winning author of the Vera Stanhope mysteries

“I lost a day's work because of this novel. I couldn't put it down. Kate Shackleton is a delightful heroine—smart, strong, and independent. Treat yourself to a trip back to 1920s Britain.”
—Elaine Viets, author of Ice Blonde

"Get your copy and settle down for a trip to an earlier, gentler, and simpler time, where intrigue and murder were the name of the game."
—MyShelf