10 MARCHFIELD SQUARE by Nicola Whyte

RIGHTS SOLD:

RIGHTS AVAILABLE: All other rights handled by the bks Agency

The Paris Apartment meets Only Murders in the Building in this debut murder mystery with an intriguing cast of characters inhabiting a quirky block of flats in modern-day London. This is the perfect summer read for fans of Tom Hindle, Janice Hallett and Kristen Perrin.

'A hugely impressive debut that's cosy and classy in equal measure. A super-smart and delightful mystery that teases out the secrets of an entire neighbourhood' JANICE HALLETT, bestselling author of THE APPEAL

'I just loved 10 Marchfield Square. Clever, funny, ingeniously constructed - and what a cast! The mystery is gripping and beautifully unguessable, the characters are bursting with life, and the square itself is drawn with such subtlety and love. Brilliant!' ALEX HAY, bestselling author of THE HOUSEKEEPERS

'Whyte crafts a brand new kind of cosy mystery that leaps off the page and keeps you thinking throughout ... A proper cosy whodunnit that oozes charm, wit and bloody murder' JONATHAN WHITELAW, author of THE BINGO HALL DETECTIVES

'Utterly delightful. Whyte writes with both cool wit and warm charm, and combines a charismatic cast of eccentric characters with a properly knotty murder mystery. This book is a real winner for anyone who wants a crime novel with a Golden Age feel but modern sensibilities. More please' ALICE BELL, author of GRAVE EXPECTATIONS

Marchfield Square was meant to be a haven from the outside world. A place for those who need somewhere safe from their pasts, or who could otherwise not afford to stay in the city they call home. That was Celeste Van Duren's plan. One of her tenants being murdered in his own kitchen, and the police trying to pin it on his long-suffering wife, was not.

So Celeste does what anyone with a lot of money, a strong sense of justice and a bad hip would do: she recruits some help to track down the real murderer. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone in the square and is liked by all, while failed crime writer, Lewis, is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he's not that fond of Audrey either, but Celeste is persuasive. In theory his knowledge of police procedure and her way with people should help them find the killer - if they don't kill each other first...

Despite their differences the two soon discover the victim's dodgy art deals may hold the key to the mystery - but have they missed something closer to home? After all, how well do you really know your neighbours?

Nicola Whyte studied Drama at Aberystwyth University and spent many happy years as a bookseller before becoming a web developer. She now co-owns a digital agency in the West Country. She’s been writing since she was very young, and her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the BPA First Novel Award, the Cheshire Novel Prize, and the Daily Mail First Novel Award. She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family.