The Distant Dead

Lesley Thomson

May 2021 · Head of Zeus Ltd

About this ebook

A woman lies dead in a bombed-out house. A tragic casualty of the Blitz? Or something more sinister? Sixty years later, the detective's daughter unearths the truth... From the number 1 bestselling author of The Detective's Daughter.

LONDON, 1940

Several neighbours heard the scream of the woman in the bombed-out house. One told the detective she thought the lady had seen a mouse. Another said it wasn't his business what went on behind closed doors. None of them imagined that a trusting young woman was being strangled by her lover.

TEWKESBURY, 2020

Beneath the vast stone arches of Tewkesbury Abbey, a man lies bleeding, close to death. He is the creator of a true-crime podcast which now will never air. He was investigating the murder of a 1940s police pathologist – had he come closer to the truth than he realised?

Stella Darnell has moved to Tewkesbury to escape from death, not to court it. But when this man dies in her arms, Stella, impelled to root out evil when she finds it, becomes determined to hunt down his killer and to bring the secrets he was searching for into the light...

Praise for The Detective's Daughter series:

'Lesley Thomson gets better and better' Ian Rankin

'Cunningly plotted' Mick Herron

'One of the most original characters in British crime fiction... Thomson's plots are original and she draws her characters with genuine affection' Sunday Times

'In the best traditions of the classic whodunnit, this is Midsomer Murders for grown-ups' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express

'Gloriously well-written... Thomson creates a rich and sinister world that is utterly unique' William Shaw

Ratings and reviews

What a fantastic addition to this great series! During the bombing in London, 1940, a scream is heard coming from a derelict house, but no-one paid much notice. However, a young woman's body is found, strangled. In Tewkesbury, 2020, a man's body is found; he broadcast a true-crime podcast describing his investigation into the murder of a 1940's police pathologist - how close to the truth did he get? Stella moved to Tewkesbury to get away from murder, but when this man died in her arms she finds herself right back in the middle of it - again. This series just keeps getting better; Lesley Thomson really knows how to grab her reader's attention and keep it there until the very end. With this being a dual timeline mystery, I found that I got so involved in each one that it was a bit of a surprise when it all changed. Intricately woven and with plenty going on, I was hooked from the word go. Expertly written with well-developed characters, this is an exciting read which I'm happy to recommend and give 4.5*.

About the author

Lesley Thomson is the author of the Detective's Daughter series of West London-set mysteries featuring private investigators Stella, a cleaner, and Jack, a tube driver. The first novel, The Detective's Daughter, became an ebook phenomenon in 2013, staying at number 1 in the digital charts for 3 months. Since then, the series has gone on to sell 800,000 copies worldwide. Lesley is an active member of the UK crimewriting community, and appeared at several crime festivals in 2019, including CrimeFest, Harrogate, Morecambe & Vice and Capital Crime. She lives in Lewes with her partner and her dog. visit her website at lesleythomson.co.uk