Detective Inspector Andy Horton is handed a troubling new case on the Isle of Wight — the disappearance of private investigator Jasper Kenton.

Kenton had been tailing a man whose wife suspected him of an affair. But when Kenton’s naked body is found wrapped in sailcloth on a private beach, a simple surveillance job becomes a chilling murder investigation.

The post-mortem reveals a brutal execution: Kenton was shot at close range with a crossbow.

Now Horton must navigate a web of secrets, lies and betrayal along the south coast of England. The deeper he digs into Kenton’s last investigation — and the secretive world around the Isle of Wight — the more he realises this case has devastating personal consequences.

Horton is forced to conceal vital information, knowing that if his silence is exposed, it won’t just destroy the investigation — it will end his career.

Perfect for fans of gritty British crime fiction and atmospheric coastal mysteries, including readers of Elly Griffiths, Joy Ellis, and Rachel McLean.

British crime author Pauline Rowson writes gripping, fast-paced marine mysteries set on the south coast of England, including the DI Andy Horton series, Art Marvik thrillers and 1950s Inspector Ryga novels.

Andrew Scarborough