An embarrassing case of graffiti leads to a gruesome murder in the latest enthralling Charlie Priest mystery.

A glamorous local celebrity pulls the curtain on a new shopping centre in sleepy Heckley — to reveal a shocking sight: an obscene, four-letter word scrawled across the commemorative plaque, in foot-high red paint.

Detective Charlie Priest is reluctantly pulled from his gardening leave to investigate what looks like a juvenile prank. But things quickly escalate.

As Charlie digs deeper, he uncovers a tangle of secrets linking Heckley’s ambitious mayor, a decades-old scandal — and the mysterious disappearance of a high-value racehorse.

And when murder follows, the case turns deadly serious.

This character-driven detective mystery full of wry English humour and more twists than a village bypass is perfect for fans of Colin Dexter, Reginald Hill, J.R. Ellis, P.F. Ford and Roger Silverwood.