Village Lies - Carlisle Linzi

One English Country Village - Two Missing Girls - Three Dead Bodies (so far...) - And loads of Poison Pen Letters

Sasha Blue's life is far from perfect - too many late nights, too much wine and pizza, and bad luck with men. As she scrapes a living solving missing dog cases and bad hair days, she dreams of one day opening her own detective agency.

When her niece goes missing in the English village of Parva Crossing, Sasha leaves London, and books herself into the local pub to put her detective skills to the test, with the help of attractive local artist, Cal.

Quaint and pretty at first glance, Parva Crossing, sliced in two by the Black River, has a darker underbelly of hidden secrets and lies, madness, crime, misunderstandings, and even murder.

Among its varied residents, Dorothy Newton spends her time spying on her neighbours from her windows, while her husband, George, worries obsessively about his elderly mother, all alone in her cottage. Mrs Pringle runs the local chemist, providing a running commentary on village scandals, not that she's a gossip, mind... while Barbara Fenton sits alone in her garden, at night, seeking the bottom of a vodka bottle.

Sasha is determined to uncover the truth behind the cruel poison pen letters that someone is sending, and in doing so, finds out secrets that some residents thought were hidden for good. But would they stoop to murder to keep their past a secret? And why does it seem that two different people are sending the letters? Will the poisonous letters lead her and the police to her missing niece? Who keeps dumping bodies in the Black River? Does the village have more than one killer, or is there a serial killer in their midst?

Murder, mystery, romance, and light humour all weave their way through this psychological crime suspense thriller, as village lives are changed forever.

Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell, and Sue Grafton.

Introducing Sasha Blue, London's newest wannabee detective. Single, mid-thirties, and flawed, she's many women's relatable heroine. Village Lies is book one in The Sasha Blue Mystery Series and is followed by Graphic Lies.