Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club: The compelling mystery series set at the dawn of the Cold War

Mary-Jane Riley

Aug 2025 · Allison & Busby Ltd

About this ebook

1948. The shadow of war still lingers over Britain and Beattie Cavendish, former Secret Operations Executive agent, refuses to settle into civilian life. When offered an undercover role at the newly formed GCHQ, the nerve centre of Britain's intelligence network, she doesn't hesitate. Her first mission is to infiltrate the powerful Bowen family and find out what she can about politician Ralph Bowen who is suspected of being a communist sympathiser.

Her mission takes a deadly turn when the Bowen's housekeeper, Sofia, has her throat cut. As the investigation spirals, Beattie teams up with war-weary detective Patrick Corrigan to expose a dangerous web of spies and secrets all leading back to The White Pearl Club, a Soho establishment that caters to gentlemen with dangerous appetites.

As powerful forces attempt to bury the truth, Beattie must survive a ruthless game of deception and the dark underbelly of 1940s Soho at the dawn of the Cold War.

Ratings and reviews

This started slow for me, nut it picked up speed and I enjoyed the to and fro as Beattie and Corrigan tried to understand how Sofia and the White Pearl club are connected, who is trying to hush things up, and who is trying to put them off the scent. I would definitely be interested in reading more if this were a series. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

About the author

MARY-JANE RILEY was a BBC journalist, presenting radio programmes and major crime stories over the past twenty years. She has also published four thrillers. She lives in Suffolk.