An utterly gripping cozy crime mystery full of village gossip and unexpected twists.

Meet Rain Morgan. newspaper gossip columnist by profession, amateur sleuth by chance.

Rain Morgan is supposed to be on holiday. Sipping wine in the cozy Somerset village of Nether Hampton. Certainly not staring at the remains of a hastily buried body in the village well.

This was no accident. This was murder.

Rain has no interest in getting involved. She’s only just arrived and is determined to enjoy herself, learning to play bridge with the local dignitaries.

But a gossip columnist can’t let the scoop of the year slip through her fingers.

Then her bridge partner is brutally murdered on the infamous Widow’s Walk. Rain realizes there is more to this village than meets the eye.

Nether Hampton has its secrets, and some people will do anything to keep them hidden.

Rain must discover who has a secret to kill for, before this becomes the last holiday she ever takes . . .

Fans of M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin, Richard Osman, Faith Martin, Marty Wingate, Merryn Allingham, Liz Fielding and Richard Coles will love this gripping cozy crime series.

Previously published as Patterns in the Dust.

**Nominated for a John Creasey Award for Best First Novel and nominated for the CWA New Blood Dagger (1985)**